#And as soon as I said it I knew I was tempting fate | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

toodelusionalforreality · 7 months ago

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Arsonist

Azriel x Reader(N)

Summary: With time Azriel's feelings grow and become clearer. He struggles with the dilemma of revealing the bond to his lover and leaving it upto fate.

A/N: This is an experimental piece of work. I'm testing a writing style, so feedback is welcome. I've read this so many times for edits and I'm not even sure if it's any good. I appreciate all the love for Absolution, and this one offers a glimpse to their relationship in the past.

Word count: ~5k

Warning: 18+ NSFW, intimacy+angst+smut, f!pleasures, p in v. [too many he/she/names??]

Documenting, filing, and cataloguing—the simplest of tasks for a seasoned Spymaster—should have taken no more than a few hours at best. And yet, Azriel glared at the stacks of paperwork sitting on his desk. As soon as he arrived home, he set out to clear them in hopes of sneaking out before any of his brothers pestered him about his recent disappearances, not that his affair was a secret. Half a day later, there he was in his gloomy office with nerves on edge.

A simple mission of surveillance had turned into a hunt of hostile outliers along the southern borders, stealing weeks from him. Luckily, he hadn’t promised N an early return. He felt guilty nonetheless for leaving her with no word.

A sadistic part of his heart wondered if she cared about him—lying awake in bed, listening for footsteps on her stairs, or rushing home to see if he was waiting for her.

Once, he returned from a similar mission earlier than expected and let his shadows stalk her for two days to see how she spent the days without him. That night, Azriel decided he was a twisted man.

Sometime after noon, he accepted his fate. He had half a mind to fling the papers into Sidra and run to N’s smithy to surprise her. How childish of him. A grown man excited to watch his lover’s face break into a kaleidoscope of emotions. N wouldn’t run into his arms, he knew, like the romantics fantasised. She was not a woman of such calibre.

N embraced every fleeting moment with a nonchalance that bordered on lethargy. And it seeped into their relationship as well. She loved him simply—with her generous compliments, intentional touches, and domestic ease around him. She always had a smile for him. Her hands always found his hair or cheek when they lay in bed together. Sometimes, they ventured as far as his scarred ones, brought them to her lips that delivered the faintest of kisses before she drifted to sleep. Her words were nothing but genuine and certain.

Azriel could vividly see the expression on her face if he materialised before her. She would look at him with sincere eyes, bright as the morning sun, and the corners of her lips would tug into a smile. ‘So how long do I get to keep you this time?’ she would tease.

Maybe, Azriel thought, that is enough.

Knowing she missed him dearly enough to mock his departure every time. But she also kissed him every time, she held him to her chest every time, and she looked him in the eye when they made love every time.

A cool shade fell over the room. His eyes strained to find the lines and curves he marked in black. Sweat trickled from behind his ears. Gone was the unforgiving sun crisping anything that dared set foot on the ground. With a roar of thunder that shook every stone in the walls, rains poured down. N. Azriel gathered the papers away in no order and left for the one place he knew her to be.

Standing in front of the locked doors, he felt like a fool. The rain beat down on his leathers, mocking him. The heat from the forge radiated out of the grilled window. She was there and had left not long ago.

What did he come here for? To protect her from a rain? Or did his heart latch onto the only viable excuse presented to him at the moment? Yes, he thought, that must be it.

Azriel headed down the path to her home at the centre of the square, a long walk from her shop on the outskirts of the town. I like to work in the quiet, she had said, imagine how tempting it must be when someone’s bothering you and you have molten iron in your hands. He knew she could fight, but the last thing he suspected of his delicate lover was making tools of death and destruction.

He hurried, short of sprinting, to catch her before she was soaked like a street rat, cold and wet. He let out an amused chuckle looking down at his own leathers. The things the woman made him worry about.

N had left earlier than usual. The way she moved, she should be home. But when Azriel’s steps faltered along the wet roads, he wasn't sure.

The streets were bare except for the few still seeking shelter from nature’s onslaught. Save for the stark silhouette of buildings and blobs of life that swished and slashed through, nothing could be seen past the wavering white veil.

A lone figure caught his eye. Edging along the walls, it braved the storm—an arm pressed to the forehead, another around the torso, shoulders hunched forward and face averted.

She looked worse than a drenched rat. Her clothes clung to her, too light to protect her from the prick of rain. The satchel across her body sagged and sagged, the seams threatening to burst at the bottom, pulling her down with it.

Azriel cursed himself. He closed the distance between them in quick strides and stretched a wing over her head. It didn’t offer much protection, but it allowed her to look up at the godsend cover and face him with a knowing smile.

The space between her brows furrowed and her eyes crinkled at the corners. Drops of water tugged at her eyelashes for mere seconds before making their descent down her pale cheeks. Her braid turned into a tangled mess, tendrils sticking to anything in their path like claws curling into her skin.

‘Want me to take you home?’

She nodded once, without hesitation, without a thought. He smiled and took her in his arms. She was shaking. Azriel preferred flying above the clouds, but he decided against it.

Between ‌her two broken breaths, his shadows dropped them on the landing in front of her house. N clutched his arms as her feet steadied under her. Letting go of him, she removed her satchel. Her arms strained under its weight. It hit the floor with heavy, contesting clanks. Probably leftovers of her day’s work that she couldn’t leave behind unfinished, even in her hurry.

‘When did you return?’ She asked, removing her muddied boots. The leather fought worse than her bag.

Azriel followed her cue and removed his own filthy one. ‘This morning.’ As he took off his other boot, N unbuttoned her pants. He lifted a brow.

She chuckled, her lips trembling from the cold. ‘I’d hate to clean the house in this weather. Take your clothes off too.’

He gave her a dirty grin before he looked over his shoulder. The staircase behind him led to the bar downstairs. He didn’t care to be seen naked. But N? She was only for his eyes. He adjusted his wings to span the width of the narrow space, hiding her from any intruders’ view.

‘No one comes up here at this hour,’ she said as she moved on to her shirt and the tunic underneath. Her legs gave a tremor even with his warmth next to her.

Just an inch of her bare skin made Azriel’s mouth water. And she stood there in her underwear. Mother, how much he missed her. His eyes wandered over her body—pale, cold, wet—unabashed as he undressed and tossed his clothes next to hers.

N shook her head, a faint smile on her lips. She opened the door to her one-room apartment, undoing her braid. He held on to her hips and trailed her, planting kisses on her shoulder. Her hand found his as she led him into the bathroom. It was bright, unlike his own, white and pristine. It was spacious but not enough for him, for his wings. And yet, Azriel followed her without a complaint, like a starved dog catching the scent of food after days of hunger.

Hot water hit their naked bodies. He traced his rough, scarred hands along her skin. Firm, littered with healed cuts and white scar tissue, still the softest he ever had the pleasure to touch. N shoved his hands away as she lathered herself, only to laugh when they found her again. Azriel didn’t mind that he tasted more soap than her skin on his lips with each kiss. Gods, was he desperate.

Usually, she queried him about his day, or why he took so long. Or made a crude comment about how much she needed him only to hear him growl with desire. That day, she smiled and cleaned them both in silence with no words to distract him from her soothing touch. A proper tease.

When he wrapped his arms around her stomach and tugged her against his chest, she smacked at him. His wings flared, sending bottles off the shelf nailed to the wall. His shadows caught them before they hit the bathtub on the other side of the room.

‘Stop it,’ she giggled, soft and sweet. ‘You’re wrecking the place.’

Azriel buried his nose into her hair. Covered in soap, he still smelled her past the fragrance of jasmine. Sharp and clear, with a hint of melting iron. ‘I’ll buy you a new place.’

She laughed. A full, open laugh that shook her body. Azriel smiled. His heart tightened in his chest.

The bond was meant to tie him to her, draw him to her. He was prepared for the craving for her body, the lust that devoured him. But this was deeper. This ran in his very soul—taking his breath away unless it was the same air she breathed.

N turned around and pushed him a step back. ‘A minute, Azriel. Give me one minute,’ she said through her little laughs. She stood under the shower, tipped her head back, closing her eyes.

She didn’t understand it. She wouldn’t know his need for her unless she felt it too. She loved him though. She never said those words. But he saw the signs. In the looks she gave him, in her smiles, in the way she cared for him sometimes after long missions.

Azriel waited for the bond to piece together for her. Eighteen months. And he hadn’t told her about his torment either. It was his to bear for the time being.

He held his breath and watched the heat bring colour back to her skin, her cheeks coming alive—supple and flush. Her hair shone brighter. Her body stopped shivering and yet she draped her arms below her ribs.

Divinely simple and utterly bare only for him.

‘Your minute’s up,’ he whispered and stepped up to her, his hands on her hips.

She opened her eyes. ‘Hi.’ She smiled, pressing a kiss to his lips.

Finally.

She pulled him close by his elbows. Water ran down his back and wings. She turned them around and backed away. Azriel blinked. Her laughs filled the room. N stood by the door and dried her hair.

‘You tricked me,’ was all he said. His hands were immobile by his side, too shocked by what she had done, by what he hadn’t noticed. He was a spy, for Mother’s sake.

‘I asked you nicely.’ She patted down her body, her teasing eyes on him. ‘Now get done quick. Or do you want to stand there all night?’ And she walked out.

Azriel narrowed his eyes at her form disappearing beyond the threshold. His wings twitched, and he rolled his shoulders. He was quick, alright. He turned off the water and was out and on her in a blink. N let out a yelp when her back collided with his dripping chest. Azriel sucked on her—her neck, her shoulders, her arms. He didn’t care. As long as he had her warmth and taste.

‘Fine, I’m sorry.’ Another laugh escaped her lips as she struggled to break free of his hold.

Crazed like an addict taking his first hit after withdrawal, Azriel gasped against her skin. ‘Only because you asked so nicely.’ He loosened his grip.

N faced him. She held the towel to his body—drying his neck, chest, arms, and back—slowly leading him to her bed. She left his wings untouched. She took her time while Azriel peppered pecks on her face. Anything to quench his thirst.

‘Do you care so much for me?’ He smiled into a kiss he left on her ear. Her attention made his heart flutter.

She grinned, ‘Gods no, I don’t want you to ruin my bed.’

‘Your bed gets ruined every time I’m here,’ he said, teasing the shell of her ear with his tongue. A shiver went down her spine, and Azriel basked in the scent that filled the room. Her scent. The one that cried out for him, desperate and needy as him.

N tamed her face, wearing the mask of a woman who had an agenda. She pushed him back and he fell onto the mattress. She moved between his legs, a knee perched at the edge of the bed, and caressed his cheek. Her eyes were soft and caring.

He wished for nothing more than to stare into them all his life. One look at them and every moment in his life he felt unloved and unworthy was erased from his being.

His wet hair stuck to his forehead, their tips scratching at his eyelids. N brought the towel to his head. She was as gentle as ever, but Azriel couldn’t waste a second without gazing at that beautiful face of hers. He shook out of her hold, ducking his head and turning.

‘Stop acting like a child,’ she laughed.

He grunted, ‘You’re smothering me,’ but it sounded like a whine to his ears.

‘Then stop moving!’

With a sigh, he gave up. Gods, what he wouldn’t do for her. He sat still and N allowed him the mercy to look at her. He rested his hands on her thighs, rubbing circles with his thumbs. He couldn’t help the sighs that left his lips every minute. He smiled up at her, capturing every feature on her face with the eyes of a devotee graced upon by his benevolent god.

When N deemed him less of a sodden pup, she ran her fingers through his damp hair. She untangled each strand carefully, tugged them away from his eyes, and let them fall in their natural disarray. Her nails raked through his scalp, from his hairline to the base of his neck.

Azriel purred under her fingers. It took everything in his body not to fight against her ministrations and crush her body against his. His wings fluttered.

N looked at them and back into his eyes. Azriel nodded, his wings opening into a spread close to his body, close enough for her to reach. Droplets littered the membrane, too light to slide off under gravity. She barely touched the towel to his wing, and it twitched. She waited for a breath and tried again. This time, it held still. She repeated her movements, each time more careful than the last, from one spot to the next as gingerly as possible.

Azriel closed his eyes. His hands smoothed over her waist, his fingers digging into her tender flesh, and pulled her close. Warmth from her body hit his face. He leaned forward, resting his forehead between her breasts. He felt her heart beat under her skin. Steady, lulling.

That’s when he realised. It wasn’t lust that drew him to her or his bond. It was her—the solace she promised—a world far away from the treacherous reality he endured in his job, away from the nightmares of his past that haunted him, away from the loud and rush of this unjust one.

With her, he could be still.

With her, he could breathe.

With her, he could just be.

She froze every minute he spent with her, entrapping him in her delicately spun cocoon of comfort. She didn’t need her words, her touch or her body. She breathed and tension in his body and soul melted away. The ghosts that followed him around faded into nothingness. Every pain in his mind, forgotten.

She offered him life. Ecstasy at its purest.

The fabric that separated her from his wings was gone, discarded. Her fingertips grazed the outer curve of his wing. Azriel buried his face into her chest. If she allowed, he would crawl into her soul and stay there in its protection, in its everlasting, glowing warmth. He wanted nothing more than her in his life. He feathered his lips over her sternum. His wings wound around them, begging for more. He tugged her closer and pressed a kiss to her heart. The one he yearned to possess.

N settled on his lap. Her delicate body pressed against his desperate one. Azriel looked up. With a gentle kiss to the tip of his nose, she nudged him out of his swarming thoughts.

‘You’re a handful, you know that? You don’t make it easy to care for you.’

He smiled. ‘I missed you.’ He smiled a lot around her as if she drew each one out from the very depths of him.

Mischief sparkled in her eyes. She rolled her hips against his, ‘Oh, I can feel that.’

Azriel groaned and eventually laughed. ‘You’re naked in my arms. And you’re touching my wings. Can you blame me?’ His eyes darkened when she moved her hips again. ‘Kiss me. Now,’ he growled.

And for the first time that day, N obliged. She kissed him long and slow. Her lips were soft, plush, and pulsing with life. Her breaths warmed his skin. She pushed her body into his, and for the first time that day, she set her desires free. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her fingers laced together on the back of his neck, pulling him close. She leaned back when he dipped and chased him when he pulled back. It was a dance she was a master at, syncing to his body’s rhythm as if she knew it better than him.

Azriel adored her tender love, but he needed more. He grabbed her damp hair into a fist. N whimpered into his mouth and he swallowed it whole. He was determined to lay claim to every inch of her soul if that’s what it took to make her his. He tugged her hair, and she arched her back with a long moan. He ran his teeth along her beautiful neck she offered for his taking. Her hands only pulled him closer.

His mate. His willing prey.

N wrapped her legs around his waist. Azriel crawled deeper into the bed and laid her down gently. He pulled back to admire her one more time, stroking her cheek as she smiled. He pecked her lips once and flipped her onto her stomach ripping a choked gasp from her.

‘Trust me?’ He breathed against her ear.

She nodded. He kissed the side of her neck, her shoulder, and all the way down her back, enjoying every shiver that rattled her to the core. He sank his teeth into her waist just to make her yelp and glare over her shoulder. When he soothed the spot with a lick, she rolled her eyes smiling. He kissed all the way up until he found her lips again. His body relaxed against hers with careful pressure. He sighed.

‘I missed you,’ he murmured below her ear.

Doubt crept into his pathetic heart every time she eluded his words. Once in a while her feelings crept over the string between their hearts like a spider, too little a thing for him to notice, but present nonetheless. Invisible and lurking, and always out of his reach. With the bond in place for him already, though he should have been able to feel her emotions, he barely did.

He needed to hear her words. He needed her to say those words and some more.

‘Then what are you waiting for?’ She asked, as breathless as he.

Azriel chuckled darkly, ‘Tell me you missed me.’ His shadows emerged for the play. They swept her hair aside for their master to suckle on her neck.

‘I’ll show you if you stop teasing.’

The seduction in her voice alone tempted Azriel to destroy her until she was a mess for him, whimpering and declaring her love for him.

He grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her face close. ‘Words first,’ he growled as his other hand closed on her breast. A thumb ghosted over her nipple before he pinched it between his fingers.

N looked over her shoulder, her eyes dark and wide. ‘I missed you,’ she kissed the corner of his lips, sucking on the skin she could reach. Azriel eased his grip and then she spoke again, ‘So much that I was dreaming of your fingers every night.’

Azriel laughed. His body shook over hers, the sound reverberating through her being. ‘Such a tease,’ he closed his eyes and nuzzled into the side of her face, ‘You sure do know how to get your way.’

He slipped his fingers between her legs and hummed as he ran a digit along her slit. N held her breath, her hands clawing at the sheets. He caressed the inside of her thigh until she whined. When he tucked his hand under her leg and pulled it aside, N gasped at the cold air’s kiss on her wet core.

Azriel breathed in her scent—a fresh, sharp, intoxicating sweetness that ensnared his senses right before she stole pieces of his soul. He teased her entrance with his fingers, her lips smooth and slick against his scarred skin. When he slipped them inside, her breaths shuddered into broken mists.

He worked her with slow and deliberate strokes, for his own sanity than hers. He etched every groove and bend of his favourite maze into his memory. He kissed her lips as he pulled his fingers out and spread her slick onto his neglected cock. The moan that tore from his throat was one he would be embarrassed for life. But her mesmerised eyes on his lips erased any notion of it.

He grabbed her hip and entered her slowly as she welcomed him with a sigh. He stayed still, listening to her stuttering breaths against the echoes of rain.

So intimate, so real.

N laced her fingers with his on her hip. ‘I missed this,’ she whispered.

This.

Not 'you'.

Ignoring the stab in his chest, Azriel grasped her hands in each of his and tucked them under her chin. He pulled out until the very tip and drove back in. Her moan pierced through the cries of the storm. He repeated his movements, sliding out with care and sliding in with fury. His breaths turned into groans, angry and beastly. He bit into her neck, her shoulder, between her blades to stop more desperate words from spilling out.

N touched his knuckles with her lips. She covered his hand with kisses, from his wrist to fingertips, worshipping every inch of his marred hand. She let her tongue slick over a particularly ragged part of his skin whose mere sight blurred his vision with vengeance for what he had endured.

Azriel pinched his eyes shut. Letting go of her hand, he clutched her jaw. ‘Don’t,’ he hissed.

Foolish woman. She leaned into his hand as if it wasn't that of a killer, as if it wasn’t capable of offering nothing but a sweet embrace. She carded her fingers through his hair, cradling his face close. And brushed her lips over the length of the fingers that ghosted over them.

‘Azriel,’ she uttered his name as if it soothed her. As if she had been waiting for this moment just like him.

His hip bucked. ‘Say it again, say my name.’

‘Azriel.’

‘Again,’ he said against her skin, his voice coated in desperation.

‘Azriel.’

And she chanted his name with each breath.

His thrusts faltered. He closed his eyes and buried his face in her hair. He wasn’t a worthy contender for her vicious tenderness. Yet, she gave it to him in earnest. ‘Touch yourself for me,’ he whispered in her ear.

Her hand obeyed. She moved her leg higher, offering her every depth to him. She circled her clit slowly, with the slightest of pressure. Her slick trailed down her fingers and she writhed under him. She gave him her moans; she gave him her body; she gave him her pleasure.

‘That’s it, baby. Make yourself feel good.’ He hummed at her misery, his cock delivering the faintest taste of what he suffered at her ignorance.

Her cunt pulsed around him, gripping him until pleasure laced with pain with each slide. N whimpered and arched her back, pushing her hips into him. His hand on her jaw slipped to her throat, the only thing that kept her from curling away from him. She stared into his eyes, baring her soul for him. Her legs trembled, desperate to close, and his shadows crept up to hold them in place. She gasped when a few wisps searched for her soaked fingers and circled her skin.

‘Shh,’ Azriel kissed her temple, ‘I know.' He pressed his tender lips to her cheek, a devastating contrast to his thrusts, ‘Come for me.’

And after a breath, she did.

The bond reeked of desire.

His and hers. His desperation, her relief. His longing, her content.

Azriel sank his teeth into her shoulder, hard—injecting the venom coursing through his veins into her, poisoning her with her own medicine, sharing the agony she inflicted upon him.

His heart was a house on fire, the mating bond a fuse, and she, the one with a match.

He pried her fingers away from her core and shoved them into his mouth. He purred at her taste, his chest rumbling against her back. With two staggering moves, he attained the same heavenly pleasure she did.

His hands wrapped around her, his legs intertwined with hers, and her body reaching out to his in a way that could only be described as a lover’s despair—the way they were meant to be. One and whole. Every breath, shared and stolen. Every touch, burning and soothing.

Their moans stopped and their breaths calmed. Finally, the sounds of the world rushed back to his ears. The distant echo of the angry rain, the soft music from the bar below, the ghostly whispers that never turned into anything coherent. N sagged into the bed, loosening her grip on his fingers.

Azriel eased her leg, massaging it with a careful hand. He kissed her cheek. ‘Talk to me,’ he said, ‘You okay?’

N nodded. ‘That was. . .’ she said between breaths, ‘intense.’

‘Good intense?’ He smiled against her shoulder, kissing the spots left by his canines where blood threatened to break through her skin.

‘“You should go on long missions more often” intense.’

He nipped her ear. ‘Say the word. And I will take you any way you want, whenever you want.’ He rolled onto his back, adjusting his wings under him. N looked at them with fascination. He pulled her to his chest, ‘Don’t unless you want to go again.’

She chuckled. ‘I can’t even look at them?’

‘You can do anything you want to them,’ he murmured to her lips, ‘Just give me a warning.’ His wing draped over her, the curved tip grazing up her leg as if agreeing to him, consenting to her.

They remained silent for a long time, tracing swirls on each other’s skin. A moment frozen in time, drenched in comfort and warmth. Azriel ran his fingers through the lengths of her hair, damp more from his sweat than their shared shower. Every inch of her was marked by his presence. He smiled.

‘Azriel?’

‘Hmm?’

‘Next time come by sooner so that I can stop worrying.’ She was watching the rain through the glass door that stood between them and the balcony. Before he could remark, she added smiling, ‘The weather is nice.’

Azriel glanced over his shoulder. Winds howled—changing course every minute, spouting rain in every direction. The metal bird feeder suspended from the ceiling rattled and screeched. It swayed wildly close to breaking off its hinges. Water trickled along the walls, moving steadily towards the threshold.

He looked back at her and lifted a brow. ‘Nice? You’re about to be flooded.’

‘Maybe,’ she smiled up at him. Pulling a blanket over their bodies, ‘But I can do this,’ she wrapped an arm around his torso, pressing into him with a long sigh.

Azriel trailed his index along her cheek, down her jaw. He ached to let his will crumble and give in to his impulse. He only did it thrice after the bond snapped for him, too afraid to feel the nothingness again. He called to her through the bond—a gentle caress, begging her to follow him, pulling her closer than his physical body allowed, breaking the laws of the real world.

He rested his finger on her heart hoping to feel something on her skin. An increase in heart rate, a hitch in her throat, or maybe the thrum of the bond’s stupid song that left him sleepless at night. Azriel would accept anything.

But her heart beat steadily, unaware of his desperation. The bond shimmered with his love, the light weaving through the thread until it met with her void again.

Ironic. The one born with the shadows had a heart aglow with love. And the other—warmth and light incarnated, had hers hidden in darkness.

N placed a hand on his chest and perched her chin on it. She looked at him with curious eyes. ‘What?’

You’re my mate.

The words were at the tip of his tongue. Three words and she would put him out of his misery. She would accept him, even if the bond never snapped for her. She would hold him close, kiss his lips, and tell him she loved him. She would rid him of some of his darkness.

A smile graced Azriel’s lips. He brushed her hair away from her eyes.

‘You hungry?’

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mushies-stories · 9 months ago

Text

little drunk crybaby

Stu macher X Reader one shot

Summary: You see Stu flirting at a part and even though you 'just friends' you feel hurt by it. Stu chases after you, hoping you'd finally tell him what he's been wanting to hear.

Warnings: drinking, drunk reader, fluff?

Stu had quickly become one of, if not, your best friend on campus. Meeting in history you gravitated towards him instantly with his quick jokes and dumb faces. He even manages to make the professor laugh once.

Soon you were going to frat parties and staying in his bed on the nights you couldn't manage to make it home. The more comfortable you became with Stu the more you stayed over. He never touched you or pushed himself on you, keeping it to random general compliments that he would also throw at Billy in a teasing way. He never really brought girls back either, if anything once in a blue moon he would go home with someone and you'd have the whole bed to yourself.

It really wasn't fast before you were falling for him either. You weren't sure when or how it happened but one night it clicked and it changed everything.

Stu was talking to a girl. A tall beautiful blond who was hanging on to every word he said. Something in the pit of your stomach decided you didn't like that, or maybe it was the alcohol that was starting to take a pretty heavy effect on you. For a half hour he talked to her, leaning close to her in the doorway to the kitchen, moving closer whenever someone needed to get by, which was a lot. From your spot on the couch you could see the entire interaction and you’d decided you would much rather go home and complain to your roommates than watch Stu macher all over a hot blond.

“Where are you going?” Billy asked when he saw you heading to the front door.

“Home.” you stated, walking past him on wobbly legs.

“Maybe that's not such a good idea? You can barely stand.” he pointed out with a smirk and a raised brow.

You just waved him off and kept walking, looking straight ahead and avoiding running into anyone. Once you reached the sidewalk you took a moment to remember what way you needed to go, you turned right and headed slowly down the street.

What you didn’t see was the mischievous grin on Billy’s face when he watched you walk out of the door. You also didn’t notice the look he and Stu shared before Stu bid the hot blond farewell and jogged down the front steps after you.

After a minute of slow, unsteady walking you heard Stu call for you. “Y/N! Where are you going!” His footsteps were getting closer as he jogged to get to you.

You kept walking and looking straight ahead, the ground shifting in your eyesight. “Home.” you stated, again.

Now keeping pace with you Stu could see your face and just how drunk you were. “C’mon, you're way too drunk to walk home alone, you’ll get snatched in a second.” he teased, attempting to slow you down by resting a hand on your shoulder but you just shifted away from his hand, causing you to wobble a little.

“Why would you care?” you snipped at him, attempting to pick up the pace but slowing down almost instantly, head spinning.

Stu’s brows furrowed at your words, acting as if he didn't understand why you were probably acting this way. “What are you talking about?” He kept an eye on your body as you walked, in case you were about to fall. “Why wouldn't I care?”

Your face was burning, a mix of alcohol and embarrassment. “You looked busy… so why don't you just go back to that girl?” you mumbled out.

Stu couldn't help the grin that began to grow. Tonight was actually a plan of his making. Stu had liked you the moment he met you in class but you confessed how comfortable you were with him as a friend from the start and didn’t want to tempt fate, until Billy said something about the way you had been staring at him without him even knowing. Billy noticed your affections before Stu even did, he thinks before you even knew too. So, he decided to see if he was right, he just wasn't sure how to go about it. Making you jealous enough to express some kind of emotion other than platonic friendliness seemed to be the best option. He didn’t really think he would see you so upset you were about to cry. He almost felt bad, but really it made his heart swell up at the thought of you crying over him. It showed him just how much you liked him.

Stu stopped you, both hands holding your shoulders in place as he stood in front of you, looking down at you as you struggled to keep focus on his face, your drunken pout never leaving your lips. “We are going back to mine and getting you some water.”

You turned your head to the side. “Don't you need to get back to the party?” you said sharply.

Letting out a low sigh Stu just shifted so his hand was on your back, beginning to lead you down the street, his house being just down the block. “Let me get you inside, then you can pout all you want, okay?” he said. You shrugged your shoulders and nodded your head as you let him lead you. You were too drunk to be running around at night anyways.

Stu basically carried you up the steps and helped you not fall off the couch when you flopped down. He disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a glass of water and handed it to you. “Drink.” He ordered. “And tell me why you're mad at him.” he said, a small smile set on his lips as he sat down next to you.

You took a few sips and looked at the floor. “Didn’t you say I could pout…” you grumbled.

Stu snorted. “Yeah, I did.” Stu agreed with a tight nod. “But that’s not really gunna work for me sooo, let's hear it, why are you so upset with me?” He asked again. He turned his body a little and rests his elbow on the back of the couch, watching take a sip of water and collect yourself.

You sigh and shake your head softly. Did you like Stu like that, or were you just drunk, or was it really just both and now you're drunk and feeling all of your emotions. You closed your eyes and took a long breath, exhaling slowly when you opened them. Stu was waiting, patently letting you think. “I didn’t like it, seeing you so close to her.” you confessed, easier than saying why.

“Why?” Stu asked simply.

Damnit.

“Because…” you trailed off, looking at the glass of water in your hands. “It made me feel…sad.” you croaked, feeling tears prick the corners of your eyes.

Stu shook his head in understanding. “Why would it have made you sad?” he continued to question you. You tried to choke out a reply but the words couldn’t come out. You shook your head and took another sip from your water, not wanting to answer. Stu scooted closer to you, arm resting on the back of the couch behind you now. “Did it upset you because you want me to be that close to you?” he asked simply.

You looked up at him, a tear rolling down your cheek. Such a cry baby he thought. An adorably drunk cry baby. You nod your head softly. “Yes.” you mumbled.

Now grinning, Stu took the glass from your hand, leaning over he set it on the side table. He came back to bring a hand to the side of your face, cradling your cheek tenderly in his hand. With the pad of his thumb, he swiped a falling tear. “Now, why do you want me to be this close?” He asked, head tilted just a little and an adoring smile on his face. He was loving this, seeing you so flustered and cute.

You hesitate a moment, looking into his eyes and searching for a reason not to tell him. They didn’t give you one, not with the way he was looking so fondly at you. “Because… I like you.” you finally admit, feeling more tears escape and cascade down your face. “And that girl was… well she wasn’t ugly.” you mumbled and sniffled. “It’s not like you haven't slept around but tonight when i watched you with her i just…” you cut yourself off, biting your bottom lip to keep from sobbing.

Stu frowned a little. He wanted to make you jealous and yeah, a few tears were cute but… his heart ached seeing you fall apart. “Hey, it's okay.” he tried to sooth you, wiping more tears away and now holding your face in both of his hands to make sure you don't look away. “Please don't cry, it's okay baby.” Stu said softly.

The nickname caught you off guard a moment. You wanted to say something but you feared that it might just come out a choked sob instead. You brought your hands to hold onto his forearms, your head was fuzzy and the mix of alcohol and embarrassment made your whole body hot.

With a soft sigh and sweet smile Stu held your hands with his own. “Since I first saw you I wanted to make you mine. But somehow, I actually got thrown in the friend-zone and like a lovesick puppy I waited.” Stu confessed with a sheepish grin. “Glad to see you finally came to your senses.” he joked lightly.

You practically gawked at him. “You… you like me?” you asked, brows knit in disbelief. Your tears were subsiding, his words shocking you.

He chuckled and nodded, glad to see you were calming down a little. “For a long time, and even though you're drunk, I'm holding you to this little confession.” he said grinning. “I mean, you were so cute when you cried like a baby over me I’ll never be able to forget that.” he said with a dreamy expression.

Your face was on fire at his teasing. “Stu, don't be mean!” you pout, pulling your hands away and crossing your arms. “I did not cry like a baby.” you turned your head away from him with a huff.

