#And last night as I tried to fall asleep I got ridiculously ahead of myself and imagined the possibilities of employment there in

[siena-sevenwits]

.

[justjuiceyboy]

damage

in which the readers mind can’t stop racing

word count: approximately 1.2 k 

warnings: swearing, angst, angst and more angst

(A/n: hey guys! It’s been a hot minute. School has been tough for a while so I didn’t have time write anything. Thank you for your continued support in my writing though, I appreciate each and every one of you! Remember, if you like this, a quick reblog would be amazing and if you have anything you specifically want to read just drop me an ask! Love and kisses)

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Stirring in the bed, you found yourself restless. The bright red illuminated numbers on the alarm clock were fuzzy to your vision, you were so dazed that you were unable to make them out. With a sigh, you rubbed your palm over your droopy eyelids, hoping to gain some sort of composure. 

You had slept less and less due to the worrying state your relationship was in. It felt like Happy was oblivious to how you were feeling, as once again he wasn’t home at a reasonable time. The numbers now registered in your head, the clock reading 3:04 am. All you could do was let out a frustrated groan.

Happy was often away on runs with the boys and you understood that. You knew the life that was laid out in front of you. It was no picnic you had been warned and you knew that work would most likely always come first. But what you didn’t expect was that when he was not working, just partying and generally fucking around doing dumb shit with the other Sons, that he’d be home late. Or not come home at all.

This was one of those nights that you felt like you were in solitary confinement. Like a prisoner to your own thoughts and theories. When he didn’t come home for the entire night, you knew he was knee drink in beers with many women throwing themselves at him.

You rolled around once again, hoping to find a comfortable position that you could drift off peacefully in but alas after tossing and turning nothing worked. You just needed Happy beside you to sleep soundly. You wished to see his chest rise and fall, wanting to run the pads if your fingers over the thick lines of his tattoos.

You made the quick decision to rise from your bed, not knowing if this was a good idea or not. Slipping on some clothes and locating your shoes, you took more and more steps towards the door. Fumbling with the keys you had left out when you had retired for the night, you got out of the shared house quickly. 

Driving down the familiar roads, you began to feel nervous about what could lie ahead of you. There wasn’t a party tonight so technically there was no need for him to be out this late. You weren’t controlling but you were realistic and the fact that in the last month you had only fallen asleep next to your boyfriend a mere three times was becoming ridiculous. This wasn’t even completely about the sleeping schedule you both shared, this was about the life that you had come to share.

Your mind was foggy in regards to the last time you had spent a day together when you used to spend every weekend wrapped up together. He made you feel safe and loved but now it felt like an extensive chore to get more than five minutes of his time.

You pulled into the parking lot of the clubhouse and there were no other cars there. This proved your point that there weren’t any secret parties that you weren’t aware of. There was an array of bikes parked outside of the front door, leading you to believe that it could’ve just been a church meeting that turned into drinks.

Opening the front door you were hit with a gust of warm air and an overall disgusting sight. The Sons were all littered across the main room, each with a different crow eater on top of them or pleasuring them. Your heart sunk to the floor as you looked for your man, expecting him to be sitting alone, watching the festivities. Surely he would be stupid enough to look at any of these other women when he had you waiting at home for him?

If it was at all possible, your heart felt like it fell below the restraints of your body, feeling like it was crumbling apart. Here was your boyfriend, the love of your life, the man you’d give up anything for, with three women all over him. He was slumped back in a chair with a cigarette hanging between his lips, a smirk evident. One woman was leaning over him, whispering something in his ear. Another was curled up in his lap, making slow kisses all over his neck. The last one was sitting on the arm of the chair, stroking his arm and giving him puppy eyes, or more ‘take me to bed’ eyes.

You felt physically sick with the scene laid out in front of you. The fact that this entire show was playing out so nonchalantly in front of you, with plenty of the other men being in committed relationships. Chibs was the first to notice your entrance and he jumped up to come to you.

“Don’t” you hissed at him, moving your hand to his chest to push him away from you. You were angry at Happy, for what he was doing, you were angry at the boys, for allowing it to happen but mostly you were angry at yourself since you had never had the inclination to come to the clubhouse. You were naive enough to believe Happy would never lay eyes on someone else, never mind cheat on you.

Happy suddenly locked eyes with you, guilt was written all over his face. You bulled over to him, ready to create a scene in front of everyone. He tried to stand up but the women around him didn’t want to let him go so easily.

You grabbed a fistful of his shirt when you reached him, pushing the crow eaters off of him with ease and making him rise to his feet. They all shot you dirty looks but they could sense the frustration coming off of him.

“I’ve been waiting for hours, if not days for you to come home. But I see you’re busy fucking around and doing whatever you want. I gave you every part of myself. With everything that I gave you, was it too much to ask for just the smallest bit of respect? The smallest bit of human decency, compassion, love!” You seethed, spitting the words at him, hoping that something would hit close to home and he’d have a reasonable explanation for all of this.

He avoided eye contact by looking at his feet. “Unbelievable, you don’t even try to cover yourself,” you got closer to him, your noses only a few centimetres away, “your shit will be on the porch, don’t come near me ever again”. 

He opened his mouth to speak but you had already turned around, making your way to the exit. You flipped off the other Sons who were all standing by now, shame written on all of their faces as they saw the end of your relationship in front of their own eyes.

Once in the car, you let out an earth-shattering scream as you felt your heartache in your chest, knowing the love of your life was gone. The life you had built together, all gone and disappearing into thin air. The damage had been done and there was no going back.

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Tag lists

Happy: @yourwonkywriter​ @bigcreatorwombatdreamer​

[willyoulovemeinthemorning]

The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway (2/?)

Loki Laufeyson x Reader

Summary: You are a mutant with the powers of ice and cold and you have never been able to be touched or touch anyone without making them uncomfortable, or worse, hurting them. You’ve always desperately wished for physical affection, and it isn't until a new silver tongued Asgardian moves into the Avengers tower and takes an interest in you that anyone really dares to try to be physical with you.

Word Count: 1.5k

A/N: This is some drama to push them to the next level- no warnings yet, just some of Y/N getting hurt and Loki coming to the rescue! Warnings apply for the next chapter! Part 1 Ever since Loki showed you he was the only person in the universe that could truly touch you, life went on in blissful closeness with him. He started spending more time with you outside of the library, the two of you eating together and watching movies together, even hanging out with you while you were with Wanda and Nat. Wanda didn’t like it at first, (she was very untrustworthy of new people) but Nat just knew. She knew from the start and didn’t push at first because she knew things would develop over time. But even Wanda figured it out- it wasn’t hard, watching you become more and more at ease with touching him and him touching you. You had never let anyone do that, and the fact that he could meant a lot. So she stopped giving you a hard time about having him around, enjoying how his presence changed you for the better.

The rest of the team started to notice it too- and each time someone would start to give you a hard time, Nat shut it down very quickly. As weeks went by, you had both started falling asleep every night in the library, the living room, the hang out room- wherever had a big enough space for you both to fall asleep wrapped around each other. You were both too afraid to ask to go to sleep in one anothers room.

You were currently on the couch in the living room with Loki, practically in his lap with his arm wrapped around you while he read a book and you scrolled Tik Tok.

“Team, time to suit up. We have a situation in Georgia that needs our attention. We’ll debrief on the plane. All hands on deck for this one. Avengers- Assemble.” You heard Steve’s voice, and you groaned, grumpy that you had to not only leave the safety of your home, but mostly the safety of Loki’s embrace.

It was a gruesome mission- a high profile organization was trying to steal some very dangerous equipment from a location in Georgia, and a lot of people got hurt trying to stop them. Including you. The problem was that you had hit your head after getting shot, and you wouldn’t let anyone come too close, so you were attacking anyone and everyone who came to try to help you- Nat and Wanda included.

Nat was desperate. “Where’s Loki?” She screamed into her com- but Loki’s had fallen off in battle, and he was still in combat with some bad people. “Tony- get eyes on Loki and get him over here right now!” You were bleeding out, and no one could touch you to get you onto the plane.

“Friday, locate Reindeer Games- Elsa’s hurt and she needs true love to heal her-” Tony sing-songed, flying up and over the plant, and when he located Loki, he sent shots out to hit all the men circling the God, swooping in and picking him up by the back of the shirt.

“HEY!” Loki screamed, which Tony ignored, flying him to where Nat was with you. You were starting to lose consciousness, and Nat was trying to keep you awake without touching you. He dropped Loki unceremoniously on the ground beside you, the God’s anger rushing out of him at the treatment the moment he saw you. “Y/N? What happened?!” He yelled back at Nat, crawling over to you.

“They got her, she’s got wounds all over and she won’t let anyone touch her, and anyone who has gets one of these burns-” she showed him her arms, covered in icy patches. Loki basically threw magic her way to melt the ice off, putting all of his focus on you.

“Hey, popsicle, it’s me. I’m going to get you on the ship and we’re going to get you better, okay?” He went to pick you up, paused, and then looked around at the avengers surrounding him. “Please don’t look- please.” He asked, and Nat stared them all down until they turned around. He picked you up bridal style, and immediately felt a wave of ice shoot through him. His whole body changed as the onslaught came- so cold it affected him. The pain shot through his blue limbs, red eyes focused on getting you to the ship a few yards away. Nat was ahead of him, climbing in and turning the machine on. He could feel the eyes of the team on him, and he tried to ignore it. That was easy considering all he could focus on was the pain coursing through him, and getting you safe. Finally, he got you in, and Natasha was already flying the three of you away. He placed you down and cupped your face. “Darling, look at me, please keep your eyes open.” You looked up at him and groaned in pain.

“Please, Loki…” You cried, your voice strained in pain. “Please…”

He placed both of his hands on your wound, trying to ease the bleeding, the pain of ice slowing down as you started to lose consciousness. “I’m sorry, Loki…” was the last thing you said, and the last thing you saw was his beautiful blue face contorted in pain as you slipped away from him.

You woke up days later, confused and afraid, unsure of what happened or where you were. What you were sure of was a hand in yours... and when you opened your eyes you saw a messy head of black hair asleep by your hip, the hand holding yours under his head. You squeezed it, jostling him from his position enough to wake him.

“Y/N?” His sleepy voice croaked, blinking rapidly and rubbing his eyes with his free hand.

“Where am I?” you asked, trying to sit up.

“Hey, don’t move too much, you’re still healing.” He stopped you, hand on your chest to keep you down. “ You’re in the ICU at the Tower. You’ve been out for a week… we had to keep you out because you kept accidentally hurting the doctors. I had to do a lot of the physical touching because you couldn’t hurt me as easily…” His cheeks turned pink and he looked away from you, and you realized what that might have meant. Loki had seen you in a lot of unflattering, very intimate ways in the last few days, by your estimation.

“Did I… did-”

“No, popsicle. Everyone is fine. I was able to use my magic to heal their ice wounds- I would have healed you too, but your injury was a little too complex for me to trust myself.”

You breathed a sigh of relief. You couldn’t have forgiven yourself if… “Did I hurt you? Did the rest of the team see you- in my favorite form?” You asked, eyes worried for him. You knew how he felt about his Jotun form.

“I… asked them to look away. They all did, but once I wasn’t looking, they definitely looked. I’m pretty sure Natasha beat everyone up that did, since they all apologized after. Dr. Green didn’t, and I don’t think Spangles did either, because they’re the only ones that Natasha is currently speaking with.” He said, looking down in what you could only assume was shame.

“Loki, no one will judge you for it, it’s your base form, and you put yourself at risk of ridicule for my safety. They will all respect it.”

“I think you’re right, but it’s not my favorite thing to know that they’ve all… seen me like that. I liked that you were the only one. It was something special.”

You smiled at him, squeezing the hand still holding yours. “You’re still the only one able to touch me, Loki, I think that’s pretty special.”

His eyes found yours and the look in them lit something up inside of you, making you ache for him to be closer and touch you more than he had before. He took a deep breath, before breaking eye contact. “I’m going to go get the doctor so he can check you out, and maybe you can get out of here today and be back in your room tonight.”

After a thorough check up by the doctor, he deemed you healthy enough to sleep in your own bed that night. After giving you pain meds, Loki helped you there, and by the time you were in your bed, you were a little silly on the meds. “Loki?”

He had just put you to bed and was about to leave, but turned back around and sat down beside you. “Yes, popsicle?”

“Stay?” You reached forward and took his hand, tugging on him a little, trying to get him to lay down. Without saying anything, he did as asked, and climbed into bed beside you, pulling you to him. You fell asleep thinking about how perfectly you fit in the curve of his body as his little spoon.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

One Night🌙4

Warnings: noncon sexual acts (to be warned later in series)

This is dark!Andy Barber and explicit. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: One night changes your entire life.

for @kittykatlow​‘s 200 Follower Celebration

Note: Well, at long last you get another chapter of Andy Barber and I’m just as impatient all y’all!

Hope you enjoy it. Thank you. Love you guys!

Please leave some feedback, like and reblog <3

Masterlist

Andy's perfect suburban neighbourhood was enough to make you feel out of place. His house only added to that boiling insecurity as he pulled into the wide driveway. He kept his calm but taunting silence up as classic rock continued to blare from the radio, interrupted by jarring jingles and ridiculous radio jockey banter.

As he killed the engine, the sudden silence hit you like a wall. You opened the car door but found it hard to go much further. The door shut and you planted your hand against it. 

Andy startled you as he came up beside you, your suitcase rolling behind him as your large tote was slung over his shoulder. You made to grab the bag and he waved you away.

"Come on," He nodded to the house, "You said you were tired. I'll get you settled and you can rest."

You frowned but said nothing. You walked ahead of him around the front of his car and up the mosaic path that led to his front door. He fished around in his pocket and brushed against you as he reached to unlock the front door. He pushed it open and waited for you to enter.

The place looked straight out of a catalogue. White furniture!? Who in their right mind lived like this. It would be like living in a museum. You inched inside and stopped short in front of Andy as a photo of his wife and kid met you on the small side table just beside the couch. He barely kept from colliding with you.

He dropped your bag against the wall and let your suitcase go. He reached around you and took the picture. He cleared his throat and stepped away. You watched him through the wide archway that opened up on the other side of the staircase. You could barely see him as he went to the kitchen and shoved the frame in a drawer.

He returned, his eyes avoiding you and gathered up your bags. He edged past you, stopping at the bottom of the stairs to look back at you.

"Well, you coming?" He asked and started up the staircase.

You followed a few feet back as his footfalls echoed around you. He led you down the hallway and pulled closed a door as he passed. You glanced the posters on the wall and a seemingly interrupted scene still set up within. The snap of the clasp kept you going.

He turned back at the next doorway and sighed. He shrugged and nodded to it.

"I'm just across the hall," He said. "And you'll have... space."

His tone was sour and you didn't miss the tic in his jaw. He waited until you stepped ahead of him and opened the door yourself. He pushed your suitcase just inside and set your bag on the bed. A floral quilt was pulled across the top as similar flowers hung in oval frame along the wall.

"Never really had many guests," He said as he pushed back his jacket and gripped his hips. "Don't even know if anyone but me ever slept in here. You know, had a beer too many and... well, you take a nap and we'll talk when you get up."

"I can find somewhere else," You said.

"You won't," He insisted. "Not now. Talk later." He went to the door and grabbed the handle, pausing before he could pull it shut behind him. "I've got some work to finish up. I'll be in my office. Downstairs, just off the front room. Just by the Sox banner."

"Sure," You turned away in resignation. "I guess I'll find you."

A long exale came from him just before he slowly pulled the door closed. You listened for the click then hung your head. How did this man expect to start a new family when his old one still lived here? It didn't matter how many pictures he hid, he couldn't just push them out.

🌙

Once you laid down, it wasn't hard to fall asleep. The days had piled atop your eyelids and dragged you down into a heavy doze. You awoke on your side, your arm trapped beneath you and tingling. You groaned and sat up, your head ached with each move.

You yawned and looked out the window. It was dark. You rubbed your eyes and did your best to rouse yourself. The house was silent. You inched the door open and listened. You crept out and headed down the hall to the stairs. Again, you listened and heard nothing.

You descended and went to the kitchen. You found a tall glass from the cupboard and filled it from the tap. As you turned around, the rim just before your lips, you jumped at the shadow that appeared in the archway. 

Andy flicked the light on. He leaned on the wooden frame and crossed his arms. His button up was rolled up past his elbows and his hair was mussed as if he'd been running his fingers through it over and over. You choked on the water and steadied yourself.

"Hey," You coughed. "What's, uh, I was just... thirsty."

"It's fine. By all means," He uncrossed his arms and stood straight. 

He neared the end of the island that stood parallel to the sink. You set your glass down on it nervously. 

"I... just woke up. I thought maybe you were already... sleeping." You said. You were hoping, actually.

"No, not yet. You hungry?" He asked.

"Not really," You replied. "Thanks."

"You should eat. What did you have today?"

"I... um," You tried to think. You'd had half a club sandwich at the diner. "I had a sandwich and um, a cookie on the way home."

"That's hardly enough for two," He neared the corner of the island. "I'm not a bad cook. I could make you something. Or order something?"

"Really, it's fine--"

"It's not--" He raised his hand to calm himself. "It's not fine. You're carrying my child. You starve myself, you starve them. So... eat." He turned and opened the fridge. "I've got some hummus and veggies you can munch on and uh, thin crust pizza I can toss in."

He turned and set down a tupperware of celery, carrots, and cauliflower along with a container of hummus. He closed the fridge and opened the freezer with a puff of cool air. He took out a thin crust cheese and spinach pizza.

He went to the stove and held down the temperature button. He turned back and opened the box as he waited for the over to preheat. He took out the pizza and peeled away the plastic. He left it on the counter and came closer again. He pulled the lid off the tupperware and the smaller container.

"Eat," He said. "Is everything gonna be this difficult?"

You scowled and grabbed a carrot stick. You scooped up a glob of hummus and bit into with zeal, all the while staring him down. You smiled at him with mouth full and chewed.

"So, can we talk or are you going to continue to act like a child?" He asked.

"I don't know, are you going to keep acting like my dad," You huffed.

He blinked and shook his head.

"I'm open to compromise but if you're gonna be like this, I won't be so understanding," He hissed. "So sit," He pushed a tall stool towards you. "And eat."

"Yes, father," You climbed up on the stool and grabbed some celery.

"I always thought it was 'daddy'," He raised his brow. You scoffed at his bad joke.

The oven dinged and he shoved the pizza inside. He set the time and stood across the island from you. He put one hand on his hip as his other gripped the edge of the marble.

"Tomorrow, you make an appointment." He said.

"Sure," You picked out a piece of cauliflower. 

"And you can't keep working two jobs. You gotta drop one." He stated. "It's not good for you or the baby."

"You can't just make me give up my livelihood." You argued.

"Livelihood? How much do you think you make in a year? Probably no where close to twenty grand. I make at least five times. We can afford for you not to kill yourself--"

"'We'?!" You exclaimed. "Andy, there is no we."

He slapped the countertop suddenly and swore.

"Fuck's sake. You know for someone so damn helpless you sure do hate help!" He snarled. "It's like you want... you want this to go wrong. Everything has to go wrong so you can keep being the innocent little victim of your own life."

You recoiled and swallowed your mouthful. You threw the carrot stick in your hand at him. He batted it away easily.

"You don't fucking know me," You spat. "So don't you judge me."

"I know you fucked me in the toilet after about twenty minutes," He snickered.

You took the hummus and wipped it at him too. It splattered across his front and the container bounced across the counter.

"After three drinks, on top of several before," You snapped. "I don't have to explain myself to you." You got off the stool. "I don't want your fucking pity or whatever you're doing. I'm not going to be your little project."

You swept around the island but he caught your arm and pulled you back. The garlic from the hummus filled your nostrils and woke your hormonal hunger.

"Where are you going to go? You think I want you sleeping with my baby on the street?" He squeezed, hard. "And whatever you want to call it, my pity is better than the alternative."

"Let go," You wriggled in his grasp.

"You really wanna be a little bitch over a cafe gig?" He lowered his voice. "You walk out, I'll find you. I will not stop," He sneered. "You got it?"

"You're hurting me," You gritted through your teeth.

"Tomorrow you tender your resignation," He growled as his other hand came up to frame your chin. "Right?"

"Stop--"

"To-mor-row," He said decisively.

"Tomorrow," You uttered softly. "Okay?"

He smiled and nodded, slowly releasing you. He pulled loose his tie and slipped it over his head and unbuttoned his short. He slid it back down his shoulders and bared his chest. He approached the broad archway as he shed the shirt entirely. He stopped and turned to glance over his shoulder.

"I gotta clean myself up," He said. "I expect you to clean up the rest."

He left you and you squinted at the doorway. What an asshole. You took several deep breaths then took several sheets of papertowel from above the sink. You wiped the hummus from the counter and the floor and tossed the towel. You picked up the errant carrot stick as well and the oven beeped.

Everything about this kitchen was idyllic. It was the perfect suburban haven. The oven mitts, printed with an image of cheese and grapes, hung from the cupboard just beside the stacked ovens. You took them and pulled out the rack. You eased the pizza onto a plate and set it on the counter. You snapped the oven shut and turned it off after a brief struggle with the buttons.

