#2 souls drifting ever closer

[teathattast]

i won't give up on us

i'll be waiting here til the stars fall down

stay up late until my eyes go heavy like

the strings pulled into the ground now

[cntloup]

one-night stand You can't resist Simon's unintentional charm mention of trauma, thoughts of getting killed

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Your friends notice your gaze occasionally drifting onto something afar as you try to engage in their conversation. 

There's a tall burly figure standing by the bar, holding a glass of bourbon while his elbow rests on the counter.

There's something subtly alluring about him, exuding masculinity and gruffness. 

And there’s a hint of pain in his eyes, a heavy weight on his shoulders, you come to notice as your gaze lingers on him through the night. 

And you feel each one of the scars adorning his face and hands has a story behind it. 

He has a story, you think to yourself. 

He has noticed the set of eyes on him long before he decides to finally give you some attention. 

He just didn’t think much of it before since he deemed you harmless, used to the gazes and glares of strangers. 

And finally his eyes meet yours, profound stare burning through your soul, his intense glare melting you as the bright shining sun, but you can’t bring yourself to look away. 

And you find yourself gravitating more and more towards him as you take each step in his direction as if enchanted by a siren’s song. 

Until you’re inches away from him, your eyes locked onto each other, neither of you daring to look away as if you do, the other person will disappear. 

You both feel the captivating pull, the igniting flames between you and you both feel like you have found what you were looking for all your lives. 

His hand comes up to softly caress your cheek and he leans in until his lips are beside your ear, “Your place or mine, love?” he murmurs, voice low and dark, sending a wave of shivers down your body and making the aching heat between your legs almost unbearable. 

“Whichever’s closer.” you breathe out, your voice barely above a whisper like he has knocked the air out of your lungs by his mere presence. 

And you find yourself on his bed, mewling and whimpering under his bulky weight as he rolls his hips into yours, reaching far deep inside you like you could never even imagine, like no other man could ever reach. 

He tenderly kisses your body, your skin so delicate and soft under his rough hands and scarred lips. 

Your mind is lost in a euphoric haze as he treads the line of fucking and making love, balancing the contradicting notions like no other man ever could. 

He fucks you like no other man ever could, the sweet ache lingering on your body and in your mind the day after, long after you have left. 

And his mind is encompassed by you, his senses captivated by your allure, beauty and grace. 

He reaches out again. He found the piece of paper with your number on it on the pillow the day after. He simply can’t stay away from you anymore. 

He spent a long time struggling with himself, wrestling with the thoughts of getting closer to you,

knowing fully well how the people who get close to him end up and the thought of you ending up with a bullet in your head like the rest of his family replay in his mind,

the doubt in his heart that whether or not he will be a good partner at all gnaw at him constantly. 

He knows that he’s no good for you, you deserve far better than him. 

But he knows you want him too, the ghost of your tender touch and fiery kiss still present on his skin, etched onto his soul.

And he's been the only thing occupying your mind all this time, utterly enamored by him.

And your heart nearly skips a beat as your phone rings with an unknown number, hoping that it’s him.

new series?👀

[gremlinmodetweeker]

König AU Writing Masterlist

Masterlist

Konig Dump

Happy Tails:

KorTac decided to rent some space in a small animal adoption cafe to provide an animal therapy program for their agents. König came for the snacks.

Intro [1] [2] [3]

Summoned!CoD AU

Reader, or Summoner, was forced by the military to summon a beast of war to use in battle. Unfortunately, Summoner isn't great at controlling themselves, so they accidentally summoned a being far too powerful for any of you to control.

Intro

None of Your Shit

Ever Watchful

An Ant Among Men Among Gods Among Cosmos

Kiss the Ocean Kiss Yourself (First Kiss)

Accidental Meteor Showers

An Unexpected Appearance of Softness

A Question Best Left Unanswered

Sweets and Sours and Maggots

Circles of Stars in Cosmic Waltzes

Writhe Beneath Me

Silly Games for Silly People

A Step Through Time, A Step Closer

A Different Definition of Ash

In The Heart of My Mother I Laugh

Mistakes Meld Realities Together

Paper Trails Leave Bleeding Hearts

Extras

The Best Song for Summoned!CoD

Nice Kidnapper!König

To live is to suffer. Your existence feels meaningless, and you know that if you dropped off the face of the earth, nobody would remember your name. Your one chance of happiness was speaking to a nice masked man at a bar, but your 'friends' had cut off your time and stolen you away. Little did any of you know, he'd steal you back soon enough.

Intro [1] [2]

First Time Out of the Basement

Flickering Shadows Hide the Light

Cream and Honey and Thorns and Nettles

Ablutions with Acid

Carve the Fat

The Possibility of an Open Window

Do You Miss What You Had? Do You Miss Who I Was?

Long Pig

Read Me To Sleep, Let Me Drift Away

I Entered Daniel's Den and I Saw the Truth Before Me

A/B/O Universe

In a world where military soldiers are forcibly paired up with partners to produce more soldiers, König is paired with an omega O, and has to deal with the new changes in his life.

Intro

My Ever Empty Bed

An Olive Branch Among Thorns

Declivities

Two Can Play At That Game

To Market to Market to Buy a Fat Hog

Aren't You Tired Yet?

I Sit With You And Cry For What Could Have Been

The House is Burning, and Everyone is Laughing and Smiling [1] [2]

Kinktober

Ghostbusters AU:

Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS

New Recruit

A Conversation with Those Who Laugh at Death

You're a What Now?

Basement Bros

Infection!AU

You've managed an off-grid farm ever since you parents passed. It's been years, but you've endured the winters and grown to be an incredible homesteader. However, that was before the lights went out, and the barracks north of you went to shit.

Monster Trainer!Cod

Reader, code name Handler, is assigned by higher ups to be the Designated Operator of König, a rowdy and difficult-to-control jotunn/nachtkrappe shifter hybrid with a strange history of 'accidents' with his previous handlers. Your best bet to get by is to speak to others on base, but nobody is forthcoming with information.

Talking Heads Roll On Floors

Headaches Split my Skull, Stop Talking

Mischief and Mayhem

A Knot Undone Spills Forth Endless Possibilities

Break Down Build Up

Phantom of the Opera!AU

Inspired by a glorious ask, a version of Phantom of the Opera where König is our beloved phantom trying to save reader from the horrible fate of being seduced by a lover from the past with a dangerous agenda. König is a twisted man, but it takes a dark soul to recognize another, and so he will do whatever he can (from the shadows) to save his beloved songbird.

The ask the inspired it all

A Man Among Ruins

Lights Go Out I Wake Up

Cannibal King!AU

Taking place in the world of Sons of the Forest, reader is trapped on a remote island. Soon she is kidnapped by a cannibal king. Once by his side, she learns that life in the woods isn't as painful as expected, adn that humanity comes in many forms.

King Cannibal Conquer Quest

Rest Well Reign Strong

Fuck Me Like A Bitch So I May Love You More

Stars Whisper Prophecies into Waiting Wells

Sweet Like Honey Suckles, Bloody Like Venison

Local Executioner!König

Living in a small village leads to a tight-knit community. When you father left to be an adventurer after your mother passed in childbirth, you were taken in by the village baker, your uncle. You always avoided the public executions, but your uncle gets sick and can't go out to market to sell his buns on the very day an execution is slotted. You must go, and there you find a cursed outsider who sparks your interest.

Carve Out a Place for Me to Sing

Hope is in Buns, Life is in Stars, Promises are in Vain (Pt 2)

Behind The Dew You Sing To Me (Pt 2) (Pt 3)

Cat Hybrid!KorTac

Horangi and König are sick and tired of roughing it on the streets. They were born and bred to be soldiers, but the batch of kittens that were meant to be made into KorTac's next greatest soldiers escaped into the city, they had to grow up on the streets. They made their little gang, but Horangi and König always wanted more. One day, reader comes along and finds two sick kittens on the street. Unable to stop herself, she brings them in and nurses them back to health. She immediately regrets her decisions.

Intro

Konig and Horangi Refs

Hunters

Horangi Wink

Horangi's Hoard Art

Meeting the Human Forms (First Time)

Cuddling Konig

Move comic

Food Quality Ask

Get Out of There! Comic

Devourer of Treats Ask

Child Locks Ask

Buzzing Static Burns The Silence Between My Ears (Ask)

Art from This Post

[prettyshinnythings]

The Offering. Chapter 2.

Story Idea: What if Sauron had been successful? What if he'd taken all of Middle Earth and obtained everything he ever desired? What if he still desired something more?

Warnings: This chapter is 18 plus. Contains smut, language, and an arranged marriage.

Pairings: Sauron x Reader

Chapter One

Chapter Two:

I slept for hours.

My body was exhausted from the night before and all that had transpired. 

My journey to this new place and all the anxiety that had come with it had taken much more of a toll on me than I had initially realized.

I awaken to the thought of my dark king, his voice echoing in the back of my mind. As if he was lying in the elegant canopied bed beside me. My eyes focus on the dark wood of the posts upholding the canopy and I watch as the flames of the torches lighting the room dance in the dark mahogany. It is an enchanting sight to be sure, the dancing flame granting me peace. I stretch in the bed and note how the silk sheets kiss the exposed skin that is uncovered by my nightdress. I had not seen my dark lord since the night before, but his presence hung around me. His eyes ever watching from some unknown corner of the room.

It should scare me, but it does not. I find it rather comforting.

Slowly, I sit up in the bed and take note of the light fighting to come in through the window across the room. It was impossible to know what the exact time was. The constant darkness and ash seemed to hang in the air like dust particles. My long hair cascades down my back, ringlets of curls falling down to the small of my back as I pull back the blankets of bed and swing my legs over the side. The pads of my feet find the warmed stone of the floor beneath me, warmed by the fireplace that warmed the room around me. As my eyes swept over every visible surface around me I am in awe of the comfort and contentment that I feel inside of me. So much so that i am almost convinced that the sight around me was all me was one of his illusions, but given that the firewood had burned down throughout the night, I could convince myself that it had to be real.

"There shall be no illusions with you, little dove."

My heart skips a beat at the sound of his voice as it sounds from behind me. In caution, I glance over my shoulder and meet his gaze while he stands in the doorway of his bed chamber. I swallow hard as his eyes rake up and down my body. The same mischievous glint that had been present in his eyes the night before is there now. He seems enthralled by the way my nightdress clings to every curve of my body. As though I was a statue made out of marble. Made just for his viewing pleasure. The look on his face makes me wish we were already wed. It makes me wish he would rip the fine silk from my body and claim me as his own.

He is amused by this thought when it enters my mind. His lips pull into a smug smile while he takes a step forward. The closer he gets to me, the more my nerves build up within me. I cease glancing over my shoulder and turn my attention to the fireplace before me. Sauron takes me in his hands, my back pressed into his chest as he wraps his arms around me. His lips are suddenly dangerously close to my ear as he lingers breathing me in.

"I will claim you in mind, body, and soul once we are wed..."

His voice drifts off for a moment, long enough for his lips to trace along the sensitive part of my pointed ear. His touch is deliberate and meant to conjure up the desire within me that was already brewing beneath the surface.

"... From this day forward you shall be mine and mine alone."

My breathing hitches and my eyes flutter closed at his words. A chill moves up my spine and leaves goosebumps in their wake as his hands slowly trace my bare arms before guiding his lips to my neck. Out of instinct, I tilt my head to grant him better access to my neck. An action that earns a groan from him. He appears satisfied with my willingness to trust him without question. Without a fight or protest. Instead, I feel like an Elven maiden stealing a moment with her betrothed. Not half of an arrangement brought together by others.

It feels natural and right.

He breathes me in once more, whilst I find myself leaning into his touch, my body molding in against his. I feel his hardened cock against my backside, a sensation that makes me feel powerful. Powerful because touching me caused the dark king to become wanton with desire. I, a princess of a small village, no one compared to him, and yet in his arms I felt power. With shaking hands, I reach out to touch the arms that have been wrapping me in an embrace against him. He wore longer sleeves so I could not feel him beneath me, but even being this close sent my head spinning.

"Will it always feel like this?"

I ask, my voice breathless and dizzying.

"Will you always consume me so thoroughly?"

My question hangs in the air around us for a moment, his lips unwilling to detach themselves from my neck. However, he does not let my question hang too long before responding in an uneven growl.

"It will, but it will take momentous work on both of our ends. A union, even arranged, always takes effort. But it is possible if you try hard enough."

Without saying anything more, there is a silent promise that falls over the two of us. As though we both do not want to lose whatever we have built between the both of us. Sure, it could be the newness of this situation, but a part of me felt that it could be something more than hormones and attraction. I knew that only time would be able to tell on that front but, as of this moment, I was more than content to be here in his arms.

A gentle sigh escapes his lips when the sound of knocking on the thick wooden door breaks us of our spell.

"The servants are here to ready you for our wedding. I am afraid we will have to wait until later to continue this."

He gives the side of my head one final kiss before pulling away from me. My body feels cold without his holding mine, but I try to not mourn the loss of him. Instead, I attempt to focus on the fact that we will be together again before nightfall. I glance over my shoulder one final time and watch him leave through the door, revealing the servants who stand on the other side of the door. Two elven maidens bow their heads as he passes them without a second glance.

They turn their attention towards me once we are alone before taking a step inside of the bedroom. Neither of them speaks to me as they gesture for me to follow them. Which I do without question, eager to do whatever I need to in order to be ready for my dark king.

--

He continues to consume all of my thoughts all through the morning as I ready myself. Every touch, the feeling of his lips on my skin, all of it played within my mind until finally, at long last, the time came and I was standing before the same door that I had met him through the night before. I was so consumed in my thoughts that I could hardly understand how I got here and how I had managed to get dressed into the most beautiful white gown my body has ever (and will ever) touch. All of it was a blur until this very moment. All I could think of was him. All I could think of was being his.

Even now, as I stand in front of the door with a bouquet of beautiful white and black flowers. I glance over them thoroughly as a desperate distraction from the nerves building inside of me. Nerves that only worsened when the doors of the throne room opened with a quiet creak. Chandeliers illuminated the room as I hesitated at the threshold, my hands nervously clasped in front of me. Peering inside I see a full room of Sauron's followers. Among them, were elves, men, and dwarves that had sworn allegiance to their King. Individuals who he rewarded for their loyalty when he had risen to power. A court of finely dressed beings reaping a reward so many would never know. I swallow hard and take a step forward, my feet finally carrying me over the threshold and into the room with everyone else.