Stu wrapped you up in his arms and dragged you to his lap. He held you close and buried his face in the crook of your neck. You let out a little yelp from his sudden movements and your hands came up to hold onto his forearms. “No denying it now baby, you're all mine now.” he kisses your neck before pulling away to look into your pretty glossy eyes. Your warm cheeks and flustered expression were everything he ever dreamed of.

Before you could even form words was standing with you in his arms and marching to his bed. “Stu! Careful!” you squeal, you head spinning with how fast he was moving.

He smiled down at you and gently set you down on his bed. “Sorry.” he says, scratching the back of your head. “Just got me all giddy now. But I think it's time we get you ready for bed. Let me get you a shirt to sleep in” he ruffled the hair at the top of your head before turning around to his closet.

You watched him with a lazy drunken smile and butterflies in your tummy. You knew some part of you would have at least a little recollection of tonight's events when you woke up.

Suddenly you couldn't wait for tomorrow.

#scream #scream1996 #scream 1996 x reader #Stu macher #stu macher x reader #stu macher imagine #scream imagine #scream 1996 imagine

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graysmiles-world · 1 year ago

Text

Steddie Faking Dating, Part 1

Eddie Munson was cuckoo bananas. Steve knew that. The entirety of Hawkins High knew that. Most of Hawkins, in general, knew that. Which makes it all the more insane that Steve did what he did.

He fell in love with him.

Trust him. Steve knows how mad, psycho, and every other word there is for “batshit crazy” there is for it. But he can’t help it! Steve’s a romantic at heart, and Eddie is the most romantic person he’s ever met. He wraps around Steve like an octopus, kissing every bit of skin in reach. He’s sung, like, at least four different songs for Steve on his electric guitar, which he didn’t even know could be romantic.

All in all, Steve was in love. Flipped around the head and spun until you’re dizzy kind of love. Although he hadn’t said it yet, Steve imagined Eddie feeling the same. Like the stares that Steve feels whenever he turns away from Eddie are brands pressed hot against his cheek. Like every kiss, cheek grab, and cuddle, Eddie pushed his love into Steve in any way he could. Eddie was always the more physical of the two.

But they weren’t yet at the stage where an “I love you” is acceptable. With Nancy, Steve was the one who said it first, two days after their fifth-month anniversary. Nancy said it back but later was informed that she never loved him. He’s going to take it more carefully with this one. They were only a few days past four months in, and it was much too soon to be throwing around the ‘L’ word. Steve just sat - zoning off on break at his summer Scoop’s Ahoy! job. He just turned over the words in his mind until they were no longer recognizable, but the feeling was still warming his chest.

“Steve!” Robin’s harsh shout comes from the front. Steve lurched from his daydream. Suddenly, the sound of crying children and the stickiness of the table in front of him became a reality.

Steve groaned, tilting back until the chair he sat on tipped back, and he could look back at the clock. It took him a second, it being upside down, but it was definitely only 2:28 p.m.

“I’ve got two minutes left!” he shouted, letting his chair fall back on all four legs. He ignored Robin’s grumbling and threats of bodily mutilation to stare at the blank wall before him and breathe in the sickly sweet smell of melted ice cream. It was petty, sure, but Robin had done the same to him, like, three times since the summer started. And he was not one to give up 120 seconds of precious zoning out time.

“Dingus!” Robin shouted, sounding much closer than before. She banged open the door to the backroom, the knob hitting the wall and leaving a mark.

“Jesus, Buckley!” Steve jumps, looking over to her unimpressed scowl and crossed arms.

“Break time’s over,” she tapped her wrist, despite the fact that there was no actual watch there. Steve rolled his eyes and grabbed the sailor's cap from where he threw it at the start of his break.

Robin laughed at his quiet grumbles as he passed him, patting him condescendingly on the back. She let the door swing shut, and Steve flinched at the large bang that echoed throughout the storefront. Avoiding the many kids’ and adults’ eyes, he turned back to admonish her - only to find that Robin wasn’t even there.

Steve could hear her witch’s cackle through the closed window, but it could have just been in his head, to be fair. But instead of arguing with her, which would lead to several customer complaints, he let her take her break. Steve was not in the mood to deal today.

He crammed the stupid hat on his head and turned to the storefront where a couple of giggling preteens already stood.

After, he just amused himself by looking over to the clock (which definitely moved at like half the speed as the clock in the breakroom, he’s sure of it) and returned to work. Robin joined after her own break, and they worked in tandem. It turns out they’re an okay team when they’re not at each other’s throats, but Steve won’t say that not wanting to tempt fate in one of her many taunts. Robin seemed just as tired of scooping ice cream as he was, so she didn’t even make any snide comments as they closed up Scoops Ahoy! for the night.

The next day went mostly the same, but Steve was much more excited.

“What’s got your panties in a bunch?” Robin asked, looking concerned at his constant smile. It wasn’t even a customer service one, but a real one. One hurt Steve’s cheeks a bit from how much he was beaming.

“Nothing, just having a friend come over tonight,” he told her - trying to seem casual. Something told him, though, that his “super casual shrug” didn’t help him. Heat crept up his neck and ears, and Steve was grateful that most of it was covered by hair.

Robin leaned forward onto the counter, setting her chin on her fists and fluttering her eyelashes daintily at him. “Oh, is this a lady-friend perhaps? One that you wooed with your ‘Steve Harrington Charm,’” she said - making bunny ears around “Steve Harrington Charm.”

“No,” he said, shaking his head and focusing on the mint chip ice cream he was switching out with a new batch. “I told you, I’m not interested in a relationship right now.”

Robin snorted meanly, “Sure.”

Desperate to turn the conversation off himself and onto her: “Hey, what about you? Got any secret admirers out there?”

Steve still wasn’t looking at his coworker, but he could hear her choke at the question. It felt a little good, he won’t lie, turning it back around on her.

“I’ve got a boyfriend,” she said after a moment, tapping her fingers against the counter to the beat of the corny song constantly playing through the speakers. “Might hang out with him after work today,” she shrugged, “Don’t know yet.”

Steve nodded, grabbing the empty ice cream container and returning it to the back to be taken out with the rest of the trash at the night's end. Thankfully, that won’t be him because he was able to get out early by switching with Clark, one of the other “crewmates.” He would have to take an early morning shift next Tuesday, but Steve still thought it was worth it. Eddie was coming over that night, and even though Steve could see him earlier that week, he couldn’t help but be excited.

When Steve got home that afternoon, he immediately stripped from his uniform and threw it in the hamper, covering it with some other dirty clothes. Heaven knows how Eddie would react if he saw that piece of clothing.

He’d probably ask Steve to wear it for sex, to be honest. And not that Steve wasn’t up for that (he was always up to sex with Eddie), but he only had one of these uniforms, and it needed to last for the entire summer.

Steve then jumped in the shower, scrubbing the stink of the nauseating scent of gone-bad ice cream and kid vomit. Children shouldn’t have a double fudge sundae after running around in the hot sun for three hours. Who knew? Not that kid’s parents, from how they whined and tried to give explanations as Steve was forced to mop it up.

Robin had way too much fun laughing at him from behind the counter, so Steve went to the bathroom when he saw Erica approaching them across the food court.

When Eddie knocked on Steve’s door at 3:45, fifteen minutes after he said he’d show up (like Steve knew he would be), the house was perfectly set up for movie night. Steve was already dressed in his old basketball sweatpants and one of Eddie’s shirts that he left behind too many times for Steve to be willing to give it back now.

Also, the look on Eddie’s face whenever he saw Steve wearing one of his band t-shirts was one of Steve’s favorites. This is only made better by Steve immediately shutting down any lust building him in eyes with an eye roll and a pull towards the couch.

Eddie whistled, “All setup, aren’t you sweetheart?”

Steve threw a throw pillow at the back of Eddie’s head, uncaring the squawk he let out. “Shut up.”

“Betrayed!” Eddie flailed about, falling back onto the couch, one foot on the cushion. “Hoaxed! Hoodwinked!”

Steve snorted, slapping Eddie’s socked foot aside and falling towards him - making sure to land on his outstretched hands and now Eddie’s ribs. He pressed his lips against Eddie’s before he started the dramatic monologue that Steve knew was coming.

Eddie surrounded immediately, moving to clutch his (or Eddie’s) shirt in both hands. Steve kept the kiss from becoming too dirty because he wanted to watch some movies but was content to make out for a few minutes longer. And God, did Eddie know how to make out with someone? It was wet and hot, sloppy than any other make-out he’d had with anyone else - but Steve loved it. He loved him.

He felt that familiar bubbling in his stomach, the urge to lean back and spit it out - so instead, he pressed forward. He dug his tongue between Eddie’s lips as he liked and let him do it before. Eddie’s stubble scratched against his cheeks, and his shoulder started hurting a bit, but Steve didn’t ever want to move.

Unfortunately, the choice was taken from him when Eddie pulled back, chuckling a bit when Steve tried to follow. “It seems my swindling worked,” he crowed quietly, pressing short but hard kisses against everything but Steve’s lips.

Steve opened his eyes, staring right into Eddie’s endlessly dark eyes. They were crinkled, and it took everything in Steve not to melt into goo. Instead, he raised a brow. “You think you tricked me, Munson?”

Eddie guffawed a laugh, his chest bouncing underneath Steve’s. “Munson, huh? You brought me back down to last names, Harrington?”

Steve couldn’t handle being close to Eddie and not kissing anymore, so he mumbled, “You betcha, Munson,” before returning to the previously scheduled content.

Steve could have spent the rest of his life kissing Eddie on this couch. Unfortunately for both of them, their young bodies couldn’t hold up in that position forever, and they were forced to move only a few minutes later. It was only then that Steve remembered the original purpose for Eddie coming over that night.

“Alright,” he said, pushing back from Eddie’s warmth. “I didn’t just invite you to make out.”

“You didn’t?” Eddie asked, pouting like it was terrible news. Steve just rolled his eyes (he swore, one day, they were going to get stuck like that). He kicked at Eddie’s leg that was being dragged teasingly up his own and stumbled over to the TV - unapologetically adjusting himself in his sweatpants. He ignored Eddie’s groan at the sight and busied himself with picking a movie.

“Which one do you want? Steve called back to him.

“What do you got?” Eddie called back, too lazy to stand over and come over to see for himself.

Steve shuffled through the VHSs, cringing at the choices. They were all from when he was a kid when his parents loaded up on movies so he wouldn’t bother them.

“Uh,” Steve started - trying to find some that wouldn’t be terrible to watch. “Superman 1 and 2, Jaws, Willy Wonka in the Chocolate Factory,” he listed them out, not thinking as he went from VHS to VHS.

“What the fuck, Stevie!” Eddie crackled behind him. “What’s with these movies?”

Steve felt the back of his neck go hot. “They’re all from when I was a kid, okay?”

“Wow, kid you had a shit taste.”

Steve laughed but covered it up with a cough, but not very successfully from Eddie’s crackle from behind him. “Do you want to help pick one, or are you just going to complain the whole time,” he glared mockingly at Eddie.

When Eddie finally decided to wander over, they chose Monty Python and Holy Grail, which came with the least amount of ribbing from Eddie.

Steve went into the kitchen to pop some popcorn and grab some beers while Eddie made a nest from the blanks and pillows. He did it whenever they were getting comfy, so Steve dragged down the softest blankets around the house.

When Steve returned to the living room, he could see the mop of curly dark hair barely visible above the mound of blankets. Once more, that bubbly, giggly feeling rose in his chest. He felt almost bouncing as he made his way over to his boyfriend, setting down the food before moving to turn on the TV. When the opening music rang through the house, Steve jumped on the other cushion, watching as Eddie screeched at his tower of softness that fell off of him and over onto Steve’s lap. Ignoring Eddie’s protests, Steve gathered some to wrap around himself, curling up so his head rested on the couch's arm, his feet tangling with Eddie’s - who was doing the same.

Steve settled in, letting every lousy thing he carried with him flow out with every giggle Eddie tried to hide, and every time he crowed to the screen, definitely not trying to silence those. Steve dozed, letting the lights and sound of the television wash over him with the warmth of Eddie’s legs pressed against his own. He felt Eddie stroking his ankle, the chill of his rings against his sleep-warmed skin making Steve kick a bit.

Finally, when the movie ended and the credits started to roll, Eddie rolled up to his feet. He left his hair in the crazy mess that it was, moving over to where Steve was still lying horizontal on the couch. Steve looked up at him through squinted eyes, barely able to see the curve of his lips in the dim lighting.

“Hey, let’s get you to bed,” Eddie told him, running his hands through his hair. Steve grumbled, wanting to stay in the warmth of the blankets, in Eddie’s heat. He must have told him that because Eddie’s smile faded, and a frown took his place. “Sorry, Stevie, I can’t tonight.”

Something cold rushed over him, goosebumps erupting all over his arms and the back of his neck. He pushed himself so he was sitting, dislodging Eddie’s hand. Eddie held his hand out for a second, debating where to set it, but just dropped it so it hung limply at his side. Steve smiled at him, letting his sleepy exterior hide the little tick in his heartbeat.

“That’s okay,” he whispered, not wanting to ruin their created atmosphere. “Just get home safe, okay?” Steve leaned forward, pecking him on the cheek.

Eddie’s expression smoothed out, the glint returning. “Of course, sweetheart.” He stood up, smacking a significant kiss against Steve’s hair with a mwah! Steve watched him stumble over to his shoes, jumping as he crammed them on his feet. He saluted Steve before falling through the door, out into the darkness and out of sight.

Steve sat there for another minute or two or ten. He only stood up when the air conditioner kicked on, chilling the air. He thought momentarily about curling back in the blankets and falling asleep on the couch. But it looked unappetizing in the moonlight without anyone to warm it up.

He flopped onto his bed, covers cool against his face, and he barely flipped up the blankets and got under them before the phone on his nightstand began to ring. Steve groaned, looking over to the clock.

“Who’s calling at 1 a.m.?” he grumbled, grabbing the phone and resisting the urge to yell at whoever was on the other end. “Hello?”

“Hey Stevie,” Eddie said, a smile apparent in his voice. Steve felt his shoulders relax; something cracked in his body smoothing at the sound of his voice. “Just wanted to let you know I got home okay.”

“Yeah,” Steve swallowed, “That’s good. Thanks.”

“And I had to say sorry about being unable to stay over,” Eddie continued. Steve fell, so he was on his back, cord stretching to lie comfortably.

“It’s fine-” he tried to say, but Eddie interrupted.

“It’s just that Uncle Wayne needs my help in the trailer in the morning, fixing up the shower and whatnot.”

“Oh,” Steve breathed. Whatever else that was displaced from Eddie’s disappearance was gone. “I understand.” He didn’t. He can’t remember the last time his dad asked for his help or the previous his mother wanted him home in the morning.

“Yeah, but I’ll see you soon - okay?” There was a thud and a curse. “Shit, I just slammed my elbow into the wall.”

Steve chuckled laughter loudly in such a silent room. “Of course you did.”

“Dick,” Eddie chuckled. “I’ll let you get some rest. Good night, Steve.”

“Good night, Eddie,” Steve said, and the phone went dead. Steve white-knuckled the handle, just looking up at the ceiling. He returned it on the receiver when the buzz grew too much and rolled over. Within moments, he was asleep.

Next Part ->

#steddie #steddie fanfic #steddie fanfiction #eddie munson #steve harrington #posted on ao3 #part one #stranger things #stranger things fanfic #season 3 rewrite #scoops ahoy #robin buckley

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roseharpermaxwell · 1 year ago

Note

do you have any shorter drarry fics that you would recommend to a new drarrier? under 10k and preferably explicit? thank you!!

Pausing my RWRB reading (I have an ask about firstprince fics too and I’m working on it!) to answer this, which is the nudge I’ve needed. I’ve done this for Dramione before (under 5k), but I especially love tempting readers to Drarry.

Short works are the unsung heroes of fandom. They don’t get enough love, which makes me so sad, because you definitely don’t always need 100k to deliver a stunning story. These are your bedtime stories, your palate cleansers, your individual serving sizes of serotonin. It’s okay to enjoy these even if you only read slow burn 100k+ fics, I promise. Live a little!

This is a sampling of some amazing favorites, but I’m always reading new things and will add to it regularly. If you find something you love, I know the author would love to hear it, and so would I! Take a deep dive into their work to find other gems.

Bite-Size Drarry - Under 10k (Part One) below:

Draco Might Die by @ghaniblue. G, 515. Draco’s first day as Hogwarts’ new Charms professor was an unmitigated disaster.

This Heart on My Sleeve by @lou-isfake. M, 1.1k It’s a hopeless ordeal, all at once: I am never going to be rid of him; I am never going to have him; it is always, always going to hurt.

Nick of Time by @mosrael. M, 1.1k. Draco Malfoy is ready to sacrifice everything for the man he loves. Will he find what he's looking for in the nick of time?

Reaching out, reaching up by @softlystarstruck. M, 1.3k. Harry Potter is a good lay. Draco wishes that fact was all he had taken away from the situation.

Dicking Draco Down by @lqtraintracks. E, 1.3k. It’s not a tease. It’s all prep. It’s necessary. Harry is, to be unsubtle about it, hung.

Weakness Leaving by @p1013. E, 1.3k. He's nineteen the first time he asks Ginny to hurt him during sex, and he's a day older than that when she tells him this isn't working. He's twenty when he goes to his first kink club and finally gets what he needs.

RAPTURE CLOSE, FIND JESUS by softlystarstruck. G, 1.4k. “What’s rapture?”

“Huh?”

“What’s rapture?”

“Dunno. Why?”

“There was a sign a while back. You were messing with the radio. It said ‘RAPTURE CLOSE, FIND JESUS’. All caps.”

true things by @hogwartsfirebolt. M, 1.5k. All Draco's ever known is how to guard his heart. But Harry sneaks in, anyway. A love story.

Threshing by @academicdisasterfic. E, 1.5k. For Draco, following fate was the easy part.

I Knew You by @phoebe-delia. NR, 1.5k. A series of ficlets based on the songs "august," "cardigan" and "betty," from Taylor Swift's album folklore.

Like You a Latte by hogwartsfirebolt, @peachpety. M, 1.6k. Harry Potter has mastered the skill of creating latte art. Or so he thinks until his muse and crush—Instagram influencer Draco Malfoy—shows up at the Weasley’s caf.

Take that ride by @andithiel. T, 1.6k. It’s been three weeks, six days, 19 hours and 37 minutes since Draco fell into Harry’s bed the first time and they still haven’t talked about it.

Because You Called the Wrong Person, But He Was Into It Anyway by @gracerene. E, 1.7k. Draco has called the wrong number. Harry doesn't mind one bit.

Homebound by academicdisaster. M, 1.8k. After escaping England, Harry and Draco try to find a new home.

The Dog and The Drunk Slytherin by academicdisaster. T, 1.8k. After learning Harry wants to get a dog, Draco gets very drunk and decides to do something about it. In a very normal way.

All Hues in His Controlling by @wolfpants. E, 1.8k. Harry’s gorgeous at thirty-five, but his beauty as a young man leans closer to pretty, almost strikingly so. “Eighth Year,” Draco murmurs in wonder. “This is you in Eighth Year.” - Harry caters to Draco's very particular set of kinks when he uses magic to de-age himself.

Truth’s Day-Star by wolfpants. E, 1.8k. Draco’s stares had started off curious but soon turned arch. He sometimes plays with Harry’s hair while he does it, his body spread out in his chair like liquid silver, all long, pliant lines. Harry, meanwhile, sneaks looks like they’re forbidden. Bless him. Doesn’t he know how much I want him to look at me like that? - The world is miserable and so is Sirius. But is he really imagining all of this tension between Harry and Draco?

(you) find me when the lights go down by @beyondtheclose. T, 1.8k. Harry can hear footsteps on the stairs behind him but doesn't bother turning to look. There's only one person likely to follow him out here at this time of night. "Potter," comes the crisp voice, easily recognisable as Draco. "You do know that most sane people, especially those who spend every waking moment complaining of being cold, would cast a warming charm. Or at the very least grab a sweater. Not spend every night attempting to turn into an icicle." - What makes someone a ghost? Because if it's dying, Harry's got that covered.

That life can change by @gallifrey1sburning. M, 1.9k. Maybe that’s why I started hanging out with Malfoy. Two major benefits: it pisses people off, and he doesn’t expect anything from me. We mostly just drink and lie around on the carpet listening to music. A story of two boys slowly and quietly falling together.

Game…Set…Malfoy by @nanneramma. M, 1.9k. Harry teaches Draco a new game. Draco plays dirty.

Pissing for England by @moonflower-rose. M, 2k. They're sharing a flat as part of an Auror training exercise, but if Ron can't learn to piss more quietly, they may not make it out alive.

Aching with Want by @nv-md. E, 2k. Draco loves Harry, and would do anything to make him happy. When the cold wakes Draco in the middle of the night, he gives Harry everything he wants...everything he's too scared to ask for.

Obliviously Ever After by @gloivy. M, 2k. Harry Potter isn’t gay. He just likes to shag Draco Malfoy now and again. OR: Five times Harry obliviously denies the feelings blooming between himself and Draco, and the one time he admits it.

Fixation by @dorthyanndrarry. E, 2.1k. Harry was back to staring at Draco again.

“Harry’s just fixated,” Hermione said absently, “They do that, the two of them.”

“I’m not fixated,” Harry said, frowning faintly, “I’m just… enjoying the view, sort of thing.”

“When do you get tired of the view then?” Ron asked flatly, “Beeeeen a month now, mate.”

Willing Blood by lq_traintracks and @the-starryknight. E, 2k. Seven days together, years ago; seventy-four hours and thirty-eight minutes trapped in this house alone; and now one chance to stop himself from draining Potter dry. Will Draco take it? Will Harry let him?

Truth be told by @tenthousandyearsx. E, 2.3k. Playing Truth or Dare with the Slytherins had been a terrible idea. Being pinned against a wall by Malfoy while still on bloody Veritaserum was... well, hot as hell, and more than Harry thought he'd ever get, to be perfectly honest.

Drive, Draco by @Erebeus-roxy. M, 2.4k MCD. I got my driver license today, but you're not around to see.

You Can Make My Night by @devilrising. M, 2.4k. Draco has never been to a place like this; an underground, queer speakeasy. There are men everywhere, dancing, drinking, talking. He can't believe he gets to be a part of this.

Or: how Draco Malfoy meets Harry Potter in a bar in the 1920s

Rocking Rodeo by @coffeedrgn87. E, 2.5k. Draco loves the rocking rodeo...what else is there to say?

In a Jam by peachpety. T, 2.6k. When the boys go blackberrying at Michaelmas, Draco discovers that magic and berries don’t mix, and all Harry wants is to snog him. If only Ron would let him.

Just Talking by @cavendishbutterfly. T, 2.6k. Harry's been trying and failing to talk to Draco for ages. It's hard, since he fancies him. It's easier to text about it. Even when he's right across the table at pub night. Who knows? If Harry's funny enough, maybe someday Draco will like him back.

Unspoken Affection by @janieohio. E, 2.6k "Sometimes, when you smile, I swear I hear music, then I realise it’s just the beat of my heart in my ears...Come back so I can dance."

Harry finds a stack of post-its, and what starts as simply leaving Draco a reminder with a bit of romance turns into a lifetime of memories.

Fledgling by @tackytigerfic. G, 2.7k. Two young dads meet at a farmers market. They exchange parenting tips, longing looks, and root vegetables.

Feral by @drarrily-we-row-along. M, 2.8k. Of the two of them, people would say Draco was the scary one; he knew categorically more jinxes and hexes, and he was absolutely ruthless. Harry tended to hold back a bit, he chose spells that wouldn't permanently injure.

But in this moment, after Harry had covered Draco with the shield, Harry went absolutely feral.

At wand point by tenthousandyears. E, 2.8k. Harry should not be so turned on by being held at wand point by Draco Malfoy... yet here he is.

proven lands by @oknowkiss. E, 2.8k. The thing about circles is, they always end at the start. OR: A story about falling in love at the end of the Earth. (told in 31 microfics -- this is the "director's cut")

And the music plays bitter, plays sweet by Andithiel. M, 2.9k. He doesn’t know why he does this to her, why he can’t leave Draco Malfoy be. After the first time he promised himself it wouldn’t happen again. For a long time it didn’t. But Draco had become an itch he needed to scratch; the memory of him rutting against Harry all consuming, making him lose focus, making him want another taste. And another. And another. Until all he could taste was Draco, on his tongue, on his skin, all around him, ever present. Never leaving.

Life has a firm grip by @shealwaysreads. M, 2.9k. Harry and Draco don’t get older, but they do get wiser. (Vampire!Draco, Master of Death Harry)

takes one to know one by hogwartsfirebolt. M, 2.9k. I watched him go through many. Months after our groups merged, after I was forced to think of him when I thought of the word “friends”, I became used to it. I learned his moves, learned what desire looked like on his face.

Secretly, between the shadow and the soul by @teacup-tai. T, 2.9k. The thing about surrender is that once you accept the unavoidable rhythm of change, the surprising uncontrollability of life, and the astonishing inevitability of feelings, it is easy.

like the sun came out by academicdisaster. E, 3k. Harry realises that Draco loves him, and it's like waking up.

the shape of memory by hogwartsfirebolt. T, 3k. Harry's brush with death has left consequences. Thankfully, Draco is there to help him navigate the uncertain waters of his mind.

Mens Rea by lq_traintracks. E, 3.1k. Mens Rea: the mental element of a person's intention to commit a crime; or knowledge that one's action or lack of action would cause a crime to be committed.

“Draco Malfoy, how do you plead?”

I’m super fucking guilty.

Together Like This by shealwaysreads. E, 3.1k. Draco attempts to prove to himself that he doesn’t deserve what he wants. Harry proves him wrong.

drape me in your warmth by softlystarstruck. M, 3.1k. Malfoy, even quiet as he is now, is the only thing that manages to shine through the fog of Harry's mind.

Nothing Compares by @maesterchill. T, 3.1k. Working in the International Auror division doesn't exactly lend itself to Harry finding love or having any sort of relationship, what with all the unsociable hours and catching bad guys and never being in one location for more than a few days. Not to mention the permanent fixture of his partner, Malfoy.

So, how does a song about lost love end up being the thing that helps Harry find love, in the location he least expected it?

Waited for This by @phdmama. E, 3.1k. Malfoy’s been working out, Harry ruminates, as he stands by the kitchen sink and drinks his first coffee of the day in preparation to go open the cafe. Probably doing his squats. Harry should ask him about his routine. Except then Malfoy might think Harry has been staring at his ass. Which he definitely has not been. It’s just… hard to miss when Malfoy is bent over the display case unloading his muffins and mini pies and cookies and whatnot.

Harry is only drooling over the croissants, not Malfoy and his posterior. And biceps. And eyes.

I Fall On Grass by tackytiger. T, 3.1k. Harry loves his garden, and he loves his sons, and he also loves— Well, he definitely feels something for Draco, who is currently distractingly topless under a pear tree. The language of flowers isn't much good when it comes to big declarations, though; Harry needs to find the words to tell Draco just exactly what he's been feeling all these years.

Market Saturdays by @iota. M, 3.2k. In which Harry is an accidental part-time cheesemonger, Draco is an organic farmer and they fall in love. Not an AU.

I Swear I'll Keep You With Me by @dodgerkedavra. E, 3.2k. Harry Potter doesn't mean to drop the Snitch in Malfoy Manor. In order to get it back, he makes an Unbreakable Vow to keep Draco Malfoy with him. It's the chandelier's fault, really.

emerald and lace by icarusinflight. E, 3.3k. They're expensive and elegant - like Draco - and Harry just wants to touch them. He gets to.

Salt and Sauce by @onbeinganangel. T, 3.3k. Sure, of course he knows how you take your tea. But does he know your chippy order?

Enjoy the Silence by shealwaysreads. M, 3.4k. Draco stops speaking, gets some tattoos, and discovers that Harry’s happy to be quiet with him.

Even the Night by tackytiger. M, 3.4k. I'm so bad at this. Two boys meet on a rooftop. Read and find out more. Featuring lots of cigarettes, a Midsummer sky, close encounters in a bath, and plenty of fireworks.

Countdown to a Life by tackytiger, E, 3.4k. A balcony, first kisses, December to December. A little story of building up a life together.

Half Awake by academicdisaster. E, 3.4k. Talking is hard, and kissing is easier. And so is everything that comes after kissing.

A Shorts Story About Love by onereader. E, 3.4k. House-sharing with Slytherins, student life, magic weed, and short shorts. Harry's life at university might be strange, but he wouldn't change it for the world.

Continued in Part Two!

Give the authors some love! I also adore hearing if you found a new favorite fic or author.

I’ll be regularly adding to this, so if you’re seeing this as a reblog, feel free to check my Master List of Recommendations for the most current list. If you see yourself and you’re not tagged, or I've got a broken or misdirected link, please let me know!

#drarry fic rec #drarry fanfiction #drarry fanfic #hp fanfic #drarry

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scarlettriot · 1 year ago

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SHE LIT A FIRE • PT 7.5

Pairing: Dad!Kirishima x F!Reader

Contains: Fluff, Aged Up Characters & lots of kisses

Warnings: Swearing, make outs, tooth rotting fluff, I don't wanna tag smut because it really isn't but still Minors and Ageless Blogs DNI just to be on the safe side.

Summary: You and Kiri make this the longest five minutes ever.

Tag List: Will Be In The Comments. If you'd like to be added, message me or comment.

A/N: Hey everyone. I know any update to this fic is long over due and this really isn't much at all but I wanted to give you all something! I hope you enjoy this little snack and that it can hold you over until chapter eight is finished up. I also didn't proof read this so I'm sorry if there are errors...

Word Count: 900ish

It’s a little funny how easy it can be for two people to lose all sense of time. How five minutes quickly becomes ten, pretty soon fifteen, and before either of them can process it, twenty whole minutes have slipped by. You weren’t quite sure how you ended up on the sofa, or when exactly Eijiro pulled you into his lap with the hem of your dress bunching up so you could straddle his thighs with ease. At some point you freed his hair from the tie he had it back in, and he let you slip each button on his dress shirt free too until it hung loose on his wide frame.

You both knew you were tempting fate, living on borrowed time, he should have left by now and gotten home but each time one of you pulled away, the other came crashing back like two magnets that couldn’t be pulled apart. Hands roamed like they were searching for something and yet, they didn’t venture too far. It seemed there were some lines you both knew just couldn’t be crossed this evening despite the wetness that formed between your thighs and the way his cock hardened between his.

“I don’t wanna go…” He confessed against your neck in between needy kisses. His words were thick and laced with desire that you felt deep in your core.

You tugged enough on his roots to make him lift his head. “Your parents didn’t plan for a sleepover,” you reminded him softly with a tender kiss to his lips and followed it up with a couple more along his stubbled jawline. “And I’m sure they’ll be worried about you if you’re not home soon.”

Your palms were pressed against his chest and you chuckled as you felt the sigh before it actually left him. “Yeah, you’re right.” But that didn’t stop him from going in for yet another searing kiss that left you whimpering into his mouth. Each one the two of you shared left you longing for each other even more than before, unsure how that was even possible.

