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theboywithburninghands · 6 months ago

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Hello and Happy Pride! I have the penultimate chapter of the murder mystery au for you. It’s a doozy, there’s romance and conspiracy and root beer. Enjoy!

T/W: Murder, suicide, mild surgery, emotional abuse, fantasy racism

Animals Ch. 4: Dogs

You have to be trusted by the people that you lie to

So that when they turn their backs on you,

You'll get the chance to put the knife in…

—

Pomni was dimly aware of a deep ache in her side. This pain wrestled her from sleep, and she blinked awake. She looked up, but instead of her apartment’s cheap popcorn ceiling, she saw a ceiling with visible oak joists and beams. She looked down at herself, and saw a red and black checkered wool throw blanket wrapped around her rather than her quilt. She looked around and saw herself in a wood cabin, sparsely decorated. A sturdy wooden table and chairs in the middle of the main room, a braided, dull-colored wool rug laid across the floor to keep one’s feet warm, a brick fireplace with a shovelful of still warm ash in the hearth. Tilting her all the way up, she could see a small CRT television sat on an end table, in front of a cheap brown loveseat with red chenille cushions. It looked like someone had slept there last night, the pillows stacked at one end and a rumpled blue blanket on the couch.

She raised her arm to check her watch. It hurt a lot. She saw that her arm had been wrapped up in elastic gauze, but her watch was still on her wrist, although the screen had cracked. 7:21 AM. She moved the blanket aside with her left hand, her good hand, to look at herself. She was in a black t-shirt too large for her that appeared to be ruined by a bleach stain, and what appeared to be a pair of red long johns, also too big for her.

She heard the flush of a toilet and a door open at the far end of the room, but she couldn’t turn all the way to look without aggravating the pain in her stomach. A heavy pair of boots approached the bed, and she thought about throwing the blanket over her head like a child hiding from the monster in her closet.

“Hey. You’re up.”

A deep and growly voice greeted her. Above her stood a burly rabbit-wolf hybrid in a white collared shirt, black dress pants and a pair of black suspenders. He smiled sheepishly, trying not to show too much of his enormous teeth. She recognized him. He was the butcher shop owner.

His name was… Jax.

“Sorry, I just got back from feeding my livestock…Do you remember what happened last night?” the rabbit asked.

Pomni thought. She came home, and she couldn’t get in her apartment, and then…

“You got attacked by a Nightwalker,” the rabbit-wolf said. “I’m not sure what happened before then, but I found it biting into your side right outside your apartment. I know you probably feel horrible, and I don’t blame you, but you actually got sorta lucky. Nightwalkers like to travel in packs, so you probably ran into one that had wandered off from the group. A juvenile or runt or something.”

Pomni looked at him with big eyes. He cleared his throat.

“We should get you to the hospital as soon as we can. I patched you up as best I could, but I’m no doctor. You prolly need stitches.”

He looked at her again. Neither of them said anything for a moment. Jax’s ears pinned back, and he scratched behind one of them.

“…Uh. You were freezing too, so I had to warm you up by the fire and get you into dry clothes. Didn’t want you to get hypothermia…” His ears perked up. “A-Are you hungry? I can make you some food.”

Pomni opened her mouth to speak, but an eruption of coughing came out of her instead. She winced at the pain that flared in her abdomen when she did, clutching at her belly after her throat was sated.

Jax looked away with a grimace. “I know, I’m sorry… hang on, I might have something for the pain and cough. It’s not much, but…”

Jax looked inside the first aid kit he left sitting on the table. There was a small packet of extra strength aspirin inside that he gingerly opened with his large fingers. He went into his bathroom and found some acetaminophen in the medicine cabinet, filling a small glass cup with water from his kitchen tap. He carried the pills in one hand and the cup in the other.

“Can you sit up? I don’t want you to choke.” he asked.

Pomni attempted to scoot up in bed, but the nerves in her arm flashed with a pain that cut right to her ulna and she whimpered.

“Here, I’ll be quick,” Jax set the pills and water on the table and gently put his paws under her armpits, sliding her up against the headboard. She whined from the brief pain, but she remained sat up as Jax brought a chair over to the side of the bed and picked up the medicine and cup again.

“Open,” he requested. She opened her mouth and he put the pills on her tongue, bringing the brim of the glass to her lips. “Easy…”

She drained the entire thing, panting and then coughing again, her face crumpling in pain.

“That's all I got,” he growled meekly, putting a paw onto her left shoulder.

Pomni panted, sniffed twice through a clogged nose, swallowed, and managed to speak.

“Jax… weren’t you in jail? Did you… escape..?” Her voice was raspy.

Jax smiled a bit, still doing his best to hide his fangs. “Nah, I got bailed out. No idea who did it. My dad’s never seen that much scratch in his life.”

“Zooble wanted to bail you out yesterday but they didn’t have enough money…” Pomni mumbled.

“Sounds like them. Nah, I got no idea who did it. But I’m glad they did, cuz that way I was in time to get that Nightwalker off you. What were you doing outside?” Jax asked.

“I got locked out… Slipped and fell on the steps… I lost my keys at Kaufmo’s house…” Pomni rasped.

“Kaufmo’s house?”

“I went yesterday… I wanted to see if there was…” Pomni had to stop to swallow, smothering another cough. “If there was anything that might implicate someone else for his… you know… murder.”

Jax tilted his head, letting out a short, breathy laugh. “That’s… Uh, why? I mean, thank you, but-”

“Because you didn’t do it. I know you didn’t do it. Those detectives… I saw the way they looked at you. It wasn’t fair…”

Pomni bit down on her left hand’s fingernails. “But… if you got bailed out, then it was for nothing, wasn’t it..?”

“No,” Jax leaned forward a bit. “That’s… I don’t think any stranger’s ever stuck their neck out for me like that. Thank you.”

Jax smiled again. It was too wide to hide his large, frightening teeth, but Pomni’s pale face became dusted with pink anyway.

“We didn’t find anything anyway before the repo men got there. Just a bunch of pills and a scrap of burnt up paper someone flushed down the toilet…” she wheezed.

Pomni coughed again, groaning at the pain it caused her. Jax rubbed her shoulder.

“We should go to the hospital. I’m not all that hungry right now… But I don’t know if I can walk.” Pomni admitted. “Is it cold out?”

“Uh, I can turn the weather on.”

Jax got up from his chair and pressed the power button of his television with a hollow tink sound. The screen hissed to life, and the audio kicked in.

“-surprised everyone yesterday when he posted bail for Mr. Kingston.”

Jax’s eyes widened somewhat, and he sat down on the loveseat. The same news anchor that was interviewing Jax’s dad on Main Street yesterday now stood in front of the police station. The scene cut to Autumnvale’s mayor, a teeth-humanoid in an impeccably tailored red suit jacket and yellow scarf, standing at a podium in front of town hall.

“The people of Autumnvale have made their stance quite clear. The persecution of crossbreeds is already intolerable enough as it is, and the demonstration out here has shown that Autumnvale is just as tired of it as I am. Therefore, due to my dissatisfaction with the investigation and the evidence, I posted Jax Kingston’s bail yesterday evening.”

The crowd erupted into equal parts cheers and shouts of protests. The picture cut back to the news anchor.

“Police informed ADC news this morning that Mr. Kingston was privately released at 6:15 last night to avoid a scene. The detectives who arrested Mr. Kingston, as well as Kingston himself, have yet to be reached for comment.”

Pomni couldn’t quite turn to look due to her injuries, but she heard Jax give a short, incredulous laugh.

“I’ll be goddamned… Mayor Mason actually did it.”

He gave another short laugh, switching channels on the television to the weather.

“Do you know him..? The mayor?” Pomni asked. She couldn't help but smile right along with the butcher.

“He saved me. He found me when I was a baby, after my fake parents abandoned me. He also helped these grow in.”

Jax showed off his entire maw of razor sharp teeth. Pomni couldn’t help but shiver, despite how kind he had been. When something had big teeth, it was scary, a primal feeling buried deep in her animal brain.

“Is that… a good thing?” Pomni asked.

“Suuure it is. I’m part wolf, meat’s part of my diet. Plus, if I didn’t have that passion, I never would have opened the best butcher shop in the country.”

Pomni smiled again. “Well, I’m happy for you. But we still don’t know who actually did it… Killed Kaufmo I mean.”

“That can wait. You need the hospital. The only issue is, it’s not getting above 23 degrees today, and your snow clothes got… really messed up.”

Jax picked up her puffer jacket with the massive hole ripped in the side from off the table, and in his other hand, showed her fleece and black long sleeved shirt, the blood had dried on both to the point that it would probably never come out in the wash, unless said wash contained antimatter.

“Ohhh… my mom bought those for me…” Pomni said weakly. “They were part of my going away present…”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know how to sew.” Jax replied. “Ragatha might, but I don’t even think she could fix a mess this bad… But the good news is, I’ve got spare winter stuff. I used to wear it as a teenager, but it’ll probably still be big on you…”

He went over to the wood trunk at the foot of the bed and opened it, the hinges squeaking. After a few moments of rustling, he got out an insulated brown leather jacket with cream fur trim, a gray trapper hat and baggy, dark green squall pants.

“It’s not Gucci, but it beats freezing.” Jax said.

“You know what? That’s fine with me-” Pomni had another coughing fit, clutching her midsection in pain.

“Fuck..!” she exclaimed.

Jax rose to his feet, putting the chair back under his table. “Yup, that’s my cue to get you to the hospital. You need help getting dressed?”

“Uh… no, I uh…” she stammered with a blush.

“Look, I already cleaned you up and got you changed into dry clothes last night, so it’s no big deal. I don’t want you torturing yourself over pride or anything.” Jax said, looking up at the ceiling.

“I mean… I can do it. Just… if I need help, I’ll… call you? I guess?”

“Sure. I can hang out in the bathroom. Just holler if you need anything, okay?” Jax said. He set the clothes down on his bed, tucked his hands into the pockets of his work pants and stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

It took a good fifteen minutes and a great deal of whinging on her part, but Pomni got herself dressed. The only thing that hadn’t been swapped for something dry and warm was her underwear, which she silently appreciated quite a bit. She examined the bandages on her belly, which were reddish-brown with blood, but otherwise fairly clean. The wounds on her forehead and back had been washed and bandaged as well, although a few locks of her hair were quite sticky with dried blood. She needed a shower when it was safe to take one.

“Okay, I’m done.” Pomni called out, sitting on Jax’s bed.

Jax exited the bathroom and smirked upon seeing Pomni.

“I know, I know, I look like I’m wearing my dad’s clothes.” Pomni sighed.

“You look cute.” Jax replied.

Pomni felt her cheeks warm up. “Th-Thanks… so, are we just gonna call an ambulance? Since I don’t feel strong enough to walk…”

“Haven’t got a phone. I can walk you there.” Jax said. “What would be the most comfortable way for me to carry you?”

“You don’t have a car..? Or a horse?” Pomni asked.

“Nope. I get everywhere on my own two feet. When you’ve lived in this backwater as long as I have, you get good at moving around quickly and quietly.”

Pomni sighed. “Okay, fine. I guess we don’t have a choice, really.”

“What? Are you worried I’ll drop you? I carried you all the way here before, didn’t I? While running.”

Pomni sighed. “Okay. But before we go, can we get my keys? I know they’re still sitting there under his back window…”

“I’ll get ‘em after I drop you off. Hospital first. Come on, upsy.”

Jax scooped Pomni up carefully, placing his hands around the gash on her back. Pomni made a faint squeak in surprise, but luckily, he didn’t aggravate her wound. He must have gotten really good at picking up dead weight over the years.

“Shit, you’re tiny. Like lifting a bag of corncobs.” Jax grinned. Up close his teeth were even bigger than they looked, each one about the length of a toothpick.

“Yeah, well… you stink.” Pomni shot back. “You always use bacon grease as soap?”

Jax laughed. His chest bounced. “As if you can smell anything right now.”

“I can smell you. You ever thought about bathing once every few years?” Pomni covered her nose, but her smirk betrayed a playfulness to the gesture.

He opened the door to outside, shutting the door behind him and locking the door. Impressively, he balanced her on one palm and still managed to keep his hand off her back wound.

The morning air was freezing, as expected. Pomni felt a wave of shivers roll through her body upon feeling the bitter winter cold again. She felt her body gearing up for another coughing fit and clapped her hands over her mouth.

“Don’t worry, I gotcha…” Jax said.

She let out a painful, barking cough into her gloves. She winced from the pain, which was only mildly dulled from the pill Jax gave her. As it finally subsided, she turned her head to the side and spat a gob of phlegm into the snow.

“Nice shot,” Jax chuckled.

“Mmmrrrrgh…” was the only thing Pomni managed to say. She rested her cheek against his chest. The warmth felt good.

—

While Dr. Wren’s office was the town psychiatric clinic, Autumnvale Regional Medical Center was where citizens were treated for injuries or sickness. It was a small building not too far from town, only one floor with twenty beds, five nurses and three doctors.

The nurse at the reception desk did a double take from her pulpy romance novel when a six foot tall rabbit-wolf entered the lobby, carrying what looked at first like a bundle of clothes, but was actually an adult woman.

“She fell down some stairs and got attacked by a Nightwalker. I did my best to patch her up, but she needs real medicine and stitches. It hurts for her to walk, too.”

The nurse narrowed her eyes at Jax before looking at Pomni. “You… fell down some stairs..?”

Pomni caught on immediately and rolled her eyes. “Yes, I fell down some stairs. He didn’t do this to me. He saved my fucking life, actually.”

She let out another barrage of coughs and groaned in pain, Jax smiling gratefully at her,

The nurse soon had Pomni in a wheelchair, taking her to the emergency room. The surgeon, a Persian woman almost as short as Pomni with rectangular glasses and bright red lipstick, tended to her. She applied some local anesthesia to Pomni’s belly and removed the bandages, Pomni only feeling a faint rip as her skin had gone totally numb.

“You know, these are cleaned and dressed quite professionally,” the surgeon said as she removed the gauze from the bite mark with a pair of forceps. “Your friend out there did a fine job. So, tell me what happened?”

Pomni thought a moment. It was easier to focus now that the pain had finally been put on mute. “There was this… I don’t want to call it a dog, it had hooves and no hair…”

“Nightwalker,” the surgeon said, picking up her suturing needle and threading it with Kevlar. “Awful monsters, they are. They come in all different shapes and sizes. Some of them move on two legs, like people. Some of them have too many arms and legs.”

“Uh huh. Well it came over and bit me, hard. It must have seen I was already hurt. But Jax… he got it with a knife and carried me to his house. I would’ve bled out or froze without him…”

Pomni coughed, the nurse giving her a menthol drop to soothe her throat so she wouldn’t jostle the surgeon’s needlework.

“Well, we’re all glad you’re safe. Did you ever find your keys?” the surgeon asked with a slight smile.

“No, but I know where they are…” Pomni said, sucking on the menthol drop. It felt great on her throat but tasted like chemical honey. “Jax said he’d go get them.”

“Well, that’s good. I’m glad you have someone who can look after you here, even if you’re from out of town…” the surgeon said as she cut off the thread with a pair of scissors before moving to the next bite. “Your wounds aren’t infected, but we are going to give you a tetanus and rabies shot just in case. I’m also going to give you some painkillers, are you allergic to any medication?”

“I have a sulfa sensitivity,” Pomni said. “Oh, I am on antidepressants though… I have the pills in my apartment.”

“We can probably give you some if we have any in the hospital pharmacy. I’ll have to check if they haven’t expired. Have you had anything to eat?” the surgeon inquired.

“No. Since my stomach doesn’t hurt right now, I could go for something to eat. I also need to call my parents. Man, they’re gonna be pissed…”

“Don’t be silly, they’ll be worried and relieved. I’ve seen it happen plenty of times.” the surgeon replied as she started on the next wound.

Pomni sighed. She supposed the surgeon was right, but she really hoped that her parents didn’t panic and want to take her back home. She was four hours away from the big city anyway, it wasn’t like it was a short trip for them. She had work to do as well, not just for school.

—

Jax sifted through the snow under Kaufmo’s back window. The drift wasn’t as heavy due to a colossal pine tree that had probably been here since before the town was even founded, but it was enough to hide a small object like keys.

Eventually, he found a few bits and bobs that might be in a lady’s purse buried in an inconspicuous patch of snow: a half eaten roll of breath mints, a bobby pin, and a ring of keys. Jax held up the keys between his thumb and pointer finger. It was one of those flimsy 99 cent things you could buy at any gas station, with two keys and a little charm dangling off one side. The charm appeared to depict a little blue smiling face with black eyes and sharp teeth.