Mixed in the back were the elven servants who stared back at me with blank eyes. All of them have the same collars around their necks as the elf that I had seen the night before. The same as the two maidens that helped me to get ready for this very moment. I knew that Sauron hated the elves and had enslaved most of them the moment he rose to power. He hated all elves. All, but one small village of them. The same one I had borne into. The same village who offered me up as a wife to the dark king.

My village never stood against Sauron and he was about to reward them for their compliance. Just as he had rewarded his followers handsomely.

The moment I think of him, my eyes find him at the end of the aisle. Since he was the king he stood there alone, without a priest or religious figurehead to officiate this ceremony. Though Sauron had as much power as a God, it made sense that he would run his own union without the interference of others. A cruel smile befalls his handsome face as I approach him as quickly as my nerves will allow me to move. He did not seem to mind the slowed pace, if anything his smile grew at the acknowledgment of my nerves. It did not help that the full room of strangers kept their eyes squarely on me. Under their gazes, I feel judgment radiating beneath the surface. A mixture of loathing and jealousy flickering behind forced expression.

He ignores the others and remains fixated on me as I carry myself forward. Unable to ignore the stares of strangers, I decide to use him as my visual anchor whilst I move forward. It felt like an eternity before I was within his reach and once I was, he outstretched his hands towards me. The moment he touches me, the spark that I had felt this morning before shoots up my spine. The dark desire within me is strong enough to take my breath away.

Before his kingdom, we stand hands entwined. All he has to do to start the ceremony is part his lips and the entire room grows even more silent than it had been before. The power over his people amuses him, his smirk growing.

"We are gathered here, in the heart of Mordor. In my kingdom to celebrate the union of myself and the celestial elven Princess, (y/n). This union is to mark the goodwill between our kingdom and the people who reside in it. With (y/n) at my side, we will continue to bring peace and perfection to Middle Earth. With every heir she gives me, I promise that my children will live alongside you and help maintain this peace and order. This is my promise to you, that our union will ensure all cement the future of Middle Earth under my rule. Together we may move forward into a new form of perfection."

He finishes speaking and is met by forced applause from everyone in attendance. At the mention of heirs, I feel my stomach turn. I had never believed Sauron to be the type of man who would want children. I always imagined that he would be too afraid of his power being handed down to any offspring. That he could be jealous if any heir surpassed his power.

My thoughts return to the present as he gives my hand a little squeeze, noticing my sudden mental distance.

"Do you swear your loyalty to me princess (y/n)? Do you swear to bind yourself to me from this day forward until the end of all days?"

When he asks this question it is loud enough for everyone to hear it, but there's something in the way his eyes peer into mine that makes me feel as if it is just the two of us together. Like we are in our own sacred ritual.

The way that it had been for my parents before me.

"I swear my loyalty to you Lord Sauron. I swear to bind myself to you from this day to the end of all my days. I swear to be your wife, the bearer of your heirs, and to do the very best for Middle Earth."

I swear more than I need to and it catches my betrothed off guard, but he seems pleased.

"Then let it be known that as of this moment, the Princess (y/n) and I are wed before you and under my decree as the Lord of Middle Earth and the Ruler of Rings of Power. Let our union be sealed with a kiss."

I give our audience a final look, the servants offering a look sympathy in their eyes even as their faces remain blank. His words bring an awful promise of more time under his reign. A deeper weaving of power that would sink deeper into the earth, consuming all they had known before he rose to power. They looked at me with sympathy because they knew that this union was a tool for achieving this new power. Like a pawn piece. But as his lips descend onto mine, his kiss seems to tell me that I am more than that.

And I want, more than anything, to believe him.

-

From the moment that the ceremony concludes I am caught up in a dizzying flurry of emotions. Nonstop and ever-consuming until finally, I stood in the quiet peace and tranquility of his chambers.

Our chambers.

My mind feels the effects of the day, all of the build-up to this moment had weighed upon my mind more than I had previously realized. It is not until I hear the quiet locking of the door that it truly hits me that I am alone with my husband. This morning had been but a taste of what it would be like to be in his arms. How whole we could feel alone, but this time I knew there would be no servants interrupting us. No stopping once we start.

At the thought, I turn to face my dark king. My eyes are wide as I study him in the firelight of the room. He looks handsome as always, and it's enough to take my breathing hitch. I study him for the first time, up close and without raw lust building up within me. As if this is the first time that I am truly seeing him for myself.

"You are beautiful."

I whisper in awe, unable to stop myself from letting the words slip from my mouth. It was a silly comment, but a true one all the same. He lowers his head and peers up at me with an amused expression dancing in his eyes. A smile plays on his lips and it seems to enhance his beauty. He does not speak, simply reaches for me, his hands taking mine in his.

"It is I, who should be saying that to you."

He speaks softly. My cheeks flush at the compliment, but I do not know if I believe them or if he has simply stated this to ease me into what we were to do next. Either way, I feel the smile pull at my lips. He was known for whispering sweet nothings of deception to the ones he used. I could not help but wonder if I was just another tool to be used. A partner for heirs and nothing more.

"I have already told you little dove, there will be no illusions with you. No deception or malice. With you, I shall be nothing more than your husband."

He takes a step forward, eyes seeming to darken a shade. He steps forward once more, his hands drawing my body in against his. Chest to chest we stand as anticipation hangs between the two of us. Our gazes locked together.

"My dark king."

I whisper, feeling the nerve bubbling up within me. Enough nerve that I find myself moving onto my tiptoes, my lips going against his. I do not know what has overcome me, but he does not deny me the sweet sensation of his lips kissing me back. His hands are in my hair, entangled in the loose curls that fell to the middle of my back. There is no calm between the two of us as we kiss. Instead, we are at each other like starved animals. I had never thought of what it would be like the first time I would be with a man, but I had no idea it would feel like this. This craving is completely undeniable.

"My dark queen."

His voice breaks through the uneven breathing, his words whispered against my lips. I feel frantic and frenzied, my eyes locking with his as he attempts to control himself. Slowly, his left-hand traces over my shoulder, his ring-clad finger linking under the thin strap of my wedding dress. A chill moves up my spine when I feel the ring lightly brush against my skin. 

His one ring to rule them all.

 I breathe in a slow steady breath as he pulls the strap off of my shoulder. He pulls away, eyes trained on me while he slowly walks around me. He stops walking behind me after a moment. With his chest against my back, he breathes me in, the same way he had before. My eyes flutter closed and the tension builds between the both of us.

"You have been on my mind all day..."

He breathes, his lips on my neck. My breathing hitches when I feel the cold metal of his ring on my other shoulder, linking under the strap and pulling it off of my shoulder. When he does this, the fabric of my wedding dress falls off of my body, pooling onto the floor at my feet. I am completely naked under my wedding dress, but I cannot bring myself to care that I am so exposed to him. I am too engulfed in him and the way his lips brush along my neck. The coolness of the night air brushes against my nipples, causing them to harden, and my breathing to hitch once more. A dark chuckle falls from his lips before guiding his hands to trace over my shoulders and then down around me, resting over my breasts. His fingers toy with my nipples causing a sharp intake of breath on my behalf. I had never imagined that anyone could make me feel like this. I had heard that sins of the flesh were all-consuming, but this made my skin feel like it was on fire.

"... All I could think about was resuming what we started earlier."

My lips part and a gasp escapes me when he lightly twists and pulls at my nipples. He hums in satisfaction when he hears me gasp. I can feel him smirk at the sound of desperation that bubbles from within me. I cannot focus when one hand slips from my breast and down my torso. Slowly, the pads of his fingers trace down every curve of my body descending lower and lower until he reaches my sensitive bud. I inhale sharply at the slightest bit of pressure that he places against me. His thumb starts to rub small circles against the bud.

"Oh my."

Those two words are all I can manage to say before he sinks one finger inside of me. He pumps the finger in and out of me slowly, my sex wet with desire. Another chuckle escapes him as I find my body naturally moving against his finger, my body in need of friction.

"You are a naughty little minx, aren't you? Using my finger to please you."

I find myself leaning into him, my head resting back against his chest. He adds another finger into my sex, his other hand still toying with my nipple.

"Please..."

I whimper, the overstimulation of my body becoming too much for me to bear. This was my first time being touched like this, this was my first time feeling so many of these new sensations.

"... It is all so much. I do not know how much more I can take."

A tsk tsk pulls from his lips, thrusting his two fingers inside of me a little deeper causing my knees to buckle.

"Oh come now, you would be surprised how much torture a body can withstand."

A shiver moves up my spine at his words. I knew who my husband was and what torture he had caused thousands to endure. If there was anyone who knew what bodies could endure it was him.

"Is that what you seek to do dear husband? To consummate our marriage through the cruel torture of your hands?"

I feel a bundle of nerves in my lower stomach and with each thrust of his fingers and flick of my sensitive bud, the nerves seem to build up. Like an explosion ready to spill over. Another moan falls from my lips and his thrusts quicken. He can sense what my body needs and the release I feel my body is gearing up to do. This new sensation was foreign but invited all the same. I find myself reaching behind me, my hands resting on the side of his face while he starts to mark my skin. His hand that had been on my breast reaches up to rest over mine, a low growl escaping him. My head feels as if it is spinning and the build-up of nerves becomes all-consuming and my body cannot handle another moment of it. I feel myself come undone on his fingers, my body quivering as my walls tighten around his fingers before relaxing once my body finally comes back down.

"My darling, you will find that some torture is worth it."

He groans, pulling his fingers from my core. He brings his fingers to his mouth once he has unlatched himself from my neck and licks them clean. I watch him in a haze before he turns me to face him, lifting me up into his arms when he sees how weak my legs have become. My eyes feel heavy but my racing heart keeps me alert and bracing for whatever he has planned next.

Pausing at the foot of the bed, his eyes look into mine. As if he is truly seeing me for the first time since we met the night before. He swallows hard when I do not look away, completely unable to look away from him.

"What is it?"

I ask, my eyes moving from his to his lips and then back up to his gaze. Without thinking I bite the bottom of my lip, the unknown of what was about to transpire between the both of us hanging in the air. I can tell that he wants to say something, but he shakes his head rather than responding. Instead, he lays me down on the bed. He stands back up and studies my naked body before him before moving his hands to his long tunic. He removes it and everything else that had been on his body before turning to the bed, my body pinned beneath his. I gance own at his hardened cock, leaking with precum, and ready to be buried deep within me.

"I will be gentle little dove. It is not my wish to cause you any discomfort."

He groans the words, pressing his lips to mine while he slides inside of me. The feeling of him inside of me is unlike anything I could have expected. I had always wondered what my first time would be like. I had always thought men must have preferred sex compared to women, that wedding nights consisted of careless thrusts until the man got what he wanted leaving their wives used shells by the end of the night. But this, this was something else entirely. This moment felt fulfilling and deeply intoxicating. I did not feel discomfort only sheer bliss from the way that husband's cock fit inside of me.

Sauron does not move once he is inside of me. He waits a moment for my body to adjust, his lips tender against mine. When he does start moving he is gentle. Starting off with a slow roll of his hips, his cock moving deeper inside of me.

He groans breaking the kiss to murmur.

"So tight... Like you were made for me."

He sounds almost as if he is detached in this moment, as though he is lost in his pleasure. But he grips me tightly, ensuring that I feel the very same pleasure he feels at this moment. I find myself spreading my legs as far as they can go, like an invitation for him to keep moving. Reading my mind he begins pushing himself in and out of me at a faster pace. My hands reach for his chest, running them along his broad and strong shoulders. Memorizing him as though this would be the only time I would ever get to have him this way. His own hands are planted firmly on either side of my torso, propping him up while he continues his movements.

My eyes look to the canopy hanging above us in our bed and can see our shadows faintly dance in the firelight along the light fabric. It is almost hypnotizing to watch, and it arouses a deeper feeling inside of me. A breathlessness that accompanied the bundle of nerves I had felt earlier when he had his fingers buried deep inside of me. The same sensation I had moments before I came undone. But I try to focus on him and his pleasure. Knowing he had yet to have the same release I could not help but wonder what it would feel like if he came inside of me.  Reading my mind, my husband peers down at me, his eyes a darker shade than they had been moments before. He angles himself to hit the bundle of nerves directly with his cock. An action that causes me to moan, my hands holding onto him for support.

"Tonight is about you (y/n). If you want to feel me fill you up with my seed, I will. We have eternity to chase our pleasures for one another."

He makes the same movement he just had, moaning with me as he feels my walls tighten around him. I was on the precipice of letting go, one more movement like that, and I would be done for.

"My dark king, cum inside of me. Fill me with your seed. I want to feel you."

I beg in the darkness of our bedroom. My voice is unashamed of the deep desire I feel inside of me. My request hangs in the air around us for only a moment before his lips find one once more and with one final thrust he and I cum together at the same time. His seed was hot and deep inside of me. My walls milk him of his seed, my sex is greedy for all he could give me.

We lay locked and remained together like this until his cock sends one final twitch of cum inside of me. Only then does he pull out of me. He lays on the bed next to me with a quiet look of satisfaction on his face. Without saying a word he pulls me next to him, resting my head on his chest before wrapping an arm around me.

"Mine."

He rasps, my eyes catching his. One last look before my eyelids grow heavy and I feel sleep calling for me.

"Yours."

[augustvandyne]

Five times you and Addison Montgomery almost kiss, and the one time you do, please?

i love addie so much she’s so cute! also, i wasn’t sure if you preferred this to take place during greys or private practice, so i went with greys!

tw: mentions of vomiting

a story for the grandkids

1.

It was in the crossing of early morning, late night.

You’d been at the hospital for over forty-eight hours. And only about ten of that had been small naps.

Being on Addison’s service was kicking your ass, but you wanted to be an OBGYN with your whole heart and soul, and you would give up anything for that. Even a little sleep.

You were currently watching over a baby whose mother had just left her.

This world was messed up, and you hated people for it. Sometimes you thought you were too empathetic for this world, but that’s what made you a great doctor.

Or at least that’s what Addison told you.

You’re drifting to sleep as you feel a tug on your pointer finger. You spent most of the night just watching the tiny humans chest thump with heartbeats.

But now you were getting restless, and there hadn’t been any response from the baby at all until now.

You sat up excitedly at the small on and off pressure being added to your finger.

“Hi, sweet girl,” You run your thumb over her small knuckles. “That’s it. You’re so strong.”

