#Aidan Waite x Reader

[leaderwonim]

MR. FUCKING BRIGHTSIDE

pairing. slytherin!jake x hufflepuff!fem!reader

summary. although sim jaeyun constantly surrounds himself with douchebags and looks like he could stomp all over a girl’s heart; you knew the real him that was deep inside. but did you really?

genre. hogwarts!au, ANGST, bits of fluff, right person wrong circumstances, forbidden/secret love

warnings. jake can be a bit of an asshole, the insult “mudblood” is used, slytherin gets shitted on as a house (dw, i’m a slytherin 😭)

Sim Jaeyun, or everybody knew him as Jake, the sixth year Slytherin, seeker of his house’s Quidditch team, and nevertheless, charming to every girl that has stepped foot in his proximity.

Half of your friends would disagree—that he was not charming but rather just another slithering snake in the worst possible house at Hogwarts.

Jake’s friend group consisted of three people: Draco Malfoy, Blaise, and Pansy Parkinson. They just so happen to be an insufferable lot, maybe except Blaise who minded his own business half of the time.

“Today you will be working in pairs.” Professor McGonagall states, fixing her glasses as she holds a stroll of paper. “I’ve already decided them, absolutely no changes.”

There’s groans that fill the room, one of whom you recognize as no other than Jake.

“Seriously? I wanted to pair up with Blaise!” He whines, earning a glare from Draco. “What? C’mon Dray, we both know you and I don’t get anything done.”

“Alright,” Professor McGonagall clears her throat. “Blaise Zabini with Nancy Drumswell, Aidan Callaghan with Hermione Granger, Harry Potter with Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy with Pansy Parkinson, and finally, Jaeyun Sim with Y/N L/N.”

You don’t blink when you realize who your partner is. Rather, you just sigh a bit in defeat, coming to the conclusion that you cannot do anything to convince McGonagall to change partners.

“Hey.” Jake plops himself down on the seat next to you, laughing as Draco gives him a shove on the way to his own table.

“Hi.” You murmur, suddenly finding your yellow robe more interesting than him.

“I’ve never been paired with a Hufflepuff before.” He grins, the shit eating grin that weirdly captives your senses. “Are you guys as nice as you claim to be?”

“I don’t know Jaeyun, you tell me.”

Jake’s eyes widen before he lets out a giggle. “Jaeyun? No one ever calls me that anymore.”

You shrug, sliding him the piece of paper with the instructions to your project. “You can stop by the Hufflepuff dormitories at 8, I’ll be done with dinner by then and I’ll open it for you.”

“Sounds like a plan sweetheart.”

You cringe at his words, the obvious disdain on your face makes him laugh even harder.

“I’ll see you then.” He whispers, and just like a movie, stands up as soon as McGonagall dismisses the class, merging into one with his friends.

♡;

Just as the clock struck eight, you heard a knock. Your books, pens, and parchment were spread out in front of you, eagerly waiting to be used.

As you slowly get up to open the door, you’re met face to face with Jake, who entered the room with a confident stride

"Hey there, Y/N," Jake greeted, flashing you a charming smile as he took a seat across from your side of the table.

"Hey," you politely turn his smile. "Ready to tackle this project?"

"Absolutely," he affirmed, pulling out his own notes and spreading them out on the table. "I've got some ideas already. How about you?"

You nodded, slightly impressed by Jake's readiness to dive into the work. "I've been brainstorming as well. Maybe we can combine our ideas and come up with something great."

As the two of you began discussing your approaches to the project, youcouldn't help but notice how articulate and intelligent Jake was when he wasn't surrounded by his usual group of friends. His confidence shone through, but it was paired with a genuine interest in the subject matter that caught you off guard.

"You sure sound different when you’re not around Draco," You remarked.

Jake only chuckled, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice. "Yeah, well, I guess I don't always show this side of me around my friends. They have a different idea of what's cool."

You can only nod in understanding, realizing that Jake was more complex than you had initially assumed.

As you continued working, you couldn’t help but find yourself paying closer attention to the small details about him—the way his brow furrowed in concentration, the soft lilt in his voice when he explained a concept, the way his eyes sparkled with passion for the project.

"Thanks for coming, Jake," you say, offering him a genuine smile. "I really enjoyed working with you."

Jake returned your smile, his eyes meeting yours with a warmth that sent a sudden flutter through your heart. "Anytime, Y/N. I had a great time too."

As you bid each other goodnight, you couldn’t help but suddenly miss his presence, something you didn’t expect to happen with just one session with him.

♡;

In your second studying session, you and Jake found yourselves engrossed in their project once again. This time, you two decided to move to a quiet corner of the library, away from prying eyes and distractions. The Hufflepuff dorms were too crowded, and you knew you’d rather die than step into the Slytherin dormitory as a Hufflepuff.

As you discussed your research findings, you couldn't help but notice how Jake's demeanor had softened since your last meeting. He seemed more relaxed, more open, as if he felt comfortable letting his guard down around you.

Jake suddenly reached across the table to grab a book, his hand brushing against yours in the process. It was a simple gesture, but it sent a jolt of electricity coursing through your veins, leaving you quite literally breathless for a moment. “Here Y/N, I heard this book was good for this particular topic.”

Your eyes met briefly, and you felt your cheeks flush with warmth.

“Thanks,” you murmur, looking down slightly.

Jake smiled back at you, seemingly oblivious to the effect his touch had on you. For a person who charms so much girls, you’d think he know how much his advances affected others.

“No problem, seems like we got a lot done within these 2 days huh?”

"Yeah, it seems so," you reply softly.

Even though it had only been 2 nights, in those quiet moments, away from the prying eyes of their classmates, you had realized just how much you actually enjoyed Jake's company. He wasn't just the annoying Slytherin she had initially pegged him to be—he was kind, intelligent, and surprisingly easy to talk to.

"I guess that's it for tonight," Jake said, a hint of disappointment in his voice. “Can’t believe they only allow Prefects in the library past ten.”

"Yeah," you groan, feeling a pang of sadness at the thought of saying goodbye. "But we'll see each other again soon, right?"

Jake nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Definitely. Let’s just hope Malfoy doesn’t ruin it.”

♡;

As you made your way through the corridors of Hogwarts with Hermione, you spotted Jake surrounded by his Slytherin friends, including Draco and Pansy. Suddenly feeling the wave of confidence at the sight of him, you decided to muster up the courage to approach him.

But as you drew nearer, you noticed a subtle shift in Jake's demeanor. His usual friendly expression hardened, and a smirk spread across his lips as he turned to face you and Hermione.

"Look who it is, boys," Draco says, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Little Miss Hufflepuff herself."

Jake and Pansy chuckled, exchanging knowing glances with Draco as if they were in on some inside joke. Your smile faltered, confusion and hurt swirling in your chest as you struggled to make sense of Jake's sudden change in attitude.

"Um, hi, Jaeyun," you replied, voice barely above a whisper as you fought to keep her composure.

"Seriously? Jaeyun? That’s hysterical.” Pansy laughs, as if it was the funniest thing in the world.

“What's the matter, Y/N? Can't find anyone from your own house so you bother our Jake here?” Draco continues to taunt you, his words like daggers aimed straight at your heart. “Or should I say Jaeyun?”

You felt your cheeks burn with embarrassment as the laughter of Jake's friends echoed in your ears. You had never felt so small, so insignificant to the group in front of you.

“I was hoping to discuss our project.” You say quietly, looking at anyone but Jake.

Hermione could sense your hostility, pulling you close to her side as she gave Draco a snarl.

“Listen Y/N,” Jake says, “all that crap you Hufflepuffs preach about loving each other and expressing feelings is a lie. No one really cares about what you have to say.”

“Alright, that’s enough!” Hermione says, shielding you by putting herself in front of your frame. “What has gotten into you?”

But Jake just shrugged her off, his smirk widening into a sneer. "Mind your own business, mudblood. This doesn't concern you."

Feeling the sting of tears threatening to spill from your eyes, you quickly turn on your heel and fled down the corridor, desperate to escape the humiliation of Jake's cruel words.

Had you really been so stupid to place your trust in Sim Jaeyun knowing full well his reputation? By the looks of it, all answers pointed to yes.

♡;

By 7pm, the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow across the surface of the Black Lake just in front of the Slytherin Common Rooms.

“Y/N?” Almost as if he knew exactly where you were, Jake shows up in front of you, making you give him a glare.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N," he murmured, his voice tinged with remorse as he avoided your gaze. He takes a seat next to you on the grass, his fingers tracing patterns across them in nervousness. "I messed up back there. I let my pride get the best of me, and I hurt you in the process. I should have stood up for you."

You sighed, your heart heavy with disappointment but softened by Jake's sincerity.

“I don’t get it,” you say. “One moment you’re all kind and sincere around me, and the next, you say all these things like I’m worth nothing.”

The two of you sat in silence for a moment, the air filled with the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant calls of birds. Then, Jake spoke again, his voice hesitant but earnest. "I guess my friends just have an influence on me that I can’t control. I’m sorry for what I said earlier, you’re one of the kindest people I've ever met, Y/N. I admire that about you."

You slightly smiled, a warm flush spreading across your cheeks. "Thank you, Jake. That means a lot to me."

As the sky darkened and stars began to twinkle overhead, the two of you continued to talk, laughter mingling with the night air.

♡;

The next night was one of the more important nights at Hogwarts. Everybody had finished their exams—and the Ravenclaws decided to throw a party at their Commons.

The music throbbed as you entered with Ron Weasley, who, at the sight of his twin brothers, ran towards them. You roll your eyes at his behavior, and start pulsing through the crowded room, a plastic smile plastered on your face.

You notice Jake in the corner, sipping on what looked like a bottle of beer. He exchanged nods and greetings with those around him, his eyes scanning the room for something—someone.

But before you could gawk at him any longer, Draco cut in smoothly, his tone laced with mockery. "Oh, look who decided to show up. Did you bring your Hufflepuff friend to the party, Jake? How charming."

Pansy giggled, her eyes glittering with malice as she looked at you up and down. "I didn't know us Slytherins were into charity work."

“Guys, seriously? Cut it out,” Jake gulps, eyes directly meeting yours.

“He’s right,” Blaise says, and you swear it’s the most you’ve ever heard out of him. “Don’t ruin the party.”

“Whatever.” Pansy throws her hand in mock surrender. “Wouldn’t want to make the Hufflepuff cry.”

Hermione comes to your rescue right after Pansy throws you a glare.

“Piss off.” She says, interlocking her arms with yours.

“Thanks ‘Mione.” You thank her softly as you’re lead away from the lot. “For saving me back there.”

“Always,” she smiles. “Now cmon, I heard Ron’s already drunk!”

You two giggle at that, you letting Hermione lead the way into the crowd of people.

♡;

It’s about 2 hours later and the Ravenclaw party is still loud as ever, filled with with laughter and music.

Despite the Weasley twins making a full ruckus of themselves, your eyes were drawn to a figure slumped in a corner. It was Jake, only this time, he looked uncharacteristically vulnerable, his face pale and contorted with some type of emotion you hadn’t seen before.

Concern etched onto your features, and your body felt itself navigating through the crowd of people until you’re knelt beside him. "Jake? Are you alright? Where’s Draco?”

He lifted his head, and you swore you felt your heart clenched at the sight of his glassy eyes and trembling lips. "I'm fine," he mumbled, but his voice betrayed the lie.

"No, you're not," you reply softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Jake swallowed hard, his gaze flickering with a mix of emotions. "It's... it's nothing," he slurred, but his words lacked conviction.

You stayed silent, sensing he needed to unburden himself. After a moment, he spoke again, his voice raw with emotion. "Do you think I’m good for nothing?”

"What?" You asked gently, your heart sinking as you watched him struggle to form his thoughts.

"I mean look at this, look at me," Jake gestured vaguely, gesturing to the party around the two of you. "This charade I constantly put on. Pretending to be someone I'm not."

Your brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean..." Jake trailed off, his breath hitching. "Was it all worth the six years of be pretending to be who I wasn’t? Pretending to be the egoistic charming Slytherin everyone claims to know so well?”

Jake pauses before looking up at you, his eyes swimming with unshed tears. "You know I care about you a lot, right? I like you, a lot.”

“You do?” You say quietly, brushing a few loose strands of hair out of his eyes.

“But we just can’t.”

“What?”

“Why not?”

"Because,” Jake's voice cracked, and he looked away. "Because I wish you were in Slytherin."

You felt your heart shatter into a million pieces at his words. You almost knew it then, with a painful realization that you could never compete with the loyalty he felt towards his house and the expectations placed upon him by his housemates.

Tears stung your eyes as you realized there was nothing she could do to change his mind. With a heavy heart, you rose to your feet.

“Well I’m sorry then, Jake.” You say, turning around so he wouldn’t see your tears.

And as you walked away, the echoes of his confession lingered in your mind, haunting your thoughts with the bitter realization that sometimes, love simply wasn't enough.

[jordanli-dribbles]

Play Date

Jordan Li x Fem!Reader | 3.8k words

A smutty one-shot about Jordan crashing your COD play 'date'.

Tags: Situationship, includes both of Jordan's forms

(I haven't written in months, and thought I would try something new. Story is written with mixed pronouns: He/She/They)

It was Friday night, and you and your friend Aiden sat cross legged on the floor your backs resting against the couch playing video games. You were sitting shoulder to shoulder laughing loudly as you played Call of Duty.

“Bastard, you shot me!” You yelled, your elbow digging into their ribs. “I’m on your team, fucker!” He just laughs and shrugs as you adjust your headset waiting for the next round. You grab your control ready for the next round, exclaiming “Game on, jerk!”

Just as the round was about to start the door to your dorm swings open harshly. The door knob smacking against the wall loudly. Jordan storming into the room, her curled bob bouncing with every angry step.

“What the fuck, Jordan!” You exclaim, quickly taking off your headset to glare at them from the floor, watching as they walked towards you.

They paused mid-stride when they noticed you weren’t alone. “Who’s this?” they asked harshly, pointing at Aiden, who was still playing next to you, oblivious to Jordan’s angry glare and harsh tone.

“Aiden, Jordan.” you say, pointing between them both. “Jordan, Aidan.” you finish, pointing in the opposite direction.

Aiden places his controller on the floor next to him, taking his headset off turning to face you with an amused raise eyebrow. You smile at him apologetically. While Jordan starts to walk towards you both slowly, shifting to their larger form. You rolled your eyes, they had a habit of shifting to their male form when trying to get their point across. Which you found idiotic as they were much more intimidating in their 5’2” form.

“And why is he here?” Jordan says harshly, glaring at Aiden. You shrug, picking up your controller to log off the game.

“What’s with the 20 questions?” you say, with a raised eyebrow. You're being a brat on purpose, trying to see how much you can rile them up as your eyes stay locked on the TV.

Jordan huffs, brushing their fingers through their hair. “You weren’t answering your phone,” he says pointing at the your phone on your floor with his chin, “or the fucking door.” Jordan continues glaring at you now.

“Oh,” you say nonchalantly, picking up your phone from the floor. Well, look at that… you had several messages and missed calls from Jordan. Karma is a bitch, the asshole had been ignoring you whole week.

“Huh…guess I missed them,” you say casually, still staring at your phone. “We were kinda busy.” Aiden snickers besides you, a small smirk on their lips as he looks from you to a very angry Jordan.

“Busy with what?” Jordan says through clench teeth. You turn towards Aidan, giving him a small smile before turning towards Jordan whose burning glare could freeze hell. Fuck, you love their sexy glare. You lean back against the couch, crossing your arms with a mischievous grin.

“See...I would tell you, but I don’t really wanted too.” You say with a playful pout. Aiden’s soft chuckles the only sound in the room. You were enjoying this too much, ridding Jordan up was one of your favorite past times, especially after they ignored you all week.

Jordan glare turns murderous as their eyes trail down your exposed legs. You had a habit of kicking off your jeans as soon as you entered your dorm. Walking around in just a loose shirt and panties. Their eyes linger on your exposed thighs for a moment, you shift to cross your legs feeling a blush spread on your cheeks, your nipples hardening under their heated gaze as you gripped the hem of your shirt lower down your thighs.

Fuck, they were so hot. Their death glare doing nothing but turn you on more. You bit your lower lip, watching their eyes snap up to your face, their darken eyes burning into yours.

Fuck, you love how intense and possessive they are, it made you fucking hot.

See, Aidan had dropped by earlier to return a textbook. You met him a few weeks ago in an art history course you were taking as an elective. He was super sweet and you both shared the same humor and love for video games. He also had absolutely no interest in you as you did not have the right body part, if you get the meaning so when he dropped by earlier you didn't even try to put pants on.

You were in the middle of an epic game session, when Jordan bursted in. Aidan, knew about your complicated relationship with Jordan. He found the entire thing hilarious, he was currently having a blast seeing the famous Jordan Li so fired up. They didn't run in the same circles as Aidan was in Performance Arts and the only person Jordan knew from that school was Emma.

You both glare at each other in silence, while Aidan sat quietly next to you smirking. The tension between the two of you was so thick, that it would have taken a chainsaw to cut through.

Jordan took a deep breath rubbing their hand down their face and releasing a heavy sigh before shifting back to their female form, the change was instantaneous. It was the one thing that always threw you, how fucking quick they could shift. If you blinked you would of messed it, it was amazing.

They stalked towards you, their eyes never leaving yours. They grab your wrist, pulling you up, a yelp of surprise leaves your mouth. You turn to stare at Aidan, who rolled his eyes at the dramatics. You were about to open your mouth to say something to him. But Jordan had other plans, as soon as you stood up, she pulled you towards her and kiss you deeply.

You let out a small yelp in surprise, before kissing her back. She wraps an arm around your waist pulling you closer. Her kiss is rough, demanding, as she bites down on your lower lip. You gasp, allowing her tongue to slid into your mouth. Her hand gripping your ass, your shirt riding up from their grip. You moan, pressing yourself closer against her chest.

You could feel them smirk against your lips, as you melted in their embrace. Your hand tangling itself in their hair, as you deepen the kiss completely forgetting that Aiden was still there as Jordan claimed your mouth and soul.

Jordan rips their lips from yours in a loud smack. Her lips kiss swollen and her eyes burning with a dark need. She turns to Aiden, who still sitting on the floor.

“Fuck off." Jordan said with a glare, her eyes narrowing and jaw clenching in frustration. Aiden laughed, the sound echoing around the room, and stood up with his hands raised in a gesture of mock surrender as he walked towards the door.

"Well this was fun," Aidan jokes, "I'll call you later, darling." he said giving you a wink before leaving closing the door quietly behind him.

"Darling?" Jordan hissed, their fingers digging deeper into your ass.

You roll your eyes, "Jealous?" you tease with a smile.

Jordan's response was to throw you onto the bed, your body bouncing on the mattress. In an instant, Jordan was straddling you, pinning you to the bed. Their dark brown hair falling into her face, the way the light was hitting their eyes made them seem lighter than usual.

"Do I need to fucking remind you that your mine," Jordan says in a growl, their lips capturing yours in a brutal kiss. She sucks on your bottom lip, pulling it into their mouth before letting it go. Your fingers tangling themselves in their hair again, pushing their lips closer. Your hips grinding into theirs, your right leg hooking around their waist to bring them closer.

“Yes,” you murmur into their mouth. You weren't sure if their question was hypothetical, but you loved pushing their buttons.

"Fuckin’ brat," Jordan groans into your mouth, their hands grabbing onto the hem of your shirt, pulling it up. You lifted your arms, as they pull it off. You reach for the hem of their shirt, but they swat your hand away.

"No," Jordan says with a smirk. You pouted, as their mouth attached itself to your neck. Biting, sucking, and licking the skin there. You groan, grinding your hips against their, their left hand moving from your hip to the bed beside your head, as they ground their hips against yours.

"Fuck," you hiss, as Jordan nips at your pulse point.

"Mine." Jordan growls, their right hand moving to squeeze your breast. Their fingers tweaking your nipple, you buck into their hand.

"Yet...you..ignored me all week," You say through gasps as their mouth sucks and licks at your right nipple, their hand still fondling the left. Your back arching off the bed.

Jordan chuckles, "So that why you're being a brat?" they say, as their mouth moves down your body. Nipping, and licking at the your skin on the way.

"Mm," you hum, as they plant wet kisses on your hips. Their hands pulling your panties slowly down your legs as their mouth continues to place kisses and bites on your legs and thighs. They drop on their knees by the bed, pulling your body towards them as they hook you leg over their shoulder. You raise yourself on your elbows wanting to look at them. Your eyes connect as you stare at each other. Both you breathing heavily as you laid fully naked on your bed, your legs open wide while their remain fully clothes.

They cock their eyebrow at you, giving you a mischievous smirk before saying, "Don't worry, baby. I'm gonna fuck the brat out of you." You didn't have time to process their words before their mouth was on your pussy, sucking your clit hard.

"Oh, fuck." you gasp, dropping onto the bed as they continue their assault on your clit. Sucking, and flicking their tongue against the sensitive bundle of nerves. You grab onto the bed sheet, throwing your head back. You could feel them chuckle, their fingers digging into the flesh of your thighs. They bite down on your clit, and you gasp. Your hand shooting towards their hair, your fingers tangling themselves in their curls as their tongue pushes past your folds and inside you.

"Oh, god....yes!" you whimper, grinding your pussy against their mouth. They moan, their fingers digging into your thighs as their tongue thrust in and out of your pussy. Your back arching off the bed, your hands tightening around their hair as their tongue curls inside you.

"Jordan," you whimper, "Please." Your hips bucking against their face, your grip on their hair tightening as they continue to fuck you with their tongue. Jordan chuckles, their tongue pushing further into your pussy. You whined, their fingers digging into your thighs and you know that you'll have bruises later.

"Please, fuck, Jordan." You moan loudly.

They suck on your clit, their eyes never leaving yours as they continue to fuck you with their tongue. "Fuck, I missed your taste." Jordan says, as their tongue plunged in and out of your cunt. Their voice muffled against your pussy. They breathing harshly against your skin. The sound of them, eating you out loud and obscene and it just turns you on even more.

"You are such a brat," Jordan says through licks, "And I fucking love it." They thrust two fingers inside of you harshly, as your mouth falls open from the intrusion. "Means, I get to punish you." They groan as your walls clenched around their fingers, your hips rolling with each thrust.

"My fucking brat." Jordan groans, their tongue moving along the folds of your cunt, as their fingers moved in and out of your slick entrance.

"Fuck, Jordan!" You cry out, as their fingers curl and twist inside of you. Their tongue lapping at your clit. You grind against their fingers, the pressure building up inside you. You could feel yourself getting closer and closer to the edge, desperate to fall over.

"That's it, baby. Ride my fingers." Jordan says, their mouth sucking on your clit. Their eyes boring into yours, "You look so fucking beautiful, baby. Your tight little pussy, riding my fingers like my dirty little slut."

"Fuck, I'm close." You whimper, your hips rocking faster. You could feel their eyes on you, as their tongue flick at your clit.

"Scream my name, darling," they say with a sarcastic tone, watching as you fucked yourself against their hand. Their mouth sucking on your clit, as their fingers curl and twist inside you hitting all the right places.

"Oh, fuck!" You cried, as the pleasure builds. "Jordan!" You scream, as their mouth closes around your clit and sucks hard. Your orgasm hits you suddenly, and you see white stars as your eyes roll to the back of your head. Your thighs clenching, your body shaking as Jordan continues to lick and suck at your clit, drawing your orgasm out your body jerking from each flick of their tongue.

"Good girl." Jordan say, giving your clit a long lick, "You taste fucking delicious." They give you a shit eating grin, licking their lips. You gasping for air, your legs trembling the pleasure rolling through your body. Jordan slowly pulls their fingers out of your pussy, their tongue following suit. Licking their fingers clean before giving your thigh a soft kiss over the bruises their fingers left behind. They stand up, their eyes meeting yours as they lick their lips slowly. You watch as they pull their shirt off, tossing it to the side, their shorts and boxers following after as they climb up your body. Their naked form crushing yours, their mouth attaching itself to your throat, biting and licking at the sensitive skin, marking you. You release a soft whimper as they bite down hard, sucking the tender skin, before pulling away to stare down at you.

You lift your hand, brushing a piece of her hair behind their ear as they start down on you.

"Darling?" You say with a teasing grin. They can be so petty sometimes.

Jordan scuffs, ignoring your comment leaning down to kiss you instead. Their mouth covering yours, their tongue pushing past your lips. You moan into the kiss, your hand tightening in their hair, while the other wraps around their shoulders pulling them closer. Your hips grinding against theirs.

Jordan chuckles, the noise getting swallowed up by your mouth, as they rock their hips against yours. Their lips trail down your jaw, as they continue to move their hips. Shifting, instantly to their male form. Their rock hard cock, grinding against your dripping wet cunt.

"Jordan," you moan, as their hips rut against yours. You can feel the tip of their cock rubbing against your swollen clit, the sensation driving your overstimulated body insane.

"You want my cock baby," Jordan says, his teeth biting down on your shoulder. "Want me to stretch your pretty little pussy?" Jordan asks, their fingers brushing the hair off your forehead, as his hips thrust against yours, the crown of their dick pushing past your folds, teasing your entrance.

"Fuck," you groan, their hands cupping your breasts. His thumb circling your nipples as their mouth continues to bite and suck at the skin of your neck. You were getting stimulation from all sides, their fingers, their mouth, their dick.

"This what you want, baby." Jordan teases, as their cock pushes past your folds, their crown stretching your entrance before entering you inch by inch. They thrust their hips forward, sheathing their cock completely inside you in a sudden deep thrust.

"Mm fuck," you whimper, as their thick cock stretches and fills your begging cunt. Their hips, rolling slowly as he bottoms out. They still for a moment, allowing you time to adjust, your head tilting up at the full sensation. Your lips parts, eyes close as Jordan rolls their hip, their mouth latching onto the base of your neck, biting and sucking on the sensitive skin.

"God, your so fucking hot," Jordan says, as their hands grab at your thighs, wrapping your legs around their waist. You wrap your arms around their neck, as they begin to rock their hips. They push their cock deep into your pussy, rolling their hips before drag their cock out and thrusting it back in. Their movements slow and steady, oh so very deep.

"Oh god," you moan, as their cock hits every nerve inside of you, their lips still attached to the base of your throat. They bite down on the spot, hard, a deep thrust of their hips as their teeth sink into your skin.

"Fuck, Jordan," you moan, your hand tangling itself in their short brown hair. "Please, Jordan, I need...I need." Your words gargled with each thrust of their hips.

Jordan chuckles, the low rumbled sending shivers down your spine. "What do you need, baby?" they ask, their voice raspy and deep. Their hands tighten on your hips, the thrusting of their cock, slow and deep.

"More," you moan, your eyes close as Jordan buries their dick deep inside your pussy rolling their hips making you feel every inch of him.

"Yeah, baby. You want me to fuck you?" Jordan says, as their hips pull back and snap roughly, back into you. "Want me to fucking own you?" They growl into your ear, as their thrusting become deeper and rougher.

"Yes...fuck, yes" You gasp, as they begin to fuck you harder and faster, their hips slapping against yours, the sound loud and lewd. Their hand coming up to wrap around your throat. Their thumb resting on your quickening pulse, squeezing lightly.

"Eyes on me, baby." Jordan orders, their hips slamming against yours. You force your eyes open, your gaze locking onto Jordan's, their pupils dilated. Their hips still, before thrusting themselves deep into your aching pussy. You gasp, your eyes rolling back, but they tighten their grip around your neck.

"Eyes." They growl, and you whimper. Your hand grabbing onto the one wrapped around your neck, your eyes locking back onto theirs.

"Eyes on me when I fuck you!" They growl, their hips snapping roughly. You whimper, nodding desperately.

"Fuck," Jordan groans as your pussy clenches tightly.

"So fucking perfect." They say, sucking your bottom lip into their mouth as their cock pounds into your pulsing pussy. Your hand tightens in their hair, pulling their lips against yours, your tongue plunging into their mouth.

"Mine," they growl, and you moan into their mouth. "All fucking mine." They snarl, their lips pressing against yours in a rough kiss. Their teeth biting down on your bottom lip.

"Yes…Jordan." You whimper, their thrust becoming more frantic. "Yours, only yours." Jordan groans as you clench around them, their thrust slowing down but deepening with every thrust.

"Fuck…" You cry out, the pressure inside of you building, "Fuck, yes. Yours, baby." You whimper, and they groan. Their hand tightening on your throat, their hips snapping into yours.

"Your going to come for me baby?" Jordan says, as their hips roll against yours, your swollen clit rubbing against their pubic bone. "Come for me, baby. I'm so close." They groan, and you whimper.

"Fuck, you are so beautiful." Jordan says, their hips moving faster, their thrust becoming harder and deeper. Their hand still around your throat as their lips capture yours in a rough kiss. You arch your back, moaning into their mouth as their hips pound against yours.

You cry into their mouth, as your orgasm crashes into you. Your legs shaking, their hips continue to snap against yours, their cock hitting all the right places, driving you wild.

"Fucking beautiful." Jordan moans, their hips slapping against yours as you clench and quiver around their cock. “Fucking, mine!” They say, your body shaking, their hips never stopping, they continue to slam their hips against yours chasing their own release.

"Fuck baby," Jordan groans, their cock twitching inside of you. You whimper, clenching tightly around their cock, milking them. Jordan lets out a loud grunt, as their hips snap one last time before spilling inside of you, their hot cum shooting deep inside you as their mouth desperately presses against yours, your tongues twisting together in a sloppy kiss.

Their hips stuttering, as they fill you. You whimper, your body still trembling, as their hips slow. You could feel their cock twitching, as they continued to spill inside you. Your messy kiss slowly coming to a halt, as their lips leave yours, their forehead leaning against yours.

"Wow," you whisper, and Jordan chuckles softly.

"Yeah," They agree, their hands gently caressing your skin, their fingers tracing over the bite marks and bruises they left behind.

"Sorry," they murmur, placing a gentle kiss to the side of your neck.

"Its okay," you say, placing a soft kiss to their lips, "You're hot when your jealous."

Jordan scuffs, but gives you a small smile. They place a soft kiss to the base of your throat, their body dropping more against yours as they nuzzle into the crook of your neck. You wrap your arms around their shoulders, holding them close, your hands gently stroking their back.