“Hm. Cute,” Jax said to himself as he tucked the keys into his pocket. He looked into the window . So she had really gone in there looking for clues, huh? Brave of her, if careless. Well, now that the government repossessed all of Kaufmo’s things (he probably didn’t have a will), whatever clues there may have been were long gone.

That is, unless the cleaners hadn’t come yet.

Jax shaded his eyes and looked into the window. Too dark to tell. He tried the window. It was locked. He tried again, a little harder. It didn’t move. He tried again with his full strength. There was a loud twuuuuuung accompanied by the sound of metal clinking across a wooden floor, and the window slid open. Jax double checked to see if anybody was around, then climbed inside.

There wasn’t any furniture at all in the condo, really. The refrigerator in the kitchen appeared to be the only thing left. The hardwood was covered in gritty bits of crud that must have been under rugs, dust bunnies and a couple bits of loose change and chewed pen caps that had lived under couches and chairs for who knows how long. It smelled dusty and lonely. Jax rubbed his nose.

He took a brief look inside the bathroom. It was still a bit grimy, but otherwise empty. He checked the mirror cabinet. Empty. He opened the toilet lid, then closed it. Yeah, he wasn’t about to go sticking a paw in there, sorry Pomni.

He checked the last room, the bedroom. It was the only room with carpeting, and thus Jax could see where everything used to be thanks to the impressions in the floor. A bed, a dresser, something like a bookshelf or wardrobe. That was it. There was another window to the outside, but it wasn’t like you could take those out of the house too. Nothing in the closet either.

He turned to leave out the window he came through when his boot kicked something tiny on the carpet, about the size of a pebble you’d put in an aquarium. It skittered across the carpet and tapped the wall, coming to rest after rolling a short distance. Jax picked it up and held it towards the light filtering through the window.

A capsule, half blue and half orange. The blue side marked with a string of letters, TEBA, the orange marked with numbers, 7199. He sniffed it. Smelled like… the floor. His sense of smell was good, but he couldn’t pinpoint what a pill was for just by sniffing it once. He put it in his back pocket for later, then stepped out of the window into the snow. Maybe Pomni knew what it was for, or one of the doctors at the hospital. He crunched up the sidewalk back towards the hospital. He was always thankful for his fur, it was like having a coat year-round.

“KINGSTON!”

Jax’s long ears sprung straight up upon hearing a voice call for him. He growled and turned, expecting to see Trevor or some other goon waiting to pick a fight for “getting off easy.”

Instead, it was two people on a striped horse. The person in the rear clambered off the back and ran forward, a chess piece shaped fellow in a red flannel jacket and bucket fishing hat.

“Jax..! Oh, my boy!” Kinger threw his hands around Jax’s burly torso and pressed an ear to his chest, squeezing him with all his might.

“Dad..! Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t…” Jax began. He could feel Kinger’s breath and shoulders hitching.

“We all thought they were gonna put you away forever, Jax…” Kinger whispered, tears running down his face.

“…I did too, dad.” Jax replied tenderly. He hugged the old man back as tight as he could without hurting him. His real dad.

“I’m so glad you’re here…” Kinger sobbed.

“Me too… I’m sorry I didn’t call, really. Something huge came up, I- OOF!”

Jax felt a fist box him in the side. He looked over to see Zooble, their fist raised and quaking.

“Something came up, huh? It better have been life or death, you stupid! Meathead! Asshole!” Zooble punctuated the last three words with three more sharp blows to the side. Jax’s arms were still around his adoptive father and thus too preoccupied for a counter hit.

“Zooble, cut it out already, that shit hurts! Sorry dad…”

The cowboy relented with a huff and hugged Jax as well. The butcher rolled his eyes, but smiled and put an arm around them too.

“So what was so important you couldn’t let your friends and family know you were outta jail?” Zooble demanded.

“That art student girl, Pomni, she- I was on my to vi- I was on my way home and I saw her getting attacked by a Nightwalker. She needed help.” Jax explained.

Zooble withdrew and tilted up their hat incredulously. “Wait, Pomni? Seriously?! I just saw her yesterday, we were casing Kaufmo’s place over there for any evidence that might get you off the hook? She got attacked! Shit, man, I hope it wasn’t ‘cause I left her behind…”

“Good job son! Killing a Nightwalker all on your own… your mother would have been proud!” Kinger said, at last releasing Jax and wiping his eyes.

“I know she would’ve, dad… But no, it wasn’t you, Zooble. She lost her keys.” Jax held up and jingled Pomni’s keychain. “She’s in the hospital now if you want to see her. I had to keep her from bleeding to death last night…”

“Ugh. What a fuckin’ mess… Sorry, Kinger. I’m glad she’s okay though.” Zooble said, putting their hand and hook on their hips.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Jax,” Kinger said. “And good for you for helping a stranger. I raised you right.”

“You know she’s got a crush on you, right?” Zooble added, a smile in their voice. Jax arched an eyebrow.

“What? Don’t be stupid. She’s just thankful someone was around to save her skinny little butt.”

“Ohhhh no no, we figured it out yesterday. She’s got a huuuge crush on you. I bet she thinks you’re her knight in shining armor now.” Zooble elbowed the butcher in the side.

Jax scoffed, but there was an unmistakable shy smile on his face for a moment before it turned into a smirk.

“A crush, huh? You mean like the kind you have on Gangle?”

Zooble rolled their eyes. “This again? Don’t try and change the subject, man.”

“I’m not. I’m very much still on the subject of crushes. In fact, I think I was just thinking about what those flowers left by Kaufmo’s house were originally for. There was a card left in the bouquet.”

Jax removed a small paper card with elegant lavender cursive written on it from his back pocket. Zooble somehow turned even more pink.

“Let’s see, ‘To Gangle, From Your Secret Admirer,’ with two little hearts after it! How cute! Now who do ya think coulda left that there, hm?”

Zooble flicked the card out of Jax’s paw and pulled the brim of their hat almost entirely over their face, climbing up onto ZigZag.

“We’ll meet you at the hospital, FangFace. I’m gonna go tell Ragatha about what happened and hope she doesn’t swoon.”

“You better tell Gangle too. Unless you’d rather send her a card, ‘Secret Admirer.’” Jax leered, feral teeth on full display.

He ducked an apple thrown at his head, waved goodbye to his dad, and watched the two of them ride off into the distance.

Jax put his hands in his pockets, smiling a little less wickedly to himself. So, she had a crush, huh? He couldn’t think of a time anyone had ever liked him like that. There had been a few disgusting remarks thrown his way by some of the lint-brained, redneck wife-beaters that hung around the bar and hardware store. It must have been some kind of weird sexual racism thing, where you hate someone for their race but at the same time think they’re hot. Gangle told him about it once. He didn’t much care why. The mouths that issued those taunts now had significantly less teeth or tongues in their heads anyway.

But… he was alright with this. He liked her too, and it felt good. For ages, he didn’t understand stories with romance in them. Putting your mouth on someone else’s mouth and calling them cute things always felt weird and sort of childish to him.

But… Now he got it. Maybe he could try doing those things with her, if she was okay with it. He’d have to watch his teeth though.

—

Pomni had been on the phone with her mother for almost 30 minutes. The nurse, a sheep woman, had sat her in a wheelchair and trundled her down to the white corded phone on the wall.

“Of course I understand, mom, but I’m not going home… Because I’m okay on my own… I’m 25, mom! If something happens with my stitches, I’ll just call an ambulance… Yes, they have ambulances here, mom, they’re not Amish… Mom, I have insurance, you helped me set it up! I’m not going to max out my copayments, I- look, can I talk to dad? Well, when’ll he be home..? Oh, okay. You didn’t tell him I was in critical condition or anything, right? Thank you.”

Ragatha sat nearby, reading the newspaper. She had, of course, dropped everything and closed the café when Zooble informed her about Pomni’s ordeal, rushing over to the hospital to check on her. Ragatha had tried to call Pomni twice the previous evening to let her know about Jax being bailed out, and was nervous the rest of the night upon not getting an answer back. Sitting here and keeping an eye on Pomni helped curb some of the guilt she felt, however irrational it was.

“Everyone locks their doors around 6:30 or 7:00 around here, and now I kinda understand why… I’m only joking, mom… Um, I don’t know about tonight, it’s a four hour drive. Okay. Okay, well, if you’re dead set on coming tonight, leave ASAP, and book the room now. Like, now now. I know you’re worried, mom, but I don’t want you or dad getting hurt… Uh… Shoot, I don’t know the name of the inn. Do you want to talk to Ragatha? She can help. I need something to drink, anyway, my throat hurts... It’s just a cold, mom. Okay, here she is. Love you too, talk in a sec.”

Ragatha was over by the phone in a heartbeat, Pomni handing it off to her and wheeling her way down the hall towards the drink machine.

“Hi, Ella! Holding up okay?” Ragatha said in her sweetest voice. “Oh, I understand, all of us are shaken up. But she’s a tough girl, she’s doing awesome. Okay, you got a pencil?”

Pomni reached the humming drink machine and took her pocketbook out of her purse. She shook out a few coins into her palm, sorted out three quarters and poured the rest back in. She reached up to the machine’s coin slot gingerly and dropped in two quarters. The surgeon told her to not bend too far up or down to keep from popping any stitches, so she had to awkwardly push the coins in with the very tip of fingers to avoid stretching her arm out. The last quarter slipped off her finger and chinged onto the floor, rolling a few feet away before laying tails-side up.

“Goddamn it…” Pomni rolled her eyes and reopened her pocketbook. She didn’t want to risk ripping her sutures.

“Here,” a deep voice said.

Pomni looked up to see Jax picking up the quarter and sliding it into the coin slot. From her sitting position, he looked even taller.

“What do you feel like?” he asked, hovering a finger over the selection buttons.

“Root beer, thanks,” Pomni said with a smile.

Jax pressed the appropriate button with his thumb, the machine whirring for a moment before a silver can of Barker’s Root Beer clunked noisily into the vending slot. Jax picked up the can and cracked the pop top. He sniffed it and recoiled.

“Smells like medicine,” he said as he handed it off to Pomni.

“I just took painkillers, a decongestant and my anti-depressants, I know what medicine tastes like.” Pomni smirked.

She took three long swallows of root beer, the manufactured hyper-sweet taste like ambrosia after the pills and bland hospital food, the cold and prickly bubbles easing the dryness of her throat. She belched, grimacing in disgust and putting a fist to her mouth.

“Euck- okay, that tasted like medicine…”

Jax laughed a bit, then reached into his pocket and offered Pomni her keys. “These are yours, right?”

“You found them…”

As she took the keys , she turned over his large paw and placed a small kiss on his knuckle. Jax looked at the back of his hand like it had suddenly grown an extra finger.

“Sorry,” Pomni giggled, blushing. “Was that too much?”

“No, it… I just… I’ve only ever gotten those from my mother.” he replied distantly.

Pomni smiled. For all his razortooth smiles and talk of blood and butchery, there still existed something warm and fragile inside that bulky frame.

“I could give you one on the lips too, if you wanted.” Pomni said, keeping her gaze on the floor.

Jax’s moon yellow eyes widened somewhat. He scratched the back of his head and looked at the ceiling for a moment before looking back down with a short laugh.

“Why?” he asked.

“I want to,” Pomni answered without hesitating.

Jax opened his mouth to answer. He found he had no words. He gently gripped the armrests of Pomni’s wheelchair and lowered his upper body down to her eye level. Up close, he looked… fluffy. Downright huggable. His eyes, usually so laser-focused and piercing, darted about.

Pomni went for it. She leaned in carefully and laid a chaste kiss on the rabbit-wolf’s lips. Jax’s ears pinned back, but his eyes closed with hers for the moment it lasted.

The kiss broke, only lasting a moment or two, and the two of them stared at one another.

“My breath wasn’t bad, was it?” Jax asked with a sheepish, sharp-toothed smile.

“It can’t have been any worse than mine, I haven’t even brushed my teeth today.” Pomni replied.

The two of them laughed shyly, before Pomni touched her forehead with Jax’s and closed her eyes.

“Thank you for everything…” she whispered.

“Pomni, hun! Your dad is on the phone!” Ragatha called from around the corner.

“Coming!” she replied, her voice still slightly weak. She gave Jax one more grateful smile before turning her chair around and wheeling towards the corner.

“Oh! Pomni, wait! I found something at Kaufmo’s house.” Jax took hold of one of the push handles to keep Pomni from leaving, taking the capsule out of his back pocket. “Look. You said he dumped all his medicine, right?”

Pomni handed Jax her drink as she took the pill from his paw.

“Oh. Yeah, this is- this is like the kind I take! It’s Prozac. Or the generic version of it, at least. It-”

Pomni blinked, then held the pill closer to her eyes and squinted. She thought for a moment before she gasped and covered her mouth.

“What?” Jax asked urgently.

“I think I know what happened to Kaufmo.”

“What? Seriously? You’re not just-”

Pomni nodded feverishly. “I think I’m onto something. But there’s one thing I need you to do for me before we go pointing any fingers.”

Pomni handed Jax back the pill, whispered something to him, then wheeled forward, only for Jax to grab a push handle again.

“Wait, how am I supposed to convince them to do that?!” Jax demanded.

“Use their biggest weakness against them. Be scary.” Pomni said with a smile before wheeling around the corner.

“Ragatha! Do you have any idea how to get in contact with ADC?”

2 hours later…

The news anchor checked her makeup one last time before taking her mark, in front of the hospital by the double door entrance. The protestors from the previous day had gathered outside, some carrying signs congratulating Jax, others had signs asking for more justice to be served on the part of crossbreeds. The news anchor tapped her earpiece.

“We’re rolling? Okay- Thanks, Rob, many folks in Autumnvale, including myself, were floored to hear this afternoon’s story. 22-year-old Jax Kingston, proprietor of the town butcher shop, faced arrest on suspicion of murder only yesterday. However, Autumnvale’s Mayor Caine Mason posted Kingston’s half-a-million dollar bail out of his own pocket, citing ‘dissatisfaction with the evidence and investigation.’ And it would appear that Mr. Kingston did something truly heroic not fifteen minutes after he was released from the town jail.”

The footage cut to B-Roll of a young woman in a hospital bed talking to a nurse.

“25-year-old grad student Pomni Freeman found herself in a life or death situation at 6:30 last night, when she fell down the flight of stairs outside her apartment and encountered a juvenile Nightwalker waiting for her at the bottom.”

It cut to Pomni laying in her bed. She looked quite tired.

“It just walked up and bit me in the stomach. Like it was the most natural thing in the world…” she said.

“It must have been terrifying. Can you even describe how you felt?” the interviewer said from off camera.

“Like I was going to die. Alone, cold and screaming…” Pomni replied dourly.

The news anchor continued.

“But, in a miraculous stroke of luck, Kingston heard her screaming and rushed in.”

It cut to Jax being interviewed. He loomed over the entire news crew. The boom mic operator had to stand on a stepladder.

“I got the monster off of her, then I got her somewhere safe.” he grunted.

“How did you feel?” the interviewer asked.

“…Afraid.” he responded after a lengthy pause. “Afraid for her.”

It cut to B-Roll footage of the mayor, Caine Mason, at his desk, working on some important-looking paperwork.

“ADC was informed of these events via an anonymous tip just a few hours after the mayor announced that he bailed out Mr. Kingston, ”

It cut to Caine, at his desk, fingers knit together.

“Hopefully this will serve as an example of how crossbred people are just as deserving of our respect as anyone else. This is a landmark moment.” he said.

The camera cut back to the news anchor.

“But not everyone agrees, Rob. As you can see, some townsfolk have gathered outside Autumnvale Regional Medical Center behind me, some to celebrate Mr. Kingston’s achievement, others to-”

There was a commotion behind the anchor. The crowd appeared to be agitated by something occurring at the entrance.

A shape humanoid in a green and yellow poncho and cowboy hat had wrestled the megaphone out of Dr. Wren’s hand, shouting into it.

“EVERYONE LISTEN UP! Pomni Freeman has an important announcement regarding the…uh…”

They paused, looking at a nearby woman made of ribbons and a white mask for help. She whispered a few things to them, and they spoke up again.

“…regarding the encouraged suicide of Kaufmo.”

The news anchor waved at her cameraman, “Keep rolling, keep rolling!”

Pomni Freeman, still in her wheelchair but wearing a brown leather jacket and a gray trapper hat, both too large for her, and rolled over to take the bullhorn. Jax stood right beside her.