Your eyes are sparkling and your lips are wide with a large smile plastering your face.

Addison watches the interaction from across the NICU, and she thinks it’s the cutest thing she’s ever witnessed. She’s worked with a lot of aspiring interns interested in neonatal work, but she’s never met someone like you.

“Everything okay?” Addison is watching you more than the baby.

“Yes!” You are bouncing in your seat. “She— she’s responsive. I’ll admit, I was falling asleep for a second— but I felt a tug on my finger, and— she’s so strong, Dr. Montgomery.”

“Please, call me Addison,” She smiles at you, grabbing a pen from her lab coat to mark the newfound information on the chart. “And thank you for being honest with me. This is amazing news.”

“If I have to call you Addison, you should call me Y/n,” You try to convince her.

Addison chuckles, “We’ll see.”

You lower your head so your level with the incubator, your eyes closing slightly.

Addison looks up from the chart, her lips tilting up from hearing your small snores.

“Dr. Y/l/n,” Addison clears her throat, and you jump awake.

“Huh?” You rub your eyes, letting go of the babies hand for the first time in hours.

“You should go home. Get some sleep,” Addison nods.

“But— I still have a few more hours—“

“I’m telling you to go home,” Addison places her pen back in the pocket she retrieved it. “You came in early yesterday, therefore, I’m cutting you off for today.”

“Okay,” You chuckle. You stand and come closer to her, moving to stand between the incubator and her. “I’ll see you..”

“Whenever I please,” Addison gives you a breathtaking smile, only now realizing the two of you are very close.

She thinks about it for a split second, her eyes closing in on your lips. But she clenches her jaw and takes a tiny step back.

She’s grateful you’re too tired to remember this tomorrow.

“Go on, Dr. Y/l/n,” Addison nods towards the door to the NICU.

2.

You huff for what had to be the hundredth time in the past hour.

There was nothing you hated more than plastics. It wasn’t the treatments, per se.. actually, that was part of it. You hated seeing them in pain as you dressed their burns and their cries.

But you also hated Mark Sloan. You could feel his stares on you as you worked on what he’d asked. He treated you like an object, and you were over it.

You also hated him because of the way he treated Addison.

Yes, you know, she was definitely in the wrong, but she’s apologized and everyone is over it. At least everyone except Mark.

“Y/l/n. If you huff one more time you’ll be on dry cleaner and coffee duty,” Mark threatens.

Although it wasn’t really a threat to you. It was better than wondering when he was going to pounce on you.

“It’s better than being here,” You mumble, finishing a dressing on a mans hand. He was a champ.

“What? Wanna share with the class?”

“I said it’s better than being here,” You finally snapped. “I will happily get your coffee and dry cleaning.”

“Perfect,” Mark flashed you a smile without even telling you where to go and what to get. You’d just ask Alex.

You somehow managed to stumble into the NICU, in search for Alex, but you didn’t find him.

You only found Addison.

“Oh, thank god. Someone sane,” Addison comes towards you and puts her hands on your shoulders.

“I don’t know about that,” You laugh. “But I do know I might kill Mark Sloan tonight.”

“Ugh, you got Mark? Out of everyone?” Addison grimaces. “I’m sorry. I’ll help you plan.”

“Amazing,” You smiled blissfully— just being in the NICU and near Addison is what you needed to calm yourself.

You lean your forehead on Addison’s shoulder, and you feel Addison’s hand make its way to the back of your head.

When you lift your head, your mouth is awfully to the side of Addison’s face.

She locks eyes with you but moves her head to the side, away from your face. She notices Alex towards the back of the room, flirting with a nurse.

“Karev, show Y/l/n where Dr. Sloan gets his coffee and his dry cleaning.”

3.

Nothing could have prepared you for what went wrong on that table today.

You knew this was a possibility going into neonatal, and fetal, but even that couldn’t have prepared you for the first death of a mother.

You didn’t even know what went wrong, really.

The mother was fine— you were delivering her baby by C-section and then all of the sudden she started crashing.

Addison had to lead you to the side before she tried to save the patient. You just stood there. Painless, numb, frozen.

It was like you couldn’t breathe.

And when Addison called time of death you all but ran out of the operating room and towards an on-call room.

You were sitting on the edge of the bed, your scrub cap in your hands as you leaned your head back in hopes to get the tears to go away.

“Y/l/n,” Addison crouches down in front of you, her hand finding a comforting spot on your knee.

You try to ignore the burning sensation of her hand through your scrubs.

“I don’t—“ Your voice cracks and you move your hands to your face, crying into the scrub cap.

“Shh,” Addison shushes you, running another comforting hand up and down the side of your thigh. “We had no idea that was going to happen. It’s not your fault.”

“But her poor husband,” Your words are muffled through the cap. “And the baby..”

“I know,” Addison removes her hand from the side of your leg and moves your hand from your face. “It’s okay.”

Addison lifts herself from the floor and to the bed beside you.

She looks at you with sympathy, because she remembers the first mother she lost. It tore her apart just as it was doing to you.

“It will get better,” Addison promises.

“It’s not fair,” You blow out a breath. “She was fine.”

“Stop. You’re getting yourself worked up,” Addison frowns, pulling you into her side.

You melt into her side, your left leg moving on top of her own. You vigorously wipe at your tears, but they just keep coming.

You sob into her shoulder for a few minutes, soaking her dark blue scrubs to a darker blue.

Addison lifts your head to see your face.

It’s mostly dark in the room, only a small lamp sat on the desk in the back corner. You could barely see her face, but she could see yours perfectly.

She wipes the tears from your face and pushes the damp hair away that sticks onto your face.

Your eyelashes stick together as you look down at her lips slightly, and back up towards her eyes.

“You okay?” Addison’s eyes make their way down to your lips.

She leans forward, and she almost thinks she’s going to, but she pulls you in for a hug.

“Yeah,” You sigh.

4.

“It’d be nice if I could breathe right now,” You joked, although it wasn’t really a joke. It felt like the air had been swept from your lungs.

How did you get stuck with your hand on the bomb?, was a very good question.

One you definitely didn’t have the answer to.

All you knew was the second the paramedics hand was out of there, yours was right inside the body.

Your hand was growing tired, but you really didn’t want to die today. You haven’t even really fell in love yet, not really, and that’s something you’d like to experience before dying.

The next few minutes fly by in a blur. Meredith and Cristina come up with a plan to safely take care of the bomb, and the next second your out the door. Praying to any Gods above that you make it out of this alive.

“Breathe, Y/n,” Meredith reminds you.

“I can’t,” You let out a shaky gust of air. “I really c— can’t.”

“Come on, now is not the time to have an asthma attack,” Cristina curses. “I don’t have her extra inhaler, do you?”

“No.. she gave it to..”

“Addison,” The two say together.

“Crap,” You gasp for air.

“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do,” Burke looks between the two - Meredith and Cristina - as a sheen of sweet forms on his forehead. “One of you are going to have to take over for her and the other needs to take her to Dr. Montgomery now. Before things get out of hand and we all die.”

“You’re right,” Meredith nods. “Okay, I’ve got it. A count of three, Y/n, got it?”

“Yes,” You’re trying to inhale anything at this point, but you can’t seem to grab anything.

You successfully make the trade off with Meredith, and your anxiety skyrockets as you are forced to leave her behind.

“Y/n—“

“I know,” You share a silent understanding with your best friend.

Tell him.

I know.

“Come on, let’s go,” Cristina tugs on your arm and takes you right towards the redhead.

“Oh, y/n,” Addison dives right into your arms, unaware of the fact that you can’t breathe at all. “Thank god you’re alright. You are okay, right? I don’t see any bruises.”

“Dr. Montgomery,” Cristina breaks the moment. “You have her inhaler?”

“Oh!” Addison sees the paleness in your face and begins reaching for your inhaler, finding it in her back pocket. “Here.”

Addison doesn’t care about the blood coating your hand as she holds your hand to help you with your inhaler.

Addison leans her face forward to make sure you’re doing it right, and when you remove your hand her lips are awfully close to your face.

You take a sharp inhale of breath you didn’t have a second ago, and you actually think she’s gonna go through with it for a second.

But you had an audience, and she didn’t want your first kiss to be in front of her ex-husband and your subordinates.

“You’re okay?” Addison checks over you.

“You called me by my name,” Is the first thing you say when you’re fully back.

Addison laughs, “I did.”

5.

You giggle to yourself as you sit at the bar in Joes.

You were all supposed to originally go there so you could drink and do trauma dumps for the week, but everyone got called in for their respective specialties, except you.

A familiar fragrance hits your nose, and you rest back, almost falling out of the stool at the bar.

“Woah there,” Addison catches you quickly before you fall.

“Addie,” You sigh in content, laying your arm across the table, your head resting in the crook of your arm.

“Hm?” Addison presses her lips together. “Meredith told me I might find you here.”

“She did?” You ask with a little too much excitement.

“Yeah,” Addison laughs at you. “What happened? Are you upset? Is that why you’re like this?”

“Nooooo,” You poke her on the nose.

You begin to stand, putting your coat on due to the frigid weather.

“Where are you off to?” Addison stands quickly, following you right out the door.

“The hospital!” You gasp. “To save more babies. I like babies. I want babies. I want them with this one person, but I don’t think they want them with me. Which is okay! I’m.. I think I’m gonna throw up.”

Addison follows you to the grass, holding your hair back as you empty your stomach onto the ground.

She pushes down the jealousy as she rubs your back soothingly.

You lean up fast, looking her in the eyes with the most adorable expression (in her opinion).

You give a wide smile, leaning forward the slightest bit.

She does think about it, but your first kiss shouldn’t be this way. You wouldn’t even be able to remember it in the morning. And your mouth tasted awful.

“Come on,” Addison steers you away from the grass and back into the bar. “Let’s get you a coffee. Maybe some fries. How does that sound?”

You groan in response.

+1

Weddings really just irked you. And you didn’t know what it was about them.

Maybe the fact that you spend so much money for a stupid party you won’t even remember in two years, but Addison seemed to love it.

That’s the only reason you were going - was for Addison.

You’d noticed over the past few weeks how close Addison has come to kissing you. You were really hoping today might be it.

You were a bridesmaid, due to you being one of Cristina’s very best friends.

Although right now you were really regretting even agreeing in the first place.

First off, you hated the dress. Brown? Out of any color? Second, (again on the dress) it didn’t fit your body type well at all. And lastly, you were beginning to think there wouldn’t even be a wedding.

Cristina kept freaking out. All day. And now you could hear someone approaching the door. You had a feeling it was Burke.

Meredith calls for you and when you come to the door it’s not Burke.

It’s Addison.

“Addison,” You slip out of the room. “What’s wrong? Is everything okay with Burke?”

“Everything’s okay for now,” Addison keeps a stoic expression on her face. “But is she almost ready? He’s getting antsy, and he might not go through with it.”

You clench your jaw, shaking your head.

“I’m not even the maid of honor and I’m running around fixing everything?” You whisper-shout.

“Don’t get mad at me,” Addison lifts her brows.

“I’m just— this whole wedding is a disaster. First these stupid dresses, second the bachelorette party? I mean, what the hell kind of party was that?! And now Cristina can’t remember her vows, and there may as well—“

You’re cut off by Addison’s lips smashing onto yours.

“Finally,” You sigh, leaning into her.

Her hands find your hips, grabbing onto them as she pushes you against the wall. Your arms wrap around her neck.

“And for the record,” She says between kisses. “I love this dress on you.”

This was a story for the grandkids.

[lilacxquartz]

BLESSED WITH BLUE

angel satoru gojo x mortal fem!reader

part 1 of 2 • masterlist • ao3 link • part 2 >>

summary: after making an offering, you catch the attention of a six eyed angel who despite promising you the heavens, leads you into hell instead.

themes: two parts, angels au, yandere, smut (next part), dark, dead dove, described violence, alternate universe

Part 1: Prayer

Initially, you were on your way home.

You were so tired from such exhaustive work for very little gain. The back-breaking labour for mere copper; to just barely afford another day in your uneventful existence.

Then again, this was just how it was for mortals.

To simply just… exist until the end.

You drifted through the radiating vibrancy of the capital adorned by the glowing cherry blossoms that lit up the streets; petals that both bloomed and glowed like rosy lanterns. Every step that you took through the wobbly cobblestone would bruise a soft glow per footprint, making you feel not quite as alone as you would have liked.

Tokyo was more so of a unique settlement in these parts; angels, demons and mortals alike, more or less co-existed although some strayed from their assigned alignments. The cold, silky mist that encased the country was especially strong in this particular region and allowed certain sorts of creatures to exist within the region.

Seeping waves of steam would continuously roll out and bless those who were known as the ‘chosen’, allowing them to harness the power of the gods. The locals called them cursed blessings; gifts from a higher power that nobody could quite describe nor understand. Should a ‘chosen’ abuse their power though, they’d become corrupt and morph into a caricature of their own selfish desires—twisted, disgusting beings, mirroring each and every single negative quality found in their very being.

Ordinary people like you though?

Why, those in particular had nothing truly special going on. That was just the way it was though and for good reason. Just the regular mortals were essential for balance to keep the world in order.

Or however it was that the sacred texts described it. Personally, you didn’t fully get it.

See, the chosen could properly defend themselves against the demons as well as the corrupt beings, however regular mortals could not. Maybe you were just bitter, though. It was against those vile things that you were left orphaned; forced to watch your family be reduced to guts spilled on the blood-soaked floorboards, their life essence stolen to build their power.

(Something about an uncorrupt soul, the texts claimed.)

The demons had a saying, after all:

In order to brew chaos; you had to take away from the balance—and that was exactly what they fed on.

Slowly, as you walked home, you found yourself drifting towards one of the many temples scattered over the city, wanting to test your chances against the order of fate. You heard it all before; angels taking pity on humans who had led tough lives and blessing them with a dosage of their power, not quite ascending them into the likes of the chosen, but close enough.

In some ways, you needed this. Demons ate your family when you were very young, leaving you to fend for yourself ever since then. The locals, while they did try to do their best to assist in your growing up, retired from their responsibility as soon as you were capable enough.

It hurt to grow up so lonely.

There was also the part that by being targeted by demons in the past, attached a negative social stigma towards you. Demons carried a more potent form of cursed energy, making them closer known to cursed spirits and being a survivor of such an attack was often seen as a bad omen.

So before you knew it, you were an outcast by association.

The elders made sure of it, at least.