"I missed you." Jordan whispers, their lips ghosting across your neck.

"And whose fault is that, dumbass." you say with a sarcastic scoff, "You're the one who's been ignoring me all week."

"I know." Jordan sighs, their body weight shifting as they raise their head to meet your eyes. "Just, things got super busy this week and I couldn't focus, you're too much of a distraction sometimes." They say sincerely, their fingers brushing across your cheek. You roll your eyes dramatically, but say nothing as you sometimes feel the same way about them, needing a break to focus on school and other shit but that didn’t mean you didn’t miss them either.

Jordan gives you a shy smile, before placing a firm kiss on your swollen lips. Their head dropping back into the crook of your neck. You sigh happily as your finger go back to gently stroke their back, lightly scratching their back with your nails, drawing soft sighs from their lips.

"We should probably shower," Jordan says softly, after a moment.

"Mmm, in a bit." you murmur your fingers continuing to trail patterns on their naked back. Jordan chuckles, shifting to their smaller form as they nuzzle their face deeper into your neck, their hand gripping your hip, holding you impossibly close to their body.

"Whatever you say, baby." they say, their voice muffled as they burry their face into the space between your breasts. You chuckle, before releasing a content sigh, holding them closer, your eyes closing as sleep slowly begins to claim you both.

[fandom-imagines-stories]

Over Mountains Cold

Kili Durin x Reader

Words: 4931

Summary: On a quest for your family, you and your traveling companion get caught in a winter storm in the Grey Mountains. Your true feelings for your best friend come to light when you struggle to make it through the chilling night. 

Notes: The heater in my room is broken and the image of cuddling with Kili to get warm is just really nice to me, okay? I will use Aidan Turner to dissociate before I contact ever maintenance. (also, why can’t I just write fluff? Why does there have to be the angsty backstory of losing siblings? The world may never know)

Warnings: Kind of a chaotic plot. An ungodly amount of sexual tension. I don’t make the rules. 

-

Fili gave a final wave as he disappeared over the ridge, taking the ponies with him. His brother tried to calm the pit in his stomach. Not only was Fili off to retrieve more supplies alone, but the cold was setting in. If he didn’t make it to the next village by the time the snow started, he would get stuck out here. 

Just like you were. 

“We should go,” You sighed. “We’ll want to set up camp before it gets dark and I want to search the foothills to the east before the sun goes down.”

Kili looked up at the sky. “It’s going to be a cold night.” Already, his breath came out in puffs from his lips. “Maybe we should stay here until morning. It’s lower, so it’ll be warmer and the snow hasn’t reached us yet.” 

You stiffened and turned determined eyes towards him. “I won’t waste any time. If there’s a chance of finding my sisters out here, I’m taking it.” 

You waited for him to argue or tell you how foolish you were. Winter was on the horizon and these mountains would be impassable in the coming weeks. But your friend merely gave you a small smile and put a hand on your shoulder. 

“Then lead the way.” 

You wanted to kiss him. Well, you often wanted to kiss him, but in that moment, with his eyes full of trust and belief in you, no words could express your gratitude. But, coward that you were, you settled for a pat on the arm and an awkward nod. 

“Right. Follow me.” You hurried away from him before you could do something stupid. 

You’d known the dwarven princes for most of your life. Having grown up near the Blue Mountains, you spent a lot of time with Durin’s folk, listening to their stories, celebrating their festivals, and causing a little chaos with your two closest friends. You couldn’t count the times Kili and Fili had gotten you into some kind of trouble, but surely they would say the same thing about you. 

The younger prince walked beside you, telling you legends of ridiculous creatures living in these hills, trying to make you smile. It worked, of course. Between his grin and a bit of theatricality, he never failed to lighten your moods. 

Kili was your best friend. He was there for every prank, every adventure, and every heartbreak. When your village was attacked by raiders three years ago, he spent weeks tending to your injuries and trying to hunt down the people who’d hurt you. 

That’s when they were taken. Your two older sisters, Maryina and Baeriel. Sometime during the battle, those foul men came to your home and stole them away. You were nearly killed trying to defend them. Everyone told you they were dead. Even your parents didn’t have the heart to keep looking after so long, but you wouldn’t give up. You knew they were alive. Kili was the only one who believed you.

“Do you remember what you told me?” You asked suddenly. 

Kili turned his head, hazel-brown eyes bright in the afternoon sun. His brows furrowed with curiosity. 

You elaborated. “When I said I was going to find them. I said I’d search the whole of Middle Earth if I had to. What did you say?” 

Kili beamed. “I said ‘Well, you’re not doing it without me,’” he remembered. “‘You’d get lost.’” 

“Exactly,” you laughed. “And, I do believe that you lead us down more a stray path than I, dear friend.” 

“But we always found our way in the end, didn’t we?” Kili grinned. 

“That we did.” 

The two of you fell back into a comfortable silence with something heavier hanging between you. 

Grass swayed with dying breaths, green turned to dry white. Ahead, towering peaks capped with snow loomed like a massive, foreboding gate. You watched them with growing unrest. Kili’s shoulder brushed against yours as you walked as if just to remind you he was there. 

The afternoon stretched and yawned. The sun began to hover. With every passing hour, the more the light sank, so did your hopes. Your search in the foothills yielded nothing. Not even the remnants of a possible settlement. 

“They aren’t here,” you said. You ran a hand down your tired face, eyes scanning the vast landscape, the mountains at your back. You turned to Kili. “What if…”

You’d come here on a rumor that the raiders who took your sisters had a base in the Grey Mountains. But that’s all you had to go off of- rumors. 

“It’s the first day.” He gave you a reassuring smile. “We’ll keep looking.” Kili scanned the dense woods at the base of the mountains, hoping for some signal of smoke or any other sign of life. There was nothing. But he wasn’t going to give up hope and he certainly wasn’t going to let you. “Come, let’s set up somewhere to sleep. You must be exhausted.”

“I’m fine,” you grumbled. “But if you’re saying you need to rest, then I suppose we can pitch the tent.” 

He rolled his eyes playfully. 

“Last one to the trees gathers firewood,” he challenged. The mischievous dwarf took off before you had the chance to process what he said. 

“Hey!” You called after him and ran as fast as your legs could carry. 

-

Usually, the three of you always camped out under the stars, but knowing how cold it would be, you brought a tent to provide a little shelter. But laying there, so close to him, the fabric barrier between you and the night sky seemed suffocating. 

It wasn’t the closest you’d ever been, of course. There had even been some nights where you found yourself asleep on his shoulder after a long day or he would doze off with his head in your lap. There was just something about this- something about the two of you enclosed together, alone- that felt different. 

You laid completely still, screwing your eyes shut, but your mind refused to rest. The form beside you shifted back and forth, twisting and turning. Kili grunted in frustration and turned onto his back. 

“Y/N?” He whispered. “Are you awake?”

“Unfortunately.” 

He blew out a breath. “We should sleep. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow. We’ll have to find some food in case Fili gets holed up somewhere.” 

You hummed and nodded. 

Both of you stared up at the slanted ceiling of the tent, not moving and not speaking. The tension alone chilled you to the bone, making you shudder. 

“Are you cold?” Kili asked. 

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure, because I have an extra fur-”

“Kili, go to sleep.” You huffed, shifting to your side away from him so he couldn’t see the painful want in your eyes. 

Kili was more than just your best friend to you. He was your first love, the only person you’d ever loved, really. You’d had suitors in the past ask for your hand, but you declined them all. Your heart was no longer yours to give away. But you could never bring yourself to tell him. He was a prince, after all, and what were you? A nobody. 

You blinked away tears and curled up as close to the tent’s wall as possible. 

So close together and yet you couldn't feel more distant. 

-

The next day yielded even less results. The further you got into the mountains, the less hope you had that you were going in the right direction. The Eastern Pass took you higher in elevation and further away from Fili with the supplies. 

“Wait.” Kili stopped suddenly, putting a hand out in front of you. “Listen.”

You halted, the frostbitten ground shifting beneath your boots. At first, the slight breeze was all you could detect, but as the forest stilled, the subtle yet clear sound of hooves carried on the wind. 

And they were getting closer. 

“Get down.” You grabbed the collar of his coat and pulled. The two of you tumbled into a bush, losing your balance in your haste. Kili hit the ground. You fell onto his chest, knocking the breath out of both of you. 

Kili grimaced. 

“Sorry,” you whispered. Your faces turned a similar shade of pink, both trying to hide it from the other.

The familiar thudding against the forest floor increased in speed and volume. From your position, you could just see through the foliage that kept you hidden.  Kili craned his neck, blindly trying to get a glance. 

“Can you see them?” He asked. 

“Shh.” 

You kept your head low as you stared out. Watching. Waiting. As the horses neared, you decided there couldn’t be more than three. 

“We could take them,” you whispered, looking down. But the sight of Kili lying beneath you, hazel-brown eyes staring up into yours with his hair a mess below him was too much. It sent a burning, twisting feeling through your stomach. You looked back up at the road. “There aren’t many. We could fight and force them to tell us where they took my sisters.”

“Are you mad?” Kili hissed, shifting underneath you. His hips rocked up into yours by accident. He sucked in a breath. “It could be innocent travelers going through the mountains. Or worse, there could be a dozen fighters and we’d be dead in seconds.”

“Since when are you the cautious one?” You scoffed, ignoring his movements and prepping yourself to pounce. 

Kili locked his arms around your middle and rolled. He had you on your back before you could stop him, pinning you to the forest floor with his hands on either side of your head. 

“Since I’m trying to keep you from getting yourself killed,” he growled. 

Relieved that your hips were no longer pressed against his, Kili had put himself in another predicament hovering over your body, his lips mere inches from yours. 

It shamed him to think of how many times he’d imagined you like this.

He waited until the riders were past, counting three, just as you said, but they seemed only to be a father and his two children, both under the age of 16. Kili doubted that these were the raiders who had destroyed your home. One of them mentioned something about getting over the pass before the storm, which made him uneasy. 

Despite the heat of your bodies, the air was indeed growing colder. Clouds were gathering and a crisp, cool scent hung in the air. 

Kili stood and held out a hand to help you up. 

You didn’t take it. 

“We need to keep moving.” 

He swallowed. “We should head back to lower grounds. If we get caught in the pass, who knows how we’ll get out.” 

You didn’t look at him. Instead, you continued up the path. “I wasn’t asking.”

-

Kili walked behind you, neither saying a word. He saw the tension in your back shifting like you were already in battle. He only wished he could relieve at least some of the weight that bore down on your shoulders. Witnessing you in such pain hurt him more than he knew how to express. That, unfortunately, wasn’t the only thing he struggled to put into words. 

It had taken Kili long enough to finally admit his feelings for you to himself, but it was taking even longer for him to admit them to you. Fear wasn’t something that usually stopped him- he’d faced trolls and orc packs a dozen times over- but the idea of jeopardizing his friendship with you frightened him to no end. 

Still, lying there, pressed against you, had drummed all of those feelings up to the front of his mind. They distracted him from the real issue at hand and he tried to remind himself that you need him focused. You needed a warrior, not a love-sick errand boy. 

“If we keep at this pace, we can make it through the pass by morning,” you said grimly. 

Kili exhaled, his voice deep with concern. “Y/N, you need to rest.” 

“I need to find my sisters.” 

You kept walking. 

Kili kept his arguments to himself. Starting a fight now would only make you angrier and he didn’t want to risk you going off alone. 

He let out a low sigh. Being the responsible one was exhausting. 

Kili watched the sun with a concerned eye and discomfort growing in his stomach. His breath appeared in a cloud from his lips. But worse, flecks of white sent panic up his spine. The snow speckled the branches of the pines around them and added to the already thick blanket of frost that coated the ground. The further up, the deeper the snow banks. 

“These flurries won’t be flurries for long,” he warned. 

“We’ll make it.” 

You refused to turn back to look at him. If you did, you knew that one look at his face would make you forget your persistence. You would turn around and head back down the mountain and have to start all over again in the morning. So you kept your eyes ahead, despite the growing shiver down your spine. 

Besides, it was only a little snow. You and the brothers had faced worse on numerous occasions. 

Kili quickened his pace to take his place beside you again. 

“This way,” he said. “I’ve heard a shortcut through this pass.”

You raised a brow. “You’ve heard of one?”

“We’re here based on a rumor, aren’t we?” He retorted. 

You shrugged as if to say ‘fair enough.’ 

Kili took the lead as the air thickened with white flakes. The shortcut, while it existed as far as he knew, was not the true purpose of his change in direction. He’d read journals telling tales of adventures through these mountains and he remembered a checkpoint for many. A cave where they could take shelter from winter storms. He only hoped it was real. 

You began to regret your stubbornness as the cold seeped through your coat, the snow falling thicker and thicker, decreasing your visibility until you could see but a mere few feet in front of you. 

In a blink, the blizzard set in. 

You trudged on. Eyes blinded by white, you walk straight into the mass in front of you. Your companion’s warmth drew you in and you couldn’t help but press yourself against his back. His arm wrapped around, searching for yours. 

“Take my hand!” Kili called back to you. 

You did so without hesitation, wincing at the chilled state of his skin. 

“We’re nearly there!” He shouted over the wind. 

“That’s impossible! We haven’t even made it through the pass!”

“You’ll see.” 

Trust was the only thing you had left, your senses overtaken by the storm. And then suddenly, it stopped. Kili pulled you forward and the choking white curtained the opening of the cave behind you. Wind howled, but no longer deafened. 

“You knew this was here?” You gasped through chattering teeth. 

Kili gulped. “I hoped.” 

“You hoped?” 

“You kept going!” He held out his hands, fingers stretched and shaking with his words. “I didn’t know what else to do!” 

“Nevermind. It doesn’t matter.” You ran a hand down your face, wincing at the freezing surface of your own skin, as well as the exhaustion overtaking your features. You paced back toward the blinding white outside. “We’ll stay here until the storm blows over and then we’ll keep going.” 

Standing at the opening of the cave, the wind still chilled you to the bone. Still, you watched, as if your sisters would magically appear and welcome you into their warm arms. 

As the image passed through your mind, you were gently pulled away from the wind by a hand as cold as yours, and yet it sparked the warmth that you needed. Kili placed a hand on your cheek, turning your face to his. 

“You’re exhausted,” he said. “We cannot afford to be careless. Not out here. We’ll go out again in the morning. You need to rest.” Before you could argue, he added, “We both do.” 

With the fog of determination outweighed by fatigue and frost, you sighed in defeat, hanging your head. 

“Alright,” you conceded. 

Kili put a finger under your chin and lifted your eyes. He gave you a small smile to which you couldn’t help but reciprocate. 

“Come on. We should set up the tent. It might not be much, but it can’t hurt.” 

Your chattering teeth gave no argument. There was no wood for a fire, the smoke would fill the small space anyway, so the thin cloth was your only added defense against the cold. 

Once inside, you both felt the same pull towards each other, your bodies craving the heat of another. But you stayed on the far side, as far as you could get, mind clouded by icy, frozen fear. Kili didn’t say anything, trying to ignore the ache in his chest as he tried to sleep. 

Your eyes couldn’t have been shut for more than a moment when you heard them. 

“Y/N!” 

“Y/N! Where are you?” 

You blinked to clear the tiredness from your eyes and listened. 

“It can’t be,” you whispered. 

“Y/N! Y/N!” 

Maryina and Baeriel. 

You listened again. 

“We’re here! Help us!”

Your sisters. They were out there. They were trapped in the storm. They needed you. 

You sat up, tossing aside the coat you’d been using for a blanket and ignored the bitter air seeping through your tunic. You didn’t feel it. You didn’t see your companion sleeping across from you. You didn’t hear the wind as you stepped out of the tent. You only heard your sisters’ cries…

And stepped out into the blizzard. 

-

Kili twisted and turned. As hard as he tried, sleep never stayed. He dozed off only to drift back, trying not to shiver. 

“I can’t sleep again,” he sighed. Kili flipped onto his other side. Rubbing his tired eyes, he opened them. The bundle of furs beside him took an odd shape. 

Empty. 

“Y/N?” 

He sat up and reached across the tent, feeling nothing but frigid air. Kili lifted his head, panic banishing any exhaustion left in his limbs. 

The untied opening of the tent flapped in the wind. 

“Y/N!” He called out. 

The storm screamed in response. 

He scrambled out of his bedroll and sprinted into the night. Fat, white flakes stuck to his face and eyelashes no matter how much he blinked them away. 

“Y/N!” He shouted again. 

Kili walked, trying to keep the cave in sight. The blizzard raged around him, concealing even the silhouette of the trees. He cried out your name again and again. With every passing second of silence, his chest grew tighter. 

Why would you have gone off alone? 

What if something had taken you?

There was no way for Fili to reach the cave until the storm settled, which meant he was completely and utterly alone. 

“Y/N!” 

It felt like hours before the wind let up and even then, snow continued to fall and the air turned even colder, creeping down Kili’s neck like a thousand icy-legged spiders. 

There, in the distance, he could just make out a shape, wandering and covered in a thick, frozen blanket. 

Kili ran as fast as his aching legs would allow, his boots sliding on the ice-coated ground. No matter how loud he shouted, it was as if you couldn’t hear him. You trudged on, the snow almost reaching your knees. You didn’t even have your coat. If he didn’t get you out of this cold, you would surely be lost to the white nothingness that surrounded you. 

“Y/N, what are you-” Kili moved to grab your arm and found that your eyes were closed. Ice stuck to your face where tears had fallen and your blue lips muttered the same two things over and over again.

“Maryina…. Baeriel….” 

Kili’s heart shattered like an icicle falling to the earth. 

“Y/N, love, wake up,” he pleaded, gently taking hold of your shoulders. He had to stop himself from recoiling. Even through your tunic, you were like a statue, freezing to the touch. “We need to get back to the cave. I need to get you to a fire. I need to get you warm.” 

Already, you looked like a walking corpse. 

But your eyes were starting to open.

“K-Kili?” You muttered through chattering teeth. “What’s going on? I’m so…” You stepped forward, falling against him. “I’m so cold.” 

Kili didn’t hesitate. He scooped you up into his arms, holding you tight against his chest. He followed his own footprints as they were slowly being covered again by the falling snow. By some miracle, he made it back to the cave. He hurried into the tent, wishing he had the material for a fire. For now, all he had was hope. 

“I heard them,” you said, still dazed. “I heard their voices calling to me in the storm.” 

“And you followed it?” He gasped, quickly undoing the fastens of his coat. “Are you mad? Even if they were out there, you’re no good to them frozen to death.” 

Kili shrugged out of his coat and wrapped it around your shoulders. 

“No, Kili.” You tried to push him away, but he was stronger, fueled by panic and determination. “Kili, you’ll freeze.”

“I’ll be fine,” he said harriedly. He tied the entrance of the tent to keep out the frigid wind and laid down, gently pulling you along with him. Kili rubbed his hands up and down your arms, careful to keep the heap of furs wrapped tightly around you. He held you against his chest, his tunic slightly undone so you could feel the heat of his skin against your cheek. 

As his warmth broke through the icy surface that suffocated your entire body, your mind started to clear. It started to wake up.

And when it did all you could see was his wide, golden-brown eyes searching yours with a fire you’d seen a few times before. Once when you’d been separated from him and his brother for a week on a particularly stressful journey and the other when your village was attacked and your sisters were taken. Each time, he looked as though he was looking at the sun for the first time. 

At the time, you didn’t understand, or perhaps you didn’t let yourself understand. You understood now what that fire meant. 

He was, and would always be, your shelter. 

Like magnets, you somehow were drawn together still, despite already being impossibly close. The air between you was hot with your breathing. Everything seemed to stand still, from the raging winds outside to the racing heart inside your chest. 

Neither of you said a word, an entire conversation held simply in the lock of your gazes. 

Kili’s hand cradled the back of your head, laying it against his chest. You felt the soft, sweet warmth of his lips on your forehead. 

Despite the hauntings of your mind, your heart gave you leave to rest in the strength and comfort of Kili’s embrace, allowing both of you to slip back into the persistent reach of slumber. 

-

The storm blocked the pass by morning and, without any equipment, there was no way to get over. It had all been for nothing. 

Fili found you halfway back down the mountain, the pony’s back covered with more supplies. 

“What happened to you two?” He asked.

“We couldn’t find them,” you snapped, hurrying ahead of both of them. 

Fili turned to his brother. 

Kili shook his head. 

Your party of three traveled until you found the nearest tavern and the boys made you stop for the night, watching exhaustion seep into your every step. 

Dinner was had in silence with an air hanging so thick that Fili felt he would choke on it. He could never imagine the two of you fighting- he knew that his brother would never forgive himself if he ever hurt you. But he also knew Kili’s true feelings towards his best friend and Fili couldn’t help but wonder if something had been revealed while he was gone. 

“We’ll start up toward the northern villages in a few days,” Kili said. “It’ll give us some time to rest, regroup, and plan.” 

You stared at your plate. “What’s the point?” 

Both turned to you. 

Kili’s eyes softened. “Y/N, you don’t mean that.”

“They’re gone, Kili.” You blinked back tears. “We could search until the end of time and we still wouldn’t find them.”

“Then to the end of time we will look because I am not giving up,” he insisted. His dark eyes took on that glimmer from last night, igniting something within you. 

Your nightmare wasn’t the only thing that frightened you. 

“I’m going to my room,” you said, pushing away from the table. Your form disappeared up the stairs with the gaze of both princes trailing after you. 

Kili sighed, running his fingers through his long, dark hair. 

“You just going to let her go?” Fili scoffed. 

“What would you have me do?” 

Fili shook his head and took a drink of his ale. 

Kili narrowed his eyes. “What?”

His brother raised a brow. “Y/N is the most stubborn, persistent, devoted woman I’ve ever met. She isn’t giving up on looking for her sisters. She’s worried about continuing the search with us.” 

“What?” Kili exclaimed. “What are you talking about?”

“Kili, brother,” Fili sighed. “I’m saying maybe my absence was exactly the two of you needed and you’re both still avoiding what I’ve seen for as long as we’ve known Y/N.” He finished off his ale and snatched Kili’s away before he could protest. “Now go talk to her.” 

Kili swallowed, staring at the steps. It took one final shove from his brother to actually get him to stand up and move. 

As he ascended the stairs, Kili thought about everything Fili had said. What did he mean, his absence was what you two needed? What did he know that Kili didn’t? 

Of course, the younger prince knew exactly what his brother meant. He’d always known, even when he didn’t know how to admit it. But waking up in that tent, the panicked thoughts of you out in the storm, alone, the terror of losing you to the ice and snow, and holding you in his arms to keep you warm all revealed exactly what had been in his heart all these years. 

He loved you. 

Perhaps Fili was right. 

Maybe it was time to finally tell you. 

Kili found your room and stood before it for a good long while. He tried raising his hand to knock, but he was just… frozen in place. 

What if this was a mistake? 

What if decades of friendship fell apart in this moment?

What if-

The door opened and his heart stopped. 

You startled back at the sight of his big brown eyes. The eyes you hadn’t been able to stop thinking about. The ones you wanted to get lost in and never be found. And he was there, waiting for you. 

You both opened your mouths to speak and stopped, waiting for the other person, leaving you both in a tense silence. The same tension from the tent. The one that drew you together, closer and closer. 

“Kili, I-”

His lips caught yours, silencing the words you still weren’t sure how to say. You let your hands tangle in his hair, pulling him closer, closer still if that was even possible. Every moment, every breath from the last few days had been leading to this. And all either of you could think was one word. 

Finally. 

And as Fili watched you pull Kili into your room, kicking the door closed behind him, he was thinking the same thing. 

“Finally,” he muttered, shaking his head as he went to his room, glad to have it to himself for a change. 

-

Kili’s lips brushed against your forehead, the rest of your body completely tangled with his. Your arms wrapped around his bare chest, your legs wound between his, and your head was tucked under his chin. Your naked skin burned against each other but you never wanted it to stop. 

And between every sigh, every pleasured cry or whispered word came one phrase. I love you. 

He said it again, now. “I love you.” 

You turned to look up at him. Into those eyes. The gaze that captured you more and more every time. 

“And I you,” you said, kissing his collarbone, then his jaw, then finally his lips. “I have loved you ever since you taught me to shoot an arrow through the apples on our tree.” 

Kili grinned, deepening the kiss and moving so his face hovered over yours. 

“I’m still not giving up, you know,” he whispered. “We will find your sisters. And we will do it together.”

You wrapped a brown curl around your finger and nodded. 

“I know. Before, I was just… scared.” You turned your head away. “That storm took me to a place I don’t want to go again.”

Kili laid a hand on your cheek, bringing your eyes back to his. “I’ll keep you safe.” He kissed your forehead again. “I promise.” 

After letting the seriousness of your words settle for a moment, you grinned mischievously and rolled so that you straddled him. 

“We should have tried this sooner,” you smirked. 

Kili laughed and rolled again, putting him back above you. “It’s certainly a good way to stay warm.”

[sunnylands-world]

as someone who also thinks aidan deserves more apprietiation, can you do one where the reader has really cold hand all the time and he has to warm them up? orrr same cold handed reader suddenly has warm hands and he's like ".....wtF?! warming your hand was MY job dummy 🙄😥...wait who did it for you?!"

Lover's hands

Pairing: Aidan x fem reader

Summary: Aidan's out of town and he's expecting to come back and find everything just the way it was before but when he comes back he walks in on his worst nightmare, you replacing him…

Word count: 711

Warning: jealous Aidan, weird coworkers, reader has cold hands

Universe: celebrity

A/n: sorry for the wait hope you like it though

Nice thought, reblogs, and inboxing is appreciated and motivational ❤️

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The winter was extremely cold and you were glad you had Aidan to keep you warm in more than one way. Whether it was kisses on your forehead from his warm lips as the air blew or hugs when you stood in places long or simply his hand holding yours to keep your fingers from becoming popsicles. he'd scolded you about forgetting your gloves but you still did, partially by accident and partially on purpose.

Something about his hand in yours as the sky rained snowflakes and the ground covered in a light coat of fluffy white Ice.

He'd been gone for a bit so your hands began to chill till you blew puffs of air against them.

It wasn't until your friend Matt from work offered you his hand teaching you a method to keep them warm. It was a foreign feeling having someone else keep your small hands warm because that was just… Aidan's thing.

When Aidan did finally come back he spotted you with Matt planning to surprise you. Aidan had a…neutral relationship with him. He didn't like him but tolerated him nevertheless because you worked with him and nothing he felt was worth you losing your job because you loved working at the small coffee shop. Matt was very flirty with you and Aidan noticed, even if you didn't.

For some reason you had self doubts no matter how many times Aidan tried to show you how he saw you through his eyes. As Aidan stepped closer he noticed your hands resting in Matt's as he gave you a grin, his blue eyes sparkling with mischievousness and his smile didn't seem as sweet as he tried to make it look… or maybe he was just jealous.

Aidan didn't exactly tell you that he admired his fingers being laced with yours but he'd hoped his slight squeezes and circle rubs meant something to you. He tried to mask his anger and hurt as he walked over making you smile and jump into him for a hug. He hugged you back thinking of what to say as you loosen your hold on him.

"You and Matt having fun?" he asked sarcastically, his voice dripping with jealousy

Great job Aidan.

Before words even got out from you Matt interjected.

"Yeah! isn't that right sunshine?" He said to you more than Aidan pressing a kiss to your cold hand. Aidan clenched his jaw

"I was teaching her a technique to keep her tiny little hands warm. She said you usually keep them warm but you weren't here, poor baby…so I taught her another way!" He grinned. Aidan looked over to you seeing your eyes filled with worry…or was it guilt.

"I think that's enough, I'll take it from here," Aidan said, reaching his hand out for yours. You nodded timidly, standing to your feet but matt locked his fingers with yours stopping you from leaving fully.

"Matt let go of my girlfriend's hand…now," Aidan urged but Matt ignored him, looking in your direction.

"Do you wanna go sunshine?" He asked, giving you puppy eyes but you nodded with a firm yes.

He let go still staring to the point where it turned creepy as Aidan walked you out of the store, his hand tucking yours and his in his coat pocket.

"So I see you and Matt were getting quite comfortable with each other," he announced.

"He's my co-worker Aidan."

"Yeah because people hold hands with their coworkers all the time!" He said, rolling his eyes.

"Aidan, are you upset I let matt keep my hands warm?" You teased, on the verge of laughter.

"Okay, Yes I was jealous! but that's my thing! it makes me feel like I'm showing you the small things you know? Caring if you're cold and what not," he confirmed. You giggled, making a slight smile pull at the corner of Aidan's lips.

"Aidan, I know you care about the little things which is why you're the one I trust with everything. And for the record Matt is a terrible hand warmer. I prefer my boyfriend's way," you said, looking forward.

Aidan smiled letting out a sigh, he didn't know why he was worried about it when he knew in the end you'd always choose him.

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[jakegasm]

mistakes | lo'ak sully

genre: angst ♧ 

pairing: lo’ak sully x omatikaya!reader (mentions of neteyam and tsireya) 

word count: 2.5k

warnings: heartbreak, cheating (? idk why i put a question mark, there’s most definitely cheating involved 😂) 

brief info: upon moving to Awa’atlu the sully family agrees to have you tag along, you and lo’ak have been best friends for as long as you two can remember. Though to his parents it has been nothing but a friendly demeanor between the two of you, unknown to them that you and lo’ak have been in a secret relationship for quite some time now. While in Awa’atlu, lo’ak seems to be avoiding you more and more lately spending more time with tsireya than you, leaving you and your relationship entirely in the dust. 

playlist~ 

flowers: lauren spencer smith 

two places at once: haley joelle

Punchline: aidan martin

notes:  ‼️lo’ak and reader are 18‼️ 4 years later after the sully family moved to Awa’atlu

Neteyam is NOT dead, bby is still alive bc I said so 

//again this was barely proofread and its not my best bc i kinda rushed it T-T i still hope you all enjoy though! and please I do not hate tsireya she's a cinnamon roll I just needed to use someone and she fit perfectly T-T//

Syeha si mì ulte lonu: breathe in and release 

Mawey: calm

Rä'ä: do not

Skxawng: moron, idiot

The waves break around the rocks in the shallows, their foam crests becoming chaotic lace over the blue. You watch it swirl, mesmerized as if the movement of the water choreographs your thoughts. The crunching of the sand tearing you away from your thoughts, the space next to you now becoming occupied. You shifted your body away from them avoiding the inevitable conversation you two were to have. You felt him looking at you, his eyes burning into the side of your face. You were ignoring him and he knew it. He gently rocked his shoulder into yours in hopes of getting your attention, lucky for him it works. 