“Test, test… Okay. Uh. Hi, everyone. I can’t talk very loud, I have a cold. Uh, as you know, Jax Kingston has been the chief suspect in this case. But… I’ve uncovered some evidence that proves otherwise. I know I’m not a cop, and I’m willing to sacrifice my scholarship for the evidence I’ve obtained. The truth is… Kaufmo really did just kill himself.”

She held up a small blue and orange capsule.

“Uh, this is Fluoxetine Maleate, also called Prozac. It’s an SSRI that helps with anxiety and depression. Kaufmo took these just as I take them, every morning. The one I’ve got right here, it’s a fake. A placebo. I had Jax ask one of the doctors to check and make sure it was a real pill, pretending it was one of the ones I got from the pharmacy. I’m… sorry I lied to the hospital staff, but you wouldn’t have believed me if I had just asked you to analyze it. I have the proof right here…”

She held up some complicated looking paperwork.

“What tipped me off was the letters and numbers on the capsule. Anyone that takes generic Prozac will tell you the pattern on the capsules is always TEVA-7189. This one says TEBA-7188. It’s just a capsule of sugar.”

There was a murmur in the crowd.

“Kaufmo was on fake antidepressants. That’s why he killed himself. He was taking all different sorts of medication, but he wasn’t improving. So… he gave up. He decided to end it… Nothing was helping… But why? Why was it all phony?”

She turned slowly to glare at Dr. Wren.

“I know what you did, you twisted fuck.”

“What I- excuse me?” Dr. Wren replied.

“You call yourself a doctor? You gave Kaufmo placebos for who knows how long, so his depression got worse. Then, when the poor man offed himself, you dumped the fake pills, and replaced them with real ones in case someone ever tried testing them. I found all those pills you flushed down the toilet!

“But that wasn’t the only thing you flushed, was it? Nope. You burnt something and flushed it down the toilet too. Right? What was it? Something to push him over the edge even further. Hate mail? Some kind of threat? Something that would make him lose all hope. The final nail in the coffin for him to end it all.”

Dr. Wren had gone red in the face. “Young lady, these are completely baseless allegations! How can you say something so-”

“I’m not done! Then, when he hung himself from that pine tree, you slit his arms with one of Jax’s knives, hid the knife badly so the cops would find it and blame Jax, and then you waited for him to get arrested so you could send out a rallying cry to aaall these people who actually wanted to help, and you could look like a hero. Well, I hate to tell you, Dr. Wren. You’re not a hero. You’re a freak! All you did was bully a man that everyone loved into killing himself, then you made the guy who was already the town pariah into the main suspect because it looked good to defend him!”

“Stop this right now! You’re demeaning an entire movement with your lies! You don’t-” Dr. Wren let out an incredulous laugh. “You don’t have any proof that one word of your insane story is true!”

“You’re right… I don’t,” Pomni replied. “None of this has any hard evidence, there’s not even any proof that this pill came from Kaufmo’s house. Just my word. But guess what? You’re the only one that can prescribe anti-depressants around here, and I’ve got proof that these didn’t come from the hospital pharmacy and that they’re fake! I don’t care if you don’t get convicted! I don’t care if this all gets thrown out in court and you walk! You’re DONE. I know that you’re guilty! And now everyone else knows you’re guilty! Here in town and out in tv-land!”

Pomni pointed the bullhorn at the news crew, who were still rolling. She turned back towards Dr. Wren, whose face had bleached.

“Congratu-fuckin’-lations! You made a good movement look worse and you took a man’s life away! Was it worth it? Do you feel like a hero?!”

Pomni devolved into a coughing fit, dropping the bullhorn to the ground with a clatter. Jax held her handkerchief to her mouth, then wheeled her back towards the hospital entrance, the cowboy and ribbon woman following after them. A growing murmur began to rise in the crowd, Dr. Wren staring dead-eyed into space. The news anchor turned back to the camera and swept her hair out of her face, clearing her throat.

“Well. I guess that’s back to you, Rob.”

#the amazing digital circus #funnybunny #jax x pomni #tadc jax #tadc pomni #oh no cringe #the amazing digital murder mystery #rottentricks #tadc ragatha #tadc kaufmo #tadc zooble #tadc caine #tadc gangle #tadc kinger

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justasecretflower · 18 days ago

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Shark bait men - would they get married ?🤍🦈

A/N- hello! How are you?

₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊ ₊˚ ‿︵

Rhin

- yes!

- again, he’s extremely domestic. He adores the idea of putting a ring on your finger.

- he’s secretly overprotective, so shoving your finger with a shiny ring in everybody else’s (specially gw’s) faces just showing you’re his.

- he’d want a simple wedding, nothing too big. Like a garden wedding or a backyard wedding.

- prolly propose to you 2-3 years into the relationship.

-a modest ring. If you’re a flashy ring kinda girly then his ring is something you would not like..

- the diamond isn’t small, but it isn’t flashy.

- yes. But it’ll take some convincing if you really want it.

- then once he realizes he’ll have a pretty ring on your finger to stake his claim on you he gets worked up about the idea.

- big huge flashy ring. That diamond is literally humongous.

- I feel like he’d have a super fun wedding. The bar has super flashy drinks, the cake is huge and yes he will want to shove it in your face only with your consent. He knows makeup and hair is expensive.

- prolly has the best wedding. It’s extremely fun, I see him having his wedding in like a banquet ish place.

- he picks out a classic honeymoon spot too. He doesn’t wanna go back to the castle for the honeymoon. He feels like such an important event in your life warrants you going back up to the surface and having a honeymoon somewhere fancy.

Tiggy

-no…

- I don’t think he’ll ever get married.

- he’d be the type to say “it’s just a ring and paperwork”

- does find a big party and an intimate night afterwards fun though.

- he wouldn’t do anything official. Gets something more like a necklace with a ring on it then has a big party that’s like your reception.

- that’s all he’s doing. I feel like he wouldn’t like how long vows and all of that take so straight to the party.

- he brings silly string to the reception.

- will want a cake fight.

- and eats the cake with his bare hands

- it’s pretty fun. But you don’t get the vows and the bridesmaids..sorry!

Lee

- yeah, it’ll take him a lil bit to propose but yeah.

- a small wedding, maybe outside. Definitely the type to want a sparkler send off

- has a small cake, one decorated with edible flowers and such, the flavor is lemon. Ironic right?

- would wanna wear a flower crown to match with you.

- he’d cry.

- he’d also cry reading his vows.

- he actually does a lot of crying.

- it’s sweet though!.

Akhelios

- oh absolutely.

- it doesn’t take him long to pop the question after dating for a lil bit.

- he has never been so in love and cared for another person as much as you. He must make you his bride.

- big flashy wedding, big flashy ring, what did you expect?..

- proposes to you with the huge light up “will you marry me?” Spelled out, an orchestra in the back, flower trail with roses and your favourite flowers, the whole nine yards.

- now imagine your wedding..

- there’s another bigger, better orchestra, there’s floating lanterns, there’s roses everywhere, candles, live fire shows, cake that could feed a whole village.

- finds the cake smashing thing improper. Why would he ruin your pretty makeup, hair, and dress?..

- it’s a great wedding. Definitely black tie though.

Stryker

- he already assumes you’re married.

- yk, with him and the whole dead wife reincarnated thing.

- he doesn’t think another wedding is necessary.

- if you really want a wedding, he’ll do it though.

- it’s much like Akhelios’s wedding. Except he’s much more sweet with the wedding. It’s more about love than showing you off to everybody.

- it’s romantic, it’s also in a banquet hall thing.

- he doesn’t cry during the wedding or vows, but late at night when he’s holding you he’s like a gently misted produce isle in Kroger.. whispering how much he loves you.

- he realized from the wedding that he didn’t love the memory of his ex wife in you anymore, he was fully in love with you

Tags

#shark bait headcanons #shark bait imagines #shark bait x reader #lee x reader #rhin x reader shark bait #gw x reader #stryker x reader #Akhelios x reader #tiggy shark bait #tiggy x reader #i love you #justasecretflower

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bloody-arty-myths · 1 year ago

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I apologise for my little rant/vent in advance, please skip this post if you are uncomfortable with it

I wanted to draw since Tuesday, I got a new sketchbook and I thought that I would finally have PEACE but NO, instead of coming on Wednesday, my sister came home on Tuesday. My whole mood was ruined bc now I couldn’t have our room for myself. I do not draw anything.

It’s Wednesday, I want to draw but my aunt was supposed to visit us, so I was sewing the buttons on the dress I made for her. Suddenly I had to iron clothes, I get fucking sick and my head is spinning. I end up going to sleep immediately after the Night prayer. I do not draw anything.

Today is fucking Thursday, I wake up early, at 5:30 am. I have no energy or motivation to do anything, one of my mutuals left the server we were in, and he doesn’t respond for some time. Unfortunately my siblings were awake, idk why. Like always, I do chores, my sister refuses to iron clothes even tho its her turn to do so and she keeps being a bitch to me and im the OLDER sister. I find out my aunt is coming today, alongside my grandpa. Great. Chores again, my brothers are loud (like always). Its 4:19 pm now, and I did not draw anything today.

Normally, I remind myself that some people have it worse, but its tiring when almost all days of your life are monotonous and the only joy you have is art and you friends you prolly wont meet irl bc you live in different parts of the world.

#rant #vent

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hajimeseyo · 5 months ago

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this is so interesting to me bc when i played the game i cldnt rlly understand what this last shot meant, but now that its pointed out that it might be regret i have so many thoughts

on one hand it cld be bok-su regretting what she did bc she did want to be become a doctor/surgeon after all, she prolly cared abt others to a certain degree, so murdering an innocent man and framing her ex friend for murder wld prolly cause some sort of guilt to arise in her.

but on the other hand theres also the possiblity that she still somewhat cared abt da-jeong deep down in her heart, as she was the only friend she rlly had, so seeing her completely ruined, her perfect wedding shattered, her sanity broken and wedding dress covered in blood, possibly caused her to feel a twinge of regret and guilt. no one wants to see a person they care for in such a state.

either ways its so good bc its just so human, its something ive felt when doing something out of revenge or pure pettiness, that sense of regret when you see that person hurt from your actions. you hate them, of course. you won't take back what you did. but that sense of regret just never lets go when you see the results of your actions.

anw i love this game, average studio investigrave BANGER

the hint of regret on her face at the last second literally makes me so fucking sick studio investigraves has harmed me once more. im gonna kill myself

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poisonouswritings · 2 years ago

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Hehehe hey, Ozzy! How are you doing? I'm reading the last post rn and the thought of child!Sage (courtesy of Felix's faulty potion) clinging to your leg, Very Unwilling to Let You Go as you do your thing, came to me. He totally would. It's canon that he doesn't have parents growing up (cough abandonment issues cough) so when he sees you, it clicks in his head that This Person Loves and Cares For Me and he grips onto you with his grubby lil paws >:3 hehehe

You spoon feeding him? He's nomnoming the whole airplane.

You cuddling him to sleep? He is a koala and you are the tree.

You doing your chores and training? He is your Little Helper Protoge

Smol kitten man AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Tulsi prolly teases him but in truth she is Very Soft for big bro

Omg I've been wanting to do this for so long but I kept getting distracted with stuff

GN!Reader, we're gonna say Sage is like,,, six to seven? He's a kitty, Tulsi Is Dressing Him Up In Stupid Outfits, long one because hehehe kitty

I wanna say that you and Tulsi were out for the day,, like just hanging out because you're friends y'know,, ('Ozzy this isn't a Tulsi-' every post is a Tulsi post it's in the subtext) and then you guys get back and Felix is all disheveled and running around Fathom and you're like 'Hey What Happened Is Everything Okay?' and he gets all nervous and tries to say that everything is fine but then like,, you hear a ruckus in the kitchen and you both go over to check it out and its Kitten!Sage rummaging through cupboards because he's hongry and used to stealing,, and then you guys come in and his fur bristles and he hisses and hides under a table and you really slowly round on Felix and Felix is just Preparing For Death Because You Are Gonna Kill Him

'Felix :)' '*swallows* y-yes MC?' '*grabs him by the shoulders and shakes him like a rag doll* WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO!?!?!?'

Sage obviously runs off into town because he doesn't wanna get in trouble so now you and Felix have to chase after him. And y'know what? Little shit is fast. He doesn't have the memories of his older self but he certainly has the instincts so he's easily able to evade you guys.

You guys only catch up to him because he's being dragged by the arm by a shopkeeper who's accusing him of stealing and he's visibly scared and in pain and you run over and force the shopkeeper to let him go,, and it's the first time kitten!Sage has had anyone defend him so he immediately latches onto your leg. And at first he's only doing it so the shopkeeper leaves him alone but as you kneel down to his level and ask him (in that soft and comforting voice you take on with kids) if he's okay and you get him a little snack to make him feel better he decides that Yes, This Person Is Who I Imprint On and then he Never Leaves You Alone.

The entire walk back to Fathom he's underfoot, darting in circles around you and asking questions, telling you make-believe stories, teasing Felix (because even as a kitty he's still a little shit), etc etc. And once he finds out you're from a different world? Oh His Big Kitty Eyes Are So Big And Wide In Excitement

By the time you guys get back to Fathom, Sage is in your arms and koala-hugging you. He Is Your Burden Now.

Kitty!Sage still has insecurities. They're a little different than when he's older. Some of them are weaker, some are stronger. Yes he does have abandonment issues but he also has very strong self-worth issues. He's a dwarf rat and he knows it. He doesn't really understand why it is you're putting up with him (you tried to explain it but he kinda got distracted because he could hear a bird somewhere outside) but he's happy you are. He doesn't wanna do something wrong to ruin it but he also knows that it's only a matter of time before he does. He tries to be on his best behavior but it only makes him self-conscious, and then his cat instincts mixed with a natural child-like energy make him zip around the stronghold like a rocket, and then he's upset with himself because He's Gonna Make You Upset And Then You're Gonna Hate Him Like The Shopkeeper Did >:(

And you scoop him up and smooch his cheek and tickle him a little until he stops pouting and starts giggling. It hurts a bit, for someone so young to have so much pressure and self-loathing on their shoulders. So you help as much as you can.

When Anisa comes back that evening you're sitting in Felix's study with Sage on your lap, reading him stories. He doesn't know how to read at this point (I think he probably learned later on in life) but He Tries Really Hard So That You'll Be Proud Of Him! And whenever he manages to stumble his way through a multi-syllable world (he's wrong half the time but you don't tell him that) you praise him and smooch the top of his head and he just has the softest and most innocent little giggle oh he's a soft little kitty so happy and warm and sweet and innocent and he just gets to be a kid

Meanwhile Anisa is beating Felix up in the background

Felix says it'll take a week to reverse the spell so you will have to babysit (since Sage hisses at the others).

Stella chooses that moment to walk in. Sage's fur bristles, he hisses, then hides under the table.

,,, this is gonna be a long week

Okay firstly,, playing with Stella's cat toys. Kitty!Sage is so energetic,, I know you play with kittens 2-3 times a day, usually for 15-ish minutes at a time. And then you have to give kids 30-ish minutes of guardian-led playtime and then let them have about an hour of free playtime (aka letting them play by themselves). I would assume you have to do more than that for an ilephta so like,, idk I hope you have that laser pointer handy because that'll keep him captivated for ages. Just make sure you're not near anything breakable.

Whether you jog or take walks or whatever your form of exercise is, Sage is darting around beside you. He'll zoom forward a little bit to get a pretty pinecone and bring it back to you, then zip up a tree to try and grab a bird, then pounce on a squirrel, then find a really cool stick and play with it as a sword, then attack a berry bush, then somehow show up with an armful of rocks that he dumps in your pocket/bag. If you have to sit down and take a break then he'll offer to zoom back to Fathom and get some water/snacks for you. He just wants to be helpful

Kittens sleep a lot,, children sleep a lot,,, Sage sleeps a lot. You guys are out in the marketplace (you had to pick up a few things and Sage insisted on coming with you) and he starts whining and pulling on you cause he's sleepy,,, it's nap time,,,, so you have to pick him up and go sit somewhere. He insists you either tell him a story or sing a lullaby.

Obviously you bring him to Tulsi. Tulsi is losing her mind because Oh He's So Tiny!!! She Is The Big One Now >:3 She can carry him on her hip the same way he did to her when they were little. He keeps grabbing at her hair and her ears. She teaches you the lullaby Sage always used to sing her and tells you the stories Sage always used to tell her. Meanwhile Sage is drooling on her shoulder because he fell asleep again.