Andy reappeared as you turned back, he wore a grey tee a some plaid pajama pants. Even in the bar, having done what you'd done, you'd never seen him without his suit. He was always the staunch lawyer man, even with a belly full of whiskey. Now he just looked like some guy.

"Two bulletpoints down," He said as he went to the drawer and searched for the pizza cutter. "I'd like to sort this out tonight. I have a long day tomorrow."

"Fine," You took the cutter from him and sliced the pizza into triangles. "What else can I do to appease you, your majesty?"

"For one, you will not be working beyond six months," He stated. "Can't risk it. Especially with those heavy trays."

"Six months? You know, they would accomodate me--"

"I'm a lawyer. You know how many workplaces are dragged into court for not accomodating employees?" He interjected.

"I'm a lawyer," You mimicked. "I get it. Six months."

"House rules," He raised his index, "Home before nine when you're not closing, but I'd prefer it if you stuck to day shifts," He instructed, "I'm pretty good about housework." He went tot he fridge and took down a notepad that had been pre-printed with a roster of chores. "We can switch off with dishes. I do laundry on Sundays but I take my dry-cleaning in on Friday. Sweeping and mopping, about once a week. I can take care of that if you can do a bit of dusting and tidying in the living room."

You stared at him. Was everything about his life so ordained? Well, surely not fucking a stranger ins a bar.

"I think I can clean up after myself," You sniffed. "Curfew, cleaning, good, got it."

"Right," He said gruffly, "And in regards to your care, you will inform me of all your appointments and medical concerns."

"Okay."

"And, I don't mind if you have friends over but let me know ahead of time," He continued. "No guys."

"What?" You chuckled dryly. "What are they gonna do? Knock me up again?"

"No guys," He snarled. "I mean it." You stared at him. You shook your head and he shoved the plate at you. "Eat."

You took a piece, the cheese stringy as it clung to the next. You bit into it and swallowed before you found your voice.

"Andy, this isn't-- we fucked in a bathroom," You muttered. "You can't think--"

"My house, my rules," He warned. "Now, you have your own room and freedom to anything inside this house. That's it. Fair trade. This isn't a negotiation."

"Fucking lawyer," You rolled your eyes. "You know, we get you in the diner all the time. You complain about the fucking food yet you're barely paying pocket change for a damn omelet then you don't even leave a tip. Write something on the receipt like 'resilience is more valuable than any bill'."

He laughed and ran his tongue along his bottom lip.

"Well, with an attitude like that, I can't imagine you ever getting stiffed..." He said. "...on a tip."

"Alright, I play by your stupid rules until this damn thing is out of me," You sneered. "That's it."

"Good girl," He smiled. "Now have a few more slices and you're free for the night."

[soyeahitsmiddleearth]

Avoidance

Fili x Reader

And as for Fili, maybe reader is super shy and likes him, but he has no clue? Not sure if either have been done or not, I've been reading a lot of reader lately. Love your collection.

Confrontation is never easy. 

Whether it's confronting a rude person, an injustice, or someone you like, it's always hard. 

In this instance it's confronting someone you like. 

Actually, you aren't planning on confronting him at all because even the mere thought of telling him how you feel scares the bejesus out of you. 

At what point you began to fall for him you aren't quite sure, but Bilbo noticed fairly quickly. 

It was around the beginning of the journey when Fili had so valiantly protected you against those trolls that Bilbo noticed your lingering stares and dreamy expressions when you catch his eye, and as soon as he noticed he asked you about it. 

You, being the shy little hobbit you are, immediately denied it and became extremely flustered and red-faced. It made him laugh at the time and told him all he needed to know, and since then he's been a big supporter for you.

He's spoken very highly of you to Fili on multiple occasions, and never ceases to give you advice when you need it on the matter (not that you ever take his advice in the first place). 

It's sweet, but it does nothing to ease your shyness or boost your confidence unfortunately. 

Honestly your shyness is so bad that when Fili tries to talk to you, you usually freak out and shut down completely. Stuttering, stammering, and panicking internally.

Unbeknownst to you, he's quite fond of you as well, but he's afraid that you're afraid of him.

The reason for that being how you quite literally run away from him when he approaches and how you end conversations very quickly after they begin. 

If you knew he thought that way then you would certainly change your behaviors around him, but he hasn't said anything so you just continue on as you are. 

And it looks like we're about to get an example of that now, for Fili is walking towards you and looks like he wants to say something. 

Without missing a beat you begin to look around for an escape, turning your head left and right for somewhere to run off to; but you find nothing. You look back over at the blond-haired dwarf nervously and wave at him weakly. 

"Y/N, there you are. I was looking everywhere for you." 

"H-Hi, Fili." You say in a high-pitched, shy voice. "What do you n-need?" 

He unconsciously sighs at your anxious tone and stuttering, saying softly so as to not startle you further, "I was only worried about you, no one has been able to find you since we stopped for the night." 

"You were worried for me?" You ask a bit too quickly, immediately back tracking after you do, "Uh, n-no, never mind." 

Fili steps closer and places a hand on your lower back, urging you forward back the way he came, "Come along, your brother is growing concerned." 

When he touches you, you start forward and escape his touch even though you really want to stay close, nodding your head quickly, "Okay!" And then you run off.

He simply stands there quietly for a moment, staring at the place you disappeared with a frustrated and slightly sad expression on his face. 

As soon as he came to the conclusion that you're scared of him, he began to act differently around you so as to not frighten you. For example, he speaks quieter, makes sure you know where he is at all times, smiles at you, and even tries to protect you during dangerous moments, but it seems that all his efforts are in vain. 

He kicks the dirt and curses in Khuzdul before following after you. 

---

When you return to camp Bilbo calls your name and runs up to you, a stern expression on his face, "You can't go wandering off like that all the time, you know. You do this every night." He scolds you quietly to save you from the embarrassment of having everyone hear him reprimanding you, but you can tell from how red and angry his face is that he's just about had it. 

"I'm sorry." You mumble, looking down at your feet, "I just needed a minute to myself. I didn't mean to worry anyone." 

Bilbo looks at you quietly for a moment before sighing wearily and pulling you into a hug, "No, I know you didn't. It's alright, just please don't leave without saying something, okay?" 

You nod your head in understanding, then walk over to your things and take a seat in your bedroll. 

When you glance to the side you see that somebody has placed their things and bedroll next to yours, but you don't know whose it is. 

It definitely isn't Bilbo's since it doesn't have any of his fancy things and his is on the other side of yours, but you elect to go ahead and ignore it and just lay down. 

Someone enters camp a minute or so later after you've settled in for the night, that someone being Fili, and Bilbo greets him right away. 

"Thank you for finding her."

Said dwarf nods his head, looking over at your sleeping form with a deep frown etched on his face, "Of course, Bilbo. I only wish I knew why she despises me so." He can't even keep the disappointment from his voice. 

Bilbo almost laughs at his words since he knows it's quite the opposite, but he respects your privacy so he doesn't say anything about it. "She doesn't despise you Fili, she is only shy." 

"But she does not act so anxious or weird around anyone else." He argues back, shaking his head in disagreement. 

Bilbo says no more and turns, walking over to his things next to yours and laying down. 

When the blond walks off, Fili is successfully baffled. 

Why are hobbits so damn confusing?

---

When you wake the next morning, you are very warm. 

Much warmer than you usually are at night, and right away you are alert. 

You sit up quickly and look around, not seeing anything weird like a wild fire, before looking down and seeing that you're wrapped up in two blankets as opposed to your usual one. 

It's still extremely dark out, probably mid-night still.

At first you just stare at the thick covering, head tilted slightly before you look up and around to see who gave you their blanket. 

When you look to your right you see Bilbo, fast asleep and with blanket; but when you look left you're surprised to see Fili not only blanketless but also extremely close to you. 

Right away your face becomes warm with both flattery and embarrassment, and for a moment you sit there completely still and staring at the blond-haired dwarf with an expression akin to amazement on your face. 

After the amount of time you observe him reaches creepy territory, you snap yourself out of it and immediately untangle yourself from the blankets and scoot closer to him, laying his blanket over his body carefully so as to not wake him from his sleep. Heaven knows he needs it with how hard he works. 

Once his blanket is back around him you lean a bit closer and ghost your fingers down his cheek, smiling at the way his nose twitches at the careful contact. 

Slowly and silently you begin to move away from him, but a hand on your arm makes you stop in alarm. 

You look back at Fili with wide eyes but see that he is still sleeping, though his hand is locked onto your forearm with an iron-like grip.

For a moment you do nothing, then tug on your arm lightly in hopes that he'll simply let go.

No such luck. 

You reach down with your other hand and pull on his wrist lightly, but as soon as you touch him he tugs you down onto the ground next to him. 

This situation is quite odd and very flustering, but unfortunately you've been drawn into a position you can't quite get out of. 

The grip on your wrist relaxes slightly, but before you can sit up and flee his other arm locks around your waist and successfully keeps you in place. 

He mumbles something in his sleep that sounds suspiciously close to your name, but you don't dare even think that's actually what he utters while he dreams and holds you so tenderly. 

You're stuck face to face with the older nephew of Thorin Oakenshield, wide-eyed, embarrassed, and at a total loss of what to do. 

You try to push his heavy arm off your waist, but your struggle only makes his hold tighten and him pull you closer so you're now pressed up against him; and once you're crushed to his chest, his chin rests on top of your head. 

If it weren't for the fact that he's sleeping you'd probably be thrilled and just as awkward, but he's not aware of any of it and there will undoubtedly be a lot of mortification on both parts in the morning. 

Once more you attempt to wiggle out of his vice grip, but to no avail. 

At this point you just try and accept your fate, relaxing against him and allowing your eyes to shut despite your mind screaming at you to try and escape some more. 

This is tomorrow Y/N's problem now.

---

That sentiment of last night being tomorrow Y/N's problem has, once again failed you, because the next morning when you're gently shaken awake from what has to be the best sleep you've ever had, it all comes rushing back to you. 

You look up quickly and see that Fili is looking at you with bleary and confused eyes, though he has yet to let you go, and slightly he’s got red cheeks. 

"Y/N?" He questions softly, that same look of perplexity on his handsome features. 

"I-I can explain." You rush out, feeling your eyes begin to burn and face start to move practically on it's own in an attempt to make you look away. "I'm sorry. I tried t-to give you back your blanket last night, b-but when I tried to leave y-you, um..." You trail off and realize that it probably sounds completely ridiculous and unbelievable, and now he will no doubt find you to be a freak. 

A moment of silence passes by before he breaks it, "I grabbed you didn't I?" He sounds embarrassed and when you look up, he appears it too. 

You nod slowly, immediately scooting away when he releases you. "Y-Yeah." 

"I am so sorry." He rushes out, reaching out to touch you before snatching his hands away and resting them at his sides, "Sometimes when I'm asleep I-"

You cut him off quickly and shake your head, "It's fine! We should g-get ready for the rest of the day!" And then you jump to your feet and rush to pack up your things. 

Fili watches as you frantically clean your area with a pained expression, wishing above all that last night would not have happened. 

You're sure to hate him now. 

---

The rest of the day goes on about as awkwardly as you expected it would, for you not only do all you can to avoid him (since you get flustered and shy each time you see his face), but apparently some of the others saw the two of you this morning and had decided to tease the both of you about it. 

When you started crying, though, nobody else said a thing about it. 

Thinking back on how you suddenly burst into tears when Bofur took a jab at you about liking Fili fills you with shame and mortification: because not only does this have to be the most humiliating day of your life, but you also feel like you've completely botched all of your chances with the blond dwarf. 

When you started crying at Bofur's joke he freaked out and tried to console you, saying over and over that he didn't mean it and that he was sorry, and when Bilbo (and literally everyone else) saw what was going on he raised his voice at him and asked what he did to you. 

Suffice to say nobody brought it up again after that.

Honestly you don't even know why you started crying in the first place.

Yes, you are extremely embarrassed about what happened this morning, but it's not like you're upset it happened. If you really think on it, you more so felt guilty for being the cause of Fili being teased by his brother and others and, you suppose, when Bofur made that joke all of your guilt came up on you at once in the form of tears. 

After your water-works Bilbo stayed by you for the rest of the day, telling you every now and then that your crying was not a big deal and everyone will forget about it soon enough, but it does little to ease your upset. 

When it comes time for camp to be set up this next night you end up walking off again despite Bilbo's scolding the night before, just letting your feet carry you wherever.

Eventually you stop your aimless meandering and come to a stop at a pretty stream, the water shining in the setting sunlight and rocks practically shimmering with moisture. 

It brings a smile to your face and you walk over right away, stepping into the stream to cool off your feet. 

You hop around in the running water for a few minutes, smiling and enjoying the freedom of the moment when you hear a stick snap from somewhere behind you. 

Very quickly you turn around, the smile dropping from your face in place of an alarmed expression before you see the very dwarf who has unintentionally caused you so much distress all day. 

For a moment the two of you just stare at each other before he steps out from behind the tree and offers an unsure smile. 

You don't return the smile for your face has begun to warm again, but you can't quite bring yourself to look away from him.

"I'm sorry." Fili states suddenly, his countenance filling with pain and fists clenching at his sides. "I've troubled you." 

His sudden apology surprises you, and if you were at a loss for words before, now you've completely forgotten to speak altogether. 

You continue to stare until you finally manage to form a coherent thought, "I'm fine." 

"No you aren't! You were crying before." He argues, walking a few paces forward so he can stand in front of you on the river bank. 

"T-That was about something else..." You lie, though you don't believe it yourself, wrapping your arms around your middle. 

"Come on now, you know I don't believe that." He sighs and shakes his head, observing you as he continues, "I know you never liked me in the first place, but I promise I meant not to offend or bother you. I-I only wished to keep you safe, be your friend, but all I've done is burden you with fear and the teasing of the others." 

When he stutters you feel your heart pang uncomfortably, and his words successfully shock you. 

And then you realize that he thinks you hate him. "What do you mean I never liked you?" 

"You've always been very skittish around me. Clearly I unnerve you." 

Oh shoot. 

"N-No! I do not dislike you!" You cry a bit too quickly and frantically, stepping out of the water with a splash as you stumble to stand in front of him. 

He looks thoroughly confused now, but he doesn't ask anything and instead waits for you to explain. 

"I didn't realize you thought I disliked you... Oh, goodness..." You reach up and rake your fingers through your curly hair a bit harshly, taking a step back, "I don't know what to say, I just never thought that my behavior would send such a horrible message..." 

"So... you do not hate me?" He asks slowly, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes sparkling with (dare you say) hope. 

"No. What reason would I have to hate you?" 

"Well, this morning is a more than good enough of a reason. Surely I repulsed you." 

Ah, yes this morning. 

"Repulsed? No, not repulsed. I slept wonderfully mind you, but having everyone laugh at you because I wasn't more careful-"

"Wait, you cried because you blamed yourself for this mornings embarrassment?" His voice portrays how flabbergasted and shocked he is, and he takes a few steps closer to you so he can look down at you more clearly. 

"Y-Yes." It's so humiliating to admit. 

Fili reaches down and places his hands on your shoulders, "And you're telling me that you never hated me?" 

You nod your head, looking up at him with a flushed face and nervous expression. 

"And that you aren't repulsed by me?" 

You nod again. 

"So then... I have been worried over nothing?" 

Another nod. 

"Then why were you acting so strange? You never acted like that towards any one else. Not even Dwalin or my uncle, and they're much scarier than I am." 

"I wasn't scared by you..." You state softly, adverting your gaze and instead focusing in on the buttons of his shirt. 

"Well what other reason would you have to act in such a way around me?"

Oh gosh, here's that confrontation you hate so much. 

"U-Um, I... you see it, er, it's kind of... weird." You wish the ground would just open up and swallow you hole, but you have no such luck. 

"Weird?"

You reach up and pull at your earlobe anxiously, nodding your head to his question, "Yes." 

"What could be-" He pauses, then says softer, "Oh." 

Your head tilts down further to look at the ground, and you move your feet to kick at the dirt awkwardly upon his epiphany. 

Surely your face is on fire at this point, and you really don't want him to see that. 

Suddenly, his hand comes down with his thumb pressed to his index finger to rest under your chin so he can tilt it up again, and when your face is turned towards his again you see a smile on his face and a soft look in his eyes. 

"You're taken with me." He doesn't say it like a question but as more of a statement, his thumb coming up to smooth over your cheek lightly. 

"M-Maybe a little." You stutter back, resisting the urge to step away or advert your gaze elsewhere. 

The other hand on your shoulder drops down to rest on your hip, his fingers pressing into your side lightly as he pulls you a bit closer. 

Your eyes are caught up in his wonderful blue irises, and you find that you longer feel the urge to look away or to run off. You're entranced; completely caught up in this weird sort of intimate stare-down. 

His face comes closer and your eyelids squeeze shut, almost as if you're bracing for something when it's just a kiss you're expecting. 

And a kiss you get, but not in the place you were anticipating. 

His lips land on your warm cheek, and the finger smoothing along your cheekbone pauses when he pecks your face gently. 

Your eyes flutter open and you look at him in surprise and, shockingly enough, disappointment. 

Fili pulls away and looks down at you with that same fond and silly smile on his face, his hand coming up to cup your cheek gently. "I don't want to scare you away, now." 

"Y-You won't scare me away." You reply a bit too quickly, internally kicking yourself for sounding so desperate. 

Your rushed speech draws a chuckle from Fili, and he pecks your cheek again, whispering closer to your ear, "You promise?" 

"I promise." 

He slides the hand on your hip up along your side gently before returning it to it's previous spot on your side, a smile brightening his handsome face. He pulls back a bit to look at your face again, and, when he's got a good eye-full, he swoops in again and leaves a quick and chaste kiss against your lips (seeming to test the waters). 

You reach up and awkwardly place your hands on his sides, not quite sure what to do with them. 

When you grab his waist much like he would you, he laughs again and drops his hands to grab yours, pulling them up to wrap around the back of his neck, "It's easier for you if you hold me here." 

You nod your head in understanding and stand up on your toes slightly so you don't have to crane your neck as much, "L-Like this?" 

"You can do it like that. Or, I can do this-" He reaches down and grabs both your hips, lifting your feet from the ground suddenly to hold you up against him. 

"F-Fili!" You scream unintentionally and hold onto him tighter, kicking your feet a bit as solid ground disappears from beneath you. 

"I thought you said I won't scare you?" 

"You didn't. You s-startled me." You breathe, forehead pressing against his gently. 

Instead of answering verbally he presses his lips against yours again and doesn't pull away so quickly, shifting you in his arms a bit so as to not drop you (that would be embarrassing on his part, and painful on yours). 

You hold him a bit tighter when his lips return to yours, but you don't linger for long and pull away after 10 or so seconds.

He looks at you questioningly, and you hurry out another apology, "S-Sorry, I'm just not used to-"

"You don't have to apologize to me, I understand." Slowly he returns you to your feet, though he doesn't step back, "You're shy, and that's alright." 

Hearing him say that brings a small smile to your face, because really nobody is all that understanding when it comes to your timid personality. It feels nice. 

"Thank you, Fili." 

"No, thank you." He replies without missing a beat.

You furrow your eyebrows in confusion at his words, "F-For what?" 

"This." And then he leans down and pecks your lips again, smiling when you jump slightly and try to react in time. He pulls away though and rubs circles into your hip with his thumb.

"O-Oh." 

All he does is smile some more before mumbling, "It's your turn." 

"My turn?" You question hesitantly, hands resting on his shoulders. 

"To kiss me." 

[sevenstarsinning]

Kinktober

Day 13: Pegging Cucking

Night time was home to many things. The moon, the stars shining in all of their glory, and sleep if you’re lucky enough to get it. But there was also something sinister that crept around in the dark.

The first time Em saw him standing at the foot of her bed, she thought it was Goku from the silhouette. That hair was unmistakable. However, when Goku showed up the following morning with zero knowledge of having visited her, she knew something was off.

The next night he came back and again, Goku said he wasn’t there. She thought the solution was simple, ask Goku to move in with her. She’d wanted to ask him for a while anyway, what better time than when he apparently had a doppelganger lurking in her bedroom.

With Goku out cold and snoring softly next to her, she thought whatever the hallucination was would go away. There were two problems with that. One, Goku was a heavy ass sleeper. And two, she severely underestimated the being that eventually revealed himself as Goku Black.

“Goku…” Em shook him but he didn’t budge, “wake up…” she tried again but still no luck.

“It’s no use, poor saiyan’s exhausted.” Black grinned slyly, his face shadowed by the moonlight that streamed through the window.

“Why do you keep coming back?” She asked, scooting back towards Goku.

“I have several reasons for that but I’m not sure you deserve to know just yet. But don’t worry, little saiyan, they’ll all come out eventually.” He grinned and remained still, not the least bit worried about her waking Goku up.

“When he wakes up-”

“What? He’ll tear me in two? Rip my beating heart from my chest? Dear saiyan, we both know he’s far too docile to do anything.”