“Why are you here Neteyam?” 

“What? I cannot accompany a friend now?” 

Rolling your eyes, you set them back on the crashing waves in front of you. The waves swimming up to shore tickling your toes with the slightly cold water. 

“If you are looking for Lo’ak, he is with Tsireya.” Irritation hung in your voice, the male did not let this go unnoticed. Though he wanted to question it, he decided to ignore it. 

“So that is where he has been all these days…” His voice trailed out in thought. He noticed your body tensed up slightly at the comment, digging your head more into your knees that were pushed up against your chest. Your eyes prickled with tears but you blinked them away before he could notice them. But it was too late. He felt his chest tighten seeing your eyes glaze over in sadness as the setting sun reflected ever so perfectly on the tears that threaten to spill. Reaching out a hand he brushed away a tear that had managed to escape, his lips in a thin line. 

“My brother is a skxawng, he will realize what he will lose but until then…it will already be too late.” 

His words hit you like a brick. You didn’t want to wait for him to realize it because the more you waited the more you watched him fall for someone else. Scooting closer you nuzzled yourself into his side finding comfort in the warm embrace as his arms immediately wrap around you giving your shoulders a reassuring squeeze. You two stayed like that for some time as you wept in his arms, trying to make amends for your lover. That you were unfortunately losing. 

________________

“Neteyam I’m sorry!” You laughed running out of his marui pod, trying to make an escape from the consequences of your actions. 

“Oh no, you think I’d let you off the hook for that? No way!” The male chased you even quicker. Laughter erupted from your throat as your feet moved as quickly as possible to get away from him. You peeked over your shoulder to see he was gaining on you rather quickly, and the smile on your face widened even more. Your destination was his parents' Marui pod since you knew that’s where your safety resided, his mother would for sure protect you from him. You hastily jogged up to the pod trying to keep your balance and speed as the walkway wobbled a bit under your feet. You managed to make it to the pod’s opening before you felt hands clasp your waist holding you tightly against their chest, swinging you away from the pods' entrance. You wiggled in his grip while your joined laughter filled the pod while you gasped for air begging him to release you. 

“Neteyam put her down.” His mother spoke a smile resting on her face, his father appearing not too shortly behind his wife. 

“You heard what your mother said. Put her down boy.” 

Nodding he gently placed you back on the ground, but not before poking his tongue out at you, something he had learned from Kiri. You just giggled at the reaction turning towards his parents who held a look wanting either one of you to explain what was happening. 

“That’s one hell of a way to say Good Morning. Mind telling me what’s that about?” His father spoke, his tone demanding but not harsh. 

“y/n threw water on me while I was sleeping, sir.” Neteyam’s eyes sent you a quick threatening look only to receive a small laugh from you. 

“Yeah, that’s because you wouldn’t wake up after you PROMISED me that you’d take me fishing today.” You added in, earning yourself an eye roll from him. 

“So you throw water on me? May Ewya help you for what I will do when��”

“Good Morning.” Neteyams' threat was cut off by someone entering the pod. 

The wide smile on your face disappeared; just as quickly as your playful demeanor. He greeted his parents before sharing eye contact with you, your stomach now doing somersaults. He nodded at you as a greeting, not daring to give you a proper greeting. You felt small. So small. You were on the verge of nausea as you watched him avoid all sorts of contact with you. 

“Lo’ak don’t be rude, speak to y/n.” His mother softly smacked him on the back of his shoulder earning her a low hiss from the male.

“Good morning…y/n.” His eyes stayed fixated on something that wasn’t you, annoyance radiating off of him. 

“Good morning lo’ak…Um, Neteyam?” Neteyam was quick to make contact with you, your eyes pleading with him to leave. Quickly he wrapped an arm around your shoulder and swiftly turned you away from the others to avoid them seeing the tears that were now falling so freely while you bit your lip so hard trying your best to stop them. 

“We will be back before eclipse. I promise.” He swore to his parents nodding at them and smiling, but not before he shot his brother a deadly glare, only to see his brother already held one against him. Wiping his head back around he guided you out of the pod making sure to keep your head down as he whispered sweet reassuring words to you along the way. 

__________________

“Syeha si ulte….lonu.”  The arrow flew from your bow grazing your fingertips lightly during the release, only for you to miss your target…again. Whining you turned your head to Neteyam who was trying very hard not to laugh at your failure. 

“Laugh it up while you can, mighty warrior.” Your tongue poked out at him tauntingly after “warrior”, though he cleared his throat his smile never left his face when he approached you. He stood behind you turning your body so your back lay against his chest, his hands guiding your arms back into your shooting stance. 

“Your arms should be straight, or you’ll miss your target again.” His hands held underneath your arms gently smoothing over the skin underneath them before pushing them upwards. “Take a deep breath and hold it. It must come from your stomach or it will not work.” Bringing his other hand down he gently pushed on your stomach causing your body to tense up immediately, you found yourself holding your breath for another reason. 

“Mawey, your heartbeat is fast. No wonder you cannot catch any fish.” He joked, his breath hitting the shell of your ear due to the close proximity you two were in. Shaking your head you tried to distract yourself from how close you two were. Straightening your posture, you sucked in a deep breath making sure to hold it in just as instructed locking eyes on your wiggling target and–

“Ahem.” Someone cleared their throat halting your motion. You both turn your head towards the person responsible for the noise, only to be met by the one person you didn’t want to speak to but also a person you yearned deeply for. 

“Sorry for uh… disrupting you two but can I talk to y/n?” Lo’ak watched as Neteyam refused to take a step away from you making him bite the inside of his cheek in annoyance.

“Alone.” 

The older brother never moved from your side, his body now shielding you in a way. The tension in the air felt thick, so thick not even a knife would be able to pierce it. You placed your hand on his arm giving it a squeeze to grab his attention, “Neteyam.” Your voice soft, his head turning down towards you his eyes immediately softening almost as if they were pleading with you. 

“I’ll be fine.” You tried your best to give him a smile, just enough for him to let you go. It was obvious your smile didn’t convince him, huffing his mouth turned into a thin line before nodding at you moving further to the opposite side to let you go. You nodded at him once more before following behind a rather fuming lo’ak. 

_______________________

“Lo’ak!” 

The boy ignored you as he walked fast in front of you slapping things out of his as he passed them. You tried your hardest to keep up but there was no way your speed equaled anything to his big long strides. Jogging a little you gained a bit of closeness to him his hand just in reach for you to grab. 

“Lo’ak wait–”

“What?!” He snapped at you angrily turning towards you. You felt like a turtle going back into its shell with his tone. A tone he has never used with you. 

“I just wanted you to slow down, you’re walking too fast.” Your voice sounded so little making his ears flick downwards. 

“Where are we going anyway?” 

“Our usual spot…We need to talk–about us.” A familiar ache started to churn in your stomach at these words. Your thoughts become jumbled up in your mind of all the possible outcomes of this conversation. 

Was he finally going to tell others of your relationship?

Or…

Did he finally want to call it quits? 

Mindlessly you followed him deeper into the closed-in cave area, the familiar scenery coming into your view not too long after you both decided to keep walking. You looked into the glowing water smiling faintly at the glimmering goldfish that rushed to the surface upon your arrival, seeming excited to see you again. You almost bumped into the back of lo’ak not realizing he had stopped moments ago, you stared confusingly at his back before his voice caught your attention. 

“What were you and brother doing before I arrived?” You blinked at him confusingly. Turning his body fully towards you now, his face completely ruined by the anger that he was trying so desperately to keep inside. The confusion on your face seemed to anger him more than he already was causing him to roll his eyes at you. 

“You and my brother. You’re way too close to be “just friends”, every time I see you two your both so close to each other!” 

You and Neteyam were friends. That was it. There were no romantic feelings involved once so ever whenever you two conversed. At least that’s how you saw it on your end. 

“If you are asking if I and neteyam ever did anything with each other the answer is no.” You were starting to take offense to the accusations he kept spuing out at you, rendering you into irritation at the boy. 

“Really? Because that’s so hard to believe when I see his hands all over you a few moments ago. And from the looks of it, you weren’t moving them any time soon!” 

“He was teaching me how to fish!” 

“Why him? You could’ve asked me. Me! Your boyfriend!” 

“Well, I can’t ask my boyfriend if he’s never around when I need him!” 

You didn’t notice that your breathing had started to pick up or even notice how the image of him standing in front of you became blurry from the water that swelled up in your eyes. 

“Or when he’s not with tsireya showing her all the things that you showed me!  Or–or ditching our plans for tsireya because she wants to go look at the stars with you!” The gentle wind from a small opening in the cave blew past your face making you feel the coldness from the tears that now overflowed from your eyes. 

“It’s always tsireya, tsireya, tsireya! Never me! I’m never your first choice anymore.” Your chest heaved up and down rapidly as your feelings felt like they were oozing out of you, your mouth just could not stop projecting all the feelings you had bottled up for so long. 

“Neteyam has been there for me when you weren’t. Night after night, day after day, HE has always been there. Not you lo’ak. And guess what? He’s cleaning up the mess you made…AGAIN.” Your last words held so much power, you knew those words were going to sting but, you needed him to hear them. Hear how much pain he has caused because of his absence. Hear what a mess he’s made of you. The scenarios of them interacting start to flood your mind, the acts of kindness and love the two radiated gave off a familiar feeling that you two once shared. You swallowed your fear down as a fearful question bubbled up in your throat. 

“Have–have you two done anything?” 

Silence. All you were met with was silence. But this was all you needed to finally make sense of his recurring disappearances. Your face scrunched up in disgust, your tears now producing more than they have ever before. 

“I knew it…” Swiftly you turned away from him almost jogging your way out of the small hideaway area, ignoring his calls out to you. You didn’t want to hear a thing he had to say anymore, his silence spoke loudly for him already. 

“y/n, listen to m-” His hand caught your wrist trying his best to make you look at him, instead you jerked your arm away from his grip harshly. 

“Rä'ä!” The anger in your voice shook him, you never raised your voice at him, though he knew he deserved this. He made a mistake and he needed you to understand that. 

“You do not get to touch me anymore. You do not even need to think about me anymore.”

His ears dropped dramatically, his tail hiding in between his legs. It was now his turn to breathe heavily, his brain not wanting to believe the words you were throwing at him. 

“Please, just let me explain what happ-”

“You have explained enough lo’ak. Now go, go before tsireya starts wondering about your whereabouts.” You turned away from him only to be stopped by him once more. 

“I don’t care about tsireya right now! Dammit just listen to me!” His voice shook massively, his eyes pleading desperately at you almost making you push your hurt and anger to the side and wrap him back in your arms that you wanted him back desperately in. Almost. 

“Goodbye lo’ak.” You took your arm away from his hold once again ignoring his pleas for you to come back. Your heart ached hearing how desperate he sounded for you, though you needed him to learn. You needed him to learn that someone’s heart is not something to gamble with. 

He needed to learn from all the mistakes he made.

[whoopsyeahokay]

October Sun

summary: Xavier had been tormented by many things since Maddie's disappearance, Simon's distrust and hostility at the top of the list. but there'd been other things that'd kept him up at night as well, and for a much longer time. I know we don't talk about it, he'd said, but maybe we should...

pairing: Wally Clark x fem!reader

warnings: eventual smutty smut smut. and mad spoilers. and obvious Canon divergence. very involved, very dense plot.

bon reading, frens

___________________________💀

OCTOBER SUN pt.20

Xavier stood in front of the closed door, wary, unsure if he was allowed to open it. He knew what was behind it, knew you were in there because you hadn't been in your room when he'd gone to check on you after he'd heard the pipes shudder and the water stop.

He'd spent the last thirty minutes with Abigail—your grandmother—in the kitchen, their conversation skirting around the topic of your panic attack as if admitting what had caused it would conjure another episode. Abigail had fed him cookies and chocolate milk like he was still the little boy she'd been introduced to years ago, all scraped knees and peach-fuzz hair, adult teeth too big for his smile.

A massive tupperware of spaghetti and meatballs waited for him on the bench in the foyer where he'd kicked off his shoes and hung his jacket upon entering the house. Abigail always fretted over him. Hugged him and held him like her own. Xavier adored her. Adored your whole family, really; profoundly grateful to be accepted as part of it. Especially after his own had dissolved into something he couldn't hold together no matter how much he'd tried.

Still, being accepted into your family didn't mean Xavier had access to every corner and cranny. Some things were off-limits, private, For Our Eyes Only, and the room he lingered outside of was one of them. But, fuck it, he'd already missed his Bio test; had skipped last period to get you home safe, and he needed to make sure you were okay before he left.

With a grounding breath, Xavier summoned the courage and opened the door.

The room was daytime-dark, curtains drawn, the stars tacked on the ceiling glowing an eerie, phosphorous green. He could easily make out the child-height furniture. The shelves of picture books and action figures. Spiderman sheets, sleeves of Pokémon cards, and a stack of VHS tapes Aurora had insisted on playing whenever she'd been forced to babysit—"This sucks, Rory, we want Netflix!"—"Shut up. This is so much better!"

The air smelt stale, stuffy, and there was a thick film of dust on every surface but the bed. A shrine untouched in the years between Then and Now.

Xavier's eyes fell to where you sat on the floor, knees up, head tipped back to rest on the low, single bed. He wanted to turn around. Leave. Being there felt intrusive. But, you didn't yell at him. Didn't tell him to fuck off. Didn't throw something at his head. You barely acknowledged him apart from patting the ground beside you in behest.

He dropped down easily; accepted your weight when you slumped into his side, head on his shoulder, damp hair soaking a wet patch into the collar of his shirt. He rested his elbows on his knees, hand clasped around opposite wrist, and pressed his cheek into the top of your head. Glancing down the length of you, he noticed the stuffed lion in your arms. A long, gangly thing with a round face and button eyes, features sewn in black thread on a corduroy canvas.

Aidan had toted that thing around like a limb, Xavier remembered.

It hurt everywhere to think of the little boy who'd inserted himself into the sleepovers and hangouts you'd had in elementary school. Afternoons and evenings spent shooing him away only to give in within minutes because neither you nor Xavier or Hana had the heart to say no to him.

"Sissy~, I want to play, too!"

A lump formed in Xavier's throat, pressure behind his eyes that he ignored to ask, "Are you okay?" He kept his voice just above a whisper, the way people spoke in church. Afraid to disturb the spectral peace that pervaded the room.

After several beats, you finally admitted, "I don't think so," and held the lion tighter.

Xavier didn't know how to respond, the agreement you'd both made six years ago—no questions asked—weighing his conscience down. He wanted to respect the promise. Had always respected it just as you had done for him. However, things felt too heavy not to at least broach the subject.

On a shaky exhale, Xavier ventured, "I know we don't talk about it, but...maybe we should."

"Zav..."

"No, listen, you freaked the fuck out back there and it scared the shit out of me. I haven't seen you that bad in years." He nudged you off his shoulder with a minute shrug, shifting to prop his head against the bed. You studied him, thick lashes starred from your shower, and eyes glassy. The misery miring your expression was visible enough through the dark that Xavier felt guilty for saying anything. He said anyway, "Please don't shut me out."

His mother had very little interest in him; his dad treated him like an unbroken animal. And Maddie...he'd fucked that up so much that, even if she came back, he wouldn't be able to look her in the eye. And yes, yeah, he'd done it to himself, okay? He knew that. He'd always made sure not to let himself get too comfortable. Kept people at arm's length because, if he didn't, it would hurt so much worse when they eventually left.

But you were different. You'd been there since he'd pushed Harrison Levi out of the sandbox in kindergarten and split the kid's eyebrow open. The only one in the class who hadn't been afraid of Xavier after that, and had shared your crayons and glue during crafts period.

Xavier needed you like a lifeline, the one person in the whole damn world who saw him for who he was and hadn't left him in the past. You'd stayed through the angst of his parents' separation; through a childhood filled with inappropriate humor and distasteful comments. Through above-average forgetfulness and outbursts he couldn't control.

He felt the warmth of your breath on his cheeks, smelt peppermint toothpaste and vanilla shampoo; faces close, sides pressed together in a soft line. An intimate bubble of privacy and safety.

"I saw Ms. Chung in the hallway before class." You said at last, as if that explained everything, and okay, sure, Xavier could work with that.

Kind of. "Who?"

"The grief counselor that Principal Hartman brought in on Monday." You elaborated. "She, uhm...She was the counselor I saw after..."

Xavier understood what you couldn't say. Nodded and smiled gratefully at you for having shared that much. He filled in some blanks himself, "And, I guess, this whole thing with Maddie is hitting pretty close to home, huh?"

You snorted, "Yeah, it definitely has the whole 'someone you think you can trust ends up betraying you' thing going for it."

Xavier's blood ran cold.

It would occur to him later that he didn't fully understand how your comment related to your trauma. It was the one police file his dad had ensured Xavier couldn't get his hands on and snoop through.

For now, he was blindsided by fear. Because who the fuck else had Maddie been meant to trust and was instead betrayed by? Sandra, perhaps, but you didn't know that. Did you? Had you also been to see her? No, that would be weird as hell. You and Maddie were friends-by-extension. Xavier didn't think you even knew where Maddie lived. Thus, as far as Xavier knew, he was the only one who fit the profile, which meant that, oh God no, you knew about Claire and this was the moment you banished Xavier from your life forever. He wasn't ready. He wasn't ready to be entirely alone, not yet, please, not yet—

"What does that mean?" He fished, tone even, though inwardly he was losing his shit.

Your focus went distant as you seemed to think carefully about what you wanted to say. With his heart in his throat, Xavier listened as you told him, "Simon and I think Mr. Anderson had something to do with Maddie's disappearance."

And he almost cried in relief. Until a certain part of your statement sunk in.

"You and Simon?"

You leaned back, looking at Xavier like you were mentally fitting him for a dunce cap. "Really? That's what you're concerned about? Zav, you went on an adventure with his only other best friend yesterday. He didn't have anyone else to talk to, so yeah, I'm happy to help him follow whatever leads he finds."

"At least Nicole doesn't hate me." Xavier hissed, "Simon dead-ass accused me of hurting Maddie in front of everyone."

"Okay, a) I made sure to get it through his skull that you're innocent. And, b) Simon doesn't hate you." You stopped, appearing somewhat hesitant to continue before you went on in sympathy, "He's just obviously in love with Maddie and you're the guy she chose instead."

As if Xavier hadn't been painfully aware of Simon's big, fat crush on Maddie since the fledgling days of their relationship. Simon had been a looming presence; had viscerally attempted to hold back glaring daggers at Xavier across the lunch table or over your and Mathilda's heads at shows, or movies, or tailgates.

"We're all trying to figure out where Maddie is." You said, bringing the situation to order. "And it seems like we've all been doing a better job than the cops because you and Nicole found boot prints and a ticket, and Simon found a stash of cash in Mr. Anderson's classroom. Plus, after talking about it last night—"

"You saw Simon last night?"

You talked over Xavier, the volume of your voice rising marginally, "—he and I think he's hiding something in the theater, too."

Xavier hung his head, cracked his neck, and rolled his shoulders, trying to calm the wave of conflicting emotion cresting inside him. You were his best friend. Yet, you'd buddied off with Simon Creepy Possessive Elroy to—

"Wait. Anderson has money in his classroom?"

You rolled your eyes, sporting a sardonic smile, "Yes, Officer Baxter, welcome back to the point. You done being weird?"

"I'm sorry, okay?" Xavier apologized sincerely, ducking to catch your eye. He swiveled to rest his side against the bed and face you more easily. "That was a lot of information to digest. I didn't mean to get weird about you and Simon being close all of a sudden."

You playfully shoved a hand into Xavier's face, "Aw, Zav, don't worry, I'm still all yours," and winked before dissolving into a merry cackle.

Xavier reached across the narrow space between you both and slung an arm around your neck, dragging you close to ruffle your hair. It didn't have the same effect as when your hair was dry, tangling and teasing it into an 80s starburst, but it was close enough. You squealed and giggled, laid Aidan's lion on the bed, and then wrestled Xavier off you. In retaliation, he banded his arms around your torso and pulled you into his chest, fingers dancing along your sides.

It was fun, silly, something neither of you had been in what Xavier felt had been forever. Your laughter brightened the room, pushed the melancholy shadows into the corners, and made way for a cheerful lightness that hadn't existed in the space for too long.

"You're an ass." You wheezed, squirming out of Xavier's grasp and settling back against the bed, one leg held close and chin propped on your knee.

"Yeah, but you love me," Xavier teased.

He was loathe to ruin the moment—you beaming at him with dimpled cheeks and crinkled eyes—but his phone started to buzz in his front pocket. He dug it out, saw who was calling and glanced at you for confirmation that he should answer.

At your nod, he accepted the call, "Hey Tilda, sorry for not calling before, but—"

"SIMON, DON'T SAY A FUCKING WORD UNTIL MY MOM GETS THERE!" Mathilda shrieked on the other end of the line and then, into the phone, "What the fuck, Xavier, I tried calling you three times already!"

She had? Xavier hadn't felt his phone vibrate before then...Of course, when he was hyper-focused on something, everything else fell away, muffled by the void until he poked his head out of whatever rabbit hole he'd tumbled down. And, when it came to taking care of you, nothing else penetrated until he'd exhausted himself putting a smile back on your face.

Something he'd just succeeding in doing, damn it.

You pounced forward, grabbing Xavier's phone out of his hand and putting the call on speaker, "What's going on?"

"The cops just dragged Simon out of the school." Mathilda relayed, harried, clearly on the move. "I called my mom, but she won't be in town for another hour!" You and Xavier shared a look before Mathilda pulled attention back to what was unfolding on her end, "They're putting him in the back seat! That's bad, right!? XAVIER!? Is that bad!? What the heLL IS GOING ON!?"

"It's fine, Tilda," Xavier reassured firmly, eyes fixed on yours. "Unless he's in handcuffs, they aren't arresting him. They probably just want his statement on the record."

"His statement for what?" Mathilda sounded ready to go to battle, "They already asked us about Friday!"

Oh shit, you mouthed, the money.

Xavier muted the call to ask you, "Would Simon call the cops on Anderson?"

"I mean, he stole the man's phone. If he found something, he definitely wouldn't wait."

"Simon stole his phone?" Xavier almost clutched his proverbial pearls like a maiden aunt. The unhinged act of devotion to Maddie made him reconsider what it meant to care.

Simon was on the warpath, no fucks left to give, ready and willing to throw himself on the sword if necessary. Was that the kind of love Xavier had been meant to summon for Maddie? He had a lot of big feelings for her, most of them overshadowed by guilt now that she'd taken off without a backward glance, but none of them had inspired him to burn the world down in pursuit of her. There were—maybe—only two people he'd ever felt that kind of feral protectiveness over, and one of them was dead. The other...

He glanced up at you carefully, saw the distress in your eyes as you worried over Simon. "If they're taking him in," Xavier said, putting a hand on your knee for comfort, "they didn't find the money in Anderson's class."

"Then Anderson moved it." You choked. "Simon wasn't lying, Zav. If you'd seen how Mr. Anderson was acting last night, you'd know it was true, too."

"Hello!? Are you still there? Xavier!"

Xavier unmuted the call, both you and he chiming, "Yep, here!"

"Can't you call your dad?" Mathilda demanded and Xavier could picture her perfectly with her hand on her hip, brows furrowed, eyes ablaze, about to scold him like a mother hen. "He's the Sheriff! He could make them let Simon go!"

"Not necessarily, Tils. What if Simon knows something we don't?"

"Like what? He was at the APEX with us last week when Maddie took off. I saw him with my own eyeballs, Bax, he didn't know anything." Mathilda argued.

"Guess she's not pissed at him anymore," You commented quietly, more to a general audience than Xavier specifically.

"Alright, how's this. I'll go see what I can get out of my dad. You've already called your mom, she's on her way," He stated in a measured cadence, "There's nothing else we can do."

Begrudgingly, Mathilda agreed, closing the call with a semi-threatening, "Call me immediately, babes! I want to know why you weren't in Bio," directed to you, and then, "Love you both~!"

"I wasn't in Bio, either," Xavier grumbled, pouting at the white call-ended screen, "I don't count?"

You didn't indulge him, instead asking, "What should I do?"

"What should you do about what?"

"Tilly called her mom, you're going to sniff around your dad's office. What should I do? I can head back to the school and see if there's anything in the theater."

Immediately Xavier was on edge. The idea of you going back to the school and getting caught—possibly by Mr. Anderson who was, if as guilty as you inferred, absolutely going to be on alert now that the police had been called—didn't sit well with him. Not after what had happened to you earlier.

"No." He said, authoritative, stiff, "That's...no."

"I have to do something. What if Mr. Anderson hurt Maddie, huh? What if that money ties him to her somehow? And now he's going to get away with it because the police are focused on Simon."

Xavier grabbed you by the back of the head, angled your face so you had to look at him when he told you in no uncertain terms, "You're not going back there, kiddo. Not without me, okay? You've been through enough today, you need to rest."

"But—"

"How about this," He reasoned and dropped his hand to your shoulder, "We go in tomorrow morning before class and take a look around. Together."

You deflated, "And what about Simon?"

"There's literally nothing we can do about that right now, okay?"

An unhappy silence followed as you chewed over the alternatives Xavier offered. He was gearing up to sling you over his shoulder, carry you back to your bedroom, and lock you in your closet until he came to get you in the morning. Completely dismissing that you had a whole family who would hear you trying to escape and then very likely sneak you into the school themselves just for shits and giggles.

Color him surprised when you actually seemed to acquiesce.

"Fine." You said, audibly pissed that you were being benched, but, hey, Xavier was being sensible for once, the least you could do was humor him for one night. "But you'd better be here at dawn, Xavier."

Xavier traced an X over his heart, "I promise."

‗‗‗‗•‗‗‗‗

Of course, Xavier really should've had you promise to do as he'd said because, as soon as the coast was clear, you snuck out of the house, donning a pair of sleep shorts and your Uncle Andrew's hoodie.

💀___________________________

PART NINETEEN - PART TWENTY-ONE

also available on AO3!

MASTERLIST

[agentandreastark]

i saw your 18 fic with aidan and was wondering if you could do something where aidan just really likes the readers thighs, like not even in a sexual way, just 'omg so soft' and he like, traces her stretch marks when she wears shorts, really just fluff! you dont have to if you don't want to, thanks! :)

Oh yeah, sure! I'm sorry I wasn't able to reply before cause currently, school's been hectic. And I'm probably having the worst writers block ever. So this isn't my best work but u hope you like it!

My favourite part of you

Aidan gallagher X f!reader

Fluff

You are insecure about your thigh, but then Aidan finds out.

After a long day of school, music was your place to go. Normally, it would have been your 6-month boyfriend, Aidan, but he was away for work. And so here you were in the kitchen cooking Pasta for lunch as you swayed your body to the music, singing along with the artist and occasionally even acting as though you were in the music video.

'Thank god I'm home alone,' you thought as you drained the pasta and put it into a bowl to make the roux. Suddenly, arms wrapped around your waist, causing you to yelp and kick. Soon, you were set on the counter and face to face with the person you expected to see the least. "Aidan!" You smiled widely and put your arms around him, pulling him into a hug. "I missed you so much," you mumbled into his shoulder before pulling away and giving him a peck on the lips.

"So much for missing me cause, ouch." He remarked, rubbing his knee where you initially kicked him, causing you to sheepishly smile. "You could've warned me." You jumped off the counter. Aidan smiled. "I think the world's going to end! You? MY GIRLFRIEND? Wearing shorts?!" He gasped dramatically, putting a hand to his chest. Your smile immediately dropped as you looked down. This was terrible. Oh god, no.

You were always insecure about your thighs. They were so big and had stretch marks on them. Which was not something often seen as beautiful in this society.

'What if Aidan feels the same way?' And so you did the first thing that came to mind. You took your dad's apron -which itself was big enough to cover part of your thighs - and wrapped it around yourself.

"Hey, hey. What are you doing?" He looked at you wide eyed.

"Doing what?" You asked turning around to take the flour.

"That." He pointed to the apron and continued. "Covering yourself up? Are you uncomfortable with me? I totally understand, and I do respect-"

"No, Aidan, no, I'm not uncomfortable with you. Of course not, " you turned keeping the flour on the shelf.

"Then -" He sighed, realising what the issue was "Love please don't tell me you're insecure." You stayed silent for a while. Aidan then walked behind you and untied the knot of the apron and took it off you. He picked you up by the waist, setting you down on the counter, "What exactly are you insecure of darling? This?" He touched your thigh softly. "This is something you shouldn't be insecure of love. They are so soft." he smiles widely, looking at you with loving eyes." Besides, women have bigger thighs so that they can carry a life in them, and when they do, it might cause their legs to collapse. We dont want that, right? So instead, their tighs support them. " You nodded slowly, looking back at him." So you don't find my stretch marks disgusting?" You asked softly, waiting for his answer. In your previous relationship, your ex had always told you to cover up because he couldn't bear seeing your stretch marks. "Of course not, darling. Why would they? They remind me of the sea shore, so very pretty." He traced them, looking mesmerised. God, this boy was only making you fall for him even harder. He bent down and kissed every mark, making you laugh since it was ticklish. "You're thighs are my favourite part now," He picked up, causing you to squeal. "Put me down, Gallagher!" He laughed as he kissed your forehead. "Nope." "Why?" You said, kicking your legs in the air. "Cause I want the whole world to see just how beautiful you are." And with that, he walked out of the door with you in his arms.