“You know if Remi was at their place–”

“I know you’d stay, Eiji.”

It meant the world to you just to hear him say it though. If he didn’t have obligations that he loved and took so very seriously, you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’d stay with you all night long. Doing whatever you wanted. Not pressing you for a single thing you weren’t ready for. You just knew that was the kind of guy he was.

“Good,” He murmured, “as long as you know.”

His hands trailed down your body, thumbs grazing your breasts ever so slightly on the way down to your plush hips where he squeezed affectionately, pulling you flush against him for another deep kiss before lifting you up again.

It had to be now, no matter how much the two of you didn’t want this night to end. “Call me when you’re home safe.” You said as you walked hand in hand to the door and this time when you rose to kiss him it was fully intentional and right on his lips that turned up into a lovable dopey grin when you pulled away.

“Always, sweets. Oh– turn around f’me would ya?”

You spun in front of him and his fingers found that zipper once again. He pulled it down nice and slow so you heard each of the teeth coming apart. He kissed your spine as the fabric split in two and stopped just above your tailbone, “so fuckin’ hard t’leave you.” He groaned and turned you back around for a final goodnight kiss that left you breathless and pinned against your doorway. “I’ll call ya soon.”

“You better! Drive safe!” You called as he walked down the hallway and he waited until your door closed and he heard the lock slide home before calling the elevator.

As he waited for it to arrive he still wore that child-like grin. And in the metal of the elevator doors, he could see blush still pooled in his cheeks and ran down the column of his neck.

He swore he could still taste you on his tongue and feel your softness against his palms, gods, he was never gonna forget a single thing about you or about this night. In the seconds that passed waiting for the elevator he found himself dreaming up future dates and nights out with you. Events that were coming up like the gala… maybe Remi could stay with his parents that night–

The downward arrow lit up and a bell chimed the elevator's arrival dragging him from various day dreams but when the doors slid open, Eijiro realized the small space wasn’t completely empty. One man stood inside. Black slacks and shiny shoes, dress shirt still on but he was missing his jacket and tie, and his red eyes under messy blonde hair looked appropriately exhausted when they met Eijiro’s.

Katsuki’s brows knitted together when he saw just who was waiting on the other side of the doors. “What’re you still doin’ here? You guys left hours ago– oh.” Understanding washed over his best friends face as he noticed a look of happiness on the man’s face that was so rare he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen it before. “Heh. It’s about fuckin' time.”

#mha #bnha #Kirishima #kirishima x reader #kirishima x y/n #Kirishima Fluff #Kirishima fic #red daddy riot #best red rock shark ♥️🦈#only literally #scar’s writing again 📕

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agirlwithdemonblood · 5 months ago

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Breaking Free: Chapter 3- Finding Light

Pairings: AU! Mechanic Dean x Reader

Chapter Summary: Dean and Y/N have their first date, and Dean shows who he really is.

Series Masterlist here!! & Main masterlist here!

I woke up and glanced at the clock, a frown creasing my face when I saw it was almost noon.

There was a time when I'd rise early, whip up breakfast for Andrew and I, followed by a job and enjoying coffee at the diner. I used to think that our relationship was so normal. You know, like those housewives on TV who seemed so content. But that was just among the surface.

I didn't realize how unnatural our relationship was-the yelling, the screaming, the constant bullying. Now that I'm finally out of it, I see those things for what they were: toxic.

It wasn't normal for my fiance to explode if dinner wasn't ready, to check my texts and calls every night, or to be upset and physically punish me when I had an idea of my own. It took me months to realize that these weren't normal relationship dynamics; they were signs of something deeply unhealthy.

What scares me the most is that Andrew was my only experience with relationships, and now with Dean showing interest, I wasn't sure how I should behave around him. Is it okay to feel this strongly about him so soon? Will he think less of me because I don't know what a real, healthy relationship is?

As if fate was responding, my phone rang on the nightstand, displaying an unknown number. I hesitated briefly before answering and holding it to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey sweetheart, it's Dean."

Instantly, my worries melted away. There was something about him, something magical almost, because just hearing his voice made me feel better.

"Hey Dean, what's up?"

"I was just wondering if we are still on for tonight? Instead of dinner, I thought maybe I could take you somewhere."

A rush of questions and insecurities flooded my mind. Maybe he didn't want to be seen with me after yesterday, or maybe he wanted to cancel but didn't know how to tell me."

"Y/N? You there?"

"Oh sorry, yeah, if that's what you want to do. I mean, obviously its your decision."

There was a pause, and anxiety started to creep in. Had I said the wrong thing?

He chuckled into the phone, "Uh, I'm glad your thinking of me Y/N, but this is our date. I just wanted to bring you somewhere special. You can have an opinion, you know?" His laugh was reassuring, and I giggled in return.

Of course, he was a gentleman on top of everything else.

"I think that sounds amazing. What time should I be ready for?"

"How does 5:30 sound?"

I smiled to myself, "Sounds good. See you later Dean."

With that, I hung up and placed my phone back on the nightstand. A sigh of contentment escaped me as I thought about tonight. Perhaps this would be the night things changed for me.

Dean seemed like a genuinely nice guy, he hadn't judged me during the incident with Andrew. Maybe he was different from other men.

But as I thought about tonight, my nerves started getting the better of me. What would I wear? Dean hadn't specified if it was a fancy or casual outing. Not getting a clear instruction always made me anxious-I've made that mistake before.

i grabbed my phone and started typing a message, then hesitated, deleted it, and finally sent it. He responded almost immediately.

I smiled to myself as I read through the messages repeatedly. It was tempting to remain in bed reading them, but I knew I had to get up and start my day before my date later tonight.

As I made my way to my suitcase, I frowned, realizing I had fewer clothes than expected; half of my stuff was still at Andrew’s place, and I had no intention of going back there.

Unfortunately, I had to go shopping. I threw on my coat, grabbed my purse, and headed out, sitting in the car debating where to go. There was a nearby clothing store, but what if Andrew had talked to the staff and made things awkward there? There was another option out of town, but it was quite a distance.

My phone rang, and I couldn’t help but laugh seeing Dean’s name. I answered quickly. “Can’t stay away, huh?”

He chuckled deeply. “You caught me. Missed you already! But, I might need to push our date back an hour. Got stuck at work until 5:30 now instead of 4. Is it okay if I pick you up at 6:30?"

“No worries, that’s fine,” I replied.

“What are you up to today?” He questioned with a smile I could hear.

I debated whether to be vague or share. Part of me wanted to tell him about my day; strangely, he seemed genuinely interested. “Just going shopping. Turns out I need more clothes than I thought.”

“Well, have fun! Where are you headed?”

“Probably the next town over. I know there are a few shops there.”

He paused for a moment, and my heart skipped a beat. “Oh, that’s quite a journey. You must really like those stores,” he teased.

I nervously giggled, playing with my coat zipper. “Not really. Andrew has stirred up a lot of drama around here, and I prefer to avoid it.”

He sighed audibly, his concern evident even through the phone. "Sweetheart, stay right there. I'll bring something to help you out."

I chuckled softly, biting my lip. "Okay. I'll wait here."

Twenty minutes passed before I spotted Dean’s truck pulling in, a young girl sitting in the passenger seat. Dean smiled at me as he got out and opened the girl’s door.

“Y/N, this is Claire. She's a good family friend,” Dean introduced.

I extended my hand nervously. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Claire smiled back, shaking my hand. “You too. So Dean brought me here to go shopping with you, said people in this town were being assholes to you?”

I felt embarrassed, glancing at Dean who looked apologetic for his improvised plan. “Uh, yeah.”

“Well, don’t worry. People dislike me more than they could dislike you, and I also do enjoy shopping, so let’s go,” Claire said with a reassuring smile.

I laughed, silently thanking Dean for sending her my way. After Dean left, Claire hopped into my car, her manner friendly.

“Dean is crazy about you, it’s hilarious,” Claire remarked.

“Really?” I asked, surprised.

She chuckled. “I didn’t even have a chance to say yes. He was already at my door, pulling me into the truck, saying he needed a huge favor.”

“Oh…”

Claire frowned slightly. “Not that hanging out with you is a favour. He told me you didn’t have many friends here, and people weren’t treating you right. He thought we might get along, so here I am. I don't have many friends here either so it works out.”

I nodded, touched by Dean’s thoughtfulness but also feeling a pang of insecurity. It was sweet of him, yet I couldn't shake the feeling of being a charity case.

“Earth to Y/N?” Claire’s voice snapped me back to reality.

I managed a sad smile. “Sorry, I just… I hope this doesn’t seem pathetic. Like Dean had to beg you to be friends with me.��

Claire shook her head, laughing lightly. “Even if it does, he had good intentions. Maybe we’ll become great friends because of this, or maybe not. Either way, let’s make the most of today.”

I nodded in agreement as we arrived at the store. Claire’s easy confidence helped ease my nerves, and I found myself enjoying her company. She didn’t treat me like a charity case; instead, she was sassy and genuine.

As we browsed through clothes, Claire asked, “So what are you planning on wearing tonight?”

I shrugged. “Dean said something comfortable and casual.”

“Are you planning on… you know, tonight?” Claire asked bluntly with a smirk.

I blushed deeply, surprised by her directness. “Claire!"

She chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, I'm straightforward like that. But seriously, are you making any plans, or are you more of a wait-until-the-third-date kind of person?"

The idea of something potentially happening with Dean made butterflies flutter in my stomach. Did he expect us to be intimate tonight? Was that the norm for dating now?

"I honestly haven't thought about it until this moment. Do you think he's expecting it tonight?"

Claire laughed softly and shook her head. "Dean is a true gentleman. As much as he annoys me and gets on my nerves, he's kind, protective, and wouldn't harm a fly. It all depends on what you're comfortable with."

She offered me a couple of shirts, but they didn't quite fit my style. Dean had said to be comfortable, but I also wanted to impress him. The last times he saw me, I wasn't looking my best.

Claire returned with armfuls of clothes, a wide grin on her face. "Changing rooms, let's do this!"

Following her to the back, I stepped into a dressing room as she handed me various outfits. They weren't my usual choices, but surprisingly cute.

I tried on the burgundy leggings, a white tank top, and a jacket Claire gave me. When I looked in the mirror, I was surprised—I felt beautiful for once. The leggings fit my curves nicely, and the top showed off my shape. I knew Dean would be surprised; he's only seen me in baggy clothes before.

Stepping out, I found Claire waiting, her jaw dropping in awe. I couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. "Wowww. Girl, Dean won't know what hit him."

After paying and grabbing a quick lunch, I dropped Claire off at her house. Before she left, she asked for my number, which made me feel valued. It seemed like things were finally looking up.

Back at the motel, I checked the time—it was already 5:30, just an hour before Dean would pick me up.

I was feeling even more nervous now. Dean was coming soon, and I was wearing something a bit more revealing. It was scary, but I had a feeling Dean would like it. I couldn't wait.

I had just finished putting on makeup and getting dressed when a knock on the door grabbed my attention. Quickly adjusting my outfit, I nervously made my way to the door.

When I opened it, we both paused, taking each other in. Dean looked incredibly handsome in a red button-up shirt layered over a black t-shirt, paired with faded blue jeans. He looked even better than I remembered, if that was possible.

His eyes scanned me from head to toe, and he let out a low whistle before meeting my eyes with a smile. "Wow... Y/N, you look stunning."

Blushing wildly, I fiddled with my hands, trying to hide my flustered grin that probably made me look like a teenager—but he noticed, and it only made him smile wider.

He then pulled out a bouquet of flowers from behind his back and held them out to me. "Dean! You really didn't have to get me flowers."

He shrugged, his smile turning a bit shy. "I know, but I thought they might brighten up the motel room a bit."

I leaned in and kissed his cheek, chuckling softly as his cheeks turned red and he looked bashful. He was adorable when he was shy.

After putting the flowers in water, I grabbed my coat and followed him outside. I glanced around, looking for his truck, which caused him to laugh. "You didn't think I'd show up for our date in my tow truck, did you?"

"I wouldn’t judge if you did. Which car is yours?” I asked.

He pointed to the black car, and my jaw dropped. It was the most amazing car I’d ever seen. I didn’t know much about cars, but when I was a kid, my dad had taught me a thing or two, especially about this one.

“Oh my god. No way. A ‘67 Chevy Impala? Those are a rare breed.”

He froze, staring back at me in awe, clearly surprised that I recognized the car and its classic status.

“Whoa, a girl after my heart. You know a lot about cars?” he asked.

I shook my head and chuckled. “No, my dad was the car enthusiast. He collected them. We had a calendar of classic cars, and this Chevy was featured in May. I always thought it was the most beautiful car.”

His smiled wider, “Well, thank you. I love her, and I’m glad you do too.”

“Her? What’s her name?”

He blushed, looking down. “Baby.”

I giggled and playfully nudged his arm. “Does that ever confuse the ladies?”

He chuckled along with me, his blush spreading. “Nah, I mix it up depending on the person.”

“Good to know.”

He opened the car door for me and then walked around to the driver’s side. As he got in, I couldn’t help but be fascinated by the car. I barely noticed when we started driving; it was just such a perfect match for Dean.

He drove for a while, asking about my life-where I came from, how many siblings I had. It was clear he was avoiding talking about Andrew, and I was grateful for that. I turned to face him better, but then I froze. My eyes locked on the cut on his lip and the green bruise on his cheek.

“What?” He asked nervously, offering a smile.

“What happened to your face?” I asked, concern in my voice.

His hand went to his lip, and he nodded in understanding, seeming to have forgotten about his cuts and bruises.

“Oh, uh, nothing really. Family disagreement, nothing major.”

I narrowed my eyes and sighed, feeling a connection. “Look at both of us, the weirdos with bruises.”

He chuckled softly and placed his hand on my leg, squeezing gently. My heart skipped a beat, and I felt a rush of emotions like a teenager again.

It took a while to reach the lake Dean wanted to bring me to, and as soon as did, nerves flooded back. This was real-the first date. The night that could shape our relationship. It was more nerve-wracking than I remembered.

He got out of the car and went to the back, pulling out a blanket, a bottle of wine, and a cooler. I couldn't help but smile as my heart warmed; he had put so much thought into our first date, and it meant a lot.

Once the blanket was set up, he sat down next to me and opened the cooler, grabbing snacks for us both.

"Wow, Dean, you went all out."

His cheeks turned a shade of red as he chuckled nervously. "Sometimes I do."

He reached for the wine but hesitated, his eyes searching mine. "Um, is the wine okay or?"

I furrowed my brows in confusion, a nervous smile forming. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

He seemed lost in thought for a moment, as if trying to figure out how to explain something. Then it hit me—he must have heard the rumors around town. He believed them.

I dropped my head, feeling my heart sink. I had thought he, of all people, wouldn’t believe those things about me. But clearly, he was uneasy about drinking, afraid the rumours were true.

He sighed and placed his hand on my leg. “I didn’t mean anything by it... it’s just...”

“You heard the rumors about my drinking problem, and now you’re worried about me,” I finished for him.

His eyes widened, and he put the bottle down, leaning closer. “No! No, not at all! I just...”

He sighed heavily, brushing his hair back in frustration. “Sometimes rumours are spread, and sometimes there’s truth to them, even if it’s exaggerated. I just needed to check, to make sure you weren’t at risk or uncomfortable with drinking.”

He frowned, removing his hand from my leg, clearly feeling guilty. I wasn’t angry at him—I was frustrated with Andrew and those stupid rumors. I just wanted to be myself without judgment.

Turning towards him, I grabbed the wine and popped the cork, taking a sip to ease the tension. He smirked and nodded, taking the bottle from me and joining in.

I sighed and moved closer. “Okay, before our date really gets going, let’s clear the air. No more doubts about me. Tell me what you’ve heard, and I’ll tell you if it’s true. Whether you believe it or not is up to you.”

He nodded, turning to face me. After a moment of thought, he spoke up. “One thing I heard was that you used him and then left, but I already know that’s not true.”

“How do you know that’s not true?”

“Because I was at that motel that day. I saw what he was doing and the look on his face. Also, if you had used him and taken his money, you wouldn’t have come in without a tow truck that day.”

I smiled and nodded. “Good detective work. What else?”

He sighed and handed me the bottle. “That you have a drinking problem and get violent when you’re under the influence.”

“Okay. I don’t have a drinking problem. Andrew did. We went to parties, had a few drinks, and when I stood up to him because of the liquid courage, he blamed it on that. Also, I only hit him once—the day at the motel. That part was true.”

He nodded, his hand returning to my leg in a comforting gesture.

“What else?” I asked, handing him back the bottle. He took a swig and looked down.

“I heard that the bruises on your face were from a bar fight, and you blamed him for it. But again, I know that’s not true.” He laughed.

I sighed and nodded. “I was in a bar fight, technically. I was drinking with my neighbor, and this random girl thought she was hitting on her boyfriend—she actually was—so the girl got in her face. I stepped in, and the girl swung at me. But after that, I went home. My neighbor apparently told her husband I was the one hitting on the guy from the bar, and he told Andrew. When I got home, Andrew was furious and drunk. I tried to walk away, but he…”

I froze, tears welling up as I recalled the painful memory. “He grabbed me and threw me to the ground. That was the first time he hit me.”

Dean winced, his jaw tightening. “Is that when you left?”

I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. “No. I was stupid and stayed. About a week later, I found out he was sleeping with the neighbor. I confronted him, angry and hurt. He called me a liar, said I was drunk and imagining things. So I got even angrier, threatened to leave, and told him I’d expose him for who he really was. That’s when he snapped… I don’t remember much after that—it happened so fast—but I remember the pain of his fists over and over again. I remember seeing the blood on his hands and the smile on his face. I thought, ‘I’m going to die tonight. My fiancé is going to kill me.’ And honestly, at that moment, I was okay with it. The pain he caused me was unbearable.”

My head hung low as I sobbed quietly, the weight of the memories crushing me. Dean pulled me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me protectively. “It’s okay. He’s not going to hurt you anymore. I won’t let him,” he whispered soothingly.

I sighed and looked up, Dean’s thumbs gently wiping away my tears.

“I’m sorry,” I choked out.

His brow furrowed in confusion. “Sorry for what, sweetheart?”

“For ruining our date. I shouldn’t have talked about that.”

He shook his head, holding me tighter. “Don’t apologize. You didn’t ruin anything. In fact, you’ve made me feel even closer to you. I appreciate you telling me. It couldn’t have been easy.”

I shook my head, resting against his shoulder, my arms holding him close. A weight lifted off my shoulders—I wasn’t alone in this anymore. Someone finally believed me.

He kissed my forehead and smiled softly. “Now, let’s sit down and talk some more. We’ll still have a great night, okay?”

I nodded, leaning in slowly to press my lips against his. Each kiss felt like the first, and with each one, I felt myself falling even deeper in love.

It was only our first date, but I knew—I was falling hard.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Chapter 4 coming soon stay tuned!

Like, comment, and reblog, feedback is my fuel 💕

#supernatural season 5 #spn fic #sam and dean #supernatural fanfiction #supernatural

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to-the-stars8 · 1 year ago

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Reviving Love

Jason Todd x Reader AO3

Chapter 2

Jason hadn’t meant to stalk your Instagram page, but it was too tempting. Your profile was public and you posted just the right amount that he could put pieces of your life together from the time he died to the present. Eventually, he had scrolled down far enough that he surprisingly found a picture of you and him.

By the shit mid-2000s Instagram filter and the poor iPhone quality, it had to be right when the two of you started dating. Jason subconsciously ran a hand over his cheek, feeling the stubble and small scar on his jawline as he stared down at the smooth-skinned, rosy-cheeked boy in the photo. It had been before the years got to him, and it was almost an anomaly to see himself so content. He’d forgotten he had been at one point.

Jason shut off the phone, the picture brought him back to reality. Even if he did see you again, he felt too unattractive to ever approach you. No, the scars on his body and the bitterness that hung off every word he said would probably turn you away. He sat on his bed, thinking about how if you saw him again you would probably be deeply disappointed.

And, scared because, as far as you knew, he was dead. That much would be obvious.

Jason cursed Dick again for bringing you up. He didn’t know if it was pathetic or not that he was thinking of an old flame from back when he was a little more than a teenager. Surely, you probably hadn’t thought of him in years as it looked like you had moved on with your life. In any case, he was happy about it and tried to do the same.

The only time he’d ever thought of you before was when you popped up occasionally in his dreams. He’d wake up, and wonder what the fuck that was about. Then he would get up to work out, cook, or anything else so he wouldn’t dwell too much on the thought of you.

This time, Jason got up to get something to eat as hunger was starting to burn at the corners of his stomach. When he opened the fridge, the light illuminating the dark room, there was nothing. Well, almost nothing. There was a pickle jar, expired cheese, and some beers but nothing that would constitute a good meal for a growing boy as Alfred would say. Defeated and hungry, Jason resigned himself to the horrible fate of having to leave his apartment to go to the store. Groaning, he pulled on some pants and a hoodie before grabbing his keys.

It wasn’t too late in the evening so plenty of people were still going about, leaving work to return home or going out for the night. Honestly, Jason didn’t find it all too bad. In fact, in a certain light, Gotham could be nice. In a late eighties neo-noir kind of way. The sound of the people on the street with the traffic in the background under the light rainfall made Jason feel at home. It was the diamond in the rough.

The light rain was a nice relief from the lately warmer weather as summer was finally fading away to let autumn in. Luckily, the store was right around the corner from his apartment, so being outside in the light drizzle wouldn’t be too much of a hassle.

The store owners greeted him as he entered. Another thing he liked was this part of Gotham, the one not seen by people like Bruce. It was familiarity, a general tough, arms-length kindness that was much appreciated by him.

“We’ve got those cigarettes you like so much, Jason,” The old man said. “Those imported ones, ya know?”

“You know I can’t pass those up,” Jason laughed. “Let me grab some groceries and I’ll come back up here to grab ‘em.”

With a laugh, Jason playfully waved off the old guy as he did the same, wandering down one of the many aisles. Bread, cheese, meat, and soda—The meal made for a growing boy. Jason wandered up and down for a little while, pausing at the selection of condoms before laughing to himself. Nah, he wouldn’t need those any time soon.

He was about to turn down another aisle when he bumped into someone. “Shit, sorry,” He said, finally looking up.

Just his fuckin’ luck, he had bumped into you.

#jason todd and bruce wayne #jason todd #jason todd x reader #romance #jason todd fanfiction #jason todd x you #red hood #red hood x reader #batfamily #bruce wayne #jason todd x fem!reader #jason todd x y/n #jason todd fic #jason todd robin #batman #dc batman #alfred pennyworth #dc comics #Reviving Love

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hockeyboysimagines · 7 months ago

Text

I’ve loved you three

Summers

Chapter 3

Warnings: language, kissing, mild sexual content, some angst and mentions of manipulative/abusive relationships.

Hello friends! Happy this is starting to catch on a bit. @cellythefloshie s chapter should be up soon! When it’s posted I’ll link it here!

Thanks!! Enjoy and let me know what you think.

The grocery store was mostly empty at this early morning hour and Madison was thankful because she had Seth on the brain.

They’d parted ways last night with more kissing and she hadn’t seen him since then.

And she was kind of glad.

She hadn’t even begun to process what had happened the night before and was still not totally sure it wasn’t a dream. The situation with her and Seth could go one of two ways. It could either be a wonderful amazing adventure or she could run the risk of losing a lifelong friend. It really just came down whether it was worth the risk, which she already decided it was. But it wasn’t only up to her. She had no idea how he was feeling.

If she hadn’t been thinking about Seth, she would have been paying closer attention, but she didn’t even see him coming till it was too late.

“Madison?”

She turned and felt something that could only be described as dread start to settle in her stomach.

Darren was standing a few feet away, fake smile plastered on his face, the same one he wore the very first time she ever met him. She did not return it.

“Hey how are you?” He moved closer and she took a small step back. Annoyance flickered across his face.

“Fine.” She moved to walk away from him but when he followed and she turned to face him fully, arms crossed with a frown.

“Is uh-is Harper here?” He asked glancing over her shoulder.

She scoffed “No Darren. She’s not here, but I’m guessing you knew that already. Leave my sister alone.”

“How is she?”

“Did you hear what I just said? It’s none of your business. If you wanted to know that I guess you should have spent the last 6 years treating her better.” Madison’s brows were pulled low over her eyes which were blazing with anger. She wanted to punch him right in the throat and run him over with the cart.

“You don’t know anything!” He snapped loudly at her, drawing the attention of the few people nearby.

But Madison wasn’t having it and stood her ground.

“You might have been able to bully my sister but don’t think for one second you’re going to bully me.” Madison was glaring at him “Stay away from Harper. If you ever really loved her you’ll let her move on. Or if you want to tempt fate show up to the house. I dare you.” Madison smiled a little and for the first time Darren’s confidence faltered. He knew better.

“Can you tell her-“

“Fuck off.” She turned away from him, heart beating loudly in her chest. Darren didn’t scare her, but her sister potentially having to suffer for it did.

She didn’t want to tell Harper and upset her but it would also upset her if she didn’t and Harper found out later. She was glad she had elected to take the grocery store errand and that Harper didn’t or it would be a very different conversation they’d be having

Madison checked out, not even sure she'd gotten everything, and made her way home, noting Seth’s car absent from his driveway, but that Harper’s car was parked in theirs.

She made her way very slowly inside, dreading the conversation she was going to be forced to have with her, and found her at the island in the kitchen.

Harper glanced up with a big smile but it faded a little when she saw her face “You didn’t hit another car in the parking lot, did you?” she teased.

Maddie shook her head and cleared her throat “I ran into Darren while I was at the store, i was just grabbing-“ she sighed, it didn’t really matter what she was grabbing “Nevermind, when he approached me, he acted like he just happened to be there at the same time, which was fine, until he started looking around, waiting, as if you were just going to walk up to us right there in the store, and when you didn’t he got really….” Maddie trailed off “Angry. He started asking where you were, how he could contact you. If I could give you a message-“

Harper’s face was unreadable, and Maddie wasn’t sure if she was mad or sad or even maybe a little bit scared. It had upset Maddie that she’d seen him and he made a huge scene like that, but it would upset her more if this upset Harper.

Sighing, Harper ran her hand through her hair, and sat down with her sister at the island shoulders slouched “He knows where I am,” she sighed, “He’s just too scared to come here.”

They shared a smile and Maddie said, “Dad.”

“Exactly. I can be safe here-” Maddie frowned hoping that Harper wasn’t alluding to what she thought she was “Hey,” she took her sister’s arm, “He never hurt me. Not in the way you think. And he didn’t hurt you, right?”

“I would have cut his hand right off if he had touched me.” Harper laughed and hugged Maddie to her.

”You still going out with your friends?”

Maddie nodded. She had lunch planned with friends mostly as a distraction and to give her some extra thinking time before she saw Seth later on. She would be prepared by then.

“Good, you go get ready, I’ll put the groceries away. Before you go, my new number is on the fridge, and if you need me and I’m not in here, I’ll be by the pool.”

Madison stood and squeezed her hand “I’m really glad you left him Harper. He never deserved you.”

She made her way through the house and up the steps to her room to ready herself for lunch with friends.

**********

Seth was sitting on his bed with his arms crossed staring at the opposite wall. His house was completely silent, which was unusual under normal circumstances but now with Svech living there it was even more. He’d watched Madison leave early, and then leave again and had been sitting in silence since then thinking about her.

He’d done a lot of reflection over the last few hours, having not slept barely at all, and he’d come to the conclusion that he and Madison just made sense. The writing had been on the wall for years and he’d been so wrapped up in hockey that he hadn't been playing close enough attention. If he had it wouldn’t have taken him 21 summers to realize that there’d always been something there just under the surface. It couldn’t be undone now, and it almost made him laugh at how dumb he was. Things he’d forgotten about were starting to come back to him. Most of their close friends knew that their friendship was strictly a friendship. But there had been some questions about them and their relationship over the years.

“So what’s with you and Madison Alexander?”

Seth looked up and frowned at Meghan, a girl he’d been kind of hanging out with for the last week or so. She was picking at a manicured fingernail and glanced up.

“What do you mean?”

She shrugged and crossed her arms “Well you guys seem close and she’s the most popular girl in school.” She said it with some bitterness. Madison was in fact the most popular girl in school and for good reason. She was gorgeous, friendly and approachable, and Seth could tell Meghan was jealous. Madison’s popularity wasn’t anything new to him though and he never really thought about her the way others did. But Meghan was obviously insecure and he could sort of understand why.

She was popular but not Madison popular and the one times they’d crossed paths Meghan had been standoffish. Maddie seemed to not notice, but Seth did and it was starting to make sense now.

“And that’s got what to do with anything?”

Meghan shrugged “Just wondering.”

“Mads is my oldest friend. We basically grew up together.”

“And you like her?”

Seth paused and turned to her “No….? Not like that anyways-“

“Then why’d you blow me off for her last night?”

He hadn’t.

Well sort of. He was supposed to hang out with Meghan the night before but he’d spent the afternoon with Maddie and Harper next door. So when they’d insisted he come with them to get food, he had cancelled plans with Meghan and went with Maddie and Harper instead, unbeknownst to them.

He liked Meghan but she could be a lot, and hanging out with Maddie and Harper was so easy.

“I just-“

“I think your hanging out with me and hooking up with her or the other one behind my back.”

“Woah woah hang on.” He held up a hand “First of all, I’m not hooking up with Madison and if I was I wouldn’t be hanging out with you, and second of all, Harper is 23 and used to babysit us. What is your problem? Maddie’s been nothing but nice since you met her.”

“I don’t want you hanging out with her.”

Seth’s mouth fell open “Are you kidding? Your telling me who I can and can’t hang out with? We’ve been talking for like a week.”

“Okay well let me make it really easy for you then. If you wanna continue to talk, and you wanna date me, you can’t be friends with her.” She crossed her arms “Pick one.”

Serbs mouth fell open and he scoffed “Okay. Her.”

The smile slipped from her face and her mouth opened “Wh-what did you say?”

“Her.”

Meghan started yelling and pointing and calling him names, which he wasn’t surprised about, and next thing he knew he was making his way through his backyard and into Madison’s.

She smiled and waved “Hey you okay?”

He sat down on the chair next to her “Fine why?”

She raised an eyebrow and he sighed “You know that girl? Meghan that I was hanging out with?”

“Mhm.” She curled a leg underneath her and pushed a strand of hair from her forehead.

“She-I blew her off to hang out with you guys last night-“

“Seth why would-“

“And she told me that if I wanna date her I can’t be friends with you anymore.”

Maddie looked alarmed and her lips parted “Wow. That escalated uh-fast. So what did you say?”

He gave her a long look “You’ve been a great friend so it sucks that we have to stop being friends this way -“ but he couldn’t even get the words out before he started laughing.

A smile broke out across her face “You douche.”

“I’m kidding. I told her that I didn’t think it was gonna work. I’m not going to give up my friends.”

“I get it but still. That’s not fair of her to ask in my opinion and for her to think we’re hooking up is crazy.”

He chuckled and leaned back arms crossed “Not really. She thought I was hooking up with Harper too.”

“WHAT.”

A splash from next door interrupted his thoughts and he pushed himself up into a kneeling position on his bed. From his room he could see clear into both the Alexander’s back yard, Maddie’s room and part of the kitchen. It had made for one hell of a vantage point for years of hide and seek.