His playing obviously gets him dirty so you have to haul him into the bathtub. Luckily you thought ahead and got some bubble soap, so load that tub up with bubbles! I suggest you wear a bathing suit because He Will Splash. Bonus points if you can find rubber duckies but he'll bite them so make sure they're decent quality. After his bath you have to try and get him dressed because let's be real he totally would just run around dripping wet and naked because he thinks it's fun. Once you scoop him up, he lets you towel him off and coax him into clothes.

He likes wearing your clothes for pajamas.

Kids can be emotional! Sage definitely has some tantrums over very minor things, but he also has some very legitimate emotional episodes over some very legitimate things. Especially if some of his memories leak into nightmares,,,

Imagine a very smol, very scared Kitty!Sage having to relive Lucan's death when he doesn't even remember who Lucan is, he just sees a very big and scary monster and feels that all-consuming grief and terror and self-hatred when he doesn't even fully understand what the hell he just witnessed. The only saving grace is that he's a lot more emotionally open since he isn't old enough to have all those walls built up yet. He clings to you, sobbing and babbling into your chest while you're only half-awake because It's Three In The Morning What The Hell Is Happening. It takes a little while to calm him down but with a lot of patience, cuddles, smooches, and humming, you finally manage to lull him back to sleep. Luckily he forgets most of it by morning, though he does cling to you a little tighter that day,,

Sage just,, keeps,,, like literally anything he can get his grubby little paws on, he's shoving it into his mouth. You have to constantly keep an eye on him or else he's eating so many bugs. And please be careful letting him around candy because he will eat until he gets sick.

#last legacy #fictif last legacy #sage lesath #sage lesath x reader #fictif sage #last legacy sage #fren asks #ozzy answers #ozzy daydreams

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sleeplessgaywriter · 3 years ago

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Prolly a dumb idea but could u make a drunk bea and like girls hitting on her and poppy being protective and furious? If not all good, love ur writing btw

I wanted to post this yesterday but my internet went to hell, and well...shit happens I guess Xd

Anyway, I hope you like this anon, thanks for the prompt.

(Ps.: I don't think there are things such as dumb ideas, all ideas are good ideas, everyone just like their own thing 😁

Ps. 2: I know you said Bea, but I kinda write MC as Sam, so, I hope it doesn't bother you 😖)

Tomorrow

Pairing: Poppy x MC (Sam/Samantha)

Alone in her room, laying on her bed, Poppy stared at her phone.

Her fingers moved without touching the screen, as if they itched to just go for it and write something.

Her conversation with Sam was opened, and their last texts were still there, no new text on sight.

With a groan of frustration she threw her phone aside, not being able to be the first to reach out.

It had been a week since they last talked, their last interaction being their little fight.

Well, more like a fall out.

Sam just had to go and ruin...whatever they were.

Yes, they were spending a lot more time together, and their insults were lacking bite as of late.

But that didn't mean they were going to start dating.

They were enemies!

Why in the world would Sam think they would work as a couple??

Poppy didn't like her. No, absolutely not.

They just clicked in the bedroom, that was all. Not much to it.

And yet, here she was thinking on the one she was supposed to hate.

Poppy sat up, shaking her head of any remaining thought regarding Sam.

She just had an itch that needed scratching, anyone could do, not just Sam.

But, Poppy didn't want anyone.

A groan left her lips, and she quickly got up shaking her head.

A knock on her door brought her out of her thoughts.

"What?" The angry edge of her voice had nothing to do with her thoughts of a certain person.

Of course not.

There was a pause on the other end of the door, and then a sigh of a clearly bored Veronica.

"Chloe wants you to approve her outfit for the Alpha's party."

"No, I don't!" Chloe squeaked.

Poppy rolled her eyes and went to open her door.

Veronica was -as always- with her face practically glued to her phone, and Chloe just stood there fidgeting under Poppy's scanning eyes.

"Lose the scarf, it doesn't match the dress. And put on that jacket you bought with Veronica."

Chloe lit up and nodded, quickly retreating to her room to do just that.

Poppy's attention then drifted to Veronica, who remained in front of her door.

"What is it?" She asked.

"You're coming with us." Veronica stated, leaving no room for objection.

Action that caused Poppy to raise an eyebrow. What the hell happened for people to stop fearing her??

"And why would I do that?"

"You're the president."

Right.

A lot of baby Zetas were going to the party, they had to make sure they didn't do anything stupid.

"Besides, you've been sulking ever since you split up with Sam."

"I have not been sulking!" Poppy exclaimed in indignation. "And we didn't split up, we were never together!"

Veronica lifted her eyes from her phone, a very incredulous look on her face.

"Riiight." She said with clear amusement.

"We weren't!"

Veronica rolled her eyes, "whatever, just get your things."

Poppy wanted to argue, but Veronica was already leaving with her attention once again on her phone.

Muttering curses under her breath, the blonde slammed her door and got ready to leave.

She was still the sorority's president.

And maybe, she did need a distraction.

-x-

A few hours into the party and Poppy was ready to leave.

As usual, the alphas were already wasted and embarrassing themselves.

There were already a few videos worth of blackmailing material on her phone. Just in case.

In her opinion, the party was already over, and she didn't feel like entertaining a bunch of drunk alphas.

Her job as president was also already done. So there wasn't anything else for her to do there.

Making her way across the sea of drunk college students, her eyes caught the familiar waves of dark blonde hair.

Instantly, Poppy's attention drifted to the other side of the room.

Where Sam was clearly wasted, if her swaying on her feet was any clue.

Poppy was about to turn her eyes away and leave, but before she could do that, she saw one of the baby Zetas going over to Sam and touching her arm.

A frown appeared on her features and her jaw clenched.

Sam was led onto the "dance floor", and the girl practically draped herself all over a confused Sam, as if her drunk brain hadn't completely caught up on what was happening.

Rage ignited in her veins at the display.

How dare she? Whatever her name was...!

With purpose in her steps, Poppy made her way over to them. Sam was the first to notice, and her face lit up like a Christmas tree. It made Poppy's heart skip a bit, but she didn't forget what her purpose was.

As soon as she reached them, Poppy tugged on Sam's arm, and she instantly went by her side.

The Zeta girl's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her president.

"Scram." Poppy said, and the girl didn't need to be told twice -she instantly fled from the scene.

"Heeeey, Poptart..." Sam slurred but there was a grin on her lips.

The taller girl swayed on her feet and Poppy sighed.

"Come on, I'll take you to your room."

Sam didn't object, she seemed happy to just be talking to her.

Maybe their radio silence had affected them more than Poppy previously thought.

But then again, it wasn't like Sam couldn't text her. Why did it have to be Poppy the first to break?

Walking with a drunk person needing assistance to stay upright, proved to be quite a challenge.

But Poppy was known to take on any challenge thrown her way. This was no different.

And so, they reached their destination in less than an hour.

Zoey was probably still at the party, but Poppy had been in Sam's dorm enough times to know the place in and out.

After managing to get Sam ready for bed, and actually put her inside her covers, Poppy was ready to leave.

"I wanted to text you..." Sam mumbled before Poppy could leave her room.

"Why didn't you?"

"You said it was just sex."

Right.

Poppy was the one who left.

She was the one whose pride took the better of her. And she ruined it.

She remembered it clearly. How Sam asked her to stay the night after one of their hook ups, only for her to say it was just sex and nothing more.

It was-

It was supposed to be just that.

They were supposed to hate each other. But they didn't anymore.

At some point, everything changed.

It wasn't just Sam.

Poppy felt the same.

Maybe it was time to stop running from the truth.

The silence was charged with many things unsaid.

And Poppy decided to let her actions speak the words she failed to say.

She took a seat in front of Sam's vanity mirror, borrowing some of her things to take off her make up.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked from her spot on the bed, a confused frown on her features.

Poppy didn't answer, instead after cleaning off her face, she took some clothes from Sam's wardrobe and changed into them.

After that, she went towards the bed, with Sam's eyes following her every move.

"Well?"

"What?" Sam asked, still at a loss of what was happening.

"Scooch over."

Poppy waited, an amused smile forming on her lips at the -still- confused face of Sam.

It took a couple of minutes for Sam to finally do as told, and when she did, Poppy slipped under the covers and settled nicely by Sam's side, resting her head on the latter's shoulder.

"Poppy...?" There was nervous tilt on Sam's voice, and Poppy smiled.

"We'll talk tomorrow."

"You're staying the night?"

"Yes."

Even though she couldn't see well due to the darkness of the room, Poppy could practically feel Sam's smile, and with a content smile of her own, she cuddled closer to her...something.

They still had to talk about it. But, it was a start.

To many more tomorrows.

I just realized that maybe I didn't totally fit your prompt anon, I'm sorry 🥺

I hope you still liked this, though 💖

*please forgive my grammar errors, it's kinda hard to write in another language with very few hours of sleep 😅*

#choices #poppy min sinclair #poppy x mc #queen poppy #queen b poppy

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helplessly-nonstop · 3 years ago

Text

Laughing Gas Confession (L. Hemmings imagine)

I’ve been working on this fix for quite some time but since Luke decided to realize a new album, I finally managed to gain motivation to finish this fic! Anyway reader gets their wisdom teeth pulled and this is the results! Tagging my girlie @wrestlingfae

WC: 2352

Wisdom teeth. The bane of any person’s existence if they ever had the displeasure of them coming in. Truly the only thing a person could ever gain from them coming in might be the humerus videos you capture while on laughing gas. My experience however? A little less humorous and a lot more exposing.

“Come on, you’re being a baby about this, just go to the dentist and let them pull the wisdom teeth, you’ll feel much better!” Luke insisted as he shut the door behind us. I groaned as he continued to pester me about setting up a dentist appointment to remove the nightmares pressing against my jaw.

“Luke, I have no one to bring me home! They’re going to use laughing gas and I can’t drive while high.” I retorted, beginning to put away the groceries, only to press my fingers against the hinge of my jaw as the ache began to grow more painful. He stared at me with a disbelieving look then he exclaimed, “I’m off tour, I can take you! I mean, we’re best friends, isn’t that what we’re supposed to do? Take each other to the dentist, make sure you don’t ruin the Uber driver’s car flooring with vomit.”

“Okay, that was one time! That’s what you get for giving me Chipotle while I’m hammered. I mean, technically, me puking on that guy’s floor was your fault for letting me drink with Cal. You know he always encourages me to do bad things.” I insisted, handing him the milk to put away. He sighed, clearly realizing that I had won that point, and returned to our current argument, “Just let me take you. I swear, I won’t record you. I’ll just make sure you get there and back, safe and sound. Okay?”

We stared at one another for a while before I sighed, muttering, “Alright, fine, just make sure that I get there and back without breaking a bone.” His blue eyes sparkled at my agreement before he kissed me on my forehead then launched into making dinner as I dug through the freezer in search of an ice pack to press against my jaw. At least I’d finally get rid of these stupid wisdom teeth.

My appointment was set for tomorrow and dread was beginning to set in. Laughing gas loosened your lips and things that should remain a secret had the chance of slipping out. I was sitting on my bed, considering other options to pull my wisdom teeth without using laughing gas but ultimately came up empty. Unfortunately it seemed that this was the only way. Of course, I could have asked any of the other guys to take me to the dentist, but I feared that would hurt Luke. I just hoped that I could keep my secret locked away from even the grasps of the laughing gas..

“Today’s the day,” Luke crowed, bursting into my room, “C’mon, it’s time to take out those nasty wisdom teeth of yours!” I groaned and ducked my head beneath my pillow once again as I grumbled, “Why? Why did it have to be me to be cursed with a morning person as a best friend?” He flopped on my bed then lifted my pillow away from my face as he replied, “Balances out your night owl habits. Now come on, I bet you’re dying to get those bastards pulled.”

“It’s like you’re excited to see me suffer through recovery. Sadistic fuck. Alright, go, I’m getting dressed.” I muttered, shoving him off my bed. He groaned as he hit the floor then gave a small wave as he shut my bedroom door behind him, leaving me alone for the time being. I quickly changed and stared at the clock as I began to process what could happen.

Today was the day that I would risk the chance of exposing my love for my best friend of many years. What would I even do if I let it slip? Would he hate me? Would he reject me? Would he feel the same? So many thoughts raced through my head that I didn’t even notice that Luke had reentered, holding a hairbrush out to me. He cleared his throat and I glanced up with a sheepish smile then accepted the brush as he asked, “You need your shoes?” I looked around my room briefly and pointed to the stray pair of sneakers hiding beside my dresser before finishing brushing my hair.

He handed me my shoes and ran a hand through my hair as he assured me, “There’s nothing to worry about. They’re gonna take good care of you.” I smiled up at him and quickly pulled on my shoes before heading out the front door, sighing at the Los Angeles heat. We settled into the car and I stared out the window with a small sigh, prepared to finally get my teeth pulled.

“Hey you’re gonna be okay, there’s nothing to worry about. I’ve been to this dentist before, they’re really good.” Luke assured me, patting my hand. I smiled briefly then stared out the window, knowing damn good and well whether the dentist was good or not was at the bottom of my worry list for today.

We arrived at the dentist in fifteen minutes and I savored the knowledge that we wouldn’t be together while I’m high on laughing gas for too long. He guided me inside and I spoke to the nurse running the front desk while Luke investigated the assortment of pamphlets that were splayed across their wall. Settling back beside him, I gripped the arms of the chair, terror beginning to set in. What would happen as soon as I exited the exam room? Would I expose the truth? Could I prevent a secret from spilling out?

Long fingers slid over the top of my hand and I jerked out of my panic as Luke gave a tight squeeze. He smiled and assured me,”Hey it’s okay! I’ll be right here when you’re done, okay?” Just a few words and my heart began to settle. The nurse entered the waiting area then glanced up from his clipboard, calling my name. My best friend waved a hand towards the exam area then chirped, “A new life awaits you. One without pain.”

The words echoed in my head as I settled in the chair and the dentist coached me through how to breathe in the laughing gas before a haze settled over my thoughts. The operation was a quick procedure and the pressure of them removing the four monsters that evolution cursed us with was nothing compared to the relief I felt.

The nurse was kind enough to help Luke with guiding me to the car and I pressed my cheek against the cool glass of the window, poking my cheek to feel the gauze stuffed in my mouth. He swatted my hand away and chided, “Don’t do that, you’ll make it hurt worse later.” I pouted at his warning then mumbled,”You’re no fun, Luke. Why you gotta be a buzzkill?” He chuckled at my whining and ruffled my hair as he replied, “I’m not being a buzzkill, I’m saving you from yourself.”

We managed to go through the drive through without another incident of me being a disaster, which I’m sure he was thankful for. He tugged me out of the car and urged, “Come on, let’s get you inside, silly.”

“You know, I love you so fucking much, Lukey. Like holy shit.” I mumbled, leaning into his chest. He laughed as he guided me into the living room then replied, “I love you too. We should really get you laid down before you pass out on me. Doctor said by the time you got home, you’ll be about ready to sleep.” I smiled softly at him as I landed on the couch and insisted, “No, not- not like a best friend loves their best friend. I love you like a boyfriend and girlfriend love each other.”

His eyes widened at the statement then I began to lay down on the couch as I mumbled, “Prolly shouldn’t have said that but ya know how it is. Easy goes the truth you want most exposed. The subconscious is a strange place, Luke.” He gave a shallow nod and turned out of the living room then returned with a blanket, draping it over me as my eyes began to close. Long fingers brushed my cheek briefly then I heard him murmur something to me, but the pain medicine was beginning to settle in.

When I finally came to, I was still curled up on the couch, with a blanket curled around my shoulders and a pillow clutched to my cheek. Glancing around, I realized that Luke had disappeared from the living room, leaving me to nap by myself. I groaned, pressing a tender hand to my jaw, then mumbled, “Ah fuck, right. Wisdom teeth are gone.” I pushed off the couch and stumbled into the bathroom so I could pull the bloody gauze from my mouth. I moved my bottom jaw briefly, only to regret the decision as pain struck. I groaned and clenched my eyes closed, hoping that the agony would settle down.

“Hey, you’re up. You want something to eat? I made soup.” Luke asked, leaning against the bathroom doorway. I turned at the sound of his voice and questioned, “How long was I out?” He hummed at the question, glancing down at his phone screen as it chimed, then replied, “About four hours. Not a bad nap. Come on, let’s get some food for you.”