[bullet-prooflove]

Blankets - Bishop Losa x Reader

Tagging: @witches-unruly-heart @annetje @abby2 @danzer8705 @im-just-a-mississippi-girl @the-wandering-lunatic @alwaysachorusgirl @vannabanana1995 @beardedbarba @multifandomloversworld @camelia35 @queeniesdiary @est1887 @lilvampirina @creativitybeware @genius2050 @mortal--soul @buddinglinguist @spookyboogyuniverse @kishie8 @saltyunicorn079 @nessamc @spaghettificationandpretzels @nu1freakshow @lyly00 @oureternalbond @beccabarba

When Bishop first meets you, he isn’t at his best. He’s exhausted, the stench of smoke and cordite clinging to his skin. He’s seen too much tonight; he just wants to go home and drink himself into oblivion, but he can’t because now there’s a kid involved that he has to do right by.

When he’d heard that there was a stash house in his backyard he was pissed. He thought the club had sent a clear message the last time Vatos Malditos had encroached on their territory, but apparently, he had been wrong. They’d expected drugs, a little smack, a couple of kilos of coke but they hadn’t expected the kid. He’d known they were into some dark shit but trafficking kids for sex…

Putting bullets in those animals had been way too fucking quick.

They’d found the kid cowering in the corner of a princess themed bedroom, nine years old he guessed, hair in pigtails, a schoolgirl’s uniform with a skirt that was far too short and a tie that was far too low. They’d tried talking to her in English and then in Spanish, it wasn’t until Bishop saw her hand gestures that he realised she was deaf. He couldn’t imagine how fucking terrifying that must have been, to be at the hands of monsters with no way to communicate, to have your voice stripped away from you. He knew a little sign language; he’d started learning when Aidan had been diagnosed with hearing difficulties.  He’s rusty has fuck but he manages to tell the girl she’s safe, that no one in this room is going to hurt her, she signs back to him quickly, too quicky and he has to hold his hands up so that she understands that he’s a novice.

He discovers her name is Mari and she sticks to him like glue after that. He’s forced to ride in the van with Creeper because she refuses to let him out of her sight.

It’s Coco that suggests taking her to the community centre. Stitches has been running a clinic out of there and knows the manager, she’s helped out in situations like this before. It’s a happy place he tells Bishop, kid friendly and they’ve been doing some great work in the community. He can’t stand the idea of just dropping Mari off at social services, so he has Creeper swing by.

You’re waiting by the front door when he arrives. It’s been a while since he has been by this way and the place has changed a lot. Shit has been going downhill since the Galindo Agra Park project stalled and it looks like you’ve stepped up, he notes the additional services that are now on offer. The clothing drives, the food banks, the pop-up children’s library…

All of these things make difference to people who are barely managing to keep themselves afloat.

He thinks he recognises you, but he can’t be sure, it might have been back after Aidan was born and he was taking him to the Tummy Time play sessions. Even back then he knows he would have noticed you. He’d been committed to Antonia, but there was definitely something about you.

“Thanks for helping out with this.” He says, shaking your hand. “I only know a little ASL.”

There’s a thrum of connection there, something he hasn’t felt in years. He almost pulls away, but he finds that he can’t bring himself too. You like him, he’s gruff but earnest. He could have dumped Mari at social services, but he chose to bring her here, to a place that hopefully she’ll feel safe so that you can find out more about her.

Mari refuses to venture anywhere without him, so he finds himself seated on a red bean bag in the children’s library, his motorcycle boots resting on a brightly coloured patchwork rug. It makes his chest ache being back here, it’s different than before but the memories of Aidan, they’re everywhere. When he sees the Gruffalo book, it almost feels like he can’t fucking breathe.

It’s the motion of your hands that distracts him. You’re sitting cross legged on the rug across from Mari, continuing a conversation in ASL. It’s moving too fast for him to follow, but he’s captivated by the flourish of your movements, the speed and grace in them. It’s clear that Mari’s impressed too. The kid has been withdrawn ever since they found her, now she’s animated and rapt. He figures it’s been a long time since anyone’s actually spoke to Mari in her language.

“She says she was brought here by her Uncle.” You tell him later on in the break room, your hands wrapped around a mug of coffee. “When he couldn’t pay his own fee, he traded her to pay off the rest.”

“Man, that’s fucked up.” He says, his gaze on the young girl curled up under a blanket on the couch. The kid is fast asleep, a stuffed lion clutched to her chest, it breaks his fucking heart. “What’ll happen to her?”

“I have a friend who works at a charity who deals with this sort of thing. She’ll be here in a couple of hours.” You told him with a grimace. “Sadly, it’s more common than you think.”

Bishop sags back in his chair, his head tilting back as he sighs. The world is a fucked up place and he knows that but tonight, somehow it feels a thousands times worse.

“Obispo.” You say his name quietly, your hand coming to rest upon his. It’s warm, your touch. He doesn’t expect it, part of him wants to yank his hand away because that brief moment of connection is too much. He’s been alone for such a long time, he’s forgotten what it feels like to have someone actually give a shit, about him, about the people around them. You could have told him to fuck off tonight, you could have called social services, stayed at home drinking a glass of wine or whatever you did to wind down, but you hadn’t. You’d stepped up and he fucking admired that. “You did a good thing tonight. If you hadn’t found her…”

You let the words trail off  because the truth is you can’t bring yourself to say it. He gets that, he doesn’t want to think about it either. He slouches down in his chair, arms crossing over this chest. It’s cold in here, colder than he thought it would be. You’re wearing a black sweatshirt with white stars over your jeans, it clings to your form in a way he tries not to notice. All he has on is a short-sleeved shirt and his kutte.

“I’ll stay until she gets here, your friend.” He says, his gaze coming to rest on Mari as he rubs his hands together to warm them. “I don’t want her to wake up scared.”

“Ok.” You tell him, before snatching up a blanket from the back of the second couch and handing it to him.

He shakes his head.

“I don’t need that.”

“You have goosebumps.” You point out, gesturing at his biceps. “I’m still working on getting the heating fixed but it’s a process…”

He fixes you with a stare, it’s meant to be a glower but you can see the exhaustion in his handsome features, how tired he is both mentally and physically. He’s stubborn, you shouldn’t like that, but you do. You set the blanket down in his lap. He huffs before rolling his eyes and shaking it out. You watch as he tucks it around his chest and upper body, drawing it up to his neck.

“I’m doing this because the heating’s out.” He tells you with a scowl.

“Not because it’s comfortable as fuck,” You summarise. “Yea I think I got it.”

The two of you fall into a comfortable silence as you busy yourself collecting the coffee cups and depositing them in the sink.

“You didn’t have to stay you know.” You tell him, glancing at him over your shoulder. “I can keep her company.”

Bishop tilts his head towards the little girl asleep on the couch, he remembers the way she clutched onto his kutte when he helped her to feet, how she refused to let go of his hand when they’d first stepped inside the community centre…

“Yea.” He said, closing his eyes as he hunkers down in the chair. “I do.”

Love Bishop? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[acatnamedpusheen]

Dinner & Diatribes (Gabriel Rossetti smut)

Dante Gabriel Rossetti x fem!reader Words: 3.3K (I got carried away) Genre: Smut (18+) with some angst (half of it is literal filth) Warnings: fingering, handjob, oral fem!recieving, edging, unprotected sex (don't do that kids) Summary: The infamous painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti realises he's falling in love with Lord Whitewood's wife, when he's invited to paint her portrait. Lucky for him you're on the same page and things take a heated turn when your husband unexpectedly leaves London and you find yourself unable to stay away from the devilishly handsome painter. (I made Gabriel a lot less of a jerk and the title is one of Hozier's songs that I recently discovered and thought was perfect for this fic.) - A/N: Sorry this is going to be a bit long because I have many things to say. First and foremost, sorry for the super random tags, but I'm trying to reach the Aidan girlies out there and I'm sure nobody goes on the Desperate Romantics tags. Moving on I want to say that this is the first time in 3,5 years that I've been able to write anything and it was so liberating, because I feel like I lost a great way of expressing myself all this time. Nevertheless, please be kind to me, english is not my first laguage, this took a great amount of self pressure to actually be finished over a course of about 2 weeks and it might just be nothing but cringe (don't come at me pls). Now on to the fun part. So, apparently I'm currently hyperfixating HARD on Aidan Turner after watching Rivals and my long hair kink is just making things worse. When I tell you I could literally do anything for him. Writing the smutty part of this fic at some point had me feeling like I was in some sort of high. I mean just look.at.these.eyes dear Lord. Ok enough with the yapping omg, it's getting too tmi.

You didn't even realise how you ended up at his front door in the middle of the night. Or at least that's what you kept telling yourself, in hopes of avoiding or simply delaying feeling the shame of being an awful wife to your husband, Lord Whitewood.

You knew you'd find him there, at the old greenhouse he called home, under the gentle warm light of the candles, working on either some new sketch, or your portrait. And after catching a glimpse of him actually immersed in the latter, you felt your heart flutter. He turned away from his painting abruptly when he heard the door open and for a moment he believed he hallucinated you standing in front of him, because of the endless hours he'd been working on your portrait. But the way you stood there, your chest heaving, your frame slightly trembling from how nervous you were and your eyes glinting that all too familiar spark, he knew you were really there in the flesh. And it felt just like the first time he'd ever seen you, that day at your husband's house.

Lord Dorian Whitewood, a great fan of the arts, had shown interest in the works of Dante Gabriel Rossetti and after paying him a couple of visits to his studio to buy a few paintings, he invited him to his house to request a portrait of his beloved wife. Little did he know, that this would be the very start of a great forbidden love.

Rossetti was known to have a weakness for women. He would never hesitate having his way with any of his models at any time he'd please and could swear he'd never settle for just one woman. Until the moment he saw you sitting in that room waiting for him to start your portrait. He felt something he'd never felt before, but couldn't really explain it. This surely wasn't because of how majestically the light from the window ever so gently illuminated your face or your thick hair that fell freely on your shoulders. No, there was definitely something utterly unique about your aura.

"Lady Whitewood" he paused as he rose from his seat "What brings you here at this hour?" his eyes betrayed hopes that this wasn't really what he thought it was. Of course he couldn't be more pleased with the idea of finally getting to have you, evern for a single night, but he knew this could all possibly lead to a big scandal that would harm his already bad reputation. He never thought his flirting, which always came so naturally, so involuntarily, would actually have such effect on you so as to come running to him in the middle of the night alone.

Did he really worry so much about a potential scandal, though, or was it all just a cover for the fear that he might have actually fallen in love and you'll forever remain out of his reach?

"Dorian is out of town. He left for Oxford this morning, his brother has fallen ill. I might have to travel soon too, but for the time being, he insisted I stay here in London." He stood silent, looking at you straight in the eyes, waiting for your next words.

"I haven't been able to get the thought of you out of my mind, Gabriel." you admitted hesitant to move, while your gaze fell to the floor. Gabriel took a few steps forward instead, until he was right before you, lifting your chin up with one hand, locking eyes with you yet again. Just as he'd done that day at your husband's house while he was trying to figure out which pose would be better for his painting.

"You look absolutely stunning, do you know that?" he said walking back to his canvas after finishing with his adjustements on you. "I'd be lying if I said I'm completely oblivious to this fact." you replied teasingly, without looking at him, maintaining your pose. You were a confident woman after all, never afraid to show it when you had to.

"Does your husband know that?" his voice sounded lower than before making you feel things forbidden for a married woman. Gabriel's question took you so much by surprise that you turned to face him, only to realise he was doing the exact same thing. His eyes fixed on you, his gaze hungry, full of lust. Gabriel was a confident man too, never stopping himself from getting what he desired, never afraid to show it blatantly and straight away.

"Are you trying to tell me something Mr. Rossetti?"

"I'm just making sure that a beautiful woman like you is appreciated in the way she deserves, Lady Whitewood." You turned away, resuming your pose, trying to ignore how his smirk was igniting the heat deep within your core.

You liked your husband Dorian, he was a kind man who treated you well, took care of you. At this very moment, however, you were beginning to question whether you actually, genuinely loved him. He was a dear friend to you and your family, 10 years older than you. The marriage was of course arranged but you'd known Dorian for a long time, you trusted him. Was it ever something more than that, though? You never had such thoughts because, to your bitter realisation, you'd never actually fallen in love with someone. Up until now, that this devilishly handsome painter, who also seemed to be much closer to your age, stood opposite you almost every day, for far too many hours than your sanity would have preferred.

"Would you consider sitting for me for other paintings as well?" his voice interrupted your thoughts after a while of silence. You laughed bitterly."You clearly know this is no occupation for a lady. My husband would never allow it."

"Do you want to, though?" he insisted, not once breaking away from his canvas.

"Mr. Rossetti, are you asking me to go against the morals of our society for what I, a mere woman, want?" you kept looking straight ahead, trying hard not to glance at him.

"Would that be so bad?"

You scoffed at the audacity of his question before answering "Perhaps it really wouldn't, if we were living under any other circumstances."

"And what would the ideal circumstances be?" he continued, acting completely oblivious. "Are we playing some sort of game here, Mr. Rossetti?" you broke your pose again to bring him within your field of vision. "You and I both know what I'm talking about."

"Please call me Gabriel and no, I don't quite understand why someone can't have a bit of fun from time to time" he had left his work and strode his way to where you were sitting. His eyes bore into yours, a subtle smirk danced on his lips.

"Because as I've mentioned, I'm a woman that also happens to be married. And I respect and love my husband." the words sounded so foreign to you as you spoke. You were using every ounce of willpower to stop yourself from rising from your seat and falling in the arms of Gabriel, who was now slowly walking to your side, then your back, trying to carefully pick his next sentence.

An ever so light flinch was inevitable when he placed both his hands on your shoulders. You'd be heavily lying if you didn't admit you wanted them on every other inch of your body as well. He could feel his effect on you. If only you could feel yours on him. He wanted nothing more than to turn you around and crash his lips to yours hard. Instead, he contained himself, and whispered his reply close to your ear: "I don't really believe we'd still be having this conversation if that last part was true."

A knock on the door, brought you both back to reality and Gabriel moved away from you just as the maid came in with some tea. For a split second you believed it was Dorian, having somehow heard everything, coming in to catch you red handed. "If you do change your mind, however, you know where to find me." he gave you a quick wink, referring to his initial request earning him a stern look from you as the maid had yet to leave the room.

"Tell me you never truly wanted me to come. Tell me I shouldn't be here, I should be home, I should stay loyal to my husband." you pleaded, his pained expression was already telling you he didn't want you to leave.

"I could never lie to you, my dear." his lips now inches away from yours, god knew how he had been holding himself all this time. It was different with you. It always had been. He never felt the animalistic urge he felt when he was with a prostitute. No, he felt the need to treat you like fine porcelain, he could never break you. And so he contained himself, only for you to take him by surprise when you crashed your lips to his. His hands instinctively cupped your face as yours found purchase on his shoulders. Before you had time to indulge in one another, however, you pushed him away-one final attempt to avoid infidelity.

"This is madness!" you panted "We have to stop!" tears were welling up in your eyes. You wanted him so much it was painful. Yet, you still tried to convince yourself it was less painful than living the rest of your life knowing you had cheated on Dorian.

"But do you want to stop?" he raised his voice slightly, with a firm grip on the side of your upper arms, making you look at his hungry eyes. "These ideal circumstances that we were talking about are right here, right now. No one knows about this besides us. So if you still truly wish to stop, you're free to leave." he couldn't push you, but could at least try to persuade you. He needed you as much as you needed him.

"You're right I do want to stop, I got carried away, I shouldn't have come in the first place." you lied and felt him slowly release you letting you turn away to leave and put an end to this brief encounter. No sooner had you taken two steps than he caught your arm, spun you around and met you in a heated kiss that you neither could nor wanted to escape.

One hand on his chest the other tangled in his black locks, you let out a quiet moan as you felt him squeeze your waist and swipe his tongue over your lower lip. You granted him access and the groan he involuntarily let out hit you straight in your aching core. Breaking away from your lips, his mouth travelled to your jaw, then your neck, all while his skilled fingers had started working on the buttons of your outer gown. Kissing you was no longer enough, he had to feel you under his touch and was pleased to see you were on the same page as he sensed your hands on his waistcoat.

A pause was much needed for the unbuttoned items to be discarded. Gabriel then watched you take off your petite coat skirt, leaving yourself in nothing but your corset and short undergarment. He was quick to stop you from going any further.

"Let me, sweetheart." his fingertips momentarily brushed over the exposed skin of your breasts before moving to undo your corset, giving you goosebumps. Although very eager, his hands worked steadily, slow even, as if he was trying to imprint every little detail of the moment in his mind. Yours on the contrary, seemed to be moving on their own, finding their way along Gabriel's dishevelled dress shirt and opening it all the way down.

Once your corset was undone, he peeled the straps off your shoulders and took a step back to admire his 'work'.

"Breathtaking" he whispered with a smirk upon finally eyeing your exposed chest under the faint light of the candles and you felt the need to cover yourself. "Don't hide from me, darling." he came closer once more, opening your arms and placing them on his still half-clad torso instead, for you to free him of his shirt.

As soon as it was off, he attacked your lips yet again. The kiss being more heated than the previous, with the addition of the newfound feeling of each other's skin. Gabriel's strong hands on your waist turned you around and pressed you against him, before moving to undo the final piece of clothing separating him from your body, letting it pool around your feet. "Can you feel what you do to me, what you've been doing to me all this time?" he murmured breathlessly on the spot where your neck met your shoulder.

"Gabriel...please..." your voice was barely above a whisper, his erection undeniably pocking your ass through his pants. Hearing his name fall from your lips in such lust coated way, had him loosing his self control, unable to stop his hands from leaving your waist and roaming your bare skin as he kept kissing the side of your neck.

One hand finally found its way to one of your breasts, greedily kneading it earning himself sighs of pleasure. The other hand, travelled south, his fingers brushing your wet folds, to land on your clit."All this for me, darling?" he was panting, already lost in your body and the way you reacted under his touch. "Only for you" you moaned, eyes shut, trying to take in all the pleasure. You couldn't help but reach one hand behind your back and palm him, to which he reacted with a low grunt and a bite on your shoulder.

"Careful darling, you wouldn't want me to paint your skin with my teeth, would you?" he elicited another moan from you before his hands stopped their ministrations to grab your waist and turn you to face him once again. "Now get ready to jump." he flashed you his signature smirk that was enough to have you coming undone right then and there, as you felt him grip the back of your thighs.

You did as you were ordered to, tangling your legs around his waist and slipping your arms around his neck, letting him carry you to the bed and spill you on the sheets. He barely had time to remove his pants, before you pushed yourself up to kiss him hungrily and pull him back down on the bed with you. One hand on the curls you could never get enough of, the other reaching for his cock, gently beginning to squeeze and pump him.

Soon, Gabriel was a moaning and grunting mess around your hand. You had moved to straddle him, while he was propped on his elbows, head thrown back in pure bliss, giving you access to leave kisses on his neck. It wasn't long before he felt he was getting close and that's when he sat up to stop you. "Not yet, I want to give you more." he was out of breath but had no intention of giving himself time to catch it, so he met you in a desperate kiss as he laid you down on the sheets.

"I was thoroughly enjoying it, though." you grinned cheekily once he broke the kiss. "Patience, my dear, for the best is yet to come." he placed one final kiss on your lips before starting a trail down your jaw, neck and collarbones, stopping right on the valley of your breasts to glide his tongue on one of your nipples. Your arms found their place on his toned back as he began sucking, your moans getting mixed with his low grunts. He briefly switched to your other mound, growing too impatient to continue his trail south. Going past your navel, he paused upon reaching your pubic bone and while maintaining eye contact, giving you his dirtiest looks, his hands found your knees and spread your legs further apart.

You tensed and let out a gasp when you felt his mouth on your clit. "Relax darling, I just want to make you feel good." the look he gave you was intoxicating, pupils dilated, lips parted, you wanted him to have you in any way he pleased and so you proceeded to push his head down to where you truly needed him the most. Your fingers found their all too familiar place between his black curls as he ate you out like a starved man. His strong hands holding your hips as his mouth alternated between kissing, licking and sucking, earning himself the filthiest of sounds escaping your lips.

But just as you were starting to feel that all too familiar tightening deep in your core, Gabriel's mouth was no longer on you. Instead, he moved to hover over you, his lips glistening with your arousal under the warm candlelight, hair a mess from your pulling. A sight that definitely seemed like it was coming straight out of a fantasy.

"I need you, Gabriel." you didn't care if you sounded ridiculously desperate, you were for this man. You wouldn't have come running to him in the middle of the night once your husband was out of town if you weren't.

"Tell me how you need me, sweetheart." he knew full well what you were both aching for at that very moment, but still wanted to hear your words.

"Hard and slow, then you can do as you please." you'd barely finished your sentence before he entered you in one swift movement, dragging out a long moan from you to match his own groan. And he did as you asked, setting a slow pace with long hard strokes. You were bitting your lips trying to stifle your moans.

"Let me hear you, let me hear how I'm the only one making you feel like this." this pace was already too hard for him to maintain, he craved more and reached for your clit to get exactly that and the next moan of his name was no longer silent.

He started picking up the pace, his strokes remaining deep. You were both close after previously taking your time to indulge in each other's bodies.

You'd be lying if you said you could recall a time when Dorian had gotten you this close to the edge of heaven.

Gabriel's strokes were now getting sloppier as he buried his face in the junction of your neck and shoulder, his thumb never leaving your sensitive bundle of nerves.

"Let go for me, darling, I know you're close. He was breathless, barely able to contain his release with the way your walls were gripping him. "I want to feel you too, Gabriel." it was all it took for him to loose control and come undone within you. His heavenly sounds pushing you over the edge shortly after. His name was the only thing leaving your lips as your nails run down the tensed muscles of his back.

You rode out your highs and stayed tangled in each other for a few moments, trying to regain a sense of reality. Both dreading to look into each other's eyes after what you'd done. You wanted this night to last forever, the sun to never rise. Hoping that this way you'd never have to face the cold reality in which you were an infidel wife and your newfound lover had to live the rest of his life in the embrace of other women to try and forget the one who had managed to show him how love truly felt.

-

[lillylvjy]

And i could be (anything you need)

a/n// finally part 2! Lord this took longer to put out but I’ve been busy busy, so pleaseee enjoy this, it’s a little funky…. But self indulgent so not surprised.

warnings// making out, arguing, yelling?, confessions, Wilma being kinda a bitch but she’s also stubborn so, Wilbur’s a cockblock!, reader has a brother.

edited: barely.

wc// 1.7k

wilma gold x reader, wilma gold x gn!reader

Go read part 1

THE SMILEEEEEE-

“You had sex?!”

“Can you be quiet?!” You quickly placed your hand against your brothers mouth as your eyes widened.

“Who had sex and with who?” You heard Wil race down the steps as he came into the kitchen.

“Great, look what you did!” You sighed as you placed your head against the kitchen counter, hiding yourself from the two men in front of you.

“Oh shush, he was going to find out sooner rather than later.” Aidan said as he hit your shoulder, Wil coming around the island and wrapping his arms around your brother.

“What’s going on?” Wil asked yet again, as you lifted your head up and sighed.

“Wanna tell him?” Aidan raised his eyebrow at you as you groaned and started walking around the kitchen.

“Jesus I’m so stupid, yet she was so captivating! Like all she had to do was look at me and bam! On my knees in seconds-“

“Wha-“

“Shush, they’re getting there.” Aidan gently placed a hand on his arm as he watched with an amused smile as you paced and spoke out loud.

“And like, it would make it better if she was bad, but fucking hell, she practically changed my life last night.” You ranted as you moved your arms around, exasperating everything that you said.

“Ok, what are you talking about?” Wilbur asked as you ran your hands through your hair and sighed.

“I-“

“Wil?!” You heard a familiar voice shout from the front door, eyes widening and panic taking over.

“Seems like I’m about to find out.”

“Oh my god-“

“This is about to get good!” Aidan exclaimed as he let go of Wil’s hand and comes over to you, gently pushing you to the dining table, sitting you down on the chair that was pulled out.

“I need to hide.” You said in a whisper as you frantically looked around and got ready to launch yourself up, stopping when you felt Aidan’s hand on your arm.

“You’ll be fine. Just stay here, hear her out, maybe have a little love confession, and bam! You’re all good!” Aidan exclaimed as he smiled down at you.

“Good?! I could barely face a conversation with her when we just “hated” each other, and now after we- this is not going to go well.” You said in a whisper as Wil left to go get his sister, internally panicking as time passed.

A couple seconds pass as you heard footsteps make their way to the kitchen in a hurry, Wil trying to calm the woman down as you tried to hide yourself in any way you could.

“Wil, I really need you to-“ Her words stopped as she saw you sitting at the dining table, mouth open and staring at you as you look down at the floor. “What are they doing here?”

You scoff at her words as you looked up at her with hard eyes, softly shaking your head. “Really? So we’re back to status quo?”

“Yup ok! That’s our queue Wil-“

“Wait what?!”

“Fucking go!” Aidan harshly whispered as he pushed Wilbur out of the kitchen. You watched as they quickly left, then returned your gaze to the women in front of you.

She had a white sweater on with a black turtle neck underneath for extra warmth, baggy blue jeans on with wool socks. You frowned at the cloth covering her neck but quickly went back to a straight face as she furrowed her brows at you.

“What do you mean ‘status quo’?” Wilma asked as she crossed her arms and looked at you with as much confusion as she could muster.

You sighed as rubbed your face with your hands. “This. Us. Are we just going to continue to hate each other? Or are we going to be honest with each other for once?” You asked her as you stood up from the chair and made your way towards her.

Wilma shook her head as she looked at the floor, “What do you mean?! Aren’t we always honest?! That’s why we hate each other, yes?”

You scoff as you walk around the island and stood across from her. “So you’re saying, what we did last night didn’t mean anything to you? You didn’t feel anything?”

Wilma’s expression softened as she heard the genuine hurt in your words, hating how much it effected her after she put up so many walls. She knew something like this would happen and change how you both acted and felt, she just didn’t know it’d turn to this.

“I didn’t say that.”

“But you’re acting like it!”

“Maybe because I’m afraid that you don’t feel the same and it’s taking all of me to keep it together and not walk over there and kiss you!”

Everything was silent. Maybe it was the snow absorbing all the sound around you outside, or maybe it was because you didn’t know what to say. You didn’t know what to think, you just stood there staring at her, soaking in her confession like it was a fresh body of water and you jumped right in.

Wilm just stared at you, eyes hard as her lips pursed and waited for you to speak, or to say anything. Just a word or even a sigh.

“Say something.”

“Why don’t you come over and kiss me instead?”

Wilma’s eyes widened as those words came out of your mouth and into the steady air. You wanted her to actually kiss you? Like… on the lips?

Once she saw your eyes soften and and fill with want and longing, she knew you meant it. Her feet thought for her as she started to move around the counter towards you. Turning to face her, your back against the counter, in a blink of an eye, lips were placed roughly on yours as hands gripped and pulled at your waist. Your hands lifted from your sides and you placed your arms around her neck and tangled your hands in her hair and pulled when needed.

Groaning into your mouth, Wilma moved her hands down your body to the back of your thighs and lifted you up to sit on the counter. Wrapping your legs around her waist as she moved closer and closer until she was flushed against you.

The kiss quickly escalated as Wilma’s kisses moved down and turned into bites as her lips met your neck, making marks over the ones that were already there, whining and whimpering as she did.

“Don’t have sex in our kitchen, please and thank you!” You heard Wilbur whisper from the hallway.

“Have you guys been there the whole time?!” You yell out to the couple Wilma hid her face in your neck.

You heard footsteps approach the kitchen with a sigh, revealing Aidan dragging Wil with him. “Yes we were, but only to make sure nothing bad happened but, seems like we’re all good so, we’ll be over in the living room if you need us! And yes, please don’t have sex in our kitchen, if you need to theirs like 4 other rooms you can use with beds!” Aidan yelled as he dragged Wil yet again into the living room, leaving you and Wilma to your own devices.

Giggling, the hand in Wilms hair started to rub and run through as she left small pecks on your neck. “So?”

“So.”

“Does the Wilma Gold have a crush on me?” You asked her as you lifted her head by cupping her chin your your hand.

“Hmm maybe, what about it?” She asked as you smiled at her and kissed her nose.

“Hmm what if I told you that I have a little crush on you, Miss Gold?” You asked as she raised an eyebrow at you and leaned closer.

“Well first I’d ask if your being honest,”

“Which I am-“

“Yeah yeah, I know! I can tell when you lie trust me darling.”

“Wait what-“

“Ah! Let me finish. Then I would ask if your free this Saturday after the market so I could either take you out to a restaurant or make you some dinner. And if you were and it went well, maybe I’ll ask you to be my girlfriend.” Wilma finishes off as she rubs her hands up and down your thighs and waist, caressing as much as she can while she leaves little kisses on your face and neck, never getting enough of you.

“Hmm and what if I said yes to all of those things?” You asked as you caressed her cheek with your thumb, lifting her face to look at you directly.

“The rest is for the future love. We let future us worry about that.” Wilma said as she lifted you off the counter and placed you on the ground. “Though, if you did say yes to being my girlfriend we may have a repeat of last night.”

“Hmm than just ask me now-“

“Ok are you guys done being horny and in love? I’m hungry and I want to make breakfast.” Wilbur came into the kitchen with a slightly annoyed Aidan behind.

“He’s worse than me.” Aidan mumbled out for only you and Wilma to hear as he goes over to help Wil. You both laugh at the passing comment as Wilma let go of you and took your hand to lead you around the island to her previous spot.

Wrapping her arms around your waist, she rest her head on your shoulder as you both watched the two in front of you bake, holding onto her linked hands.

“I love you, you know that right?” Wilma whispered to you as you rested your head against hers.

“Mhm, and I love you.”

taglist// @mysticalsoot @saccharinesunset @maxx-is-dumb12

[tisayemate]

Hello again Lauren! I'm positively giddy about the newest post you wrote, and would like you to create another one, perhaps some angst this time. I watched Death Cure and Scorch Trials with my friend, and I was swooning over Aidan Gillen, but my friend didn't get me. If they wanted to cast a rat looking person, they casted the completely wrong person, I mean, Aidan Gillen is the hottest person in that movie, no denial.

Slip of the tongue

AD Janson x Runner!Reader

Angsty, confrontation

Summary: A single slip up reveals that you happen to know more than you should and that makes you a threat— to Janson.