But what surprised him even more was that the splash from the pool was not only Harper, but Svech as well. A bold move he thought to himself with a smile and a chuckle.

Oh he was so getting in on this.

**********

It was late afternoon when Maddie returned home, now noting that all the cars, except her dads cruiser, were accounted for in both driveways, and that Seth and Andrei were both out front.

Fuck.

She hadn’t talked to him all day, assuming he too was deep in thought about what had happened the night before or he was avoiding her. She’d also been a little worried that maybe he hadn’t been thinking about her at all. Maybe it was just another kiss with another girl and things would go back to normal. Either way, she wasn't about to reach out first. She didn’t even know what to say to him.

By the time she got out of the car Andrei had all but disappeared and Seth was making his way over looking at her apprehensively and smiled “Hi.”

She felt her knees get weak and sucked in a breath “Hi.”

She shut her car door and made her way to the front meeting him in the middle. He looked nervous, and she reached forward grabbing his hand and motioned towards her house with a smile “Come on.”

Harper wasn’t in the lower half of the house, and was presumably unpacking in her basement apartment. Seth followed her up the stairs and into her bedroom, which he’d been in before but that was before he’d kissed her in the backyard.

She shut the door behind her and turned to him, brushing past him and sitting on her bed. She patted the space next to her motioning for him to sit. He felt nervous and sweaty and he had no clue what was going on with him. He never got nervous to talk to girls but kissing her last night had rattled him.

Maddie was different. But thinking back he realized she’d always been different to him.

He cleared his throat “So about last night. Should we talk about it?” His arm brushed hers and sent goosebumps across it and despite the warm weather she gave a little shiver.

Maddie looked at her legs dangling off the bed and smiled “Probably..” she had her hands resting on her knees and tentatively he reached out to hold one, resting it there a second before he spoke.

“You know I really care about you right?”

She nodded, her thumb sweeping across the skin of his hand “Yes.”

“And I would never jeopardize our friendship if I didn’t think that maybe we were more than that?…Are we more than that?”

“I think we could be. If you want that is.” She smiled at him, hair spilling over her shoulder as she turned her head to the side. If she hadn’t been holding his hand he would have thought this was a dream. She’d smiled at him more times than he could count, but never like this. It made his stomach churn, and his heart start to pound.

“More than you know. So does that mean I can kiss you again?”

She smiled and nodded, meeting him halfway fingers still intertwined with his. He kissed her very slowly and sweetly, the hand that wasn’t holding hers came up to slide up her neck and rest on her cheek.

It did not last.

Years of feelings and sexual tension began to bubble over like water on a stove. She gave him a little tug and they moved over the bed, her underneath him as he slotted himself between her legs and a hand tangled in her hair. She lost track of what she was doing and let out a breath when he ground his pelvis into hers.

“Is your dad home?” He murmured against her mouth, breath coming out in gasps.

“No.” She pulled the back of his shirt up, tugging it over his head and tossing it down on the floor. She unbuttoned the tank top she was wearing as he sprung the zipper on her shorts and pulled them down her legs, leaning forward to kiss her again as she pulled at the waistband of his shorts. Her heart was beating so loud it was drowning out the hearing in her ears but not enough that they didn’t hear the front door slam from downstairs startling them apart.

“Girls! You home?” Her dad called. She heard his footsteps start to come up the steps and Seth jumped off of her, looking around in a panic. She jumped up nearly falling over as she yanked her shorts up and threw on his shirt, shoving him inside her closet just as her dad knocked on the door. She took a deep breath and opened it.

“Oh hey dad-what uhm. What’s up?” She was breathing heavy and leaned against the door.

He was frowning at her “Are you okay?”

“Yeah why wouldn’t I be okay?” She chuckled a little.

He looked past her into her room and then down at her clothes “Who’s shirt is that?”

“Oh it’s-mine, it’s mine. I found it in my closet.” She was a terrible liar and she could see her dad didn’t believe a word she said.

He nodded slowly eyebrows raised “Right. Is your sister home?”

“I think she’s in the basement.”

“Okay are you staying in for the rest of the day?”

She glanced at the closet “Mhm.”

“Great. I’m going to go talk to Harper and then get some sleep.”

“Okay sounds good. Get some rest big guy, you deserve it. Love you.” She called leaning out the doorway with a big smile.

He chuckled “Love you too Mads.”

She closed the door casually and locked it, letting out the breath she’d been holding and creeping across the floor to open the closet. Seth was crying with laughter inside the closet, hand over his mouth as he leaned on the wall and whispered “He definitely knew I was in here. He’s gonna kill me I-“

“He’s definitely going to kill you if he hears you in here now shh!” Madison shushed him with a giggle and made her way across the room to close her curtains, and flipped her tv on, leaving them in partial darkness. She pulled Seth’s shirt over her head and handed it to him, reaching for her own shirt on the end of the bed.

He sat on her bed and shrugged it back on “This looks better on you.” He watched her with admiration as she pulled the tank top back on over her shoulders and buttoned it, pushing her hair over her shoulder.

She smiled at him and turned the volume on the tv up enough that they could talk undetected and seated herself next to him, getting as close as she possibly could. Though this was the first time she’d ever laid next to him in bed in a romantic way, it felt so natural. Like they’d been doing this since forever, almost as if it was meant to be. He ran a hand up her arm to her shoulder, turning slightly so he could lean down to kiss her again, but she pulled away, instead running her lips over his jaw, tongue sliding across his neck.

She could feel him squirming around and smiled a little.

“Stop.” He pulled her mouth off his neck, holding her face in his hands.

“Stop what?”

“You know what. If you keep doing that I’m gonna start yelling. And then you know what’ll happen.”

“My dad finding you in my room half dressed? He’d probably shoot you.”

“Your dad loves me.” he ran a hand up the side of her neck.

“Not that much.” She sucked in a breath as he leaned down to kiss her again, hand brushing up under her shirt. As his fingers moved across her waist, goosebumps bloomed across her skin and she gave a shiver. She wanted to so bad, but her sisters room was directly under hers and her dad was just down the hall.

He pulled back to look at her, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek “You know we can’t do this right?” He said quietly with a small frown “Not with an audience. And I wanna do this right.”

She nodded and sighed “I know. Where though?” She added with a chuckle.

He laughed and ran his fingers through her hair “We’re in our 20s. It’s supposed to be easier to find places to hook up, not harder.”

She chuckled and sighed “I know. But I live with Elliot Stabler and the genius who’s spiraling in the basement and these walls are paper thin. How do you think Harper knows about all the bad shit we did growing up.”

He laughed and ran a finger across her collarbone “True. My house is out of the question too, between my parents and Svechy. Hey we-“

“Absolutely not.” She said putting a hand up.

“You don’t even-“

“The Tiguan is out of the question Seth.”

His mouth fell open and he deflated a little “Okay okay. Just a suggestion sheesh….but out of curiosity why not? Is there something wrong with my Tiguan?”

“That thing is one hopped curb short of being held together by duct tape. Too much movement and it’s falling apart.”

“You have a lot of confidence in my abilities.”

She rolled her eyes and gave the skin on his waist a squeeze “Guess that means you’ll have to really wow me.”

“Oh I’ll wow you.” He said leaning down to kiss her.

Hours later, she’d managed to sneak Seth out undetected and sent him back to his house with another quick kiss and a wave and she was now lying across her bed fighting the urge to kick and squeal because her dad was still asleep down the hall.

She felt her phone buzz and picked it up to see a message from Seth.

What are the odds you can sneak out later?

She smiled and glanced up through the curtains at his window Not so great. That’s the trouble living with a trained investigator.

Damn. Guess I’ll just have to visualize. So what’re you wearing?

Madison giggled and put a hand over her mouth eyes swiveling to the ceiling An oversized shirt and socks.

That’s it? Nothing else?

Like what?

Nothing underneath?

Maddie grinned evily Why would there be? I don’t wear underwear

Across the yard, in Seth’s room a phone slipped from his hand and fell to the floor. He let his head fall back and huffed.

She was killing him.

He’d kissed her on two occasions and she had him wrapped, but before he could have any more thoughts about Madison, or her underwear or anything, Svech burst through the door to his bedroom startling him.

“Do they not practice KNOCKING in Russia Jesus Christ.” He said grabbing the spot over his heart.

“What are you smiling about? And where you been all afternoon?” Andrei asked him sitting at the end of his bed.

“None of your business nosey. How goes the plan to get Harper to acknowledge your existence? Or are you still invisible?”

“Ha ha.” He said squinting at him “We’re not talking about me.”

Seth laughed and shrugged “I’m just having a good day is all.”

“And does that good day have a name? Madison maybe?”

Seth kicked at him “Never you mind about my good day. What’s the next step in your master scheme? You’ve tried stalking, complimenting-“

“I did not stalk her-“

“You.” Seth said sitting up pointing at him “Showed up at her job to go running when she didn’t want you there. I don’t know what they call that in Russia but here that’s stalking my guy.”

“And you.” Andre said pointing at him “Went with me so that makes you an accomplice. And I did it at the suggestion of your good day.”

“My good day never explicitly told you-“

“Aha! So she is your good day.” Andrei said slapping him on the shin and grinning.

Seth sputtered at him for a second before he broke out into a smile “Fuck off.”

“Joking, I’m joking. Is that what Harper meant by “Being good to my sister? Or whatever she said.”

“I think so. Maddie must have said something, I don’t know. Harper knows everything about everyone so maybe she just guessed. She’s smart.” He tapped his temple and Andrei rolled his eyes.

“So tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

“Don’t be an idiot okay?”

Seth was laughing and shrugged “It’s been nice. We gotta get you your own Alexander sister buddy.” He slapped him on the back and stood “Come on, can we go eat I’m starving. We can hatch a plan to make Harper fall in love with you before the summers over.”

Andrei watched as Seth stood and cleared his throat “So you think she might like me a little bit? Maybe?”

Seth grinned “ She will if I have anything to do with it.”

**************

Maddie made her way through the house looking for Harper. She couldn’t talk with her dad about it, and her friends had been too wrapped up with their stuff to pay Maddie and her summer dramas any mind. In fact it had been over a week since she’d even seen or spoken to them. While Harper gave great advice, she was also uniquely qualified to speak about her and Seth because she’d basically raised both of them. Harper wouldn’t steer her wrong.

But really Maddie just wanted to talk. As a teen, before Harper moved out, they’d spent many nights talking and giggling together until their dad finally had to enforce curfew because they were keeping him up at night.

But as Maddie opened the basement door to descend the steps, she heard Harper crying. She paused and stood at the top of the stairs for second before she backed up and shut the door quietly. She wouldn’t bother Harper with this. As she made her way through the kitchen she spotted Seth and Andrei making their way though the driveway to Seth’s car talking and laughing. Seth spotted her through the large kitchen window and smiled and waved at her, which she returned before she made to turn and ran smack into her dad.

“Jesus dad I-“

“You going out with them?” He nodded to the Jarvis’s driveway.

“Me? No im going to sketch a while. Why would I be going out with them?”

“Did you or did you not go golfing with them yesterday?”

She chuckled “How did-Yeah but what’s that have to do with anything?”

He crossed his arms and peered down at her “And which one was in your room when I came home?”

Maddie wanted to shrivel up and die right there on the hallway rug as she looked up at her dad. Though historically he wasn’t a yeller, she and Harper had never really tested his patience. Maddie had always been more trouble prone than her sister but having a boy into her bedroom closet was a new one. They’d always followed the house rules, and their dad was laid back for the most part.

But he didn’t seem angry. He stood staring at her eyebrows raised “Hmm?”

Maddie felt her face get red and cleared her throat, straightening up and looking her dad in the eye “Seth.”

Surprise registered across his face and his mouth opened “Really?”

She hoped that because her dad loved Seth and had watched him grow up that he wouldn’t be as upset about it if it had been Andrei, a guy who had just shown up a week ago. She cleared her throat, crossing her fingers behind her back and smiled hopefully at her dad “So how much trouble am I in?”

He shrugged “Why would you be in trouble?”

“Because I lied. I had a boy in my bedroom….i lied? Really nothing?”

He frowned but looked amused “Do you want to be in trouble?”

She shook her head “No.”

“Okay then. But don’t do it again.” He warned pointing a finger at her.

“Yessir.” She said with a salute and a stifled giggle as she moved past her dad and up the steps pulling out her phone to text Seth with a small smile.

M: My dad knows you were in my closet. He said he’s looking for you.

S: WHAT.

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k-renne · 1 year ago

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The Last Supper

Summary: The elusive catch and difficult to wrangle. You and Raphael play the game of cat and mouse. But what happens when the cat catches its prey.

Warnings - Porn and plot, the bread and butter of fanfiction

He would be your downfall, your doom. You knew it from the first moment you met the rhyming devil, words expertly crafted to manipulate and enchant you. That first meeting haunted your dreams for many nights after, his rich voice echoing in your mind. And here you were walking right into the claws of the cat, or was it the fox?

Your eyelids fluttered closed for a moment, remembering that fateful day. You remember your initial confusion when you encountered the man on your exploration of the Sword Coast. How did he know so much? By the gods his silly little rhymes did something to your heart.

When he first transported you to his tantalizing House of Hope, you remember the way he stares you down. Like a predator. It takes all your restraint not to gasp when he shows his true self, he was positively delicious. You can’t take his deal this time, as tempting as it is. A deal with the devil would certainly not help your situation, despite how desperately you want to rid yourself of the ‘unwanted tenant’ as he so tastefully put it.

You took a deep breath, and placed a skull in the drawn sigil on the floor. Eyes scanning the pattern, as you smoothed down the fabric of your skirt. It looked about right. “I cannot believe I am doing this,” You said aloud to yourself.

The more you encountered Raphael, the more you wanted to know about him. You knew he wanted power, but was he a fool? He certainly seemed to enjoy toying with you. But two could play such a game. Being a bard was not all music and performance, there was persuasion and charm. A whisper in someone’s ear, drunken secrets spilled from other’s lips. Where was the fun without a bit of risk?

With the last piece placed on the circle, the portal flared to life. You readied yourself for the performance of a lifetime, your violin secured safely on your back and stepped through the fiery portal.

The house was just like you remembered it, in all its grandeur and gaudy design. Raphael was truly dramatic. You waltzed through the hall, debtors paying you little mind.

The dwarf Korrilla however, did recognize you. “Interesting seeing you here, after rejecting Raphael’s deal. And all by yourself, just what do you intend to do Tav?” She eyed you questioningly.

Your eyes twinkle with mischief. “I am here on personal business, you see my companions don’t exactly approve of dealings with devils.” You crossed your arms.

Korrilla laughed, “He is not home, but he will be very happy to see you, if not surprised. But, may I give some advice?”

“If you wish,” You replied.

Korrilla contemplated for a moment. “Do not cross him, he will kill you-or most likely worse. If you play your cards right you may be able to find a very favorable outcome. And you are very clever, I’m sure you will choose the correct course, Tav.” She pauses briefly. “Little mouse,” She teases.

When the lies to the archivist easily slip off your tongue you can feel Korrilla watching you, she was very amused watching you work. She knew Raphael would be absolutely delighted to see his latest obsession falling right into his clawed grasp.

With an invitation to the boudoir, you felt invigorated. Everything was going to plan. Although your plan was simply to gather information without being caught, there was a part of you that wanted him to catch you. A part that craved punishment, to see his passionate anger and drive him to madness. You felt almost giddy, the game you were playing would soon reach its climax.

But you were not prepared for what you would meet in the boudoir, or more aptly who. Your steps slow as you take everything in, the room was luxurious, spacious, and you had half a mind to strip and soak in his steaming bath after weeks of scrubbing your skin raw in freezing rivers. However, as you made it past the tempting waters you realized you were not alone.

On top a large and extravagant bed a very scantily clad Raphael smirks at you, “A little lost mouse is running through the house. A thief in the night greedy, and here to take. Why are you here, little thief?”

Your eyes widened, you had only imagined what Raphael would look like with less clothes on, but you were not expecting this to happen so soon. You remember Korrrilla’s words. Something wasn’t quite right here. Your eyes narrow, “Raphael, as much as I enjoy you…showing off. Isn’t this a bit much?”

The devil laughs at you, “Raphael! Ha, no. I am Haarlep. Raphael’s personal incubus, glamoured to look like him. And you must be Tav, you know he talks about you quite a bit. You should hear how much he moans-”

“Ah!” You cut him off. “I do not need to know such things, yet. Even as much as I’d like to. Tell me Haarlep, would you be willing to give me information? I need to have the upper hand.” You tell him honestly, sensing you would not be able to lie to Haarlep.

Haarlep grins, leaning forward on the bed. Suddenly he is beside you, his arm wrapped around your waist. “Oh little mouse, I think I have the perfect idea. A very delicious one.” His hand tightens around your waist and you shiver. “And I think you’d enjoy it, very much.”

Your composure is beginning to crumble as your cheeks become flushed. You can already feel your core clenching, your need building. Despite careful planning, you could not even imagine this. There was no way to account for it, perhaps this time you would give into your temptation. “Just what did you have in mind?” You look up at the much taller cambion.

“Well we fuck of course, in exchange I will tell you everything you desire. Don’t even try to say no, I know you want this Tav. You want a taste. But first you are wearing far too many clothes.” He eyes you.

“I-oh gods,” You groan. He was right, you could not say no. But you needed to have one thing, one ounce of control in a situation where you were largely powerless. You begin undoing the buckles of your shoes, thinking for a moment. You look up at the incubus, determination set hard in your gaze. “I will be on top, and don’t even try otherwise.”

Laughter fills your ears, “Little mouse, you are so very naughty. I can see why Raphael likes you.” He leers over you as you remove your shoes. His hand reaches to grab your chin, taloned thumb lightly pressing against your lips, “We will have so much fun together.”

The incubus watches you as the rest of your layers fall to the floor, eyeing your form hungrily. He circles you, tail brushing against your body. You shut your eyes tightly, fighting back a whimper. Control, you had to keep control. Deep down you knew you would lose in the end, and the thought of that was even more arousing.

Haarlep grabs your face, more gently then you would’ve thought. But his kiss is searing, passionate, as his forked tongue greedily tastes your sweet mouth. He even smelled like Raphael, you can’t help but moan as you breathe in his devilish musk.

You needed him so desperately, having hungered for him the moment you laid eyes on his true form. The incubus kissed you like your wildest fantasies. You would let him consume you. You could feel your cunt tingling, aching to be filled, to be touched.

Strong hands caress and mold you to their touch, any self control melting away. His touch lights you aflame. Haarlep groans into your ear, his breath hot.

In the material realm, Raphael bristles. Someone is using his incubus, someone who is very much not him. He could only think of very few who would be so bold. He narrows his eyes as he sips from his glass. He would have a few words for his pet, for disobeying his command. For you, for the fool who rejected and defied him, there would be hells to pay. “Excuse me,” He said to the mortal across the table. This business would have to wait.

He feels the phantom of his hands against soft curves, it makes him terribly angry. It was chaos. This was not Raphael’s plan, he would not be easily bested. He would not be denied, you were his prey. His little mouse, not to be toyed with by his incubus.

As he marches down to his nearest portal, he suddenly stops as he feels soft hands grasp his hardening cock. “You naughty, naughty thing.” He groans.

Despite all his decorum, Raphael was quickly losing his composure. The touch, so slight and not nearly enough, would drive him to madness. Finding a darkened alley he ducked into it, leaning against a wall. Just once, he would allow himself to enjoy the phantom sensations.

He felt shame at how easily he crumbled, you held so much power over him. You were the key to his glory, to his rule of the hells. He did not ever think he would be so smitten with a mere mortal, and a tease at that. Always careful evading his grasp. He felt a hot tongue slide up the underside of his cock, and he had to quickly cover his mouth to stifle the curse.

Such a naughty little mouse. Why did you have to defy him so? You had to know how this would end, with the claw. Now lips were wrapping around his length, hot mouth sucking him in earnest. He could almost feel the back of your throat. This was more than just Haarlep seducing you, the way those soft hands touched him. You wanted this. He needed to believe that, the thought of it made him throb, his balls feeling tight.

Patience, he would make you his soon enough. A delightful thing to sit on his lap while he becomes king, to amuse and to satisfy his desires. To kneel and to beg for him, to scream his name with filthy obscenities. Yes, he would break you down so sweetly and destroy you, remake you, and perfect you.

Your chest heaved as you broke away from a breath stealing kiss, attempting and failing to push Haarlep away. “Y-you must-get on the bed, remember. Remember what you promised.”

Haarlep pouted at you, “Are you sure that is what you wish little mouse? I could have you on your hands and knees, and we could rut like savage beasts. I know you would enjoy it.”

Oh gods, he would be the death of you. The both of them would. “I can’t-not this time.” You shook your head.

“Alright, but do not come crying to me when Raphael collects his due. He will chase you to the ends of the realm.” Haarlep warns. He knew his master well, and while he was eager to be a part of your little game, he knew what it took to make him fall apart. Raphael would not take too kindly to being bested by what was to be his conquest, his ultimate victory.

Slowly he made his way to the bed, laying and displaying his body to your hungry gaze. Haarlep was not used to being on the bottom. But he supposed this could be fun, he couldn’t wait to feel how Raphael reacted to Tav’s audacity.

Raphael felt soft thighs straddle his, “No.” He all but growled. You would not dare.

His balance wavered, his knees buckling as he felt your hot cunt slide over his cock. He needed-he needed more. Hells, he was acting like a common whore! The indignation. He fisted his hardness tightly, unable to resist pleasuring himself with his own hand. It had been ages since he had done this, touched himself like a desperate, perverted-fuck. You would be his undoing.

“Tav,” He whispered your name into the night like a prayer. He could only imagine what your body looked like riding his cock, your perfect tits bouncing as you moaned. He felt the barest trace of your hot mouth against him, and he at last submitted to the feeling. Submitted to you. He felt his orgasm come on suddenly, his seed spilling onto his hand and his pants ruined.

But you kept going, milking his cock. Another wave of pleasure hit him, if he didn’t get out of this alleyway he would soon become a writhing mess. And he hated mess, detested it. No, Raphael focused on his anger. He was so furious. Enraged that his pet had tasted you first, that you had dared to sneak into his house like a filthy rat, that you continued to defy him still.

He all but runs to the portal, still with the feeling of your hot little body against his. He could still win, he could still find the path to triumph. He needed to know what to say to you when he caught you, but the words seemed to be failing him. His mind whirled with thoughts of revenge for your contemptuous acts. It was not over, little mouse. He would have you.

Notes: Maybe its my christian upbringing, maybe I have a thing for monsters. But after seriously enjoying some Raphael fan fiction I have been wanting more of it so I decided fuck it, we're writing fanfic again after a few years of hiatus totally unrelated to my previous fandom. (I do also love Gale and Astorian and the rest of the weirdos). I'm too lazy to change the looks of this blog so I probably won't, but you can also find me on AO3. Very brief editing because I have to cook dinner, so apologies in advance

#baldur's gate 3 #raphael #raphael baldur's gate 3 #baldurs gate 3 fanfiction #raphael x tav #raphael x reader #raphael x you

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bitethedevil · 5 months ago

Text

More Than Our Fathers (Raphael x Demigod!Reader): Chapter 4

Chapter: one, two, three, four, five

Read this on AO3

Summary: After your quick wedding, you and Raphael begins working on getting the Crown of Karsus. You receive a worrying vision of Raphael dying. Haarlep is very interested in you and tries their very best to sleep with you.

Word count: 4,093

(AN: The updates on this fic are going a bit slow because I'm working on finishing another fic, but here we are.)

WARNINGS: Slightly NSFW (just a tiny tiny bit)

Your eyes were closed as you let the hot Avernian sun dry your wet hair and skin. Raphael joined you on the balcony soon after. You opened one eye to look at him. His hair was also wet and slicked back from the bath, after you had both taken turns to wash off the blood from the ritual.

You were both quick to move away from the fact that you had literally just gotten married and shared a very intimate kiss that was completely out of character from the relationship the two of you had.

You closed your eyes again and leaned back comfortably in the chair as you enjoyed the feeling of the sun on your skin.

“You said that you have already met with those adventurers of yours,” you said lazily. “Tell me about them.”

“They are from various interesting backgrounds, though my interest lays with their leader, whom they seem to blindly follow,” Raphael said.

“And who are they?” you asked.

“A young woman by the name Tav,” Raphael explained. “There is not much to be learned about their past, beside that they are a capable fighter. She is not the brightest specimen from what I could gather from our first meeting, and she seems easily affected by the opinions of her fellow companions.”

“Mm,” you said. “Which means you will need to keep an eye out for who she gets close to and use that.”

“Indeed,” Raphael agreed.

You kept your eyes closed and held your hand out to him. You made a grabbing motion with it.

“I’ll take a look at that first meeting before I start looking into the future,” you said.

Raphael put his hand in yours. You saw how he had approached the adventurers and introduced himself. You saw that he had taken them to the House of Hope and offered them a solution to the tadpole in their head.

You recognized that he was giving them an offer that would seem tempting, though unreasonable, so that his later offer would seem even more attractive. The vision ended after Raphael sent them away.

“You’re not seriously telling me that you are still using the same Cormyrian rhyme for your deals?” you asked teasingly. “You need new material.”

“It was fitting, and I don’t believe I asked for your opinion on my business tactics,” Raphael said defensively.

You opened your eyes to look at him.

“Have you read the book ‘Devils Don’t Rhyme’ by any chance?” you asked with a teasing smile.

“I cannot say I have,” Raphael said with a sigh. “Why?”

“It’s a heroic fantasy story about a poet who challenges a devil to a poetry contest,” you said. “It’s about you, you know…”

“Is that so?”

“I thought the devil character seemed familiar,” you explained. “He is depicted as exceedingly arrogant and terrible at poetry. I knew for sure when I read the ‘down came the claw’ line.”

Raphael sneered at that.

“What was the name of the book again?” he asked.

“’Devils Don’t Rhyme’. It’s not a bad read, actually,” you said with a laugh.

“I will have to find a copy,” Raphael said carefully. “And the author, if what you say is true…”

You chuckled at his irritation.

“Anyway,” you said and got back to the matter at hand. “It was a smart move with your starting offer. Their situation is desperate enough that they will have to consider it…Should I take a look at some possible outcomes?”

Raphael nodded and squeezed your hand gently.

You closed your eyes again and focused on Raphael’s intentions and the threads of fate that ran from them. You saw a lot of things pass your mind’s eye, but one vision in particular made you yank your hand out of his.

You looked at him with wide eyes.

“Raphael…” you said quietly in a concerned voice.

His eyes narrowed and his nose wrinkled in irritation at you.

“Do not,” he said. “It was not amusing the first twenty times you tried to make me fall for that, and it is not amusing now.”

You shook your head and grabbed his hand again and held it.

“I’m serious,” you said and looked him in the eyes. “You…”

You trailed off and stared emptily at the floor for a moment. The vision had really shaken you.

“I…what?” he asked impatiently, as if he still did not believe you.

“Died,” you said quietly. “They killed you.”

Raphael looked at you and a smile tugged at his lips. Then he started laughing.

“That’s absurd,” he said.

When he saw that you still had the same serious expression on your face, his amusement faltered only slightly.

“Surely, you must have seen wrong or misinterpreted something,” Raphael said. “There is not a chance that a group of mortals would ever succeed in killing me. Least of all that lot.”

“I saw Mephistopheles devouring your mangled body, so don’t tell me what I saw!” you snapped.

That shut him up. You were still shaken by seeing the death of the only person you had ever been somewhat close to. You hated the fact that tears were threatening to fall down your cheeks. You took a deep breath. You loathed to show that kind of weakness in front of anyone, and especially Raphael.

“Are you crying?” Raphael asked in disbelief as he studied your face.

“Shut up and listen to me,” you said harshly. “You need to be careful, and you need to be smart about this. Do not tell them that you keep the hammer in your home, it is enough of a risk that they already know where you live.”

“Understood…” Raphael said carefully.

“Good,” you said.

Raphael saw how oddly emotional the whole thing had made you. He ran his thumb over the top of your hand and smirked at your reaction.

“I’m not dead yet, dear,” Raphael said in a teasing tone. “How tragic it would be to leave my new wife widowed so soon.”

“I hate your tone right now,” you warned.

“Come now,” he said. “We are aware of the possibility, so we can avoid the outcome. This is why I needed you. Cheer up.”

You shook your head and sighed. You finished your wine in one gulp and left him on the balcony. You needed to be alone.

He did not understand the toll of receiving the visions you did. Your powers were as much a curse as they were a blessing. The visions always felt real, and they were often experienced through the eyes of someone. You had felt his fear and heard his desperate pleading as his father laughed at him before devouring him.

You entered the boudoir to get some quiet and clear your head. When you entered, you saw Haarlep bathing in the restoration pool. They smiled at you, and you averted your gaze from their nakedness.

“Sorry,” you said. “I didn’t know you were in here. I thought you weren’t supposed to be in the boudoir.”

“’Unless called upon’, I believe he said,” Haarlep purred. “He was in need of some relief after the ritual…Thousands of years old and a little kiss can get him so excited. It’s almost adorable, isn’t it?”

You could hear Haarlep moving through the water. The next time they spoke, it sounded like they were right at the edge of the pool near you. You refused to look at them.

“Shy little thing, aren't you?” they purred. “I don’t mind if you look, you know. Raphael doesn’t either…”

You glanced down at them. They had their elbows on the edge as they looked up at you with a smile that was everything but innocent.

“Not shy,” you said and looked away again. “Just really uninterested in seeing Raphael’s…bits…”

“What a shame!” Haarlep said dramatically. “They’re quite impressive bits. He might not have much else going for him, but at least he’s well endowed.”

You looked at them with slight disgust. They looked you in the eyes when you glanced at them again and saw that your eyes were a bit red. They gave you an exaggerated pout when they saw your expression.

“Oh, you poor thing,” they cooed. “Did the brat make you cry? And on your wedding day…tsk tsk…”

You couldn’t help the small chuckle at hearing them calling him a ‘brat’. Haarlep smiled when you did.

“I’m fine,” you said. “Just needed some peace and quiet.”

“I’m quite good at cheering people up, you know…” Haarlep said in a suggestive tone.

“I’m sure,” you said with a strained but polite smile. “I’m fine, really.”

You walked to the other end of the room where the bed was. There were some drapes that separated the room that you pulled to the side to give yourself some privacy from Haarlep. You laid down on the bed with your feet hanging off the side and closed your eyes for a moment.

Only a short moment after, you heard Haarlep step out of the pool. When you heard footsteps come closer, you opened your eyes.

“Haaaarlep…” you said in a polite but warning tone.

“Yeees?” he said in a feigned innocent tone.

You felt the bed dip. They laid down beside you in the same way you were with their legs hanging off the other side. You were laying in opposite directions across the bed. They turned to their side with an arm under their head as they looked at you with a wicked smile.

“You should leave…” you said.

Haarlep looked at you with a feigned look of concern.

“And leave you all alone to your thoughts when you are not feeling well?” they said and ran a clawed hand through your hair. “What kind of monster do you think I am?”

You batted their hand away firmly.