As the week progressed, I noticed Luke had become distant. He moved away when I leaned against him, particularly when he was texting which was never an issue in our friendship. We often flocked to one another when we were chatting with friends and even potential love interests so it was strange for him to shy away.

When I entered a room, he would leave just seconds later, as if he couldn’t stand the thought of standing in the same area as me. What had happened when my wisdom teeth were pulled? Had my behavior while dealing with the pain really drove my best friend away? Or worse, did I tell him my biggest secret while I was under the influence of laughing gas and pain medicine? And if so, how long would our friendship last?

I allowed his strange behavior to continue unquestioned for another week, hoping that it was a mere coincidence that he was acting so strange so soon after my wisdom teeth surgery. But I finally caved on demanding what his problem was when I tried to hug him, only for him to sidestep me.

“Was there- did I do something wrong? Because if I did, I’d really like to know what’s causing you to act like this towards me.” I asked, stepping forward to try and meet his eyes. He turned on his heel and ran a hand through his hair before he grumbled, “So that’s why you didn’t want me to take you to the dentist. Because you were afraid of telling me the truth while you were under?” I raised an eyebrow at him and began to ask what he meant, only to pause when his words sank in.

“Oh my god, I didn’t. Please tell me that I did not say what I think you’re saying that I said.” I rushed out, not caring if it had made any sense. He flickered his gaze up to me then he snapped, “How long? How long have you been hiding the fact that you’re in love with me?”

“I’m kind of hoping that’s an optional question to answer.” I admitted, twisting my fingers together. He whipped to face me and shouted, “Goddammit, this isn’t a fucking joke to me, so quit deflecting and tell me what I want to know!” I flinched back at his anger then demanded, “Why are you so pissed that I didn’t tell you that I’m in love with you? I have a right to hide things, Luke! It’s not like you feel- never mind, just let me take my medicine.”

He stepped in front of me and held a hand up as he said simply, “Finish what you were going to say. You know me so well, tell me what you were going to say.” I glanced up at him then murmured, “It’s not like you feel the same anyway.”

“But how would you know that? You’re dismissing me before you even give me the chance to tell you how I even feel! You think I’d take just someone to the dentist? I mean- fuck! I wish you’d just let me tell you how I actually feel instead of acting like I wouldn’t give you a second of my time. I’m in love with you, dammit!” he shouted, chest heaving. My jaw dropped as we stared at one another, silence settling over our living room, then he drew in a deep breath, hissing,”I wasn’t going to confess like this. You just riled me up so fast, dammit.”

“You're in love with me?” I croaked out, surprise taking over my anger. He drew in a deep breath, as if he was preparing to give a giant speech, then he whispered, “I’ve been in love with you since high school. I just thought that you only wanted to be friends.” I cupped his face and he leaned into me, pressing his forehead against mine then I mumbled, “I thought I never stood a chance. That’s why I never made a move. I was terrified of what would happen if you didn’t feel the same.”

“Two halves of a whole idiot on the same thing, I guess.” he replied, giving a small smile. I giggled and asked, “Would my other half give me a kiss then?” He gave me a gentle kiss then assured me, “The second that you’re all healed up, I’m going to kiss you so fucking hard.”

“You better keep that promise, pretty boy.”

#Luke hemmings #Luke hemmings imagines #Luke hemmings fluff #Luke hemmings angst #5sos #5sos imagines #5sos fluff #5sos angst #cass content

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sporadicthingcollection · 3 years ago

Text

99 Problems: Entry #20 (Cad Bane x F!Reader)

Summary: Bane thinks he can handle his liquor better than you. He thinks wrong.

Pairing: Cad Bane/F!Reader

Rating: 🌶️ Semi-explicit 🌶️

Word Count: ~3.2k

Warnings: Drunk rambles, nudity, cuddles, Bane gets his clock cleaned

<;<< | masterpost | >>>

DRIVE B//: User > Me > Documents > Text > Personal > Other > list1.hpd

LIST OF REASONS YOURE A PAIN IN THE ASS AND I SHOULD TURN YOU IN

#20: I CAN'T OUTDRINK YOU

---

Bane’s never been to Nayshin, but he’s heard it’s nice -- lots of green, lots of quiet industry, lots of friendly people. Barring the criminals, of course.

It’s also a dry system, which is why Bane is dumping his stash down the ‘fresher sink. He’s not heartbroken. It’s mostly rotgut -- handles you can find on the bottom shelf of every liquor store in the galaxy. He lets other people buy him the nice stuff.

Which is what you no doubt have. Knowing your expensive tastes, you’ll be more disappointed about dumping your liquor down the drain.

He slides down the ladder into the Rashoon Breeze and rounds the corner into the galley. “Comin’ up on Nayshin, girlie. If ya need t’ hide yer booze, I got some smugglin’ compartments.”

“Won’t be necessary!”

You’re seated at the booth, a collection of glass bottles on the table before you. Gin, absinthe, jogancello, you’ve got it all. You’ve got your legs kicked up as you swirl a tumbler of pink liquid in one hand, a holopad in the other. A queen amongst her castle of glass.

You give him a little smile. “I’ve been at this since we went into hyperspace,” you say, raising the cup to him.

He’s only slightly offended. “And ya didn’t invite me?” he says, sliding into the booth across from you.

Your smile widens. You slide an empty glass across the table to him. “Didn’t wanna disturb your beauty sleep.”

“Ya should’ve. Too much an’ I’ll outshine ya.” Bane grabs a bottle of what looks like whiskey. His brows shoot up as he examines the label. “Dis is fancy stuff. Ya sure ya don’t wanna hide it?”

You toss your drink back and pour yourself another glass. “I’ve already hidden the really special stuff. Go wild.”

Well, who is he to say no to an invitation like that?

---

Three drinks in and he’s feeling a little buzzed. Enough to let his tongue loosen up. Regale you with some tales -- embellished, of course, but mostly true.

You wince, laugh, and gasp in all the right places. You’ve got your chin in your hands as he finishes up the one about Cradossk biting a chunk out of shoulder.

“Dey told me t’ spend a week in de bacta tank, but I had places t’ be.” He picks up the whiskey bottle to pour himself another, but it’s empty, to his disappointment. “Ya got any more o' dis?”

You shake your head, but slide a corked bottle of green liquid towards him. “Give this a try. You’ll like it.”

Grabbing the bottle, he pulls the cork out with his teeth -- he notices you blush a little as he does -- and takes a swig. It doesn’t taste like liquor at all, just herbs and flowers and a pleasant burn.

“It’s Alsakan chartreuse,” you say. “You can have it... for another story.”

He sits back down. “I’ve done enough talkin’. You tell me a story.”

---

The whole bottle is gone, and he’s on his back, sprawled out horizontally in the booth with his feet hanging over the edge. Maybe it’s the alcohol, maybe it’s your pretty voice, maybe it’s because he can see up your dress from this angle, but you’re telling a story about university drama involving your roommate’s boyfriend and he’s hanging on to your every word.

“An’ he did dat right after gettin’ back from Corellia?” he asks.

You nod. “Mmhmm. She had worse taste in men than I did.”

“Whadda jerk.” He tips the bottle, and a few drops come out. It's just as well. "Should prolly go get us landed."

“Not staying for the revenge?” Glass clinks together as you pour yourself another drink. “I got him discharged, ruined his gravball card collection, and broke up his parents’ marriage.”

He sits bolt upright. “Ya did what?”

You slide another bottle towards him. “Sit tight and promise you won’t think any less of me.”

---

To make a long ramble of a story short, you planted deathsticks in his room, dumped tooka-cat piss on his card collection, and sexted his father who then got caught by his mother. Standard revenge stuff. He stopped actually listening a while ago.

He can’t remember when he scooted over to your side of the booth. It must have happened between wine bottles, because one second he’s holding a red one and now he’s holding a white.

But he must have at some point, because his head is in your lap and you’re looking down at him as you speak. Your blue hair frames your face perfectly, and the way the little bow of your lips move makes his heart flutter.

“Yer pretty,” he slurs. “Too pretty t’ be slummin’ it wit’ me.”

You pause and stare down at him, brows raised. “Oh?” you ask, your little lips curling into a circle. “Maybe I like slumming it with you.”

A hoarse little chuckle escapes him. “Why? I’m mean t’ ya, I take yer money, ‘n’ I drink yer booze. Ain’t eggsackly a good man.”

You have such pretty lips. He wants to kiss them, but they’re so far away. “Maybe I don’t want a good man. Maybe I want an interesting one.”

You lift your hand and place it on his scalp, gently stroking. It’s warm and soft, and he presses up into it. “Then yer a dumber bitch den I thought ya were.”

You laugh. Sweet Maker above, you’re beautiful when you laugh. Your hair bounces, your eyes smile, you get little dimples on your cheeks. “I can leave if you want me to.”

A jolt of panic rocks him. He tries to sit up, but the ship spins and he falls back into your lap. “D-Don’t. Don’t go.”

You quirk an eyebrow. “But you just told me I’m too good for you.”

He reaches a hand up to touch your cheek. Even beneath the thick calluses on his fingertips, he can feel how soft it is, how warm. How sweet and good and wonderful. “Y’are. I just-- Yer--” Why’s his throat so dry? “I like havin’ ya ‘round, girlie.”

Humanoid eyes are so beautiful. Glittery, shiny, expressive. You can say so much with your eyes. Right now, they’re amused. “You just like me for the pussy,” you say.

“I mean, yeah, but...” He takes another pull. “Yer... Yer clever ‘n’ smart ‘n’ pretty ‘n’ ya can take care o’ yerself...”

He babbles. He knows he’s babbling. But he’s got a belly full of booze and he doesn’t care. He likes you for more than just the sex and he wants to tell you everything.

How he can’t wait to talk to you in the mornings, to trade barbs and banter.

How he appreciates you making lunch for him in the afternoon. You cook so well and it’s so much better than the rations he usually eats.

How he enjoys watching you fiddle with your locks while he cleans his blasters in the evenings. Companionable silence as you both focus.

How he wishes there was enough room in his bunk to squeeze you in so he could fall asleep next to you, face buried in your hair, arms gripping you tight. Or how he wishes you’d invite him to stay the night in your big, soft bed, tangled up and sprawled out all at once.

Bane’s addled mind acknowledges what his sober mind refuses to even consider. He likes you a lot more than he lets on. Hells, he might like you more than that. He--

--manages to spill the remainder of the wine all over his face. He sputters and chokes and spits and, in the process of trying to breathe, rolls off your lap and onto the floor.

At least it’s a clean floor.

He’s spent enough time with you at this point to pick up on your Zeltrian interjections. He’s pretty sure that “Pergatroia!” means something like ‘holy shit.’

You help peel him off the floor. His hat falls off in the process, and you put it on the table. “I’m putting you to bed,” you say.

He gives a weak grunt in response. “Sounds good t’ me.”

===

You are Irno Favara. And you’re not sure what just happened.

Well, that’s an exaggeration. You know exactly what just happened. You forgot that most other sentients don’t also have two livers and literally drank Cad Bane, legendary bounty hunter and legendary hardass, under the table.

And he may have almost told you that he loves you. Maybe.

Now you’re pulling him up the ladder with the help of his chatty droid. You’ve got your hands on his forearms and are hauling him upwards while Todo’s in charge of his legs.

“C’mon, you palooka,” you grumble.

Bane shoots you a bleary glare. “Whadja call me?”

“I believe she called you a palooka, sir,” Todo says. “Zeltrian slang for--”

You cut him off. No need to have an insult explained. “Todo, shut up and help me.” You tighten your grip on Bane’s wrists. “One, two, three--”

You neglect to mention that you usually go on ‘go,’ and Todo’s sudden boost sends Bane sprawling on top of you.

At least he’s up the ladder.

Todo pokes his head up. “My apologies! Are you alright?”

“I’ve got a big blue lump on me, but besides that, I’m just ginchy.” You expect Bane to be annoyed, but he doesn’t move. “Bane?”

You poke his shoulder, and he lets out a low snore.

Gods damn it all.... “Wake up. I’m not spending the night on the floor.”

He snuffles a bit. “But s’comfy,” he says, starting to snake his arms around you.

Nope. Nope. If he does that, you’re pinned.

Grabbing his shoulders, you slough him off and wriggle out from under him. He grumbles, but doesn’t resist as you haul him to his feet. With you under one arm and Todo under the other, you drag him to his quarters.

“He’s usually much more cognizant of his alcohol intake,” Todo says. “I haven’t seen him this inebriated in a long time.”

“Didn’t take him for the chatty type when he’s loaded,” you say.

The droid is silent for a moment. “He’s not. He’s usually quite snappish.”

Bane lets out another snore. You make a note to not drink with non-Zelties ever again.

You open the door to his quarters with a hip-check to the panel and heft him inside. The scrape of the metal stirs him a bit, and he’s able to push you and Todo away.

“I can put myself t’ bed. Don’t need both o’ ya nannyin’ me...” he grumbles. He stands there for a second, tottering, then slooooowly tips backwards.

You catch him and push him forward onto the bunk. “Strip,” you order him, “unless you want your bed to stink of booze for the foreseeable future.”

He tries to smirk at you, but with how his eyes are lidded, it just looks comical. He shrugs out of his coat and tosses it on the floor. Opening his arms to you, he curls his fingers. “C’mere, fullua,” he purrs. “Help yer man outta his clothes.”

Your cheeks heat up in spite of yourself. With a huff, you start undoing his shirt buttons. “You’re not my man.”

He barks a laugh as pulls his arms from the shirt. “Ain’t I? We drink, we fuck, ya put me t’ bed...” He lets out a little hic and tosses the shirt aside. “Sounds like yer my woman.”

The idea makes you blush, but... "You're making an awful lot of assumptions," you say, grabbing ahold of his boot.

He pulls his foot out as he hiccups again. “Ya know I’m right. I’m always right.”

He removes the other boot himself and, after a contemplative pause, motions for you to step aside. You do so, and he hucks the footwear at Todo. You’re mildly horrified, but the droid dodges easily and lets out an irritated huff.

“Well, I can tell when I’m not wanted.” He exits the cabin. The door slams shut behind him.

Bane lets out a wheezing chuckle. “‘Bout time ya read de room!” he calls after him. “Now c’mere--”

He grabs your wrist with one hand and tries to pull you into his lap while he undoes his trousers with the other. The glimpse of the head of his cock makes your mouth water, but you jerk away. “I’m not fucking you while you’re drunk.”

Bane sticks out his lower lip and pouts. Pouts. “Why de kriff not?” He yanks his legs out of his trousers and kicks them away, leaving him buck naked before you. “I’m ready an’ willin’. Take me fer a ride.”

He is indeed hard. Pulsing in his palm, his ridges fully swollen up green, the tip nice and shiny-smooth. He leans back on one elbow, idly pumping his cock as he gazes at you. His red eyes glow slightly in the dim light, just barely illuminating his lazy smile.

You clench your jaw so hard your teeth hurt. “No,” you state firmly.

His smile vanishes into a scowl. “Stick in de mud,” he grumbles. His abdomen flexes as he swings his sinewy legs into the bunk, crossing his arms in a pout.

Ugh. You’re going to need an ice cold shower now. Might as well get that over with so your hair’s dry before bed. “Good night, Bane,” you say, turning.

You’ve barely made half a step when Bane lunges forward to grab your wrist. Not pulling you, just stopping you.

Maybe it’s the lack of light, maybe it’s the angle, maybe it’s just the alcohol, but his gaze looks... forlorn. His lips twitch slightly before he speaks. “...stay.”

“I’m not--”

“I won’t do anythin’. I swear,” he says. “Jus’... Jus’ keep me company, izrin. Fer tonight.”

You stare at him hard. “No funny business?” He shakes his head, but you frown. “I don’t trust you.”

He chuckles. “Ya shouldn’t. I'm a bad, bad man, fullua,” he says. “But I’ll be good fer once."

...oh, who could say no to that?

Bane watches intently as you lift the hem of your dress over your head and shimmy out of it, laying it carefully across a chair. Your stockings come next, then your panties.

You shiver in the cool air. “Scoot over.”

He breaks into a wide, genuine grin. Wriggling to the side, he slips under his blankets and opens them to you.

His sheets are softer than you’d expected, the pillow fluffier, and the blankets heavier. For someone so concerned with credits, he spared no expense with his bedding. You’ll be nice and cozy here.

You don’t plan on tucking yourself right against him, but he’s yanked you into his embrace before you can stop him. Your back to his chest, one arm under your neck and the other around your waist, his ankles entangling with yours.