Pressing on, you weren’t honestly looking for a certain temple in particular. It wasn’t as though you were starved for choice. A lot of temples existed within the city, after all. Different structures supported different things and sometimes not even the angels, even though their proof was highly abundant. Sometimes, people worshipped the simpler deities or just natural disasters as a concept.

You didn’t mind too much wherever you’d ended up. Maybe subconsciously you wanted to be noticed by an angel so that’s why you ended up at one of the flashier temples instead of the simpler ones.

Slowly, you climbed up the stairs; each bricked slab feeling somehow wider and wider with each and every single attempt to pull yourself up. You stared upwards with a certain degree of unease, the distant glow of candles not doing much to warm your worries.

You cautiously padded your way inside, finding that the flames collectively dimmed and were replaced with blue light in a flash. Each step lit up the wicks with a bursting blue flame as you approached the shrine up ahead.

Such a feeling was unsettling.

Almost as if you were being watched.

Gulping the unsettling feeling down and focusing on the shrine, you realised that you didn’t actually have that much to give. This particular temple gave the deity a whole collection of curated blue items from jewels to painted pottery, from woven cloth to scriptures written in colourful ink.

Feeling desperate however, you weren’t about to give up and so, you fell to your knees instead.

With a cautious whisper, you begged the shrine for change, “P-please, I’ll give a-anything, j-just…”

The flames reduced as you spoke; from vibrant blue to a soothing yellow once again.

“I’ll give anything… everything…!”

But nothing happened. You weren’t the lucky type of mortal. You weren’t born into riches and you didn’t have anything physical to offer and by the time the temple returned to its deceptive welcoming regular orange glow, all of your remaining hope had burned away.

Sighing as a result, you finally decided it was time to go home.

Not at all noticing the face of who exactly was watching you from the shadows.

His glowing blue eyes should have been a giveaway, but he kept himself very hidden and instead decided to take a chance on the girl who simply wanted an escape from this cruel routine.

However, just because he was an angel, it didn’t mean that he was going to give you a blessing.

No, he had something much, much worse in store for you.

But you did pray for it.

So perhaps you should have been more careful what you wished for.

~~~

The night was oddly calm at home, at least for a while. You had a dreamless sleep until you didn’t, waking up to what you thought initially to be a nightmare until you realised that there was actual movement going on within your home.

With a cautious ear, you listened in as the front door to your house creaked open and as heavy footsteps walked inside.

Demons were otherwise light on their feet so it couldn’t have been one of those, but they weren’t the only wrong in the world.

(Humans could harm too.)

A familiar feeling of being watched from before surfaced as you sank further into your blanket, hoping that the woollen sheet would somehow protect you as a barrier from impending danger.

You just barely managed to peek out from above your blanket, just barely managing to make out the person in your room. You had an oil lantern lit up on a nearby table but it had been steadily dimming all night, so the range of visibility was quite low.

With an almost exploratory approach, a man with a snowy complexion and frosted hair walked inside; his back carried spearing beams of blue crystalline light that resembled wings, similar to his icy blue gaze. If you focused your sights on other parts of his body, more eyes would appear before disappearing as soon as you redirected your focus.

Was this an angel?

As he approached closer, he reached out a hand to pinch your chin and point it towards his stare, “Do you really promise to give me everything?”

His question caught you off guard and you were left unable to form a coherent response just yet.

He reached out his other hand to press over your heart, his voice adopting an almost playful tone, “Worry not, I’ll… ‘bless’ you.”

“R-really?” you finally managed to blurt out, the next question coming out as a mere whisper. “But why?”

The angel smiled, “Because everything is a lot. Besides, you’re so fragile, so human. That's why you need someone like me.”

Within a flash, you woke up the next day in complete daylight wearing a cold sweat that enveloped your body.

Thinking that it was a dream, you tried to move on and continue your life as normal despite something seeming… different.

Somehow, the world seemed somehow more vibrant?

And as weeks continued to pass you by, demons seemed to almost avoid the area entirely. Better harvests were collected by the locals and less crops suffered from drought. Life also improved for you socially, finding that you got on quite well with someone new who moved into your village just under a week ago.

He was quite similar to you as well. A survivor of a cursed attack not too different than the one you had to endure. His personality was kind too and simply put; you both got along.

However just as things progressed, one night, you heard a thud right outside of your door and upon opening it up in the dead of night, you found him freshly massacred, almost as if professionally butchered in fact—precise, almost delicate cuttings against his flesh—bled him clean out on your doorstep.

Stumbling backwards, you cupped a palm over your mouth and almost wretched in a sickening nausea that overfilled your stomach.

However, just like before, a flash sparked before your very eyes and you were back in bed and it was just a regular morning.

Cautiously walking over to your front door, you opened it up hoping that it was just a vivid nightmare and that he was actually alive, safe and sound. Instead however, was a haunting reminder of what you promised was carved into the stone instead.

“Everything,” it reminded you. “Nobody else can compare like I can.”

So if that was real, then what exactly did you offer?

And to who?

(Or what?)

~~~

part 1 of lilac’s bite sized yandere nightmares

[astracora]

Take Me Back to Eden

Characters: Caleb x gn!mc

Warnings: Gore, Violence, Villain!Caleb, Dubious Consent (Not Explicit, Suggested)

Word Count: 856

Written: 10th January 2025

Notes: The trailer changed me fundamentally... Brain asked me to corrupt my MC, and throw them into Caleb's cage, and here we are. Get back to me in 2-3 business days when I hope my brain has fixed itself. Will I stop seeing Caleb through a corrupting serpent in the garden of Eden lense? No. No I won't. Godspeed to all of you, I'm in HELL.

Now Playing: Take Me Back to Eden, By Sleep Token

Masterlist

Caleb likes your struggle. He likes watching you pull against chains. Tearing the skin around your wrists. He likes to be the one to ease them, salve over jagged wounds, tongue tasting blood.

He likes when he lets you loose, when you claw and scratch. When the sharp metal of your hand digs into his shoulder. Pulling at where his cybernetics meld to flesh. When you're a cornered animal, desperate and fierce.

You fight, like he knows you will, because he knows you. Better than anyone else can ever hope to. Watched you change and grow. Watched the memories drift in and out of your mind. Watched you wake with no recollection, before he explained. Over and over, if he had to.

He's missed moments, changes, when he has had to hear of you from afar. Waiting to be able to reach out, to pull you back by the tether in your heart. To snap the chains around your wrists. Held tight in his hand. Because who else could you ever go to but him.

Who else can you trust but him?

Who else understands your heart better than him?

It is every moment that you focus on him, not escaping, fighting him, hand around his throat, chains unleashed for a moment that he knows you fixate on him too.

That the only person reflected in your eyes is him, as it should be.

He is your home, and you are his. No matter what colour the walls are painted.

So when you plunge shards of glass into his side, trying to tear into muscle, when you rip at his skin, when you kick and bite and hiss and snarl, he responds in the only way he should.

His cool metal hand squeezing the air out of your pretty neck, his teeth biting into your skin like you're tart and sweet, blood on his tongue and down his throat. A knife in your leg, so you can't pull away from his affections.

He ends where you start, and you start where he ends. He can tighten his hand, snap the column of you, watch you turn limp. The cold of your body, unappetising.

You can taste your own blood in his mouth when he kisses you, hand tightening as you gasp against his mouth. He coils around you, feels your hand dig metal into his own neck, pulling him closer. Dripping red over your own face. So he pulls back, lets it drip against your mouth.

Watches your tongue swipe out, running over teeth. Eyes hazy and dulled. Before he returns to Eden. To the fall of his angel, into the ruins of hell.

—--

He watches you wake. The tired droop of your eyes, the twitch of aching, sore limbs.

Blood congealed and dried against warm skin. He traces his hand down your arms, chained above your head. Down to the neck that bears his mark. Deep purple, mottled bruising of his hand.

The twitch of your limbs turns to an arch and he lines his hand up with his mark to squeeze, watches eyes turn hooded.

You have wounds that need tending to, lest you fall asleep in his bed and never wake up again. He likes you bleeding and on the edge. Cracking bones and sliced open flesh, not cold and empty. A doll with no soul.

He wants you like this, leaning into his touch, biting at his skin, fighting him every step of the way. Forgetting anyone else that came after or before him.

He wants, when he leans over you, releasing you, only to tighten his cold hand over your wrists. Feeling the bones creak, desperate for the fracture, fighting back the need to watch it snap.

He wants, when you arch and the pain makes you call out, broken and worn throat. Familiar and beautiful and twisted as the chain around your skin.

He wants, when you chase, when he sinks teeth into your lips, to kiss you always with the taste of your blood, to leave every last mark in you. Bruising of his hand on your neck, your thighs and your wrists.

He wants you to remember him every moment, when you feel the pain. Constant, because he does not leave for long to let you forget him.

He wants you to grow desperate when he leaves, to remind you that he is what matters, that he is where you belong. A withdrawal you can't tolerate because it is deep under your skin.

That without the taste of him and the feel, you are not you. He knows without you, he is not him.

A ghost in shades of dark corridors and secrets that cannot see the light of day. Of experiments that break the body, and twist the soul. Of men shot through the head, and bodies discarded without a glance. Of tortured and broken fools who stood against the tides.

You make him Caleb, and that is what he will be as long as you are here.

And he will coil as tight around your fragile bones as he needs to, to keep you here.

[sunshinescribes]

Sanctuary

Pairing: Dracule Mihawk x Fem!Reader

Part 2 of this fic

Rating: None

Warnings: Pining, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Soft!Mihawk

Mihawk wishes he could make you stay.

If only he were more convincing, less prideful, perhaps he could speak the words he holds in his heart. Within him is a chamber of contained confessions, a world that exists purely for you, and the voices within rage and plead. Do not let her go. Do not let her leave us again. 

But he will. 

You run, and he lets you.

Even if Mihawk split open his chest and handed you his still-beating heart, you would flee. You’ve done it all your life. Slipping between forgotten towns and unknown islands. The concept of home is foreign—belonging, a myth. 

Every place you have ever escaped to has called itself sanctuary, and every time it was a lie. Even Kuraigana Island.

Even him.

Mihawk considers you as you rest beside him on an uncomfortable cot tucked away in a tiny room at the back of the tavern—a room that appears to house you for the time being. His eyes fix on your face, spellbound by that rare, delicate softness that graces your features—a momentary repose before you wake and the world becomes ugly and unfair once more. If Mihawk tries hard enough, he can almost convince himself that you both are back behind the walls of his castle, curled comfortably in a bed large enough to sleep an entire family.

He had loved you most in those predawn hours—how your hands would move instinctively in your sleep, drawing him closer until you both were chest to chest, heart to beating heart. You would bury your face in his neck, inhaling softly as if you needed to breathe him in, and feel his essence in your very lungs. 

Nothing could take him away from you in those moments. The walls of the castle could crumble around him, and Mihawk would still refuse to stir—refuse to be separate from you. 

It had been so lovely, so right…and then he went and did the one thing you could never forgive.

A heavy sigh leaves Mihawk, thinking back on that ruinous day. He should have known better; known the news he was about to share would bring devastation, but he had been blinded by hope and compelled by a fear that haunted him like a tortured soul. 

Mihawk doesn’t want to remember, but the image is forever burned in his mind’s eye. You, nestled comfortably in one of the castle’s many alcoves. Sunlight streamed through the window like holy light, making you the image of divinity. He had called to you softly, and you stirred, prying a single eye open begrudgingly, nearly on the brink of sleep. 

He had lowered himself to the ground, brushing his knuckles against your cheek while playfully chiding you. Your frustration faded quickly as you leaned into his touch, wordlessly demanding a kiss.

Mihawk had been all too happy to oblige, tenderly pressing his lips to yours. He muttered soft words against your mouth—I have something to tell you. 

You had been so unsuspecting, completely at ease, running your finger along the line of his jaw, softly brushing his trimmed beard in a way that made his eyes flutter.

God, he should have just pulled himself into the alcove with you. Crowded into that tiny space and drew you flush against him. He should have whispered against the curve of your neck until you drifted back to the land of dreams.

No. 

It needed to happen the way it did. Even if the image of you pulling back from him suddenly still snags his heart. You had blinked at Mihawk in disbelief when he spoke his next words, as if perhaps you had imagined them—it couldn’t be true; he would never align with the World Government. He would never...

But he did.

They had requested him many times before, but Mihawk had never cared for their offer. He did not fear the marines nor the World Government, and he certainly cared little for the overzealous fools that threw their weight around like children on a schoolyard—the self-important government dogs, warlords of the seas. 

Mihawk had not thought much of it until he had you.

Your bounty posters became a cruel warning, promises of death. Mihawk rarely ever considered his own mortality, but yours haunted him, and his nightmares began to paint tortuous scenes—Mihawk pushing through a crowd that watches with wicked fascination and contempt as you kneel at the execution platform. He calls your name in his dreams, but you never react. All that cheer and fire is stripped from you. Mihawk moves as if wading through water, every step heavier than the last, and he knows he can’t reach you—can’t lift Yoru fast enough to turn the platform into splinters. You are going to die, and there’s nothing he can do. 

The nightmares bled into reality, no longer a possibility to consider but a matter of when. Better pirates that you and him had fallen at the hands of the World Government. 

And so he turned to them finally and agreed to do their bidding, even if he had no such intentions. His immunity would shield you both. His title would be a warning to bounty hunters and marines alike. If you seek to ruin my peace, you will die by my blade. 

Mihawk had expected your apprehension, but he never anticipated your rage. Eyes that had once looked at him fondly now regarded him as if he had pierced Yoru through your heart and swore to drag you to Impel Down. Your words turned viscous, laced with venom and fury and pain.

And all at once, the serenity of a love you both shared had shattered. You left as if you couldn’t stand to be in the same space as Mihawk and swore you could never love him—never share a life with him, not when he served them.

Mihawk blinks through the memory, tries to force it far away, but it’s impossible while you’re sleeping so peacefully beside him, making him painfully aware that he is lacking without you—that the feelings he thought he had mastered had only been lying dormant, waiting for you.

You stir suddenly, a soft sigh escaping your parted lips as your eyes slowly open. You blink a few times, your eyes adjusting to the soft light that pours through the windows of the neglected tavern.

You stare at him, the fog in your mind slowly clearing. Mihawk watches as your brows pinch together and a dissatisfied groan leaves you. 

“Fuck…I thought that was a dream.” 

You try to sound displeased but your voice is soft with sleep.