“I am not playing around, Haarlep,” you said firmly. “I’m not interested. Try anything, and I will not hesitate to hurt you. I could not care less if Raphael feels it as well.”

Haarlep’s smile widened, and they shivered in excitement. They leaned closer to you.

“Is that a promise?” they purred.

You sat up and raised a hand to cast a spell.

“Point taken…” they said and put a hand on your shoulder. “There really is no need for all of that hostility. I only get carried away because it is so rare that Raphael brings home someone as exciting and pretty as you…”

They had crawled up behind you and were now gently massaging your shoulder. It felt nice, you had to admit.

“Watch it,” you warned, though it sounded half-hearted even to you.

“You’re sooo tense,” they said and moved both of their hands to massage your shoulders. “There…isn’t that much nicer than using all your energy on throwing threats at me?”

You started melting into their hands despite yourself. A small moan escaped you as you felt your body start to relax into their touch. Haarlep gasped softly at the sound.

“What pretty little noises you make,” they breathed into your ear. “That’s it…Relax and let me take care of you…”

You had barely even noticed, but they had gotten so close to you that their legs were spread on either side of you and their head was suddenly on your shoulder. It was only when you felt their fully hard member press against your lower back that you snapped back into reality.

You flicked your hand and Haarlep disappeared behind you and dropped into the restoration pool. You heard the splash and shortly after the sound of Haarlep’s sputtering as they resurfaced.

“That wasn’t very nice of you!” Haarlep said from the other end of the room.

“You can leave now,” you said firmly and laid down on the bed again.

You spent the remainder of the day in the boudoir and Raphael seemed to understand that you needed the space.

The drapes had been put up, so you were also enjoying that it was actually dark when you wanted to sleep. You were close to drifting off to sleep, when you heard someone enter. You heard the ruffling of clothing and soon after you felt the bed dip beside you. You felt a hand gently being put on your arm.

“Are you asleep?” you heard Raphael’s voice ask.

You turned to your other side to face him. You felt around blindly in the dark with your hands until you felt horns. You worked downwards from there until you felt a forehead.

“What in the Nine Hells are you doing?”

By this point you were ninety percent sure that it was Raphael, and not Haarlep, but you decided to check anyway. You felt around his face.

“Feeling for wrinkles,” you mumbled.

He batted your hand away. It was Raphael.

“Insolent whelp,” he grumbled.

A self-satisfied smile washed over your face.

“I see you are in a much better mood than earlier…” he said. “I wanted to apologize for my behavior. It was merely my intention to calm you, and not to further distress you about the matter.”

You sighed softly.

“It’s fine,” you said. “You just don’t know what it’s like, is all.”

“I cannot say I do, but I will try to be handle it differently in the future,” he said, and he sounded genuine.

You knew that the genuineness came from him needing you, but you still appreciated that he at least was trying.

“Thank you,” you muttered.

“I hope that Haarlep was not too much of a bother earlier,” Raphael said. “I should have made them leave after their…visit.”

“After you fucked them, you mean?” you asked casually.

“You have such a way with words, dear.”

“They are very persistent,” you said.

“I’m aware.”

“They told you?” you asked.

“I felt it,” Raphael purred. “I also felt you trying to drown them afterwards. Don’t mind them and feel free to put them in their place if they become too much of a pestilence. It’s been an obsession of theirs for as long as I have known them.”

“What has?” you asked.

“Sleeping with someone like you,” he explained. “Incubi and succubi feed off corrupting and tempting souls, along with the pleasure of the soul they are corrupting, as you are aware. It is a common myth that sleeping with someone of the divine would achieve the highest peak of sexual bliss for someone like Haarlep, because it would be the biggest act of corruption. The fool actually believes it.”

“Huh…” you said. “It makes sense, I suppose. But it’s not true, right?”

“It has never been proven, no,” Raphael said. “It is a myth that incubi and succubi tell each other. A legend, nothing more. You’re welcome to test it, of course. If nothing else, I would enjoy seeing their reaction when nothing out of the ordinary happens.”

“I am not sleeping with Haarlep,” you said stubbornly. “No matter how curious I am to test that theory.”

“Do you truly intend to live in celibacy for centuries?” Raphael asked. “You will give in eventually. It is just a question of when your stubbornness will falter.”

“Never,” you mumbled stubbornly into your pillow. “I have two hands and an arsenal of spells to help sate any needs I need sated.”

“How wonderful to hear that your wizard’s education is being put to good use,” Raphael teased. “If it is because they and I share a body, then you have nothing to worry about. I have had many years to learn how to completely ignore those sensations.”

You turned on your side to face him. You couldn’t see him in the darkness except for his glowing orange eyes, but you knew he could see you.

“Mhm,” you said skeptically. “But would you ignore them? Haarlep told me about how that kiss we shared got you all hot and flustered earlier.”

“Is that a crime?” he purred, and you felt him run his clawed fingers over your cheek. You could practically hear that he was smirking. “For a man to find his new wife desirable? Had it not been for that blasted stubbornness of yours, we would both have spent the entire day in this bed.”

You batted his hand away gently.

“I’ll tell you the same thing I told Haarlep,” you said. “Watch it. Goodnight, husband.”

“Goodnight, dear.”

Days became weeks as the both of you followed the movements of the adventurers. You were present when Korrilla brought Raphael news, and you followed his interactions with them through using him as a conduit to see his past.

Raphael became obsessed with the adventurers and especially with the leader of the group. The obsession with the Crown of Karsus had at some point bled into the people that would one day bring it to him. He spoke of nothing else. It was worrying.

You had heard the stories of his father Mephistopheles. A powerful devil and the greatest wizard of the Hells. He was cunning and an efficient leader but was well-known for losing sight of the grander picture in favor of his obsession with magic, or whatever caught his interest at that particular moment.

You were worried that Raphael might have inherited this unfortunate trait from his father. It certainly seemed like it. He needed to stay focused on the Crown of Karsus, or it would slip out of his hands, and he needed to not let his emotions and arrogance run away with him.

His work at in the Shadow-Cursed Lands had been phenomenal. You could see what he was doing: he gave them a soft and fair deal for something they needed help with, so that he could appear more trustworthy for the more important deal he had in store. He was grooming them into trusting him by helping the leader’s vampire sweetheart with deciphering his scars.

What they did not know was that Raphael was gaining even more out of that deal. It did not take a genius or a seer to figure out that Tav would do anything to disrupt the ritual, which meant that Mephistopheles would be robbed of seven thousand souls. Seven thousand souls that would have been nice to have when his son starts his rebellion.

Now you were at the finish line. The adventurers had made their way to Baldur’s Gate, and you had barely seen Raphael for days because he was waiting for them at a brothel. You hoped that he would heed all of your advice. That he would prey on the Githyanki woman’s change of heart about her ruler Vlaakith and that he would convince them that the Orphic Hammer was the only way.

Most importantly, you hoped that he would not be reckless enough to tell them were he kept the Hammer or where he would keep their contract. It was an unnecessary risk, but you knew how he was: he liked to tempt people.

He loved the idea of control. Nothing satisfied him more than knowing he had done his job of manipulating someone so well that he himself could hand them a knife to kill him and they would still not stab him out of fear. He found just as much satisfaction in playing that game, as he did in gaining a signature on a contract.

When he finally arrived back to Avernus, he looked satisfied. He walked over to you and placed a kiss on your lips. You still had not quite gotten used to the kissing, but you indulged him.

“So?” you asked. “What happened?”

He went to pour a glass of wine for the both of you.

“They signed, of course,” he said calmly with a smile. “It seems the Gith will get to free her forgotten prince after all.”

A part of you were relieved but you knew that nothing was for certain just yet. Raphael might be bound by laws and rules, but the adventurers were not. A lot could happen between now and the defeat of the Elderbrain.

You held out your hand to him and made a grabbing motion. He placed a glass of wine in it while being careful not to touch you. He knew that you wanted to peek, and he was not letting you.

“Patience, dear,” he said and sat down beside you. “Let me appreciate being home after having been forced to stay in a brothel for days before you start your investigation of me.”

You narrowed your eyes at him.

“No investigation necessary if you have simply heeded my warnings,” you said and made an even more insisting grabbing motion.

Raphael looked at your hand with disinterest and then at your eyes before sipping his wine.

“You are hiding something,” you stated. “What?”

He smirked slightly and shrugged.

You quickly reached out to grab him, but he moved out of your grasp. You climbed over the arm of the chair to reach him, but he simply teleported a few feet away from you in a flash of embers. He looked at you with that annoying smirk, calmly sipping his wine. You got up from your chair.

“You know you’re not the only one of us who can do that little trick,” you said and used a teleportation spell to move to where he was standing. The second you did, he appeared a few feet away from you once again.

“I’m well aware but your reflexes leave something to be desired,” he said and swirled the contents of this glass lazily. “You are awfully predictable, Sibyl.”

“Let. Me. Touch. You.”

“Did you miss your husband so much? You only had to say. We can take this to the bedroom if you want.”

You teleported near him again and once again he disappeared right before you could get your hands on him.

“You told them, didn’t you?” you said to him annoyed. “That’s the reason why you won’t show me, isn’t it? You told her where you keep her contract.”

The look in his eyes and the way he did not answer you immediately confirmed your suspicions.

“Are you serious?” you asked. “After I warned you of what would happen?”

“I know what I am doing, Sibyl,” he said. “Besides, if she is stupid enough to betray me, do you not think the House of Hope would be her first guess no matter what I told her?”

He did have a point, but you were angry regardless.

“It was still unnecessary,” you grumbled. “If they come here, you will let them take whatever they want. You are not getting in a fight with them.”

“And let them break their agreement without any punishment? No,” Raphael said. “If they dare go against what we have agreed on, then they deserve what is coming to them. However, I have reason to believe that they won’t go against their word.”

You took a deep irritated breath.

“Your obsession with them makes you blind, Raphael,” you said. “This little trust exercise is completely unnecessary, and we know, I have seen, that it’s a possibility that they might do exactly that and kill you while doing so. Why are you being so damn thick-headed?”

You sighed and sat back down.

“Give me your hand,” you said tiredly and held out yours. “Let’s see the damage you’ve done.”

“You are getting upset over nothing,” he said with a sneer and sat down beside you. “I have been alive twice as long as you. I have been doing this since before you were born and I have done it without your help. I will be fine.”

You didn’t answer. You just glared at him with your hand held out to him. He glared back before putting his hand in yours.

A vision flashed past your eyes. You saw the adventurers. They were gathered at the House of Hope exactly as you had expected. In front of them you saw Raphael, although it did not look like him in the least. He had become something else. It was a form you had never seen him wear before. He looked horrifying, twisted and entirely inhuman as he fought those beloved adventurers of his. He was losing.

“So?” he asked. “Did that enlighten you, dear?”

You kept a calm expression as you pulled your hand to yourself and put it back in your lap.

“Yes,” you said quietly. “It seems that everything is going to be fine. My mistake.”

You smiled at him and got up from your seat. His eyes narrowed at you in slight suspicion as you placed a kiss on his cheek before going to bed.

#raphael bg3 #raphael the cambion #bg3 raphael #raphael x reader #baldur's gate 3 #raphael bg3 fanfic #bg3

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thebawdybaldurian · 6 months ago

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Halsin/Tav Week Day 6

We got a real nasty one here folks. These have been fun prompts to write and I’m thinking doing a SFW Halsummer week of prompts starting on the Summer Solstice. What would you like to see written about?

Rutting/Heat

Content and Warnings: discussion of birth control, breeding/pregnancy kink, scent kink, masturbation, rutting, predator/prey, cum/urine marking, oral sex, PIV sex, cream pies.

Tav awoke nestled against Halsin, his chest forming a comfortable pillow for her head. She nuzzled against him, kissing his sternum before trailing her lips over to one of his nipples. “Mmmm, I thought you wanted to get an early start?” He said sleepily, sliding his hands down her body after he awoke from her touch.

“This is entirely innocent,” she lied, tonguing and gently sucking on the stiffened nub. She kissed a trail down his stomach, disappearing under the blankets.

“Entirely…innocent,” he moaned as her mouth wrapped around his sleepy cock, quickly awakening it with a few soft sucks. “Clataedre,” he pulled back the coverlet, pushing her hair out of her face. “You could stay if you liked…another day…mmmm…another tenday…or forever.”

She laughed gently, her mouth humming against him as she continued to suck up and down his shaft. He knew she needed her life in the city, but wanted to extend the offer nonetheless, especially since it meant fewer good morning blow jobs. She continued her work until he was panting, begging for her cunt. She happily obliged, straddling him and slipping her chemise over her head. “You just can’t cum in me yet,” she sighed as she slowly mounted him, rocking her hips once she’d fully engulfed him. “I’m not quite sure my moon blood tincture will be fully effective for a few more days.”

“I’ll…uhhhhnnn…tell you when I am close,” he whimpered, already leaking pre-cum inside of her. They were both willing to risk the small chance of another pregnancy from penetrative sex, but Tav wasn’t looking to tempt fate anymore than that.

“I should….ahhh…get going soon,” Tav bounced on top of him, gripping his hands tightly. “And the little ones will be up soon.”

“Please,” Halsin begged for a little longer, ready to stay inside her all morning. “My love.”

“Once we…uhuhhhh…get the portals set up…I can still sneak in here to…do this…whenever I want,” she circled her hips slowly, making him groan in ecstasy.

“Every morning?” He moaned with a smile, squeezing her hands a little tighter.

“Unless you wake me up with your mouth,” she bit her lip, bouncing atop him again.

He’d built them a study bed in his new home in Reithwin, not a single creak emanating from the urgent thrusts of her hips. Only the sound of their breaths filled the bedroom and the quiet moans that escaped their throats. They could hear the babies in the other room babbling, awake but not yet crying for breakfast. Tav sunk down against him, still bucking her hips quickly, but quieting the cry that would soon escape her lips. “I can’t…uhnnnn…pull out easily like this,” he huffed, feeling the intense pressure growing in his balls.

“Do you want to get on top?” she moaned, pressing her clit hard against his pelvic bone.

“Sit on my face…I’ll take care of matters down here…less chance of timing it wrong that way.”

“Any excuse to taste my honey,” she grinned, circling her hips a few more times before slipping him out of her.

“Come here to me,” he happily beckoned, licking his lips hungrily as he began to stroke himself.

She planted herself atop his mouth, leaning against the headboard as his tongue snaked between her lips. “Fuck…I will never get tired of your mouth,” she moaned, letting him sample every inch of her.

He could taste that she was ovulating, wondering if by some small chance one of the few seeds floating in his pre-cum could take root inside her again. She indulged his hunger for breeding her, but he didn’t expect that she would want any more children since the twins were entirely unexpected and the result of one of her previous tinctures being missed. Still, he secretly longed for the swell of her belly to return and an entire grove full of children to raise. She quivered around his face as she came, quieting her cries in the crook of her elbow. He finished himself with an urgent groan, her sex still pressed atop his face, imagining the beauty of her formerly swollen tits and belly.

“Just in time,” she looked down at him with a heavy breath, hearing one of the twins beginning to whine. She carefully climbed off his face and off the bed, leaning back over him to suck up the cum spilled across his stomach. “Might as well not let it go to waste,” she grinned, licking the last off her lips. She was now the mother of his children, but she would always first and foremost, be his wife and passionate lover. Which only made him want her more…intensely more, he thought to himself as she slipped her chemise back on and padded out of the room to get the children up. He sunk back into his pillow for a moment, thumbing the remnants of her honey off his beard and sucking it off his finger. His obsession with her had only grown during the last 8 months of them raising their newborns. Even if he could simply slip through a portal to see her, the thought of living apart from her wrenched his heart.

He finally climbed out of bed and threw on a robe, heading into the kitchen to help with feeding duties. “Da!” Shantarion smiled when Halsin entered the room, always looking for his father when he wasn’t around.

“Open for Ma,” Tav held a spoon to his mouth, but he refused to be fed by anyone other than daddy. “Suit yourself,” she ate the contents and handed Halsin the spoon when he sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“He’s stubborn…just like you,” Halsin grinned, feeding his son a spoonful of mashed fruit and vegetables fresh from the garden.

“But I never refuse I good meal,” she winked at him.

“True,” Halsin nuzzled against her and gave Shan another spoonful of food.

“Dear Gods, Ava,” Tav sighed, as their daughter had more food on her face than in her belly. “If you would stop moving so much, I might get some in there.”

“She’s restless…also like you,” Halsin teased.

“And a pain in my ass like her silver-haired devil of a bfather,” Tav grumbled with a smile.

“You’re sure you won’t miss this?” Halsin smiled, taking over feeding duties for the both of them as Tav cleaned up Avaenua’s face.

“Sleeping in? No dirty diapers? Eating naked over the sink?” Tav laughed. “I can’t wait.”

She rinsed off the towel she’d dabbed Ava’s face with and then retreated back to the bedroom to get dressed so she could begin her journey back to the city. “What do you want for breakfast?” Halsin called, finishing up the jars of food when the kids were full.

“I had a few bites of the kids’ food,” she replied, eager to get on the road.

“Clataedre,” Halsin chastised her, knowing she wouldn’t eat again until she made camp for the night. He put some thick slabs of bacon in a pan and began frying them, setting out a few eggs as well, before taking the kids back into their room to change them.

Tav was just putting a few final things in her pack when he returned to the main room, looking like she was ready to leave. “You’re staying until you finish this,” Halsin cracked the eggs in the pan and seized her by the waist for a kiss. “Even if I have to tie you up to make you stay.”

“Oh?” She purred, biting his lips softly. “But I got plenty of protein this morning.”

“Not nearly enough,” he growled, pulling her back towards the dinning table and sitting her down.

She begrudgingly ate the bacon and eggs, sucking the sweet grease off her thumb when she finished. “Ughhh, now I am too full to move,” she groaned, rubbing her hand across her flat stomach. “That was your plan all along, wasn’t it?”

“Plenty of other ways to make your belly round,” he mewled in her ear, already hungering for her again. He nibbled and sucked on her earlobe, making her moan softly.

“You’re making this much harder,” she gripped a handful of his hair tightly, already on the verge of tears.

“I’m sorry, my heart” he nuzzled against her, his own tears stinging his eyes. “I don’t want you to go. We don’t want you to go.”

“I know,” she sighed, grabbing his hand and giving it a tight squeeze. “We did a test run for a few days and they were fine.”

“What if I’m not fine?” He squeezed her hand harder.

She turned in her chair to look at him, clutching his face in her hands. “We’ve been apart before and this time we have the Hither Thither staff. I’ll just be a portal away…and if something happens with them and they get dispelled, we’re only three days walk, a day and a half if you come in wild shape.”

He let out a long sigh, pulling her in for a tight embrace, letting a few tears slipped down his cheeks. “I love you…more than anything,” he sniffled, taking in a last lungful of her scent.

“I love you too,” she kissed the tears from his cheeks, lingering last on his lips for far too long. “I should say goodbye to the cubs before they fall back asleep,” her words caught in her throat as she wiped away a tear.

They were chewing on teething toys and rolling on the soft mat on the floor, kicking their legs in the air as she entered their nursery. “You two be extra good for daddy,” she sighed as she knelt beside them, kissing their heads and smoothing down their curls. Halsin waited at the door for her, his tears dry, but his face still mournful. He pulled her in for one last kiss before she picked up her pack. “I checked the portal in the cabinet while I was getting dressed,” she sunk against him, resting her chin on his chest. “Once I get home, I’ll open the second one and be in your arms, okay?”

“Alright,” he brushed his finger through her hair. “Be safe. You’re sure you don’t want anyone to come with you? I bet one of the tieflings would be willing. Or I could come with you.”

“I’ll be fine,” she smiled, stealing on last kiss. “You should be here to get the kids settled. I was adventuring alone for years before we met.”

Halsin watched her leave from the front door, knowing he would need to put the kids down for a nap soon. He tried to occupy his time with them, but they still slept so much that he was forced to find new projects to work on. He spent time with the orphans, introducing them to his new cubs and teaching them new games. He dug another plot of land for a winter garden and mended some fences for another resident of the commune. By the time he turned in for bed for the night he was exhausted. Despite his exertion, his trance was troubled, dreaming of Tav and his insatiable need for her.

He awoke stiff and lonely, rolling over to her side of the bed. He pressed his face into her pillow, groaning loudly into the scent of her hair. His hand brushed against something hidden under her pillow and he pulled out a pair of her panties that she’d left for him to discover. “Clataedre!” He growled, pressing them to his nose. They were fresh and from when she had started ovulating, making his cock dribble with need. He began rubbing his hips against the mattress, pressing his cock into it. He needed to rut, he needed to find her and fuck her until he came inside her, leave one last gift to tempt entrance into her womb. He fucked one of his hands urgently, licking all remnants of her honey off the fabric. He made plans in his head of who could watch the children for a few days while he stalked his prey. He spent into the sheets with a unsatisfied grunt, knowing he would not be satiated under he had spilled inside her.

He finished all the morning chores, getting the children fed and changed and onto the floor for some tummy time. He inquired with a few of the midwives and mothers about watching the twins for a few days, which they happily agreed to, pinching their cherub-like cheeks. He set off in the early afternoon in his wild shape, knowing she would have a day and a half head start on him. He kept his nose wide for evidence of her path, finding where she had stopped to relieve herself and rolling in the scent. He found the spot where she’d camped, spilling his seed across the tree she’d pissed against twice, once in the evening and once before she’d left that morning. He curled up in the spot where her bedroll had lain and slept for a few hours, before heading back out into the night to catch up with her.

He found her tent nestled just off the road as the sky was beginning to lighten, tempted to shred through her tent and rut her right there. He needed to wait, to give her tincture a little longer to work, knowing that he was here to erupt inside her. He pissed around her tent instead, marking her as his before retreating into the woods to watch her rise in secret. He heard her awaken an hour later with a quiet groan, but she didn’t immediately emerge from her tent. He heard the shuffling of fabric and then the quiet quickening of her breath. He realized she was touching herself and he could barely contain his excitement. He shifted into the form of a small honey bee, the buzzing of his wings much louder due to the vibration of his very being.

He slipped into the small gap of her tent flap, finding her on her back with several fingers writhing inside herself. He made a beeline for her cunt, wiggling his antennas to pick up the scent of her honey before darting away. She flinched slightly, stopping her movements for a moment to make sure it didn’t return to sting her. “Not for you, silly bee,” she huffed with a smile, closing her eyes and continuing her fuck herself with her fingers. He would taste it soon enough and settled on the wall of the tent to watch her finish. “Nnnnn…fuck…Halsin,” she rubbed hard against her clit, her toes gripping tightly into the bedroll as she came.

The moaning of his name nearly forced him out of his wild shape, using all his willpower to remain in it and not fall on top of her. She lingered a moment in her afterglow, teasing her fingers across her nipples while she caught her breath. She finally got up, leaving a small puddle of honey on her bedroll as she exited the tent to relieve herself and pack up to continue her journey. He flew down to the puddle immediately, sucking up the sweet nectar with his proboscis until he was almost sick from fullness. She nearly crushed him when she returned to roll up her bed, his sluggish wings flying him to safety as she complained about the enduring smell of piss around her.

He retreated back to the woods to shift back, his cock red and aching. He found her fresh puddle of urine and rolled in it once again, jerking himself off like a desperate, hungry animal. He knew that the last of her eggs had dropped and that she would be ripe for him tonight, when he would finally take her.

He rested for a bit and then continued on her path, getting ahead of her by flying above. He began leaving small, innocuous gifts for her to find, all part of his mating ritual. She first found a perfect, shiny apple, dangling right over the road like it had been placed there intentionally, because it had. She had eaten a meager breakfast and he wanted her to keep up her strength. She plucked it from the branch, expertly tied there with an invisible string and gave it a suspicious stiff before biting into its crispy, juicy skin.

Next, her path was blocked and guided to fresh spring and waterfall, where she could get a deep drink of water. She also decided to take a quick dip, having spent two days on the road without a wash. She stripped down naked, making him ache even more and slipped into the cold water with a loud cry. When she dunked under the water to wet her hair, he dove in after her, transforming himself into a fish. He zoomed around her, daring to slip past and leave a gentle suck around one of her stiff nipples, making her flinch again. “What the fuck was that?” She looked around for the culprit, seeing several small salmon nibbling on the bottom of the clear pool and an enormous trout that seemed to be eyeing her hungrily. “Halsin? Is that you?” She grinned, slipping her hand between her legs. “Is this what you want?” She challenged, taking a bold step towards it and sending it scattering. “I guess not,” she frowned, wading out of the pool and onto the bank.

She wrung out her hair, letting the sun warm and dry her, finding her fingers lingering around her clit again. His rut was also her heat cycle and she imagined Halsin’s mouth sucking her clit like that hungry fish. She leaned against a tree, rubbing herself and desperate for her husband. He stood in the middle of the pool, returned to his elven form, dripping wet and aching for her once again. If she turned around, he’d have no choice but to take her right there, otherwise he would have her tonight, as planned. She moaned and whimpered as she rubbed herself to climax, her hips swaying beautifully against her palm. “Ahhhh…Gods,” she cried quietly, digging her fingers into the bark as Halsin sunk into the water again and returned to his fish form.

She went to the water to wash off her hand, the sticky threads of her arousal swirling into the water. He eyed them closely, swimming towards them before one of the salmon sucked them up, believing them to be food. He raged towards the fish that had stolen his meal, shifting into the form of an otter and seizing the creature in his teeth. It was a much more substantial meal but not the one he had wanted. He gnawed on the fish as she got dressed and returned to the path, leaving him alone again to finish his lunch.

His final gift was a hillside of fragrant wild flowers, conjured along her path and the perfect spot for her to camp for the night. He saved one final wild shape to cast and waited patiently until she went to bed. He rarely took the form of a snake, finding the constantly rubbing on his belly to be too stimulating. He slithered into her tent silently, hearing only the quiet breaths of her trance sleep. He wound his way into her pack, finding her dirty panties and writhed around them in them for one last desperate movement before taking her. He snaked his way under her bedroll and chemise, the scaly feel of his belly on her skin making her stir slightly. He flicked his forked tongue hungrily, tasting the scent of her so near to him. He settled himself between her legs before he shifted back to his elven form, the sudden weight and tearing of her chemise waking her up instantly with a scream. “Corellon’s hairless balls!” Tav screamed, nearly punching him in the head in the dark. “I fucking knew it.”

“Hello, my heart,” he grinned widely, planting a gentle kiss on her delta. “Sorry to startle you.”

“Gods damn you,” she cried, clutching a handful of his hair. “What in the Hells are you doing here? Have you been following me all day?”

“I found you this morning…and buzzed in,” he grinned, taking a tentative lick of her honey.

“The bee? Really?” She sighed, spreading her legs a little wider for him.

“The apple, the spring, the fish, the flowers,” he licked after each word.

“So why not…uhhhh…reveal yourself then?” She moaned, gripping his hair tighter. “Or when I was rubbing one out by the waterfall?”

“You know I love the hunt and I wanted to wait as long as possible for your tincture to take effect. I won’t be able to stop myself from coming inside you.”

“Is that right?” She hissed, rocking her hips against his mouth.

“Yes,” he growled, crawling up her body slowly. “I need to fuck you…hard…like never before…root myself inside your womb. You are mine…my mate…forever.”

“Oh Gods,” she wrapped her legs tightly around him, desperate to be absolutely ravaged by him. “Please.”

He kissed her with as much passion as he could give without hurting her, spreading her cunt wide with his fingers to prepare her for the rutting of her life. He whispered softly to her in elven as he warmed her up; life giver, divine mother, honey queen, sacred mate, beloved above all others. He was gentle at first, easing his thick, throbbing cock inside her slowly. But soon enough, he had pressed her legs back to her ears, pinning her under him and mating her like never before. She whimpered and moaned like she was filling a theatre, sending the animals in the area running for the hills. She gripped him tightly, making sure he didn’t let up for second. Each thrust grew his knot to reach its fullest girth, throbbing and aching to be squeezed inside her. It slipped in as she gushed from climax, soaking her bedroll and torn chemise beneath her. He might have truly rooted inside her womb with another child if not for the deluge, as he’d filled her to the brim with his seed and tied tightly inside her with his knot.

They panted and stared into one another’s eyes, more in love with one another than ever before. “Gods, you always make me squirt in that position,” she giggled softly, shifting slightly underneath him as he helped move her legs to a more comfortable position.

“It might be the only thing keeping you from being swollen with my cubs again,” he sighed happily.

“Do you truly want more?” She asked quietly, threading strands of his hair through her fingers.

“I would never ask you to carry any more than you already have,” he replied honestly. “But if I found myself with an entire grove full of our children…I would not be displeased.”

“An entire grove!” She gasped.

“An forest of Silverboughs to heal the land,” he carefully rolled onto his back so she wouldn’t have to bear any of his weight while they were still tied together or lie in the wet puddle of her climax.

“Well, I don’t know about an entire forest,” she smiled, settling against him. “But if you manage to sneak another few past my tinctures…I’ll carry each of your little giants.”

“Thank you,” he kissed the top of her head, gently rubbing her back.

“You know, this is the first time you’ve knotted inside me in this direction,” she grinned up at him. “You usually do it from behind.”

“I much prefer it this way,” he began to massage one of her ears. “Though looking at your face, we might be stuck like this until dawn.”

“I won’t be able to walk,” she laughed, shifting her hips a little.

“I’ll gladly carry you the rest of the way home,” he closed his eyes, prepared to dream about the children that might never be, but would be eternally loved if they were.

#halsin #halsin x tav #halsin silverbough #daddy Halsin #halsintavweek

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artiststarme · 2 years ago

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Strike!

Based on an ask from @lumoschild. I know this isn't quite the prompt you shared but I hope you like it regardless! Please leave your thoughts in the comments below!

~*~*~*~

As soon as Steve woke up, he knew it was going to be a good day. The sunlight was streaming in through the shades of his window and Eddie was laying in his arms lightly snoring with drool dripping from one side of his open mouth. The image should’ve been disgusting, Eddie looked like a disgruntled furball and sounded like a trash compactor with morning breath that threatened to singe his nose hairs. But Steve had never felt so grounded, so sure that something was right. Steve was looking forward to a quiet day cuddling his boyfriend in bed and taking advantage of their first day off of work all week. Nothing could go wrong.

As soon as he had that thought, he mentally kicked himself. He should know better than to tempt the universe by now. After everything that had happened over the years, one would assume that he would refrain from tempting fate. As such, the doorbell rang and shocked both him and Eddie.

Eddie’s snores cut off immediately and he sat up in bed with a hoarse, “who the fuck is that?”

“I don’t know. Stay here, I’ll get rid of them. If it’s the kids, I might literally kill them.” Steve pulled the warm and comfortable covers off his legs and started searching for a pair of jeans. He could only find Eddie’s but he was just going to deal with it, whoever wanted to disturb him at 11 AM on a Saturday didn’t deserve to see him in jeans that weren’t torn to shreds.

Eddie plopped back onto the pillow face first and groaned. “I’ll help. Come back quick.”

Steve chuckled slightly before the doorbell rang again. “Son of a bitch! I’m coming, Jesus Christ.”