He murmurs something into your neck. A warm puff of air containing three little words that make your heart leap into your throat.

You crane your neck to look at him. “You mean that?” you whisper.

He gives a groggy grunt in the affirmative.

Your cheeks burn. Your belly churns. There’s no way you’re getting any sleep now.

===

Bane, once again, wakes up feeling like a bantha stamped his head. And also like he’s cuddling a cloud of perfume. Warm and soft and flower-scented...

Clearly, he’s having a very pleasant dream. He settles back in to finish it when a high-pitched peep reaches his ears, and the cloud tightens its grip on him.

His eyes fly open and his vision is filled with bright, vivid pink.

Oh. It's you.

He’s curled up tight against you, his head against your breasts, his legs tangled up in yours. He cranes his neck to look at you. Your hair is mussed and your makeup smudged, but not the way it usually looks after he’s had his way with you. It just looks... bleary. Like you slept in it.

You open your eyes slightly, and smile at him. “Morning, darling,” you hum.

His heart flips and a very loud, very urgent alarm bell rattles through his mind. RUN. GO. LEAVE.

He untangles himself from you and kicks the blanket off to sit up. Swinging his legs over the edge of his bunk, he grabs his coat from the floor and pulls it on.

You sit fully up and put a hand on his shoulder. “You alright?” you ask, sitting forward.

Even through the leathers, your touch burns like frostbite. He swats your hand away. “Leave me alone an’ get outta here.”

The hurt on your face stings. He ignores it and grabs your wrist to haul you upright. “Out. Now,” he growls, pushing you towards the door.

“But--!” He slams the panel, but before he can shove you out, you wedge yourself in the doorframe. “Do you remember what you did last night?!”

Thinking too hard hurts. “Did we fuck?”

“No, but you tried to get me to fuck you--” He vaguely remembers that. “--and then you invited me to sleep with you--” No recollection there, but the evidence suggests your truthfulness.

Your next words hit him like a fully-loaded freighter with broken inertial compensators. “--and then you said you loved me,” you say gently.

Oh. Shit. So he did say that out loud.

Shit.

He reacts quickly. “The fuck I did,” he spits.

Your expression changes from something soft to one filled with rage. “I heard you! I know what you said!”

“Ya heard wrong.” He hopes you haven’t picked up on his tells by now. “Ya need ta get yer hearin’ checked--”

Pain explodes across his jaw as his neck wrenches to the side. He nearly collides with the doorframe, just barely managing to get his palm up in time. When he looks back at you, you're cradling your balled fist as you scowl.

“Don’t lie to me, Cad Bane,” you hiss.

He bares his teeth at you. “Been doin’ dat from jump, li’l lady,” he growls. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out that long string of pearls he took from you all those months ago. He waves them in your face, a crooked grin stretching across his lips. “Unless y’already forgot how dis whole mess got started?”

He expects anger, rage, frustration, anything to flash across your face. Instead, something close to wonder widens your eyes and parts your pretty lips oh-so-slightly.

“You kept them?” you ask in a small, astonished voice.

...fuck.

===

Bane punches the panel and slams the door in your face before you can get another word in.

You’re still mad. You know what you heard, even if he’s being a pigheaded asshole about it. But the fact that he still keeps those pearls in his pocket is all the proof you need.

And so help you Maker, you’re going to make him admit it if it’s the last thing you do.

===

DRIVE B//: User > Me > Documents > Text > Personal > Other > list2.hpd

LIST OF REASONS YOURE KIND OF USEFUL AND I SHOULD KEEP YOU AROUND

#20: I LOVE YOU

#20: YOU MAKE A GOOD PILLOW

---

⬅⬅⬅ | "Catch Us If You Can Masterpost" | To the Mastahpost | Tip Jar | ➡➡➡

#cad bane x reader #cad bane #star wars #fanfiction #x reader #irno favara #catch us if you can

112 notes · View notes

possiamo-andare · 3 years ago

Text

Just You (3)

JJ x Reader x Rafe (love triangle)

MASTERLIST

word count: 5k

a/n: I can't believe it's been eight months since I updated this fic. y'all are probably dead by now and this will prolly get no notes lmao but I finally wrote the next chapter and it's so good in my opinion so please don't be too mad. enjoy!

Y/N needed complete silence when she was reading. If she didn’t, it was almost impossible for her to even read one page. As a child, in a room full of other screaming children, Y/N found it almost impossible to read. Most of her teachers misread this difficulty with an inability to read, which was not the case. This miscommunication actually worked in Y/N’s favour because the extra attention resulted in a greater love for reading. Y/N soon found herself reading everyday and even found it hard to put down a book. When she couldn’t get a physical copy of a book, she then went online and delved into a world where people created their own worlds and fantasies for their readers. Reading had become one of Y/N’s favourite hobbies and she could do it for hours.

Unfortunately, tonight was different. At around 6pm, just as Y/N picked up a book to read, loud music began to play from a distance. At first, Y/N tried to ignore it but soon, like mentioned before, the music began to get louder, and Y/N could not focus on the words before her. The more she tried to focus, the more distracted she became by the music. Soon, she could focus on nothing but the blaring music coming from across the street. Finally, after ten minutes of pure agony, Y/N got up from her bed and stormed down the stairs of her home. Her face is red with anger, and she desperately wants to know who the hell thinks playing loud music on a Tuesday night is acceptable. Unfortunately, she knows the answer the second she enters her kitchen.

Her parents are laughing with each other as they make their favourite snack. Every night, her parents make their favourite foods together as a way to unwind and talk about their day. Sometimes they shared it with Y/N and her siblings but on nights where her siblings were out with their friends and Y/N was the only one home, they usually just spent time with each other. Y/N hesitated for a moment and smiled to herself, thinking about how sweet her parents truly are. She wonders if the person she marries will have this type of relationship with her. She wonders, years from now, how she will look back on her time in OBX. She hopes she looks back with fondness. The moment is ruined though because her mother quickly looks up from the stove, a toothy grin on her face.

“Hello darling.” Y/N’s mother chirps. She reads her daughter's distraught face and since she can hear the music too, she knows why her daughter is upset. Without even letting Y/N speak, she answers the question clearly in her daughter's mind. “Ward Cameron’s son, Rafe, is throwing a party across the street. You can go if you want.”

Y/N snorts. “That boy has been rudely staring at me since we got here, and you think I should go to his house?”

This time, Y/N’s father turns around from the cabinet. “I hear JJ’s gonna be there.” There’s a small smirk on his face and it instantly grabs Y/N’s attention.

She tried to brush it off. “Well, I don’t really like loud music.”

Y/N’s mother scoffs. “Yes, you do.”

Y/N nods, tucking her hair behind her ears. She knows that if there’s even a hint of JJ being at the party, she wants to go. “You’re right, I do.”

Y/N had not been to a party in years. The last time she had it was in her first year of high school. She had just moved to that new school only weeks before and had made only a couple of friends. The friends she did make were nice and invited her to a party. The party was okay, and she enjoyed herself, but she was very awkward because she barely knew anyone. She promised that from now on, she would only go to parties where she knew more than one person. Now, she found herself breaking that rule just to see JJ.

Since Y/N was in her pajamas, she ran back up to her room to change. She didn’t want to waste too much time picking out clothes to wear so she quickly looked through her closet and found a white sundress with small blue flowers decorating the material. She had never worn this dress and, when she first bought it, was unsure if she liked it because it was shorter than what she was used to but now, she was glad she did.

She lay her sundress on her bed for a moment and turned to her mirror, where she kept a cabinet full of makeup. Before she even put on any makeup, she looked back up in the mirror for the second time. As she finally had a chance to breathe, she realized her breath was unsteady and her hands were shaking. It was hard for Y/N to put herself out there. Most times, she was afraid of the rejection, or even at the fact that the friends she did have would be gone. But she remembered her parents' words. She was to stay in OBX for the rest of the year. She would make friends here. She would have a life here. With a deep breath, Y/N began to get ready for the night.

Y/N keeps fidgeting with her hair. She knows the more she fidgets, the more upset she’ll be with how she looks but she seriously can’t help it. She only does this when she’s extremely nervous and she knows why. She’s two feet away from Rafe’s front door and the music has somehow gotten louder. It’s almost as if he’s continuously trying to play the music louder to get her attention. Of course, she knows that to not be true, but still, Y/N had realized that in the last twenty minutes since she had decided to get ready for the party and walked across the street, the music had indeed gotten louder. She rolled her eyes as she approached the door, the loud music getting annoying. At this rate, Rafe Cameron would be deaf by the time he was 30. Y/N pretended not to care if he went deaf at all, but a tiny voice inside her head told her that she had to care for him because no one else would.

With a deep breath, she knocks on the door. She doesn’t think anyone would hear it because of how loud the music is but it’s worth a try. She was raised to have manners and would not just enter someone’s house before knocking.

To her surprise, only a few moments later, the doorknob twisted quickly and someone on the other end of the door opened it. It was as if someone had been patiently waiting by the door all night, opening it in hopes that she would come. Of course, she knew this to not be true because the person who greeted her was none other than Rafe Cameron. And he found her annoying.

Y/N couldn’t help but admit how delicious he looked. He wasn’t dressed in his usual preppy attire, no. He wore these ripped, distressed black jeans and a fitted white shirt with a baseball cap to match. It wasn’t necessarily his style that had him looking so delightful but his face. He seemed very relaxed. In fact, this was the most relaxed she’d ever seen him. His usual straight posture was now more curled and casual. His face, which had always been pale and gray, was now filled with colour. He wore a cute blush across his cheeks and nose, and on top of the blush was a patch of light brown freckles here and there. Y/N figured he must’ve been in the sun all day. That and he was also high out of his mind.

“Y/N…” He trailed, his eyes glancing at her dress momentarily before returning to her face. Y/N feels a little self conscious under his gaze. She wasn’t exactly confident in her outfit tonight and he seemed, for the first time in forever, more confident than her. “You, um, you’re - you’re very…”

She involuntarily snickers, not realizing she’s doing it until Rafe hears it. His face changes into a dark frown and she has a deep need to apologize. He was probably just trying to be polite, and Y/N must’ve caught him just as his high was reaching its climax. “I’m what exactly?”

Rafe rolls his eyes, knowing that she’s teasing him. “You’re not invited.”

Well, she can’t say she exactly feels welcome right now, standing at the threshold of his door. He still hasn’t even let her in.

Y/N scoffs, her feelings only hurt a little. Although he didn’t look preppy, he looked just as douchy. “Well, your music’s so loud it could wake the dead. Maybe if you didn’t want uninvited people to come, don’t make it so obvious that you’re having a party.”

Rafe scoffs this time. “Aw, I’m sorry. Did I interrupt your bedtime?” He takes a swig of his beer bottle and Y/N almost forgets that he’s obviously been drinking. “Were you having a little read before you went to bed? Lemme guess; you were re-reading the Vagina Diaries for the tenth time?”

Y/N’s chest twinges with pain just a little, knowing that the book was on her bookshelf with a worn-out spine. He seemed to know her very well, but it only angered her because he got the answer right. “It’s actually Vagina Monologues, but nice try. I guess for someone who hasn’t opened a book in their life, the Vagina Monologues would be interesting.”

Rafe chuckles and she has a small urge to kiss the corners of his smile. Thankfully, once she swallows harshly, the urge disappears. “Just come in and don’t put your hippie feet anywhere near my furniture.” He finally steps aside, and Y/N takes that as the kindest invitation she’s gonna get from him.

“You mean, your parents' furniture.” She puts one foot in front of the other and tries to remember how to walk. Although it may not seem like it, she’s nervous. She’s not too good with crowds. As she passes Rafe, she can smell his cologne and she feel as though she might faint. For such an annoying boy, he really was intoxicating.

Rafe is not given enough time to throw a snide remark back in her face because someone has entered Y/N and Rafe’s little bubble. It’s another very handsome boy but this time, he’s sweet. He’s wearing preppy clothes (cargo shorts and a pink polo shirt - big shocker there) but he’s not preppy at all when he introduces himself.

“Hey! I’m Kelso; nice to meet ya!” He gives Y/N a half hug because his other hand is holding a beer, but she still gets the sentiment that he’s friendly. His hand respectfully lays on Y/N’s shoulder and Y/N actually hugs him back even though that’s not her thing with strangers.

“I’m Y/N, and it’s nice to meet you too!”

She watches as his brows go from a relaxed arch to a surprised arch instantly. It seems that whatever she has said has caught him by surprise. “Oh? You’re Y/N?” Kelso looks to Rafe for a moment, his eyes narrowing in amusement. Rafe tries to indirectly tell him to stop by flipping him off, but it only encourages Kelso. “I guess we have you to thank for this incredible party then!”

Y/N frowns, turning around to look at Rafe. They’re still in the entryway of his house and she hasn’t so much as taken in her surroundings, but this seems too important to ignore. What does Kelso mean? Did Rafe throw this party in hopes that she’d come? There was no way. Doesn’t Rafe find her completely annoying and obnoxious? If so, why would Kelso say such a thing?

“He’s joking right?” Y/N tries to confirm from Rafe but by his meek smile and his cheeks that have only gotten redder since she entered his home, she knows there’s some truth in what Kelso is saying.

Rafe shrugs, trying to come up with a lie. He had confided in Kelso as a way to relieve the stress that liking Y/N has caused but instead, Kelso just had to mess it up. “Well, not exactly.” His mouth is forming a lie before his brain can even properly think of one. “I mentioned to Kelso that you’ve probably never been to a party in OBX, so he must’ve thought I threw it for you.”

Y/N nods, confused as to why she feels a little sad. For some reason, a little part of her hoped that Rafe had thrown a party for her to notice him but alas, it had all been a misunderstanding. “Oh, well, okay.”

Except it wasn’t a misunderstanding at all. Rafe had told Kelso that the only reason he was throwing this party was for Y/N to notice him in a new light. He knew she thought he was just another annoying preppy Kook and he wanted to change that. He thought maybe, just maybe, if she had fun tonight with him, she’d finally start to see him as he truly was, a loveable dork. Unfortunately, that seems to be ruined now.

Before any more words can be exchanged, someone yells for Y/N. She instantly looks to the crowd of people in Rafe's backyard and sees JJ and Pope. The door to his backyard is open so the yelling is clear and not muddled by a barrier. They seemed to have been yelling for a while because they looked exasperated. Y/N watches as JJ stands from his lawn chair and motions for her to come sit beside them. She smiles for one of the first times tonight and nods, the pressure on her chest lifting when she sees her two friends. She wanted to take to Rafe later and get the full story because she had a feeling, he wasn’t telling her the complete truth, but she wanted to greet her friends first. She’d get to Rafe later. For now, she wanted to relax.

When Y/N departed from Rafe and Kelso, awkwardly waving goodbye before maneuvering to the back of Rafe’s house, Kelso spoke first.

“Dude, why didn’t you tell me she didn’t know this party was for her?”

Rafe glared at his friend. “You really think I’d tell her that. Now she probably thinks I’m even more creepy than before.”

Kelso rolls his eyes at how dramatic his friend was. “You didn’t see her reaction, bro. I don’t know if she even knows it herself, but she definitely likes you.”

Rafe rolls his eyes. He doesn’t allow for his hope to rise because he knows it’s not true. He can’t let himself have any more hope that the new girl in OBX would want to have anything to do with him. She can’t like him because no girl like her ever has. So, instead, he steals glances at her for the rest of the night and hopes to God he can get high enough to forget about the beautiful girl across the street.

Y/N tried to enjoy herself, she really did. And to JJ’s credit, he tried to help her relax and have some fun. She drank the beer that was offered to her, danced with JJ and Pope, and even took two puffs of JJ’s joint. But, although she felt thoroughly buzzed, Rafe never left her mind. She tried to throw a few sneaky glances his way the entire night, but she couldn’t find him. She even left her spot beside JJ and pretended to get a refill on his nasty beer just to see if she could spot Rafe. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be seen. At first, she thought it was just because she wasn’t looking hard enough but soon, after three whole hours of not seeing Rafe even once, she realized he was avoiding her. And if he was avoiding her, it meant that he was embarrassed from their conversation at the beginning of the night. Which meant that he lied, and he had in fact thrown this party just for her.

This revelation crept into her mind slowly throughout the night but when it finally sunk in, she was speechless. She didn’t know how to react. Sure, there was a slim chance that he had been telling the truth but the less she saw of Rafe at his own party, the more she realized that he had lied to her.