Em knew Goku wouldn’t immediately jump up to fight, but at least having him awake if Black tried anything would’ve been nice. She nudged Goku again but all he did was roll over and fall back asleep.

“If you manage to wake him up, I’m still going to do exactly what I came here to do. And I’ll let you in on a little secret,” he whispered, leaning across the bed towards Em, “you’ll want it and he’ll sit back and watch it happen.”

Her heart leapt into her throat and her breath hitched, “and what did you come here to do?" 

Black slid his hand up the bed between her legs over the blanket, "I came here to take what I want, little saiyan.”

“Goku, wake the fuck up,” she said through gritted teeth.

“You’re already accepting your inevitable submission to me. You haven’t told me no yet and I don’t think you can,” he teased, pressing his hand against the blanket to her soaked panties.

“Oh, feels like you really don’t want to fight this.” He pressed his fingers down harder, making her buck her hips and moan slightly.

“Em?” Goku stirred, saying her name still half asleep.

“Go ahead, tell me to stop,” Black smirked, keeping his attention solely on her.

Goku turned towards Em and slowly opened his eyes.

Black brought his hand up to Em’s face and moved his thumb over her bottom lip, tugging before releasing it. “It’s a very simple word, little saiyan.”

Her eyes met Goku’s in the brief moment before she spoke.

Em opened her mouth, “don’t stop." 

The words came out before she could fully comprehend what she was asking for and Black smiled with the most mischievous grin.

He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "tell Goku you want him to watch.”

Em’s eyes widened. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Goku in any way and she wasn’t sure how he would take that request.

“Em? What’s going on?” Goku asked, still disoriented from waking up.

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he yawned and shifted next to her.

“Goku, I-” she spoke, her voice was small.

“Say it. Tell him you want me and not him.” Black urged her on.

“Goku, I want him.” The words left her conflicted and as much as she wanted to take them back, she couldn’t. Not with Black so close and offering exactly what she had dreamt about for weeks.

“What do you mean?” Goku asked, finally shaking off the haze.

“Who is that- is… is that me?” His eyes adjusted to the dark as he looked at the strange man touching her.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m nothing like you, filthy saiyan.” Black sneered.

Goku sat up and stared back at the man that looked just like him.

“Then… who are you?”

“His name is Goku Black. He’s the one I mistook for you at first,” Em said, watching Black’s hand dip under the blanket

“But I’m right here? Why did you say you wanted him?” Goku stared blankly, noticing his hand.

“Because you can’t provide her with what I can.” Black answered before she could.

His hand skimmed over the waistband of her panties, slipping down into the front of them and letting his fingers skate along her slick cunt.

“Em? Is.. is that true?” Goku asked. He was so close to giving her that sad face she couldn’t handle.

“Not-yes but,” she paused, struggling to find the right words while Black’s fingers teased her pussy.

“Be honest, little saiyan,” he warned.

“You know how… fuck, you know how I’ve asked you to be rough with me and not worry about my safety because I can handle it?” Em said in a rush.

“Yeah,” Goku said, still confused by what was happening.

“That’s what he can give me so you don’t have to worry about losing control.” She explained quickly as his fingers continued to tease and toy with her.

“But I thought you only wanted that with me?” He cocked his head to the side, smelling her arousal in the air.

“Goku, he looks just like you, can you really blame me for wanting him?”

“I don’t know,” he said, scratching his head in confusion.

Black rubbed her clit just enough to elicit a breathy moan that caught Goku’s attention.

Goku moved closer and Black stopped everything, “any closer and I’ll stop completely." 

Em looked at Black and then to Goku, "please, Goku?" 

Goku was utterly confused as he sat back. Black returned to his task of rubbing her clit until she squeezed her thighs together around his hand and moaned loudly.

Each moan he drew out made Goku try to get closer and every time he was forced to move back.

Black slid two of his long fingers into her cunt.

Goku looked down at the bulge pressed against his pants.

He palmed over his bulge, just hearing her moans and smelling her arousal was making him hard. 

Black halted his movements again, "I didn’t give you permission for that." 

Em whined, "Goku, do what he says, please." 

She was struggling, clenching around his fingers and trying to get the release she desperately wanted.

Goku pouted but moved his hand away from his cock anyway.

Black thrust his fingers hard into Em and paused again.

"Don’t stop… please don’t stop,” she pleaded, bucking her hips against his hand.

“Look at you, already a pathetic little mess,” Black chided.

Em gripped his forearm, trying to get him to move his fingers, “please,?”

He eased his fingers out and slammed them back into her, leaving her breathless and gasping.

“Does your cunt get this wet for the fool?” He asked.

Em knew what he wanted her to say but she didn’t want to hurt Goku.

Black didn’t move his fingers while he waited for an answer and desperation got the better of her.

“No, it doesn’t.”

“Hey, that’s not fair, you get really wet for me.” Goku whined.

“Clearly not as much.” Black pulled his fingers from Em completely, holding them up into the stream of moonlight.

Her wetness glistened on his hand and fingers, dripping as he held them up.

He reached out and Goku didn’t hesitate to move closer, drawn in by her scent like a moth to a flame.

“Foolish saiyan,” he chided, pulling his hand away before Goku could taste, “if you can’t stay back, you don’t get to watch me give her everything you wish you could.”

“I just wanna taste.” Goku whined and leaned back.

Black brought his fingers up to his mouth and flicked his tongue over the digits, “mmm, I can see why you’re so eager to taste her.”

Goku whimpered next to Em but kept his distance while Black brought his fingers to her mouth.

Em sucked and licked them clean while Goku watched, fighting the urge to touch himself to relieve some of the frustration.

“Good, little saiyan.” Black praised Em.

She felt bad for Goku, but Black said and did the things that she’d been wanting for so long.

Goku squirmed, “please let me touch myself?” He asked permission.

“If you stay quiet for 5 minutes, you can touch yourself,” Black said with a heavy sigh.

“I can do that!” Goku exclaimed.

“Apparently you can’t. The 5 minutes started when I finished speaking.”

“Hey, that’s not fair!” Goku protested, annoying Black even more.

“Still struggling with the simplest instructions. No wonder you’re so unsatisfied.” Black sighed.

Goku looked as confused as ever but stayed silent.

Black grabbed the blanket and pulled it off of Em, “undress. Now.”

She quickly pulled off her shirt and panties and tossed them towards the floor but Black snatched them in midair.

He grabbed the panties and gave them back to Em. “Stuff those in his mouth.”

Em turned to Goku who already had his mouth opened. She stuffed her panties into his mouth and could tell he was trying to lick her wetness from them.

“Spread your legs for me.” Black ordered.

She did as she was told without hesitation, fully exposing herself to him.

“Tell me how deprived you’ve been,” he said, sliding his fingers up and down her cunt.

She glanced at Goku, seeing his wide eyes as he waited for her answer.

“Tell me.” Black lifted his hand and smacked her inner thigh.

“Really deprived.” She whined, bucking her hips.

“It must be frustrating having a mate that doesn’t know how to properly satisfy you,” Black mused, rubbing her thigh with the back of his hand. He was so close to touching her where she wanted it the most.

“Just so desperate for a decent fuck.” Black said with complete condescension.

Goku mumbled something but her panties muffled anything that came from his mouth.

“Does the little saiyan want what I can offer?” He asked, letting his fingers trail up and down her inner thigh.

“Yes, please?” She all but whined.

“Oh, I’ll need more than that. If you really, really, want what I can give you, then I think you can beg a little better than that.” He continued his torturous touch, but avoided her cunt.

“Please, I need what you can give me,” Em begged.

He moved his fingers a little closer but still didn’t touch. “Be more specific.”

“Fuck…I need what only you can give me,” she pleaded with him.

Black smirked and leaned down, his face hovering over her pussy, “good girl.” He let a single string of spit drip down onto her cunt, making her almost lose it at the slight contact she’d been deprived of.

Goku whined as he watched Em squirm for Black, having no way of touching her or himself.

“So perfectly wet for me, ready for my… fingers? Tongue? Or is it my cock you’re craving?” He glanced up at Em.

“Tongue and cock,” she answered quickly.

“Greedy little saiyan. I’m afraid you have to choose. I’m not promising both until I’m sure you’re worth it and he can stay quiet.”

“T-Tongue.” Em peered over to Goku who was just as hard as before if not more.

“I must admit I’ve been eager to taste you again and of course, show the imbecile how to actually devour such a perfect little cunt.” Black grinned.

He leaned close to her soaked pussy, his breath hot against her. It was taking everything she had not to beg and plead for him to fuck her, but she knew he’d only make her wait longer. 

Goku watched, his eyes flitting from Em to Black, his thighs squeezing together to get some kind of friction where he needed it desperately.

“Stop that or neither of you will get what your pathetic mortal bodies crave.” Black shot a warning glance at Goku.

His hands spread across her thighs, pushing her further open for him as he leaned down and flicked his tongue over her clit. She moaned immediately at the feeling, her need even more apparent now.

Black was torturous with his movements, keeping the pressure just light enough to have Em whimpering in no time along with her mate, who could only sit and watch.

Em looked over at Goku, seeing him struggling and needing some kind of relief. She glanced at Black who was focused solely on her clit, his tongue moving faster with each swipe. She reached towards Goku and slid her hand up his thigh to feel the head of his cock straining against his pants.

He let out the softest muffled whimper at the touch of her fingertips.

Black’s head shot up immediately, looking at the two of them. He grabbed Em’s arms and pinned them above her head harshly.

“Seems you’re both even more pathetic than I thought.” He sneered.

A sly grin spread across his face as he released Em’s arms and sat back, “if you want his cock so badly, then fuck him." 

Em hesitated, looking back and forth between Black and Goku. She scooted up in the bed with Black still sitting between her legs.

"But, if you touch him, even a fingertip, you won’t get that sweet release you’ve been dying for from me.” He warned.

Em knew Goku could fuck her, hell, with the way he was pent up right now he could probably fuck her through the mattress. But there was still something about Black, something she still craved and wanted more than anything.

When she didn’t immediately go to Goku, he sighed a little, her panties soaked by the mixture of her come and his saliva. He was helpless, only able to watch Black toy with his mate.

Black grabbed Em by the back of her hair and jerked her forward, his lips almost touching hers.

“Tell him you don’t want his cock, tell him how bad your pussy is aching for mine.” He said through gritted teeth, his hand pulling roughly on her hair.

“I- I…” she hesitated, glancing over at Goku.

Black yanked her hair harder to get her attention, “tell him and I’ll finally let you feel my cock sliding in and out of your messy little cunt.”

“I want-”

“Ah, look at him.” Black forced her to turn her head.

“I want his cock.” She muttered.

Black used his free hand to tap the side of her cheek, “better. More pathetic, like I know you can be.”

“G-Goku, I want his cock. I want to feel him stretching me out only the way he can and to show you how to use me.” Em felt her cheeks blush as she stared at Goku.

“Good little saiyan.” Black released her hair.

Before Em could mouth an apology to Goku, Black had her pulled off of the bed and bent over the edge, facing Goku.

His hand splayed across her lower back as he pulled his hard cock free, “you’re going to scream for me like a good pet and maybe, maybe, I’ll let the imbecile touch himself.”

Black pressed the tip of his cock to Em’s cunt and eased into her. Em gasped and let out a soft moan as he filled her, stretching her pussy just right.

He didn’t hold back once every inch of his cock was deep within her. He pulled back and slammed into her hard enough to make the mattress jerk forward.

“I want you to keep your eyes on him so he can see just how much you’re enjoying this,” Black growled as he drove into her harder and harder.

She tried to hide her face but Black grabbed the back of her hair and jerked her head back, forcing her to look up at Goku. Black continued to slam into her hard, each thrust making her breath hitch in her throat.

“Look at her, Goku, see how much she’s enjoying a decent fuck?” Black taunted him.

Goku shifted again, trying to keep still while Black fucked his mate the way she wanted. 

“Since you’ve managed to stay quiet for the most part, I’ll allow you to remove the panties and stroke your cock.” Black addressed Goku while stilling deep inside of Em.

Goku immediately pulled her panties from his mouth and shoved his hand down the front of his pants.

“Let her see.” Black ordered.

Goku complied quickly and pulled his thick cock free, his hand pumping up and down it as if he couldn’t get the relief fast enough.

Black kept a handful of her hair and forced her to watch Goku chase his release. 

“See how pathetic he is? Stroking his cock while his mate gets fucked properly by another.” Black continued to taunt Goku, and it was only making Em wetter by the second.

Seeing Em get fucked by what appeared to be an evil version of himself brought Goku to the edge of coming faster than ever before.  The look of complete ecstasy on her face was enough to drive him insane with need.

“Neither of you are allowed to come without my permission,” Black informed them.

“What? But that’s not fair.” Goku whined, his eyes going wide as he slowed his movements.

“Did I say I was going to be fair? What about this arrangement gives you that inclination?” Black laughed and slammed into Em harder.

She was all sensation and small squeaks between harsh thrusts. She was barely able to form a coherent thought as his cock drove deeper within her.

“But I wanna watch her come. It’ll help me come,” Goku whimpered and stroked his cock a little faster.

“Keep pestering me about it and neither of you will come. Would that make you happy, pesky saiyan?” Black shot back.

“No.” Goku looked almost too sad while stroking his cock.

“Please… let me… come.” She pleaded finally.

“Have words returned to your feeble little mind?” He teased as he jerked her head back towards him.

“Please?” Em begged again.

“Since Goku keeps interrupting, you have to wait,” he said, pulling her back far enough to arch her back, “and you won’t like what happens if you disobey me.”

Em knew not to push him any further, but she was quickly losing the grasp she had on controlling her orgasm. Goku looked just as desperate as he stroked his cock.

Black’s hips snapped against Em roughly as he moved his hand down to her throat, keeping her back arched while he choked her. She whimpered and panted for more with each torturous thrust.

Black was relentless and rough, harshly fucking Em just the way she wanted and forcing Goku to watch was a perk. She loved him but he just didn’t let go like she needed him to. 

“I can feel how close you are.” Black growled in her ear.

“Black… please… I can’t…” Em whined.

Goku’s hand moved faster as he watched Em mewl and whimper for Black.

A harsh smack landed on Em’s thigh, “you will or you’ll regret it." 

Goku reached for Em, softly caressing her cheek in an attempt to soothe her. She leaned into his touch and let out her moans and gasps into the palm of his hand.

Black squeezed Em’s throat, "tongue out." 

She complied and slipped her tongue out between her lips, still panting and writhing against him.

"Come on her tongue.” He ordered Goku as he continued to fuck Em relentlessly. 

Goku shuffled closer on his knees, still stroking his cock as he slid the tip of it over her tongue.

Em flicked her tongue over the tip of his cock and strained to try and slip the tip into her mouth.

Black popped the side of her cheek sharply, “did I say you could suck his cock?" 

"No.” Em whimpered and stared up at Goku.

“Follow directions or you won’t know what an orgasm feels like for the next week.” He growled.

Em opened her mouth and returned to just letting her tongue graze the tip of Goku’s cock while Black slammed into her.

Goku’s hand pumped up and down his thick length until he was muttering soft grunts and groans as he neared his release. As if by instinct, he glanced up at Black for permission, which was given in the form of a nod. 

Goku leaned closer as he finally let go, his cum coating Em’s tongue and the inside of her mouth.

“Don’t swallow it. Hold it.” Black commanded and stilled within Em.

“Have you bred her?” He asked Goku.

Goku barely registered his words as he was still panting, “not yet.” He admitted.

A devious grin spread across his face, “this really was the perfect opportunity for me to show up." 

He eased out of Em slowly and thrust back into her hard, making her gasp and some of Goku’s cum drip down her chin.

Black wasted no time in building his release again, making it harder for Em to keep her mouth closed between harsh thrusts. He finally let go, filling her with his cum with his hips snapping against hers harder than before. 

"Come for me.” He growled as he pushed his cum deeper inside of her.

Em whimpered and tried to hold her mouth closed, but it was too much. She was too sensitive and overwhelmed to hold back and let out a loud moan of Black’s name.

She collapsed on the bed with barely any of Goku’s cum remaining in her mouth as her legs trembled and shook from the intense waves of her orgasm still rolling through her body.

Black kept his cock buried inside of her as he released her neck, his hand trailing down her spine.

“Are you okay?” Goku asked, tilting her chin up towards him.

“Y-Yeah.” She managed to mutter, her body exhausted and worn out.

“I must say, for mortals, you kept up fairly well. I’ll have to really test your limits next time.” He finally pulled out of Em and stuffed his cock back into his pants.

“Next time?” Goku looked up at him.

“Oh, you didn’t think this was just a one time thing, did you?” Black said with a faint smirk.

[dragonslayer-5fanfiction]

The Vipers Venom Chapter 2

Okay here's the other chapter. Sorry it took so long.

“Is there a spot for me?” Letho asked. I saw Lambert sneer at him before I turned to him.

“Sure. Here.” I said patting the spot next to me and sliding down. He didn’t say anything and sat down next to me. “It’s good to see you.” I muttered, but I knew everyone heard it. There’s a tense silence surrounding the table.

“Pass the meat.” Letho was quiet, unsure.

“Hell no you fucker.” Lambert responded.

“Lambert!” I scolded. Neither he or Letho said anything and no one made a move to pass the meat. “You are all RIDICULOUS!” I yelled slamming my hands on the table and fixing them all with a glare. “This is childish. You are grown ass adults! Grow the fuck up!” I turned my mom voice on, hoping they would listen.

“Dove…”

“No Eskel, you don’t get to Dove me. You are no better than them, and Ves, you are unusually quiet tonight.”

“Dove, you don’t understand.”

“Nope, I’m not having this conversation with you. If you have an issue leave.” I said pointing to the door.

“Fine. I don’t need to be in the same room as him anyway.” Lambert huffed and stalked out of the room.

“Well go ahead.” I turned snapping at Eskel, knowing he was going to either follow Lambert or go tend to the animals to avoid the fight. He jumped at my tone and scurried out of the door.

“I’m not sure that was an appropriate response Dove.” Vesemir gave me a pointed look.

“Oh, I’m sure it wasn’t Ves, but were their responses appropriate?” I rounded the table to grab the meat.

“Well..”

“Well nothing Ves, they’re wrong and rude. They need to move on.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“What it’s not that simple? I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of that before Ves. Besides it was Geralt, who was wronged, and he was the one who invited him here. So really who’s the one that needs to move on?” My tone was harsh, and I know it. I quite frankly don’t care. I dropped the plate by Letho and rushed out of there to my room.

I locked myself in there and paced grumbling to myself. “These damn fuckers. Why can’t they just get along? Stupid Witchers…….I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME!” I yelled the last part, “Damn nosey witchers.” Out of breath I sat down on my bed taking deep breaths trying to calm down. Suddenly there was a quiet knock on the door.

“Dove?” I furrowed my brow. “Can we talk?” The voice was familiar, but the name was foreign coming from his lips. I opened the door and came face to chest with Letho.

“Dove?” I asked, raising my eyebrow.

“I didn’t know what else to call you.”

“Y/N.”

“Y/N?” My name sounded so good coming from him, like a prayer.

“My name. Just no one here calls me that.”

“Can I come in Y/N? I’d like to talk.”

“Uh yeah sure. Come in, sit, please.” I said gesturing to my bed. We both sat and quietly stared at each other.

“Thank you for bringing me dinner.”

“You’re welcome.” I paused and pursed my lips, “Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?”

“No. Um, you don’t have to defend me. It’s putting a strain on your relationships. For no reason.”

“No, not for no reason. They’re being pompous asses.”

“Y/N.” He chided me.

“Can I ask you something?” He was hesitant, but agreed. “Why did you frame Geralt and kill those Kings?”

“What?” He was taken aback.

“Well, everyone talks about what happened, but no one talks about why. So why?”

“I’ve never been asked that before.” He paused for a brief moment, before speaking. “The emperor, he uh, he promised to restore the school of the Viper. He said he would do it if we killed a few kings and caused some chaos.” He looked away, “But he went back. He didn’t do it. And now those few of us who he asked, he’s hunting them down. Tying up loose ends.”

“So it wasn’t just for the fun of it. It was about others. That’s honourable.”

“Honourable?”

“Yes.” I replied without hesitation. “Maybe instead of fighting, you all should talk.” I grimaced, “Sorry I know it’s not your fault. But still.”

“Please, don’t interfere anymore. I know now you’ll want to even more.”

“I’m sorry have I offended you?”

“No, I just don’t think it’s wise to jeopardize your relationships.”

“Oh really? Glad you can make that judgement for me.” I looked away, “You can leave now.” I pointed to the door. He let out a heavy sigh, but stood up anyway. I got up and closed the door once he left. I leaned against it, and slid down to the floor.

‘He’s angry.’ I thought, ‘I don’t really have the energy for all this. Damn Witchers. What is going on between us, there’s something pulling me to him.’ I finally stood up and flopped onto my bed. Before long I was fast asleep.