“Disappointed?” 

You catch the faintest hint of teasing in his voice, so quick and controlled that you almost mistake his response for a genuine question. Mihawk knows you aren’t disappointed—you’re panicking, desperately scrambling to rebuild the wall in your mind that makes it easy to act cold and indifferent. Without it, the playful insults and snide remarks die on your tongue. 

“I thought I wouldn’t have to deal with this.” You lift to a sitting position, fixing your gaze on a tiny crack in the wall to keep yourself from looking back at Mihawk. “I hoped, anyway.”

You feel his sharp eyes considering you in a way that you aren’t sure you can take right now. All this attention and newness makes you feel like a caged animal in need of escape. The creeping unease serves to spark the fire within you, hot flames raging with a need to scald.

"Are you sure you can even be here right now?” You attempt to sound genuine, feigning a curious look as you glance at Mihawk from over your shoulder. “Won’t the Admirals miss their favorite errand boy?” 

You expect that quick flash of fire in his eyes—the bitter twist of his lips that tells you no more honeyed words will pass them. You can navigate that easily; taunt him until he’s shuffling out the door and you’re swearing to yourself that this was the last time.

Mihawk scoffs, but it’s light instead of sharp with malice, more akin to a laugh than anything else.

“I suppose they wish they had such power over me,” Mihawk muses softly, “but no one does. No one but you.”

You blink dumbly at Mihawk, too blindsided to respond. You want him to argue, not pacify—to meet you head-on with the same amount of fire, bite back in a way you know he’s capable of. Make it easy for me to leave. Make me hate you again.

It startles you how quickly you realize that he won’t. You had asked him to kiss you, knowing what it would mean for Mihawk to do so. You had whispered your hatred, fully aware that Mihawk would understand the true meaning behind your words. Both of you had thrown caution to the wind, fully aware of the consequences. You could run as you always do, but Mihawk wouldn’t make it any easier for you, not this time.

“We always would have ended up here,” Mihawk starts, as if reading your mind. “Neither of us is capable of letting the other go.”

You let out a mirthless laugh, furious at how right he is. You two had only ever been lying to yourselves, trying to push away feelings that refused to be denied. The connection between you is inseverable, no matter how hard you scrape and scream. Mihawk holds your heart in his hands, just as you hold his.

“I can’t come back to you Mihawk.” Your voice is low, barely a whisper. You feel worn to the bone, so fucking tired of this charade. Honesty is…terrifying, a vulnerability easily exploited, but there are no lies to tell that will soothe your scarred heart. “Not now. Not…”

“While I’m a warlord,” he finishes for you.

You nod, detesting the lump that forms in your throat and the way your eyes burn. God, you despise the World Government. If only your fury could give you the power to wage war on Mary Geoise and destroy them. Everything you’ve ever dared to love has been taken by them. Your true home. A life you could have lived. Mihawk.

You feel the softness of his mouth against your shoulder suddenly, a small comfort that has you swallowing a sob. 

“I didn't do it to hurt you…” Mihawk admits, pressing another kiss on your warm skin. “But I hurt you nonetheless.”

You feel the apology searing into your skin—words that much like you, he can’t speak. I’m sorry. Sorry I hurt you. Sorry I’ll continue to. 

A rough finger brushes against your cheek, drawing your attention back to Mihawk. You blink, your eyes falling to his lips, as Mihawk lifts his head from your shoulder. You feel your heart seize when you meet his eyes. There it is again. That look of worship—fierce affection, as if you burn brighter than the sun.

“Mihawk—” your voice trembles.

He captures your lips before you can say another word and kisses away the agony that tries to tear you to shreds. Mihawk is gentle, delicate in a way you don’t think you deserve, and you find that you’re grateful for it. Happy he can’t see the tear that rolls down your cheek.

I didn’t do it to hurt you.

You know. Mihawk is many things, but not cruel. Never cruel. You knew the day you left, but it didn’t matter. Your hatred of the World Government is vicious. All-consuming. You can’t see past it, no matter how much you wish you could. 

“You can run. Hide,” Mihawk whispers against your lips, “But don’t pretend you hate me. Not again.”

You hear the masked plea. Mihawk had spent months wondering, hoping like a fool that you still loved him. It’s impressive how well you shield your heart, hiding behind your quick wit and sharp tongue. Last night had been the first time since you’d left that you dared hint at the possibility that your heart had not abandoned him. The thought of being pulled back into the unknown is worse than any punishment you could impose on him.

“Don’t break my heart again,” you retort, leaning back into him. You think you hear Mihawk say never, but the feeling of his lips on yours again robs you of all thought. It’s agonizing how slowly he kisses you—takes his time tasting as if you two have all the time in the world. 

Tomorrow you will be long gone, little more than a sweet memory he’ll hold in the back of his mind as he ventures home, but you’ve given him the one thing he thought he’d lost forever: hope.

Not now. 

But someday. 

Mihawk is a patient man. He can await the day he’s able to find you one last time, not as Hawk Eye or a warlord of the seas, but as Dracule Mihawk—the solitary pirate. Marine hunter. The freest and fiercest man in the world, bound only by his love for you.

divider credit: cafekitsune

[reiwanwan]

Whispers of the Tide

On a peaceful shoreline, Y/n Shelby awaits her executioner, Luca Changretta.

This is part 2 of Beneath the Streetlamp

content includes: Mentions of guns, blood, mentions of killing

The sun hung low in the sky, casting an orange glow over the water as the waves lapped gently against the shore. Y/N stood at the water's edge, her feet bare, toes sinking into the wet sand. The sea had always been a place of peace for her, a place where she could let her mind drift away from the chaos of life. It reminded her of simpler times—playing with her siblings along the shoreline, laughing, running, and forgetting, if only for a moment, the troubles that always seemed to chase them.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she barely noticed the footsteps approaching from behind. But she wasn’t surprised either. Luca Changretta was the type of man who always found his way to her. It had become almost routine, this quiet dance they shared, knowing what was coming but never acknowledging it outright.

"Always finding me, aren’t you?" she said, her voice calm, as if greeting an old friend rather than a deadly enemy.

Luca smirked as he stepped closer, his hands in his pockets. "I’ve got a knack for it," he replied smoothly, his eyes studying her. There was something about her calmness that always unnerved him.

"How’d you find me this time?" she asked, a faint smile playing on her lips as she turned slightly to face him.

He shrugged, glancing out at the sea. "I’m always finding you, Y/N," he said softly, a strange note of affection in his tone. They stood there in silence for a moment, watching the waves, two people who should have been enemies but seemed more like two weary souls sharing a quiet moment of understanding.

"Do you like the sea?" he asked after a while, breaking the silence.

Y/N nodded, her eyes never leaving the horizon. "I do," she replied. "It makes me forget about everything. Just for a little while, it’s like none of it matters."

Luca stared at her, and for a brief moment, he saw a glimpse of something—something he wasn’t sure he had ever seen in her before. Peace, maybe. Or acceptance. He wasn’t sure.

Y/N’s next words cut through the air like a knife, casual but heavy with meaning. "So," she said softly, "is today the day?"

Luca’s heart skipped a beat. He looked at her, the faintest hint of regret flickering in his eyes. "Yeah," he said after a moment. "Today’s the day."

She didn’t flinch. She didn’t try to run or fight. She just nodded, as if she had been expecting it all along. "I didn’t bring anything to protect myself," she said lightly, almost like it was a joke, but there was no humor in her voice. "Maybe it’s just my time."

Luca’s grip on the gun tightened, though it remained at his side for now. "I prayed for you once, you know," he said, his voice low.

Y/N’s lips curled into a faint smile. "I remember. I told you to pray." She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "Thank you for that."

He let out a short laugh, though it held no real amusement. "What are you going to do? Will you tell my father I’m a good boy?" He tried making one last attempt at a joke.

Y/N turned to him fully, her expression soft. "Maybe I will."

"Don’t," Luca said quickly, shaking his head. "That’d be lying. And anyway, he’s probably watching over me right now, seeing everything I’m about to do" He said pointing to the sky.

Silence hung between them again, heavy and suffocating. Luca knew what he had to do, and Y/N…well, she was ready. Or at least she acted like she was. He didn’t know why she wasn’t fighting back, why she wasn’t begging for her life like everyone else had. Maybe she was just as tired of all this bullshit as he was.

The time had come. Luca raised the gun, pointing it at her head. Y/N met his gaze, her eyes unblinking, calm, and full of acceptance. She didn’t say a word, didn’t move a muscle. And in that moment, Luca realized she wasn’t afraid. She had resigned herself to this fate long ago.

He pulled the trigger.

The sound echoed along the shoreline, the seagulls flying off in startled flocks. Y/N fell, her body crumpling to the ground like a rag doll. Luca stood there for a moment, staring down at her. He felt something, but he wasn’t sure if it was regret or relieved. Maybe a bit of both.

After a moment, he knelt down and picked her up, cradling her in his arms. She was gone, her eyes closed peacefully, as if she had simply fallen asleep. He carried her to the nearby hospital, placing her gently on the steps, making sure her body was arranged in a way that looked respectful. Then, without a word, he took off his coat and draped it over her, covering her completely.

It was only when he walked away that he allowed himself to feel anything. He lit a cigarette, his hands shaking slightly as he smoked. He didn’t feel bad exactly. He had to do it. He wanted to do it. It was part of the plan, part of the life they both lived. But there was something about her—about Y/N—that made him wonder if maybe, just maybe, she had been as lost as he was.

He stared at the sea for a long time, thinking of her, of the calmness in her eyes, the acceptance in her voice. He exhaled a long breath, letting the smoke drift away with the wind.

"Maybe she was just as broken as me," he muttered to himself, flicking the cigarette into the sand before turning and walking away from the sea, leaving behind the only person who had ever truly understood him.

[full-of-terrors]

Letter from Dr. Stanley to Dr. Fergusson written on board HMS Erebus July 12, 1845- Awe of the Arctic Exhibit 2024 NYPL

Transcript: My Dear Fergusson, having a few moments to spare before the letter bag is finally closed, I hasten to drop you a line to say that, although within the Arctic Circle , I'm not yet frozen to death and therefore in the land of the living and very jolly. We had a fairish passage out here but had a mighty gale of Cape Farewell, which sent us flying with closed topsails and courses to Cape Desolation, where in spite of the dismal name we found comfort. There's smooth water and a moderate breeze. These islands, and in fact, the whole of this western coast of Greenland, is the most barren and uninviting I ever beheld.

Some of the land is very high and serrated and has the appearance of being volcanic. On the bare rocks, large quantities of tripe-de-roche may be gathered, but as we were not reduced like our excellent captain on a former occasion to such a means of subsistence, no one I could find tried its qualities as a nutrient. We are completely surrounded with icebergs, some of them upwards of 200 feet high. They are, however, from the extreme heat disappearing fast and by their constant disruption, almost frightening your very life out of you.

I and a boat crew had a very narrow escape the other day out shooting. I had just fired and killed an eider duck when I observed that we had drifted closer to an immense iceberg, which I had previously noticed a day or two before in a decayed condition. I said to an officer who was with me "What luck it should come down by the sun!" And then ordered the men to pull quickly from our dangerous neighbor when it fell with a crash. Most stunning and awful to witness. There never was so lucky an escape. The discharge of my two barrels had no doubt hastened its overthrow. And although we were at a distance upwards of 100 yards, quite near enough we were knocked and tossed about by its displacement in the sea in a most uncomfortable manner.

The island swarms with mosquitoes and they are now flying about the gun room in all directions. They are the largest I ever beheld but not the most stinging. We sailed tonight for Lancaster Sound and the transport to dear old England with a report of our proceedings up to this period. At this season of the year, in this latitude, as you are aware there is no darkness. The sun never dips below the horizon. The nights I have there for devoted to shooting and the day to skinning and preserving the specimens I have killed. Since our arrival I have not slept more than 2 or 3 hours in 24. Goodsir is working harder than medusas and desires kindly to be remembered to you.

We are all sanguine and getting through the barrier into Beechey straits this year. Every one of the native Eskimos say this is the most open season they ever remember. And on the strength of our prospects I and the other officers have ordered letters to be directed to us at Panama and Kotzebue. The latter place will, of course, be the first port we shall make when we get through.

I have not a single man on the list and I have not had for several days. Sir John Franklin is not like the same person. He is so much improved in appearance and energy. He is almost always the first on deck and the last to leave it in all weathers. I must conclude now, old fellow, with best wishes and kind regards to Mrs. F and the bairns.

And believe me, your very sincere friend, Stephen S. Stanley. I had intended to have written to Fortnum and Masons. Pray tell them like a good soul that we are delighted with everything they furnished us and the members of the mess unanimously declare them to be trumps and we should be sorry to return before we have consumed all their good things.

[nephalem-da]

Breaking Point

Part 2 (Ending)

(Bill Cipher x GN!Reader)

There was a request of this but I accidentally deleted it, sorry! (ノ_<、) Good thing I read all of it to get the idea of what the Ending of Breaking Point. Read the first one before reading this! \(^ヮ^)/

Genre: Romance, Supernatural, Hurt/Comfort

Warnings: Angst, emotional vulnerability, mild suggestive themes, references to arguments and reconciliation

Summary: After a hurtful argument, Bill desperately tries to win you back with heartfelt gestures and small gifts, fearing he may lose the one person who makes him feel truly alive.

The days after your argument with Bill were heavy with silence, the kind that clung to every corner of your mind. You hadn’t known silence like this, one that seemed to settle in your chest like a weight, pressing with the weight of words left unsaid. Bill had been a constant in your life, one that brought color and chaos, the very spark that made each day feel anything but ordinary. Yet now, you sat with the silence, unsure if you could move past that sharp, hurtful exchange.

But Bill seemed determined. You began noticing little gestures, attempts that weren’t exactly subtle but spoke louder than any apology could. A plate of your favorite food appeared on your kitchen counter in the mornings, arranged meticulously, almost as if Bill had spent hours making sure each part was perfectly in place. And flowers—ones you hadn’t seen before, each with strange, vibrant petals, materialized in random places around your home. Each bloom had a meaning if you cared to look it up: apologies, love, regret, the longing for forgiveness. Each arrangement a carefully crafted message, like a silent plea echoing through every room.

Bill was giving you his version of a bouquet, every one carrying an unspoken promise, a small fragment of his soul offered to you. The first bouquet, a mix of dark crimson flowers, was tucked near your bedside one night. The petals glowed faintly in the dark, as if they’d been touched by some cosmic energy, radiating his remorse and affection. When you looked closer, a note attached simply read, “I messed up, but I’m here.”