AN: You ask for angst, I deliver. I hope this is better bcs I wanted something different from the usual Doctor-Lab setting.

story under the cut:

The hum of the fluorescent lights buzzed faintly, the sound blending into the sterile silence of the interrogation room. You sat at the cold metal table, posture composed, hands folded neatly in front of you. No fear, no fidgeting—just enough calm to look cooperative, but not weak.

Janson stood across from you, his presence filling the room despite his unassuming posture. His pale blue eyes studied you like you were a specimen under glass, his hands clasped behind his back.

“I’ll ask again,” he began, his voice smooth, controlled. “You woke up in the Box. No memory, no understanding of who you were or where you came from. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“And you adjusted well to the Maze,” he continued, tilting his head slightly. “Better than most.”

You shrugged. “Instincts, I guess.”

He nodded, his eyes narrowing just slightly. “Instincts.”

The silence stretched, heavy and taut, as though he was waiting for you to slip, to flinch. You didn’t.

“And when the Griever serum was administered,” he pressed, stepping closer, “you didn’t recover any…memories?”

Your heart skipped, but you kept your face neutral. “No. Just the same flashes everyone else got. Useless stuff.”

Janson hummed, circling the table now, his boots echoing faintly in the small room. “And yet, you seem remarkably…intuitive. Observant.”

“Survival’s a good teacher,” you replied, your voice even.

“And yet,” he said, pausing behind you, “survival doesn’t explain everything, does it?”

The tension coiled tighter in your chest, but you didn’t respond.

Janson moved back into your line of sight, his gaze sharp and unyielding. “So tell me, how did you know about the Control Rooms?”

Your blood ran cold.

“What?” you asked, the word coming out too fast, too startled.

“Control Rooms,” he repeated, his tone calm, but the weight in it made your stomach drop. “The ones monitoring the Variables. Something you shouldn’t even know existed.”

“I don’t—”

“You slipped,” he cut in, his voice low and deliberate. “You mentioned it when Ava was briefing us. Quietly, but I heard you.”

Your mouth went dry, the memory flashing back. A careless comment, a muttered observation during the chaos of a group debriefing. You hadn’t thought anyone had caught it, let alone him.

“I was just guessing,” you said quickly, your voice firm despite the fear clawing at your chest. “Everyone knows you were monitoring us—cameras, sensors. It wasn’t hard to piece together.”

Janson didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he leaned forward, placing his hands on the table, his face inches from yours. “A guess?”

“Yes.”

His lips twitched, just barely. Not quite a smile, not quite a sneer. “You’re a terrible liar.”

Before you could respond, his hand shot out, gripping your arm in a vice-like hold. The chair screeched against the floor as he yanked you to your feet.

“Hey!” you protested, struggling against his grip. “What are you doing?”

Janson didn’t answer. He was already pulling you toward the door, his pace brisk, his silence more unsettling than any threat he could have made.

“Where are you taking me?” you demanded, your voice rising with panic.

He didn’t respond, his grip tightening as he dragged you into the hallway. The bright, sterile lights overhead did nothing to ease the sense of dread clawing at you.

“Janson, stop!” you snapped, trying to pull free. “You’re hurting me.”

He ignored you, his jaw set, his eyes forward.

The corridors blurred together as he led you deeper into the facility, each turn making you feel more disoriented, more trapped.

“Janson, please,” you said, your voice breaking now. “I don’t know anything. I swear.”

He finally stopped, spinning to face you. His expression was cold, calculating, but there was a flicker of something sharper in his eyes—something dangerous.

“You expect me to believe that?” he asked, his voice quiet but cutting.

“It’s the truth!” you insisted, your chest heaving.

He stared at you for a long moment, the silence heavy and suffocating. Then, without another word, he turned and dragged you forward again.

The hallway ended at a heavy metal door. Janson entered a code on the keypad, the soft beep sounding louder than it should have. The lock clicked, and the door opened with a low hiss.

“What’s in there?” you asked, panic bubbling in your throat.

Janson didn’t answer. He pulled you inside, the door hissing shut behind you.

The room was dimly lit, the faint hum of machinery filling the space. It was empty, save for a single chair bolted to the floor in the center.

He released your arm, gesturing to the chair. “Sit.”

You hesitated, your heart pounding. “Janson—”

“Sit.”

The authority in his voice left no room for argument. Slowly, you moved to the chair, sinking into it as your hands trembled slightly.

Janson stepped back, his gaze fixed on you like a hawk watching its prey. “You’re smarter than you let on,” he said quietly. “That much is clear.”

You swallowed hard, your mouth dry.

“But if you’re lying to me,” he continued, his voice dropping, “you’ll regret it.”

The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating.

He didn’t wait for a response. He turned on his heel and left the room, the door sealing shut behind him with a final, ominous hiss.

And you were alone.

The hum of the machinery grew louder in the silence, pressing against your skull as you stared at the door, your chest tight with fear.

For the first time, you realized just how dangerous Janson really was.

[little-lillypad]

i’m dreaming (of a white christmas)

a/n: first agere fic let’s go! This one is a draft- but it’s still so fun! Enjoy!

warnings: little!reader, cg! Wilma, cute stuff- literally that’s it

who; cg!wilma x little!reader

-

“Mama! wook!” you exclaimed to the barely conscious women in the bed next to you as you shoot out of the bed. Running up to the window, pulling open the curtains and squealing in excitement at the white fluff on the ground. Wilma groaned at the added light in the early morning.

“Baby, please close them?” she asks as she placed a pillow over her head.

“buht mama, wou din wook!” You whined as you went back to the bed and tried to pat at the pillow, signaling to her to take it away. “pease wook.” You said as she took the pillow off her face to see you with a slight pout adorning your features.

Wilma took a moment to look at you. She loved you so much. Big or little. Tired or hyper. Sad or happy. She would always love you, no matter what.

Placing a hand on your cheek and rubbing, she smiles at you and nods. “You’re right hun, I’m sorry. Show me what’s going on,” she said as she sat up from her lying position, quickly being dragged by you over to the window. Her eyes widening as she looked at how much there was of-

“Snow!” You exclaimed as you jumped up and down. You quickly let go of Wilma’s hand to press your face up against the glass, giggling at the cold touch of the object. “tan we go ouwsid?” You asks as you wrapped your arms around her and gave her a small pout, trying to make your ask possible.

Wilma smiled down at you as she ran her hand through your hair and kissed your forehead. “Maybe, depends on how cold it is.” And how high the snow is. She’d have to talk to Wil about that and how to get out of here if needed. The snow kept falling and nothing was going to help the driveway from being clear. “Let’s go downstairs and see if Aidan and Wil are awake yeah? If so we can talk to them about it, yeah?”

“Yeah!” You exclaimed as you squirmed out of her embrace and ran to the bedroom door, swinging it open and getting ready to run down the hall and steps, to be stopped by Wilma picking you up and carrying down stairs. “Mommy!” You whined as you hide your face in her neck.

“Baby the last time you did that, you ended up falling down the stairs and hurting yourself. No more ok? We don’t run down steps. Especially in fuzzy socks.” She told you as you nodded into her neck, now suddenly embarrassed at the memory and anxious she was mad.

As she walked down to the living room, the house was eerily quiet which meant they were the only ones awake for the time being. Wilma took you over to the couch and gently sat down with you on her lap.

“Hey, pretty darling, can I see you?” She asked as you snuggled deeper into her neck. “Please, just for a little? Then I can make some breakfast while you watch some tv with your stuffies yeah?” You slowly lifted your head as you looked up at her with furrowed brows and your bottom lip between your teeth. “There’s my pretty baby. I’m not mad ok? I’m just cautious. I don’t want you to get hurt again. I love you.” Wilma said as she kisses your cheek, jaw, forehead, nose, anywhere she could as she held you closer and tighter to her. She poured as much love and affection as she could to each kiss and hug she could, not wanting you to feel like this anymore than you had you.

“I wuv wou too mama. Won do iht again. pwomise!” You told her as you looked at her with a smile.

She smiled back as she held out her pinky, raising a brow at you. “Pinky promise?”

You giggled as you excitedly linked pinkies with her. “Pinky!” Wilma quickly grabbed you , pulled you into her lap and tickled you.

“Ahaha! Mama nooo!” You squirmed as you laughed and squealed as her fingers lightly dug into your sides and tickled.

After some time, Wilma let you go and smiled back at you. “I’m going to start breakfast as we wait for Aidan and Wil ok? Wanna stay here and watch shows or come with me?”

“Ummmm…. tan I say hewe n cowow?” You asked as you played with the blanket that was on the couch.

Wilma nodded as she got up, going over to the bin that was placed by the tv and pulled out a coloring book and some crayons. “Yes you may, darling. What would you want to watch?”

You furrowed your eyes as you thought, yet Wilma knew it was going to be the same answer every time.

“Tangled!” Wilma laughed as you exclaimed with a giggle. She quickly put the movie on as you started coloring, leaving you to your own devices as she went to the kitchen and got started on some pancakes.

Not long after, Wilma heard soft groaning and hushed whispers as she turned around and say Wil carrying a sleepy Aidan into the room.

“They’re in the living room watching tangled if you want to go in there bubs.” Wilma spoke to the boy in her brothers arms, softly smiling as he nodded and nuzzled back into Wil’s neck.

After placing him down on the couch and leaving the two little ones in eye sight, Wil quickly grabbed two sippy’s and filled them.

“Rough night? Or is it too early?” Wilma asked with a small smile as Wil screwed the lids on and placed the juice back in the fridge.

“Couldn’t fall asleep last night sadly, but he’ll be ok. He can take a nap while he waits for breakfast.” Wil said as he walks to the living room again, giving the two their sippy’s and making sure Aidan was ok with where he was.

Wilma smiled at the interaction as she buttered the pancakes and whisked some eggs, knowing that Wil would definitely eat them and whoever else wanted them.

“So, have you seen outside?” Wil asked quietly, making sure not to alarms the two in the other room.

“Yeah, think we’ll be going anywhere today?” Wilma asked as she side eyed him with a curious glance.

Wil scoffed as he shook his head and got to hand made mugs out, one made by you for Wilm and one made by Aidan for Wil thanks to Wilma’s help, and poured some coffee into both. “Absolutely not! I’m not shoveling that drive way and I know you won’t either. Plus the roads are probably impossible to drive through, so I think it’s a stay in and stay warm type day.” He finished as he put cream and sugar into both mugs, the way they both liked it, and gave it to his other half.

“Yeah, kind of happy about it. I get to relax and watch over you three-“

“Haha, so funny.” Wil said sarcastically as he moved over to grab plates and utensils for the food.

“No but seriously though, no work and stuck inside, bingo!” Wilma said as she brought he mug up to her mouth.

“Yeah you say that until those two want to go out in that and have fun and we can’t say no.” Wil said as he looked at the two watching the tv and paying no mind to the siblings.

“I mean we could say no-“

“But we won’t, they need this. You know that juts as much as I do.” Wil said truthfully to the other.

“We need it to.” Wilma said as a response, leaning against the counter and playing with her mug. They both had a rough childhood as well growing up, but they both needed to take care of someone, to prove that they were more than their parents. And they luckily got the best people to help and look after, as well as the little ones helping them.

Wilma got knocked out of her thoughts when she felt a tug on her pant leg, looking down and smiling at you as she leant down to pick you up. Setting you on the counter in front of her, she tucked falling hair behind your ears, making room to see your pretty face.

“What’s wrong love?” Wilma asked softly as she rubbed your hands softly. Even with her rough hands you still loved when she did.

“tan we pway ouwsid n da snow?” You whispered to her, afraid she’d be mad at you for asking again.

Wilma sighed softly as she looked at Wil, who shrugged and gave her the “that’s up to you, I’m fine with it” look. She looked at the floor quickly, trying to make up her mind.

She wanted you to have fun outside but she also didn’t want you sick. But she could prevent that with layers and hot cocoa afterwards.

“Ok, yes you guys can but! after breakfast.” Wilma quickly added as she saw your eyes widen and Aidan pop up from the couch and come running over.

“tan i go toos?” Aidan asked Wil, voice hush but full of energy.

“Yes you may, darling. But like mama said, after breakfast.” Wilbur said to the boy as he quickly nodded and silently asked Wil to pick him up.

“Tan we eats now den? Wan go n pway!” You asked excitedly, squirming on the counter and in Wilm’s arms.

Wilma laughed as she quickly nodded, picking you up and sitting you down at the table. “If you stay here patiently and not rush to eat your food, then yes. And you have to wait for everyone. Ok?” Wilma said as she caressed your cheek with her thumb.

“Otay mama!” You said with a smile as Wil sat Aidan down beside you and told him the same while he helped Wilma dish plates up.

Wil quickly helped his twin as she started plating the fluffy pancakes down as he put some of the bacon on plated who favored it. “This’ll be fun.” He quietly added as he looked over at the two littles, talking to each other about something.

“That’s a given. Maybe we should join?” Wilma smiled softly at the two as she picked up your and her plates and set them down at the table.

“Um, yeah!” Wil said enthusiastically as he did the same for him and Aidan, quickly grabbing both of your sippy’s over and placing hem down in front of you both. The two thanking him in their own ways as Wilm cut up both your and Aidan’s food.

This will be fun.

taglist: @evil-peanut-butter-addict-sam

[zara-renata]

And everything that is now already existed then | ao3 | masterlist

Summary: Sylus shows you his favorite parts of his house, you are haunted by a strange feeling of familiarity, you spend some time with the twins and Noah, you learn about the bet they have going, no this is not a wattpad bet story that will be turned into a multi-part tv series even though i love that trope so much, the self control i exerted should be acknowledged if not praised. This part has less humor than other parts, I've been in a contemplative mood recently, sorry. Part 17 of the Sylus series. Notes: Sylus x gn reader, Sylus x mc, second person POV, some Sylus POV. They/them pronouns are used to refer to reader as a placeholder for your preferred pronouns. The slowest of slow burns friends-to-lovers. This story contains: angst, fluff, banter, poetry, questions of morality, video game violence, discussions of real life violence, profanity, alcohol mention, self-harm mention, mc with self-esteem and guilt issues.

The water is warm. The man underneath you is warm. Your heart, you realize, is also warm. Quiet. Nothing hurts. You marvel at the feeling. How long can you get away with this? Plastered against Sylus’s big body, his rough hands just resting on your back. You feel guilty for keeping him from doing something else. For not being at work. For doing absolutely nothing useful to anyone. For feeling so good.

Sylus holds you, seemingly content to just sit here with you as the water laps against the sides of the pool.

“Don’t you have business to attend to?” you reluctantly ask, because you’re incapable of just trusting that good things can last. That the fulfillment of your deepest desires won’t be snatched away when you least expect it, so you push, push, push, seeking the weakness that will ultimately crack and cause the moment, finally filled, to break.

Sylus holds you a little tighter. “No.”

You wait, but he doesn’t elaborate. You should just accept it. Just enjoy this moment. All you have in this life is each moment—that’s all there is. Why can’t you just experience each one, savor it, suck it dry, until the next? Why must you always waste the pleasure of each moment by being in such a rush to get to the inevitable end?

But you can’t just accept it. You don’t know how. Your whole life has taught you that the moment you trust the permanence is the moment that the moment shatters. Might as well ruin it first, instead of fearing the end. And who are you to complain? What have you done to deserve it in the first place?

“Business slow in the Onychinus economy?” you ask.

“Tch,” he responds, seemingly indignant at the mere suggestion that his business isn’t printing him money even as he canoodles in a hot tub with you. “Business is booming, darling. The human capacity for cruelty is an endlessly growing market.”

You press your cheek harder against the sweaty skin just under his collarbone. You don’t want to think about what he offers people to enable that endless cruelty right now.

“Then how do you have the luxury of lazing about with me?”

“I’ve tasked Aidan with handling business that requires executive decisions for the foreseeable future. As much as it annoys me, I will likely have to answer calls like this morning, but I’ve informed him that I will not be leaving the base unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

You lift your head, curious. He looks down at you, relaxed, eyes glowing in the low light from the pool.

“Why?”

One corner of his beautiful mouth lifts. “Guess.”

You stare at him. He’s taking time off, not pursuing new deals, not focusing on growing his wealth… for you? Ridiculous. 

“What will you do while you’re not doing business?” you ask, not able to bring yourself to guess out loud that he took time off for you, to spend time with you while you’re staying with him.

“What do you want to do?” He runs his fingers along your temple, brushes a lock of hair behind your ear, traces the shell of it with a fingertip.

“That’s not an answer,” you say, softly.

“Yes, it is.”

You can’t believe it. The man who is always on the go, from one deal to the next, disappearing for weeks at a time, doing who knows what, who knows where—the man who probably gets bored out of his mind while instigating a riot—says that he just wants to do whatever you want to do. You, whose idea of excitement is a new pair of sleep pants and a night off to watch let’s plays of horror games that you don’t have the time and energy to play yourself anymore.

“You can’t mean that.” You frown at him.

“Try me,” he challenges.

You try to think of something that he’d hate just to prove your point that he doesn't actually mean it when he says he’ll do whatever you want.

“Oh, kitten’s plotting,” he snickers after seeing your expression.

“I want to watch every Justin Bieber documentary ever produced,” you say defiantly. You really don’t. But you’re sure he’ll balk at this outrageous suggestion.

He shrugs a little. “Okay. We can see if they’re on demand in the theater room. If not, I’m sure we can pirate them.”

You narrow your eyes. He can’t mean it. Fuck, if he’s going to call your bluff, you’re going to have to actually sit through who knows how many hours of Justin Bieber: Our World. You barely suppress a shudder.

“Actually, I want to fly to a warm seaside resort and swim with dolphins,” you try, the picture of casual entitlement. You do not want to do this. You’re fucking tired. The last thing you want to do is get on an airplane.

“Dolphins can be as vicious as humans, but if you really want that, we can pack some things now and be on our way by dinner,” he says calmly. As if the suggestion isn’t utterly outrageous.

Is he being as petty as you, intent on not admitting that he didn’t actually mean it when he said he would do whatever you want, or does he actually want to do whatever the fuck you want? You can’t read him at all right now.

You’re desperate and stubborn. “Actually, I think the amusement park in Linkon City is having a furry event all week. I’d like to dress up as our respective fursonas and ride the roller coasters all day.” 

Sylus doesn’t even blink. “Do you have a fursuit already, or do we need one tailored before we can go?”

You laugh in disbelief and rest your forehead on his shoulder. “What about you? Do you have a fursuit already?”

“No, I don’t have a fursuit, because I’m not a fucking furry,” he says drily.  “But I do think I’d make a very majestic caracal cat. Which goes nicely with your kitten fursona.”

You blink. “That's quite self-aware of you." And then you scowl. "My fursona wouldn’t be as lame as a kitten.”

“Oh? What animal do you think accurately portrays your personality?”

You lift your head and think. You’ve never really thought about it. Something small and mean, probably. “A mongoose.”

He tilts his head, considering. “That actually fits you quite well. Good at hunting snakes, and very, very cute.”

You can feel yourself blushing. “Yeah, well. I’m not a furry, so it doesn’t matter even if it doesn’t fit,” you mumble a little.

“And yet you want to go to the furry event at the amusement park,” he lifts an eyebrow. 

You stare at him, mulishly. You’re not going to admit that you’re trying to poke holes in his patience because you can’t trust nice things.

“But I don’t think that’s what you actually want to do,” he continues, with a gentleness that hurts your heart. He urges you to wrap your legs around his waist. “When I said you could test me, this is not exactly what I had in mind,” he teases. “How about you test me by telling me what you actually want to do, and then you’ll see that I mean what I say when I refrain from complaining about being bored while we do them?”

You wrap your arms around his neck as he stands gracefully, the water sliding down both your bodies. “I don’t want you to just not complain about being bored,” you argue. “I don’t want you to be bored at all. You don’t have to entertain me while I’m here. You can do whatever you really want to do.” You mean this. It’s enough, just being in the same house as him right now. Knowing that in the evening he’ll end up in the same bed as you. You don’t want him to tire of you too quickly by insisting that he spend every moment with you.

“Then I repeat—what do you want to do?”

Okay. Okay, he asked for it.

“Show me your favorite things to do at home, when you’re not being a warlord.”

He looks surprised. “That’s it?”

“Yeah. I’m really tired. I never get a chance to just relax. I don’t want to go anywhere, or do anything exciting.” You bite your lip, unwilling to admit that you’re desperate to learn more about him and that worried he’s going to think you’re boring. 

He leans forward and catches the side of your lip not caught in your own teeth with his. With your lip between his sharp teeth, he pulls back, gently, until you release it from your own. He pauses, inhales, and then lets go, licking your bitten lip with a quick, soothing flick of his tongue.

“That’s my spot,” he murmurs, pulling back.

Your brain is offline. You have no idea what you were just talking about, or what just happened. All you can feel is the slick of his saliva on the plush of your lip.

Fuck.

You want to fuck him so badly.

You search his face. Can he tell? Does he feel the same way? He touches you like this, and then does nothing. What does he want?

If he can tell what’s going on in your head, he doesn’t comment on it. “Then we can stay home. I’ll show you what I like to do when I’m tired and don’t want to do anything exciting.” His faint smile is tinged with self satisfaction.

“Okay,” you choke out. You will not slide down his body, push him onto the soft moss, and jump on him. 

“But first, I will feed you.” The tendrils of his evol bring the fluffy towels to his waiting hand, and he wraps one around you, all while you cling to his torso. He just drapes the other around his shoulders, over your arms still wrapped around his neck. His evol then ferries the two cocktails that remained untouched for the whole time you were in the hot tub, following you back through the pool room and into the chill hallway as Sylus carries you to the kitchen. Between the heat of Sylus’s body and the towels blanketing you, you’re still warm. You watch the drinks following you over his shoulder, and then glance at him.

At your look, he says, “What? It would be a shame to let perfectly good drinks go to waste.”

“What time is it? Don’t you think it’s a bit early to start drinking?”

He shrugs. “It’s probably past midnight, sweetheart. That’s when one normally drinks alcoholic beverages, isn’t it?”

You sigh. “So it’s basically noon in your day-night cycle.”

“Time is a construct, and inherently meaningless,” he says serenely.

After this insufferable response, you give up trying to save his liver for the moment.

Later, after Sylus serves you a meal packed with protein that pairs nicely with the cocktails as the fire crackles pleasantly and the clouds, reflecting the N109 Zone’s bright lights even at night, sweep across the sky outside his kitchen windows, after you’ve showered and put on warm, comfortable clothes, you find him in the sitting area of his bedroom, reading a book, the Beatles playing on his record player. You recognize the song— The long and winding road. 

You stop, suddenly overcome with an overwhelming sense of sorrow. He looks up from his book and watches you curiously.

You left me standing here, a long long time ago

You feel like you’re forgetting something very, very important. Like your dream last night, but not about your family. About the man watching you inquisitively, his long, graceful fingers holding the book gently, the outline of his aquiline nose limned in the soft lighting of his bedroom.

Don’t leave me waiting here, lead me to your door

You suddenly can’t bear to be separated from him for one more second. You pad to him on your freshly bandaged feet, knock the book out of his hand, clamber into his lap, and hug him.

His arms come around you as if he doesn’t mind that you’ve just bulldozed your way onto his lap. After a few minutes, the song ends, and a new, more upbeat one begins.

You feel like you can breathe again.

You sit up, looking down into his face. You want to kiss him so badly. You’re afraid that he’ll gently push you away, as he pushed your hand away from the tie of his sleep pants that you were fiddling with recently. With such kindness, but a loud, resounding rejection of what he perceived to be you offering your body to him.

He’ll bite your lip, but you’re so scared that he doesn’t want to kiss you. Sometimes it seems like he wants you, you, not just a body, not just anyone praising him or challenging him, but you. Do you really still not know? My beloved is perfect to me.  

But what if you’re wrong? What have you done to earn this incredible man's devotion?

“Will you tell me what you’re thinking right now, without the guessing game?” he asks softly. 

You shake your head. “No. And I don’t want to play the guessing game right now.” You can’t bear to think about what you may be forgetting as you look into his blood-bright eyes. You can’t bear to reveal how badly you want to kiss him, only to be rebuffed.

“Not even a hint?” He nudges your nose with his. “Otherwise I’ll spend every free moment sitting around reading, listening to classic rock music.”

You look at him in confusion. “Why?”

“It seemed to work in luring a kitten into my lap this time. Maybe it works every time.”

Your heart is doing something funny. It doesn’t hurt. It feels… it feels so fucking warm. Like in the hot tub. What is happening to you? 

“The music made me sad,” you offer this truth, as a reward for his sweet response.

“Not a fan of the Beatles?” He fiddles with the hem of your shirt, his knuckles brushing against your skin underneath.

“I do like their music. My gran used to listen to them a lot.”

“Is that what made you sad?”

You give him a look. “I said I didn’t want to play the guessing game.”

“I’m just asking questions,” he protests, the picture of innocence. “Is it a crime to want to get to know you?”

You gaze at him. Weren’t you just thinking about how you’re desperate to know everything about him? “Not one I’d arrest you for,” you say, looking down, smiling a little.

He laughs softly. “Lucky me. It would be hard to uphold my end of our deal and show you the music room, the library, and my favorite part of the greenhouse from behind bars.”

“That sounds like a busy itinerary,” you say, lifting a finger, tracing his clavicle revealed by his soft v-neck sweater.

His knuckles sweep over your skin just above the band of your soft pants.

“We have time—we don’t have to do everything today. Which one do you want to see first?”

You don’t care. Your heart is being weird and Sylus is touching you, and you’re touching Sylus. You could just sit here, forever, and enjoy whatever this… feeling is. But you’re afraid you’ll ruin it. Like you always do. If you take too much, he will actually get bored. You should pick one.

“Library,” you say firmly.

“As you wish,” he says, standing, holding you all the while. You can’t bring yourself to protest. You can walk on your own feet. Your feet already feel a little better after just a day. But he’s warm. And he doesn’t seem to mind at all. You drape yourself over him, and let him carry you through the dark halls to his library.

He sets you down outside one of the ubiquitous black doors, and then opens it for you. 

His library, like the greenhouse, the pool, the room like a mountain hot spring, is lovely in a way that the rest of his house simply isn’t. Soaring ceilings, heavy built-in wooden bookcases lining the walls, a huge fireplace, electric as opposed to the wood-fireplace from the kitchen, at one end of the room. A wrought iron spiraling staircase leads up beyond the heavy wooden rafter beams to a space you can’t see. Deep red, plush rugs in antique designs hush your footsteps. Plush, deep seated chairs and loveseats, side tables with Tiffany lamps gently illuminate the space. One wall of his preferred floor-to-ceiling windows letting in the N109 Zone night, the red moon bright in the sky as the clouds scuttle past. 

It’s like a library from an old, prestigious university. The kind of university you always wished you could have gone to, if you lived in another world. If this world didn’t need people prepared to kill and die for existential threats to humanity. Where you could study something functionally useless, but enriching to the human experience. Like French literature or poetry. The room smells of wood oil, old paper. 

You turn in a circle and find Sylus leaning against a bookcase, watching you take in the room. “This is one of your favorite spots in the house?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“It’s quiet. The twins aren’t big readers, so they don’t come in here. It’s a good place to think, and concentrate.”

“Have you read every book in here, like you’ve seen every film in your collection?”

He straightens from the bookcase and walks to you. As he comes to a stop in front of you, he reaches for your face, holds your cheeks gently in his hands. “No. This room is more about the future. Books I’d like to read when life is a little less busy. I’ve read some, but not as many as I would like.”

“Do you think that someday your life will be less busy?”

“If I have my way, yes.”

“And you’ll spend your days quietly reading in the solitude of your lovely library?”

“Not in solitude. But yes. You think it’s lovely?”

You look at him strangely. Didn't he just say he enjoys it because it's quiet and no one bothers him here? “Of course I do. It’s like someone designed it just for me.”

He looks down into your face, thumbs brushing across your cheekbones.

“Like I said. This room is about the future.”

You tilt your head at his non-sequitur. What does your loving the library have to do with his quieter future?

It almost sounds like…

The moment is full. You refuse to shatter it by considering such outrageous thoughts. You will enjoy this moment for what it is. A peek into the mind of this enigmatic man. The opportunity to explore a beautiful, private space in his home.

“Read to me,” he orders, striding to one of the soft couches and plopping down.

You snort. “What do you want me to read you, your spoiled highness?”

“Anything you want. Look around, pick something that catches your interest.” He lets his head drop onto the back of the couch, eyes half-lidded as they follow you walking to one of the bookcases, as you let your fingertips run along the spines of book after book. You see a lot of titles you don’t recognize. You see a lot that you do—classics as well as newer publications. You and Xavier spend enough time in the bookstore that you know a lot of titles by sight, even if these days you rarely have the time to read beyond the manga you share with your partner.

Your eyes catch on a familiar title.

“Oh,” you breathe.

“Find something?” Sylus asks languidly.

“One of my favorite poets. Gran had a copy of this.” You pluck the book from the shelf and walk back over to where Sylus is sprawled on the couch. The moonlight through the windows makes his eyes look even brighter than usual, glowing in the soft light.

“You’re a fan of poetry?” he asks, eyebrows lifting.

“Don’t act so surprised. I’m not entirely uncultured.”

“Your manga collection could have fooled me,” he teases.

“Manga is art. You’re a pretentious fool if you can’t recognize that.”

“No need to get your knives out, kitten,” he smiles, one sharp tooth peeking from behind his full lip. “I have a collection of manga here as well.”

“You do?”

He just steadily stares at you.

“Where?”

He closes his eyes. “Guess you’ll have to stay long enough to explore and find it.”

You stand over him, drinking in the sight of him. Surrounded by the scent of books, polished wood, the moon’s red light rendering him slightly otherworldly.

You want to stay long enough to find out. It’s only been two days, and you want to live in this moment forever. You're so greedy. You're so unworthy.

“Still want me to read to you?”

Instead of answering, the tendrils of his evol wind up from your ankles to your waist, lift you, deposit you on the seat next to him. He scoots down, places his head in your lap.

“You could have just said yes,” you say drily. “No need to be dramatic.”

“I don’t hear any reading. Chop chop.”