My limbs feel heavy, my face covered in dry spit, and my eyes full of dirt. When I sat up and patted my head I could tell my hair was matted and sticking up in all sorts of directions. I wiped my face down, changed, and stumbled down the stairs. I only found Eskel in the dining room.

“Wha-where is everyone?”

“Doing their chores.” Eskel responded not looking up from the manuscript he’s reading.

“Chores?” I asked. I lost my balance and toppled into the wall. “Ouch,” I groaned. “What time is it?”

“Close to midday, if I’m correct. Are you okay?” Eskel looked up this time.

“Okay? Yeah I guess. I’m just not fully awake yet. Is there any food left?”

“Glad you’re okay. There might be some left in the kitchen.”

“Thanks.” I plopped down across from him and placed my head on my hands. He eventually broke the silence we had fallen into.

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?”

“About last night.”

“I’m not the one you should be apologising to. I think you know that.” I looked up at him, and we stared at each other. “What’re you reading?”

“Brushing up on my werewolf history and the teachings.”

“How thrilling.” I muttered and put my head back down.

The next few days went by without incident. However, peace does not last long. It was late at night and Eskel and I were reading in the library. Snow was falling outside and I was curled under a large bear skin.

“Oh no.” Eskel muttered.

“Don’t worry Eskel, there are no ghouls here.” I responded with mirth.

“What? No it’s not that. Oh no, we’ve got to go.” He stood and hurried to the door.

“Eskel, what’s going on? You’re worrying me.” I was struggling to keep up with him. We rushed down the stairs and into the dining room. In the far corner Letho and Lambert were fist fighting.

“Oh guys.” I mumbled and latched onto Eskel’s arm. We walked over to them and Vesemir joined us. “Are we just going to sit here and let them beat each other half to death?” I asked, turning to them. “We have to do something.”

“Dove, they need this. Just let them.” Vesemir answered.

“I can’t just sit here and watch this. It’s been long enough.” I moved to stop them but Eskel grabbed me.

“Y/-” Letho paused to stop me, but was knocked down by a particularly hard blow by Lambert.

“OH!” I cried out and pulled harder against Eskel. Letho was slow to get up, but Lambert was relentless.

“Ves, we need to do something. This is out of hand.” I stood there pleading with Ves and Eskel to do something. They said nothing and did nothing. “Guys, I’m going to be sick.” I started to struggle harder against Eskel. “Let me go! LET ME GO!” I yelled pulling on him. He released me and pulled into a surrender. I stood there deciding how to stop them, how to go about it. I walked around to stand behind Lambert. I tried to grab his arm, but he moved too fast. I moved closer to maybe get a better grip, but he jerked his arm back further than I had anticipated.

“Y/N!” Letho called out right as his elbow collided with my nose.

“Ah, fucking shit Lambert!” I bent over holding my nose.

“Dove…” He immediately stopped and turned to me. “...I’m sorry are you okay?” I gave him my best death glare.

“Do I look like it?” I spit some blood and looked back up at him. “I’m going to go clean up, but before I do, and this goes to all of you, but did you ever think there was a reason? Did you ever think to ask him about it? Talk? Of course not.” I huffed gripping my nose a little tighter. “Letho, will you help me get cleaned up?” He nodded and followed me to the washroom. I grabbed a cloth and sat on the edge of the washtub.

[icycream-catqueen]

Kindling (When You’re Burning Low)

Cinder would rather burn herself out than risk a low grade; fortunately, Neo knows how to make her relax.

Rating: T

Tone: Some angst, lots of supportiveness, and a fluffy ending

Word Count: ~5,000

Important Tags: College AU, Established Relationship

I was gonna post this before now but I had problems with writing it and I was nervous about participating in a ship week especially when I only have something written for one prompt, and also my cat was sleeping on me for five whole hours earlier tonight while I was trying to finish up and as everyone knows it is a crime to disturb a snoozing kitty cat. I hope it still counts. ^_^;

Considering it’s pretty long, I only have an excerpt (the first scene I wrote for this fic, actually) on this post; the whole thing is, of course, over on AO3!

On this fine Saturday afternoon, Cinder was taking advantage of the lounge in the dorm suite. The coffee table was half-claimed by various books and notes while Cinder herself was settled at the same end of the couch, her laptop perched on the arm of it and her right side pressed closely against the suede upholstery as she struggled with the perfect phrasing for her essay. Failure was never an option for her, and even the slightest error would lead to it when it came to this class. She was running on pure caffeine by now, from a supposedly unhealthy amount of coffee. This was her third or fourth solid day of being awake. After the first night, she’d moved her setup from her room to the lounge to help her stay more alert. Winter and Emerald had both tried to tell her what was best for her wellbeing, but she’d firmly shut down their arrogance; she knew her own limits, and she needed to get this stupid project done. Neo, thankfully, had been out of town from Thursday morning to last night, and when she’d come back to the suite, she’d trudged straight to her room and shut the door. Cinder had only seen a couple brief glimpses of her since. Just as well, considering Cinder couldn’t intimidate her into letting her be like she could to Emerald and Winter.

At the moment, Emerald and Winter were both out of the building. They’d each probably told her what they were doing, but she hadn’t bothered to remember it. Neo was apparently still asleep, which was a bit odd but not enough so to risk seeing the pitiful kicked-puppy expression that appeared when her sleep was disturbed. Still, if she wasn’t up and about in two hours, it would be worth it to check on her mental and physical health.

Speak of the devil, Cinder heard a door open behind her. She didn't bother to look, though, until she realized the shuffling footsteps were approaching the couch instead of the kitchen, bathroom, or shower. She took a brief glance, then did an immediate double take because Neo looked absolutely miserable. Her hair was unbrushed and her eyes were dull. The oversized black sweatshirt (which Cinder recognized by the fiery orange phoenix on the front as one of her own that had mysteriously vanished a few weeks ago) and the brown and pink plaid pajama pants were probably what she'd worn to bed the night before, and she hadn't even bothered to put on socks. It was worrying to see her in such a state.

"You certainly look worse for wear," Cinder commented. Neo pouted at her as she slowly made her way to the couch and sank to the cushions. Before Cinder could react, Neo flopped down, squirmed to lay her head in her lap, and rolled onto her back. "I'm busy," Cinder told her sternly.

Neo's response was a soft and pitiful keening sound. She fumbled to grab Cinder's left wrist, staring up at her with pleading doe eyes.

"Neo. I'm busy," Cinder repeated. Neo whined and tugged on her wrist, so Cinder rolled her eyes and stopped resisting, curious about what she wanted. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but she was definitely taken by surprise when Neo gently guided her hand under the hem of her sweatshirt and pressed it against her lower stomach.

What is she trying to accomplish here? Cinder raised an eyebrow at the woman in her lap. Neo let go of her wrist to sign something at her. The odd angle made it hard to translate, so it took a few seconds for Cinder to understand what she was asking for and why.

"I suppose I can take a short break, if you're really in that much pain," she relented. "You're lucky you're cute," she added as she carefully activated her Semblance.

The reaction was instant. Neo sighed with relief at the warmth, eyes full of soft gratitude and affection. Cinder rubbed slow, small circles over her stomach, feeling the smaller woman go languid under her touch. After a few more seconds, Neo's eyes fluttered closed.

"Is this warm enough?" Cinder asked. Neo nodded, a content smile playing across her lips. "Just ten minutes."

Neo opened her eyes and pouted at her.

"There is a reason I've been awake for," Cinder checked the time on her laptop, "about eighty hours now." Neo looked positively outraged.

"You need to sleep," she signed—easily decipherable now that Cinder had gotten a little more time to adjust to her current perspective. Not that the message was very appreciated.

"No, what I need is to finish this ridiculous project so I can move on to my two remaining essays, do all the work for a 'group project' because the rest of my assigned group are immature and unmotivated idiots, and study for my three exams this week," Cinder retorted.

"When are your essays due?"

Cinder elected not to answer, since admitting the due dates were two and three weeks away respectively wouldn't help her against Neo's accusatory glare.

"Your group project?"

Okay, so maybe it hadn't technically been assigned yet and was scheduled to be due in a month and a half, but all the information was in the syllabus. Cinder's class was full of imbeciles, and somehow she always got stuck in a group with some idiot or another who didn't understand what a lesbian was, so she was getting it out of the way to avoid interacting with anyone.

"Are all three of your exams actually this week?"

Two of them, and one of those barely counted more towards the final grade in the class than a small quiz. Her continued silence was answer enough; Neo knew her too well.

"You're going to burn yourself out again." Neo's eyes were unbearably sad, so Cinder looked away.

"I'm fine," she dismissed the concern. A hand grabbed her chin and yanked her head down so her eyes met Neo's again.

"I watched you collapse in the middle of campus last year, and I almost got in trouble for pulling a knife on the paramedics to make them let me stay with you. I got a scared video call from Winter four months ago because you fainted in her fancy rich-person hot tub and nearly drowned," Neo reminded her. “Do I need to go on?”

"I can handle it this time," Cinder insisted, growing agitated. Neo took a calming breath before responding.

"No you can't. You always say it but you never can. You end up in an exhausted daze. You work yourself into a frenzy. You get into fits of rage...which honestly scare me."

"I would never lay a hand on—!" Cinder was cut off when Neo pressed a finger to her lips.

"Not for myself. I'm scared you'll lose control and take it out on yourself again," Neo corrected her. "You haven't in a while, but..." Neo trailed a hand down Cinder's left arm, tracing her scars.

"I just...I need to...I have to keep working. I can't let myself fall behind. I can't..." Cinder faltered. Neo sighed.

"I know," she acknowledged. She knew about the past, knew why Cinder relapsed into these desperate attempts to excel, to stay ahead. "But it's pointless if you destroy yourself trying."

"I've only ended up being sent to the hospital three times since I started college," Cinder argued. Neo was unimpressed.

"Congratulations! And you've managed to barely avoid hospitalization how many times now?"

"I—that isn't relevant!" Cinder hissed. Neo scowled.

"Really? It's not? How many times have you ended up so exhausted that you were bedridden for days? How many times have you gone into a mental decline because you were incapacitated? And how many more times are you going to make me watch you suffer like that?"

"If you want to leave me, just get it over with!" Cinder spat bitterly. Neo's eyes widened, hurt and shocked. Cinder flinched, realizing she'd crossed a very important line. "I didn't mean...I don't know why I said that."

"An abandonment complex, emotional instability, a mess of insecurities you mask with your ego, previous girlfriends who couldn't handle you or only wanted your body...and like I've been saying, you need sleep,” Neo replied, recovering. "Also, my cramps?"

"What?" Cinder realized she'd subconsciously deactivated her Semblance at some point and quickly remedied that. "Oh. Sorry."

"I'm going to make a deal with you," Neo informed her abruptly. Cinder raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"What kind of deal?"

"The 'ridiculous project' you're trying to finish. Tell me about it, and I'll explain," Neo replied. Cinder clenched her teeth at the mere mention of it.

"It's an assigned experiment, a five to ten-page report on it, and an oral presentation. And the professor hates me. He goes out of his way to make every class, every test, and every assignment hell for me. I have to work harder than anyone so he can't get away with failing me out of spite. If I make even one mistake..." she growled.

"When is it due?"

"The day after tomorrow. It was assigned two weeks ago, but three days ago he realized he 'accidentally' gave me the wrong experiment. In other words, he's making me do a two-week project within five days—after I'd already finished the one he previously assigned me."

"Watts," Neo guessed. Cinder had come back from his class angry enough times that it wasn't even a question.

"Yeah," she confirmed anyway. Neo wrinkled her nose.

"I already hated that guy, and I hated him more and more every time you came back from his class in a bad mood, but this shit he's pulling now is the final straw, so I'm going to get him fired," she declared. Cinder let out an amused huff.

"And how will you do that?" she asked. She didn’t expect an actual answer but Neo didn't even hesitate.

"It may include breaking and entering, small and well-placed incidents, a flat tire, some bottles of the expensive alcohol he isn't supposed to have on campus, a sedative, and if we're lucky, a little inadvertent assistance from gravity and Ironwood."

"Just how long have you been planning this?" Cinder was taken aback at the immediate response. Neo considered.

"The time you locked me out of your dorm after his class because you were so furious you wanted to hit something, and you were worried you'd see so much red you might accidentally hit me in blackout rage. You've never told me what happens in his class to make you so angry, or even if it's actually him or just another student—though I was pretty sure it was him—so I planned for both situations."

"I'm impressed," Cinder commented. Neo smirked. “Now what was that ‘deal’ you mentioned?”

"You finish the report for your project, then eat something more substantial than coffee and whatever quick snacks you've been living off of for the past few days. And then we go to my dorm and you get some damn sleep."

"How did you know I'm working on the report right now?" Cinder was taken aback. "And how do you know I haven't been eating?"

"Because I can see it on your computer. And once again, you've done this before, so I know you don't take the time for more than the minimum amount of food to keep hunger from 'distracting' you," Neo pointed out, almost accusingly.

"I haven't even started working on the oral presentation. I'll do all that after I'm completely finished."

"Nope. You can start that part when you're well-rested. If you make me physically drag you to bed while I'm on my period, I'll make damn sure you regret it," Neo threatened with a scowl.

“Fine,” Cinder gave in reluctantly. Neo smiled brightly, and dammit, it was nigh impossible for Cinder to stay bitter in the face of such genuine fondness, joy, and relief. She wondered when she’d gotten so soft—even if only a select few people got to see that soft part of her—and realized she didn’t even mind anymore.

[save-the-spiral]

Wiztober Day Nine: Mice

Welcome to day Nine of Wiztober2020. Dyvim loving hours. Khrysalis Spoilers ahead. Content warnings for Injury mention, slight disassociation/panic attack from narrator.

@pyromancyy @necrospellbinder I summon you for reader/dyvim content. hello.

(link to prompt list)

You hiss in pain as the bandages tighten around your calf. You had insisted you were capable of tending to your own injuries, but your companion insisted on helping. So now you both were camping out in a small alcove of rock on the outskirts of the Khonda Desert, hiding without your armor so you could be healed.

“Sorry!” Dyvim mumbles reflexively, his paw shakily gripping the roll of bandages.

“S’fine.” You hiss again, letting your head fall back as you looked above towards a starless sky as twilight quickly descended into night. It was eerie, but the dread in your heart isn’t enough to stop your newfound comfort in darkness and shadows.

Shadowmancy is a hell of a thing, you muse.

“Done.” Dyvim smiles weakly, patting your knee with his paw.

Your heart races and you blush as you catch his gaze, instantly turning away.

“Thank you, Dyvim.” You manage, swallowing nervously. He's so close to you, looking so earnest and bright. “But really, you didn’t have to.”

Dyvim moves closer, settling down to sit right by your side. You still stare to the side, as if a cliff face is at all entertaining. A brush of soft fur, and suddenly his paw is on your cheek, turning your head to face him. You hope he can’t feel the heat of your blush through his adorable little toe beans on his paws.

It is so small and warm. All of him is so small and warm, a contained little star, infinite energy swirling inside of him.

Dyvim feels untouchable. A specter of greatness you can never achieve, a determination that you never truly had, even in the beginning.

“I didn’t have to, but I wanted to. His whiskers twitch and ears flicker as he says it.

Your mouth opens slightly, at a loss for words when you realize he hadn’t removed his paw from your cheek yet, that his small claws had traced your jawline. Finally, you speak. “But...”

At your obvious discomfort, he drops his paw. “I’m sorry- I-”

“But why?” You finally manage to say, exhaling a shaky breath.

"What?”

“Why tend to my wounds? Why treat me like I can’t help myself? I’ve saved about a dozen worlds by now, I don’t need-!”  You don’t even realize your hands have been trembling until Dyvim takes them in his paws.

“You...” Dyvim pauses, then chuckles slightly. Before you could even get offended, he continues talking. “You get any help at all, and decide people are patronizing you. I only want to help, and even the simplest act makes you say ridiculous things.”

“Ridiculous?!” Your voice raises with indignation.

Dyvim holds on tighter to your hands in his, and even though his hands are more delicate, more mundane, without the hum of magic under his skin like you possessed, you can’t bear to rip your hands away from his even as your anger rises. The thought of accidentally hurting Dyvim is anathema. The possibility of seeing his face twisting with pain or slack with death, it's as if someone reached in your chest and tried to pull out your heart, clawing and clenching and straining until you can’t breathe-

Your eyes open when you realize Dyvim had been repeating your name, a question, as if calling out and not knowing if you were there. His fingers run through your hair, dulled claws lightly scratching at your skull, a repeating rhythm. His other hand is around you, clutching your shoulder, a barrier of fur and muscle that you knew was stronger than it appeared.

It almost feels like a hug. And that is strange to you. You move your head, no longer tucked in the soft space of Dyvim’s neck and shoulder, and blink blearily up at him, and wonder if you had ever been hugged since coming to the Spiral. Since you had been summoned by Headmaster Ambrose. The answer makes your entire body ache, old wounds rising to the surface to remind you of days spent injured with no one to heal you.

“Dyvim?” You whisper.

“Oh, thank goodness.” He mutters quickly, eyes suddenly brightening from their dull worry. “It was so strange- you suddenly weren’t responding- and at first I thought you fell asleep, but-”

“Shhh.” You tiredly press a finger to his lips, hushing him. Your heart skips a beat as you see what you were doing, and you quickly let your hands fall to your lap. The fur on his face was now awkwardly ruffled.

Dyvim looks down at you, eyes locking with yours, and says your name. It's sad, not pitying, but concerned, as if he's helpless to stop whatever may come to hurt you. In a way, he is. He isn’t a wizard, and because of that so many battles were fought without him. So many opportunities to be stuck at the sidelines, powerless to stop whatever tried to kill you this time.

His hand is resting at the back of your skull, and the arm supporting your back was no longer tense, but still strong enough that you can rest against it.

“I just...” You whisper again. “I can’t put my life in another persons hands. Ever since I learned of magic, I’ve been on my own. Years of questing, of killing and saving people, of victory and defeat... and it’s all relied on me. My triumphs. My mistakes.” Your breath shakes, and you squeeze your eyes shut for only a moment before opening them again. “I can’t drag another person down with me when I fail.”

You let your head rest on his collarbones, the soft feeling of fur enveloping you as you close your eyes. You can hear his heartbeat.

Dyvim rests his chin on your head, and his hug encircles you. You feel so small in that moment, safe and quiet where no one could hurt you.

You feel tears gather at your eyes, and will them away.

“I’m always scared.” Dyvim finally says. His voice is young and fragile, and you know if it were a better time you and he would still be considered too young for the adult world, but too old to be a child.

Neither of you got a chance to be a child.

Dyvim exhales, thinking for a moment. “Every time we go into battle, I think it must surely be our last. That any moment there will be something to throw me out of a window again, dying. Or you will be defeated and the enemy cruel and unmerciful. Fear chases me like a rabid animal, uncaring and ruthless. I am afraid, all the time.”

Your hands snake upwards, and you hug Dyvim back, fingers interlocking where they now rest at his back.

The desert is quiet at night. Distantly, you think you may hear the sounds of both mouse encampments, but maybe your mind is playing tricks on you.

“I have always been afraid, ever since I truly understood what world I had been born into. The only thing that can keep the fear at bay... It’s knowing I can heal you. I can help, I can bandage your wounds and make your meals and keep you company, and I know, in a way, that even those paltry actions help save my world.” Dyvim’s voice wavers, as if on the verge of tears. “You are worth it. Worth the fear, and whatever it takes to care for you. Not because you saved worlds before, or even saved the whole Spiral. It’s because I care about you. Who you are. A person whose path has denied them what they deserve. You are allowed to show weakness, to be afraid and hurt, with me. We have faced so much together, and I can only hope that means something. I promise I will care for you in any way I can, on my honor if I must.”

You realize you are crying as you move away from his chest, only to say, “That won’t be necessary.” in a trembling voice.

Dyvim pulls you in tight, hugging you as if it’s his only chance, savoring it and how ephemeral this affection must be by its own nature. You fall asleep together, under the starless sky. For this moment, where you both begin to drift into sleep, there is nothing more important than the fact that you two are together, and safe.

[wkemeup]

Okay but what was Bucky saying about y/n to Steve and Peggy before they met her 😂

I’m With You - Masterlist

“You need to talk me off a ledge, Steve.”

Bucky stood in line behind a dozen angry passengers boarding a 3am flight to Atlanta, all tapping their toes incessantly and trying to peak up and over the shoulders of those ahead of them in hopes of getting on the plane faster, but Bucky would have much rather his flight have been canceled entirely.

“What’s going on?” Steve replied with a yawn.

Bucky could hear the tiredness in his friend’s voice, the soft rustle of the bed sheets and the click of the lamp. He felt a sharp stab of guilt, just realizing what hour it was, but he was sure he was going to collapse into a heap of himself if he didn’t talk to someone. This night couldn’t have possibly been real and if he didn’t tell Steve, he was sure might find a way to convince himself it was all a dream.

“Is that Bucky?” he heard a quiet voice mumble through the phone; English accent laced with sleep. “Put him on speaker, love.”

“You’ve got both of us now, punk,” Steve said and Peggy whispered a quick ‘hello.’ Bucky gritted his teeth and before he could offer an apology, Steve added, “you better start talking before we fall back asleep.”