Through all of this, Bill remembered. In the solitude of his own reflections, he drifted through every memory he held of you, from the day you two had met. He recalled the initial deal you’d made—a trivial favor, something he hadn’t thought much of then. Yet, somehow, it grew into something more. He hadn’t expected to enjoy your company, or the odd, inexplicable attachment he felt around you. He remembered all the highs and lows: the first time he’d made you laugh, the nights he’d let his guard down, telling you stories of worlds far beyond anything you could imagine. He was a being of chaos, but around you, he felt something… different, something that made him feel as if he could let his guard down without losing a part of himself.

But now, he feared losing you would mean losing that part entirely.

On your side, things were hardly less complicated. Every day without him brought memories, and with each passing hour, those memories seemed to grow clearer. Life before Bill was simpler, sure, but it was also colorless. Mundane. You could barely remember the moments before he came crashing into your life, turning every day into something unique, something that felt alive and buzzing with possibility. He was unpredictable, infuriating, and sometimes dangerous. Yet, in his chaotic way, he made you feel more alive than you’d ever thought possible.

Gradually, Bill’s gestures began to chip away at the walls you’d built around yourself. His attempts at reconciliation, the careful thought he put into each act, and the sheer vulnerability he showed softened your resolve. You couldn’t help but feel the love and sincerity behind every little thing he did, and despite yourself, you started to miss him. His playful chaos, his over-the-top laughter, even his sly little comments. Bill had somehow managed to weave himself into your life in a way that felt irreplaceable.

Days turned into weeks, and while he tried to return to his usual self, there was a tension around Bill, one that he couldn't seem to shake. He was spiraling, slowly unraveling under the weight of his fear—fear of being abandoned, left behind, and forgotten by the one person who made him feel human, in a way he never thought possible. His anxiety manifested in restless hovering around your door, leaving little gifts and food, then disappearing before you could spot him. He didn’t know what else he could do, but he knew he couldn’t lose you.

Then, one evening, as he lingered in the hallway near your closed door, feeling as if he were on the verge of breaking apart, he heard it: the soft creak of your door opening.

His gaze snapped up, finding you standing there, framed by the dim light spilling from your room. You looked at him, something gentle and understanding in your expression, the faintest hint of a smile pulling at your lips.

“Wanna… cuddle?” you asked, voice soft, the words hesitant but full of warmth.

For a split second, Bill’s entire form stilled, as though he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing. Then, a sigh escaped him—a sound full of relief, gratitude, and something almost like joy. His single eye crinkled in what would have been a broad, relieved grin if he’d had a mouth. He was practically beaming, his eye glowing with a warmth you rarely saw.

“You’re kidding, right?” he said, his tone playful, but there was a softness beneath it, an edge of vulnerability. “I thought you’d never ask!”

He practically floated into the room, following you with something close to reverence, and when you lay down, he slipped beside you with a care and gentleness you hadn’t expected from him. For once, he was quiet, as if he didn’t want to ruin the moment. His arm, spectral but somehow solid, wrapped around you, pulling you close. The silence stretched out, but it was warm, comfortable, each of you breathing in sync with the other, letting the weight of the moment fill the space between you.

You felt the tension melt away, your heart finally letting go of the hurt that had lingered. Bill held you like you were the most important thing in his world, like he couldn’t quite believe he’d gotten a second chance. He didn’t speak, but his grip was firm, secure, as if he was afraid that if he let go, you’d vanish.

After a while, he finally spoke, his voice barely a whisper. “I thought I lost you,” he admitted, his tone uncharacteristically raw. “You have no idea… what that did to me.”

You shifted to look at him, placing a gentle hand over his. “I’m here, Bill. Just… don’t make me regret it, alright?”

He chuckled, the sound a little unsteady, and his eye softened as he nodded. “Scout’s honor. I’m sticking to this… whatever we are, for as long as you’ll have me.”

He nestled closer, his usual bravado replaced by something real, something vulnerable. You knew he was still Bill, still capable of causing chaos and wreaking havoc, but here, in this moment, he was yours. And for the first time since the argument, you felt at peace.

As the night wore on, you both drifted into a quiet contentment, letting the silence speak where words weren’t needed. Bill didn’t let go, not once, and you knew that in his own, chaotic way, he was saying what he could never fully put into words: that he loved you, that he was sorry, and that he would do anything to keep you by his side.

[eelnoise]

For the lyric prompt, 'i have my sentence now, at last i know just how you felt, i dig my fingers in, expecting more than just the skin' with Zoro? I don’t have anything specific in mind for this one, so feel free to wing it 😅

confluence

anon your brain has sent me into a frenzy. this fic is absolutely getting another part or 2 at some point because i have some thoughtssssss!!! anyway, hope you enjoy! zoro x gn!reader c/w: fluff!! zoro is injured but what else is new :)

With the most wounded of the crew still out of commission for the time being, the reality is that, for now at least, everyone is okay. They’d come out stronger from worse many times before now, and the reprieve of that alone should be enough for any one soul to rest. 

Though as soon as your tiny frets and forceful bouts of self-reassurance had qualmed enough for you to drift, taking the gentle hand of sleep’s guide and luring you off into an almost peaceful slumber does a swift series of rough knuckles rapping at the door to the tiny room you’d been given and a rumble of your name beyond it.

Your jaw tenses, the ever familiar tone of probably the single worst person to be up and about, and with haste you don’t expect, are you opening the door and looking right up at Roronoa Zoro. “What are you doing?” you lip sluggishly, brows furrowed in a strange expression that lies between annoyance and concern. “You know you need to be resting.”

“Feel fine,” he replies, pushing past you and just… allowing himself into the room. “Just tired.”

You click your teeth, but you just huff and close the door behind him. “At least sit, Zoro.” 

He doesn’t just sit, but lays flat on the bed with a harshness you’re not sure he should be exerting, and you can’t help but to sigh and smile weakly. Zoro looks at peace, both eyes shut as he stretches out his limbs, all but covering the mattress. It’s not often he looks so relaxed

Kneeling next to him, you begin to lovingly run your fingers through his hair, and a warmth floods your chest when he emits a very pleased hum in reply. “How’d you even know which room I was in? You’ve been knocked out cold for the past week.” It isn’t an attack, nor is your tone aggressive at all. If anything, it’s soft. 

He turns his head towards you, gaze locking onto yours as he feels the sensation of your fingers through his hair. There’s something in his eyes, something that speaks volumes about how much he appreciates this moment of intimacy - despite the fact that he usually wouldn’t show such vulnerability. Because even if he wouldn’t admit it, he is anything but ‘fine’.The extent of his wounds were enough to knock a fully grown elephant out for a week, let alone a human man. But what is Zoro if not durable? “Robin,” he answers, a short reply but one that makes sense the more you think about it. 

“Fair,” you concede, leaning your head on the edge of the mattress. “But you didn’t think to ask where your room was instead?” 

“Wanted ta see ya,” Zoro says casually, as if he hadn’t been on the brink of death mere days ago.

The admission hangs in the air between you two, and there’s a hint of guilt in his voice - guilt that he might have caused trouble by simply showing up unannounced like this. But then again, he never did follow social norms too closely in the first place.

He wanted to see you? He wakes up, aching and bruised, serrated with gashes and the first thing he means to do is to see you?

You feel your face flush, and you’re sure it's enough that even the incredibly oblivious swordsman would notice if his eyes were open. 

Zoro lifts his hand and reaches out, grabbing onto yours, holding it tightly as if afraid that if he lets go, you’ll vanish before his very eyes. He leans closer, his breath hot against your ear as he whispers, “Needed somethin’ real bad.”

There’s no shame or embarrassment in his voice; only raw honesty and desperation. And it’s clear that he meant every word he said - because despite how tough he pretends to be, deep down inside lies someone who craves nothing more than a little bit of affection and care.

"Anything," you reply, eyes fixated upon the man beneath the touch of your fingers. "Anything you need, Zo.”

He takes a deep breath, the grip on your hand easing. "Just... didn’t feel right waking up without ya." It's a simple explanation, but it carries so much weight behind it. Despite being surrounded by people he considers friends and family, there was something missing that only you could fill. And in that moment, as he opens his eye and gazes at you longingly, it becomes clear that Zoro sees you as something more than just another crewmate or ally - you're someone who has the power to make him feel whole once again.

You smile, and when you lean in to press a kiss to his forehead you feel yourself being pulled onto the bed alongside him. The surprise makes you gasp, though once you feel his arms around you and your back against his chest do you hum into him, enjoying the warmth he provides. "Just be careful, okay?" you murmur, snuggling into him carefully. "Don't want you to rip yourself open or anything on my bed."

Zoro chuckles softly, pulling you even closer and wrapping his arms around you tighter. "Trust me," he says with a confident smirk, "I won't rip myself apart."

His body is still recovering from the injuries he sustained while fighting, but he seems determined to push through any pain or discomfort for the sake of being close to you. And as he holds you tightly, it becomes apparent that Zoro sees this moment as a rare opportunity to showcase how much he values your presence in his life - something that goes beyond the usual camaraderie shared among pirates.

In this intimate moment, there's a depth of emotion that transcends words, leaving both of you lost in a sea of feelings and care.

It's soothing, being in his arms. You hadn't realized just how much you missed this. Your relationship with Zoro had become something soft like this, him joining you for rests, naps, and just wanting to be around you. It was something you had to get used to through his emotional misguidance, but when things had become normal you learned just how to be affectionate with him, and now it's something you cherish and love. And though it never went further and mutual sought comfort, and even if you do consider the idea at times, you’re more than happy to lie here with him like this.

Zoro's arms tighten around you, pulling you even closer as he feels the warmth radiating from your body. For a moment, he forgets about everything else - the pain in his side, the lingering exhaustion, even the fact that he's currently lying on top of your bed. All that matters is being near you, feeling your heartbeat against his chest and breathing in the scent of your hair.

As he holds you, memories flash through his mind - moments spent together over the years, from teasing banter to intense battles to quiet moments of respite like these. 

Zoro smiles, and even if you can’t see it, you can feel it. It’s in his very presence around you, his joy, his comfort, his you.

"I missed you," you quietly admit into his arm, and as the words leave you his grip tightens around your waist. And, god, does it feel like home.

"Missed ya too," Zoro replies, his voice barely above a whisper. "Feels good to be back with ya."

He doesn't say anything more, but the sincerity in his tone speaks volumes. Even after everything they've been through together - the fights, the arguments, the misunderstandings - Zoro still finds solace in your presence, and he cherishes each moment he gets to spend with you.

And as you lay there together, wrapped in each other's arms, it becomes clear that your relationship has evolved into something far deeper than either of you ever expected. While neither of you may have explicitly admitted your feelings for the other, there's an undeniable connection that runs through every touch and every word exchanged between you two - a leash upon your hearts that defies definition yet remains stronger than steel.

Zoro closes his eyes, letting the warmth of your body envelop him as he slips into a peaceful slumber. His mind is filled with images of you - your smile, your laugh, your gentle touch. In this moment of relaxation, all thoughts of pain and exhaustion fade away, replaced instead by a sense of contentment and satisfaction.  

For a brief instant, he feels like he's found what he's been searching for - a true sense of belonging and purpose within the chaos of the world. And even as sleep claims him, he clings tightly to the memory of your embrace, knowing that it will serve as a source of strength and motivation as he continues on his journey towards becoming the world's greatest swordsman.

You both drift off, falling deep into the exact respite that you had sought prior to his inclusion.

And it’s perfect. 

—

You wake up slowly and twist around with care, taking in the sight of Zoro's face as he sleeps beside you. His features look so calm and peaceful, and you can't help but wonder if he's having pleasant dreams. Reaching out, you brush some strands of hair away from his face, stirring him from his slumber. "Did you sleep well, Zo? Good dreams?” you query as his tired gaze meets yours.

Zoro's eye flutters open, and he smiles weakly upon seeing you sitting up. "Yeah," he replies, his voice still slightly groggy. "You were in them."

The admission catches you off guard, but you can see genuine sincerity in his expression - a reflection of the depth of feelings he harbors for you despite not expressing them outright. "Thanks for bein’ here," he adds, offering a small nod of gratitude. "Makes everythin’ seem better."

You feel your face flush, his admission not just flattering you but truly moving you. Was it due to his most recent near-death experience that makes him fawn over you so? Whatever it may be, you smile and lean down to kiss his forehead - but you're taken by surprise when you're maneuvered downward until his lips press into yours in a bit of a forceful, inexperienced kiss, but one you reciprocate in earnest.

The kiss takes you both by surprise, but as it deepens, you can feel the passion and intensity that lies beneath Zoro's inexperience. He's always been fiercely protective of you, but now it seems like he wants to claim you in a way that goes beyond mere protection - to show everyone that you belong to him and only him.

Despite your initial shock, you find yourself responding to his kiss with equal fervor, your fingers tangling in his hair and pulling him closer as your hearts race and your bodies heat up. This unexpected moment of heightened  intimacy feels both thrilling and terrifying, like stepping off a cliff into the unknown.

Zoro's kiss is messy, but it's full of meaning. Words he cannot say aloud are spoken though each smack of your lips and hums of joy, and as his hand finds its way to your neck to press you closer to him, you find yourself melting into his palm.

Zoro's emotions spill out through his actions - the desperate need to hold onto you, the desire to mark you as his own, the raw passion that burns within him. It's a declaration of sorts, one that speaks volumes about how deeply he feels for you even without using words.

Despite the intensity of the moment, there's also a vulnerability to it that reveals just how much Zoro craves your affection and approval. He wants nothing more than to make you happy, to know that you feel the same way about him, and as he breaks away from the kiss with a ragged breath, he looks at you with a pleading expression that seems to say, "Was that okay?”

You nod, eyes heavy lidded and lips glossed with saliva and puffy with love. And it seems as if that’s all it takes for him to continue, as at once is Zoro upon you again, this time with a little more ease. You sigh into him when his hands reach your hips, it feels so right and so good, like a long awaited tether tying you both into a knot. You want to kiss away his pain and discomfort, to hold him to you until he's healed and whole. To be his anchor and his safe haven. To just be his.

Zoro's hands grip onto your hips tightly, holding onto you like a lifeline as he pulls himself closer, seeking comfort in the warmth and safety of your embrace. He feels like he can finally let go of all the pent-up emotions and anxieties that have been weighing him down since the battle - and in that moment of release, he feels a profound sense of relief wash over him.