Oh hell no. You scowl down at him, but his eyes are closed. “Lap service costs extra.”

“Good thing I’m filthy rich.”

You scoff. “I don’t want your money.”

He opens his eyes. “I suspected as much. It makes taming you all the more difficult.”

You look at him curiously. “Is that what you’re doing? All of your generosity, in order to acquire a tame hunter?”

“What use is a tame hunter?” He dismisses your suggestion. “Your imagination is distressingly limited.”

“Once again, I disappoint,” you murmur. He clearly isn’t in the mood to answer your questions.

He tsks and closes his eyes again, wiggles a little to get more comfortable in your lap. “Make up for it by reading your favorite poetry to me.”

You want to lean down and kiss the smug look off of his face. You don’t want him to turn away if you do.

You begin to read.

“Try to praise the mutilated world.

Remember June's long days,

and wild strawberries, drops of rosé wine.”

He interrupts you. “I see why you like Zagajewski. Someone else who shares your taste in middling wine.”

“No comments until the end, thank you,” you jostle his head by bouncing your thigh a few times.

He scowls, places one big hand on your thigh and presses down. “Stingy. This should be interactive storytelling.”

You ignore the howling need in you to grab his hand, to guide it further up your leg. You continue to read.

“The nettles that methodically overgrow

the abandoned homesteads of exiles.

You must praise the mutilated world.

You suddenly think of the N109 Zone and all of its misery. Paying the price of some shitty corporation’s greed. But you keep reading.

You watched the stylish yachts and ships;

one of them had a long trip ahead of it,

while salty oblivion awaited others.”

You pause, thinking about Sylus’s wealth, the wealth of people like him, and everyone else. The yachts, versus the ships that will sink.

“That’s not the end. Why have you stopped?” Sylus's voice jerks you out of your thoughts.

“You know this poem?”

“I own the book, don’t I?”

“You said you hadn’t read everything in here.”

“Point,” he concedes. “But yes, I know this poem. I’m also an admirer of the poet.”

You think about him calling you kindred spirits, when you first met. How angry that idea made you. Now, you want to lean down and kiss him. You shake your head a little. You keep reading.

“You've seen the refugees going nowhere,

you've heard the executioners sing joyfully.

You should praise the mutilated world.

Remember the moments when we were together

in a white room and the curtain fluttered.”

Sylus interrupts you again. “I always liked the imagery of the moments spent together, the simplicity of the white room, the curtain fluttering. What more can one desire, when at their love’s side?”

You don't think you've ever heard him say something so romantic. But why would you have? You're not in a romantic relationship with him. Your heart doesn't seem to understand that fact—something inside you thrills that his idea of romance mirrors yours so closely. But his focus on the gentle moment, instead of the rest of the poem, strikes you as strange. “That’s what you see? Not the lovers enjoying simplicity, safety, while the refugees are going nowhere, and the executioners are singing joyfully?”

“The point of the poem is that you must wrest joy from an imperfect world where you can. You’re not helping the condemned by moping about their fate.”

“Is that the point? Perhaps the point is that all you can do is try to praise the mutilated world, but it’s fruitless. If that were the point, he would have entitled it 'Praise the mutilated world,' not 'Try to praise the mutilated world.' ‘Trying’ isn’t succeeding—try all you want, but it’s impossible to praise the world as it is. Better to use your yacht to save those drowning in the salty oblivion.”

“Idealist,” Sylus scoffs, as if the label is a profanity instead of a compliment.

You jostle his head again. “Cynic,” you retort.

“You’re not done,” he sniffs, closing his eyes again.

You resist the urge to buck your hips in order to dump him on the floor. You read again.

“Return in thought to the concert where music flared.

You gathered acorns in the park in autumn

and leaves eddied over the earth's scars.

Praise the mutilated world

and the gray feather a thrush lost,

and the gentle light that strays and vanishes

and returns.”

You finish, filled with a strange feeling. You’ve loved this poem ever since the first time you read it with the sunshine gushing into your gran’s living room on a slow summer day. As you grew, you loved it for different reasons, for its ambiguity, its hope and its resignation, its acknowledgment of the horrors of life and its simple pleasures. It always felt familiar to you, but the specific imagery reading it this time around is familiar in a way that feels concrete. 

You think about the gray feather, the light that strays and vanishes and returns. You think about the feeling while listening to the Beatles, that you’re forgetting something important. You think about Sylus’s casual dismissal of the suffering of others.

Calling suffering fate seems like a convenient excuse to you. Why bother trying to make the world better, if fate deems that it should be miserable?

You think about sipping the rosé, biting the strawberry Sylus offered you. Your curtains fluttering in the breeze in your room, when Sylus has come to your place at night. These things you have enjoyed, as people suffer beyond the safety of your apartment and Sylus’s fortress walls. 

“Stop torturing yourself, darling,” he says through your racing thoughts. He turns his head, presses his lips against your thigh, inhales deeply. It’s not a kiss, but you feel the press of his mouth through the fabric of your pants as if it were. You resist the urge to spread your thighs further.

“Should I read another?” you ask quietly. You don’t want to think about these things. You want to live in the moment. What kind of person does that make you? The desire to ignore the cost of this pleasure, your enjoyment of Sylus's home, proves that you don’t deserve it. 

“Of course,” he says, but his phone vibrates in his pocket. He grunts unhappily as he reluctantly sits up, sliding the phone from his pocket. “Keep exploring,” he says, heading to the door. “I’ll try to make this quick.”

So you do. Wandering amongst the books, finding other titles that are your favorites, but so many that you’ve never read, never heard of. Many of them are not in your native language. You wonder how many languages Sylus speaks.

After a surprisingly short amount of time, he returns. "Read more to me," he orders, sprawling on the couch once more.

You look back at him, admiring the wrought-iron staircase spiraling up, the moon through the windows, his long, strong body casually stretched along the couch.

“Can we light the fire?”

“Of course. Fire," he says, and the fireplace flares to life at his command. You wonder if such a system is in place in each room. You wander back to the couch, and he pulls you down. You read him the rest of the poems from this collection, arguing here and there, learning his favorite parts, both matching and diverging from your own. Until your stomach growls, causing him to nuzzle it, insist on taking you to the kitchen and feeding you another meal. After you're once again full, he offers to show you the conservatory.

“Okay,” you say, relaxed, satisfied. He wraps his arms around you, lifts. You let him, wrapping your legs around his waist. You think about a gentle light that strays and vanishes and returns. What are you forgetting?

He takes you to the music room. It’s behind another black door. You would never be able to guess, walking through his solemn hallways, each expansive room unfolding behind each uniform door.

As you walk into the beautiful space, you’re struck with the realization that Sylus’s home is strange in many ways, and not just because it serves as both his home and his fortress, an armory and an indoor playground. The halls are winding and despite the height of the ceilings on each floor, they’re oppressive. There is no open floor plan for the house itself. Each room’s door can be closed, barricaded, turning the room within into a bunker. But behind each door, each room fans out, soaring windows, high ceilings, glass giving way to a savage view of the harsh landscape in a way that renders even the ugliness of the N109 Zone beautiful in a stark, barren-planet kind of way. You suspect that the glass is bullet-proof. You wonder what kind of impacts it can withstand beyond firearms. Could it survive a thrown grenade? A direct strike from a drone? Would anyone dare actually wage a full-on assault on the leader of Onychinus’s home?

“Not even the greenhouse rendered you speechless, kitten. Does that mean you like it, or hate it?”

You blink. You had been so busy wondering about the strategic choices of Sylus’s architectural design that you hadn’t even begun admiring the metal support beams, curling like vines in a distinct art nouveau style between multiple panes of glass, each meeting at the pinnacle of a glass ceiling. Two of the larger glass panes are not the standard window glass, but are stained glass, continuing the art nouveau theme, depicting colorful curls of plants, flowers, as well as animals—beasts from mythology, dragons, phoenixes, winged chimeras. Luscious potted plants scattered along the white marble floor. A white grand piano sitting in the center of the circular space. Instruments of all kinds, from all parts of the world, hung or resting on more organically wrought metal display mounts along two-thirds of the glass walls. A seating area, filled with comfortable, low furniture, carved blond wood in flowing, plant-like designs, sits between the piano and the view of the landscape through the clear glass, framed by the murals of stained glass.

It’s breathtaking. But you’ve had your breath taken by the greenhouse, the pool, the room with the hot tub, the library. Each in a distinctly different style from the rooms of the house that see daily use by their owner: Sylus’s bedroom. The kitchen. The hallways. The imposing dining room and its equally imposing banquet table. The cave-like theater room. Each dark—black marble, maroon accents, deeply masculine, modern, abstract art. But the rooms that have taken your breath instead of making you feel oppressed are so startlingly different from Sylus’s often-used spaces.

You can’t accept the moment. You can’t stand not knowing, even as you are afraid to know. You have to ask. “I don’t understand,” you say, turning to him.

He glances around the room, and then looks back at you. “It’s a home conservatory, sweetheart. Not a trick question.”

You ignore him. Your curiosity will eat you alive if you don’t ask him. You want to know. You don’t want to know. “Why does it feel like two different people designed your house?”

His eyebrows lift in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“Half of your house is edgy, big-dick rich vampire man-cave, and half is this,” you sweep an arm to indicate the delicate yet sturdy steel beams, organically curving into the height of the room, the chairs carved like palms, stained glass, the lush vegetation.

“Can one person not appreciate more than one style of home decor?” he asks, walking over to you, winding an arm around your waist.

You stare at him. Nothing Sylus does is by accident. You know this much by now. You know a lot about him by now. You don’t know enough about him by now.

“The parts of the house you spend the most time in reflect your style. But the other parts… the parts that wait for an owner that rarely comes. Did you choose the design yourself? Or did you let your architect run wild?”

His smile is faint as he gazes down at you. “How very observant of you, darling. But I designed every room in this house. The architect modified the plans where necessary to ensure the structural integrity was sound, but I chose the decor.”

You wait. It sounded like he ended that sentence with a ‘but.’

“You’re right. I didn’t have just my preferences in mind as I was planning each room.”

You want to know. You don’t want to know. What if you’re wrong? The very idea is insane. Presumptuous. How could he possibly know? You only met him a few months ago. This base isn’t newly built. You have no idea how long I’ve already waited, his voice whispers through your mind.

“Whose preferences did you have in mind?” you ask, your heart doing that thing again. That weird thing that doesn’t hurt but scares you with how good it feels. Don’t leave me waiting here, lead me to your door.

His smile widens, just a little. “Do you really not know?”

You can’t process this. How could he have known?

It’s like these oases in his dark fortress of a home were designed with your deepest heart’s desires in mind. 

You want to kiss him. You want to resonate with him again. You want to drop to your knees in front of him.

The enormity of your feelings is terrifying.

What if you’re wrong?

How much worse will it be, if you let yourself believe, and he turns you away. What if he designed all of this for someone else. Because how could he have known, before you met just a few months ago—how could he have known the contours of your tastes, the things that make you most comfortable, the yearning of your heart in your small apartment, of what you’d give yourself if you could ever afford to make your home exactly how you would want? A refuge from the harsh world. Space to breathe.

Your feelings are choking you. You step away from his embrace, turn. You have time. He said he’ll wait. You focus on this room.

It’s beautiful. Because of course it is. You don’t recognize even half of these instruments.

You turn back to him. He has moved to the piano, straddling the white bench, legs spread, just watching you.

“Do you know how to play all of these?”

He shakes his head. “No. Most of these are collector’s items, antiques. But I do know how to play the piano.”

You stand, resisting the constant pull towards him. You want to go to him, run your hands through his hair, tug his head back, expose his throat, bite.

“Only the piano?” You satisfy your need to move by walking over to the sitting area, forcing yourself to sit away from him. You need to control yourself. You plop down on one of the beautiful chairs, carved like a ginkgo leaf.

He turns, sitting properly on the bench in order to face you, and opens the cover over the piano keys. He leisurely presses down on one key, and the note resounds through the lovely room.

“I can also play the organ,” he murmurs, before beginning to play in earnest.

You don’t recognize the piece. You know you’ve never heard it before. But the longer he plays, the more you’re overcome with the sense that you know it. The blood under your skin, your lungs, your bones—you feel pulled to him, to his long fingers sweeping over the keys, unseen from your vantage point in the room. You know what’s coming, the crescendos and the pauses. It’s beautiful. It hurts. Your thoughts drift to the poem. Its strawberries, its rosé wine. Its familiarity. Return in thought to the concert where the music flared. You want to ask Sylus if he owns a yacht. You’re convinced that there will be a park, and acorns, and you will pick them up and offer them to him on a sunny summer morning after a long, long night. It has already happened. It will happen in the future.

You can’t resist the pull any longer. You stand and walk over to him, stand next to him at the bench. His hands hypnotize you. Big. Rough. Delicately pressing the keys—sure, confident, flowing. Like his evol. Like him.

“Sit,” he orders, and you obey, sliding in next to him. You try to give him space, but he takes one hand, still playing with the other, and pulls you by the waist until you’re shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip. 

You watch his hands, lost in the moment, lost in the feeling of recognition, of … something. That warm feeling in your heart, threaded with the pain of having lost something that you can’t remember.

Slowly, the piece comes to an end. His hands become still on the keys.

“What song was that?” you ask.

He flicks his eyes to yours.

“It doesn’t have a name.”

“Who composed it?” You hope that perhaps you can track it down later and listen to it again when Sylus isn’t around.

“Me,” he says, turning his head to look at you.

Wait, what?

“It’s already shocking enough that you play, but when do you have the time to compose?”

He lifts one of your hands and threads his fingers with yours. “Why so shocked that I have hobbies, like anyone else?”

“I just figured you’re always too busy with murder, mayhem, and munitions to have hobbies like a normal person,” you squeeze his hand as it swallows yours.

“I don’t have a lot of free time, but when I do, I like to spend some of it practicing and composing. Sometimes when I’m bored during business meetings I compose a little in my head and then write it out when I get home.” 

At your incredulous look, he flicks your forehead gently with his free hand. “What would you have guessed that I spend my free time doing if it occurred to you that I do not, in fact, work in every waking moment?”

You consider it. “I would have assumed you spend all your free time hanging out in your shady nightclubs.”

He frowns at you. “I own classy nightclubs because they make me money and provide convenient venues for business deals now that I no longer host such deals in my own home. I do not spend any more time in them than necessary.”

“Is that what you meant when you said that Amnesia isn’t really your vibe?”

“You remember,” he says, sounding pleasantly surprised. 

“Even though it feels like weeks ago, you did just tell me that like, two nights ago,” you flick his forehead in revenge.

“Fair point,” he concedes. “All right, then, yes. That’s what I meant.”

“So what is your vibe?”

“Curious, kitten?”

“Yes.” That warm feeling you have is overriding your fears of admitting this to him. You want to know him. You want to know everything about him.

“It’s easier to show you my vibe,” he shrugs. “We’ll make a date of it.”

He dropped the “fake” part again.

His phone begins to vibrate in his jeans pocket again.

He frowns in irritation. You stand, forcing yourself to move away from him.

“I’ll entertain myself,” you smile at his questioning look. He holds onto your hand as you move away, until your arm and his are stretched between you, and then he lets go.

You’re thankful for the interruption. Too much unadulterated time being the subject of Sylus’s entire focus makes you think insane things. Like that he designed parts of his house with you in mind. That you know music that you’ve never heard before. That you’re forgetting something important about him, even though you only met him recently. That a poem you read in your youth is a roadmap of things that have already happened between you and the man pacing behind the door, and what will happen before the light strays, vanishes… returns again.

You step into the hallway and wander back toward the kitchen. After a few minutes, you hear the flap of Mephisto’s wings. He’s keeping you company again. You keep walking.

You’re distracted halfway to the kitchen, however, when you hear voices coming from the theater room. It sounds like the twins, and someone else whose voice is familiar, but you can’t pinpoint it. You knock.

“No need to knock,” one of the twins yells.

You open the door and peek into the room. It’s dark, with all the lights dimmed.

On the large screen where you almost watched a movie with Sylus the other night, a video game is playing.

Luke sits on one of the loveseats, holding a game controller, while Kieran is squished onto the same small loveseat with him, their two big bodies barely fitting, hiding his face in Luke’s shoulder.

Noah is sprawled out on another loveseat, perfectly at ease. She gives you a lazy wave.

Luke pauses the game and looks over his shoulder at you.

“Boss busy?” he asks as Kieran lifts his head, a look of relief on his face at the interruption.

“Business call,” you say, nodding. You stare at the screen. It looks like…

“Are you playing the Silent Hill 2 remake?” you squeal.

“Yeah! Since boss is on a little holiday, he gave us the time off as well. Figured we’d finally play it.”

“Are you a fan of the original?” Kieran asks.

You nod. “Huge fan. I was so excited when they announced the remake, but I’ve been too busy with work to play it.”

“Wanna join? Kieran is too scared to look half the time. We can take turns, if you want,” Luke offers, sounding pleased to have another person to share the game with.

You seriously consider his offer, but you’re still so tired. You don’t really want to learn the controls mid-way through a playthrough. Weren’t you just thinking about watching let’s plays of horror games you haven’t had a chance to play yet? You can watch Luke play without having to do a thing.

“I’m good, but do you mind if I stay and just watch until Sylus is done?”

“Is that even a question? Get in here.”

Luke unpauses the game, and the familiar sounds of the world of Silent Hill, with amazing, updated graphics fills your vision. You slink inside the room and sit on another love seat, preferring to give Noah her space since she’s sprawled out like she already owns the place.

You watch as Kieran hides his face in Luke's shoulder again as a lying figure jerkily lumbers towards James Sunderland.

Apparently Noah notices Kieran’s fear as well.

“Aren’t you one of the feared Raptors of Onychinus? Like, you’re famous in the Zone. How can the same person who is known for intentionally leaving mutilated corpses in public as warnings to your boss’s enemies be afraid of video game monsters?”

You turn and stare at the twins, a little horrified. Not entirely surprised, because you know what kind of man Sylus is. You know what his organization stands for. But mutilated dead bodies? Where normal people just trying to get through their shitty workday, where kids can see them?

“That’s fucked up,” you say out loud.

“Hey, you’re a fucking cop. We know what cops are capable of,” Kieran says softly, with a flatness in his tone you’ve never heard before. Noah looks between you and Kieran like she wishes she has popcorn. “Don’t act like what you sometimes do is any better than our calling card.” Luke kills a monster shaped like two shapely pairs of legs attached at the waist with a metal pipe, and it dies loudly. He stomps on it for good measure. “At least we’re honest about it, and don’t hide behind a shield of so-called legitimacy. People know what they’re getting when they deal with us.”

You look at Kieran thoughtfully. It’s difficult to admit, but he has a point. You know that there are corrupt hunters. The so-called Tenebrae. You also recognize that dark part of yourself, when you’re faced with someone who you know has done terrible things, and the itch to pull the trigger before you can bring them in. You know that innocent people suffer at the hands of criminals and law enforcement alike.

Kieran stares steadily back at you, his normally cheerful face serious. “How did you come to work for Sylus?” you ask.

Luke pauses the game. “We don’t talk about that,” he says in the same flat tone that his brother just spoke in.

“Oh?” you say, because you don’t want to continue to pry, and you don’t know what else to say.

“Boss says it doesn’t matter where we come from. Only where we’re going. So there’s no use talking about the past if we don’t want to.”

“And you don’t want to?” Noah asks, the look of entertainment morphing into something else on her face.

The twins shake their heads in unison.

You think she’s going to say something snarky, but she just nods. “Then you shouldn’t. No one is entitled to your story.”

“That’s what boss says. I see why he hired you now,” Kieran says, smiling at her, the odd stillness broken.

“He hired me because I’m fucking awesome,” Noah sniffs, flicking her braids behind her shoulder. They’re down now, spilling over her back.

You tilt your head. “Are you a new hire?” For some reason you thought that Noah had been Sylus’s driver for a long time.

“Did he not tell you?” she asks, looking at you strangely.

“Tell me what?”

“I’m not gonna do his work for him,” she says, rolling her eyes.

“Huh?”

“Don’t worry about it,” she smiles at you, and it’s unnerving instead of soothing. “Anyway, yeah I’m a new hire. You’re gonna be seeing a lot of me in the future.”

Although Kieran seems to have reached some sort of approval of Noah, Luke still shudders and starts the game again.

You let it go. You’ll ask Sylus about Noah’s weird comment later. Instead of dwelling on it, you sink into admiring the awesome graphics, the atmosphere, your childhood nostalgia rendered in state of the art graphics

When the sirens go off as James is about to enter the Other World, you have a sudden flashback to playing the original Silent Hill 2 with Caleb. You were also too afraid, like Kieran, to play yourself, so you just clutched Caleb’s arm as he held the controller, and you delighted in the safety of vicarious thrills, of Caleb’s reassuring, solid presence at your side as you experienced the story. You suddenly miss him so, so much. The feeling of loss is overwhelming.

The sudden punch of grief leaves you breathless. Everyone else is so focused on the screen, they don’t notice your gasp. You want to watch. You’ve been wanting to experience the remake ever since the developers announced it, over a year ago. You want to experience it with who you are tentatively thinking of as your new friends. But you need a second to ground yourself before you can bring yourself to keep watching. 

Your force your voice through your throat. “I’m going to grab a snack. Do you guys want anything from the kitchen?”

“Popcorn!” Noah calls.

“We’re good,” Luke answers, because apparently Kieran is almost catatonic with terror.

“All right, be right back.” You take your time getting to the kitchen, Mephisto following you out the theater room door. You rifle through the fridge, shove some snacks into your mouth. You’re shocked to find microwave popcorn in one of the cupboards. Sylus strikes you as the kind of snob who insists on popping loose kernels on the stove, or over the fire in the fireplace. Nothing so pedestrian as store-bought and in the microwave. You snicker, that feeling of sorrow fading as you engage in everyday tasks, with company to look forward to. You’re not alone right now. You’re excited to see more of what the devs retained from the original game and what they added or changed in the remake. You head back to the theater room, but accidentally drop the bag of popcorn before you can open the door. As you pick it up, you can hear Noah.

“You know you don’t actually have to kill every monster you encounter, right?” She asks in barely disguised disdain.

“You know that you don’t actually have to offer your opinion when no one asked, right?” Luke snarks.

“Oooh, someone’s grumpy because he isn’t going to have an advantage in the bet like he thought,” Noah says through a snicker.

“What advantage? We agreed not to interfere. Boss is gonna have it in the bag even before the two weeks are up even without our help,” Luke responds.

“If he doesn’t fumble it by being too passive,” Kieran adds, thoughtfully.

“What ‘help?’ I bet your help would result in more delay than progress,” Noah taunts. “I probably don’t even have to do anything to counter your nonsense. You’ll do all my work for me.”

“Hey, flooding the guest floor was a good idea,” Luke protests.

This is just met with a cackle. 

You stand, frozen. You didn’t mean to eavesdrop. But what is their boss going to have in the bag without their help? What bet?

Something inside of you already knows. Hadn’t you thought earlier that the twins probably made a bet out of your obvious, pathetic crush?

But they said it was about their boss achieving something. Not about your feelings.

You don’t want to know.

You try desperately to cling to that warm feeling you’ve had since the pool.

Boss is gonna have it in the bag.

You spin on your heel, intending to return to the kitchen without them knowing you heard anything, just to buy yourself time to process. But of course, you promptly knock over another ugly sculpture. It shatters on the floor.

You stand there in your bandaged feet, holding the popcorn, staring down at the mess you just made.

The door swings open and Kieran, Luke, and Noah jostle each other to see what just happened in the hallway.

“Sorry,” you say. What the fuck else can you say?

“What happened?” Kieran asks.

“Just me being clumsy,” you say, trying to smile.

Luke squints at you. “Oh shit.” He turns to Kieran. “They’re making that horrible face again.”

Kieran stares at you.

Noah flicks her braids and tilts her head, examining you like an art critic trying to find meaning in a child’s finger painting. “What does that face mean?”

“It means they heard what we were discussing,” Kieran says grimly.

Luke glares at Noah. “What are you even doing here? Now the bet is fucked and boss is gonna be mad because his hunter’s making that expression again. Look at them. We’ve hurt their feelings!” He gestures at you.

She glares back. “Boss told me to report here for duty every day to remain on standby in case the hunter wants to go anywhere. What are you doing here?” she sneers.

“We live here,” he answers, looking confused that that’s even a question.

You take a step back, away from the sharp shards of the broken sculpture. Maybe they’ll be too busy arguing to notice.

That good feeling is gone.

You think about every move Sylus has made since the auction. All of his attention, his gentleness, his kindness, his dogged reappearance at your home, his arranging for you to have sick leave.

Would Sylus do all that for a bet?

Is he that bored? Is he that good of an actor?

How on earth would you even know? You don’t know shit about him. You’ve known him for a few months. In that time, you’ve seen him a handful of times. What the fuck are you doing?

You think about that feeling you had while listening to the Beatles, while listening to Sylus play the piano, of forgetting something really important. You want to throw up. 

Yeah, you’re forgetting something all right.

You can’t stand the feeling inside you right now. It’s too big. It’s eclipsing everything you’ve felt up until this point.

You think about what it will take to get out of here.

You think about picking up one of the sculpture’s shards and digging it into your thigh, anything to override this feeling inside you now.

You think about the resonance with Sylus when you woke up. Could he fake that?

His evol is unearthing a person’s deepest desires. But is it more than that? Could he make you feel adored without using his aether core? Did he promise not to use his evol on you because the terms of the bet forbade interference? Your fears send you spiraling.

“Oh no. No, no, no, no,” Luke says, peering at your face again. He takes a step forward, reaching out to you like someone trying to calm a wild animal, his house shoe crunching on the broken bits of sculpture.

You take a step back.

Noah just looks between the twins and you, confused.

“I’m just going for a walk,” you lie. You take another step back, turn, and start to walk down the hallway that will eventually lead to the lift. The lift that goes to the underground garage.

As you round the corner, Luke says,“Get—”

“On it,” Kieran says, with his phone to his ear.

Noah looks thoughtfully down the now empty hallway. “The hunter’s fucked up, huh?”

Luke shrugs. “Aren’t we all?”

Noah frowns at him. “Speak for yourself. You don’t know shit about me.”

“I know that boss hired you after looking into your soul. Which means you’re fucked up too. He isn’t interested in wholesome things or people—too boring.”

“And you?”

“You said it yourself. I really enjoy carving people up.” He shrugs. “Soothes something from our shitty childhood.”

Noah considers him. “Your brother seems to be okay with me now. Are you going to have a problem with me?”

Kieran grins at her. “What makes you think I have a problem with you?”

“You were mean when I suggested you try to stealth around the monsters. And don’t think I didn’t see your reaction when I said I’d be around more often. And acting like the hunter being upset is solely my fault, when we all made the stupid bet.” She counts each piece of evidence on her pretty fingers.

“Who the fuck likes backseat gamers?” He pouts a little. “And I didn’t like being hit on within an hour of meeting you. I don’t like people like that.”

Noah scowls back at him. “You don’t like people like what? ”

“I mean, I don’t like, like people. I get the creeps when people hit on me.”

Her lovely eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “Oh.”

“But boss likes you, so I like you. We’re cool, so long as you don’t hit on me again.”

Noah nods.“I was just giving you two shit since you hauled me in front of your scary fucking boss. But I promised boss I wouldn’t do it again.”

“Then we’re cool. And if you don’t like how I play Silent Hill, then you can play if you want.” He opens the door again, gesturing for her to go in ahead.

“Nah man, I like being in the peanut gallery.”

“Does that mean you’re not gonna shut up?”

“You know it.” Noah gives him a big, feral grin.

Luke grins back at her, equally frightening. “Then I’ll be sure to kill every single monster we come across, no matter how much ammo it wastes.” The door swings shut on Kieran standing in the hallway, looking thoughtfully down at the phone in his hand.

Sylus hums the melody of the music he played for you as he ends the call with Aidan. Luckily the issue this time could be settled by answering Aidan’s questions, and he can still look forward to a mostly uninterrupted day with you. He wonders where you’ll like to go next. Back to the library? To the greenhouse?

He’s in a great mood, despite the interruption. Every conversation with you convinces him that you’re closer and closer to accepting the truth. That you’re his, and he’s yours. He wants to drag you back to the library, listen to you read to him, argue about poetry—the way your eyes flash when you’re making a counterargument, the sneer in your retorts to his needling you—he wants to kiss you. He wants to kiss you so much it hurts.

His phone vibrates in his pocket again. He clenches his jaw, pauses. He wants to throw the damn thing against the wall and just continue looking for you, business be damned. But he also doesn’t want to leave Aidan in an awkward position. He fishes the phone out of his pocket and accepts the call.

“Boss, your hunter is making a strategic retreat again,” Kieran says breathlessly.

Sylus jerks to a stop.

“Repeat that?” he demands.

“They overheard us talking about the wager,” Kieran explains, sounding pained.

It takes Sylus a second to remember what he’s talking about. “The bet about how long it will take for kitten to realize that I want to date them?”

“Yeah.”

Sylus thinks. Why would you be spooked by a stupid bet between his henchmen and your driver?

“But they—well, they overheard us talking about it, and they don’t know what the wager is actually about. I am afraid that they might have misunderstood something,” Kieran says carefully, like he’s waiting for Sylus’s wrath.

Sylus immediately realizes what probably just happened.

“I left kitten alone for less than twenty minutes,” he sighs. Just his fucking luck. It’s like the universe or some cruel god wants to create obstacles in his path to winning your precious heart.

“Your bet is over,” he barks.

“Understood.”

Sylus ends the call and pulls up Mephisto’s app. You’re walking quickly, with purpose. He squints, trying to figure out which part of the house you’re in. It looks like you’re trying to get to the lift that leads to the underground garage. Sylus dissipates into red and black mist.

As you walk, you make your way to the garage, not even sure what your plan is. You have that hollow, manic feeling filling you—the feeling that always fills you when you’re hurt like this, when you just need to get out, to outrun your own body and the feelings it contains. This time though, through the noise in your head, you remember your promises to Sylus. About not hurting yourself, but going to him. If you have doubts about his intentions, to go to him. To ask him when you have questions, instead of making assumptions.