A passenger shoved Bucky hard in the shoulder, pushing past him when he didn’t take the two steps ahead of him fast enough to keep up with the line. He let the man go without complaint.

Bucky realized then, he couldn’t talk about his sister; not with the anxiety peaking again and rushing through his veins like rapids. It only seemed to calm when you were with him and he didn’t know how that was possible, to have just met someone hours earlier and for his entire world to be dropped upside down like this.

But it was and it had been. And now, he was in trouble.

“There’s, um, there’s a girl.”

Silence. A pause, then, “a girl?”

“Yeah, Steve, a girl,” Bucky snapped. “Stop making me feel like I’m in middle school.”

“Hey you’re the one calling me at 3am over a girl, Buck!”

“Boys, stop it,” Peggy snipped, a light thump through the speaker as she swatted Steve’s arm before she let out a sigh. “Bucky hasn’t so much as mentioned a girl or anyone in three years, so give him a break, darling.” Then, to Bucky, sweetly, “tell us about her.”

Had it really been three years since he landed stateside again? It felt like longer than that and yesterday all at the same time. 

There were pieces of him could still feel the gravel under his back when he slept at night and he still found himself glancing over his shoulder for threats in shopping malls, sneaking around corners at his office building, constantly vigilant. The other half of him felt like it was a lifetime away, like he’d been this isolated, shell of himself for decades, like he hadn’t used the muscles in his cheeks in a millennium.

He swallowed, shoving a hand into his pocket and letting a family of five behind him cut the line. He wasn’t ready to get on this plane just yet. The bag of skittles in his pocket were heavy as stones.

“You remember the stupid shit I used to do with Bec in Charlotte?”

“Is that why you’re callin’ so late?” Steve asked, his voice considerably softer and Bucky wondered how much Peggy’s silent stare had to do with that. “Your flight get canceled?”

“Yeah,” Bucky sighed, pinching at the bridge of his nose, “but it’s back on. I’m boarding now.”

Another silence took over and Bucky wondered if they could hear his heart pounding through the phone.

He glanced back at the long line of people behind him and resided to simply step to the side. He was letting just about everyone pass him by anyway, might as well be the last one to board. He took a deep breath.

“The girl, Bucky,” Peggy reminded him gently.

“Right.” Bucky scratched at the back of his head, finding that his eyes kept drifting down the terminal in search of you, though he knew it was foolish. You had a flight to catch, too. How could he possibly miss you this much? It ached in his bones. It burned like a fire.

So, he told Steve and Peggy everything.

He told them about how you’d been the only other person in the terminal to smile in relief when the cancellations starting rolling in. He told them about the man in the suit who spilled your coffee all over you and how you’d been so patient and kind to the gate agent who looked to be about seconds away from tears.

He told them about how when he was faced with the possibility that you might just walk right out of his life right then and there, he’d done something he hadn’t done in years and asked to buy you coffee. He told them how adorable you’d looked because you were so surprised, shocked even, and he’d let himself flirt for the first time since he’d been home from the desert.

He told them about sitting in the coffeeshop people-watching past when the café was supposed to close and how he’d dragged you into cartwheels at midnight.

“Cartwheels?” Steve gaped. “Seriously, Buck? She must have thought you were completely insane.”

“She did,” Bucky confirmed, a slight laugh in his voice. He didn’t even realize he was smiling. He didn’t notice the nerves left his body.

“How terrible was it? You hadn’t done one of those since your layovers with Becca when you were sixteen. I bet it was awful,” Steve teased, though it was followed by a short grunt and Bucky was certain Peggy must have shoved him hard in the side for that. Bucky grinned.

“Don’t pay attention to him,” Peggy said. “Then, what happened?”

Then, Bucky told them about how you didn’t give him your name until almost an hour later and while he played it cool, it drove him impossibly insane. He told them how he took you to get snacks at the store Charlie worked at – yes, that old man is still alive, Steve! – and then, about how you’d told him the reason you were going to Atlanta in the first place.

“Oh, that poor girl,” Peggy sighed.

Bucky could still picture the look on your face; the genuine belief that you were somehow not worthy of this jerk of an ex-boyfriend and he couldn’t understand it. You were impossibly kind and funny and so stunningly beautiful; Bucky could hardly keep his heart in check around you.

He told them how he tried to explain his situation with Becca to you, how it came out as a jumbled mess, how easily you changed the subject without hesitation and the relief he felt at that.

Then, he told them about the questions over giant checkers and Steve teased him relentlessly, despite Peggy swatting him again, telling Bucky, ‘well I think it’s sweet and Steve could learn a thing from you.’

It felt like a month’s worth of time sat in the span of a few hours and Bucky found himself leaning up against the wall, watching the grumbling passengers make their way to the plane, a smile aching in his cheeks the longer he talked about you.

By the time he got to the end of the story, about how he’d just barely kissed you before the damn intercom went off, alerting you to your flights that were dangerously close to boarding, there were only a few stragglers left in the line.

“Y/n sounds lovely,” Peggy said after a moment. “So, why the ledge?”

Bucky sighed, slowly making his way to the very back of the line. “I don’t know. Maybe I was too much, you know? I don’t remember how to do this stuff. I feel like I dumped all my baggage on a woman I’ve known for a few hours and I fucked it all up.“

“Come on, man, I don’t think that’s true,” Steve said reassuringly, all tracing of the teasing nature leaving his voice. “It sounds like she likes you. I mean, who else would put up with cartwheels in the middle of the airport?”

Bucky found himself chuckling under his breath despite himself. He handed the gate agent his ticket and they pushed out a tight-lipped smile, nodding for him to continue down the gateway.

“She’s really something, Steve. I don’t know the last time I felt like myself and when I was with her… I don’t know, it was easy again, like all this stuff with Bec never happened and I never enlisted. I was laughing and smiling and telling jokes and—Jesus – I was flirting. Didn’t know I could still do that.”

He could hear their laughter in response through the speaker as he stepped into the plane. Everyone else was seated, most people already trying to close their eyes and find some rest before the plane landed in Atlanta.

“Tell me you got her number,” Steve begged and Bucky clenched his jaw, slumping down into his seat. The silence was enough of an answer. “Bucky!”

“I know, I know! But I gave her mine, at least,” Bucky replied weakly. “Just have to hope she’ll call.”

“She will,” Peggy said and the soft rustle of the sheets came like static through the phone. She yawned. “Y/n will call, Bucky. I’m sure of it.”

It was a problem for another day, he supposed. 

A flight attendant stood over Bucky’s shoulder, eyeing his phone and he muttered a quick apology.

“I gotta go. Plane’s taking off,” Bucky mumbled into the phone, nervously glancing back up at the attendant who was still watching him as he continued walking through the cabin.

“Call us tomorrow when you get settled,” Peggy requested. “I know Sunday won’t be easy but we’re here for you. Just need to keep busy on Saturday. Think you can do that?”

Bucky nodded, letting out a deep breath. “Yeah, I’m sure I’ll find something to keep me occupied.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, pal,” Steve said, the click of the bedside lamp turning off. “Anyone who willingly goes along with your ridiculous layover shenanigans has got to really like you. I’m not sure I would even do a cartwheel on that dirty floor for you, buddy.”

Bucky laughed, his cheeks muscles sore and whether it was from the lack of sleep or from smiling more in one night than he had in years, he wasn’t sure.

“You off the ledge now?” Steve asked.

“Yeah. Consider me back on solid ground,” Bucky replied. The flight attendant was making his way back down the aisle to scold him again and Bucky quickly said, “okay I really have to go now before I’m the reason this plane never makes it to Atlanta. Get some rest, guys. Thanks.”

“Always, pal.”

“Fly safe,” Peggy added.

With that, Bucky ended the call and turned off his phone, holding it up for the attendant to see. He narrowed his eyes on Bucky, almost in warning, before he retreated back to his seat for takeoff.

Bucky settled into his seat, folding his arms and letting his eyes drift closed. Despite the lumps in the back of the cushioning and the arm rest to his right completely taken over by the man next to him, Bucky felt a sense of calm, a wave of relief, for the first time in a long while.

His mind drifted back to the beautiful stranger in the airport. The woman with the coffee on her shoes and the laugh of an angel and the kindest eyes he’d ever seen.

He found you again in his dreams.

[belettewrites]

Some mountains and a dog part 9

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He didn’t know whether Jaskier would be awake when he’d be back. It was quite late, now, and the stars that they had gazed at a few nights before were softly shining above him. Despite the fact that the night had fallen, he could see almost perfectly – mutations notwithstanding, the moon was casting a bright light, brighter than he was used to seeing; but after all, he was either in a room at an inn or sleeping outside in a forest, so he hadn’t that many occasions to see the moonlight.

To his surprise, there were still lights in the main room of the house. Someone was up, then – he hoped that it was Jaskier, as much as the thought unnerved him. Talking would be hard, but the thought of having to share a room with his friend without having apologized first was worse. Geralt really didn’t know what he would do if Jaskier was already asleep; ask for another room? Or go sleep with Roach in the stables.

Actually, going to see Roach didn’t sound like a bad idea. He hadn’t seen her all day, hadn’t even made sure that she had eaten before he left, which just showed how troubled he must have been. But he trusted Jaskier to take care of Roach – the other man obviously loved the horse almost as much as Geralt did, always sneaking her sugar cubes and carrots when he thought he could get away with it.

Knowing that it was a way of delaying the inevitable, Geralt decided to first go check on Roach and then see who was still awake at such an ungodly hour. Maybe it was Jaskier. He always tried to stay up as late as he could when Geralt was out on a contract – though the situation was a bit different, considering how he had left.

Roach was seemingly asleep but opened her eyes when she heard him, neighing softly.

“Hello, girl,” he said quietly, lovingly petting her nose. He had missed her, her quiet and steady presence. He looked at her, checking for – anything, really. An injury, or a knot in her mane that would justify him staying here a little longer, delaying his confrontation with Jaskier. But her chestnut fur had been brushed, and her mane had been braided – there even were flowers in there, daisies that somehow hadn’t wilted.

Someone – Jaskier – had taken care of her while he was away, making sure she was fine, no doubts making sure that her legs were still fine.

“I fucked up, Roach,” he admitted quietly as she looked at him. “I- I fucked up.”

The mare obviously didn’t reply but gently nudged his shoulder.

“You’re right,” he sighed, “I should stop being a coward and go, and- face the consequences of my actions.”

He had decided on the way back that telling Jaskier that he loved him needed to be a part of his apology. Not the first one, though, because it would sound as if it justified what he had done, that his love for Jaskier was enough to cancel the fact that he had almost kissed him without his consent, and that was just – no.

He needed to tell him, though. If Jaskier was going to leave him, he should at least be honest with him until the end. And maybe- maybe at some point during their unnaturally long lives, Jaskier would be able to forgive him, and would join him for just one last adventure together.

But Geralt was getting ahead of himself, thinking of the future when he hadn’t even apologized yet.

Roach sighed, and he smiled at her.

“I’ll let you sleep, girl. And I’ll- I’ll go apologize to Jaskier.”

She flicked her ear, having recognized the name. He pet her one last time before leaving, wishing he could stay here with her, where everything seemed simpler.

***

It was unfair how peaceful the night was. The wind was so light that it was almost as though it wasn’t there, and the clouds in the sky were so thin and so scattered that they didn’t hide the star-speckled sky. The violet flowers under the windows seemed to be glowing; the place looked like a dream, not like the battlefield on which Geralt was about to watch his dearest friendship die.

Charcoal was sleeping outside, and he raised his head when he heard Geralt approaching, his tail wagging lazily. Geralt chuckled, and removed one of his gloves, squatting down to pet him. Thankfully the big dog didn’t lick his hand, and simply nudged it with his snout when Geralt stopped petting him. He whined, and Geralt smiled.

“Keep quiet,” he said, “you’re going to wake them up and I’ll have to justify myself.”

Geralt stood up, considered putting his glove back on but ultimately decided that it wasn’t worth it, and removed the other one. He took a deep breath, and opened the front door of the house, trying not to jostle the bells to avoid making noise, bracing himself for what – or who – he would find inside.

He didn’t dare to look at who was sitting at the table, but he didn’t need to; he would have recognized that heartbeat in the middle of a crowd. There, sitting on one of the benches by candlelight, a glass of wine to his right and papers scattered around the table, was-

“Jaskier,” Geralt breathed out, and forgot all he had wanted to say.

His bard- his friend- Jaskier turned around at the sound of his voice, knocking off the glass of wine in the process. The wine spilled on the table and Jaskier jumped to save the papers he had been working on while Geralt dropped his gloves on the ground and hurried to find something to mop it up.

“You’re back!” Jaskier cried out, clenching the papers against his chest, looking at Geralt up and down. “And you’re… uninjured, aren’t you? Geralt, are you hurt?”

Knowing that Jaskier was about to fret over him like he did every time the witcher got back from a hunt, Geralt stopped to look at him with what he was hoping was a reassuring face.

“I’m fine, Jaskier. I’ll tell you about it, if- if you want to hear it. But I have-” he put down the towel he had been using, and straightened up. “I have to- can we talk, first?”

He didn’t like to talk, least of all about his feelings, but he had to do this. He owed it to Jaskier.

Jaskier’s heartbeat sped up and Geralt hated himself for being the cause of such distress, for putting Jaskier in such a situation.

“Of course, darling,” Jaskier replied, and Geralt tried not to show how much it affected him to hear that Jaskier was still using his favorite term of endearment for him. Maybe everything wasn’t lost?

“We could- talk outside?”

“Of course.”

Jaskier picked up Geralt’s gloves that had fallen on the ground and put them on the table along with the papers he had saved from the wine.

Geralt didn’t know why he had asked for them to talk outside. It wouldn’t change anything, but – at least outside he wouldn’t feel as though he was trapped. It was a ridiculous thought, because they couldn’t be any more safe inside the house, but the room that had seemed so welcoming earlier now made him unable to breathe. Or maybe it was the nervousness caused by what he had to say.

He didn’t get anxious, as a rule. He felt uneasy in crowds and at banquets, but this was a whole new other type of nervousness that he hadn’t really felt before, not even on the mountain. Apologizing on the mountain had been easy, because it was either begging for Jaskier’s pardon or losing him. Which… wasn’t so different from the current situation, actually.

Charcoal didn’t even raise his head when they came out of the house; he just opened his eyes, wagged his tail twice, and went back to sleep.

Geralt glanced at Jaskier. They were standing in front of each other, and with the soft light of the moon falling on him, Jaskier looked ethereal, something from a fairy tale. He was silent, not moving, watching Geralt, the wind gently playing with his hair.

The night was warm, and Geralt hated that his thoughtless action had ruined such a beautiful evening.

“I apologize,” he said quietly, not quite looking at Jaskier, his gaze fixated on the flowers right over the other man’s shoulder. “For what I’ve done earlier, before leaving. For-”

Say it.

“For kissing you without your consent, for leaving without saying anything because I hadn’t realized, I wasn’t thinking – but I know that it doesn’t excuse what I’ve done, Jaskier, I know-”

“Geralt,” Jaskier interrupted him, one hand reaching out to him but not quite touching him. “Take your time, I’m not going anywhere.”

Geralt blinked, freezing. Jaskier was looking at him with his serious face – he wasn’t joking. He wouldn’t – Jaskier wouldn’t leave, despite Geralt fucking things up once again?

“You aren’t?” he blurted out, not really thinking, still focused on the fact that Jaskier wasn’t going to leave.

“Well, no? Darling, I’ve stayed after seeing you covered in monsters gut, I’ve stayed after the mountain, I’ve stayed after Cintra fell, I took care of the newest addition to your family – why would I leave now?”

“Because I-”

“Geralt. I know you didn’t mean to. And it’s alright, I forgive you. I know you did it because of some – reflex or I don’t know. I know it was not me you were seeing.”

Jaskier ought to be more pissed at him. It wasn’t healthy, to react in such a way, to be so forgiving. Jaskier needed to want better things for himself.

“But I- Jaskier- Wait.”

What had Jaskier just said?

“Wait, Jaskier, I- it was you.”

That wasn’t how he had planned to tell him, but that would do. Though, to be fair, he hadn’t really thought about how he would tell Jaskier that he loved him. He had just known that he would do it.

“What?”

Jaskier looked lost, and sad. Geralt ached to take him in his arms, but knew he couldn’t. It seemed like he had to explain himself, so he took the time to choose his words, thinking that, somehow, telling Jaskier was both extremely difficult and as easy as breathing.

“I- seeing you, earlier, when you were so obviously happy and- and the picture of innocence, it just- reminded me how much I love you. And- when you read to me, or when we watched the stars – I- I said that it reminded me, but in reality it’s more like- like the feeling never leaves me.”

Geralt was no longer looking at Jaskier’s face; he was looking at the bard’s hands, with which the bard was nervously playing, obviously distressed by the confession. But Geralt had to say it – Jaskier had said that he wouldn’t leave, but that was before he actually knew, but Geralt didn’t care. He had to tell him the entire truth to let him decide.

“And I know,” Geralt went on, “I know you’ll never feel that way about me – but it’s okay. Being your friend is more than enough, and I-”

“How long? How long have you known?” Jaskier interrupted him, tears in his voice. Geralt felt a pang of guilt, hearing it. He had done it again, had caused the most beautiful voice in the world to sound heartbroken. But Jaskier had asked him something, and the least he could do was answer. Or try to.

“I- I don’t remember. Though I think-”

Geralt fought to find his words, because even though he had become better at this, this was a moment he needed to not fuck up. Well. Not to fuck up more.

“-I think- I’m sure that after the mountain I knew. I had said those things, and you turned around and I felt cold for the first time, I had been warm without even realizing it, because you were in my life, and then it just- I had to stop you. And I think- that night- when you still slept next to me, as trusting as ever, how you had told me goodnight- I knew.”

He tore his eyes away from Jaskier’s hands, from the rings that were glinting in the moonlight. He watched as the flowers that had bloomed for the night danced under the wind. An owl hooted melodiously somewhere deep in the forest. Apart from that noise, everything was silent around them, his confession the only thing disturbing the quietness of the night.

“It took me more than twenty years and almost losing you to realize I loved you. More than I thought myself capable of loving.”

Jaskier gasped, and Geralt found himself looking at the bard’s hands again, wishing that he could hold them, maybe softly kiss one of them, to show the bard how much he meant it. He hoped Jaskier would still let him be gentle with him, even knowing that Geralt loved him.

“Geralt-”

“Wait, please,” Geralt begged. He had been keeping this for too long, he needed to tell him. “And then-” he went on, “with Ciri- you stayed. You loved her like you would your own daughter, and she is, Jaskier, you have to know- she’s as much your daughter as she’s mine. You are- I- the path is better with you.”

He paused, then added.

“Cleaning the stables at Kaer Morhen was better with you, repairing the keep was better with you- Jaskier,” he glanced up, looking at those blue eyes that were shining with tears, “Julek, everything's better when you’re here. And I know- I know I fucked up, and that- that I overstepped my boundaries, fuck but I did, and-”

He was interrupted by a hand taking his.

“Geralt,” Jaskier said, squeezing his hand. “I love you too.”

“What?”

He couldn’t have heard right. He couldn’t have.

“Oh, Geralt – I’ve loved you for years, too. Well before the mountain, darling. And I wouldn’t have said anything, I would have been glad to stay by your side as just your friend – because that’s what you are to me first. My friend. And- and I love you, how could I not?”

Geralt was at loss for words, which usually didn’t bother him; but right now he had to say something, anything, because Jaskier had just said that he loved him back and-

“So can I- can I kiss you?”

“For real, this time?” Jaskier giggled, Geralt’s hand still in his.

“Hmm,” Geralt replied, just because it would amuse Jaskier – and maybe because he didn’t know what to say.

Jaskier’s lips quirked up, and Geralt came closer just to taste that smile.

It didn’t feel like fireworks, as romance books that Geralt definitely didn’t read always said. It felt more like coming home, like something as natural as breathing – like something they had been doing for years, and didn’t just start doing that evening.

Geralt’s hands fell on Jaskier’s hips, and he used it to bring the other man closer to him, breaking the kiss to simply enjoy holding him like he had been dreaming of. Jaskier’s arms hugged him back, and the bard kissed him lightly once again.

“I hope you know,” Jaskier whispered next to Geralt’s ear, “that I’m never going to stop doing that now that I know I can.”

Geralt chuckled, still holding him. He would get to kiss Jaskier’s hands, it seemed.

“Please never stop,” Geralt replied. Then: “How about we don’t say anything to our family until next winter?”

Jaskier pecked him on the cheek, half laughing.

“You are a terrible man, Geralt of Rivia,” he said, and Geralt hummed. “I say, we wait until everyone is gathered for dinner and then we snog each other.”

“Hmm,” Geralt considered the idea. It didn’t sound bad, actually, but- “Think of Ciri.”