He didn’t get a chance to pull on a shirt between the annoyance, feeling tired, and getting distracted by Eddie’s sleepy voice. It was probably some neighbor being nosy or some boy scouts trying to sell popcorn or something. Needless to say, he wasn’t expecting to see Hopper standing outside his door.

“Hey kid, morning! I’ve decided that you’re coming with us for bowling today. Let’s go,” Hopper said without waiting for a reply.

“Wha- um no. Look, I’m flattered but I have plans today. Maybe next time,” Steve said apologetically.

“Steve, you’re coming. I don’t care if I have to kidnap your ass, you’re coming bowling with us whether you like it or not.”

“Hop, what the hell? Why is kidnapping your answer for everything? That’s not normal, you might need to go to therapy or something. Maybe do that instead of bowling,” he shifted to

close the door and escape this conversation but unfortunately, that brought Hopper’s attention to his clavicle.

“Wait a second, Harrington. Are those hickies?” He asked in a puzzled tone.

“Woah hey, that’s quite an accusation! Even if they are, it’s none of your business,” Steve shifted more behind the door to hide his rapidly flushing chest.

“Are they not? I didn’t know you were seeing someone, why didn’t you bring them to the family dinner on Wednesday?”

“Look, I’m uncomfortable with this conversation. Can we please not talk about this?” Steve begged him. Good god, if Hopper tried to give him the sex talk, he might actually die of embarrassment.

“Why are you being secretive? I’m just trying to be involved in your life. Tell me who you’re seeing!”

Eddie chose that moment to climb down the stairs. He appeared behind Steve’s shoulder with a cheeky, “you called?”

Steve thought Hopper might be having a stroke. His eyebrow spasmed as he took in Steve in Eddie’s jeans and Eddie in Steve’s polo. He jerked his eyes back to Steve and bellowed, “Eddie Munson?! You’re seeing Eddie Munson?!”

“Hey! You don’t give this much crap to El and she’s dating Mike Wheeler. Eddie’s a lot better than Mike Wheeler!” Steve defended.

“Munson’s a drug dealer!” Hopper yelled in response.

Eddie and Steve spoke at the same time.

“Allegedly!”

“He’s retired!”

They both looked at each other for a moment. Those were two rather conflicting answers they gave there…

Hopper just sighed, deeply. “Look, the kids really want you to come with us to bowling. Munson can come too, I guess. Go get dressed and no funny business!”

Both boys looked at each other again and shrugged. Hey, it worked for them and it seemed that Hopper was taking this well. So, they both got dressed and brushed their teeth and hair in a hurry. When they got back downstairs, Hopper glared at the two of them.

“Let’s go, we’re on a time limit. I was supposed to be back with you half an hour ago.”

“Well now Eddie is coming too so it’ll be a good surprise. They won’t even notice that you’re late.” Steve told him placatingly.

“Oh, Eddie was a surprise alright,” He muttered and glared at him once again. Steve was right, he was better than Mike Wheeler but not by much.

They met the others at the bowling alley to find them all ready to play with their bowling shoes on and all. Jonathan and Joyce were fiddling with a plate of wings, El was staring hard at her watch, and Will was glancing at Steve and Eddie in confusion. He nudged El who narrowed her eyes upon visage of them.

“You are late. You were supposed to be here at 11:45 but it is 12:15,” she said matter-of-factly.

“Don’t blame me, kid. This is all on Steve.”

“What?! No! I didn’t even know you guys had plans to go bowling today, you kidnapped me again! And Eddie too!” He defended himself.

Joyce smiled over at them when she heard his defensive rants. “Hello boys, are you ready to play?”

“Of course, Mrs. Byers. I brought my A-game and my good luck charm,” he boasted while looking at Steve. Steve blushed in response and he thought he heard Hopper gag at his words.

“Bring it,” Jonathan challenged him.

They had a great time bowling as a family. Eddie did indeed win to the surprise of everyone there. Hopper was boisterous in his claims of cheating and bowling integrity but everyone just laughed it off. Steve tried not to notice El wiping her nose after his turns or Eddie slipping her a few dollars when they were leaving the alley.

After dinner that night, Hopper pulled Steve aside to let him know that he supported him dating Eddie and that he would support him in everything he did. He took news of Steve being bisexual surprisingly well and Steve felt lucky he had a dad like him that would accept him no matter what.

(He did pull Eddie aside later to tell him if he ever saw another hickey on his son, there would be hell to pay. But other than that, he took the news very well.)

Permanent Tag List: @doubleb11 @nburkhardt @zerokrox-blog @newtstabber @i-less-than-three-you @carlyv @pyrohonk @straight4joekeery @trippypancakes @conversesweetheart @estrellami-1 @suddenlyinlove @yikes-a-bee @swimmingbirdrunningrock @perseus-notjackson @anaibis @merricatty @maya-custodios-dionach @grtwdsmwhr @manda-panda-monium @lumoschild @goodolefashionedloverboi @mentallyundone @awkwardgravity1 @anzelsilver @jestyzesty @gregre369 @mysticcrownshipper @disasterlia @lillys-weird-world @messrs-weasley @gay-stranger-things

#my go to for Hopper and Steve is kidnapping #what works works #Hopper accidentally outs them to the rest of the party by being too supportive #mainly just telling people that Eddie is way better than Mike and at least one of his kids can see sense #stranger things #steddie #fanfic #fluff #steve harrington #eddie munson #chief hopper #joyce byers #mike wheeler #will byers #eleven hopper

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prince-rowan-of-the-forest · 2 months ago

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Where the Wild Wildflowers Grow

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Roman and Remus Crowfeather had been borrowing in the witch's house since before they could remember. With no parents or others of their kind they were alone, which was fine because they had each other. They looked after each other, they didn’t need anyone else.

And of course, that was when a rather annoying brownie fae who went by Vee (and nothing more, supposedly) came into their life. Another tiny resident in the house was certainly an adjustment to the twins, and despite the brownie’s friendship with the bean who owned the house, they were able to remain hidden.

That was until, one fateful day, an exiled leafman arrived at their door seeking shelter and safety. The twins had never met someone like Janus before, but he had sustained injuries they couldn’t heal and bore a curse they couldn’t break - even with Vee’s help. So in the end they have to break the one law they knew of their people and turn to Patton and his partner for help. Luckily for them, the witch isn’t exactly the squishing type.

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| Ao3 |

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Warnings: injuries.

Pairings: Roceit, background Logicality

Word Count: 9326

Notes:

Hello everyone!!!! This is my fic for the @sandersidesbigbang !!!!

I'm so excited about sharing this one with you guys! It's a very cute little fic about little tiny borrower guys :3

Huge thanks to my beta reader

@edupunkn00b

And of course a HUGE thank you to the wonderful artists who worked on this with me: @nonsensicalollie and @glacierruler ! You guys should absolutely go and check out their works!! (I'll update these links to go directly to their works once they've posted!)

Please leave a reblog and a comment if you enjoyed this fic! I'd really appreciate it <3

----

“You can’t go out in that,” Remus said, looking him over and putting his hands on his hips. Roman gasped.

“You of all people can’t tell me I can’t go out in this,” Roman said, glaring at him as he tugged on the cut of red fabric he had fashioned into a cape, longer on one side. He personally thought it was really pretty, and he’d spent ages in front of the shard of smashed mirror he had managed to retrieve a few weeks ago getting it perfect, and now Remus was telling him he couldn’t wear it?

Remus huffed, glaring at him, “You can wear it, but you’ll fall straight on your face as soon as we go out, you know that right?”

“No, I won’t,” Roman protested, crossing his arms, his tail swishing behind him in annoyance.

“Suit yourself,” Remus shrugged. “We’re just after food today,”

“Nothing fun?” Roman asked, hopping up onto the little ladder they had built and scrambling up to peek his head out of the little mouse hole they used to check the hallway - the easiest way to check whether the bean was home, since his shoes were there. “I think we’re good,” he said - the bean’s favourite pair of shoes were gone, which meant he was probably out-out and not just in the garden - there had been a few close calls with that before.

“Okay - I mean hey, if we find anything fun we can go for it,” Remus shrugged, before tugging Roman off to the network of ladders and tunnels they had built in the walls to head towards the kitchen. Roman itched to check out the casting room - but he knew it would probably be a bad idea when they were just after food. Still… It was so tempting as they ran past the vent that led to the bean’s casting room - where he did all of his awesome witchy magic and kept his most fun little trinkets and knick knacks. Roman thought they were quite lucky to borrow from a witch, there were so many little things they were able to take - they could’ve gotten a lot less lucky, at least. Not only that - but from what Roman had seen the bean seemed quite kind - enough that Roman thought he might have a chance at talking his way out of being squished if he was found.

He didn’t want to risk it though.

As he cast his eyes over the room he noticed something odd - that wasn’t usually there, was it? He wasn’t sure why it was there, or what it was. Maybe Remus would be interested.

“Hey Ree - look at that,” He says, grabbing Remus’ tail to stop him before pointing through the vent, Remus sighed.

“Kitchen first, and then whatever you’ve seen, ‘kay?” he said, giving Roman a look. Roman pouted - usually Remus was so much more open to fun stuff - but followed anyway.

The kitchen was full of good spoils today. They had managed to get into one of the cupboards and now Roman’s bag was filled with whatever he could fit, Remus’ pack was equally filled with snacks before he was urging them to go back. As Roman ran across the counter back to their opening in the wall, something caught under his foot and he fell, landing straight on his face. Remus turned back to him with a smug look, because he had in fact just tripped over his cape.

“What’d I tell ya?” Remus said, crossing his arms and looking down at him. Roman huffed.

“That if I wore the cape I’d fall,” He said.

“Straight on your face, yup, and what happened?”

“....I tripped and fell on my face,” He said, upset.

“Mhmmm,” Remus said, “Come on, up you get, we can’t hang around and you wanted to check out the magic room, remember?”

Roman grumbled and whined but finally stood up, brushing himself off and collecting the crumbs that had fallen from his bag when he fell before hopping back up the stack of books into the plant pot that they could use to climb back into the secret gap in the walls. Quickly they made their way back through the tunnels to the magic room.

The room itself was always a bit of a mess. The bean lived in what seemed to be organised chaos, with jars and pots of things all over the place, bowls of crystals,jars of sea glass, jewellery, trinkets, bits and bobs of all shapes and sizes. They had an altar set up at the back of the room, and Roman knew that they used it often to talk to deities and do all sorts of things he didn’t understand. He passed a lot of time watching the bean go about their bean things, Remus didn’t approve of it, but he never got caught.

Next to the altar was a large plate that Roman had never seen before. On top of it sat a small pot of honey - small enough that he and Remus could easily lift it together and enjoy it for days - a bowl of what looked like milk or maybe cream and a bunch of fruits and nuts and berries - it looked practically like a feast to Roman.

“Look,” he said, pulling his brother down to his level so he could see too, “Over there, by the candles, you see that plate?”

“Oh - oooh yeah,” Remus said, eyes widening a little, “That could feed us for a week!”

“Going for it would be dangerous,” Roman pointed out - Remus hummed.

“Yeah… and it’s in the magic room - that’s…. It could be meant for someone else.”

“Someone else? But we’re the only ones that tiny here!” Roman protested, who else could the little plate possibly be meant for. “Maybe the bean figured out there were little people here and wanted to leave stuff for us?”

“A bean wouldn’t do that,” Remus rolled his eyes, “They want to kill us, remember? Squish us like all of the little bugs they find.”

“The spiders? I think they’re just scared of spiders,” Roman pointed out, “But we’re not spiders, or bugs.”

“Hm - you wanna be squished like a bug? With all your insides and everything?” Remus asked, raising an eyebrow and making Roman wince.

“Well - no - but they’re out right now, and you said it yourself, this could feed us for a week!” Roman said, excited, “Is it not worth the risk?”

“Well… yeah, let's go for it,” Remus grinned, going to push open the vent only for Roman to scream as something grabbed them both by the backs of their shirts - hoisting them off the ground. Roman shrieked.

“What are you two up to?” Said what looked to be a very disgruntled fae, holding the two of them up to eye level - the creature was bigger than them, maybe a little under twice Roman’s height. Roman thought they resembled a squirrel, with large ears and little whiskers, plus a large bushy tail curled around his legs with fluffy dark brown fur - Roman squirmed, trying to get free. It seemed Remus was trying to do the same.

“We were just - looking -” Roman said quickly. The fae raised an eyebrow, Roman smiled awkwardly.

“At?”

“The plate of berries and honey on the table -” Roman admitted - he was pretty sure he’d heard somewhere that it was a bad idea to lie to fae, though Remus gave him a look like he’d just doomed both of them, so he wondered if it would be a better idea to have just shut up.

“Those are for me,” the fae said, frowning at the two of them, “Not you.”

“How do you know?” Remus challenged.

“They’re offerings, is that not obvious?”

“Well we’re the ones who live in this house!” Roman said, “How were we to know they weren’t for us to borrow?”

The fae huffed, seeming annoyed - at least that’s what Roman thought the flick of their tail meant, “The two of you aren’t the only folk who live here,”

“Well we’ve never seen you here before,” Roman said, Remus gave him a look which very clearly told him to shut up, but he’s pretty sure he had dug his own grave at this point already, why not keep digging?

“Just because you’ve never seen me doesn’t mean I wasn’t there, but I’ve only been here a few weeks, that’s why,” The fae rolled their eyes, “House magic keeps us concealed when we don’t want to be seen, you two on the other hand, are really loud .”

Roman huffed, turning his nose up, “Well we don’t have the help of some fancy magic.”

“You could at least keep your voices down,” the fae argued.

“The bean can’t hear us, that’s all that matters,” Roman huffed.

They went back and forth for about five minutes before Remus butted in.

“So this is a great argument and all but like - can you put us down?” Remus said, “As much as I’d love for you to rip my shirt-”

“Shut up,” Roman said, before he could get any further with that sentence. The Fae looked unamused, but put them down anyway. With no care or grace, but at least Roman stood on his own two feet again.

Once he had recovered from being hoisted into the air, Roman looked up at the creature in front of them, who stood with their arms crossed looking just a little menacing, “So… what’s your deal, anyway? Are you some sort of house spirit?”

“I’m a brownie ,” they corrected them gruffly, speaking like it was obvious. Roman honestly might’ve preferred being eye level, they were so much more intimidating looking down on them like this.

“Like the food?” Remus asked, tilting his head.

“What? No - obviously not, do I look like a cake to you?” they spread their arms, Roman tried so hard not to giggle, he failed.

“Well no, that’s why I had to ask,” Remus said, crossing his arms, “So what’s a brownie then?”

“A type of faerie who guards and looks after a house in return for offerings, which you two were about to steal-”

“Borrow,” Roman quipped, the brownie just gave him a look. Roman decided to shut up pretty quickly after that.

“-though my relationship with the humans who occupy this house is a little abnormal for a brownie.” they finished with an irritated look in Roman’s direction.

“We won’t take the offering,” Remus said eventually, after some consideration, “We didn’t know what it was, honest.”

“Are the two of you really that naive?” they asked, Roman shrugged.

“We’ve never really left the house before…” he admitted.

“...And we don’t get close enough to the bean to hear his ramblings either so - yeah, kinda.” Remus finished.

The brownie seemed to hesitate then, before sighing, “Wow, okay, guess you two really are stupid-”

“Hey!”

“- I was going to say I can help you, but… well after how rude the two of you have been, I’m having second thoughts.”

“You’re the one who hoisted us into the air,” Roman said, “Besides, what did you mean when you said your relationship with the bean was ‘abnormal’ anyway?” Maybe he shouldn’t have mocked the faerie’s voice when quoting him, but he’d already done it now.

The brownie sighed, “My apologies,” He said, though he didn’t sound apologetic at all, “That is none of your business.”

“Hey! This is our house!” Remus said, “We’ve been here our entire lives! You owe us answers.”

“I owe you nothing,” The faerie hissed, Roman elbowed Remus harshly.

“Shut up ,” Roman whispered, “Debts and stuff are a big deal to fae! Nothing’s actually been done to incur a debt from any of us!”

“You would do well to listen to your brother, little borrower,” The brownie said, still looking vaguely upset about the idea that they owed the two of them anything. Roman was glad Remus listened to him and backed off for once.

Even then, though, Remus turned on him, “How the hell do you know that?” He asked. Roman sighed, hand coming up to rub his cheek.

“I… eavesdrop on the bean’s conversations with his partner sometimes,” He admitted.

“You what? ”

“I make sure they can't see me! I stay safe and everything it’s just - interesting.”

“The ‘bean’ - as you refer to him - is quite unlike others,” the brownie said, deciding to sit down in the vent passage, Roman sat too - because he found the faerie being shorter than him was even more disconcerting than them being taller.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that even if the two of you were discovered, I doubt you would be in danger.”

“Well thanks, but I’d rather not take chances with my brother,” Remus said, giving a glare to the fae before grabbing Roman’s arm and pulling him back up to stand.

Roman protested, stumbling a little before looking back at the fae - who was watching with a raised eyebrow.

“Come on Ro - I don’t trust this guy one bit.”

“Rude,” the fae said, Roman tensed before sighing and shaking Remus’ hand off of his arm.

“What’s your name?” He asked, before doubling back, “Wait - I can’t ask that, right? Fae have a thing about names - uh - do you have something I can call you?”

Luckily for them both, the faerie only seemed to look amused by that display, “You can call me Vee, but that’s all you’re getting.”

“Oh wonderful! That’s a lovely name,” Roman said, grinning.

“It’s literally a letter,” Remus deadpanned, “You can call me Crow, if you have to.”

“And you can call me Feather,” Roman said, delighted by the prospect of this faerie being a potential new friend.

—-

Vee quickly became a regular in their lives. To Roman, it started to feel almost like having a very sneaky older sibling. The brownie’s magic was odd. It allowed them to freely travel throughout the house without using their tunnels and passages, some of which would be too tight of a squeeze for them. It allowed them to pass through walls and get into places that were locked, they were able to open things far too big for them and close them the same way, it allowed them to make no noise at all unless they wanted to be heard.

After the three of them got over the initial territory issues that came from sharing their spaces with each other, Vee became a staple in their life. Roman didn’t know how they had borrowed before, without the call outs and warnings from the brownie, without being let know when it was safe to come out. Vee would often open cupboards for them, or help them get up somewhere their ropes wouldn’t reach, sometimes they would even help out with their borrowing, finding useful things for them to take, though they would never take them themself.

Even more intriguing - to Roman at least - was the fact that the bean knew that Vee was there. Obviously he knew this from the offerings that seemed to pop up every few days. When Vee was feeling generous they’d even give the two of them a few berries or fruit slices from the plate, on special occasions they would let the twins dip theirs in the honey before Vee took it. Roman didn’t know where Vee took the honey - but they definitely didn’t drink it in the house. Honey didn’t affect borrowers like it affected fae, but Roman had never seen Vee drunk, so he must’ve taken it out of the house to drink somewhere.

Outside of that, though, Roman had occasionally spotted Vee interacting with the bean face to face. It was rare that it happened, and even rarer that Roman was there to notice (Vee preferred to keep to themself, in Roman’s observations). Every time he saw Vee talking to the bean, though, he had always felt terribly anxious, but it always seemed to end well. Roman didn’t know what it was, but the bean seemed to like - or maybe just respect? Vee. Was it because they were fae? Roman had no idea. That was probably the abnormal relationship they had mentioned the first time they had met.

It had been a few months since the twins had met Vee and quickly they had settled into a new routine. Despite Remus’ suspicions, having the faerie around had benefited them both greatly, they had all the food they could want, they had been able to expand their little home, they now had separate bedrooms (they loved each other, but the bunk bed they had made years ago out of lollipop sticks and cotton wool had been getting old anyway). Their home had been very cramped before, and now Roman had his own space to build and sew and decorate in. that didn’t get in Remus’ way so much. Roman felt they owed a lot to their fae friend, but Vee had insisted that their debt had been paid simply by welcoming him into their home and befriending him as they had. It seemed that to Vee that was a good deed in of itself.

That didn’t feel like enough, though, so when his pants snagged on a loose nail in a passage one day Roman offered to fix them up, and when he got stuck in a tunnel that was just a little too small for him Remus clawed at the edges until he was able to get free. They helped each other, whenever they needed it, and by the time a year had passed, Roman felt like the two of them had an older sibling. It was nice, in a way, even if Vee wasn’t blood - he wasn’t even a borrower - to have family.

Life was perfect, Roman thought, he couldn’t wish for anything more.

And of course that’s the moment where something more flies - or more like crash lands - into your life and changes everything.

—-

It happened so fast Roman barely remembered it. One moment Vee was giving him a boost so he could snag some berries from the fruit bowl. Next, the window in the kitchen smashed, making Roman scream and Vee subsequently dropped him onto the counter. Luckily he was fine - he’d managed to stick the landing - but what the hell?

“What in the great blazes was that?” Remus asked, sounding just as bewildered as Roman felt.

“Maybe someone threw a rock?” Roman says, staring at the shattered window in shock.

“I don’t think so… I don’t see a rock - wait,” Vee said, hopping down from the counter and running across to the opposite one, nimbly picking their way across the counter where shards of broken glass were littered towards something else in the mess that glittered. Roman couldn’t see well enough to tell what it was until Vee lifted something - or rather some one - out of the glass.

They were unconscious, and clearly injured. Once Virgil got them back to the twins so that they could get a closer look Roman could see much more clearly that part of their face was bubbling angrily with some kind of… Roman could only think to describe it as rot. Their eyes were closed, their skin was a golden brown and their hair was done up elegantly with the tiniest petal crown, but it was a beautiful blond that seemed almost iridescent. The wings, too, iridescent dragonfly wings that shimmered in a rainbow of colours whenever they were moved. One of the wings was broken.

Roman was… quite enthralled. This person (Pixie? Leafman? Bugfolk? Roman had no idea). Enthralled enough that Remus had to elbow him in the ribs to bring his mind back to the current situation.

“Oh- uh - goodness - he looks hurt - we should - a bed, maybe, and some bandages?” Roman said, looking at Remus, who rolled his eyes and sighed.

“We don’t know what this guy’s deal is, he could be staging all of this just to jump up and murder us with his magical powers later,” Remus said, staring judgmentally at the poor thing in Vee’s arms. Vee sighed.

“He looks to be a leafman,” they said, looking at the two of them, “A protector of the forest - I - couldn’t possibly tell you what he’s doing here in this state, but he’s probably looking for help.”

“What happened to his face?” Remus asked, reaching to poke at it before Roman slapped his hand away.

Remus pouted and Roman sighed, “Don’t just touch strangers -”

“Vee’s touching him.”

“Yeah, because he’s gotta be carried by someone,” He rolled his eyes, “Don’t touch strangers unnecessarily , and it looks painful, I don’t want to hurt him more.”

“And it’s not that you don’t want me to touch the injured unconscious guy you were just making goo-goo eyes at because you like him, huh?” Remus said, earning a shove.

“Stop fighting,” Vee said, frowning at the two of them, “Do you have room in your home for him? He needs somewhere to rest.”

Roman nodded quickly, “He can take my bed - I’ll sleep on the couch until he wakes up.”

With a roll of his eyes but nothing more, Remus turned and waved for them to follow. The three of them quickly made their way back through the tunnels back to the twin’s little home in the walls. When they arrived Roman rushed into his ‘room’ (clambering up a few steps built using old matchboxes) and pulling aside a curtain of fabric into the little cubby. He adjusted his mirror shard where it leant up against the wall since he had bumped into it in his hurry and quickly made his bed more neat, pulling back the sheet so that Vee could follow him in (he had to duck to fit) and gently place the other down on the bed. He shifted in his sleep, making a soft pained sound as the wound on his face rubbed against the pillow. Roman ever so carefully crept forward and adjusted him so he would be more comfortable and pulled the sheet up to tuck him in. Taking a deep breath, Roman turned to the other two.

“Okay, okay, out,” he said, shooing the both of them with his hands, “Into the living room, we shouldn’t crowd him, let him rest.”

“Yeah, yeah. Alright, bossy,” Remus huffed even as he backed out of Roman’s room and went over to flop onto the couch they had made out of soft fabric and wool scraps. Vee followed and finally Roman, with a second glance back at the sleeping leafman, pulled the curtain closed again and went to sit with Remus on their sofa.

—-

“What do you think happened to him?” Roman asked softly, Remus groaned.

“For like, the fifth time, neither of us have got a clue,” He huffed, “You’re gonna have to wait ‘till he wakes up and hopefully doesn’t try and kill us, which, by the way, is probably what’ll happen when he wakes up and thinks he’s been fucking kidnapped-”

“We can just explain-”

“ Especially considering the fact that he seems to have enough strength to break a window even though he’s tiny !”

“Again,” Vee said, interrupting the brewing argument with their stupid reason as they always seemed to be able to, “He’s a leafman , which means he’s strong, and he was probably flying pretty damn fast to break that window - even with a broken wing - which is impressive - but he’s also injured, he’s probably not gonna want to fight if he can help it.”

Remus sighed, “Fine, fine, but if he attacks you guys I’m running.”

“Both of us know you wouldn’t do that,” Roman rolled his eyes, Remus just huffed and crossed his arms, sinking into the sofa and not saying anything else.

—-

It was hours until something happened. Vee had disappeared back to wherever he disappeared to, with a request to call for him if something happened. Remus had gone to bed, which was understandable considering it was late - so it was only Roman left in the living room. He might’ve been nodding off if it weren’t for the fact that this man was currently occupying his every thought. He really hoped he was okay.

But just as he was starting to nod off for real, the curtain was pulled open and his eyes shot up to meet those of the stranger’s - well, the one he could open, at least. His eye was green, such a bright, vibrant green, like a luscious plant in the height of summer. It was also a little reflective, Roman noticed as he turned his head to look at him, a little like a cat’s, glittering in the fairylights they had strung up around the rooms.

“Hi,” Roman said softly - maybe not the best thing to lead with, the stranger looked surprised, but a small smirk crossed his face before he flinched at the pain that expression must have caused.

“Hello,” He said, very obviously trying hard to move his lips as little as possible, but Roman thought his voice was beautiful, “Could you tell me where I am?”

Roman immediately snapped out of his thoughts, even shaking his head a little, “This is our home, mine and my brother’s - he’s sleeping right now,” He explained, “Uh - in the wider world, we’re in the home of the witch bean, I think his name is Patton - but don’t take my word on that - me and my brother are borrowers.”

“....I don’t see,” He said, before huffing, “Yes.”

Roman frowned, because that was a little weird, but he persisted anyway, “Our friend - well, I kinda see them as an older brother but they’re not actually related us, it’s pretty complicated - anyway - our friend is a brownie and they’re the one who brought you in here after you broke the window - oh! Do you remember that?”

“Oh yes, totally remember -that,” He said, before sighing, Roman tilted his head at the sarcasm.

“Um… okay,” He said, “Well - you smashed the bean’s kitchen window, and we found you unconscious and hurt so we brought you in here to rest.”

“Wow-” He said, “I knew I was capable of that.”

“...right?” Roman didn’t know what was up with this guy - he seemed nice enough, he just spoke… strangely, “Are you okay? I mean - do you feel okay?”

“Well my face is totally fine, and my wing doesn’t hurt at all?” he said, before groaning, tugging at his hair, “I’m not sorry - fuck- I’m not sorry.”

“Okay okay - I get it!” he said, raising his hands.

“No - no- not - I meant that - no - I’m lying on purpose right now - oh my god ,” He wrung his hands, starting to seem more and more frustrated by the moment, Roman stared, not even sure how to interpret any of this, “I’m totally trying to lie right now.”

“Hey, woah,” Roman said, standing up and walking over to him, his tail swished anxiously behind him as he got closer, holding up his hands, “Take a deep breath, okay? Are you - are you being forced to lie?”

“No,” He said, but he practically melted in relief, Roman smiled - pretty sure that meant that he'd gotten this right.

“Gotcha, so, have you always been like this?”

“Yes,”

“Okay… is it a spell? Will it wear off?”

“I- It will wear off, it’s definitely not a curse.” He said, frowning a little, Roman nodded.

“I don’t know much about curses… we can see what Vee knows later, if there’s a way to undo it,” Roman said, the stranger looked up, a glimmer of hope in his eye, “For now - what’s your name? I’m Roman!” he offered his hand to shake with a bright smile, the stranger hesitated before reaching to shake it.

“My name is not Janus,” he said, Roman grinned.

“What a lovely name not to have,” He chuckles, “It’s nice to meet you, Janus - oh! Would you like me to bandage your face?”

“Definitely not, my face is completely fine, it definitely won’t keep getting worse -” He said. That was… worrying, they’d have to talk to Vee about it tomorrow, see what he could do.

For now, all Roman could do was bandage it up, “Okay, come with me… we’ve got some things that might help just through here.”

Quickly he led Janus to the room of sorts that they used as a storage space for the bigger things they had borrowed. They had a jar - the smallest they could find, which was still up to Roman’s waist - of a sort of healing salve the witch had made. It had originally been for Vee, but they kept it here because all three of them knew the twins got in far more scrapes than Vee ever would, and besides, the three of them used this place as a sort of home base anyway. He grabbed some thread scissors and got to cutting some bandage from a roll they had borrowed - it was far too big for any of them to use in a way that was actually beneficial (though Roman had tried to make clothes out of it, it worked, but the texture wasn’t great), so he had to cut it down to size.

“Here, sit,” Roman said, pulling out a little stool fashioned from a bottle cap and gesturing for Janus to sit down, “I’m going to put some of this on it, okay? It might sting a little.”

“I’m not okay with that,” He said, whilst folding his hands in his lap and closing his eyes, leaning forward a little to make things easier. Roman marvelled at the trust Janus was putting in him for a moment, but he supposed this guy didn’t have much of a better option if this stuff on his face was going to get worse if it was left alone.

—-

“So… you can’t tell the truth?” Vee asked, glaring down at the other faerie creature in the room, “How odd.”

“He told me it’s a curse,” Roman said, looking between Janus and Vee, both of whom looked disgruntled. After Roman had given him those bandages the night before they’d both gone to bed, agreeing that it would be easier to get the others involved in the morning.

“Oh great, a curse,” Remus rolled his eyes, “Because we totally know how to fix that.”

“You do?” Virgil asked, looking at him in confusion, “I thought you two didn’t know magic.”

“We don’t, I was being sarcastic, dumbass.” Remus said, folding his arms, “But seriosuly - we gotta do something about your face, Mr. Glitter Sparkle, because that shit looks worse than it did yesterday.”

“No, it doesn’t, and I totally didn’t notice that,” Janus huffed, bringing his hand up to his face only to wince away.

“Don’t touch it !” Roman huffed, grabbing his hand and pulling it away, “You’ll hurt yourself - it might get infected!.”

“I’m totally fine,” Janus said, frowning, “And it’s not rot - and it’s definitely not gonna keep spreading until we find a way to reverse it.”

“And how in the blazes are we going to do that?” Roman asked, looking around at the other two. Remus face palmed and Vee groaned.

“I can… try some stuff, both for the curse and the rot, but I’ve got no clue if any of it’ll work, so just - don’t get your hopes up, okay?”

—

Whatever Virgil tried, it didn’t work.

He tried pretty much every spell he knew, every piece of magic he was able to perform, but nothing would lift the curse. The rot had been slowed down just a little by the bandages and the salve, but it wouldn’t last forever and Roman was growing more and more worried by the day - and more and more fond of Janus too.