But how can you? What’s the point of honoring promises made to a man who thinks your feelings are fair game for a bet? 

You need to think. You don’t want to think. You’re hurting so, so much. You need time. Your body feels like you’re out of time. You miss Caleb. You miss your grandmother. 

It takes all of your self control to stop moving. You hear Mephisto’s wings flapping behind you. You close your eyes. You resist the urge to punch yourself, barely. If you’re just a bet to him, you should punch him instead. You open your eyes and realize you stopped next to a door with an electronic lock blinking on the handle. You turn and look at it fully, and you hear the lock click.

It recognized your face. Just as Kieran and Luke told you all the locks in this house would. Why would Sylus bother programming your face into his home if you’re just a bet?

You watch your hand reach out, grasp the handle. You pull, and the door opens easily. You slip inside and let it close before Mephisto can follow.

The lights flicker on.

You gasp.

It’s like standing inside an upscale jewelry store, built inside a bank vault. Except instead of sparsely filled display cases, designed to emphasize and showcase a select number of precious jewels, each glass case is stuffed with the things. Diamonds. Rubies. Emeralds. A mind-blowing variety of beautiful stones that you don’t even know the names for. Loose stones, as well as jewelry—necklaces, rings, earrings. Where most of Sylus’s house is the picture of meticulous order, this vault looks like a dragon’s hoard of priceless treasures, casually piled high without much thought.

Why would Sylus trust you with access to such wealth, if you were just a bet?

But more importantly, how much death must Sylus Qin sell, to afford such a vault?

How many lives in exchange for each gem?

You turn in a circle as you slowly process the fact that you’re standing in the middle of a sea of blood diamonds.

What are you doing?

What the actual fuck are you doing?

You were just marveling at the luxury of the rooms he designed, filled with the thrilling possibility that he had built them for you. You had thought about the cost of the heating in the hot tub, the pool. And yet you were willing to overlook such expenses. Why? Because at least the pool, the lovely architecture are useful? Because they provide some value to the human experience, even if only a select few will ever get to experience them at Sylus’s house?

But what value do diamonds have? Shiny clumps of compressed carbon. You can’t burn them for warmth. You can’t eat them. Okay, so maybe they’re used in some industrial processes, but for fuck’s sake, artificially created diamonds could serve that purpose. And you’re absolutely sure that the diamonds Sylus has hoarded in this vault are real, products of millions of years of pressure, and not made in some lab.

You sink to the black marble floor. It’s cold. You draw up your knees and hug them.

There’s too much happening in your brain right now. Your grief. Your uncertainty about Sylus’s intentions—the question of who his beloved is. The bet.

The realization that you’re falling in love with a man whose life’s work is bringing misery to others.

You hate yourself. Here you are, thrown into a tailspin from the idea that Sylus may have spent all this time on you because of a bet with his minions, when you should be in a tailspin about the fact that it’s probably already too late for you to stop falling for a man who not only praises the mutilated world, but is one of the people shoving the knife in deeper. 

There is so much you don’t know about him. But what you do know is that Sylus is too busy pouring salt into the wound of the world to dedicate so much time and resources to something as frivolous as a wager about how long it will take for him to get you in the bag. It’s pure, self-pitying hubris to assume otherwise.

You’re focusing on the wrong things, again. You’re forgetting what’s important, again.

What do you want? What can you live with? Why do you feel a connection with this complicated, cruel, ruthless man, as if you’ve known him for more than a few months? What kind of person are you, if despite sitting in a sea of diamonds paid for in other peoples' blood, you still want this merchant of death to come find you, to hold you in his arms, tell you that he wasn't placing bets on how long it would take to have you in the bag?

You begin to rock, somehow resisting all of your terrible urges: to hurt yourself, to run, to set this awful room on fire. You rock, and you hurt, and you wait for the terrible man you’re falling in love with to find you, as he always does.

Sylus finds Mephisto pacing on the floor in front of his gem vault. He caws in distress when he sees his owner re-materialize in the hallway. Sylus finds the fact that you’re in the gem vault, and not currently trying to procure a getaway car, to be a source of hope—a strange feeling for him. What use does he have for hope? He has plans. Plans with contingencies, alternatives, backups. They either succeed because he planned well enough, or they fail because he did not plan well enough. 

Hope has no place in his world.

People suffer and die. Deals are made and broken. Fate is cruel, inflexible. He knows this all too well, no matter how much he’s struggling against fate this time around.

Hope has no place in his world.

But.

You could have kept running. You could be in any one of his vehicles right now, trying to break land speed records to get the fuck away from him, convinced that he was involved in a bet about the biggest gamble of his life.

But you’re not. You’re in his gem vault, for some reason. You strange, unpredictable, delightful creature.

He finds himself hoping that this misunderstanding hasn’t just caused you to retreat beyond his reach again. 

Your fingers in the dip of his clavicle.

The yearning look on your face, that he doesn’t think you even knew you had, when he bit your lip—the closest he’ll allow himself to a kiss until he’s one hundred percent sure you’ll welcome him while awake.

He opens the door.

He pauses, struck with the strange sensation of viewing his greatest treasure surrounded by so much of his material treasure. You belong here. The value of all of these precious stones nothing in comparison to you, shining like a beacon to him at the end of a long and winding road from the marble floor, dimming everything else in this room by comparison.

His house shoes whisper along the cold marble floor where you’re sitting, curled in on yourself.

He has watched you take down wanderers the size of an elephant. All that strength, contained in your huddled body. You look so small to him. He wants to protect you from all the horrors of the world. But of course, he’s the biggest horror of all. Is it any wonder that he keeps hurting you instead?

A better man might keep his distance in an effort to protect you. Like your partner. A better man might know when to quit. Like your dandy artist friend. A better man might be content with loving you from afar. Like your fucking doctor. 

But Sylus is a terrible man, because he’s not going to stop trying to get it right, even as he hurts you in the process, until you order him to stop and mean it.

You don’t look up at the sound of his footsteps, but you also don’t retreat as he approaches.

He sits on the floor next to you, wraps an arm around your shivering shoulders. He pulls you into his arms, feels the rush of hope when you let him.

He cradles your head in his palm.

“The twins bet on everything. Which snail is the fastest on a leaf. Whether it will rain or snow tomorrow. How long it will take someone to bleed out. Whether the traffic light will change in five versus ten seconds,” he says softly into your hair.

“About how long it will take to get your pathetic hunter in the bag?” Your voice is small, just as your body feels in his arms.

“About how long it will take for my beloved to realize how I feel about them,” he sighs.

You stiffen, and he feels a moment of paralyzing fear, before you melt into him. He breathes again.

“What did you bet?” you ask, and Sylus feels the sorrow in your voice like a gunshot in his chest.

You ran, but you stopped. You assumed, but you’re asking questions now. You’re allowing him to touch you, to hold you. The hope in him surges again. 

“I didn’t place a bet in this particular wager,” he manages through the unfamiliar feelings. “But if I had, the gamble would be my whole heart.”

“Does a man who has a dragon’s hoard of wealth, bought with the blood of the guilty and the innocent alike, have a heart?” you ask, finally looking up, your eyes hollow in a way that he doesn’t like.

Sylus is a terrible man. He has never lied to himself about this, or to you. He showed you the worst of himself, the day you met. He has to hope that the fact you’re still here, still asking him questions, means that he hasn’t lost you yet. An unpleasant feeling of doubt slithers through him. Is it the bet upsetting you, or something else?

“Even dragons have hearts, darling.”

You close your eyes. He wants you to open them again. He wants you to look at him. He never wants you to look away from him. Even if you’re looking at him with doubt, or hate, so long as you’re looking at him, that means you’re not leaving him.

“What do you want?” he asks.

You open your eyes again. He is terribly tempted to use his aether core on you, because for once, he can’t read how you’re feeling.

“You offered me time.”

He leans forward, rests his forehead against yours. “And I will give you time.”

“I want to see your favorite part of the greenhouse.”

“And I will show you my favorite part of the greenhouse,” he whispers, breathing, breathing. He can’t tell how you’re feeling, but you smell like home, a door at the end of a long road. The hope grows.

“I want to see Luke and Kieran and Noah play the remake of Silent Hill 2.”

The hope shifts, dissipates. There is no need for hope, once it is fulfilled. You want to stay, for now. He can work with that. Whatever damage learning about the bet caused, he can work with your willingness to stay. If that look in your eyes isn’t about the bet, he has more time to dismantle your walls, to pull it out of you. Just two nights ago, you were running barefoot through the dark. Tonight, you stopped yourself and waited for him to find you. “You’re in luck. They’re still playing.”

You watch him, as if you’re weighing something behind your hollow eyes. “Will you watch with me?”

Of course, he thinks. Of course. You could ask for so much more, and the answer would be the same. “Do you want me to watch with you?”

“I want you to want to watch with me.”

He smiles, his mouth a breath away from yours. You smell like popcorn. He wants to throw a piece in the air, catch it in his mouth, feed it to you. “Again, you bring me luck. We have a win-win deal.”

He stands. Carries you out of his gem vault.

“Why do you have so many jewels?” you ask, quietly.

“In case the authorities freeze my accounts, physical currency will be useful. A sort of insurance.”

You gaze at his face, and he wonders what you see when you look at him. “You’ll escape with a truck full of precious stones?”

“Something like that,” he says.

“No other reason?”

He tells the truth. “I’ve always been fond of shiny things.”

“Do you have a favorite stone?”

He laughs softly. “Whatever stone you’re wearing.”

Instead of looking at him with suspicion, a helpless look crosses your face. Like you’re in pain from his admission. He doesn’t like it. But then you lean forward, press your face into his neck. He tells himself that he has time. He’ll figure out what’s bothering you, and he’ll fix it.

Outside the theater room, he pauses. Looks down at the pieces of shattered sculpture. "If you didn't like it, darling, you could have just said so."

You just mumble that you're sorry.

"We've talked about your apologies," he says, frowning down at you in his arms.

You huff. "Fine. I'm not sorry. That sculpture was edgy and ugly. You should replace it with something beautiful."

"Deal. But only if you come with me to choose something," he says.

"Deal," you say softly, and he still can't tell what's going through your head.

When you enter the theater room, Luke pauses the game. “We’re really sorry for hurting your feelings and shit. The bet was about boss’s rizz, not about you. Please don’t leave.”

Kieran nods in approval, as if he had helped Luke compose this little speech.

Noah just looks at you, face unreadable, as you rest your head on Sylus’s shoulder.

“I had planned to give you a lot of shit. But I think I would’ve lost anyway,” she says, not looking apologetic at all. “It’s only been two days and you’re practically merging into one person.”

Sylus carries you to a loveseat next to the twins, with Noah on their other side.

“Thanks,” you say. “No worries.”

Everyone is awkwardly silent for a moment after your brief response. You seem to notice, and smile a little. “Can we hang out while you play?”

“Fuck yeah,” Luke says, and Kieran groans as the game is unpaused.

After a while, you, Luke, and Noah start discussing the difference between the remake and the original. What everyone likes, what they don’t. Sylus leans back, draws you onto his chest. His relief remains intense as you let him. The discussion moves on to which Silent Hill games are the best in the franchise, which are the worst. Luke and Noah have a good-natured clash about Silent Hill 4: the Room, with only a few insults flung at each other. You and Kieran share your admiration for Bloober Team's Layers of Fear, which Kieran liked because he didn't think it was scary, and which Luke hated, because he thought it was boring. Sylus doesn't give a shit about video games, and certainly not horror games. Life itself is already horrific enough, he doesn't have the patience for manufactured terror. He just listens, feeling your heartbeat against his chest, breathing in your comforting scent.

A feeling of wholeness settles in him, as unfamiliar as hope. As unfamiliar as the happiness from your movie night, just last night. You, Luke, and Noah have moved on to animatedly arguing about some character’s outfit changes between the original and the remake.

He feels like he’s been standing, left behind in the dark for so long, and he’s finally being allowed home. Whatever is bothering you, he’ll fix it. He’ll destroy the world if he has to, to preserve the scene in front of him, so that he can offer you this, so that he can experience this with you, again, and again, and again. His gentle light that strays and vanishes and returns.

End notes: I had planned shenanigans for the twins and Noah to increase their odds in winning the bet, but this story is already out of control with how long it is, and some of the things I thought of were really manipulative and fucked up even if I personally thought they were hilarious, but my brain is craving a softer vibe for this story I guess (lmao if this can be considered soft), so I hope this isn't too much of a let down for the resolution of the bet subplot. I've given up hinting at what's coming next because it turns out I'm very bad at guessing what's next.

[mirajaneswritingshenanigans]

Vampires, Ghosts, & Werewolves. OH MY!

Fandom(s): Being Human US

Pairing(s): Aidan Waite x Female!Reader

Summary: Aidan decides it is time to let you in a part of his life that you had no idea about before. He’s madly in love and sick of hiding secrets. Though a day at a diner with Nora turns everyone’s life upside. What will Aidan do with this change of events?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character mentioned in this fanfic. They belong to the creators, Jeremy Carver and Anna Fricke, also to the writers, directors, and producers of the show. I am simply borrowing them to create this fanfic.

A/N:  Y/N-Your Name. I know I had this posted in parts before. But I decided I didn’t like the layout so I am reposting it. I also I made a few changes to the story itself. 

Warning(s): Betrayal from Bishop. Maybe some out of character moments?

Word Count: 6,399

It’s been a year since you and Aidan got together. Your relationship has been anything but easy. You felt like Aidan was hiding something. Even in the beginning you felt that way but he had a charm you just couldn’t resist. Even with how rough the relationship became you still kept holding onto hope that it’ll get better. At least that’s what you thought as you sat on the couch watching Aidan pace. The two of you had the day off and he called you to come over. At first you were hesitant because of his tone but you went anyway.

You sat silently, watching him carefully. You had a bad feeling in the pit of your stomach. “There’s something I need to tell you.” He stopped pacing. You nodded as a lump formed in your throat. “Y/N, I’m a vampire that lives with a ghost and a werewolf.” He spoke running his right hand through his hair. You looked at him puzzled. “Seriously?” You asked in a frustrated tone. He sighed heavily and looked down. “I’m serious.” He said looking up again. You gasp when you see his eyes had turned black and his fangs were showing.

You got up and walked towards him. He flinched and turned his gaze away from you when he saw your hand move towards him. You gently caressed his cheek letting him know you had good intentions. He turned his gaze towards you, his features back to normal. A tear rolled down his cheek. “You’re not afraid?” He asked softly as you dropped your hand to your side. “Honestly I’m not. Aidan, I love you.” You told him as you embraced him. He relaxed into your embrace. He pulled away after a few minutes to look into your eyes.

Suddenly he leaned down and kissed you passionately on your lips. You’re not sure how long the kiss lasted before a sudden interruption occurred. “Go to your room.” Josh said from across the room. You broke the kiss by laughing. 

“Welcome home.” You say once you stop laughing. “Hi.” Josh says as he walks passed the two of you and into the kitchen. Aidan just shakes his head as the two of you follow him. “I told her the truth about us.” Aidan told Josh. Suddenly Josh froze as the words sunk in. He didn’t look at you right away. “She’s cool with it.” Sally told Josh. “She’s not able to hear or see me. She knows of me though. Well she knows of a ghost. Aidan never told her my name or anything.” She continued to ramble on as Josh finally turned to face you.

“The ghost’s name is Sally and this was her place.It’s also where she died.” Josh suddenly said. “Oh.” Was all you could say. Even though you couldn’t see her, Sally looked at you in disappointment. “Seriously? That’s the reaction I get?” Sally said pouting. Josh and Aidan rolled their eyes. “I wish I could see or even sense her.” You spoke shyly. “Dude, tell her that I’m here.” Sally said cheerfully to Josh. Aidan gave her and Josh a warning look. “So, Y/N will you be staying for dinner tonight? My girlfriend Nora will also be here.” Josh asked changing the subject.

“You and Nora are finally a thing?” You ask Josh happily. “Yes, but that doesn’t answer my question.” Josh laughed. “Oh, yeah. If it’s alright.” You say looking between Josh and Aidan. They both smile and nod. “You two can go into the living room while I prepare dinner. Okay?” Josh asked politely. The two of you nodded as you both left the kitchen.

“Don’t you think you should call and tell Nora that Y/N knows everything?” Sally asked Josh once the two of you left the room. “I suppose I should.” He said running his hand through his hair. He dialed Nora’s number as he gathered the ingredients for dinner. Once she picked up he explained to her what happened. After that he let her speak and then with a heavy sigh he hung up the phone.

“She told me not to overthink this. Also she kind of saw this coming. She’ll be here in half an hour. Josh said as he began to chop the vegetables. “She’s right though. What’s the worst that could happen.” Sally asked Josh. He stayed silent, he knew in his gut that this was a huge step for Aidan and Y/N. He just couldn’t shake the feeling that this may have consequences.

“I know that look. You’re scared something is going to happen.” Nora set her stuff down and kissed Josh on the cheek when she walked in. “Well yeah. All I want is to be normal. Instead I’m only half normal and I’m always looking over my shoulder.” Josh ran his hand through his hair. Sally looked at him sadly. She knew exactly how he felt. Nora half smiled at him. “Lets just prepare dinner and not think about the worst.” Nora started helping Josh as she spoke.

“You’re not that bothered by this are you?” Aidan asked you. “Not really.” You told him. He didn’t know what to say. All he knew was a weight had been lifted. He was truly in love and he didn’t want to hide anything. “You’ve had to love more than once, correct?” You asked him curiously. This caught him off guard. “Yes.” He said quietly. “It’s understandable. You’ve lived for centuries. It would be a lonely life if you hadn’t.” You spoke softly looking at your hands.

“How are you taking this so well?” Aidan asked lifting your chin so you made eye contact. “I’m open minded and more understanding than you realize.” You smiled at him. The two of you sat in a content silence until Josh announced dinner was ready.

Everyone took a seat at the table. “Josh has told me that the two of you took a huge step today.” Nora spoke to you happily. “Yeah, he told me about his life. He only told me what Josh is but nothing more than that.” You replied. “You’re okay with knowing the truth?” She asked you curiously. “Yeah. I’ll keep it a secret though.” You admitted giving Aidan a loving look. “I’m happy for the both of you. I’m sure it wasn’t easy for Aidan to tell you.” Nora spoke looking to Aidan with a smile.

“It wasn’t easy but it was worth it.” Aidan smiled happily at you. Josh noticed how happy Aidan and you looked but he still had that gut feeling gnawing at him. He wasn’t going to tell anyone, instead he stayed quiet. He figured Aidan deserved happiness at the moment. “Do you work tomorrow?” You asked Josh. “Yeah, I think so.” He answered. “Oh, okay. I just thought if you didn’t maybe we could all do something.” You smiled. “Well as far as I know I have tomorrow off. Maybe we could hang out together? Like a girls day out.” Nora suggested to you. “That would be great.” You smiled happily.

The four of you sat with each other talking and laughing for several hours. Sally watched in silence. She loved how happy everyone looked right now. In a world full of darkness they somehow found light. She was grateful you knew the truth. “We should call it a night.” Josh said bringing Sally out of her world. “I suppose since it’s getting late.” Aidan agreed as he glanced at the clock on the stove.

With that announcement you and Nora began to clear the table. “You can set the dishes in the sink.” Aidan told the both of you. “It’ll give me something to do tomorrow.” Aidan said. “You have the day off?” You asked him. “Yeah.” He shrugged. “So, I’m going solo tomorrow?” Josh looked over at Nora. “You’ll be okay.” Nora told Josh. “I hope so.” Josh half smiled at her.

“I should head out. I’ll text you at noon.” Nora said as she grabbed her things. “All right. I should head home also.” You smiled. You grabbed your stuff and kissed Aidan before heading out. Nora kissed Josh on the cheek before heading out. “That went better than I thought.” Sally said as the door closed.

“Yeah.” Aidan said. “You don’t regret telling her, right?” Josh asked with caution. “No, I don’t. I’m just surprised on how well she is taking this.” Aidan answered. “Haven’t you told one other person about yourself before?” Sally asked curiously. “Yes, but the truth isn’t why she’s no longer around.” Aidan looked down at his hands. Josh saw the pain Aidan was dealing with. The woman Sally spoke of had sacrificed herself so that Aidan could live.

The woman’s name was Celine. Aside from the wife Aidan had before he was turned, Celine knew also. Aidan had only mentioned Celine a few times to you. “Does Y/N know that story?” Josh asked softly. “Not yet. I was saving that for another day.” Aidan looked over at Josh. “It’s best to ease Y/N into the truth.” Sally said suddenly. “She has a point.” Josh agreed. “Yeah. I’m off to bed now.” Aidan stood up and walked to his room.

“I hope the best for all of us.” Josh sighed as he stood up. “We’ll see. I guess.” Sally shrugged. “I’m going to attempt to sleep.” Josh started to head for his room. Sally shrugged again and began to roam the house. 

The next morning had started off as normal as usual. You woke up early. You showered and dressed for the day. You were sitting in your living room as your thoughts began to wander. You had always believed in the supernatural. Now you had so many questions to ask Aidan. You were glad Aidan told you the truth though. Though you didn’t expect being a Vampire to be his secret.

You were pulled out of your thoughts when you heard your phone go off. Nora was just letting you know that she’ll be over in five minutes. You smiled and replied with an okay. You got up to get your purse and keys. By the time you had everything Nora was outside waiting for you. You locked up and headed for the car.

“So, where to first?” You asked Nora as you buckled up. “I figured we could eat first.” She smiled as she put the car into drive. “All right.” You replied happily. The two of you drove in a comfortable silence until you reached the diner. “You may seat yourselves. I will be with you in a moment.” A waitress said when the two of you walked inside.

The two of you sat at a booth near the door. “You look as if you have a lot on your mind.” Nora pointed out. “Hi, my name is Amber. I’m your waitress today. What can I get for you to drink?” The waitress interrupted. “I’ll take a coffee.” Nora smiled at her. “I’ll take a tea.” You told the waitress. She nodded and headed towards the kitchen.

“I do have a lot on my mind.” You finally spoke once Amber walked away. “I understand. This is a lot to take in.” Nora smiled lightly. “Here’s your coffee and your tea.” Amber said, setting the drinks down in front of you both. “What can I get you to eat?” Amber asked politely. “We’ll just take today’s special.” Nora answered for the two of you. Amber nodded and walked off towards the kitchen again.

“It is a lot to take in but I can handle it. I just have to wonder how lonely his life has been. I also wonder what Josh goes through. From every Folklore I’ve read the transformation sounds and looks painful.” You said in a rushed tone. “It is painful. The lore doesn’t lie.” Nora said before taking a sip of her coffee. You nodded and took a sip of your tea. “I’m sure Aidan wouldn’t mind talking to you about everything.” Nora smiled at you.

“Here we are.” Amber said placing the food down on the table. “Thank you.” You told Amber. “Do you need anything else?” Amber asked politely. “We’re good.” You smiled at Amber. “Just wave if you need anything.” She said as she walked away. “Isn’t there a way I could see Sally?” You asked Nora curiously. “I’m not sure to be honest.” Nora gave you a puzzled look.

Though the two of you tried not to talk to loudly, neither one of you had realized that your booth was in front of James Bishop’s booth. He wasn’t alone either. At first he paid the two of you no mind, until he actually heard what you were saying. James Bishop had an evil plot running through his mind at the moment. “Things just got interesting.” James Bishop smiled as he took a sip of his drink.

He continued to listen intently to your conversation with Nora. 

“Are you…” You began but trailed off because you didn’t know what you were about to ask. “I was turned by accident.” Nora smiled sadly. You were quiet for a few minutes. “Life may be different now but just think that it’s for the best that he told you.” Nora told you. “Yeah.” You looked down at your food. “If you’re having doubts of any sort I think you should talk to Aidan. You could also ask why he told you.” Nora suggested. “Oh, I don’t have doubts but I was thinking why would Aidan tell me this.” You looked up at Nora.

“I mean, I know this is a huge step. But doesn’t this also put everyone at risk?” You gave Nora a worried look. “You’re starting to sound like Josh. I don’t think there is much risk of you knowing about this side of our lives. Yes, we were exposed but in a good way. Like I told Josh, don’t worry too much about it.” Nora smiled at you. At that moment Bishop decided he was going to leave. Once he got up and began to walk out he made eye contact with Nora. A wicked smirk displayed on his face. The smile on Nora’s face faltered for a moment.

“Is something wrong?” You asked Nora once Bishop was outside. “Nothing.” She answered looking out the window. Bishop was nowhere to be seen. She had a bad feeling but she brushed it off when she noticed the look on your face. “Well we should finish eating and get our shopping done.” She said in a nervous tone. The two of you finished the meal in silence, you noticed Nora would look out the window every few minutes. She seemed on edge to you but you didn’t want to bring that up to her. Once the two of you had left the diner, her mood changed. The two of you headed off to the mall to get your shopping done and then after that you would head back to Josh’s and Aidan’s place.

Shopping had been fun for the two of you. Before the two of you went broke it was time to head to Josh’s and Aidan’s place. Nora had completely forgotten that she had encountered Bishop earlier that day. The car ride was full of laughter. “So who cooks tonight?” You asked Nora. “Well I was thinking we could order pizza instead of having anyone cook. Josh should be home in an hour.” Nora told you, glancing at the clock on the car radio. “Sounds like a plan to me.” You smiled at her as she put the car into park. “I can take you home later.” Nora smiled at you.

“Welcome home ladies.” Aidan said as he opened the door. Nora smiled and walked passed him into the living room. You set your bags down once you got into the living room. “Did you have fun today?” Aidan asked you. You sat down on the couch before you answered him. “Oh yeah. It was great.” You told him. “You seem puzzled though.” Aidan said as he sat beside you. “I just wanted to talk to you about everything I guess.” You spoke quietly.

“Something happened.” Sally said. “What gives you that idea?” Nora asked. She was leaning against the counter in the kitchen when Sally showed up. “Your posture.” Sally pointed out. “It’s just that I saw Bishop today at the diner.” Nora said, remembering the encounter at the diner. “Now you think he’s up to something?” Sally asked walking closer to her. “Well, I mean it’s Bishop. There’s no telling what that man is ever up to.” Nora stated nervously. “Are you going to tell Josh about it?” Sally asked. “No, I don’t think so. I could just be over thinking and worrying about nothing.” Nora admitted. Sally nodded her head and looked at the clock. It would be another twenty minutes before Josh would be home. Nora ordered the pizzas so that they would still be warm when he got home.

“Where do you want to start?” Aidan asked you. “Well, what’s it like?” You asked him. “It’s not fun. Sometimes the hunger can be a bitch.” Aidan admitted to you. “How do you get your blood supply?” You asked him curiously. “I steal blood bags from the hospital and hope they never notice.” Aidan looked over to you as he spoke. “Is it hard to be with me?” You asked, throwing him off guard. “No. I’ve learned to control myself.” Aidan said. You smiled at him.

“I think that about covers my curiosity.” You told him with a smile. Aidan smiled knowing you had at least one more question in mind. “Oh, one more thing. Why did you tell me?” You asked him nervously. “It’s because I love you and I wanted you to know everything about me.” Aidan answered honestly. “I appreciate it. I love you too.” You said, smiling as you spoke to him.  “I have to warn you that not all vampires are the same. There are a few that absolutely hate the fact that I’m friends with Josh.” Aidan told you.

“They don’t want to coexist?” You asked him. “No. Neither do some werewolves. There’s been a power war between the two for centuries.” Aidan looked to you as he spoke. You simply nodded your head and leaned into him. You didn’t have anymore questions so you opted to just enjoy his presence until Josh came home. “Are you staying here tonight?” Aidan asked you. “No, I planned to head home after dinner so I can put my things away.” You admitted to him. “Or maybe you can have a shelf and a draw of your own here?” Aidan asked quietly. You turned to look at him. He was staring at the TV at the moment. “How come you waited until now to ask me that?” You asked him. “Because you never asked and I also wasn’t ready to take that step.” Aidan admitted to you.

You smiled at him. “I would love that to be honest.” You told him curling up closer to him. He smiled as he put his arm around you. “I figured since I let you in on the truth might as well make it to where you practically live with us.” Aidan said. You nodded in agreement. “So it’s settled after dinner tonight, you can pick a shelf and a draw to call your own.” Aidan said with a huge smile. “That works.” You told him. The two of you sat in silence until Josh walked in.

“Evening, everyone.” Josh said tiredly. He was carrying the pizzas Nora ordered in his hands. “Welcome home.” Nora said as she came out of the kitchen. “These came to the door the same time I did.” He said walking into the kitchen. “That’s great. Did you pay the man or woman?” Nora asked. “No, of course not. I just took the pizzas and slammed the door in their face.” Josh joked halfheartedly. “Of course I paid them.” Josh said after Nora gave him a look. “You need to work on your jokes.” Aidan told him when he walked into the kitchen. Josh rolled his eyes as he set the pizzas on the table. “How did work go today?” You asked Josh. “The usual gossip. Everyone missed Aidan.” Josh admitted taking a seat.

“Any new patients?” Nora asked him. “None. What has everyone been up to today?” Josh asked as he took a bite of pizza. “We went out to eat and then went shopping.” You said gesturing over to Nora. Nora smiled but Josh also noticed that she tensed up a bit. “Did you have fun?” Josh asked giving Nora a look of concern. “Yeah.” Nora said. Josh nodded and went  back to eating. He figured it was just the usual girl problems so he didn’t feel like pressing on about it.

Sally stood in the living room next to the window. She wasn’t really looking at anything particular, until she noticed a car that she hadn’t seen before. She turned to look towards the kitchen. She could hear everyone chatting and laughing, so she didn’t bother them with it. “Honestly it could be nothing.” She whispered to herself. As if on cue the car’s headlights turned on and then it drove away. She watched the car drive away, she never got a look at the driver. She walked towards the kitchen to observe what was going on. She was still kind of bummed about not being able to be seen by you.