As he leans against you, he closes his eyes once again, savoring the feeling of being held so closely by someone who means so much to him. It's a moment of pure bliss, one that makes all the hardships and struggles worthwhile, and he knows that he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

[albertasunrise]

Look for the Light - 2

Masterlist

Summary: Four years ago, Joel saved you from certain death. In return, you followed him faithfully. Always ready to do and give him whatever he asked, despite the hurt it inflicted on you, body and soul. Agreeing to go with him to deliver Ellie to the Fireflies… this would be the last time you’d follow him… After this, your debt would be paid.

Relationships: Reader x Joel Miller, Joel Miller & Ellie, Reader & Ellie

Warnings: Like AO3, I choose to give none. Read at your own risk. 18+ (So excited to share this with you. So much to come folks! 🙊😍)

Series Masterlist - Part 1

"He hates me!" Ellie grumbled to you under her breath as she ate the last of the sandwich from her pack.

"He hates everyone." You snorted as you nibbled on your ration of jerky.

"He doesn't hate you."

"Doesn't like me." You grumbled in reply, a little louder than you'd intended but Joel made no sign of hearing you.

"So what's the deal with you two anyway?" She asked as she pulled Joel's coat closer.

"Nothing." You replied with a shrug.

"Bullshit."

"What do you-"

"I catch you looking at him all googly-eyed when he's not looking and I've seen him do the same when you ain't." She stated and you scoffed at that "It's true." She defended "He clearly cares about you and you clearly care about him so what's the issue?"

"I owe him my life." You stated plainly "He saved me and I have followed him ever since." Ellie gave you a bemused look as she waited for you to continue "He keeps me around because he saved me... All this is."

"You mean more to him than that." Ellie argued but you simply shook your head.

"No... I don't." You grumbled before eating the last of your jerky "Get some sleep. Got a long walk ahead of us tomorrow."

Ellie didn't argue. She ate the last bite of her food before laying down on the hard forest floor and pulling Joel's coat over her small shoulders. You watched her a moment before your eyes drifted to Joel again. The man was standing in the same spot he'd been a few minutes ago, eyes scanning the forest for any sign of movement.

You knew telling him to get some rest was futile. The man was as stubborn as they came so instead you let your head fall back against the tree you were leaning against and closed your eyes. The sound of the forest lulling you to sleep.

Joel meanwhile was replaying what he'd heard, over and over in his brain.

He keeps me around because he saved me... All this is

Did you really think that's all you meant to him?

Had he really given you no other indications of how important you were to him? He knew he wasn't good at showing any sort of real emotion. He'd shut that side away the day his daughter had died. He hadn't cried since that day either but he had hoped that the small things he did had given you the smallest indication that you were more than just a sidekick to him.

Then he remembered what you'd said to him back at the hotel.

So you're not fucking us both?

Truth was... He and Tess had broken things off the moment she realised that you meant more to him than just a casual fuck. She'd been okay with him sleeping with you occasionally. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't been sleeping with other men occasionally but when it had come to light that his feelings for you ran a little deeper. That was it.

Her words to him just before they'd left her there to die amongst those monsters still echoed in his head.

I never ask, you for anything! Not to feel the way I felt.

Joel had known, deep down, that Tess' feelings for him were a little more than just friends. But she had never pushed him for more than he was willing to give and he had always appreciated that. So it hadn't come as any surprise that when she'd figured out that he had feelings for you, she hadn't wanted any part of it. He was sure that it had hurt her more than she let on but you can't help who you love. And he didn't love her.

Save who you can save... And tell her the truth... Before it's too late.

He was sure though, as he turned to look at you and Ellie, that if he told you what you meant to him. You'd laugh in his face"

I owe him my life

That's the only reason you'd stuck around. The only reason you'd let him lose himself in you when he needed a distraction. You felt that you owed it to him. The truth of it stung more than he'd expected but he couldn't let it distract him from what he needed to do. Get Ellie to Bill and Franks.

That was his mission now.

It was a five-hour hike to Bill and Franks. Five hours and then you could have a shower and eat some of Bill's amazing food. But for now, Jerky would have to do. You were sat nibbling on your measly ration, and Ellie sat silently beside you.

"Where's Joel?" She asked having woken up to just you.

"Gone to freshen up down by the river." You stated and she gave you a slight nod before returning to her own meal.

A few bites in, you were overcome with the sudden urge to hurl and you managed to throw yourself sideways in time before you were emptying the contents of your stomach onto the forest floor.

"Whoa, you okay?" Asked Ellie as she looked at you in shock.

"Yeah." You replied as you shook your head weakly and wiped your mouth with the back of your hand.

'What's going on?" Joel asked as he appeared.

Wonderful You thought to yourself as you looked up at the man.

"Nothing." You replied meekly as you shook your head.

"She just hurled!" Ellie exclaimed and you cursed the teenager's honesty.

"Really?" Joel asked as he stepped closer to you, his brows drawing together in what appeared to be genuine concern.

"It's nothing." You waved off as you got to your feet "Probably about to start my..." You didn't finish your sentence. Didn't get a chance before a wave of dizziness washed over you and your knees gave out.

Ellie and Joel were quick to catch you but you didn't thank them. You shrugged them off before tossing the last of your jerky to Ellie and stalking away.

"Just got up to fast." You growled before making your way out of view so you could relieve yourself.

"She okay?" Ellie asked as she watched you disappear behind some trees.

"How should I know?" Joel grumbled and the teenagers scoffed.

"You can pretend that you don't give a shit but I can see that you do." She snapped, eyes boring into the side of Joel's head.

When she realised she wasn't going to get the reaction she wanted out of the man she dropped it. No point in fighting a losing battle.

"You want your jacket back?"

Nothing.

"I've never been in the woods." She said then, changing the subject completely "More bugs than I thought."

Still, the man said nothing. She knew he was probably upset about Tess but it wasn't your fault or hers. Yet he'd been nothing but cold towards you both since it happened.

"Look, I've been thinking about..."

"I don't want your sorries." He growled, still not looking at the teenager.

"I wasn't gonna say I'm sorry." She snapped back and this grabbed his attention "I was gonna say that I've been thinking about what happened.

Nobody made you, her or Tess take me." She said as she motioned in the direction you'd walked in "Nobody made you go along with this plan. You needed a truck battery or whatever and you made a choice." She paused a moment, staring him down "So don't blame me for something that isn't my fault." Joel nodded, his eyes dropping to the forest floor "And don't blame her either!"

"I don't blame her!" Joel defended and Ellie scoffed.

"Well, you've been a dick to her since we left the city."

"It's complicated." Joel grumbled and Ellie just rolled her eyes at his reply.

"Whatever."

An awkward silence fell over them both for a moment. Neither party knew what to say never so your return brought them both to sigh in relief.

"How much longer?" Ellie asked as she watched the man finish packing his supplies.

"Five-hour hike." He replied plainly and the teenager nodded.

"We can manage that." She replied before looking at you and smiling. "You've gone this way a lot?"

"Yeah." You replied, as you grabbed your own pack and slung it onto your back.

"No Infected?"

"Not often, no." You replied before looking over at Joel. "Let's get going."

You didn't wait to see if they were following. You silently trekked in the direction of Bill and Frank's. You didn't want to talk to either of them about the fact that you'd thrown up again. You didn't need to add to their burdens. Once you were at Bill and Frank's, you'd be able to rest, freshen up and lay all this to rest.

So you walked. You walked as fast as you knew Joel could handle with his bad knees. You tried to tune out Ellie's chatter but the girl was a chatterbox.

"How'd you get that scar on your head?" She asked Joel but he didn't answer, his eyes fixed on you as you walked ahead.

"What? Is it something lame?" The girl pushed "Like you fell down the stairs or something?"

"I didn't fall down any stairs." He grumbled finally and you smirked.

"Okay, so what then?"

"Someone shot at me and missed."

"See, that's cool." The teenager gushed as she glanced up at Joel "You shoot back?"

"Yeah."

"You get him?"

"No, I missed, too." He grumbled in reply and you almost turned your head to look back at him "It happens more often than you think."

"Cause you suck at shooting or, like, in general?"

"In general."

"You know, seeing as it's just the three of us, I was thinking I should pro-"

"No."

It amused you how persistent the child was when it came to having a gun of her own. You knew it wasn't unusual for kids to be curious about firearms but she was bordering on trigger-happy. You wondered if she had ever fired one outside of the FEDRA school shooting range. You hoped she'd never have to.

When the rest stop came into view you slowed your pace a little. Knowing that Joel would want to stop and restock his munitions.

"Hang back a minute." He said as he made his way over to the entrance of the derelict store "I gotta grab some stuff I stashed."

You stopped by the door, waiting for Joel and the teenager to catch up. You couldn't help the quirk of your lip at Joel's obvious misery at the child's constant chatter. He wasn't one for talking much. Only when he had a few drinks in him would he loosen up and hold a conversation with anyone. But even then, they were short.

"Stashed?" Ellie questioned as she looked up at the run-down building "Why do you have stuff stashed here?"

"You ask a lot of goddamn questions." He griped as he stepped past you and inside.

"Yes, I do." Ellie replied, smirking as she looked up at you "So, are you gonna answer me or what?"

"We hide supplies on routes." You piped up as your eyes scanned the room "In case we find ourselves short on gear..."

"Which I currently am 'cause-"

"No way!" Ellie squealed out as she ran across the store "You ever play this one?" She asked as she turned her head to look at you and you shoot your head "I had a friend who knew everything about this game. There's this one character named Mileena who takes off her mask and she has monster teeth and then she swallows you whole and barfs out your bones." You grinned at her excitement.

Your eyes scanned the pilfered shelves as Ellie played around with the long-dead game. The frames, dirty and bare.

"Okay, well, I'm gonna take a look around, see if there's anything good." Ellie stated as she looked over at Joel and then at you.

"Trust me, it's all been picked over already." Joel grumbled as he kicked at the floor.

"Maybe, maybe not." Ellie shrugged as she made her way over to the back of the shop "Is there anything bad in here?" She called out as she looked through the dark doorway.

"Just you." Joel replied and you smirked as Ellie rolled her eyes at the man's reply.

"Getting funnier." She grumbled before stepping into the back.

"Where are you going?" He asked when he noticed you step away.

"Keep an eye on her." You replied with a shrug before slipping into the back.

Joel was right about the store being pillaged but there was still the odd item here or there. You shone your torch over the bare frames, hoping that you might find something of use.

"Check this out1" Ellie exclaimed and you turned to see her dropping down through a trap door on the floor.

"Ellie I don't think-" She disappeared before you got a chance to finish.

You turned your head and shone your torch down the remainder of the shelves, stopping in your tracks when it hit a familiar-looking box. You couldn't believe your eyes when you picked the item up to look at it better and without thinking you stuffed it in your pack.

"You all right back there?" Called out Joel and you turned to look back at the room you'd seen Ellie in a few minutes before, squinting when you noticed some movement at the trap door.

"Yep!" Ellie called and you smiled as you made your way towards the trap door, stopping when you saw that Joel had finally found what he was looking for.

"All there?" You asked as you stepped towards him and he nodded.

"Looks like." He replied "She being awful quiet all of a sudden." He said as he looked up at you and then at the door "Ellie?"

"She's fine." You said but he didn't listen to you, his brow pulling together the longer the girl didn't respond.

"Ellie!" He called out again but still, the girl didn't respond and suddenly you started to worry also.

Getting to his feet, Joel took a few ginger steps towards the doorway, ready for anything that could potentially come through it.

"Ellie?" He called out one more time and that's when the girl appeared.

"Picked over, my ass." She announced as she waved a box of tampons in his face and you smirked at her before looking back at him again.

"Told you she was okay."

Joel then finished swapping out the gun he had for the one he'd stashed and then, hid it all away again. A short while later you were walking again, dust kicking up behind you as you followed the dirt road to your destination.

"Holy shit." Expelled Ellie as she spotted a wrecked plain on the hillside "You fly in one of those?"

"Few times, sure." Replied Joel as he came to a stop at the girl's side.

"So lucky."

"Didn't feel like it at the time." Joel grumbled and you smirked, remembering your own experience of flying.

"Get shoved into a middle seat, pay 12 bucks for a sandwich."

"Don't forget the cramped ass toilets that always seemed to be occupied."

"Dudes, you got to go up in the sky." Ellie groaned.

"Yeah, well, so did they." Replied Joel grimly and your face fell.

Your walking on prompted the other two to follow. You zoned out the conversation when Ellie asked about how it all started, not wanting to be reminded of how one minute you were sleeping soundly in your bed and the next, you were being carried to the car so your family could flee the town you'd grown up in. The walk passed by more or less wordlessly on your part. Stopped only to look at the mass grave that sat at the side of the road, a sobering reminder of how the army had dealt with people they hadn't had space for.

You were an hour out when your stomach rolled again and you silently dashed for the treeline before emptying what was left of the contents of your stomach. Joel and Ellie watched wordlessly as you stumbled back out onto the road a few moments later but neither of them said a word and for that, you were glad. You didn't even want to think about what could possibly be wrong with you right now.

When the fence line came into view, you instantly knew something was up. The flowers outside of the house were dead. Frank would never have let them get to that state. The house looked desolate. It had always looked so lived in before and you shared a look with Joel, a silent conversation passing between the two of you as he stepped towards the gate.

Something was wrong.

"Stay there." He ordered as he inputted the code and entered the town, gun in hand.

You followed Joel with Ellie at your side. Heart in your throat as you studied the house closely. It all just felt wrong. The door squeaked open and you felt your heart leap into your throat as the empty house came into view.

"What the fuck?"

"Bill?" Called out Joel but he was met with silence "Frank?"

Still nothing.

"You stay there." He said to Ellie, before looking up at you "Ya hear anything, you see anything, yell."

"What if they're gone?"

You knew in your heart of hearts that the lack of presence from these two men was a bad omen. There was no way either of them had left this place.

You stepped studied the table and noted the rotten food that still sat there. Frank would die before leaving a mess. You stepped into the kitchen but you were greeted by nothing but the smell of rotten food. The smell was so strong that you ran for the sink, throwing up nothing but bile now.

"Ellie?" Called out Joel and you stepped back into the dining room to see the girl sitting there with a letter in hand.

Joel stood opposite her, a grim expression on his face.