“I know I don’t know you all that well,” Roman said softly one day as the two of them sat side-by-side on their little sofa, “But I… feel a large amount of fear when I think of what might happen to you if we can’t fix this.”

“Well - I totally don’t feel the same way, I have no regard for whether I get through this,” Janus said glumly. His wing was a whole other story, “But at least that magic salve of yours hasn’t bought us time.”

Roman hummed and nodded, leaning back on the sofa and sighing, his tail twitched anxiously by his feet. A few moments later, he shot up with an idea, startling Janus.

“Sorry - I had an idea,” Roman said, grinning. Janus just raised an eyebrow and tilted his head, “I… fear neither you nor Remus will like it all that much…”

—

“You want to reveal us ?” Remus practically screeched, making both Janus and Vee flinch, “Have I not - have we not - have I not told you the thing about the squishing and the guts enough times?”

“Ree please-” Roman said, trying to stay calm, “Look - nothing we’ve done so far is helping him,” he gestures to Janus, “ Except the salve that the bean gave Vee, so - so if that helps, maybe we’ll be able to convince him to give us more potent stuff? Or maybe he’ll even know the cure-”

“Squished! Like a bug! Do you want to know what it feels like when a fly gets swatted? Because I sure as hell don't!” Remus yelled.

“The witch wouldn’t do that,” Vee cut in, crossing their arms, “I would protect you guys, first off, and he wouldn’t anyway - the witch is incredibly kind to almost all creatures.”

“How would we even - communicate with it?” Janus asked, frowning.

“How -? I mean, we talk?” Roman said, rolling his eyes like that was obvious, Janus frowned.

“I realised it would be that easy,” Janus said, “Does it not speak another language?”

Shrugging, Roman shook his head, “No - I mean, I’ve always been able to understand him when he speaks to his bean friends when they’re here - sometimes he speaks in some other language when he does magic but I don’t think we’ll have trouble talking to him-”

“If you don’t mind being squished.” Remus interrupted. Roman groaned.

“If you don’t wanna go you can stay here and try and think up some other way to help Janus,” Roman said, glaring at his older brother. Remus grumbled for a second.

“Fine,” Remus said, “We’ll go along with your stupid plan, that way at least if he tries to squash us I’ll be there to say ‘I told you so’.”

Roman rolled his eyes, but still, with Remus’ approval, he turned to Janus and offered his arms. Realising seconds later that he had just offered to carry the leafman, Roman found a blush overtaking his face - even more so when Janus took the offer. Roman understood - the rot had been making him more and more tired as the days went by, it was now covering half of his face almost entirely and spreading down his neck. It seemed to be sapping his energy more and more the longer they left it. Carrying him would get them where they needed to go quickly, it was purely practical. Though, Roman’s face did heat up a little as the faerie snuggled into his arms.

“Alright lovebirds, if we’re gonna do this stupid plan then lets go,” Remus said as he marched out of the door.

—

Being the only one here who had actually interacted with the bean before, Vee went up first.

The plan was to have Vee explain the situation and introduce them, and if the bean reacted well the other three would come out too. Roman could feel a tightness in his chest as they crouched behind a bowl, just barely peeking over the top. The bean was sitting at his desk, working on some kind of writing with a large raven feather quill in hand, with which he was tapping his chin. The three of them watched Vee scurry across the floor of the casting room and deftly hop up onto the desk. Despite knowing that the bean already knew Vee, Roman felt his heart skip a beat as the brownie caught the bean’s attention. He put down his quill and smiled, turning to face him. Roman had to strain to hear their conversation, but luckily the room was quiet.

“Hey kiddo!” Said the bean, who was loud and hardly difficult to hear at all, Remus had to bite back a giggle at the look on Vee’s face at the address, “How’re you doing? You don’t usually come out like this? Everything okay?”

The bean’s immediate concern had Roman relaxing just a little bit. The bean wouldn’t squish him - he didn’t even think that in the first place, but it was still a bit of a worry - his clear concern for Vee settled that worry a little bit.

“Actually -” Vee started, taking a deep breath, Roman could see the way he was stood up straight, the way his tail was bushed up, he was clearly nervous, maybe the bean had picked up on it too, “I - kind of - need your help, with something… um- consider it in return for a favour.”

Both Roman and the bean seemed to share in their surprise. He shared a look with Janus, who had a similar look on his face - favours were a big deal to fae, taking something without knowing what you may have to give in return. Fae wouldn’t offer favours unless the situation was dire, the bean seemed to recognise that too.

“...Of course, kiddo, what’s going on?”

The explanation of the situation was lengthy, starting with Roman and Remus’ residence in Patton’s house, which he really didn’t seem all that surprised by, and ended with Janus and his curse. The last point of his explanation did seem to surprise him, but after a moment’s consideration he asked if he could meet them and Vee waved them over. That was their cue.

Roman adjusted his hold on Janus before hopping down from the table on which they stood and making his way over. He turned back and rolled his eyes when Remus didn’t follow. Groaning, Remus gave in and hopped down after him. The bean watched them in what looked like awe as Roman tossed a rope up to Vee - who began to hoist him up until he was standing on the desk in front of the bean. Roman had done his fair share of watching and eavesdropping, but the bean looked so much bigger up close, with fluffy golden hair decorated with a little band of crystals on string. Delicate looking - or as delicate looking as something so massive could be - silver rimmed glasses perched on his nose and he could imagine that his rounded face would be inviting if Roman wasn’t so tiny in comparison. He was a giant - and that only became more clear the closer he got.

“Woah!” he said, “Hello there.”

“Hello,” Roman said, eyes flicking between Vee and the bean just as Remus pulled himself up onto the desk using the fishhook he kept on his belt to use as a grapple.

“If you squish us, bean, I’m gonna ruin your life from beyond the grave,” Was the first thing Remus said upon standing up.

“...Okay well, good thing I’m not gonna squish you then, huh?” He chuckled awkwardly, “Yuu can call me Patton! It’s nice to finally meet you two!”

“Finally-?” Roman asked, frowning, that made it sound like…

“Oh! I’ve known there were borrowers in my house for years now,” He waved his hand, making Roman shift his stance so as not to be blown over. At least the bean - Patton - looked somewhat apologetic for it.

“You - you have?” Roman squeaked.

“How?” Remus yelled, crossing his arms.

“Well - the two of you aren’t exactly quiet,” Patton said gently, “And… not exactly tidy either - it wasn’t hard to figure out - now, who’s your friend here?”

“This is Janus,” Roman said, carefully setting Janus onto his own feet. “He’s a leafman - I think that’s what Vee called him anyway - um, he’s cursed.”

Janus nodded, before giving a small wave and a smile - as best he could with the rot on his face at least.

“Cursed?” Patton looked at the four of them, “I guess that’s what you need my help with, huh?”

“And definitely not this too,” Janus said, gesturing to the side of his face almost encased in rot now.

“He can only speak in lies,” Roman cut in when Patton looked confused, “That’s the curse - but we’ve all tried everything we know - even that healing salve you gave Vee that one time - but we can't fix either, and his wing is broken too - can- is there anything you can do?”

“I’m… not sure,” Patton said softly, “I’ve never treated rot before, but I’ll try my best, don’t you worry! And I know someone who can put your wing right as rain, kiddo, so don’t worry ‘bout that until we get this sorted.”

Janus nodded slowly, “I trust you - but I don’t want this stupid horrible rot gone, so I don’t want you to do what you can.”

His words seemed to take a moment to process, but Patton seemed to figure it out eventually and nodded quickly, “Got it! Okay - you three make him comfortable over here, I’m going to go grab some supplies.”

"And you say we're loud," Roman mumbled as Patton got up and moved around the room, bumping into multiple objects and pieces of furniture on the way and making all sorts of noise. Vee just gave him a gentle shove in retaliation for the jab and Roman smiled, "Okay, make this place comfortable he said, we can do that, right?"

Remus just shrugged and rolled his eyes, plopping down with his back to a tissue box. Roman huffed - Remus had always been stubborn - and looked around. The tissues from the box caught his attention and he grabbed a few of those, bundling them up, maybe he could use them to make a seat… he ran over to the stationary pot and grabbed an eraser, and then pried open one of the little storage containers on Patton's desk that contained an unorganised jumble of sewing materials. He grabbed a couple of fabric scraps and wrapped them around the eraser, stuffing the gap with tissue before grabbing a wad of sticky notes that was almost as tall as him to use as the back of the makeshift seat, repeating the same process before leaning it up against the tissue box. He picked Janus up again and placed him down on the seat with a grin, "How's that?" He asked, placing his hands on his hips.

"Absolutely terrible," Janus said, just making Roman's grin widen as he sat down next to him. The seat was only really big enough for two.

"Wow…" came a soft voice from above and Roman looked up to see Patton watching them with surprise, "That was-"

"I'm sorry!" Roman squeaked, "If I went overboard - you just said to get comfortable so I-"

"No, no hey! This is amazing!" Patton said, "I never would've thought to make a chair like that, you're very creative."

"Well- we kind of have to be when there's no furniture made for our size," Roman pointed out a little sheepishly.

"Still, that's very cool, though I wonder…" Patton started mumbling, words too jumbled to make any sense of them until he spoke up again, "Well - anyway, I’m glad you’re all settled, I gathered everything I thought might be helpful - I think we should start with the rot first.”

Patton’s first attempt - a spell in an odd language that Roman couldn’t even hope to understand - was a miserable failure, and so was his second attempt - a healing salve much like the one Roman himself had tried. He had said it hadn’t worked when they’d done it, but he had tried anyway to much the same results. After three more attempts - three different crystals - Patton sighed and sat back. Roman was fearing the worst, holding tightly to Janus’ hand without even realising he was doing it - though Janus was holding his hand back just as tightly, so when he did realise he thought it probably wasn’t such a bad thing.

“Okay,” Patton said with a soft sigh, “There’s one more thing we can try… I really didn’t want it to come down to this…”

“What is it?” Roman asked, eyes wide.

“If you hurt them…” Vee said, his tone dark. Patton’s eyes widened and he shook his head.

“Oh no no! It won’t hurt anyone,” He said, going over to a cabinet and pulling out a tiny vial, so small that they could barely see it from this far away, “It’s just… incredibly rare, and hard to get your hands on without hurting someone innocent, so… I try not to use it unless the circumstances are dire.”

Returning to the table, he placed the vial down in front of them. To Roman it was big enough for him to easily hold in both hands. The tiny, corked bottle contained barely a drop of softly glowing pearlescent liquid. It had such a warm and inviting aura, like it could be nothing but good. Roman walked over and carefully lifted the vial to look at it.

“What… is it?” Remus asked from behind them, looking at the bottle with a suspicious glare.

“It’s pure life magic,” Patton said, Janus perked up.

“Queen of the Forest totally isn’t the only one who can harness life magic,” He said, suddenly suspicious, “How did you get this?”

“A gift,” Patton said, raising his hands, “From the Queen herself - I didn’t steal it, or hurt anyone, if that’s what you mean, I swear - that’s why I barely have any - I can’t trust any witch who sells it.”

Janus relaxed a little and Roman walked back over and sat down with the bottle. Laying his hand against the glass, Janus sighed softly and relaxed a little more. It was like even the aura of the magic could calm him.

“You can drink it,” Patton said, “Maybe it’ll get rid of your curse too - take it slowly, though, I’m not sure what might happen if you drink too much…”

Janus nodded slowly, and then ever so carefully took the bottle from Roman, placing it in his lap. Roman watched, a little mesmerised, as the liquid magic sloshed in the bottle.

He removed the lid and Roman had no warning for the wonderful scent that would come from it, it smelled like a whole forest packed into a bottle, healthy, lush vegetation, soil wet from rains and flowers, so many flowers. Janus held tightly to the bottle and looked up at Patton.

“This is…” He said, frowning as he realised he would have to lie, “This is not sacred to my people - are you- are you sure I can have this?”

“Isn’t the purpose of this magic to maintain life?” Patton said softly, urging him to take it, “Wouldn’t your Queen heal you if you were still back home?”

Janus was frozen, as though someone had just hit pause. Roman watched him take a deep breath and let it out slowly as though it was in slow motion, “Yes,” He said, “She would.”

“See? You- wait-” Patton said, breaking the stillness of the moment as he remembered Janus’ curse, “Why wouldn’t she heal you? Isn’t her job to bring life to the forest?”

Tap, tap, tap went Janus’ fingernails against the glass of the bottle as he contemplated what to say to that. Eventually he took another deep breath. Roman reached to take one of his hands again and squeezed it gently.

“I am definitely a life they consider worth keeping in the forest,” Janus said, squeezing Roman’s hand, “That’s why they didn’t curse and exile me.”

“Oh sweetheart…” Patton said softly, “Well - you’re always welcome in my house, kiddo, and It’s my call what happens with that magic, and I say it should be used to heal you, okay?”

“They sound kinda like a bitch,” Remus said, crossing his arms whilst Vee nodded in agreement.

“Now there's no need for such strong language - but, yes,” Patton nodded, “I do agree with you, now drink up, before that gets any worse.”

“...Okay,” Janus said, softly, looking down at the magic again. Slowly he lifted the vial up to his lips and Roman reached to help tilt it back. Just a few sips of the liquid had the rot receding, leaving a dull grey mark where it had been on Janus’ skin but no other trace.

Without thinking, Roman reached to brush his fingers across the newly recovered skin. It felt normal, aside from the colour, it was as though nothing had happened to it at all. Janus stayed perfectly still as Roman ran his fingers over his cheek and down his jawline to cup his face before he realised what he was doing and pulled away with a mumbled apology.

“It’s okay,” Janus said softly, and Roman ducked his head further, gods above - that was weird, wasn’t it? Had he just wrecked everything? “Wait - Roman-”

Janus’ hand was on his face - turning his head to look up at him - both of Janus’ eyes were open now and Roman couldn’t hold back the soft gasp at the striking yellow colour of his other eye. Bright like the sun, or a buttercup, such a beautiful colour.

“I - I meant that,” He said, “It’s okay - Roman - I think- I think that broke the curse too!”

“It was that easy? Really?” Remus asked, throwing his hands up, “Seriously we’ve barely been here twenty minutes and you’re already fixed? I mean come on! Where’s the adventure! The thirty more chapters of nitty gritty suffering? He’s just fixed just like that?”

“It almost sounds like you’d rather I stay injured, Remus,” Janus said, raising an eyebrow. Remus groaned.

“I mean obviously it’s great you’re fixed and all but like - what a boring ending!” Remus huffed, “Roman didn’t even confess to his big gay crush on you while you were dying in his arms or anything! Talk about shitty storytelling.”

“Now now,” Patton said, taking the vial back from Janus when he held it up, meanwhile Roman was bright red and stammering from Remus’ comment, “It’s not all over yet - we still have that wing to sort out.”

Remus let out a loud groan and slumped back against the tissue box. Vee laughed and ruffled his hair, much to his displeasure.

“Wait, before that, can we uh - go back to what Remus said-” Janus said, putting up his hands.

“Which part?” Patton asked, tilting his head.

“The part about Roman and his ‘big gay crush’,” Janus said, doing quotation marks with his fingers, Roman groaned, curling up and hiding his face with his tail. Janus chuckled and carefully pushed his tail fluff out of the way, “Hey, why’re you hiding, darling?”

Roman choked and pulled his tail back over his face, “Embarrassing! Shut up! Wasn’t ready to tell you yet…” he whined, Janus burst out laughing and patted his head.

“And what if I had a big gay crush on you too? Would you look at me then?” Janus leaned down to whisper, making Roman squeak and stammer again.

“You- wait - really?” Roman asked, peeking up at him to see Janus’ beautiful smiling face and oh lord he was going to pass out.

“You two’ve been acting like you’re in love pretty much since he got here,” Vee pointed out, gesturing to Janus, “It’s kinda obvious and really really sappy.”

“...Am I really that obvious?” Roman asked, looking around at the others.

“Mhm,” Vee said, even Patton nodded.

“You’ve been making goo-goo eyes at him constantly since we found him.” Remus said plainly. Roman winced and his blush got stronger.

“I hope I didn’t come off as weird or - creepy or something,” Roman said awkwardly looking up at Janus, who smirked and leant forward to press a kiss to his cheek.

“You didn’t,” He said, “It was cute.”

Yep, this was it, Roman was dead. Right up until Patton coughed awkwardly to get their attention.

“As adorable as this is - we really do need to get that wing fixed up as best we can until my partner can look at it, okay?” He said, “Just so you don’t damage it any more.”

Janus sighed and nodded, gently nudging Roman to sit up so that he could use his shoulder to stand, “...Okay, who’s your partner?”

“He goes by Logic to strangers,” Patton said happily, “But he works with insects and small creatures all the time, I’ve seen him fix up injured bugs all the time, he’ll know how to help your wing.”

“...Right,” Janus said, not sounding sure in the slightest, “So what are you going to do then?”

“I’ll just put a temporary splint and some bandage on your wing to hold it in place for now, once Lo gets home later we can take another look at it,” Patton said, turning in his chair to rummage loudly through another drawer, “Aha - here we go, now, if you could turn around for me…”

—

Janus’ wing was finally starting to look healed three weeks later.

The time between them had been spent much the same as all of their other time. Roman had helped Janus adjust to wingless travel as best as he could, showing him around every nook and cranny, teaching him how to climb safely and getting him his own ropes and supplies. Janus was good at jumping and climbing anyway. He had been a soldier for the flower people before being exiled, so he made a very good borrower, even if he wasn’t really.

With Patton aware of their existences, their lives became harder and easier in equal measure. It was much harder to sneak around now, and while Patton was happy to give them anything they needed, it made their lives a whole lot more boring in Roman’s opinion. The actual borrowing was part of the fun - even eavesdropping had lost its appeal since Patton would be happy to have him as part of the conversation anyway. But - looking to the bright side, that had left him time to focus on other things. He had found a piece of graphite and gathered some paper scraps to draw on and started attempting to do some kind of art - he had drawn Janus once and decided he couldn’t possibly capture his beauty at all adequately and gave up despite Janus’ protests. Now he just stuck to drawing interesting things he had found.

After the checkup Logan had done on Janus’ wing today, he had announced that it was almost done healing and that they should start with some light physical therapy to get him using them again. They had spent hours on wing exercises - opening and closing them, little flutters, nothing that would get him off of the ground, of course. Though, with the disuse, Janus’ wings weren’t getting him off the ground anytime soon without practice.

So they kept practising, and a month later Janus was able to lift himself off of the ground, holding Roman’s hand and fluttering around him in a circle. A month after that he was able to fly like nothing had ever happened to hurt him in the first place.

Roman had been worried he might leave, but when he expressed it Janus had kissed him and called him silly. Why would he go back to a society that exiled and hurt him when he had a loving partner and family who cared about him right here?

Everything was perfect. Really perfect now, and maybe saying it so much would get annoying, but Roman really wouldn’t ask for anything more.

He knew he’d said it before, but he meant it for real this time. Now life was perfect.

With his brothers and his partner and Patton and Logan to protect them… now he really couldn’t ask for anything more.

Remus still wished there had been a little more action, though.

----

Tags: @full-of-roman-angst-trash @your-local-random-dino @cutebisexualmess @glacierruler @roseianxiety @bella-bugatti-frogetti-baguetti @scalesfeathersnfur @oatmeal-stans-the-trash-rat @littlerat2 @goldnskyart (if anyone wants to be added, let me know!)

#sanders sides #sanders sides fandom #sasi fanfic #roceit #roman sanders #virgil sanders #remus sanders #ts roman #ts virgil #sanders sides fanfiction #ts remus #janus sanders #ts janus #rowans writings

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awkwardgtace · 1 year ago

Text

Meeting Through Dreams

Day 8 leggo

Today we have borrower Mira starting dreams that should bring her to her perfect partner, but she doesn't exactly want that to happen...

Meeting Through Dreams

Mira groaned, her birthday had been a total disaster. The human she lived with was home and checking everything so she couldn’t get the fruit she wanted. Kaya wasn’t able to visit because of the recent storms. Then the human woman was talking about getting pets on the phone. Giant rat things from what the other person said. She didn’t want to meet ferrets. The only option was to move.

She collapsed onto her fabric pile. The worst part of all of this were the dreams that would start tonight. She wasn’t interested in some fated perfect partner even if it was usually right. There were too many stories of people who were fated to be with someone on the other side of the city. A place that she could barely reach unless Kaya chose to help. They would, but she didn’t want that. There was so much pressure for the relationships to work.

Mira looked around her small home. There was so much she had planned. The fabrics that she collected for the walls. Piles of things she could put together into something interesting. All of it would be left behind when she moved. It was more painful this time; this was the first place she thought might become a home. Leaving home was meant to make it easier, to ease the concern everyone had about forest predators. Now she was tempted to have Kaya help her go back. A place where she wasn’t constantly worried she would have to leave in the dead of night.

Mira closed her eyes, imagining the home she almost made. Some tables of things she’d been planning to steal. Fabrics hanging on the walls instead of the dreary insulation and brick. Anything she wanted to keep. The image stayed until she fell into a deep sleep.

Mira’s eyes opened to the exact place she imagined. She ran a hand over the fabrics, a perfect replication of the ones in her mind. It was just a dream. Not just any dream, the dream, and she already hated it. None of this would be there when she woke up. The worst part of it all, someone else would be privy to the wishes she hid in her heart. She slipped out of the room to a world too real for her.

All around were towering chairs and tables humans used. It was likely the other person lived among humans too. That would make things easier, at least they’d understand the life she leads. Mira wandered around in the large empty space. If no one showed up she’d take it as a blessing.

“Hey!” a masculine voice shouted. She bit back a sigh. She looked around trying to find a way to avoid the person. She’d rather not meet them directly. Unfortunately it was too late.

A man with black hair and piercing blue eyes ran up from behind one of the chair legs. He was taller than her, an average build. He had pale skin, although there was a tint that made her doubt his living in a human house. Mira turned away from him, she had more important things to do. Like figuring out where this man was supposed to live so she could make sure she never went near him.

As she walked away his steps easily reached her. Something about them was off. Almost too heavy. It had to just be this stupid dream. Dreams had never stuck with her in her waking life. Plenty of things were going to be different that she’d never once considered. She pointedly ignored the steps closing in behind her and continued on her path. She’d learn what she needed and move on. Just like always.

“Hey,” he said as he grabbed her shoulder. “Do you know what’s going on? All of this looks weird.”

“What do you mean?” she asked. Mira bit her tongue as soon as the words left her. She didn’t want to interact with him. If he knew her voice he could know her, although her hair color made that easy enough to accomplish. “This should be normal to you.”

“I mean, I guess I recognize some stuff, but it looks nothing like where I live.” The carefree smile on his face annoyed her. She sighed, there was no point in ignoring it then. This world must have been built on mostly her knowledge. She’d heard of that before, but it was rare. It usually meant one person’s dream world was stronger than the other’s. A sign that often made people separate.

“This is the dream world.” That was all he should need to know. Mira started to walk away again. This man would just get in her way.

“What do you mean the dream world?” He ran up next to her, he was taller. A lot taller, maybe a full inch. That only made her more annoyed.

“Don’t you know anything?” She glared up at him, but he just looked confused. It actually hurt her to see it. She knew sometimes no one knew about the dreams, but it would mean he’d been on his own for a long time. It would mean his parents were gone. “It’s the world where you’re supposed to meet your perfect partner. I guess humans killed your parents before they told you about it?”

“Humans killed them…” The man tilted his head and his brow furrowed.

That told her enough. As sad as it was, there was no reason to hang around. No one in her area had been seen or hurt by humans in a long time. He’d have to be somewhere far from her. Far enough she could end this once he’d recovered from the memories she’d forced to the front.

Mira left him to think. She just had to be sure. Eventually she’d find one of the trees he probably lived in and know where he was from. Then they could be done with this and both go back to their normal lives. His weirdly heavy steps followed her. She tried to stop herself from grinding her teeth.

“What?!” she shouted. He’d already followed her for a while without saying anything. She spun around, honestly shocked to see his eyes bright. She just brought up what killed his parents, how was he happy?

“Uh… well I still don’t get it, but humans didn’t kill my parents,” he laughed. How could he laugh? He didn’t know anything about this and he was just laughing. “I’m Corus, nice to meet you.”

Mira turned away. She wasn’t interested in this anymore. She had to find a sign of who and where this man was so she could make sure they never met. The strange footsteps caught up to her and he kept pace. The idea to start sprinting grew tempting.

“Ok, not getting your name that’s fine,” he said. She glared at him, but kept walking. “Well why did you think humans would kill my parents? I mean you said it like you aren’t human yourself.”

“Oh nature preserve me, you’re one of those aren’t you?” she sighed. This made everything worse. He’d probably avoid accepting they didn’t work until she admitted humans weren’t bad.

“One of who?”

“One of the borrowers who think humans aren’t that bad.” She stormed forward letting him jog to keep up. She was sick of this. “Let me guess next you’re going to tell me how just because they’re bigger than us doesn’t mean we aren’t the same?”

“I, uh-”

“Oh and that I should just give them a chance, humans won’t hurt us. Of course they won’t, they won’t keep us as toys or pets either. Or sell us to whoever pays the most.”

“You… you really think all humans would do that?”

“Please, I know the borrowers like you love to pretend humans would treat us as equals.” She walked up to a table leg that had some handholds in it. One deep breath and she started climbing. “I’ve been caught more than once. The human I live with now is planning to either get pest control or weird furry snake things to try and catch the ‘mouse’ in her walls.”

“Did you try to let her know that you’re a person? That you aren’t a mouse?”

Mira stayed quiet and focused on climbing for a few minutes. Sure it definitely wouldn’t end badly for her to go reveal herself and all of their kind to a human that she’s watched happily kill bugs and small animals. It would just be a death sentence. Of course the universe would think someone like this belongs with her.

“You haven’t, have you? Why don’t you at least try?” he called. That pissed her off. She turned back, the ground wasn’t too far. Jumping, she rolled to protect herself then stood and glared at Corus. Stomping up to him she pressed a finger into his chest, he was sturdier than she expected.

“Right I should go walk up and say ‘Hi I live in your walls and take things from you to survive please don’t kill me or tell anyone about me!’ That would totally work,” she seethed. Corus looked away from her. “Oh or better yet, I’ll just walk right under her foot so she can kill me first!”

Corus didn’t say anything and Mira took the chance to walk away. His steps never sounded behind her. It wasn’t long before she was opening her eyes and staring at her empty walls. Hopefully tonight her dream would be empty, or at least someone easier to deal with.

That day she snuck out while the human she lived with ranted on the phone. She was always talking about the man who lived next door. The house Mira would visit next. The things her current human said made her nervous about that house. A history of anger issues, broken walls, things like that. She’d probably have to move again before long.

She managed to gather some crumbs of food the woman missed. This human had grown too cautious. She would need to focus on gathering tools and making her current food last. Maybe a month before she’d move, a month of ever changing dreams she hoped. In an attempt to avoid Corus she stayed later than usual breaking into boxes that the human had secured. Mira had enough experience to break through mouse protections when given enough time. Today she had time.

Hours later she meandered into her home. Just as empty and lonely. She dropped her full bag on the floor and fell into her fabrics. If he was an outdoor borrower he should be awake during the day, she should have a peaceful rest now. Closing her eyes she wondered if the next person would at least show her something interesting.

“Hey!” Mira jumped as she heard Corus’s voice next to her. Snapping her eyes open she found the man standing over her, a worried look on his face. “I was worried you wouldn’t show up. I mean, I don’t really know how these dreams work, but I figured you were supposed to come back.”

“Ugh,” she groaned as she sat up. “Why are you still asleep? Aren’t you an outdoor borrower, you should be out getting supplies this early in the day.”

“Oh, uh… I go out at night?” The question at the end made her curious. How would she know what he does? It didn’t matter somehow she’d get him to go away. She’d make the universe leave her on her own, just like she wanted.

“Whatever.”

Mira started on her trek through the dreamscape. There was no telling what strange thing she’d find now. Maybe a sign of where this human loving borrower was from. His steps followed her, still weirdly heavy. It had to be from how sturdy he felt when she poked him. Everyone she grew up with had a light build, almost like a bird.

“I think we got off on the wrong foot yesterday,” he said. Mira rolled her eyes. “Like I said, I’m Corus. I’m pretty new to this whole dream thing we have here, but I would like to get to know you.”

“Why?” she growled. This was the part that she was dreading. The thing everyone talked about. The two would be able to have kids, it was what the others had been excited about her dreams to reveal. The ways her strange looks could contribute to the next generation. It was her job to keep their kind alive. It was her duty. She hated it.

“Well, you seem interesting and kind of beautiful if I’m being honest. The way you climbed that table leg was pretty amazing and-” She turned around and stopped just before hitting his face.

“One more false flattery to get me to like you and I will hit you.” The smile he gave her actually made her heart pound.

“I wasn’t lying, but I will stop. I just… think you’d be fun to talk to.”

“Well we talked there you go. Leave me alone.”

Mira spun on her heel. This match of hers was insane so all she could do was hope this place was secretly interesting. She walked up to a table and started to climb. It was nice, free climbing like this. There were never safe times like this in the real world. She’d need her hook for the speed. She was pulled from her thoughts by a loud crash below her.

Mira looked down to find Corus lying on his back. His eyes were blown wide. As much as she knew nothing here could kill her, a fall like that would still hurt. She climbed down and crouched over him, staring into his eyes.

“You make that look easy,” he said. Another eye roll, of course it was easy.

“Because it is easy. Not my fault you’re out of practice.”

“Can you teach me?”

Mira studied him for a moment, “Climb halfway on your own and I’ll teach you how to climb like me.”

“Deal!”

Corus jumped to his feet startling her. She barely caught herself from falling backwards. He gave her a smirk, but immediately started trying to climb. He could barely make it off the ground before he was struggling. She felt bad for him. Climbing was important for most borrowers. Even ones that had heavier bones. He fell a lot that night, but he did make it halfway.

“I did it!” he cheered. Mira watched as he looked down, seeing the exact moment his grip loosened. He plummeted like a stone to the ground she stood on. It shook the world like a human falling more than a borrower. Another strange effect of dreams. Making their world notice them.

“Fine, tomorrow I’ll help you learn how to climb. Even someone built like you should know the basics,” she sighed. He groaned for a bit before giving her a glare. It wasn’t real, she could already see the smile.

“What do you mean built like me? I mean I do work out, but...” He even wiggled his eyebrows. She had to bite back a laugh at his actions.

Mira crouched and poked his chest. “You’re firmer. It’s the best way to say it. Like you have heavier bones. It would make climbing more of a struggle.”

Corus reached out and grabbed her arm. A part of her panicked, she didn’t want that. He let go quickly, putting the same hand across his eyes. “I guess you’re right. You feel like a bird.”

Mira stood and walked away before he could do more. Before he could make her pulse race again. Maybe Corus wasn’t all that bad. He’d move on though and so would she. She would never trust humans and he’d likely bring it up again soon. They wouldn’t work.

“Mira,” Kaya’s voice echoed in her mind. Corus faded almost instantly as she blinked away the dream meeting reality again. She was a little sad to see it end. “Sorry I couldn’t come by on your birthday!”