“Oh, right, right. Then-” Jaskier thought out loud, “then we should-”

“Just kiss?” Geralt suggested. “When we arrive at the keep, we’ll need to make sure to be late enough to be the last ones. Everyone will be here to welcome us, so I would- help you get down from Roach, and then I’d kiss your hand, and you’d kiss me.”

“I had no idea you were such a romantic, darling,” Jaskier said fondly, “let’s do this,” he chuckled, “I can’t wait to see Lambert’s face, it’ll be hilarious.”

He then yawned, which reminded Geralt of their current situation. The stars were still shining above them, the moon still glowing – the night had fallen hours ago, and they were both still awake.

“Julek, you should go to sleep,” he said gently.

“So should you,” Jaskier smiled, “and you still haven’t told me about the hunt.”

“How about,” Geralt started, considering taking Jaskier in his arms bride style, but giving up the idea at the thought of the plants on the staircase and how treacherous they made it, “we go to sleep, and I tell you next morning, along with Violet and Lila?”

Jaskier seemed to think about it for a moment, then he pecked him on the cheek again. Geralt could get used to that kind of affection, really.

“That’s a deal,” Jaskier smiled.

Charcoal didn’t react when they made their way back into the house, careful not to make any noise to avoid waking Violet and Lila up. Geralt almost crushed the succulent on the stairs, which prompted Jaskier to gasp about his “poor plant”.

Their room was as Geralt had left it, the bed still made, Jaskier’s lute still in the same place. Jaskier, who had taken the papers he had left on the table in the main room, put them in his journal, making sure not to wrinkle them. Geralt took off his armor, grateful that he didn’t have to clean off blood, and put himself into bed. Jaskier joined him not too much later, immediately snuggling against him. Geralt pressed a kiss against his head.

“Goodnight, Julek,” he whispered, still amazed by the fact that it was something that he could do.

“Goodnight, darling,” Jaskier yawned back, sleepily blinking up at him before closing his eyes.

His breathing evened out, but it took a long while for Geralt to find sleep, even as tired as he was. He simply held Jaskier in his arms, eyes closed, enjoying the tranquility of it all, allowing himself to feel happy. Tomorrow he would tell them what had happened on his hunt, what he had discovered, and then he and Jaskier would leave. Maybe Jaskier would want to stay here, in the mountains, a little bit longer; or maybe he would want to go to Oxenfurt because there was a bardic competition there. Geralt didn’t really care where they went, as long as they were together.

He was smiling when he finally fell asleep.

[padfootagain]

Girl Crush (XII)

Chapter 12: Orchids For Missing You

Here we go again!!! New chapter!!! Very fluffy and very very emotional, but then I don't know if it's just because it's my story or because it really is emotional. All I know is that I've made myself cry.

I hope you like this chapter! Tell me what you think about it, please!!

Word Count: 4509

Harry's home was quiet. Maybe too much so. Silence between Harry and you was never awkward and yet this time it didn't feel as natural as usual.

But then, he was leaving the next day, which explained the tension that had hovered above both of you.

Goodfellas was over, the TV still on and yet silent. It was late, and you should have been going home. Harry was getting on that bus in only a few hours, and you reckoned that he still had a lot of things to prepare.

Yet, you couldn't muster the strength to get up from Harry's couch, take your jacket, and leave.

And Harry didn't want you to go just yet either. He was leaving California for the tour, and wouldn't be back for 2 months. 7 weeks to be precise. He had promised to drop by during his short break between the European and Asian legs of his tour. Still, seven weeks… that was an awfully long time to spend without your best friend. You hadn't had to go through such long periods apart in a very long time, it was weird to even imagine it.

And Harry knew that he should have gotten some sleep as he was getting on the road in the early hours of the morning, and it was past midnight already… But he didn't want to.

He felt like he had to get as much time you as he could before the long weeks ahead. You kept on telling him that he would be so busy that he wouldn't have time to miss you. He knew already that you were terribly wrong. And he knew that you would miss him too, even if you reassured him.

For once, he was happy that you had Gareth in your life. He felt better knowing that someone was around to look after you when he couldn't do it himself.

Eventually, you took a deep breath, and Harry knew exactly what you were about to say, and he couldn't let you go, not yet.

"So… I should…"

"Don't go yet."

You turned to him, intensely staring at him. He had grabbed your wrist, however if his gesture had been quick it was still only a tender hold that he kept around you.

"Stay a little longer, please," he insisted. "You could stay over for tonight, it's late and I don't like it when you drive home on your own so late at night."

"I should let you get some rest though."

"I can sleep in the bus."

"It's just for a few weeks."

"7 weeks. That's a long time."

"You'll survive just fine. Don't enjoy yourself too much without me though."

He laughed, but his grasp on your wrist didn't falter.

"Stay a little longer," he asked one more time, and you couldn't refuse.

You opened your arms for him, and he snuggled closer to you, his head on your shoulder and his arms around your frame to keep you against him.

"I expect daily reports on the shows," you warned him, making him chuckle. "I expect you to tell me all the funny anecdotes. And I want at least one facetime per week, so I don't forget your stupid face."

"We both know you won't forget my stupid face, ever," he mumbled against your sweater, his voice a little muffled by the fabric.

"You wish!"

"Well, I know I couldn't forget your stupid face, so it wouldn't be fair if you could forget mine so easily."

Your lips curled up into a tender smile.

"You're right. That wouldn't be fair, and I'm not that cruel."

He heaved a deep sigh, closing his eyes. He focused on your breathing, and how each of your inhales and exhales made him rise and fall slightly. He took in the feeling of your warmth spreading through his limbs. He listened to your heartbeat as he moved his head just enough to rest his ear on your chest. He breathed in your smell to make sure he would perfectly remember it. Your fingers had settled amongst his wild curls, and he felt all tension vanish from his body at your gentle touch.

"I'm gonna miss you," he let out in a breath, his voice low and fragile, a little hoarse.

You tightened your hold on him.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Harry."

"I'm so sorry I can't be here for your birthday. I'm terrible. You flew all the way to London to see my first show, and I can't even be here for your birthday."

You laughed his remark away.

"Don't be ridiculous. I understand. Work is work. I've missed some things too because of my job. Like… your movie premiere with all your friends."

"You did watch it later though."

"Yeah, but I wasn't there for the big day either. See? It's okay. I will be terribly mad at you if you don't call me on the day though."

Harry laughed, shaking his head.

"I know you would kill me if I did. I've put at least five alarms for that day on my phone."

"Good."

"I'm still sorry, and I still feel shitty about it."

"Don't feel bad. It's okay."

"I do have a gift for you though."

"You do?"

He nodded.

"I gave it to Jas for safekeeping last week, because I don't trust your curious self to not open it before your birthday if I just handed it to you now."

You bit down on your lip, but had to admit that he was right.

"I might have prepared a little something for you as well," he went on, a mischievous smile grazing his lips, and you suspiciously narrowed your eyes at him.

"What have you done this time?"

"You'll see. All in due time."

You tried to get more information out of him, but he wouldn't break, and you ended up giving up. You kept on cuddling for a while, until you were both too tired, and ended up falling asleep on his sofa.

When you woke up in the morning, you were lying on the couch with your favourite blanket covering your frame, and the smell of warm coffee filled the entire house.

You looked for Harry across the room, your eyes only half-open, but you guessed that he must have been in the kitchen.

In reality, he was getting downstairs from his bedroom just as you sat up, carrying his suitcase to the front door.

"Morning!" he threw you a grin and a little wave. "Coffee's ready, I also made you breakfast."

"Thank you," you mumbled, your voice hoarse with sleep.

You got up, a little unsteady on your two feet and yawning as you rubbed your eyes.

"Did you get any sleep?" you asked him before disappearing in the kitchen to get your hot beverage.

Harry followed you in the room, leaning against the counter.

"Yeah, I did. A bit stressed though, so I didn't sleep as much as I hoped."

"You need to meditate more," you admonished, making him smile.

"I know."

You let out a shaky breath, eating a piece of the fruits Harry had cut for you, and let out the question you were dreaded to ask.

"How long before you have to go?"

"Jeff will be here in fifteen minutes."

"You should have woken me up."

"I couldn't," he earnestly answered, and you frowned at him.

"Why? Were you trying to sneak out without saying goodbye properly?"

"No," he shook his head, nervously tapping with his fingers on his forearms, his rings shining in the early morning light that bathed the kitchen. "No, but… you just… you looked too peaceful like this, didn't have the heart to wake you."

You weren't expecting this kind of answer, and were taken aback to say the least, enough so to shut you up. You merely nodded instead, your heart beating a little too fast.

You spent the little time you had left helping Harry to pack, checking if he had everything he would need – it was the third time that you were asking him if he had his passport, and even though he found it cute, he wished you could stop at this point. But he wasn't mad at you for acting all nervous, he knew it was your way to deal with the imminent goodbye.

Finally, Jeff arrived, and got all of Harry's stuff in his car, ready to drive him away.

Harry gave you the keys to his house.

"Take care of my baby plants for me, huh? No one can do that better than you," he asked with a tender smile, and you nodded without a word.

He wrapped his arms around you in a tight hug and kissed your hair.

"Take good care of yourself, don't work too hard," Harry whispered into your ear.

"You'll text me when you get to Nashville, yeah?"

"Sure, I will."

"Harry…"

Your voice broke. And it was partially because you were trying really hard not to cry, but also because you stopped your feelings from overpowering your thoughts.

You had three words on the tip of your tongue, that you couldn't say to Harry. Three words that you refused to even acknowledge, and yet, now there they were, about to topple off your lips.

You couldn't speak them though. Because of Harry. Because of Gareth. Because of a thousand different reasons. Because you refused to recognize that you were feeling what they meant at all.

You couldn't shake the feeling though, the one that was crushing your heart and making your throat so tight it was hard for air to reach your burning lungs. You tightened your hold on Harry, changing the words that you breathed out even though, to you, their meaning remained the same as the confession you couldn't make.

"…Be careful on the road."

He pulled away, giving you the warmest smile he could summon, although you could see that it didn't reach his eyes, didn't really make his dimples show either. His green eyes were clouded with tears, matching your own gaze.

"I'll see you soon, darling."

You nodded, and he picked up his last bag before heading to Jeff's car. You saw him brushing tears away as he climbed in the passenger's seat, and you didn't blame him for crying. After all, your own cheeks were wet too.

The crowd in London was very loud.

Not that Harry was complaining, on the contrary. He had a grin plastered on his face that he didn't seem able to shake off. He reckoned that it was a great crowd for what he was about to do.

It was your birthday today, and he wasn't there for you. And no matter how many times you had reassured him, he felt terrible for being away on your big day. He reckoned he needed to do something a little special to compensate his absence.

Which was why, at the end of a song, as the lights came back to be shed on the crowd, Harry cleared his throat, but not to sing this time.

"How are you so far, London?" he asked in a deep voice, being met with loud shouts. "Good. I'm having fun too."

He readjusted his earpiece, before resuming his speech.

"Now, you've been amazing so far, thank you so much."

He waited for the crowd to grow quiet again before he would continue.

"And you've already given me a lot by being here, buying a ticket and coming to this show, and singing and having fun and being yourself with me. And I can't thank you enough for that."

The shouts were deafening, and he placed his finger on his lips to ask for silence.

"But I have one more thing to ask from you. I need your help with something. Can you give me a hand?"

If he was met by an excited crowd, he did laugh at a couple of people who didn't seem so keen.

"That guy over there isn't convinced," he laughed, pointing at a member of the audience, before crossing his arms before his chest and adorning a mocking, grumpy tone. "He's like 'man, I've already paid for my ticket. It's late, I'm tired. I want to go home. And now that guy has the audacity to ask for our help!'"

Harry couldn't refrain his laughter any longer, shaking his head. The rest of the audience was laughing too.

"I'm joking. It's lovely to have you. It's okay if you don't want to help. Although, you don't even know what I'm about to ask, but hey… that's alright. You don't want to help, that's alright."

He chuckled again, clearing his throat to get back to the demand he was trying to make.

"So, I need your help. Because today is my best friend's birthday. Now…"

He had to stop, the crowd overwhelmingly loud.

"Now, the thing is, she's home. In L.A. And I couldn't go to her birthday because of the obvious reason that I am not in L.A. Instead, I'm here, serenading all of you. Trying to entertain you. And I think we're having an amazing time. But I feel terrible for having so much fun on her birthday without her. So, if you want to, I'd like to call her and we can sing her happy birthday together. Can you do that for me?"

He was met with only cheering again, and turned to the man in the audience he had been teasing.

"Even you? Will you help?"

The man nodded, laughing, and Harry threw his arms in the air in victory.

"He'll help! Thank you."

There was a bit more laughing before he would walk over the spot where Sarah was seated, picking up his phone he had left next to a few bottles of water.

"Alright," he cleared his throat again, taking his microphone from the stand and unlocking his phone. "Her name is Y/N. I'm gonna call her, and then we'll sing happy birthday to her, okay? To Y/N, don't forget. Alright, let's do this."

He started the call, placing the mic next to the phone so that everyone could hear the beeps. He fell on your voicemail at the first try.

The audience seemed disappointed, but Harry laughed, hanging up and trying a second time.

"She's at work, give her a break," he admonished, although he was smiling.

This time you picked up.

"Hi, Harry!"

He couldn't refrain a giggle as the crowd was cheering again.

"Hi, Y/N."

"What's that noise?" you asked, and he could hear your frown in your tone.

"I'm with a few friends," Harry answered, making the crowd go absolutely crazy.

You spoke again, but the crowd was too loud.

"What? I didn't hear you," he asked again, placing the phone against his ear this time.

"I asked if you were at your show."

"Yeah, I'm on stage," he laughed.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

The entire audience was laughing by now.

"Everyone can hear you."

"Oh shit."

Harry couldn't stop laughing either.

"I told you I'd call you today. My friends and I have something to tell you." He turned to the audience. "Ready? Three, two, one: happy birthday…"

And the crowd caught up, the sound so loud that you had to put the phone away from your ear.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR Y/N! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUU!"

You were hiding at the back of the shop, laughing and on the verge of tears. Your heart was overwhelmed, you could feel it expand in your ribcage.

Once the cheers became calmer, Harry turned his back to the crowd, this time talking only to you and keeping your conversation private.

"Happy birthday, Y/N."

"Can people hear me?"

"No, they can't."

"You son of a bitch…"

Harry let out a loud laugh, throwing his head back.

"Thank your friends for me, would you?" you asked, and he could hear the tears in your voice.

"I will. Have a nice time tonight. Eat a lot of cake."

"Oh, I will!"

His smile grew more tender, and a little sad too, as he couldn't be with you.

"You can have my share."

"I was planning on eating it anyway. As a punishment."

"Sounds fair. I need to go though. Take care, yeah?"

"Yeah… Be careful on the road."

"Happy birthday, Y/N."

"Will you be watching tonight?"

"Of course, I am. Found out how to get the BBC from here, with a little help from Jas, who… as it turns out, seems to be very keen into hacking stuff."

"I have to admit that I would have never imagined that Jasmine would turn out to be a hacker."

"Giving it a little bit more thought, and remembering some of the stupid stuff she did as a teenager, I'm not that surprised, actually."

Harry let out a laugh. He was on his way to the airport to grab a flight to Sweden. It was already night time in the UK, darkness too young to wear its starry collection, yet the sky had lost its colours already.

The regular movement of the car was on the verge of lulling him to sleep, but he couldn't surrender before calling you. It was a routine by now, really. Even if the calls didn't last more than a few minutes, he needed to listen to your voice everyday. It was almost as relaxing as meditation to him, a reassuring constant in the craziness of tour. These days he couldn't go to sleep without hearing your voice during the day. He just blamed it on the habit part of the action, on having something very regular while he was always travelling somewhere else. He knew the truth was that he just missed you an awful lot though.

"Well, you should watch it, cause there's something for you in it," he said, a smirk forming across his features.

"What? For me?" you asked, frowning hard. "What are you talking about."

"You'll know when you watch the show. Had to make amends as I've missed your birthday."

"How many times do I have to tell you? You called, and I love your gift. It's all that matters. It's not your fault. I still don't understand how you managed to get tickets to a show that was sold-out by the way…"

"I have my contacts," he chuckled. "Will you go with Jas?"

"Probably with Gareth, actually."

It made sense. Then why did Harry dislike the idea so much?

"That's nice. Will make a great date."

"It will! Thank you again. But you're drawing the conversation elsewhere on purpose, you sneaky little shit. What have you done this time? What do you mean there's something for me?"

"I knew that the show would air around your birthday, and that I wouldn't be with you to celebrate. Thought I'd slip a little something for you in the show, just to make sure you don't forget about me too easily."

"You call me every day, that makes it hard to forget you."

You giggled, but Harry wasn't laughing. Instead, a worried frown creased his brow.

Was he being too much? He knew he had a tendency to be a little clingy. He was too affectionate sometimes. Were you tired of him?

"Harry? You're still here?"

"Yeah, yeah… sorry, lost in thoughts."

"Oh, okay… do you need to go now?"

"I'm almost at the airport, so, yeah… I'll soon have to hang up."

"You call me when you land, yeah?"

Was he too clingy? On the other hand, you kept on asking him to call you. When his plane landed, before a stressful show, or after a concert so you could hear all about the funny things that had happened.

So… maybe you were just as clingy as he was. Good match, he guessed.

"Sure, I will. Watch the show, tell me what you think about it."

"I'm sure you're going to be amazing and annoyingly charming, as always."

"You think I'm charming?"

"Goodbye, Harry!"

He laughed, shaking his head at you even if you couldn't see him.

"I'll call you when I land. I miss you."

"I miss you too."

"Take care, yeah?"

It seemed that all your phone calls ended the same way. He always told you 'take care' in a worried tone, as if he were worried that after not seeing you face to face for a while, you would forget to be kind to yourself as he couldn't remind you to do so as much as he wanted.

You always asked for the same thing every time, the words carrying a deeper meaning he wasn't aware of. Yet, you never failed to speak the same words over and over again, and by now you believed in it as you would a lucky charm. Almost as if, were you to forget to cast the spell, something would happen to him. It was a protection you'd send across the world, as you couldn't physically be near him, even if he needed you.

"I will," you smiled. "And Harry… be careful on the road."

Take care, yeah?

Be careful on the road.

Always the ritual.

"I will. Have a nice day."

"Have a nice evening."

He hung up, and as he looked by the window of the car that was driving him to the airport, Harry really didn't like silence.

"Okay, hurry up, Gareth!"

"I'm the one with the pop-corn, so be careful, babe!"

"And it's on!"

"I will not ask how you got that to work, Jas…"

"Nothing too illegal, no worries."

"Illegal? What's illegal?"

"Relax, Gary, nothing you need to know about."

"Actually, Jasmine, I really do prefer Gareth…"

"You're stuck with it, Jas never gives up on a nickname."

"Matter of principles, Gary!"

He rolled his eyes at your friend, making you laugh.

The three of you were stacked on your couch, about to watch Harry's BBC special. You were a few hours late, as it had aired while you were at work, but somehow Jas had managed to find a way to watch it anyway. And the second you saw Harry's face appearing on the screen a smile curled up your lips.

God, you really did miss him…

And you had been right all along, while he was having an interview and doing ridiculous activities with Nick Grimshaw, he was as charming as ever. Soft and calming and oozing charm to a disgusting degree.

Gareth wasn't that interested in the show and soon his attention drifted towards his smartphone, but you didn't care. He had come only to spend some time with you, not for Harry, and you were well aware of that fact. You were still happy he was willing to watch something important to you that was of no interest to him just to be with you.

All along you wondered what Harry could possibly mean when he said that there was something for you in there.

The interviews were over, and Harry was now performing. You sang along with Jas who knew all the words too, no matter how much she tried to hide how much she loved Harry's music.

Another song faded out, and Harry stood there, in his floral suit with his guitar, looking breathtaking, as always. He took a deep breath before nodding to his band for the next one. He seemed a little emotional, and you wondered which one of his songs he would play next.

But you recognized the first notes of the guitar, and your hand flew up to cover your mouth as you stared at the TV before you with wide eyes.

Because it wasn't one of his songs he was singing now. He was singing your favourite song instead.

And he sang it so beautifully.

So many emotions were carried by his voice, and everything was just… perfect.

You were crying by now, and Gareth frowned while Jas was too focused on Harry's version of Girl Crush to notice anything happening around her.

"Babe? Are you alright?"

You slowly nodded, tears streaming down your face.

"Why are you crying? What's wrong?"

You shook your head, pointing at the TV.

"It's my favourite song."

You grinned despite the salty tears still wetting your cheeks.

"He's singing my favourite song," you repeated.

Gareth finally focused on the show again, and he had to admit that Harry's voice was beautiful as he sang with emotions this tune you adored. Still, a glare settled across his eyes, and he remained silent for the rest of the song, clenching his jaw.

You couldn't believe it. You couldn't believe that he would do something like this…

Of course, that was what he meant when he said he had done something just for you. This song brought back so many memories, and gosh, was he amazing at singing it.

You missed the next song, grabbing your phone and locking yourself in your bedroom to call Harry.