JJ had noticed how off Y/N seemed. When they had seen each other earlier in the day for her surfing lessons, he had made a fool out of himself. They had been practising for a few hours before they both called it quits, deciding to pick it back up the next day. Before departing, JJ offered her ice cream for a hard day's work, and she gladly accepted. They both ordered the same flavour (mint chocolate chip - he swore they were soulmates because of this) and ate it as they talked. When they were both finally finished, Y/N went to hug him goodbye, but he instead extended his hand awkwardly for her to shake. She seemed slightly embarrassed, but he was even more so. He had wanted to hug her but didn’t want to without her permission, so he thought a handshake was the safe bet. Unfortunately, he thought wrong and now, that awkward interaction was burned into the back of his mind. He was worried that’s why Y/N seemed so detached, barely speaking. When she had gone to refill her cup, JJ looked to Pope for advice. He had never been so needy for a girl’s approval before and since Pope seemed to want everyone to like him, JJ thought he’d give the best advice.

“So,” JJ sighs and he finishes telling the story of their awkward interaction. “Do you think that’s why she’s been so quiet?”

Pope snorted. “JJ, I think it’s just you. I doubt she even remembers it.”

Although his friend tried his best to reassure JJ, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was burdening Y/N’s mind. But, before JJ could continue his conversation with Pope, Y/N reappeared with a glass full of beer and a somber face. The topic was not brought up again.

JJ had been right though. Something was burdening Y/N’s mind. It’s not everyday that a girl finds out a boy who she thought saw her as a bothersome girl actually saw her as much more. It’s a difficult experience to relate to and not a problem Y/N thought she would have. Apparently, Rafe was better at hiding his true feelings than she thought. She had always assumed that when she’d catch him peeking through his window, watching her ride her bike with her brothers or bask in the sun as she read another book, he was judging her. She assumed he was making fun of her and her hippie family. And when they had first met in the main office of her school, it only solidified in her mind that he saw her as a joke. But instead, he might’ve actually liked her. You clearly only watch people in that way if you hate them or like them and since it clearly wasn’t hate…

No. She wouldn’t let her mind go there. Besides, even if he liked her, who was to say if she even liked him? He had been nothing but rude to her, even when he had technically invited her to this party. He called her a hippie (not offensive by itself but when Rafe said it, it might as well have been), watched her from his window with a scowl, and was a complete snob. If Y/N knew what was good for her, she’d stay far, far away from Rafe and anyone he associated with. But Y/N was a dumb teenage girl and curiosity got the better of her. She needed to find another good excuse to go inside and search one last time for Rafe.

The excuse presented itself when JJ made a small remark of how thirsty he was. Y/N jumped at the opportunity to refill his drink, even though he offered to go himself. But she insisted, taking his cup from his hands before he could argue any longer. As she made her way back inside, her eyes looking for the handsome brunette, Pope leaned closer to JJ.

“See? And you thought she didn’t like you?”

JJ nodded, feeling better about the whole ordeal. Unfortunately, if he knew why she truly had wanted to venture inside, it’s doubtful he would have felt better. He probably would’ve felt worse. But he didn’t know, and he wouldn’t know for a while longer.

Y/N first made her way to Rafe’s huge kitchen where all the kegs were lined up. Half of them were already empty but the night was coming to a close and soon, half the party would leave and only Rafe’s closest friends would stick around until 5am. It was midnight now and although she didn’t have a curfew, she wanted to be home by at least 1am. So, as she filled only JJ’s cup, she decided against filling her own. She didn’t want to be too tipsy in case she ran into Rafe. Although, by this time, she thought it was very unlikely that she’d ever see him.

Just as that thought crossed her mind though, another person entered the kitchen. Y/N recognized him immediately. It was Topper. They had never interacted much, just a brief wave whenever she’d pass his house when she rode her bike. If he was outside, which he had only been once or twice, he’d wave, and she’d wave back. Other than that, they never spoke. Until now.

He stood beside her, filling two glasses with beer. His blond hair was wet and sticking to his forehead, but his hands were so full, and he was so drunk he didn’t seem to notice. Y/N had seen Rafe’s pool, but she did not find herself on that side of his house for many reasons (the pool was on the other side of the backyard, she didn’t bring a bathing suit, and her mind was busy with more important matters). Topper seemed to be struggling with refilling two cups, his hands shaking just a little. Y/N instantly registered that he needed help and decided that busying herself with assisting Topper would help take her mind off Rafe.

“Here,” Y/N offered, setting JJ’s cup down on the counter. “Let me help.” She takes one of the glasses from Topper and begins to fill it up, all the while keeping an eye on Topper to make sure he doesn’t spill the other cup.

“Thanks.” He mumbles, swaying back and forth to the music that is blaring from somewhere inside Rafe’s house. Y/N can’t help but smile a little at this giddy boy who would otherwise be embarrassed for acting so weird if he was not so drunk.

Unfortunately, not even helping Topper can keep Y/N’s mind off Rafe. She wonders that since Rafe must’ve told Kelso something about her, Rafe could’ve confided in Topper too. From the gossip that JJ had told her, Topper used to date Sarah but even after they broke up, Rafe and Topper remained friends. So maybe, just maybe, Rafe had said something to Topper about her? She figured even if she asked Topper, it would never get back to Rafe. Topper was clearly drunk and would not remember the conversation he had with Y/N. No harm, no foul. Right?

Unfortunately, that idea was quickly squashed because just as she began to open her mouth, someone else entered the room. It was Rafe.

Rafe had skillfully avoided Y/N all night, while still stealing glancing her way. He never noticed that she too had been looking for him. He was so nervous that he’d eventually bump into her that he would make Kelso check every room before he entered it. Unfortunately, Kelso was drunk by midnight and could no longer help Rafe. Rafe tried to let it go, figuring you were probably gone by now. So, he asked Topper to refill his cup as he helped Kelso into his mom’s car. But, when Topper still hadn’t returned by the time Rafe entered his home, he thought there was no harm in checking up on him. Apparently, there was a lot of harm in that.

And now, there they stood, facing each other for the first time since the beginning of the night. Rafe wanted to turn back around and leave but he had always made a fool of himself, and he knew that if he awkwardly left without acknowledging Y/N, she’d surely think even lower of him. So, as soon as their eyes made contact, Rafe awkwardly raised his hand and waved. He could feel the awkward smile painted across his face and Y/N seemed to mimic him.

“Hey.” He squeaked out, taking both cups from Topper before speaking to his friend. He figured the less he looked at Y/N, the less awkward he would feel. He was wrong. “Top, why don’t you lie down on the couch. I’ll bring the beers soon.”

Topper only nodded, slowly making his way out of the kitchen, leaving his friend and Y/N in there alone. Alone for the first time since the beginning of the night. Both their pairs of eyes were trained on their drinks; Y/N was clutching onto JJ’s and Rafe held one for him and one for Topper. No one spoke for a while. Y/N had waited all night to get Rafe alone, just so they could talk and now she didn’t know what to say. She awkwardly shifted the weight in her feet, unable to think of the first thing she wanted to say. They were only five feet apart, but they might as well have been worlds away.

Rafe was in agony and decided to get it over with. He spoke first. “So, are you enjoying the party?” He spoke so formally, as if he was chatting with his grandmother, but he was too uncomfortable to speak any other way.

Y/N nodded, relieved he had taken the first leap forward. “Um, yeah. Never knew that kids could throw parties like this.”

Rafe smiled for a moment, happy that she was so amazed at his dullest party of the year. His heart fluttered at the thought of Y/N dancing in that beautiful white dress with him. Holding onto him as they swayed to the music, pulling her close. Close enough to -

“So, Rafe, I wanted to talk about earlier.” Y/N began, playing with the skin around her nails. It was a nervous tick she had yet to get rid of.

Those eight words destroyed Rafe. At that moment, he knew she had not believed his original lie. He wasn’t too surprised though. He was a shitty liar and Y/N seemed to pick on everything he did. Although he would rather rip his fingernails off one by one than have this uncomfortable conversation with Y/N, he knew he’d have to give her the answers she was looking for. Even if that meant embarrassing himself.

Finally, he nodded. “Um, uh, okay. What’s up?”

Y/N began to speak but before she could get a coherent sentence out, someone else entered the kitchen, making a bunch of noise as he did. Their eyes met instantly and when she recognized who he was, her back straightened slightly as if she had been caught in a salacious act. It was JJ.

“Y/N, what's taking so long?” He stops just after he enters the kitchen and as soon as his eyes go to Rafe, his smile drops. He’s confused beyond belief. He doesn’t know why Y/N is speaking to Rafe. He didn’t even know they knew each other. “Uh, am I interrupting something?”

Y/N forces a smile, glancing at Rafe briefly before walking past him and towards JJ. She hands JJ his cup and he gladly takes it, a look of pure confusion written on his face. “No, Rafe was just asking me if I am enjoying my first party in Outer Banks.”

JJ's eyes shift to Rafe, whose face is pure white. “Really? How… kind?”

Y/N knows JJ is suspicious so to curve his focus back on her, she reaches up to cup one side of his face. JJ’s eyes instantly fall back onto her, a small smile back on his lips. “Walk me home, JJ. I’m getting tired.”

JJ nods sweetly, placing his hand over the one that’s cupping his cheek. “Sure. Go get your stuff and I’ll meet you at the front of the house.”

Y/N looks back to Rafe one more time, a small smile on her face. Rafe pushes his lips into a thin line, nodding goodbye to her. She does the same, leaving the kitchen as quietly as she entered. Y/N’s afraid to leave JJ and Rafe alone but she really has no reason to stay any longer. She hopes that she can get Rafe alone soon so they can have an actual conversation. Tonight, was kind of a disaster but being with JJ and having such a fun time with him made up for it. She knows JJ is the type of guy she should be with. He’s fun and carefree and they’re too much alike to not get along. Even though this is all true and she does have feelings for JJ, there is a part of her that yearns for Rafe. And that part scares her.

Once Y/N is gone, JJ’s smile drops, and he turns back to Rafe with a menacing glare. “Look, I don’t know what your game is here, but I really like Y/N. We both know you’re not her type. So do both of us a favour and leave her alone.”

And with that, JJ was gone too. Leaving Rafe alone.

Even with all these people in his house, Rafe never felt more alone.

taglist: @tovvaa @canyoubuymetoast @multisimpinghoe (sorry to these queens for waiting so long lmaooo)

#jj maybank #rafe cameron #jj x reader #jj maybank x reader #rafe cameron x reader #rafe cameron x you #rafe cameron fic #rafe x reader #jj x you #jj one shot #jj fanfiction #rafe fluff #rafe x you #rafe imagine #rafe cameron obx #outerbanks #outer banks fic #obx #obx s2

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kuroos-moon · 4 years ago

Text

Valentine’s and Pretty Roses

☀︎︎ request: Hey loveee! Could I please have a hc request where Oikawa, akaashi and kuroo’s crush or s/o receives a valentines rose from them and are so happy Bc they never ever had gotten a rose from anyone for Valentine in her life.

☀︎︎ pairing: oikawa x reader, kuroo x reader, akaashi x reader

☀︎︎ genre: fluff

☀︎︎ warning/s: none

Oikawa Tohru

he CAN’T just give you a rose without any extra cheesy stunts

he just can’t rlly

“y/n-chan, come see me at the gym straight after class, yeah?” he fondly smiles at you

doesn’t care about the others trying to eavesdrop bc c’mon they wanna know how the grand king would treat his girl this very day

had it so well-planned, literally poured his time and effort to make you feel special <33

you’re speechless when you first bump into Kunimi on the way to the gym as he hands you a small folded piece of paper

‘smile for me everyday,’ the note says

this went on the closer you got to the gym and you seriously wonder how he got the whole team to participate

your personal favorite message would be: “ever notice how our fingers perfectly lock into place? I do, hold on to me forever, love.”

when you enter the gym, Tohru stood alone at the center in a suit and tie while faint music was heard in the background

you couldn’t even believe he’s done all this as he smiles back at your surprised figure

“happy day of love, my y/n-chan,” a literal prince, bends over to kiss your hand in his before he hands you a single red rose

he’s just so handsome??? and dashinng??? he literally put in effort to look even better as if he wasn’t already a god to you

romantic slow dancing, hours felt like seconds and he holds you so close and lovingly 🥺

“oy shittykawa we stalled the guard as much as we could but he really has to close up the gym now!” Iwaizumi calls off

Mattsun was expressionlessly taking pictures of both of you from the sidelines on different angles

you and the third years had to walk home together and they pretend to not know Tohru

“how did you even get to look at him with a straight face y/n he totally went overboard,” Makki shudders, eyeing Tohru in his suit while he held your hand

“he practically threw an early prom,” Iwaizumi rolls his eyes

“shut up, he was cute”

you look at him again bc he’s just so handsome yk but he was already looking at you <33

was just so happy bc he knew you’ll treasure the rose he gave you

his mom asked him why he was in a suit once he got home

Kuroo Tetsuro

he’s sweet that’s no surprise

but he’s a little shit sometimes too

he purposely pays less attention to you during Valentine’s Day and you’re lowkey hurt

“Tetsu, it is Valentine’s and I don’t care about gifts let’s at least go on a date”

“can’t, I’m studying chem later, kitten”

pretends he doesn’t hear you grumble that there was no upcoming test

also knowingly smiles to himself as you sulk bc he has you fooled

“so he really didn’t get you anything?” Yaku and Lev ask you during lunch

Yaku’s out to kick his ass when you shake your head while Lev just kinda snobs at him when they meet eyes

your stomach churns at literally every couple walking away hand in hand off to dates and whatnot

meanwhile you couldn’t even find your dork of a boyfriend though you assume he’s in the chem lab studying

you finally receive a text from him and you expectantly read his message

“what is it y/n? is he finally taking you out?” a friend asks

nope, he just asked you to hand him his book he left on his desk

you’re stunned when you enter the lab though because the lights were off and you’re kinda scared

but he answers when you call out his name, “over here”

“Geez, why didn’t you turn on the lights?”

you stand before his figure which you can’t really make out if it weren’t for his silent breaths

“I’m kinda hurt y/n, you really thought I got you nothing?”

from behind him, he finally pulls out the bouquet of bioluminescent roses as he watches your face light up from the glow

you just look at him in surprise before it registers that he made them, so you throw yourself at him in a hug

he had to bend a little of course, but he can’t help but chuckle as you litter him with kisses

“don’t worry there’re no thorns”

wounded himself time and time again in removing the thorns

you fall harder once he explains he grew white roses himself months ago and he failed a few times too

also explains how he made the flowers bioluminescent and though he sounded kinda dorky you just keep on falling for him??

“you like them?” when you grin and nod, he was just so happy he’s pulled you into a hug again

as always, you felt so right against him and he can’t help letting an ‘I love you’ nonchalantly slip past his lips

definitely took you out on a date after that

Akaashi Keiji

remembers every single detail about you

you said you’ve always liked white roses so of course he’s getting you them

he’s sweet but you doubt there was anything special for the day prolly bc of your lack in dating experiences too

but oh, he does, he desperately wants to make your heart flutter more than any regular day together

didn’t plan anything flashy, he was just treating you extra special today as he worked up the courage to give you a rose

saying you were breathtaking, holding your hand more and kissing your forehead at the most random times-

you assume it was his way of celebrating Valentine’s with you

but his words and actions were sincere, he’d do them on any other day he was just not holding back as much now

lowkey overthinking how he’ll give you the rose, what if you weren’t really into cheesy things?

but he knew you appreciated the smallest gifts though he’s still anxious about it

not to worry, Bokuto has shy Akaashi’s back

fr though he did kinda ruin Akaashi’s initial cooler plans

Bokuto escorted you in the locker room with only Akaashi there

“AGAASHI HERE’S YOUR Y/N,” totally did not know how to read the room

the poor setter was in the middle of changing and was yet to put on a shirt

“y/n I- Bokuto-san, not now please,” he now regrets telling Bokuto about the rose sitting on the upper shelf of his opened locker

“but what about the rose you were gonna give to her?”