“Kaya?” Mira asked. She rubbed her eyes, finding them walking into her empty home. They had something behind their back. “You know it’s fine. All that was special about the day was that the dreams might start….” She narrowed her eyes. “What are you hiding?”

They looked surprised for a second before pulling a strange object from behind them. It was small enough they could hold it in two hands and made of metal. On it was an image of a butterfly with wings the color of Mira’s hair. She had no words to explain how looking at it felt. Butterflies were always special to her, their freedom was something to envy.

“I found it on my way back and I thought of you. It would be perfect to put on a wall here,” they whispered. Mira nodded, but a slam from the human of the house reminded her what was happening soon.

“Hang on to it for me?” Mira smiled, Kaya’s face dropped. They knew what it meant when she said that.

“You’re moving again? It’s only been a few months here.”

“This human was more observant, I’ll try the house next door this time. It’s a human man living alone. All the others said those are the best to borrow from.”

“You could come back…”

Mira shook her head, that wasn’t an option. “Kaya we both know that won’t work. My hair puts too much risk on everyone if I’m outside. I made the choice to leave and I’m standing by it. Let’s just talk about something else, ok?”

Kaya frowned, but Mira could see them bouncing on their feet. Something happened that they wanted to talk about. Something exciting, but somehow not enough to make their way here in the middle of the night. She waited, crossing her arms and egging them on. Finally they relented, setting the metal butterfly down.

“Fine!” they sighed. She smirked.

Kaya sat on the fabric bed Mira hadn’t left yet. They leaned their head on her shoulder for a few minutes. The two of them took in the period of silence. It wasn’t often that the human wasn’t making some crazy noise. Kaya wrapped their arms around one of Mira’s. Times like this were the ones that made Mira actually consider returning.

“My dreams started,” they finally whispered. Mira smiled, Kaya wanted their dreams. To find a partner that would love who they were. A long time ago the two talked about if they dreamt of each other. The plan had always been to take Kaya’s squirrel and run. Escape the expectations it would place on them. Together they could have children and neither wanted the life that would lock them in.

“Sounds like good news then?” she asked. Kaya’s weight against her grew followed by the slightest of nods. “What are they like?”

“He’s weird. His name is Zeke and he had no idea about the dreams. He didn’t recognize anything around us either, it was mostly from me I think. His hair was a reddish color. I think he’s a mole borrower.”

“What’s that?”

“According to some of the scout records there were other types of borrowers before. Ones that only lived on the ground and if they wanted to go higher they used stairs like humans. The ones around us left generations ago. Everyone thinks they died out.”

“I guess that’s what he is too…” Mira spoke without thinking. Kaya jumped up, absolutely vibrating while staring into her eyes.

“Wait! Does that mean your dreams started too?”

Mira fell back on the fabric, Kaya falling back with her. The two sat in the silence until she finally spoke up. Letting them know about Corus and what the dreams had been. Kaya shared their own experiences. A world made of only wood and trees that towered more than the ones they grew up under. Apparently the large blocks of wood were from Zeke’s memories. That made Mira wonder what was from Corus in their dream.

The two shared stories the entire day. The human woman started to slam things and make noise prompting Kaya to leave. Mira was left alone in the hole she almost considered a home. It had been promising at first. A distracted human woman with plenty of things easy to break into. If only the woman hadn’t been so terrified, spiteful might be the better term, towards small creatures. Then this could have worked. Mira fell asleep to loud bangs and muffled shouts of ‘that damn mouse was back’.

The shaking world pulled Mira awake. The place she started was exactly where she’d left earlier. A quick swivel of her head revealed Corus slowly standing while rubbing his back. It dawned on her that the world shakes because he saw it that way. His falls were tremendous and world shattering for someone who never tried to climb before. She started to wish she had her hook, the aid would be an easier way to teach him.

Corus looked around, stopping with his eyes on her. He started to run towards her the second she moved. The only person that was ever excited to see her was Kaya, Corus was a nice change. He had his arms out, pausing just before reaching her. It made her smile how the sturdy borrower shifted to awkwardly hold his arms at his sides instead.

“Mira,” he smiled. Once he knew how to climb this set up would be gone. He’d go back to pushing humans and she’d eventually threaten him if he didn’t accept they wouldn’t work. When he moved to point at her she grew defensive. “What’s that? A fishing hook?”

Mira jumped and looked at her hip. There was her hook, pristine like when she found it on her first trip outside with her father. She pulled it from its place beside her, inspecting it and finding none of the nicks it had received over the years. “It’s my hook…”

“You have a hook? What for?” Normally the question would annoy her, but she was lost in the quality. There was no sign of the human who almost caught her with a mouse trap or the one who tried to step on her. The strange bend from the time a human managed to slam a door as she was trying to climb the door frame. None of the horrors she faced existed here…

“It’s for climbing.” Her voice echoed in the silence. It was wrong, but somehow felt right. She was safe here. There was no need to be afraid right now. “It would be easier to learn on this…”

“Is something wrong?” His voice was soft and kind. A hand on her shoulder that didn’t make her angry. A kind feeling spread from him. The hook in her hands flashed for a second, showing the truth of reality. Tears almost fell from her eyes.

“It’s perfect, like when I found it. Nothing that the humans have done shows on it here. Like they never existed… like we’re safe.”

Corus pulled her against him. The strange solid build of his was comforting. She was starting not to hate these dreams. To hate the man tied to her. Maybe she could accept this. He leaned his head against her shoulder, “You’ll always be safe with me. I won’t let anything hurt you, even other humans.”

She pushed him away. That phrasing reminded her why this would never work. He thought they were humans, that those giants would see borrowers the same way. She walked over to the table he’d been climbing, spun her hook, and threw it to the top. A few tugs and she knew it was sturdy. A much better way to teach him.

“Let’s just get to climbing,” she said.

Corus didn’t say anything else. He walked right up to her rope, holding it between two hands. Instead of climbing he stared at it with awe. She didn’t say anything for a few minutes, opting to clear her throat to remind him. He looked at her with a faint blush before holding it in a way that she thought was for climbing.

“That’s completely wrong,” she said. Mira took the rope from him, holding it how she was taught. Hands about one grip apart and the excess between her legs. “Use your core to climb, don’t rely on your arms.”

Mira climbed a few steps up before jumping down. Corus had shining eyes as he stared at her. Ignoring the way her heart skipped she forced the rope in his hands. It took a few tries to get him to understand the way to hold it. His climbing form would slip after a bit. It was actually a fun experience.

When Mira woke up to her empty room she was lonely. The hook left in the corner was painful to look at. She wanted to miss all the things that had happened. Forget them and only remember the night with Corus. That wasn’t something she could do. She spent the day in the walls, closing up paths and gathering water. She would need to be ready to leave as soon as possible.

The next few nights were the same. Teaching Corus the best forms and watching him struggle. He was improving and the bright smile sent her way was making her melt. A few times her cheeks even grew warm. She liked these dreams. It made the reality of her situation bearable. She wouldn’t mind these being all she ever had with him too, in fact she’d prefer it.

One night it changed. He was able to climb all the way on the rope. She followed up quickly, getting pulled into another hug. Her whole body felt warm under his touch. A warmth she quickly realized she liked. When he let go she had no idea what to say. He sat on the edge of the table and she joined him.

“Mira,” he said. She hummed in response. “Is this really what you see all the time? It’s amazing.”

“I’ve seen something better,” she smiled.

No one ever believed her about this. He looked at her with bright eyes. After what happened with the hook she decided to see if she could do it again. A wish for this view to be what she remembered from the top of a tree. In seconds her memory painted the world. A beautiful thing she never thought she’d see again.

“Where is this?”

The awe in his voice matched the awe she felt. That day she felt huge. The human houses were small to her, she couldn’t even see her home. It had taken over a day, but she made it to the top of a tree. Something she was always told she made up, something she would never regret.

“The top of a tree, I managed to climb it once,” she smiled.

“How?” Corus was staring at her with amazement. Not only did he believe her, he was seeing what she saw. Something no borrower could ever create or understand. Something that made humans and animals feel like they weren’t a threat.

“My colony had these sharp bits of metal. I stole some and some fabric we’d collected. I wrapped it around my hands and feet with the metal sticking out.”

As she spoke the image around them changed. A much younger version of herself sitting in the tall grass. A cloak hiding the lavender color of her hair. The cloak was too big for her back then. The younger her proudly made her climbing gear. Standing with pride as she started her climb. The ones on her feet attached near her toes. The younger Mira sticking the metal into bark and starting her climb.

“It took a long time, maybe more than a day. I rested on branches as I reached them.” The image changed to her climbing and hiding among branches. “I was going to prove I could do it. That I could avoid any predators that might see me too. I’ve never forgotten the feeling when I made it. For just a little while I thought… I thought the world was made for us too.”

“It is made for you. For both of us. You don’t have to climb a tree to see that. Not every human would hurt you or trap you if they saw you.”

Mira climbed to her feet. The moment had passed and she was done with this. Quickly grabbing her hook she started to wrap it up to place it back on her hip. Corus would never stop having faith in humans, she needed this to stop. All her life she never wanted this and now… now she had someone she almost wanted to meet who thought humans were worth it.

“Mira why won’t you even consider-”

“Consider what!” She turned as she shouted, her hook changing to the damaged version she knew. “That I wasn’t almost crushed in a door that bent my hook!? That I wasn’t almost crushed by a mouse trap, with this being all that saved me. That a human didn’t try to step on me once.”

“None of them knew what you were! They all thought you were some random animal if you only told them-”

“If I told them and they still didn't kill me then what? They try to protect me.” She spat the words, storming forward in her anger. Corus backed away as she neared him. Her body was on fire, her heart racing. The fear that he never learned was strong in her heart. “Then they trap me ‘for my own good’. Keep me caged or in a box where I can do nothing for myself anymore. I have to rely on them taking care of me and choosing to let me have things. Rely on a human’s whims to keep me alive!”

Another step towards him caused a change. He fell when he stepped back. She ran forward in fear as he plummeted towards the ground. On her knees she saw him slam into the ground. A crater formed around him with cracks in the ground leading out for dozens of feet. The world shook the worst she’d ever felt. Mira was thrown from the perch she had. All she could do was close her eyes and brace for impact.

The ground didn’t meet her. Instead she landed in something that felt like a hand. She opened her eyes to see Corus staring at her, his arms beneath her. The feeling of a hand faded as soon as she saw him. He pulled her close to his chest. She could hear his racing heart as loudly as her own. His face was coming closer. Just before he reached her she was back in reality.

That day she was nervous. All her trips had her taking extra precautions. Ones that she wouldn’t normally use. The feeling of a hand beneath her body. She knew it well. There were more times she’d been grabbed than she’d like to admit. Although this time it actually felt… safe. She stayed out well into the next day grabbing even crumbs that she thought could be useful.

There were a number of times she paused and watched the human woman. Steps that were heavy and shook the world if they came close. A sneer if she noticed any trace of Mira’s existence. This human would certainly kill her, but she’d met one that wanted to trap her too. Honestly she had no idea which fate was worse.

Eventually she returned home. She collapsed into her fabrics to stare at the ‘ceiling’. The emptiness of the walls that she lived in. Corus wouldn’t be there this time, she knew it. It had been long enough for him to sleep and wake up. She had gone almost a week without sleep before. Two days was nothing. Slowly she closed her eyes hoping to wake up from a dreamless sleep. The world would realize she belonged alone.

Mira’s next feeling was someone petting her head. It wasn’t Kaya. The hand felt wrong. She opened her eyes, squeaking when she met Corus’s blue eyes. He was smiling softly at her. She tried to squirm away, but he grabbed her arm. His grip was strong enough she felt nervous trying to escape it. Like he’d break her… like a human had grabbed her.

“Mira, please… I’m sorry,” he whispered. She released the tension in her body slightly. “I get it, I went too far. I won’t try to change your mind about humans. I just… don’t want to stop seeing you.”

“What if I never want to meet you?” she asked. Her voice came out quietly, but still managed to echo in their shared dream. Corus let her arm go and returned to petting her head. Every inch of her wanted to run, but the smallest part wanted his answer. Hoped it would be one that let this continue.

“Then we never meet.”

Mira turned away from him, “I don’t believe you.”

“Mira. You’re beautiful, smart, independent, funny, honestly I’d list things forever, but I’m pretty sure you’d hit me.” That made her smile, he wasn’t exactly wrong. She’d already threatened it once. “If we never meet I don’t care. I just want this to keep going. I want to keep knowing you. To learn about all the things you’ve seen in your life.”

“I… think I’d be ok with that.”

Corus pulled her into a tight hug. The firm body around her was reassuring. She didn’t believe that he would be happy with this forever. Someday he’d push for more. If he took the leap she’d let it happen, but only if they agreed not to stay near humans. She wouldn’t risk his hope getting him killed or trapped. A part of her didn’t want to see it shattered.

The entire night they sat together like that. Just Corus holding her tightly. She enjoyed hearing his heart, something about it was different. Louder. So much of what made him strange made her happy too. By the time she woke up she was starting to miss the feeling of his arms. That night she’d let him know she was moving the next one, it wouldn’t be good for him to worry.

“Mira!” Kaya’s voice made her jump. She quickly stood and grabbed one of her bags, just in case. They ran in with a smile and she relaxed immediately. “Zeke and I are meeting!”

“What?” she gasped. A smile spread on her face as she pulled Kaya into a hug. They wanted this and she wanted it for them. “That’s amazing! When?”

“Tomorrow night. I showed him the park where I met my squirrel and he recognized it. He lives nearby. We picked the tree where my squirrel lived to meet. It’s going to be late so no humans will be around just in case.”

Mira smiled and did everything she could to hide her worry. Kaya wouldn’t be able to help her move. That should be fine, they never helped before. Something this time made her think they should. She couldn’t explain it. Maybe she was just more interested in making sure she’d survive.

“Go, that’s a two day trip even with your squirrel. You can’t be late. Bring him to meet me ok?” she grinned. Kaya nodded and ran from her home. She waited a few minutes before heading out to get the last of the supplies she would need.

That day was harder. The human was wandering around doing more than normal. It made her nervous. It seemed like it would be useful to hold off her move until Kaya came back. Just a few days wouldn’t make a change. The furry snakes weren’t arriving yet. A ringing phone gave her the chance to steal some of the paper towels the woman had left out for once.

“Oh that’s great to hear! My new babies will be here the day after tomorrow!” the human woman shouted. Mira paled. She didn’t have a choice left.

The rest of the day Mira ran between her paths. She was closing them and making sure to fill them so those snake things couldn’t use them. She wouldn’t risk those things escaping if this woman loved them. The sun was rising by the time she collapsed in her fabrics. She’d wake up just before sunset and gather the last of her things. For now she could try to enjoy her dreams.

As soon as her eyes closed she was opening them again. Corus was there smiling at her. She slowly sat up before offering her own smile. Things started a bit normally. Today he tried free climbing again, he fell a lot. On one of his later falls she decided to lie down next to him and stare at the sky. It was empty like the one she always saw.

“I wish I could see the stars more,” she whispered. In seconds the sky changed, stars like she’d never seen them covered it. She sat up on her elbows to look at Corus. “Did you do that?”

“I was practicing while I waited for you this time,” he grinned. Her heart skipped. “I want to show you things I see like you show me.”

Mira fell back and stared at the strange sky. “I’m moving tonight. I won’t be asleep for at least two days. Maybe more.”

“Where are you moving? Can you show me?” A part of her didn’t want to. If she did he could find her, but at the same time these stars proved he couldn’t be close by.

“I’ll try.” She tried to picture the two human houses. The one she was leaving and the one she was aiming for. Corus sat up when the houses finished forming. “I’m going from the white one to the blue one.”

“I live near you.” His voice was quiet. She sat up to look at him, fear in her heart.

“Are you going to look for me?” He shook his head. “Thank you. I’d probably run if you did.”

“You’d get away no problem. I still can’t climb like you. Maybe I’d set a trap for you.” He laughed and she laughed along.

“It would have to be a good trap.”

“Only the best would have a chance to catch you. I can already tell.” He stared warmly at her. She felt her body heat up. “Maybe I’ll give it a shot.”

“If it’s good enough I might stick around to talk to you.” A smirk played on her lips. Corus looked excited, he might actually try. The thought didn’t terrify her like she thought it would. “I’m nervous about this move.”

“Why?” Corus scooted closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Mira leaned against him, he was the only one she told about her nerves. The only one safe to tell.

“The woman I live with talks about the man who lives in the house I’m going to.” The dreams responded to her. The human woman she knew and a shadowy figure of the man she’d begun to imagine. She saw his legs once and that was all that was defined in the dream. “She says he replaced an older couple. That the couple would talk about him. He breaks things and gets angry. If he finds me…”

“Maybe he’s not the type of human to hurt someone for no reason.” Corus’s arm around her tightened. A part of her wanted to be angry, but this wasn’t like before. He sounded different, like he needed her to believe him. “Maybe this human lives there because he got his anger under control and the couple were proud of him.”

“It almost sounds like you know him. Do you already live in his walls?” She laughed because that had to be wrong. If he was there she wouldn’t know what to do.

“No, I don’t live in his walls.”

Something was wrong. She couldn’t explain it. The way he spoke about this human and how he answered. It all made something in her scared, scared that he had something important she should know. Something he hadn’t told her, that he purposely hid from her. She’d worry about that later, for now she knew it was time to wake up. To pack and start on her move.

“I have to go,” she muttered. He put a hand on her cheek and turned her to face him. He leaned his forehead against her.

“I’ll be sleeping in case you need me. Tell me if you’re in trouble. I’ll find you, I promise. I already promised you’d be safe if I was around you,” he said. The conviction in his voice added to her fear.

“I promise.”

Corus leaned closer once the whisper left her. He pressed his lips against hers. The kiss was sweet and warm. Something that made her feel like she was at the top of the tree again. Her entire body burned and she didn’t want it to end. Mira closed her eyes, but that ended the dream. She was left cold and alone. That didn’t matter, she was used to being alone. Now she had to move.

Mira packed the blanket her parents gave her first. The food she gathered went in the bag with that. Her hook was set on her hip and the water she collected on the other side. She took one last look around, noticing Kaya had left the metal butterfly. Mira knew it was stupid to take it. She had to travel light and Kaya would stop here first. She couldn’t just ignore it though. She grabbed one of the fabrics she planned to abandon. Wrapped the butterfly with it then tied it around her waist.

With one last look at her barren home she ducked out. She kicked out the supports from her home leading to the rest of the house. If and when Kaya came back there would be no risk from the furry snakes. She went to the entrance she had to the outside world. There she waited until the sun set. Once it was low she pulled the hood of her cloak over her head and dipped outside.

Once outside Mira watched for the moon to rise over the trees. She planned her route while waiting. There were two dangerous positions she had to worry about. The empty patch of grass from the woman’s home to a bush. Then the bush to the man’s house. The bush would be the easy part. Mira took a deep breath, each section would have dangers of course. The emptiness was the worst. Predators and humans would see her.

The moon peeked over the trees and she ran. At this time humans were scarce. The woman didn’t go out and the predators didn’t like the houses. She just had to make it to the bush. It felt like hours she spent running to reach her goal, the real time was hard to determine. All she knew was when the moon had passed the highest point in the sky she was at the bush. Mira smiled, the easy part was reached.

Ducking under low leaves she entered the darkness of the bush. She rushed forward, itching to return to her dreams. She wanted an answer to what Corus hid. The safety each night was promising. Most importantly the warmth of knowing there was someone beside her. Someone she showed her worst to and still wanted more of her. She wanted to show her home, her friends, her life and learn about him.

Those thoughts died as she knocked a branch. She backed away, but something caught her. She tried to pull away and failed. Her whole body was stuck. She managed to slip off her pack, but that didn’t free her arm. She looked around and saw the danger she was in. A spider’s web. Fear surged through her, she tried to grab her hook, but the fabric holding the butterfly had locked it against her back… against the web. Each twitch she made told the spider she was there. She wouldn’t survive tonight. She did the only thing she could think of, try to sleep and see Corus one last time.

“Mira? Are you ok? Why are you here!?” his worried voice made tears fall from her eyes. He wrapped his arms around her. The frantic and loud beat of his heart was reassuring. She knew death would be next to her when she woke up.

“Corus… I think this is the last time you’ll see me,” she cried. His strangely sturdy arms tightened. It made her cry more. “I-I got caught in a web. I can’t reach my hook because of something I wrapped around my waist. I can’t get away. It’ll find me by morning.”

Corus pulled back and held her face between his hands. A focused look, determined and promising, met her. “Show me where you are. I’ll find you. A spider isn’t going to kill you.”

She shook her head, “Corus it’ll kill you too. I can’t do that to you. I… Can’t we stay like this until I’m gone.”

“Mira. I’m begging you to trust me. I will save you, show me where you are.”

Mira closed her eyes, angry he wouldn’t give her this. At the same time he’d see she was dead by the time he arrived. She focused on the bush between the houses. She opened her eyes as the dream changed. Corus pulled her against him again, petting her head like before. It made her cry, honestly and truly cry. She was terrified that she’d die and so would Corus by trying to save her.

“I see the houses, but where are you Mira?” he asked. Stern, serious, and nothing like she knew. It almost echoed like a human’s. She didn’t want him to die, but the hope he’d succeed won. Corus had pressed her face to his chest, she couldn’t see the change. His heartbeat told her he knew. “The bush? I see it. I can see you.”

Corus pulled her from his hold and cupped her face in his hands. The blue eyes she had started to love looked terrified. It wasn’t a fear she knew. He brought her close and kissed her. It was deep, hungry, and final. He was afraid of this ending, but it didn’t seem like he expected death to be why.

“I’ll save you, just wait for me.”

That was all she heard before she was thrust back into her cruel reality. The spider had finally noticed her. She saw the massive fanged creature’s eyes assessing her. Corus would be too late. No borrower could reach her in time. To make matters worse the steps of a human started to shake the web. Mira gave up her fake acceptance and started to struggle. She’d rather die to a spider than in the hand of a human.

That determination didn’t matter. The spider grew cautious because of the steps. She wasn’t a meal worth it. The human steps didn’t stop until a shadow covered what little light entered through the bush leaves. Now Corus would find the remains of a web and destroyed bush because of a human. He might even try to find her in one of the houses. He would die or be trapped all because of her.

The bush above her was pulled apart. She struggled desperately to pull herself free. She grabbed her stuck arm, but the web beneath it caught her hand. She wasn’t making this any better. The spider retreated as the bush continued to be destroyed.

Finally a shadowed figure sat above her. It felt like the dream she created of the man from the house. How did he even know she was here? Had Corus sold her out? Was that the secret she could see in his eyes? Did he live as this man’s pet?!

Hands descended into the bush. She tried again to get herself free, but the human hands surrounded her. Fingers curled around her until she was trapped in towering trunks of flesh. Despite her struggles the human pulled her free in an instant. Mira wasn’t the type to give up, biting at the skin around her. Anything to get free.

The hand was lifted up and up and up until it pressed her against a chest. It felt familiar somehow. Kind of like Corus, the loud heartbeat beneath the skin reminded her of him too. She’d never forgive him for selling her out. What if Kaya met the same fate? Zeke might be just as bad. Mira forced her tears back. Betrayal stung, but she would never let a human see her cry.

“I made it,” the human whispered. The voice was loud, masculine, and familiar. So familiar she couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped her. The efforts she put out to escape dwindled. She wasn’t sold out… she gave the human exactly where she was. “Please tell me I didn’t hurt you and that’s why you stopped fighting me.”

Mira wouldn’t give the human an answer. No humans deserved anything from her, least of all the one who tricked her. The hand around her shifted so she was trapped against a palm and his chest. All she could do was wait. The human would drop her in a cage under the guise of kindness. Claiming to love her or something and keep her safe.

The slamming door made her jump. He hadn’t spoken since he changed his hold. She hated the racing heartbeat. The warmth around her. How it made her remember that single time she felt a palm around her in the dream… and how she liked it. If she hadn’t brought the butterfly she would have walked into a trap. It would have been better that way, she’d have escape routes prepared then.

“I might as well show you the trap I left before you run,” his voice shook through her bones. In a way it felt nice, relaxing, but she couldn’t allow that. She couldn’t let those nights in the dream paint her reality. This was a human and she… she was trapped.

The fingers around her returned to press her against the palm. She bit at them halfheartedly. Her teeth weren’t sharp enough to damage human skin. If she’d left the butterfly her hook would be free, she could fight. The hand flew through the air and she was let out. It took a few precious seconds to regain her balance. The seconds the human needed to trap her with his arms and crouch down to face her.

Mira was body to face with the massive being now. Blue eyes, black hair, pale skin, and all the things that she knew meant the borrower from her dreams. The things that meant Corus. It was horrible. She’d sold herself to a human. In fear and panic she gave in, told him her exact location, and now she was trapped. She reached to the fabric she tied, letting the butterfly fall and pulling free her hook. She brandished it the way she was taught, prepared for his hand to come back.

“I guess my secret’s out now,” he laughed. It was an awkward and loud sound. It made her glare at him, she wanted to stomp up and yell at him. This was something he should have said in the beginning. That should have never happened anyway. This was how borrowers met their perfect partner. It couldn’t be a human. The universe made a mistake for her, she was just begging it hadn’t done the same to Kaya. “So like the first night. Right I get it. I still mean it, we don’t have to ever see each other again Mira.”

“Oh so you’ll do me the kindness and kill me right now?” she sneered. Corus actually recoiled at the venom in her voice. She wasn’t expecting it either. He sighed, his breath washing over her. It made her shiver, he was built differently because he was human.

“Of course not.” The massive eyes closed, she could see subtle changes. He was annoyed. Angry even. She’d see the anger she was worried about. “I know what you think about humans. What you think about me. I don’t care, I wouldn’t have gone near you if you weren’t in danger Mira. I do want to know you, show you things I think you haven’t seen before. I’ll walk away as soon as I show you that trap we joked about.”

“Do you even need it? You win I can’t get away from a human. Go ahead lock me in a cage for my protection, whatever it is you plan to do to me. I’ll-”

“Mira!”

Corus’s voice was loud. It almost hurt her ears. She stumbled back, dropping her hook. She wasn’t expecting that. He was a human. She had to be careful or she’d die. If he trapped her or something she could get away. Corus stared at her, deflating quickly. He let out another sigh that managed to knock her off her feet. She was terrified.

“I’m sorry. I just… Mira look, please,” Corus pointed to the right. She was terrified to refuse, turning to see a pile of food. “I spent one of the days you weren’t around exploring. I got as much as I could together.”

Corus moved the food away and she saw something completely unexpected. A small room that even had a ceiling. Inside were the fabrics she had imagined hanging. A leaf that he must have pulled from a tree outside. A small bed and a table. A pile of thumbtacks and other bobbles she’d collected before. All things in her room from the dream. All things she was planning to abandon.

Almost on autopilot she walked even closer. There she could see the ceiling. The stars she didn’t recognize were on it. They were glowing just a little. It was breathtaking.

“What…?” she whispered. Corus moved to stand. She was forced to stare up at the tall human, the form that terrified her. The fear had started to fade away as his warm eyes followed her. The same eyes that watched her climb. The eyes that were terrified to lose her, but wanted to save her. The eyes… the eyes that she was horrified to never see again.

“I had been putting it together for a while. Honestly I thought you weren’t real, but if I was wrong and we ever met I wanted you to have a room here. When you told me you were moving here I did something else too.”

She watched the human walk over to one of the cabinets. With a strength that no borrower could ever have he moved it back, only a little. Now she could see a crudely formed entrance to the wall, one that would quickly be filled to avoid suspicion. It made her smile.

“I made an entrance, or I tried. I don’t think it looks as good as the ones in that dream world,” he smiled at her. He was treating her like a person. Just the day before she’d woken up so cold and alone. A human was here offering her something she never imagined. A promise of safety and love. A promise that she was starting to hope Kaya shared. “I’ll leave now. Do what you have to. I guess, I’ll see you in our dreams. If you’ll keep going, I don’t know what makes them work. I hope you’ll still be there.”

Mira watched him turn. Felt the heavy step of the human. The familiar step. It was the first time he walked away from her. She hated it.

“Wait!” she called. All the instincts she had told her to stop. All the things she experienced were screaming in her mind. Yet she walked forward and met those hopeful eyes. She wanted to feel the palm holding her when she wasn’t afraid. Play with his hair, hear his heartbeat. Feel a kiss from those giant lips against her small body. The universe might not have been wrong. “Where does my room go?”

Corus smiled, “I thought maybe my room. There’s other places if you’d rather not be that close.”

“Let’s start there… if that’s ok?” The beaming smile melted away the ice of fear that coated her. Corus wanted to learn about her world, he wasn’t a dangerous human. He was right, they weren’t all bad.

He walked closer to her and carefully lifted her room from the counter. It made her heart pound in a way she didn’t fully understand. There was a moment of hesitation before he set a hand down next to her. He had an idea of how small it felt, he knew what she’d thought. He already wanted to be better. She climbed on, feeling safe in the palm.

As he walked she spoke up, “You don’t happen to know a human named Zeke with reddish hair do you?”

“My best friend’s name is that. I’m pretty sure his hair would be considered red too,” he smiled. The walk to his room was short, he was rushing. He set the room down next to his massive bed. His hand was moved next to his heart as he sat down. “Why do you ask?”

“I think you should contact him… Something tells me you two have something in common you didn’t know.”

Corus raised her to his eyes and gave her a suspicious look. She made a face, she wouldn’t say more now. Suddenly his eyes changed, a hungry look that made her shiver. He moved his hand across from his lips and brought her within a twitch. She touched his lips hoping that told him enough.

It was more than enough for him. He rushed forward pressing her fragile body against his warm, sturdy palm. His lips were plush and soft. The kiss was delicate and hungry. She kissed back and it only made him press harder against her. She couldn’t breathe and she didn’t care. A human held her, loved her, and was kissing her. The fear and bitterness she held was torn away by his actions. Tomorrow she might change, but tonight he saved her and she probably loved him.

Corus pulled away, warm loving eyes staring at her. She felt her body heat up under his gaze. Instead of setting her down he moved to lie on his bed. She was placed on his pillow with one of his massive palms pressing on her like a blanket. She stared at him, unsure what to do.

“Just for tonight,” he whispered. Each word made her shiver as it ran through her bones. “Can I be selfish and hold you here? Tomorrow and every day after will be your choice.”

Mira made a move she never thought she would. Gently she kissed a spot she knew she’d bitten before, then nipped it again. She laughed when he jumped, she wasn’t sure if he jumped because he saw or felt her.

“I’ll let you tonight, but I might want it tomorrow too,” she smiled. Corus leaned forward and rested his forehead against her. “I’m glad you didn’t give up on me.”

“I won’t ever give up on you. Even if tomorrow you decide to leave and hate me. I’ll keep waiting in those dreams for you to give me a chance there at least.”

“Even if I leave… I wouldn’t want our dreams to end.”

#gt #giant/tiny #giant tiny #g/t #g/t writing #gt writing #gianttiny #gt community #g/t community #gt july 2023 #gt july #gt july dream #oc:mira #oc:corus #oc:kaya #this was a fun insane idea i had #i might even do more with it

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