It was the middle of the night in Sweden though, and Harry was fast asleep when you called, his silenced phone left unanswered on his bedside table. You left a voicemail instead for him to find the next morning, while his hair was dishevelled and his eyes barely opened. While he let out a groan and forced himself to sit up despite how exhausted he was. But he had a show to plan, and a thousand things to do, so he had to get up, even if outside the sky was desperately dark while the sun got a little more rest he did.

He rubbed some of the sleep out of his eyes, reaching for his phone to check the time. He unplugged it and focused to read the notification on his screen.

Y/N Y/L/N – 2 missed calls

One voicemail

He smiled, guessing that you had called him after watching the BBC show last evening, so he listened to your voicemail.

And it was not what he was expecting to hear.

"You bastard!"

His eyebrows shot up, before they would turn into a frown. You were clearly crying, struggling for breath a little and your voice wet and hoarse.

But as you went on, you didn't sound angry, simply overwhelmed.

"That was so beautiful. You… you sang my favourite song. Thank you. Thank you, I loved it. You're a bastard for keeping it a secret and making me cry like that, but… I loved it. Thank you."

You let out a frustrated groan, struggling for breath. You exhaled deeply, your voice shaking.

"God, I miss you, Harry."

He clenched his fist and jaw, his eyes watering.

"Just… thank you again. And please… please… be careful on the road. Be careful."

The voicemail ended, and he brushed the tears out of his eyes, a sad smile appearing on his lips, and he spoke his next thoughts out loud even if he were alone and no one was there to hear them. It didn't matter, they were meant for you anyway.

"I will be. I'll always be. Don't worry about me."

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

Tag list : @ponycake27 @horsesreign @xinyourdreamsx @jbluevelvet@notkeppeki @daynigt-dreamer-stuff @fudgeflyss @stuckupstucky@snek-shit @suchatinyinfinity@i-padfootblack-things  @buckybsarmy @heyohheyitsgabi@jigsawlover10 @emyyjemyy @addictedtofictionalcharacters @staringmoony@madamrogers @cronias13 @stylesfics-xx @mellamolayla​

[thisbrokenmask]

Ready

Title: Ready

Pairing: Jin x reader,  post break-up

Genre: Angst

Warnings: sad times ahead

Word Count: 3.5k

Song inspiration: Let Go

A/N: Finally, my third piece for the Bulletproof Bingo event! I’ve been struggling to get myself to write recently but I’ve had this in my head pretty much since I got my bingo card. I just couldn’t get the idea to come out how I wanted to, but I’ve finally been able to get my butt in gear and get this written. Enjoy x

How painfully poetic, Jin scoffed with a smirk, taking a seat at a table by the window and watching the first few drops of rain land on the glass. He placed the bag he’d been carrying under the table between his feet, hoping it simply looked like he’d been shopping in town before arriving here. He’d only decided to accept your invite this morning, and he still wasn’t sure if he was ready.

But here he was.

Waiting for you.

His ex.

He pulled out his phone and pulled up your messages.

Jin: I’m here, sitting upstairs.

He’d tell you he’d chosen to come up away from the main shop floor because it was quieter, which was true, but in reality it was because it would allow him to see when you arrived, giving him the precious few extra seconds he would need to compose himself for what was about to happen.

You: Okay. I’m nearly there, I’ll see you soon.

Jin set his phone down with a sigh, his hand resting on the back of his neck after running it through his hair. You’d chosen a coffee shop that neither of you had ever been to, with plush seating and simple, homely decor. It was out of the way, nowhere near any of the normal routes he took to work or to his friends’ apartments, ensuring the only way he would ever see it again was if he sought it out or stumbled upon it by accident. It was neutral ground.

Jin was initially surprised at just how much thought you’d put into this when he’d asked you about it but, the longer he watched the umbrellas popping up along the path below, the more he realised that he shouldn’t be surprised at all. This was just like you; you always thought of every possible way to make sure everyone was comfortable, even if it meant you putting in more effort than anyone would ever ask for. Jin remembered how you always insisted on buying at least four different types of soda whenever you two had been the hosts for parties, because not everyone drank the same thing and you wanted everyone to have something they liked. Or how you would always go out of your way to go to that one shop on the other side of the city that sold the candles Jimin loved, and how you always bought him those candles for his birthday or Christmas. Sometimes you’d buy them for no reason in particular, just because you didn’t want him to run out.

The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs snapped Jin out of the daydream he didn’t realise he’d fallen into, his back straightening on impulse and his eyes darting to the top of the stairs, only to see one of the caps emblazoned with the shop’s logo bobbing up above the railing. The waitress met his gaze with a smile, bringing his drink over and placing it down on the table in front of him. He mumbled a small thank you as she turned away and took a deep breath to try and calm himself down.

This is ridiculous, he scolded himself. Stop panicking, it’s not like things could get any worse. It had been nearly two months since you’d left and he felt like he’d just about started to get over the shock in the last week or so. His life had been a bit of a blur since you’d told him you weren’t happy anymore, that something had changed and you simply didn’t love him anymore. Almost two months of waking up, going to work, coming home to an empty apartment and pretending it wasn’t until going back to bed alone had felt like it had gone excruciatingly slowly at the time, but now he felt like he’d only seen you leave this morning.

There had been no argument, no big blow out or accusations thrown back and forth, just a lot of tears from both of you as you’d spoken through the night. He’d felt blindsided at first, not expecting you to break up with him when he’d asked you what was wrong after you’d shared yet another silent dinner. He’d been concerned for a few weeks now but, when you’d initially waved it off as simply being tired and stressed from work, he’d taken a step back to give you the space he knew you wanted. After three years of dating and two years of living together, he knew you as well as he did himself. He knew you wanted space when you were stressed, so when you’d taken yourself off to the bathroom for a bath, he’d figured a long soak would be just the ticket. It always had been before.

But when your mood had lasted longer than a few nights and continued through the weekend, Jin started to suspect it had nothing to do with work at all. You’d started spending your evenings doing things alone, shutting him out more often or keeping your distance when you’d normally snuggle up to him on the sofa. He started to worry you were cheating on him, that the long baths or early nights were just excuses to be able to talk to someone else in private. He thought about going to his friends about it but didn’t want to act like you weren’t allowed to want your space from time to time. You’d been like this before, he knew that, but he also knew it had never lasted this long before. You’d always come back to him after a day or two, normally by slipping into bed, curling up into his side and apologising for being distant, but this time it felt like you were slipping further away with every day that passed. You were normally asleep before he came to bed and out of the apartment before he even finished his morning shower. There was always something to keep him at arm’s length - cramps, a headache, a possible sickness bug - but you never let him take care of you like he always did.

To say it had been a confusing time for him was an understatement, but he’d loved you too much to push you. Instead, he’d just waited for you, trying to carry on as normally as he could when his girlfriend seemed like she wanted nothing to do with him.

But even Jin, with all his self-professed saintly patience, could only wait so long, and eventually the fear overwhelmed his considerate nature. He’d asked you one night, after the fifth consecutive painfully silent dinner in a row that he’d somehow convinced you to share with him.

“Are you cheating on me?”

Your eyes shot up to meet his from where they’d previously been burning hole into the table, wide and already glossy under the overhead lights, and you desperately shook your head.

“No,” your response was quiet but firm, “I’m not cheating on you.”

“Then what is it?” he sighed, running both of his hands back through his hair and dropping them to the table. “Something’s wrong, y/n, and you’re not telling me.” He looked you in the eye. “You’re avoiding me.”

Your eyes dropped back down to the table as you clasped your hands atop the table, your thumbs rubbing against each other. He knew that habit. You were nervous. You’d done the same thing when you’d first met his parents, and even when he’d met yours, not to mention when you’d sat at this very table waiting to hear back from your current boss after your first interview.

Your mouth opened and closed several times and Jin could see the panic in your eyes, the way tears were threatening to spill over but you were trying your hardest to keep them back. He’d felt his heart sink and his chest tighten at the sight, felt his blood run cold as his body felt like it was slowly shutting down, yet his head had stayed remarkably calm. Whatever it is, we’ll sort it out, he’d thought.

“Are you pregnant?” You weren’t planning on having children any time soon, so he wouldn’t be surprised if this was why you’d barely let him near you recently. Maybe you’d had a scare and were worried about it happening again. Maybe you were stalling as you tried to figure out how to tell him you didn’t want it.

“No.” Your quiet whisper didn’t sound disappointed or relieved, just matter of fact.

“Have I done something wrong?” You didn’t say anything as a tear rolled down your cheek as you shook your head.

“Y/n,” Jin waited for you to look up at him before he continued. “Y/n, please just talk to me. Whatever it is, I can’t help you if you don’t let me in.” His hands closed over yours where they still sat clasped on the table and the contact seemed to be the final push for you.

Heavy sobs escaped you, even as you tried to hold them back you ended up hiccupping loudly and they fought their way out. The dam had been broken and there was nothing you could do to stop the flood of tears that came.

Jin had sat quietly, letting you speak at your pace as you’d started to explain that you weren’t sure if you were happy anymore. You’d started feeling like something was wrong weeks ago, but you’d hoped it was just a weird bump in the road and had waited for it to pass. Just as Jin had started to panic, so had you, struggling to figure out why your heart felt so heavy whenever you were together. The fruitless long soaks in the tub had been your way of trying to do some soul searching, but when even that hadn’t worked, you’d started to realise you already knew what was wrong: you weren’t in love anymore, and you didn’t even know why.

Jin had been the perfect boyfriend ever since you’d met back just after graduating university. He’d been a friend of a friend then, someone you’d bumped into at one of the many parties being thrown that summer. You’d been drawn to him from the moment you’d seen him, and not only because he was possibly the most handsome man you’d ever seen in your life. He was funny, he was charismatic, and the longer you were around him, the more you noticed how he quietly took care of everyone around him without anyone else noticing. You watched him keep his drunk friends from falling over, watched him make their drinks slightly weaker than they asked for so that they wouldn’t get blind drunk, watched him discreetly move discarded cups and empty bottles to the kitchen - or at least to the edge of the room - out of the way from all the feet trampling past. However, rather than falling drunkenly into bed together, you’d ended up huddled together in the quietest corner you could find, swapping life stories as your mutual friends partied away around you.

And now here you were, three years later, breaking his heart at the dinner table you’d bought together.

A long night had followed, full of tears and questions and apologies. Jin had stayed with Namjoon during the week until you’d moved out the following weekend, neither of you quite knowing how to live in your one-bedroomed apartment together when you were no longer in a relationship. He’d wanted to give you the time and space to pack up your things in your own time, knowing he wouldn’t be able to cope with watching it all happen in front of him. You were the one who’d decided to leave, you said, so it was only fair for you to stay with your sister while you found somewhere else to live. You’d said it as if staying was easier, less of a punishment, as if Jin wasn’t going to be constantly haunted by the memories of the life you’d started building together over the past two years every time he woke up.

He took some comfort in the fact that, as far as he was aware, you were still single: at least you hadn’t lied when you’d said there was no one else. It was easier for Jin to pretend he didn’t miss sleeping beside you when he wasn’t in his own bed, anyway, although there were only so many times he could pretend he didn’t see the sadness in Namjoon’s eyes every morning after his friend had heard him cry himself to sleep the night before.

Jin stared down at the coffee before him and its unbroken surface of foam, wishing he knew what he could have done to keep you by his side. Your lack of a reason was torturing him, had been ever since the words had left your mouth, but he knew that wasn’t going to change today. You had asked to see him one last time before you moved out of the city for a new job, and so he had brought the few things he’d found that you’d accidentally left behind.

The first one had been one of your necklaces, which he’d found under the sofa when he’d been cleaning a few weeks ago. He hadn’t had the heart to text you about it, then; he hadn’t been ready to see you again. You’d only just left the week before and he was still raw. He’d burst into tears and sunk onto the sofa, the chain wrapped around his hand as he clutched the small infinity pendant in his palm. He’d bought it for you on your first anniversary and it was one of your favourites. He wasn’t sure if he was crying because he missed you or because you hadn’t seemed to realise you’d left it behind.

It had sat on his nightstand for three days before Namjoon found it on one of his regular ‘checking in’ visits. He’d told Jin he had to give it back to you, or even give it away if he couldn’t face you, as keeping it would only bring back all the pain he was trying to get through. Jin had promised he’d give it back eventually, he just wasn’t ready to see you yet. Namjoon had offered to do it on his behalf, but they both knew Jin had to do it himself. He needed closure eventually, to say a proper goodbye, even if you still couldn’t give him an explanation.

The necklace was eventually joined by a t-shirt of yours that he’d found at the bottom of the laundry basket and a few pieces of mail, and Jin had grown more determined to return it as each letter had arrived. He was perhaps a week or so away from texting you when you beat him to it, telling him you were moving away and wanted to say goodbye.

The bag at his feet rustled as he shifted in his seat, knocking it slightly. He hoped he’d found everything. He wasn’t going to go looking for you after you moved away and knowing you wouldn’t be around anymore finally gave him some confidence that he could start moving on properly. He could never get rid of his memories of you, but he’d rather they simply came as passing thoughts rather than hitting him full force when he unexpectedly found something of yours.

Lost in his thoughts as he was, Jin didn’t notice when a familiar pink umbrella broke off from the stream on the pavement and disappeared into the shop below him. Nor did he notice the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs and towards his table, pausing just a few feet away.

“Jin?”

He looked up to see you with your hands clasped together in front of you, your thumbs rubbing together and a small smile on your face as your eyes darted about, unable to meet his. He hadn’t been sure how he’d feel when he saw you again, dreading the very real possibility he might still burst into tears again, but he found himself strangely calm. Perhaps it was how you looked so nervous that made him realise that he wasn’t. In fact, he was surprised to see you nervous at all. You were the one who had ended it, who had been so composed the last time he’d seen you. You were the one who’d invited him here.

“Hi,” he smiled, unsure if he should get up and hug you but you quickly slipped into the seat across from him before he could make up his mind. “Have you ordered?” You nodded as you slipped your coat off your shoulders, your bag already on the floor beside you. “You look good.” He wasn’t sure if it was a step too far, but you did. The last time he’d seen you, you’d been leaving what was now just his apartment with the last bag of your things. Neither of you had said much, too exhausted from heartbreak, but the pain you had both felt was evident in the furrow of your brow and the heavy air between you. But now, as you sat in front of him, you looked better. You looked like you’d actually slept properly, for a start, and Jin tried to ignore the slight pang in his heart when he realised that, above all else, you looked happy.

“Thanks,” the smile that appeared on your face and the blush that accompanied it were both genuine, yet you still hadn’t looked at him properly.

“How have you been?”

“Good- I mean, fine. I’ve been fine,” you tucked a few loose strands of hair behind your ear, cheeks reddening further. Jin chuckled, knowing you were panicking that you’d made it sound like you were getting on great without him, but he understood. You’d been unhappy and, even if he’d never know whether or not he could have fixed it, he was glad to see that you were doing well. “How are you?”

You finally looked up at him then, unable to stop yourself from searching his face as you waited for his answer. You were desperate to know that he was okay, that you hadn’t completely broken him all those weeks ago. You might not have loved him anymore, but you still cared. You always would.

“I’m good,” he smiled, realising that he meant the words as they left his mouth. He really was okay. He was getting the closure he knew he needed to be able to move on from you. It might take a few months, maybe, but he knew then, as his eyes met yours, that you’d both be fine. “I found some things of yours, by the way,” he reached down for the bag at his feet and held it towards you. “Just a few small things, I figured you’d want them back.”

Your fingers grazed his as you took the bag from him, and Jin was relieved when there was no lingering feeling in his fingers to reach out for you. Your eyes had widened again in shock and he knew that you wanted to apologise when you opened your mouth, but he looked down to his coffee before you could say anything. He picked up his spoon and stirred the foam into his coffee, giving you a few moments to look through the bag without him watching you. He heard your breath catch and glanced up to see you holding the infinity necklace and, while you were letting a small smile push at your lips, Jin didn’t miss the way your eyes clouded over slightly as your thumb brushed over the pendant.

“Thank you,” you smiled, your eyes meeting his again, but he simply nodded and lifted his coffee to his lips to take a sip.

You put the bag down on your side of the table and turned back to him, hesitant but clearly wanting to say something before the same waitress as before seemed to appear out of thin air at the top of the stairs. She brought over your drink, which Jin knew was a hot chocolate without even looking, and swiftly left again, but the break between the necklace and speaking again seemed to have helped you to relax.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” you said earnestly, leaning forward slightly to compensate for the way you spoke quietly.

“Me too,” he joked, relieved to see you laugh, even if it was just a small chuckle. It finally felt like the tension was breaking, and he was keen to just talk to you again, determined to make the most of this before you both parted ways. He waited for you to take a few sips of your drink before he spoke again, turning to you with a smile. “So, tell me about this new job you’ve got.”

[fishybehavior]

How he got his soul (p.4)

Warnings!! There is death in this chapter, nothing in graphic detail, but there is some blood, and the event is partially described.   (1,222 words)

-This goes directly from the last one, cause I just wanna jump into it.

last part here

first part here

“My father built me shortly after the Serpentine Wars, he built me to be the son he never had. We hid in that tree due to father deserting from the war. He told me that he deserted after finding out that his village was massacred since there was no one there to defend the village. He lost his wife and unborn child.”

“So you knew you were a nindroid?” Jay piped in, his brows scrunched.

“Yes, I knew. He wanted me to be human, but due to the nature of my existence and how he constantly modified my workings, it would have been impossible to keep up a ridiculous charade like that. And that was most of my existence, being constantly tweaked and modified as my father tried to make me as human as a machine could be.”

“Tried?” Cole interjected.

“Yes. I lacked an important element that kept me from being ‘human’, sentience. I could make decisions, I could care for myself and others, but I lacked all emotion and had no perception of self, besides that I had tasks I was required to do.”

“Why is this important?” Kai huffed, patience wearing thin.

“Because without the context the story makes no sense,” Zane countered. “Father was desperate to ‘complete me’ as he always said, and he tried increasingly improbable and illogical ways to give me this vital piece, a soul is what he always called it...” Zane was deep in thought, and he was closing down as if he was returning to that era. His hands stilled, his eyes drained to a blank, he seemed to stop breathing, and his spine straightened almost unnaturally.

Nya coughed as Lloyd gently shook Zane’s shoulder, partially breaking the spell. He still remained ominous still, but his chest started to gently rise and fall and his eyes leaked emotion once again. “Sorry,” he mumbled as he got back to the story, “My father was desperate to give me this piece, and his prayers were answered when an old man turned up at our home. 

“Father was terrified when I returned from my chores with the old man. I explained that a snowstorm showed up shortly after he arrived and that I offered him shelter for the night. I had no idea who he was, but father did. He recognized him from the war, he was a general in the war as all the elemental masters where. He was terrified until he recognized which elemental master he was.”

“In my father's search to find me a soul, he came across the old story of the 15 weavers and the thief, an olds children tale that he heard as a child. But he found an older story, much closer to the original tale of the element masters and how their powers are passed down. When father recognized that I brought home the thief, he saw how his problem could be solved.”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Kai rubbed his temples, “your father, the kind, quiet, old man, thought up the plot to kill the elemental master of ice!?!”

“Well he wasn’t as old back then, and you didn’t see the desperation on his face every time a different idea didn’t work. I didn’t know how much desperation could push someone, where it could push someone…” 

Glances were exchanged amongst the room, as Zane took a moment. When he started talking again, his voice sounded strained, and his eyes were glazed, “We had the old man overnight, he slept on my bed. I remember when my father pulled me out of the room, he explained to me how that old man was a general in the war, that he must be looking for deserters, because how could he have found us otherwise? We hid in the deepest part of the forest where the treehorns were vicious, we almost never saw other humans, let alone anyone by themselves. He then left with Falcon, saying he was going to check if there were any soldiers in the closest village.” 

Zane stopped, still, and tense. He no longer moved, as if there was something stopping him. Lloyd put his hand back on his, feeling the slight hum of his electronics through his synthetics. Zane grabbed his hand. Clenching it tightly. His eyes were staring ahead at nothing. He slowly began again in his retelling. Sounding dead, “When he left I considered the information he told me and how to best remedy the problem. If the old man had any reinforcements they must’ve been at the closest village, due to the terrible blizzard, which means they were an hour and a half away by foot. If we let the man go, he knew where we were, and if we tried to leave after he left we wouldn’t get far. Deserters were punished severely,  I was programmed to protect my father and myself from harm, but could not do much against a group of trained soldiers.”

“So you’re dad didn’t tell you that he was an elemental master?” Jay interrupted, placing a glass of water on the table. 

“No he didn’t, I would not have taken the risk otherwise…”

“So your father told you to kill him?” Cole added

“No. I made that decision. Father explained after that he was worried that if he told me to… do it. That he would be the one who would get it. My father thought that choice was the key factor that decided it, the power never went to the sword that killed but the hand.”

“Were there any soldiers?” Nya whispered.

“...It turns out there wasn’t. And if I waited 10 minutes I would have known… He said he regretted trying to put the idea in my head. He said he came to his senses, but he still waited. He waited 20 minutes for Falcon to come back, until he came inside…”

“And by then?” Lloyd asked softly.