“what rose? uh it’s fine, i’ll leave you to dress up Keiji,” you’re flustered, his chest was bare after all

so the surprise is ruined he knew he had to give it to you now

acts before fully thinking so he grabs you before pushing you lightly to the locker beside his and—

HE DOES THE KABEDON ON YOU, hand beside your hand as he leant close

you can’t breathe at this point- i mean- his eyes staring you down like that? girl, so lucky

but he was lost in a thought process of what to do next

still cooly manages to pull out the rose from inside his locker before he gives it to you with a soft smile, letting go of worries

“Happy Valentine’s, love. Uhm, I’ll do this cooler next year, and uh, with a shirt on”

Bokuto covers his eyes when you both lean in for a kiss <33

General Taglist [Open]: @noyasbitchh @dinablossom @haru-the-secret @strayczennies @lalisbitch @tinymidgetsstuff @animebs @astrealia @kittykitkatstrawberry @hajimesbbygrl @kellesvt @24hr7dysdizzy @arnxldss @elianetsantana @vicassa @floraraine @beanst0ck @leinnah @kageyamasgirl @deafeningart @minibobabottle @franko-pop @moonlightaangel @throughtheinterstices @micasaessakusa

#haikyuu headcanons #haikyuu x reader #oikawa x reader #kuroo x reader #akaashi x reader #haikyuu scenarios #haikyuu!!#haikyuu #haikyuu!! headcanons #haikyuu!! scenarios

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aminiatureworld · 3 years ago

Text

In My Dreams IV

Characters: Xiao, fm!reader

Word Count: 3,167

Warnings: Brief depiction of violence, nightmares

Premise: The past is many things. Something to admire, something to learn from, something to hold dear. And yet how unreliable it can be, especially in the hands of ghosts.

In which the reader dreams of the past.

Author’s Note: Translation notes and historical references will come after the fic. This one was a little sketchy/ooc, prolly because I’m tired.

Xiao

If there was one thing that you appreciated most about your relationship with Xiao it was the fact that he never attempted to cage your independence.

Though the adeptus had a penchant for clinginess – something he’d never actually admit to – the circumstances of both his and your past had set a standard for a level of separation that you greatly appreciated. You were never pressured to tell Xiao about things you weren’t comfortable sharing and in return you never pressed your partner in regards to topics or events that made him somewhat uncomfortable.

And yet there was something very isolating about such a freedom.

It was an ordinary enough commission, laughably so in fact, the kind that you could knock back in ten minutes flat if you put a little effort into it. Treasure Hoarders were once more encroaching on Liyue, this time gathering at the vicinity of Dunyu Ruins, something that would surely be a hazard to the archaeologists who gathered to study the lost jade monument. The act of chasing out the Treasure Hoarders was indeed easy enough, and it was only until you started rifling through their loot that you found yourself uneasy.

The lid was an innocuous enough item. Though the box that it once covered was nowhere to be found it must’ve been a work of art, as the smooth tortoiseshell lid was clearly the result of patience and love. Painted a deep blue it depicted a snowy scene, with a castle or cathedral at the front and center. The building itself was of a unique design; a tall turret stuck out at the top while small onion domes sat a little lower, each painted a more outlandish color than the last. The architecture was completely unlike what one might see in either Liyue or Mondstadt, and really there should’ve been nothing to it except the odd design of the building. Yet the moment you set your eyes upon the building you felt something harden in the pit of your stomach.

You never thought about what you couldn’t remember; after all, what was the point of it? Why mourn something you weren’t even sure was good or bad? Yet in that moment you felt that you would give very little to not remember just a little bit. At least enough to know why the image of a cathedral in the snow made you wish deeply for something you couldn’t remember, and frightened you just as much.

“Something’s wrong with you face.”

“Xiao!” You sputtered, surprised by the sudden bluntness of your partner. “My face is just fine, a little dirt won’t kill me.”

“That’s not it.” Xiao scowled. “Your face is harder than usual. Did something happen?”

“Nothing happened! Sometimes I just don’t smile, okay?” You instinctively moved the corners of your mouth upwards, trying to ignore the sudden jump in your heart rate. “I’m fine.”

Xiao looked supremely unimpressed at your efforts, sighing and flying up to the balcony of the Inn. You sighed, letting your expression once more droop. It was easy sometimes to forget how in tune Xiao was. You wouldn’t expect it from an adeptus who had spent thousands of years mostly secluded from humans, but your partner was impressively good at reading your mood. Usually you didn’t mind the ability of his, even welcoming the fact that he so bluntly brought up the question of your feelings. But today you wished despite yourself that he was a little less aware. After all, how could you explain to your partner what you didn’t even understand yourself?

The rest of the night was oddly tense. Though Xiao said nothing you could tell from the way he stared intently at your face that he hadn’t given up his suspicions. For your part you tried to ignore his gaze, talking about trivial matters such as the question of replacing the Guild roof and the fact that you had managed to gather a few Qingxin during your commissions. All the while you felt the roiling of your heart; and all the while you kept rubbing your fingers along the smooth finish of the lid in your pocket as if in doing so you might suddenly be struck with what you currently missed and currently, desperately, needed.

The next day you walked up to Katherine utterly exhausted. Though you’d made a concerted effort to sleep, knowing that if not you’d just arouse more worry in Xiao, most of the night had been spent tossing and turning, your eyelids feeling paper thin as you attempted to drag yourself down into the depths of sleep. Of course now that the sun was shining you felt like even a stone bench would be a soft enough mattress. Blinking heavily you smiled awkwardly at Katheryne.

“Any commissions today?”

“Two ordinary sweeps and one request.” Katheryne tilted her head slightly. “Are you sure you don’t need rest?”

“I’m perfectly fine Katheryne, thank you for worrying. You said there was a request?”

“Yes. It seems that the citizen who noticed the Treasure Hoarders for us claims to have been robbed by them. He says to meet you at Dunyu Ruins so you can hand over the item.”

“And what item is that?”

“He said it was some sort of box lid. He didn’t give many details I’m sorry. If you’re uncomfortable though of course we could send someone with you.”

“I’ll be fine, thanks for worrying.”

“Of course! Good luck!”

“Thanks.”

You turned around, trying to stem the ice that flooded your veins. Who was this man to whom the cathedral belonged? How did he come across such an odd item, was he from one of the other nations of Teyvat you hadn’t visited? Most of all you wondered if he held some connection to your past. The idea thrilled you in some way, though dread also lingered. You weren’t entirely sure you wanted to meet this mysterious person. Commissions were commissions however; you wouldn’t betray the Guild. No matter how much you wanted to; you couldn’t.

The Dunyu Ruins were still, no monsters seemed to linger at the gates and no other adventurers peeked out from behind old walls. The air was utterly still, something which worried you greatly. Walking at an increased rate you sought out your mysterious commissioner. The more you thought about it the more you wished the whole thing to be over as soon as possible. Turning the corner you stopped in your tracks, gazing in awe at the person a few meters in front of you.

The first thing you thought was how oddly he was dressed. The second thing was that he was much younger than you had expected. The third thing was that you felt an odd sense of familiarity from him.

“Ah yes, the adventurer who accepted my commission. Have you brought what I asked of you?”

Though a response was certainly in order you found the words stuck in your mouth. Staring at him you felt the ground shift between your feet slightly. He was familiar, this young man in front of you, and yet he was also a perfect stranger. He seemed more like an apparition than anything, a spirit who had yet to cross to the far side. You stepped closer, reaching out your arm slightly. If you went to touch his shoulder, would your fingers go right through him?

“You really must think it’s odd that I’ve returned.” The man chuckled. “I assure you I’m completely real. You weren’t the only one to survive sister, though I know that information might be too little too late?”

“Sister?” You snapped out of your trance. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Surely you aren’t pretending not to recognize me? I think that’s beneath even you. Come now, was I such a brat as that?” Reaching out the young man went to grab your hand. Instinctively you pulled away, feeling discomfort shoot through you.

“I don’t know what you mean? And you certainly aren’t my brother! I’ve never had a brother!”

“Then who was the kid you lived with your whole life before the incident?”

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know about any incident or any brother. You asked me here to return something so I’m returning it.” Reaching for the lid you thrust the little work of art in front of you. “Here. Take it.”

“So you really don’t know who I am?” The young man reached out to take the lid. “How is that possible? Have they gone so far as to erase me from your memories? Have I been taken out of your family?”

“They?”

“The gods.” The young man’s eyes seemed incredibly harsh all of a sudden. “Their presumptiveness holds no bounds.”

“Don’t speak of the archons that way.”

“Answer me this,” the young man ignored your protest, “where are you from.”

“Why should I tell you that?”

“Humor me.”

“I…” You stood there for a moment, wondering whether or not you should tell this strange figure the truth. Morbid curiosity floated in your mind, and you took a sharp breath. “I don’t know. I don’t remember.”

“So I really have been erased from your mind.”

“Nothing’s been erased! I just don’t remember, should that surprise you so much?”

“Yes, it does. I see my plans will have to be changed.” The young man took a deep breath. “Very well then, we shall see what we shall see. I have an offer for you.”

“And what is that?” You felt suspicion wash over you.

“Join the Abyss.”

“Over my dead body!” Instinctively stepping away you drew your polearm. So that’s what this was about.

“I figured you might say that. However, let me tell you this. Our family was torn apart by the cruel whims of faraway gods. Teyvat suffered the same fate, still suffers it. You may not remember what happened to us, but I know it is buried in you somewhere. If you wish to avenge our family, then you’ll join us.”

“I have no petty thoughts of revenge against the gods.”

“That may very well change.” The young man smirked. “I’ll be back in a week. I expect your answers then.”

He was gone before you could say anything, carried away by a blanket of purple stars. You stared at the empty ruins, confused and empty, feeling far worse than you had felt when you arrived here.

“You look worse.”

“Thanks Xiao.” You let out a sigh, unsure how to respond.

You’d spent the rest of the walk back to the Wangshu Inn in agony, thoughts darting back and forth as you tried to reason with yourself about the veracity of the young man’s claims. There was no proof he was who he said he was after all, no proof that he wasn’t simply insane, or trying to convince you to join him by lying. Yet there was something about him, his demeanor, his anger, something that spoke to a truth about him. Not that the idea made you any happier. After all truth or not, he was still an Abyss member, or at least an advocate. You could never side with him, even if he was your long lost family. And yet what if he was your family? What then? Would it truly be a betrayal then to simply send him packing?

Xiao’s hand enveloped your own, the soft warmth drawing you out of your confused thoughts. Looking up you found him leaning into you, the tips of his hair lightly brushing your cheeks. His eyes bored into you ask he scanned your face. You stood perfectly still. You knew what Xiao was doing, knew that he was trying to figure out the depths of your discomfort. It was valiant of him, even if you hoped that he turned up empty handed. How could you tell Xiao, an adeptus who served directly under Rex Lapis, about the man who blasphemed the gods.

“You should sleep.” Xiao finally pulled away.

“It’s still early evening.”

“You didn’t sleep well last night, I could tell. You should sleep now; maybe you’ll feel better.”

“Maybe.” You replied, knowing that even if you slept better than you had ever before nothing would change when you woke up.

Still your eyelids were heavy and your feet aching. Sleep beckoned you with open arms, and you were quick to fall into its depths. Pressing a soft kiss on Xiao’s cheek you made your way up the stairs. Collapsing onto your bed you let out a sigh of relief. Sleep was coming on fast, and you quickly found the outside world swirling away. The last thing you were aware of was a dent in your mattress, and a set of familiar eyes staring down at you, filled with affection and worry.

It was dreadfully hot. That was the first thing you were aware of. The second was how loud everything was. There was a terrible sound swirling around you, inhuman shrieks seemed to rise up from the ground beneath you, accompanied with a banging that cracked through the air, echoing oddly in a night that was all too quiet. The third thing was that you had no idea where you were. Looking around you found yourself reeling at the scene that met your eyes. The house in front of you must’ve been nice at some point, but now had fallen into ruin and disrepair. Smoke was drifting up from a door that led into the ground, and bottles lay in pieces on the ground. A wall seemed to separate the house from the outside world, so tall that you had no idea what lay beyond it. Trembling slightly you felt yourself move towards the source of the noise, feet moving despite the rising dread that you felt. Making your way down a set of stairs a few lines came to you all of a sudden.

A ceiling of amber, a pavement of pearl

The smoke was thicker now, filling your lungs, leaving you short of breath. Little bits of orange blurred your vision, wielded by strange men in strange uniforms. They seemed distorted in the smoke, made into ghosts that might haunt a child’s nightmares.

Through the narrow paved streets, where all was still

You didn’t move your head towards the back of the room, somehow you couldn’t. Your very soul fought against it. Instead you closed your eyes, overwhelmed with how hot it was.

“You’ve come so far and you can’t even look?”

The voice was mocking, familiar, full of scorn. Opening your eyes you stared at the men in front of you, the men with fire at the tips of their hands. Why did he want you to look? You knew what you’d see. Somehow you knew.

We climb’d on the graves, on the stone worn with rains

You couldn’t make it out among the smoke. All you knew was that it was red.

You screwed your eyes shut, even as sudden clarity danced before you. Someone was calling your name.

There was a hand on your shoulder.

And alone dwell forever

The smoke cleared, and with it the dream.

The scream ripped through your throat before you could even process it. You knew that you should stop, knew that you were no longer dreaming, knew that the hand on your shoulder belonged to your terrified partner. Still you screamed. You screamed and screamed and screamed.

“Hey. Hey!” Xiao’s voice was frantic. Shifting your gaze towards him you felt yourself begin to tremble.

“It, it was true. It was true, I saw him. I saw him. I saw me. It was true. I, I, they’re dead. They’re dead.”

“It was a dream. No one’s dead.”

“But Xiao, they’re dead. He was right, they’re gone and dead and somehow I forget them.”

The loneliness slammed into you, mixing with the horror that sent your stomach churning. You dug you nails into your palm, desperately trying to stop shaking. Everything seemed distorted, the light emerging through the window just as menacing as the dark.

“Take my hand.”

Xiao pulled one of your hands on his lap, gently opening it and running his fingers over the marks that now rested in your palms. Unfurling your hand you it was flat against his he covered it with his own. Letting his palm rest gently against yours he looked up at you.

“No one is dead. You were having a nightmare.”

“I was remembering, Xiao. I finally remembered something. And now I wish I never had.” You unfurled your other hand, wiping furiously at the tears that pooled in your eyes. “I’m so alone Xiao, I’m so alone.”

“You aren’t alone.”

“My family, my family is gone. The only one left is an Abyss member. I, I’m so utterly alone.”

You felt Xiao drop your hand slightly. The sudden lost connection made your founder for a moment, but soon the feeling was lost as Xiao wrapped his arms around you. Pressing kisses to your forehead his grip was tight and strong, encasing you utterly in soft comfort. Letting yourself collapse slightly you leaned into his embrace.

“You’ll never be alone. I’ll always be here.”

If promises were conveyed in actions then you had no reason to doubt Xiao’s. Though the air around you was sticky with heat you found yourself pressing into your partner’s chest eyes more, soaking up every bit of connection that you could get. Xiao said nothing more, simply keeping you in his embrace, lips brushing against your cheeks as he kissed away your tears.

You knew that he wouldn’t ask about your brother that night, perhaps not even the morning afterwards, or even tomorrow evening. After all your partner wasn’t one for words, and your relationship wasn’t built upon the expectation of painful transparency. If you weren’t ready to talk he wouldn’t push you.

Eventually your tears slowed, though the pain in your chest still burned like a brand. Bringing your hands to your chest you gazed up at the adeptus who was still wrapped around you.

“Can we stay this way a little longer?”

Xiao’s eyes gleamed catlike in the moonlight. Leaning down he brushed his lips against yours, sighing slightly as you met him with exhausted ardor. Pulling back you rested your head on your partner’s chest. The dulled beat seemed almost musical, a reminder that Xiao was alive, a reminder that he was right next to you.

You had assumed in some way that it meant he didn’t care, or didn’t want to know. Though you would’ve never thought that before, the feeling of loneliness that had threatened to swallow you up had made that perfectly clear. Yet Xiao did care, cared enough not to prod and poke at wounds that were surely bleeding even now. Cared enough to kiss your worries away, cared enough to let you embrace him as long as you needed. Cared enough to show that you weren’t truly alone.

In a week you’d give the young man who had once been your brother an answer. In a week you’d face the fact of your loneliness, of a family that you’d once been a part of. In a week you would let yourself be truly lonely. But until then you would listen to the familiar beat of Xiao’s heart as you remembered that you weren’t truly alone. That you never would be.

-------

The box lid itself was based off nothing in particular. The building painted on it is a reference to Saint Basil’s Cathedral.

The poem I used was “The Forsaken Merman” by Matthew Arnold

The scene in the reader’s dream is a reference to the execution of the last Imperial family of Russia. It took place in the basement of the Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg on July 17th/18th 1918.

#genshin impact fanfiction #xiao #xiao x reader #genshin impact #genshin xiao #requested #scenarios #my writing #sorry mistagged as gn out of habit first jme

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