"It's from Bill." She said as she picked up the envelope "To whomever, but probably Joel." She read before putting it back down again "I figured I fell under 'whomever'... Came with this." She said lifting up a car key.

"So they're dead?" He asked, his eyes darting up to you when you gasped at his question.

"You wanna?"

"Go ahead. You do it."

You stood there and listened as the girl read Bill's letter. Silent tears slipped down your cheeks as you started at the paper in her hands.

"I leave you all of my weapons and equipment. Use them to keep..." She trailed off, looking at Joel who then took the letter from her.

His shoulders tensed and you knew exactly what it said. You didn't need to read it to know.

"Stay here." Joel grumbled before stepping out.

"Should we go after him?" She asked you but you shook your head.

"No."

An hour later you were showering and washing the grime of the past two days from your skin. Joel managed to find some clothes for you all. Some jeans, a t-shirt and a flannel for you that now sat on the unit just outside. When you were done, your eyes fell on your pack, mind wandering to the item inside. You were sure you were just sick with stress but you wondered if perhaps it was something more sinister. Perhaps it was best to check.

You could hear Joel and Ellie as they pilfered the house for essentials. So you knew they wouldn't miss you for a little while longer.

You were sitting with Ellie when Joel emerged from upstairs, hair still wet from showering. His eyes raked over you a moment. Your knee bounced as you stared at your pack that lay on the table. You felt sick. Your stomach twisted in painful knots as you unconsciously picked at the skin around your thumbnail.

"Well, don't you look pretty." Ellie teased, pulling a smirk from you as you glanced up at him.

"Shut up." He grumbled, "Come on... time to go."

Ellie got up and skipped outside but you were slower to follow. Grabbing your pack, you threw it over your shoulder and started to make your way out, Joel stopping you when you reached him.

"You okay?" He asked and you nodded.

"Golden." You replied, giving him a smile that you knew was convincing no one.

Because the truth was you weren't okay... Far from it!

And you didn't know what you were going to do.

Next

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[barcalover86]

My heart can't take it-Pablo Gavi

Part 2 here

Summary: Pablo trying to live with the idea that you can never be his.

This is my favourite one. Read this🤍

Pure fluff + a little of angst

Pablito in love..

Masterlist

You were Aurora's friend, that being the reason you and Gavi met. Since the first time he saw you, he couldn't take his eyes off you. Since then, even if his friends were pushing him at some club to go talk to some girl, he would refuse, only thinking about you.

You were his sister friend, that being one of the reasons he never told anyone that his feelings are going crazy because of you.

You weren't a flirty girl at all, but the sweetest person that someone could meet. You were so nice to everyone, smiling and laughing almost all the time.

Pablo loves your smile. How your teeth are showing when you find happiness. You were the most optimistic girl he ever met and in everything you saw something good.

Now, your friends group and Pablo's were at the beach, in Barcelona. It was already late, the sunset being seen. You were chatting with your friends when you asked Aurora if she could take some photos of you with the sunset. The truth is that it was one of the most beautiful sunsets you've ever seen and you wanted to capture the moment.

She agreed and you two went in the water so that the pictures would be more prettier. You went to the other part of the beach, walking for about 10 minutes, wanting to be alone. You were shy to pose when people were looking at you and Rora didn't mind to walk with you.

You were talking about girl stuff and how you would want to be the pictures.

When the two of you drift from the others slowly, Pablo was watching you. He couldn't take his eyes off your beautiful figure that was shining in the sunset. The kindness of your soul made you even beautiful than you already were.

He slowly went after you and sat at some stone to watch what you two were doing. He wanted to be there if something was happening to his sister and you.

While you were posing for the photos, you couldn't help but laugh. He loves that sound. It's something that if he would hear, would instantly make his day better than ever.

"Y/n, stay serious! We'll stay here forever!!" His sister smiled at your silliness.

The sunset really was beautiful, but for Gavi, you were the most beautiful thing ever. How could he fall in love with you. Someone that he knows that doesn't feel the same way.

You two never even really talked. You never payed attention to him at all, only the bare minimum. You were saying to him "hola" or "goodbye", but never hugged or stayed at least next to each other.

One time, you asked Pablo if he could give you your phone who was closer to him. When he gave it to you, he blushed so hard that he had to hide his face so no one could see him. That was the closest thing he did with you.

He never touched you or feel your skin on his and that made him so sad.

After Aurora showed you the photos she took of you, she left leaving you alone in the water, telling her that you want to look at the sunset for some time.

Now, Gavi was really concerned. He was ready to jump for you if something happened to you. While you were swimming, he was looking at you. All his emotions got him and now his eyes were tearing. How could he fall in love with you..someone that never really looked at him, someone that never payed attention to him. For her, he was only her friend's brother.

When you were done swimming, you got out and went to your friends to chat again. Your voice was calming for him.

He decided to stay where he was for a few more minutes to calm himself done. Why was he so stupid for loving her? She clearly doesn't feel the same way, she doesn't even consider him as her friend.

"Where's Pablo?" asked Aurora

"He is at the stones. He was looking for y/n so that nothing happens to her. Don't tell him you know that from me" her boyfriend told her.

"Oh, really?" You asked shocked.

You didn't expect him to look after you. You didn't even see him standing there. You two never talked much and his behaviour was weird, but you appreciated it a lot and decided to thank him when he'll come back.

After a long time, he came to his friend group, far away from you. You went to him and he thought that you could hear his heart beat pounding faster than ever with each step you took to come closer to him.

"Hola" you said with a soft smile on your face.

The clasic hola.

"Hola" he replied softly with a shaky voice.

God, he was so cute when he was nervous.

"Thank you for looking out for me back there. I appreciate your concern for me"

At this moment, he didn't even realise that you know that he was trying to protect you. He was only concentrating on the fact that you talked to him...more than ever.

He only smiled not saying anything more.

"Want to come with me swimming so that you can be closer if anything happens to me?" you said while laughing sweetly.

Ah, your laughter

Pablo wanted to say yes with all his heart, but one of your friends said that it was really late and you should head home.

He was now really sad and angry because faith never let him be with you.

You were sad and wanting to apologise to him, but he spoke first.

"It's alright, it's not like we would have talked "

You could hear his heart breaking while he was saying those words to you.

"Lo siento, Gavi"

You said his name for the first time and that made him a bit happier. You knew his name.

You went to pack your things while again, he was looking at you with sad eyes.

He was so hurt and when you left, he started to cry. No one ever saw him like that, not even his sister. They went to see what happened to their friend, but answers couldn't be found because he didn't want to talk at all. They only hugged him trying to calm him down.

He knew that this was the last moment with you, because after this day, you were going at your normal lifestyle.

Being polite to him and saying the bare minimum, but not giving him any attention. This love can really destroy people. And the love he was feeling for you, was one of the strongest that ever exists.

He loves that you are nice, but he wanted you to be nice to him..and only to him.

All night he imagined how would have been if you two had got to the ocean. Kissing while the sunset was behind and how your hands would have been in his hair and his hands on your waist and cheek.

He couldn't even think that you would ever think about him, but at night, you dreamed about him. About how he was there, looking out for you while being alone in the ocean. How he would have reacted if you actually were in danger. Your mind couldn't stop thinking about him. His face, his eyes, his hands..his lips.

What got into you all of the sudden?

Ahh, how was this??

[cynical-kitten]

(Late) WIP Wednesday

I'm late to the party because I've lost all concept of time. I've been working on this doozy of a chapter, so have a snippet :)

(part 1 has already been posted, part 2 is still in the works)

Alastor couldn't quite recall the last time he indulged in the pleasures of sleep.

Had it been days? Weeks? He didn't know, for time had become blurred in a haze of static. What he did know was that this couldn't go on. Although he had conquered worse, these conditions were truly testing his limits. His power was wavering, the strength of it tied directly to his sleep— or lack of it, in this case. The magic that he had kept sharp and steady was dulled by his exhaustion. He was irritable and impatient, more so than usual. In the wake of his frustration, he had accumulated quite the number of souls to broadcast on his show.

The solution was simple: sleep! Yet something so natural, so easy, had become unattainable.

Something had to be done.

Alastor glanced down at the sleeping woman clinging to his lithe form, her arms wrapped around him in a death grip as if he was a safety floatation device in the middle of the ocean. For now, she was silent, aside from the soft snoring that slipped between her lips. From the deceptive expressionless look on her face, she appeared to be resting peacefully. However, if tonight played out like they had over the last several weeks, this would not last long. He knew better than to trust the fragility of this peace.

Ever since the extermination, Manon had been plagued with night terrors that left her sweating and trembling in his arms. She refused to leave Alastor's humble abode, claiming she slept better when he was by her side. What a joke! His poor wife hardly slept at all! Manon would go days without closing her eyes, dreading the moment she would drift off to dreamland. She would do whatever it took to remain awake, which in turn kept Alastor from sleeping since she somehow needed his presence at all hours of the day.

Oh, how he tried to reason with her! Perhaps he was too stern a time or two, but her sobbing pleas for help were proving to be difficult to ignore. Alastor would never admit it, but there was something within her desperation that awakened something foreign and unwelcome within him. Was it sympathy? Hardly, Alastor found it difficult to sympathize with anything. Perhaps it was fascination, a desire to see what would become of her should she be allowed to break completely. 

Or even worse, he just simply couldn't fathom the idea of sharing space with the hollow, unremarkable shell of the force this woman had once been. 

His lips quirked into a humorless grin. That had to be it. God forbid it actually be because he was a sentimental sap that missed his wife (newsflash: he was). He couldn't possibly mourn her for what had been… could he? No. He honestly found her more entertaining when she had fight in her. 

Reasoning with himself, to prove that he hadn't been reduced to such a sorry state, was pointless. Alastor had always been putty in her hands. He loved her, after all. 

Because of that pestering adoration he held for his wife, Alastor refused to stand idly by while she suffered. Going back to his roots, he had experiments with every remedy, ritual, and even the prayers his mother taught him as a child in order to give her as dreamless of a sleep as he could, but to no avail. He found himself in a relentless cycle of exhaustion: watching as Manon drew closer to the brink of succumbing to sleep, listening to her sob and beg for him to do something, trying yet another method of madness only for it to fail, and sitting vigil as she warred with her demons. 

What an absolute mess she had made of him.

[surrgarrashcafe]

(Warning Mentions of Drowning, a bit of drugging, Jade and Floyd Abducting you, Azul having a possessive behavior and so forth •.•)🏖️

Azul Ashengrotto x Fem reader part 2:🌊🌺🌊🌺🌊🌺🌊🌺🌊🌺🌊

Beneath the waves of my Greed.

You'd also hang out with your coworkers during break, chit chatting, and have a lovely time, but Azul would be nearby to watch this all go down. Soon, some of them went missing, only to be found days later at the sea with their body floating in the water. Today a ship was going to deliver some cargo; they had asked you to come along, afraid of what killed those people. You agreed, and it was fine for a few days until some tentacles wrapped around the ship, causing everyone to panic. You looked closer to see it was Azul causing this chaos. You immediately knew it was him. beneath the surface of the waters, his blue, electric eyes pierced into yours, looking hungry and obsessed as if you were his next fine prey. Your coworkers let out a frightened cry. as a large tentacle was being wrapped around by one of their waists, including their legs, preventing them from squirming. and was now yanking towards Azul direction, being thrown into the water with a loud splash and dragged down into the sea, only for you to be distracted.   "AZUL, STOP THIS MADNESS.!!! You are hurting innocent people because of your obsessiveness!! Please calm down so we can talk and fix this!" you said.  Azul didn't listen; as he was being stubborn, he didn't want to hurt anyone, nor you, but he had to in order to get what he wants due to his uncontrollable greed. as you were being distracted by a poor unfortunate soul who is being dragged down into the sea by Azul's bondage of his tentacles. You suddenly felt two scaly clawed hands that were grabbing both of your arms, almost tugging into your skin. You then turned around and saw two eel twins. one twin looked like His eyes angle downward, with a wide, sharp-toothed grin on his face. while the other eel twin brother had a formal smile, but that smile fades into a threat as Jade and Floyd dragged you into the deep ocean with them. 

"Hehehe~ little shrimp thought that she could run with her useless legs. How annoying, honestly. Didn't ya know that you broke our boss's heart? It's quite pathetic to see Shrimpy causing problems with Azul.” Floyd says as he turns to his brother Jade. 

"Indeed, it is quite criminal to be led astray by someone who loves you dearly so much that you abandoned them, but our boss would be more than happy to see your warm, welcome when you make your visit to him." Jade says as his big smile is showing, making his sharp, pearly whites show in the obscure ocean light Jade and Floyd then drugged you and blindfolded you as you then felt your body go unconscious and your vision becomes blurry you then drifted to sleep in the depths of the Ocean. You woke up feeling tired as you felt the waves crash in between your legs and the soft sand soak into your feet. You got up and looked around, and you realized you were at the same beach you used to visit. As your vision was now clear as day, suddenly you felt a tentacle wrapped around your waist, and you began to be frightened when you noticed Azul was sitting right next to you on the sandy shore. You were frightened by his presence so. You pushed him away, knowing what he had done to all your coworkers and friends who had been killed because of his obsessiveness over you. He then extends another tentacle and possessively wraps around your form so that you don't run away from his loving grasp. "I am doing this for you. To show you how serious I was about our relationship. I can't let you leave, not now. Not ever." Azul says. You could feel his tentacles tightening around your waist until you were brought closer to him.. Azul would hold you close to his chest looking down at you with a look of gentleness and love, his eyes were lovesick he held you in his grasp. "I am sorry, Azul, but I cannot forgive you for what you did to the people that drowned and lost their lives because you cannot control your greed. I just cannot accept this side of you; I suppose it's best if we... just" Before you could even continue, you felt Azul grasp tighter around your form to the point where you could not breathe. "Azul, what are you …doing? "I can't …breathe," you said as his tentacles tightened around your form, from your waist to your neck, preventing you from getting air flow into your lungs. You then saw Azul's eyes bawl out in tears, just as you saw him cry as a kid when he was insecure about his past self. "Why, why, why, WHY...?!

(To be continued for Part 3)

🌺🌊🌊🌺🌊🌊🌺🌊🌊🌺🌊🌊🌺🌊🌊🌺🌊

(Not going to lie I actually did have fun writing this fic about Azul while also including Jade and Floyd lol I might do more of them if I want to do fluff fics or scenarios about them because I love the three with all my heart ekkkkk <>.<>)