“By then I had made my decision. He was asleep. and he was old. I didn’t think it would take a lot... I had a knife... i don’t know if he was awake the whole time or if I was too loud… there was so much red…. i thought i’d never stop .... i was so cold… everything hurt… i was screaming…” Zane went silent, dissociating as those memories replayed again and again. The struggle, the blood, the cold, the shame, his father’s face. Again and again, he circled the drain of that darkness, regret, of-

A sudden embrace broke his thoughts, his memories as he refocused on the world. Jay was squeezing him, so tight if he was human we wouldn’t be able to breathe. Jay broke Zane’s circling, but nothing broke the tense silence and the darkness on the edge of Zane’s mind. The other’s thinking, judging his story, gauging the validity, deciding what to do with him.

Jay squeezed again, tightening and loosening around the nindroid, trying to keep him in the present. As the silence ticked on. Until Lloyd gently pulled the blue ninja off of him, clearing his throat he started, “Zane, I think that we need some time to think about this. To come to terms about this part of your past. But Zane, “ He grabbed his hand and squeezed, “I don’t hate you.”

And that’s when he broke down...

[lareinenoir]

∆ The Unwanted Marriage ∆

Loki × Reader

Request:Hey dear! I loved your fic Monster. Could you please do some Loki x reader where they are in arranged marriage and Loki doesn't like her. But one day she got hurt by someone and he got in his super protective mode. And then some fluff. Please!!!!

Authors Note; HAD A BLAST writing this!!! Hope you all enjoy this Loki fluff! 💛

*****

"You don't have to kiss me when he says, 'you may now kiss the bride'. I don't want you to think you have to do that." Said Y/N

"Your attempting to make it sound like it was a requirement to begin with." He scoffs looking up from his pedistol. "I never planned on kissing you..."

Y/N continued to look straight ahead as the servants continued to hem and fix her dress. Her eyes watered a bit and her heart beat a little faster. He was angry with Y/N. Always had been. She never knew why, though. Their were rumors around the palace that he was broken. Still broken after the loss of his first love, two years ago.

Then his mother to the dark elves.

Loki made it clear that her (his former lover) name was to never be spoken. He was left to father their son, alone. The fact that she was forced to marry Loki, but now forced to be a mother as well. She hoped that for however long the marriage lasted, which was forever, that they could overcome their differences and practice raising his son together.

So, the day came to where Y/N and Loki, arm in arm walked down the isle. Y/N looked ahead because if she dare looked back she'd run. And when they stood hands held, she gave him a gentle smile. Maybe hoping he'd return it and give her a reason to look forward to this marriage. He did smile, but it was a forced one. His lips parted as he said, "I do." and Y/N did the same. "I do."

"You may now kiss the bride."

Everyone was cheering and Loki looked to Odin with a sly grin. "I think we'll save that for the consumation."

"Now introducing Lady, Y/N and Prince Loki of Asgard!" Shouted Odin.

And so it was. Or, so to speak. Loki and Y/N were walked to the room, maids, servants, ladies in waiting, lined up at their door with flowers and gifts for "after."

Y/N and Loki separated to opposite sides of the room. She sat at the vanity and he stood near the bay window staring outside with his hand behind his back. Y/N began to take down her hair, all the hair pins and needles.

"So, what do they expect us to do." She asked quietly, finger combing her hair.

"Wrong question." He stated "You," he habe her a sideways glance with emphasis on 'you' "want to know what were going to do. Because outside those doors they want to hear lavish moaning and witness me take your virginity. Usually their are people in the room to see it for themselves, but I convinced my father to give us our 'alone' time." He said bitterly

"What does the consumation symbolize? I've heard of it and I was promised my virginity to be taken when I was to be wed. My sister went on and on"

"Get to the point." He said coldy as he continued to stare outside down below.

"I mean...if it means nothing to you then...what does it mean, Loki?" Y/N asked

"To them, we are married. Under the Gods name we are married. The consumation means, that to us, we are one. When we consumate a marriage it means we are truly in love and in it for the long run..." He said. The his eye snap towarda her and a little smirk appeara on his face as he scoffs. "I will not be sleeping with you, sharing a bed with you, because I do not love you. I have no love for you and I will never have love for you."

"You don't have to be so cruel. I see how you are with your son and I know how much he means to you. I see the way you look at him, you love him-"

"And because of him I chose to marry you! I agreed to this ridiculous marriage because of him! Because every boy...every boy deserves a mother. Every boy needs a mother. So that is your job. Be a mother to him." He said with a glare, his fingers pointed directly at her and she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Nothing." She nodded "That's what we do, nothing? And what do we tell those people outside our doors?"

"Our marriage is none of their business." Loki said "If you find any opportunity to take on a lover then I may remind you to help discreet. Whispers around the palace about how my wife decided to be an idiot and-"

"I know the rules, Loki." Y/N spoke up rolling her eyes. She was getting a bit fed up with his attitude. "If the sides were swapped and you took on a lover...a mistress, you'd be commemorated. In the last thousand years Asgard has been a place where men can do as they please in regards to marriage." Y/N made clear standing to her feet and pushing her hair to the otherside of her shoulder. "You'd think they'd change that law for the many of women who were forced to give everything they have into a relationship that clearly wasn't wanted."

"You think I wanted this?" Loki scoffed walking closer to her and she sfiffed her neck and stood taller as he peered down at her with a scoff.

"We both don't want this!" She exclaimed her jaw tightening. "You...you clearly didn't have any hopes or dreams of the day you were to be wed. I was promised a life of love and happiness with someone who respects me-"

"You know nothing of what I dreamed!" Loki says between his teeth. "You don't know me at all." His finger now at her chest as she backed into the vanity with her hands on the counter.

"Don't hate me. That's all I ask." Y/N protested softly. Her lip began to quiver and her voice getting tighter as she held in her tears.

And so, that night they did nothing. They went to their respective corners and didn't speak for the rest of the night. Y/N and Loki didn't have a relationship really. At least in her opinion. Three months into their marriage, Loki would bid her a "good morning" followed by a "How did you sleep."

In which Y/N would reply, "Well. And you?"

"Same as it is every night."

Occasionally Loki would ask, "What brought you joy, today" And that was every once and a while when he was feeling friendly. Y/N didn't mind it. She sort of liked it. Loki was beginning to feel it too a bit.

They slept in separate rooms and sometimes on occasion Y/N would fall asleep in her new son's bed with a book on her chest and him in her arms. Loki would walk in to bid his son a goodnight and catch her asleep. He would smile to himself and then tuck them both in. Gently placing the covers over them and walking out the room.

****

"I won't be here for bed time." Y/N explains as she sipped her tea.

"And why do you feel the need to express that in my direction?" He asked sarcastically as they continued to eat breakfast.

"For once Loki, at least attempt to listen before opening your mouth to speak." Y/N challenged making Loki clear his throat and set his fork down, giving her his full attention.

"Pardon me...I'm all ears." He grinned with a roll of his eyes.

"I won't be here because a few of the ladies and I are going out." She says appearing from behind the little divider. Loki gulped and stared at her. His wife was wearing a very revealing outfit.

"You look like one of the women at the Brothel." He commented taking his eyes off Y/N and looking to the side.

"For one night I am going to enjoy myself. You aren't going to take my joy, Loki." Y/N stated taking off the little crown and grabbing her cloak. "Read a story to him tonight and warm Goats milk. He likes it better than the cow." She giggled

He rolled his eyes and sighed as she walked out. "Just...just be careful. The dance festivals can get out of hand. I wouldn't...um- well- I just want you to safe." He warned.

As if he cared and Y/N sort of loved that. In his bitter way, Loki had been issuing sweet and concerned little comments here and there. The kind that would make a girl blush and her eyes dart to the deck so she didn't have to look him in the eye. And sometimes she'd catch a little smile on the corner of his mouth, so Y/N didn't hate him as much. There was still a warm spot in his heart no matter how much he tried to push it down.

Last week, Y/N put her hair in a different style. A nice half up half down with gold beads and it grabbed his attention. "The hair jewelry suits you, Y/N."

Then a couple more times later on in the week, Loki told Y/N "Thank you for telling my son stories. He has sweet dreams when he sleeps."

Loki laid his son to sleep and decided since he wasn't tired, he'd stay awake with a book of his own. It was only reading...reading the history of Asgard. The thickest book in the library, besides his mothers spell books. He knew the history. Page to page, but maybe just once more. At least that's what he told himself. Loki was waiting for Y/N to return home. He sat in her bedroom on the chair near the fire place waiting to hear those lovely footsteps enter the door.

"What are you doing in my room?" Y/N asked, stumbling across Loki's head resting in his hand as he blinked his eyes open.

"Y/N!" He exclaimed trying to get the sleep out of his eyes. The book is shut and he rushed to his feet. "You're back."

"I am." She said with the hood of her cloak on her head. She spoke in a low voice and faced somewhat in the opposite direction. "Could you leave? I'd really like to get some rest. It's rather late...or early in the morning." She said walking to the door as if to lead him out.

He narrowed his brow at Y/N and reached out to touch her face. "Y/N...your face..." He was referring to the bit of red near her lip and cheek as it began to turn purple.

Y/N grabbed onto his hand to stop him, revealing scratches and burns on her knuckles and palms. "Stop!" She said still attempting to kick him out.

"Y/N, what the hell-"

"Please...get out." She says walking away from him hiding her hands a bit. "I'm fine, please just go."

"Who hurt you?" He asked, jaw clenching tight as she continued to ignore him. "I said, who. Hurt. You."

Y/N was too tired to explain. She really did just want to rest. The constant nagging about what happened during the festival, by Loki, was driving her crazy. "It was an accident." She almost shouts spinning on her heel to give him an aggravated glare.

He rushed at her, his hand, yet again, reaching to touch her bruises. "What kind of accident!" He roars, looking at her injuries with dismay. Y/N saw the fire in his eyes and he began to shutter.

"It was my fault. OK? I wasn't watching where I was going and I ran into his cart. I fell and that's it"

"Name! I want his name!" Loki said pacing back and forth. "What's his name"

"I don't know." She said with a little giggle. Y/N was more amused at how upset he was than anything. "Calm down"

"No! If you don't know his name, then I'll find him myself. I'll search-"

"Don't you think you're being a wee bit dramatic?" Asks Y/N with a sarcastic smile, still in disbelief. "I said it was an accident. Why all if a sudden-"

"Because!" He shouted and she tensed up a bit as her eyes widens. Loki finally took in a few breaths and closed his eyes to try and find the right words. "Because, I need you."

It echoed through her ears rapidly. Why? She wanted to ask, but she sort of knew. Y/N just wanted to hear him say it. Her legs shifted position and Loki bit his lip.

"I need you because I have no one." He shook his head. "I have no one left, Y/N. Besides my brother...you are all I have left."

She waltzed toward him with a bit of a gentle smile on her lips. She felt his pain and reached out to touch him as if to take some of it away. Y/N felt his arms creep around her waist, pulling her close and Loki bit his lip. He knew she understood.

"I'm not going anywhere." She whispers as their noses touch and her eyes close as she put her hands on either side of his face. Loki felt his grin radiating off him and nodded.

"I'll be forgiving this time." he said to her, eyes staring at her bruises and he brought Y/N hand to his lips, kissing her palm gently with his eyes still fixated on her. She got goosebumps and looked down. "Don't let anyone else hurt you, for as next time, I won't be so forgiving."

The End

@hookedinto-fictionalworlds @heartislubbingdubbing @unicorniorosacomefrutillas @nayr9e @kybaeza @multifacetedscorpio @naega-ooooooolf @schizonephilim @thatweirdwalangpake @grahoundart @kybaeza @nayrael @multifacetedscorpio @naega-ooooooolf @nirvanaslovechild @hisparadox @naughtybaroness30 @empressoftheundergroundsun @inlovewith3 @smartiedork @gerli49 @spookytyphoonbouquetsblog @angelicvixenn @wtfcantfindusernam

[mirkwoodshewolf]

Wizard of Oz Queen x pre-teen reader Chap. 3; Meeting the handsome Scarecrow

*Author’s note*

And here we go with the first person to fully join on your quest, and who (with the help of some Wattpad users) on who helped me choose the role for the Scarecrow in this Queen style fic. So I hope you enjoy this part and until the next part comes out which will be very soon :)

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things​

@waddles03​

@psychosupernatural​

@ixchel-9275​

@simonedk​

@queensdivas​

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels​

@platawnic​

@queendeakyy​

@kairosfreddie​

@geek-and-proud​

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Follow the yellow brick road. Follow the yellow brick road. Follow the…..oh great.  Now instead of just one yellow brick road, as soon as we reached a cornfield, the yellow brick road now broke away into a fork-like path with two roads going left and right, and the last going straight on.

“Oh great. Now which way do we go?”

“Pardon me, that way is a very nice way.” A voice said. I turned around but saw no one. No one except a scarecrow that was pointing towards the road that went right.

He was—a strangely handsome scarecrow to say the least, I mean if I were a bit older I’d fall for his looks but right now my biggest concern was who had just spoke to me.

“Whose there? Show yourself!” it was then Toto started barking right up at the scarecrow. “Oh don’t be ridiculous Toto, scarecrows can’t talk.”

“Although that way looks just as nice too.” The voice said again.  I looked back toward the scarecrow and saw that he was now pointing in the other direction.  Wait what?!

“Wait a sec—wasn’t he just pointing the other direction?” I asked Toto who just looked up at me.

“But then again people do go both ways.” This time I saw for myself.  The handsome scarecrow talked. He talked! And was now pointing in both directions with his arms crossed over him.

My mouth was gaped in shock.  I walked up towards him and asked him.

“You! You did say something didn’t you!?” He shook his head as he bit his lip.  He kept shaking his head till finally a wide, cheeky grin spread across his face and he nodded. “Are you doing that on purpose? Or can’t you make up your mind?”

“That’s just it, I can’t make up my mind. I don’t have a brain, only straw.” He said as he gestured to his long straw-like hair that fell past his shoulders.

“Then how can you talk if you don’t have a brain?” I asked him skeptically.

“I don’t know. But most people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don’t they?” he retorted back.

“Yes I suppose that’s true.” I walked up to him and I continued, “Well since we’re now talking to one another, introductions are in order.”

“Why yes, yes indeed.” He said with a bright smile.

“Good afternoon Mr. Scarecrow.”

“Good afternoon to you my dear.” He bowed his head. “How are you?” he asked me.

“Very well thank you, and you?”

“Oh sadly I am not doing very well at all.” He said glumly. “You see it’s quite impossible to be good when you’re stuck here all day and night with a pole shoved up your back.” He said as he dangled there along the wooden pole.

“Yeesh, that does sound uncomfortable.” I groaned. “Can’t you get yourself down?”

“Down? Well no you see I….” he tried to reach back but he couldn’t quite get his arms to reach all the way behind his back.

“Here, let me help you.” I said as I came around and got behind him.

“Ohh that’s very sweet of you. Thank you, thank you.” I felt around the pole but I couldn’t feel a string that usually holds a scarecrow up (or at least that’s how we hold ours up back home).

“Umm…..I uhh I’m afraid I don’t see a string or—”

“Now I’m not one for thinking much, but maybe if you just bend that nail in the back maybe I’ll slip off?” I looked at the pole and low and behold there was a large nail.

“I see it, you ready?”

“Yep.”

“Okay, 3, 2, 1.” I counted down before I bent the nail back and like a shot, the scarecrow exclaimed as he fell right off the pole and collapsed right on the ground, some hay falling right out of his shirt.

“Oops there goes some of me again!” he laughed as he picked up the ball of hay.  I ran over to him and asked him worriedly.

“Doesn’t that hurt?”

“Oh no, no, no, no. I just keep picking it up and putting it back in again.” He said as he stuffed the hay back into his shirt. Like a newborn colt, his legs wobbled as he stood up. “Man it feels so good to be FREE!!” he suddenly spun and toppled over the fence and fell on the other side.

I shrieked and hopped over it and knelt down beside him.  He quickly got on his hands and knees as he said to me in a strange overly excited tone.

“Did I scare you?”

“No, no. I just—thought you hurt yourself?”

“So that’s a no?” his tone quickly changed to a solemn one.  I shook my head no and that’s when he sat down on his bum and stated glumly, “I didn’t think so.” A crow soon perched itself on the fence cawing. “Boo! Scat! Get out of here!”

The crow showed no sign of leaving as it now perched on top of the scarecrow’s head and picked off some of his hair before flying off.  The scarecrow with a look of defeat blew a puff of air as he said.

“Yah see? I can’t even scare a crow. They come from miles around just to eat in my field and laugh in my face. God I’m such a failure. If only the farmer’s daughter didn’t wish for a handsome scarecrow then I’d show those crows a thing or two.”

“That’s why you want a brain. So that you can find a way to scare them off.” I answered softly.  He nodded sadly.

“I’d even be better if I were made scary and brainless. That way one look at my face, and them crows could be flying for the hills.” He said as he pressed his chin to his fist.

“Well I don’t know about that.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well…..it’s not necessarily the crows but just in this moment now. Had you been made with a scary face, I—don’t think I would even be brave enough to help you down.”

“You wouldn’t?” he asked as he looked at me curiously.  I nodded.

“But just know that if you were my scarecrow back in Wales and they saw you walking and talking, the crows would be scared to pieces.”

“They would?” his tone spoke with excitement. I nodded. “Where’s Wales?”

“That’s where I live. And I want to get there so badly that I’m going all the way to Emerald city to get the Wizard of Oz to help me.”

“You’re gonna see the Great Oz!?” he said with wide eyes in shock.  I nodded again. “Do you think that if I went with you, that he could get me a brain?”

“I couldn’t say. But even he didn’t, you’d be no better off than you are now.” He shrugged and bobbed his head muttering.

“That’s true, that is true.”

“But it’s best if you don’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’ve got the Warlock of the West after me, and I don’t want anyone getting hurt.”

“Oh that guy? Please. He’s about as frightening as a fruit fly. Plus he walks like he’s got a hump on his back.” I choked out a giggle. “Besides, I’m not afraid of anything!” he gloated.  Before he suddenly shrunk down and looked around before leaning in close to me. “Well—Except a spark of fire.” He whispered.

“I don’t blame you.”

“But I’d crossover a thousand fire fields at the chance of getting a brain. Look,” he took my hand in both of his. “I won’t be any trouble to you because I don’t eat a thing. And I won’t try to manage things because I can’t think. Oh please oh please won’t you take me with you?”

With that puppy eyed look he was giving me how could I possibly say no?

“Okay. You can come along with me.” I said proudly. The scarecrow smiled widely and cheered as he hopped up.

“WOO-WHOO! WE’RE OFF TO SEE THE GREAT OZ!!” Once again he stumbled around but I managed to catch him in time before he fell over again.

“You’re not starting off so well though.”

“Oh don’t you worry I’ll try though. Really I will.”

“To Oz?”

“To Oz!” we then skipped on down the road straight ahead and wondered further down the yellow brick road.  While we walked along the path, the scarecrow and I shared our life stories and I even told him of how I got to the land of Oz.  

With each word I told, he listened intently and not once interrupted me with questions until the end of my tale.

The day went by and soon it was starting to get dark.  So far the scarecrow and I hadn’t seen a single trace of a house or farm anywhere. As night finally fell upon the sky, I let out a quiet yawn.

“Maybe it’s best we make camp for the night (Y/n).”

“No, no it’s fine I can…..” I was interrupted by another yawn.  The scarecrow looked at me with crossed arms and a ‘you were saying’ look. “Okay maybe I am getting a little tired.” He chuckled and guided me over to the open fields.

“Here, you can sleep right here.”

“But what about you?”

“Oh don’t you worry about me I’ll be fine. I’m a scarecrow, we don’t really sleep. Kinda a 24/7 job to always be on guard.” He found a patch of grass that had no visible trace of soil or dirt being shown. “Here we are, lay down here.” He helped me lay down and that’s when Toto came up and lay close beside me.

“Thank you scarecrow.”

“Don’t mention it. Here, take this too.” He then took out a bunch of hay out from his shirt and padded it together before laying it down in front of me.

“No, scarecrow I—”

“You helped me off that pole and believe me a cricked neck is nothing to look forward to when you wake.” I smiled up at him and rested my head on the pile of hay.  The seed head of a few pieces of hay tickled my nose but after brushing it away I felt better.  “If you get cold just let me know too, I can give you some more hay to keep you warm.”

“Thanks scarecrow, goodnight.”

“G’night (y/n). Sleep well.” He whispered softly as I felt his hand rest on my arm.  Soon enough I fell fast asleep with the scarecrow guarding me all through the night.

My last thought was that he started to remind me of someone back home.  But it wasn’t Auntie Em or Uncle Henry.  It was like—darn it why can’t I remember his name? But even for the short amount of time when I met this man back home, he reminded me of the scarecrow.

Protective, kind hearted, loyal, always had a child-like excitement to him, and he might’ve been handsome too.  I wish I could remember his name, then I could tell scarecrow about him and how probably him and the man back home could’ve been best friends with each other.