“What time did you want me to bring you home?” Nora asked you. “Actually I will be staying here tonight. I’m just going to put the things I bought today away in Aidan’s room.” You said cheerfully. “Oh?” Josh asked, raising both brows at Aidan. “Yes. I told her that she can have a shelf of her own and a draw in my room.” Aidan smiled over to you as he spoke. Sally beamed happily when she heard what Aidan had just said. “So basically it’s a type of trial run for if she wants to move in?” Nora asked curiously. “I guess we can put it like that.” You answered bashfully. “I’m happy for both of you.” Josh said with a smile. Once everyone had their fill Nora helped Josh clear the table. “I have to head to bed now. I’ve got an early morning shift.” You said walking out of the kitchen. Josh and Nora smiled while bidding you a good night. Aidan followed behind you.

“Do you have spare clothes for tomorrow?” Aidan asked as he grabbed your bags. “I actually bought a new outfit today, so I’m set.” You admitted. Aidan lead you to his room. “I can loan you a shirt and sweats for the night.” He told you while setting your bags down. You nodded and sat down on his bed. He quietly dug through his dresser for a shirt and sweats. “At least you have a bed and not a coffin. Could you imagine trying to fit two people in a coffin comfortably.” You joked, bouncing on his bed. “Ha ha. Very funny.” He said throwing the clothes in your face. You laughed at his shenanigans. “I couldn’t help myself.” You said as you began to change.

“Are you going to poke fun at it all the time?” Aidan asked with a smile. “Maybe.” You said giggling. Aidan rolled his eyes and walked to his side of the bed. “You love me.” You told him. “Yes I do.” He said. You walked over to lay next to him. You curled up to him once you were laying down. Resting your head on his chest. “Good night.” You whispered before drifting off to sleep. You hadn’t realized how tired you were until you laid down. “Good night.” He whispered back and kissed the top of your head as he wrapped his arms around you. He enjoyed this moment awhile longer before closing his eyes. It had been a long time since he felt this happy.

The next morning you woke up nose to nose with Aidan. You smiled softly and kissed his cheek before getting up to get dressed. Aidan woke up a few moments after you got dressed. “Will I see you after work?” Aidan asked quietly. “I should be off at three o’clock unless Melissa doesn’t show up. Then my shift will end at nine o’clock.” You answered him. “What time is it now?” He asked. “It’s five thirty. My shift begins at six. I have to head out now.” You said walking over to him. You leaned down and kissed him before heading out of his room. The house seemed silent when you were walking through to the front door. You didn’t know it but Sally was watching you leave. She smiled when you walked out of the door. “It’s like she’s always lived here.” She said to herself. She walked to the living room window to watch you walk away.

Sally had stayed like that for awhile. “See anything interesting?” Josh asked walking down the stairs. “Not really. I was just thinking.” Sally said walking over to the couch and plopped down. Josh nodded as he yawned and stretched. “What time is it now?” Sally asked Josh. “It’s six thirty.” Josh said glancing at his watch. “Why are you up so early?” She asked him. “Honestly, I have no idea. For some reason my body wouldn’t let me stay asleep.” Josh answered. He started walking to the kitchen for his morning coffee. “Though my shift starts at nine.” Josh said once he was in the kitchen. “Is there enough coffee for me?” Aidan asked, entering the kitchen. “Of course there is.” Josh answered. “So, how did last night go?” Sally asked. 

“It went really well.” Aidan said. “Sounds boring.” Sally pouted. “It took no time for her to adjust.” Aidan said with a huge grin. Josh handed Aidan a cup for his coffee. “Is she coming back after work?” Josh asked Aidan. “She said her shift ends at three o’clock, but if Melissa is a no show than it will end at nine o’clock.” Aidan said, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “I hope she doesn’t have to take a double shift.” Josh said. Aidan nodded in a agreement. You had been working as a nurse for several years now. The double shifts were always the hardest on you. Especially when new patients came in. “I should get ready and head out.” Josh announced as he glanced at his watch. “See you later.” Aidan called after him.

You were half way through your shift. It had been a hectic morning for you. When you had first arrived they had asked you to help in the ER section because they were under staffed. Then ten minutes later two patients were brought in. Their brakes had failed in their car and they ended up in a horrible car accident. You had to help the doctors prepare both patients for emergency surgery. One of them didn’t make it, and it had been up to you to brake the news to the family. That was your least favorite part of your job. You hated to be the one to break the devastating news. 

You looked up at the clock and noticed it read noon. “I have to change my shirt and then I’m taking my lunch break now.” You told Michael. He was the nurse that was helping you on your rounds today. “You’re allowed an hour and a half for lunch today.” Michael told you. “Really?” You questioned him. “Yes. I pulled a few strings with the boss. Told him how your morning had been going and how you deserve the break.” Michael said with a smile. “Thank you.” You told him as you walked away. Your boss can be lenient sometimes as long as he felt that you deserved it.

You changed your shirt quickly and walked silently to the elevator. Once the doors to the elevator opened you were met by Bishop. “Just the lady I was looking for.” Bishop said with a wicked smile. “Can I help you?” You asked. “I needed to have a few words with you is all.” Bishop told you. You didn’t respond. You made the mistake of looking into his eyes and suddenly your body was moving on it’s own accord. You had no idea what was happening or why. Bishop continued to give you a wicked grin. “You’ll be coming with me now.” He stated flatly. You only nodded and then stepped into the elevator.

Instead of going to the cafeteria like you had planned he had lead you out of the building. He paused for a moment. “Hello, Leo. It’s Officer James Bishop. I have to borrow Y/N.” You heard Bishop say into his phone. You knew he was talking to your boss. “Oh no. She’s not in trouble. Just need to ask her some questions is all.” Bishop stated. He nodded and then hung up. “Let’s get going.” He told you. He had his hand resting on the middle of your back as he lead you to his car.

He drove you to the Funeral Home instead of the police station. “I thought you only had to ask some questions? Shouldn’t that be done at the station?” You asked nervously as you got out. “Nah, thought it would be more fun here.” He said, motioning you to follow him inside. “Lads, if ya don’t mind. Keep people out of the office until further notice.” Bishop told the men that stood in the lobby. He lead you into the office. Your heart sank when the door locked behind you. “What’s going on?” You asked. In one swift movement Bishop held you close to him. his eyes turned black and his fangs were showing. Fear gripped tightly within you. “This might hurt for only a few minutes.” Bishop said.

No matter how much you struggled against Bishop’s hold on you, you couldn’t break free. You screamed the moment Bishop’s fangs pierced your skin. You struggled more and more, until you had felt weak. Your eyes eventually closed and the struggling stopped. Your body went limp in his grasp. Bishop moved his face away from your neck. He held you with one arm as he used the other to wipe the blood off his face. His eyes went back to normal and his fangs retracted. Bishop picked you up bridal style and walked to the door. He lightly tapped his foot on the door to announce that he needed out.

“Sir, what next?” A man asked when he opened the door. “Set up on of the rooms for her to rest in.” He ordered. He walked over to a chair and set you down gently. “Let’s see how Aidan will handle this.” Bishop said standing up straight. He was staring at your lifeless form. He was happy with his work. The change would take twenty four hours or more. Either way this was going to be fun for Bishop. 

“The room is ready.” The man told Bishop. Bishop carefully picked you up again and followed him to the room. He carefully walked over to the bed and set you down gently. He may be considered an evil man but in this moment he decided to be gentle with you. “Once you awaken, you will no longer be human. You’ll have the freedom to leave because that’s exactly what I want.” Bishop said as he stood up straight. He began to walk away until the man had stopped him. “Sir, is it a good idea to give her that freedom?” The man had asked. “Yes. She’ll run off to Aidan. That is what I want her to do.” Bishop stated flatly. “Also leave her a meal for when she wakes up. Make sure it has a note next to it so she knows why it’s there.” Bishop said as he walked out of the room.

Aidan sat at home most of the day. It had been another day off for him. When the clock read three o’clock, he called your cell to check on you. He was shocked when it went to voicemail, but then he realized that must mean Melissa never showed up. “You seem restless.” Sally said walking into the living room. “I tried to call Y/N and there was no answer.” Aidan told her. Sally cocked her head and looked at Aidan curiously. “She probably had to take a double shift so she couldn’t answer.” Sally told him. "She normally notifies me when she has to take a double shift because of Melissa.” Aidan stated nervously.

“Another day off for you?” Nora asked as she walked down the stairs. “Yeah, and you?” Aidan asked Nora. “Yeah. It’s just Josh and Y/N working today amongst the rest of the staff.” Nora said walking into the kitchen. “Shouldn’t Y/N, be back by now?” Nora asked as she glanced at her watch. Aidan got up and went to the kitchen. “She said if she wasn’t home by three o’clock that meant Melissa didn’t show.” Aidan admitted. “Okay.” Nora said. “It’s three thirty now, so I guess Melissa was a no show.” Sally pointed out. Nora and Aidan nodded in agreement. A few seconds later Josh walked through the door. “I see you’re still here.” Josh said to Nora. “Yes. How was work?” Nora asked with a smile.

“I had a lot of cleaning to do this morning in the ER. I also noticed they had Y/N running all over the place.” Josh replied. “What happened?” Sally asked curiously. “There was a couple of patients that came in because of a car accident.” Josh replied as he took a seat at the table. “That’s terrible. Are they okay?” Nora asked frowning. “One person didn’t make it through surgery. The other person is currently hooked up to a breathing machine in ICU. The doc said they would be lucky to survive.” Josh answered sadly. “Y/N was the one that had to break the news to the family.” Josh sighed heavily after he spoke. “That had to have been hard on her.” Sally said. “Most likely.” Josh said. The four of them sat in silence for several minutes. Aidan kept checking the time.

Nine o’clock had come and gone. Aidan began to become severely restless at this point. Until he got a text from your phone. “I’ll be heading out of town for a couple of days. An old friend showed up after my shift.” Is what the text read. “Okay, be careful.” Aidan replied. Though he had an off feeling about the text.

The two days had passed by rather quickly. Aidan and Josh were walking home. Their hearts dropped when they saw you slumped and bawling on their steps. Aidan picked up his pace and ran to you. His heart dropped even further when he saw you. “I can’t go inside.” You choked out. “What happened?” Josh asked you. “I can’t fully remember. All I remember is one moment I was going on my break and then the next I wake up in this weird room. I didn’t know where else to go so I came here. Only when I tried to go inside I couldn’t” You sobbed. Josh looked over to Aidan. Aidan looked furious. He knew exactly what was going on. “Come inside.” Aidan said calmly. He carefully and gently pulled you to your feet. He walked you into the kitchen and sat you at the table. “You must be Sally.” You stated weakly. Sally looked from Josh to Aidan with shock. “You can see me now?” She asked from her seat. You nodded in reply. Sally felt her body fill with fear as she realized what was going on.

Aidan walked to the fridge to get out a blood bag. He carefully set it on a plate and put it in the microwave. A few seconds later he took it out and tore it open, handing it over to you. You looked at him in shock, not wanting to drink it. He nodded as if saying it is okay to take the bag. “No.” Sally stated putting both hands over her mouth. Josh watched in fear as he saw your eyes turn black and fangs come out. “How?” Josh asked quietly looking at Aidan. “I know how.” Nora said coming into the kitchen. “I talked to Leo after Aidan told me about the text. Leo was also asking about her because she missed her shift.” Nora walked up to rest her hand on you as she spoke. “Bishop.” Nora said. At his name you dropped the empty bag and flinched. Memories slowly flooded your mind.

Aidan slammed both of his fits down on the table. You jumped away at the sound out of fright. “Aidan, you need to calm down.” Sally told him. She looked over to you, you were hugging yourself. She and Nora noticed how frightened you looked. Josh stayed silent, he didn’t know what to do now. Josh pulled Aidan out into the living room. 

“What are you going to do now?” Josh asked him. “Kill Bishop.” Aidan replied. Josh sighed. “I meant about Y/N. Will you help her adjust or do you not want her to live like this?” Josh asked him. Aidan looked to the kitchen, his thoughts all over the place. “I will help her adjust. Bishop most likely planned for me to stake her.” Aidan admitted. Josh nodded. “I’ll help the best I can.” Josh told him. “Do you think that is what Bishop wants?” Sally asked. “It’s how Bishop works. Take away the one thing someone loves the most.” Aidan replied.

In truth Bishop was hoping that by turning you, Aidan would end your life. When he found out Aidan, Nora, Josh, and Sally began to help you adjust, he was furious. Though the transition wasn’t easy for you, Aidan was patient. Eventually he had you move in permanently to make it easier on himself and you. When you weren’t around Aidan made plans to take down Bishop. Once Bishop is out of the picture he knew everyone would be able to live a normal enough life. It was worth it in the end because he had you by his side.

Main Masterlist

[lanadelreyscokewhor3]

NOT ALLOWED- L.LAUFEYSON

Pairing: Modern!BestFriend!Loki x Female!Reader

Word Count: 2.1k

Summary: After another failed attempt to get your best friend Loki off your mind as a lover, you decided to seek him out for comfort. But you could never touch him and feel him like you do in your dreams right? Wrong. 

Warnings:  swearing, pet names (nickname petal), thigh riding, squirting, smut implied, kissing, loki tastes readers cum off his finger oops lol

To say the date was going shit was a huge understatement. You were flat-out miserable. The dim candlelight hid your paling face, casting a warm glow around the restaurant your date Alex? Aidan? had brought you to.

 The wine appeared red as blood as you swirled it around the glass mindlessly, staring at his lips not recalling anything he was saying. He droned on about endless meetings at his work, such as conferences he was in and you wanted nothing more than to dump the sickly sweet-tasting liquid on his head. When your thoughts drifted towards the negative, as they had many times since the date had started almost ninety minutes ago, you tried to remind yourself who you were doing this for. Your best friend, Wanda.

 Bless her heart, she had found a man at her work and thought you should test him out, like a car at a dealership. As much as you loved her, you didn’t think you’d be able to stay at this date any longer. Would an excuse work? Dog died? Car crash happened and your mom was hurt? 

The room felt stuffy and you fiddled with your dress with discomfort. “ And I said no John I can’t-”

 “ I’m so sorry I just need to run to the washroom!” You cut him off with a start, pushing out your chair hastily and rushing to stand up. The tables swayed suddenly and you felt sick.

 You rushed to the washroom, locking the door behind you and slumping against the wood. With a sigh, you walked to the porcelain sink and turned the water as cold as it’d go. You felt hot. Much too hot. Bending down, you splashed the cool water on your face, attempting to soothe your discomfort without messing up your makeup too much. You were a mess. You wanted nothing more than to go home and curl up with a book in your pjs. Or better yet, curl up with a book in your pjs with Loki. You craved his touch like a drug, more than anything at the moment.

 He’d help you. He’d get you out of this situation. 

Even though he was partly the reason you were in it. Loki had been your best friend for ages. The two of you did everything together, from learning how to ride bikes to being each other’s prom dates each year. Now the two of you were “grown-up” as Loki always commented, even though when the two of you were together you acted like children still. You have had a crush on him for as long as you could remember. Not wanting to ruin anything, you figured distractions would be best, and Wanda was there to help you take your mind off the man you really wanted, but were too scared to be with. 

But at this moment, you didn’t care. You wanted Loki more than anything. You wanted his touch, his voice, his praise, his comfort. You’d be lying to yourself if you said you hadn’t craved his touch, and his fingers instead of yours late at night. It was always his name on your tongue, and deep down you prayed it was yours on his tongue too. Loki would get you out of this mess. He always did. 

Digging in your purse, you grabbed your phone and let it ring, waiting for his honeyed voice to pick up on the other end. You stared at your reflection that glared at you from the bathroom mirror, your eyes fogged with sleep, faint circles lingered under your eyes with the slight mascara streaks. 

“ Petal?” 

The sweet nickname rolled off his tongue laced with concern. You swooned. He had called you that since you were little, claiming you were a beautiful little flower that he and his mom had planted in his garden.

  A bleeding heart. It’s not as sad as it sounds Petal. I know you’d never leave my heart to bleed.

“ Is everything okay? Arent you with Anthony?” 

Ahh Anothny, that was his name. “It’s not going too well…” you trailed off, fidgeting with your dress again.

 “ You need me to come get you?” he asked sweetly. That’s one of the many things you loved about Loki. He always knew what you needed, and he always got straight to the point. No matter the situation, he was always there. “ Is it too much trouble? I don’t want to bother you.” you murmured, not wanting him to interrupt whatever he was doing beforehand. 

 “You never bother me Petal. Don’t be silly.” he chuckled and you sighed with relief. “ Whats the restaurant name again?” You heard the rustle of his jacket and the keys jangling in the background, the door to his apartment opening softly. “ De Anglo’s. On 16th Boulevard.” you stated, pacing the washroom quietly. “ I’ll be there in 10 Petal.”

“You're a knight in shinning armour Loki. Thank you again.”

“ Don’t worry your pretty little head about it.”

With a lame excuse and a handful of bills thrown across the table, you headed outside to wait for Loki’s car to pull to the curb. The cool New York breeze nipped at you, and you shivered as you wrapped your coat around you tighter. 

The city was bustling still despite the late hour, cars and buses filling the streets, people walking by you with phones in their hands. A sleek black corvette pulled up the curb and you smiled. With a shiver, you opened the car door and slid into the warmth. The dim light went out as you shut the door, and Loki looked over at you with a smile. 

“ Your carriage awaits my love.” 

A giggle escaped your lips as he slid back int the traffic, heading back to his apartment building. As the red, yellow and green lights filtered across your face, you felt his hand slid from the wheel to settle on your inner thigh. He was speaking, telling you something along the lines of how you were too good for that dude anyways, but you couldn't hear them. A dull ringing filled your ears as he began to subconsciously graze his hands along your thigh, stroking it gently. 

You felt your cheeks get as red as the traffic light the two of you were stopped at. Wetness pooled in your panties, and the thoughts of his hands all over your body hit you like a truck. No Y/N! Stop that! You’re going to his place, and the two of you will do best friends stuff. Not touchy feely things. “ Petal?” His sweet voice lulled you out of your dirty minded thoughts. “ Hmm?” you questioned, noticing you had stopped and parked at his building.

 “ You wanna stay the night?”

 You met his loving gaze, his emerald green eyes filled with lust. You nodded with a smile, and the two of you walked up to his room together, his hand in yours. 

“ You almost done Petal?” Loki called from the living room. You were just stepping out of his bathroom, unravelling your damp hair from the towel. A quick hot shower later, and the effect of Loki's calming presence, you felt any anxiety you had earlier that night slip away. “Almost!” you replied from his room, slipping on your thong and one of Loki's sweaters that hung almost to your knees and smelled of his woody cologne. 

You always forgot how tall and well, big Loki was. He towered over you at 6’5, all muscles and sharp edges. Towel thrown in the laundry basket, you scurried out of his room to find him lighting the wood in the fireplace, its warmth and light flaring up and illuminating the room. He turned around to see you cuddled with a blanket, and with a giggle you patted the couch for him to sit next to you. You nuzzled in close to him, leaning on him as he wrapped his arm around you. You felt safe. Happy. 

“ Petal can I ask you something?” You and Loki had been cuddling for quite some time now, the night dragging on. Little touches and flirty comments had been exchanged, and you were so hot you felt like you were going to burst if you didn't put your hands on him soon. 

“ Of course love! Whats up?” you questioned, turning to face him and run your fingers through his long inky locks. “ Si-sit on my-” You cut him off with a tug, and he purred.

 “ Sit on my lap?” he whispered, voice consumed with lust.

 Oh. OH. With a shiver, you slid on top of him and straddled his thigh. A hum of contempt left his lips and you blushed, looking down at the couch. You began to fiddle with his turtleneck as he set his large hands on your bare thighs gently. 

“ You look so pretty like this petal.” he purred, fingers trailing slowly up your sweater to lay on your hips. Your core was aching, you were desperate for any form of friction. His fingers trailed up and down your sides, leaving goosebumps in their wake as you wrapped your hands around his neck.

 “ Loki-” you gasped as his fingers trailed towards the inside of your thighs. He chuckled, loving the way your body reacted to him. 

“ Loki!” he mimicked, a deep chuckle rumbling through his chest as he cupped your clothed pussy. You tried to hold back a whimper that dared to leave your throat, and failed miserably. 

“ I’ll tell you what Petal. You ride my thigh, make those pretty little noises for me yeah?” You nodded quickly as he began to slowly bounce his knee. The feeling of denim against your cunt felt delicious. You jolted suddenly with a gasp as he slapped your ass harshly.

 “ Words Petal. Use em.” 

“ Yes, yes Loki please I’ll do whatever you want-” you whimpered and his knee began its pace once more. 

“ Thats what I thought. Always so obedient for me, my good little pet..” he trailed off as you began to shift your hips, riding his thigh slowly. Your juices coated his jeans as you rode him, the sensations making your clit throb.

 “ So pretty for me Petal. You can’t even imagine the amount of times I’ve thought about this, you on top of me baby.” You moaned loudly at his words. How was it possible to moan at just his words alone? He bounced his knee faster as you clung to him tighter, your hands laced through his hair once more. 

“ Want- wanted you for so long-” you were cut off by a deep growl that left his throat, his hands wandering up to cup your breasts, kneading and flicking each nipple with his thumb. You keened back, a mewl escaping your lips as you threw your heads back, lost in pleasure. 

“ You wanna know something honey? Every time I’ve had a whore over, some dumb toy I use to replace you, I always wish it was you. I always want it to be you. You’re the only one for me, my pretty little petal.” he nipped and sucked along your neck as you began to rub against him faster. Your juices were leaking down his thigh onto the couch and you felt your legs start to shake. 

“ Loki it’s too much I’m goin cum!” you wailed, feeling the coil in your core start to slowly stretch.

 “ Cum for me, my little flower. Wanna taste your nectar petal.” he whispered in your ear, tugging it gently. With that, you snapped. White-hot euphoria washed over you, your eyes rolling back in pleasure as you squirted all over his thigh with a constant chant of his name. You tugged his hair as he moaned at the sight of you, blissed out and soaked from your cum.

 “ Jesus fuck that is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.” he growled, slowly bouncing his knee as you came down from your high. Your ears were ringing, you felt as if you were floating. His fingers pushed your panties to the side, as he stroked his fingers along your slit. You shivered as he sucked and licked your juices off his fingers with a moan. 

“ Just as I thought. Sweet as honey.”

 “ Want you-” you clawed at his turtleneck, slipping your hands under it to run your hand along his perfectly chiselled abs.

 “ Patience little flower.” 

He shrugged his sweater off, the fire casting a glow across his features that gleamed with hunger. Suddenly, your (his) sweater was being tugged off your frame, and you were set down lying on the couch. Loki knelt down, placing his hands on your thighs and opening them slowly. He grinned, sliding your thong off and placing his head closer to your aching cunt. He looked like a hunter going after his prey, a wolf after a deer. 

“ I want to taste my nectar first Petal.”

[liseenle]

𝐓𝐑𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

ANGST and FLUFF Steve Harrington x reader

𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚: Steve and Y/n are in love, but are both idiots who don’t communicate

A/N: don’t know if I like this. Based on Tripping over air (Aidan Bissett)

> Masterlist

Steve was sleeping peacefully, Y/n by his side. But it soon happened, as it had happened many times before, that he was awoken by the girl’s stirring in her sleep. She was once again talking to herself, mumbling words that had no meaning, except for a name being repeated over and over again. Eddie.

Steve’s heart always hurt, hurt for her friend who had been broken up with, and hurt for himself too, who was in love but had no possibilities at all. But still, he could never look away from her in those moments, he could never get enough of what was going on in her head. He wanted to know her, he craved for her deepest thoughts and feelings, yet he was always just a human, a young boy, not allowed to know more than what she led on. So he watched over her, as she navigated through another nightmare.

The only thing he knew for certain was that, while she was always dreaming of her ex-boyfriend, Steve was actually only thinking about her. Always. Perpetually. Irremediably. And he wanted to tell her so bad, but he knew how it would completely change, possibly forever, their friendship. And he knew he rather have her just like that, that in no way at all.

It hurt, he knew that his heart and soul craved for much more than just that, but he also knew that shecould never fall in love with a boy like him. She liked boys who played guitar, their arms covered in tattoos, who drove beat up cars. She loved the instability of it all, he always thought. And he knew he was nothing and had nothing of the sort. He knew, she was only ever made to break his heart, and now he was twisted up in his own feelings, with no way out.

On the other hand or, shall we say, on the other side of that same bed, slept a girl who wouldn’t have disagreed more with Steve’s thoughts, had she known. Y/n dreamt often of Eddie, yes, but not in the way Steve imagined. She dreamt sometimes of arguing with her ex, sometimes of becoming friends again. But it was never in a lover’s way. They had broken up because, well, although they loved each other, they had soon understood that it was more in a friendly kind of way. And, most importantly, they had both understood that they were in love with other people. Y/n’s lover boy being none other than her best friend Steve.

She didn’t know when it had started. She sometimes supposed it started when he saved her from a Demogorgon, a few years back. But, in honesty, she actually felt that it only ever bloomed when it was too late for anything to ever happen, when he started  screwing around with other girls. She had soon understood, as she saw him take girl after girl to the cinema or to the restaurant, that what she felt was also jealousy. Jealousy for the girls that had been asked out, for  those who had the chance of knowing him in the way that was forbidden to her. So the night she slept, she told Eddie all about her doomed love, they argued and made peace and every morning she was sure she was going to tell Steve everything, but it never happened.

She loved sleeping by his side. She felt these were the only moments she had him truly for herself. And there was something… something about knowing him in the most vulnerable moments one can have, that made her heart skip a beat. And that, at least for the moment being, would be enough for her.

It was a Saturday night in the late of October, the light had faded faster than usual, and Hawkins was getting colder and colder, as Y/n waited under a coated sky. Steve was never late for their weekly appointments, but this time he was. And he had been for nearly an hour, at that point.

She had awaited him patiently, thinking she might have messed up the time, thinking maybe he had gotten stuck at work. But hoping he would, in the end, come around.

But he hadn’t. So Y/n took her bag and walked home, even though it was a bit late, a bit chilly, and a bit far away.

She was feeling angry, but mostly vulnerable: left alone with her thoughts, she was thinking once again that it was maybe time to move on, because to look for love where it could only hurt wasn’t right.

Each step she took, the more she grew convinced, as if it had been the fresh temperature to finally unlock this awareness in her.

It will hurt, she told herself, to not only lose him as a possibility, but also as a friend. But in the long run, she tried to repeat herself, it would be for the best. For the both of us.

As she slowly went on, behind her grew the sound of a car, moving fast through the night, stopping suddenly right beside her. The windscreen rolled down and there she was staring right into Harrington’s eyes, eyes full of a shared sadness and anxiousness.

“Why didn’t you wait for me?” He asked her, pleading. But Y/n remained silent, an anger unknown to her growing more and more inside of her, mixed up with a broken and sad heart. The perfect cocktail for a disaster.

“All right, if you’re not going to talk to me at least let me take you home”

“What is “home” to you?”

“I don’t know” he shrugged “maybe you could come to my place like we had planned”

“No, Steve, I’m not coming with you, I prefer walking to my own home”

Steve felt his blood turning cold as he realised that it was worse than he thought. Y/n wasn’t going to let this go.

“No come on Y/n I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be late… I just…”

“You forgot. Say it Steve. I don’t care that you forgot, I don’t care”

“Then why are you so angry at me?”

“Because Steve. You don’t respect me. You don’t care about me. You just care about yourself and your numerous girlfriends. You were always so self-absorbed that you didn’t even ever notice me in the first place”

“What are you saying Y/n?” He asked her slowly

“I’m saying there’s nothing more to discuss between the two of us. The matter is settled. I don’t want you in my life. Not anymore”

And with that she resumed walking towards her house, now growing in view just at the end of a still rather long street.

Steve couldn’t manage. He already knew that he couldn’t way before it had actually happened, but now his heart had been broken for real. It had not mattered how many layers he had used to protect himself, it had not mattered how he had cared for her, now she was walking away from him and so many things had been left unsaid between the two of them. For instance, Steve wished he had had the possibility of explaining himself.

The truth was Steve had gone to Eddie that night, told him how he felt and told him how Y/n was still in love with Eddie. But what he hadn’t known, as he sacrificed his feelings so that his best friend’s could be nourished, was that he had gotten it all wrong. Eddie laughed in his face, and calmly explained to him that he wasn’t the one whom Y/n loved. But that rather it was Steve himself.

He hadn’t believed it, not truly, until he reached Y/n down that road and she had walked away from him and their relationship. Only then, had he really understood what Eddie had tried to tell him.

But he wouldn’t let her go. No. Not now that they had a possibility. He sped once more through the night, quickly catching up to the only girl he had ever truly loved.

“Leave me alone” she kept telling him.

But no, Steve wouldn’t hear any of it. He turned off the car, leaving it in the bloody middle of the road and ran up to her.

His hand swiftly took hers, making her turn on the spot. She had been crying hard, and Steve felt the necessity to clean away those tears with his fingers, but when he tried to do so she avoided him.

“Don’t try to fool me Harrington. I can’t take it anymore”

“I’m not trying to Y/n” he told her seriously.

“Steve this is bad. Us…” she told him pointing between the two of them “…we are bad together.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why? I’m here waiting for you as you fuck somebody else, I’m in love with you while the only thing that you’re capable of doing is to delude me. You give me affection but only just as much, and then you swing away once more into the arms of some girl that only ever likes you for your looks. This isn’t working. I want more, more than just a stupid friendship but you could never give that to me, no, I understand that now” Y/n’s eyes began to water again, but in reality she felt numb, the cold had crept inside of her and made her heart go cold too. It couldn’t hurt more than it had already done, she told herself. This, this was the limit one’s heart could take.

Steve looked deep in those amber eyes, swimming in them to find their core, to see the truth in Y/n’s soul. And as he did, he did find that everything she told him, that everything Eddie told him, was true.

He couldn’t keep himself any longer. He plunged to her, seeking oxygen as if his lungs had stopped working, his lips intertwining with hers in the most desperate but passionate kiss.

And they stayed there for a while, cars passing by trying to avoid Steve’s car in the middle of the road, the chilling wind caressing their hair and the night showing them a new path they could lead, together.

“I’m no good with words, not like you. But damn me if I don’t love you. I tried to find you in every girl I’ve ever kissed, but no one was even close to be as pretty and wonderful as you. I always played it cool, because i didn’t want to get it wrong. But now I know and I can tell you, how much I truly love you Y/n Y/l/n.”