#Bates Flooring Solutions

[raisedflooringsystem]

Revolutionize Your Space with the ST Access Floor System

Explore the future of flooring solutions with the cutting-edge ST Access Floor System. Elevate your workspace efficiency and aesthetics as you seamlessly integrate advanced technology and design. Uncover the versatility and innovation of the ST Access Floor System, tailored for optimum adaptability in modern environments. Enhance your facility's infrastructure with a solution that combines robust performance, flexibility, and a sleek aesthetic. Discover a new era of flooring excellence with the ST Access Floor System, where functionality meets style seamlessly.

[rika-mmendmethings]

Interdimensional Epiphany l Rafayel

CHAPTER 4

Chapter 3 | Chapter 5

Summary: A fortnight of compensated leave from your company was supposed to be a rejuvenating experience. Things take an unexpected turn when Rafayel, your choice of ML, starts becoming self-aware. His love knows no bounds, not even interdimensional ones.

Warning(s): Subject to change as we progress further into the story. The series has major character deaths, subdued manipulation, heavy angst with a happy(?) ending, slight yandere themes, fluff, did I mention angst? For this chapter: none I guess???

Word count: 2.2k

Playlist coming soon.

Notes: Long chapter to compensate for lost time ;) Who do you think is responsible for what happened to Mo Art Studio? Things will start to get really crazy from the next chapter, so be prepared, y'all. Anyway, hopefully, you enjoy the read and stay tuned for the series. Lmk if you wish to be added to the tag list for this. ♥

Taglist: @loveanddeephistory @ittybittyfanblog @lyssandraxo @micasosa34 @hyein21 @browneyedgirl22 @yournextdoorhousewitch @blessdunrest @altair718 @3fg7 @froleineeeee @mikachux3 @aiehtta @beaconsxd @poptrim @animecrazy76 @zackenblacken @rainycreationfart @invaderzia1 @his-ocean-emissary @multisstuff @wondering-again @some-girl-idk @itsrandompersonyall

You had been fumbling with your phone for hours, clinging to the desperate hope that if you rebooted it enough times and installed at least three different antivirus apps, your game would magically fix itself. But no — every single time you opened Love and Deepspace, there he was. Rafayel. Sitting smugly on the sofa, arms crossed, eyebrows arched in that infuriating way. No matter what you did, none of the other characters came back. Just him. Mocking you with his pixel-perfect posture.

As the night wore on, your panic grew, and your “solutions” became increasingly... unhinged. Somewhere around 3:30 AM, you had decided it was time to escalate. Your phone was placed in the middle of a ritual circle, because clearly, logic and Infold’s tech support had failed you. Unfortunately, you didn’t have access to red ochre or actual candles, so you made do with chili powder and tea lights. You had briefly considered ordering incense or essential oils, but delivery wouldn’t arrive until the next afternoon — and honestly, you weren’t sure you’d live to see the delivery man.

With four or five generous pinches of chili powder, you traced a crude circle on the floor, following dubious instructions from a YouTube video. A six-year-old could’ve drawn a better one, but you were far too sleep-deprived and frazzled to care. You sat inside the circle and launched the cursed app, arranging the tea lights as it loaded.

The moment Rafayel’s image appeared, lounging casually on the sofa, you threw your head back and began muttering incantations and prayers you had hastily scribbled down earlier. After a few intense minutes of chanting, you opened your eyes and stared at the screen with bated breath.

Rafayel remained still, resting his chin on his hand as he watched yet another one of your antics. While your theatrics were beginning to border on ridiculous, there was something inexplicably endearing about the sight of you — paprika streaks smudged on your chin, clutching a black plastic birthday cake knife like it was a sacred athame. He decided to entertain you a little so right when you tapped the screen, he spoke casually, “It’s nice to lounge on the sofa. Wanna give it a try?”  

He had watched as your face brightened and you let out a sigh of relief after hearing him speak one of the programmed dialogues. A grin had spread across his face since he knew he was about to ruin your little moment of happiness.

Just as you tapped the screen to check, his voice echoed from the app, “Take a chill pill, cutie.”

His grin widened as you stared in stunned disbelief. He tilted his head slightly, still resting his chin on his palm, eyes never leaving you as you scrambled to your feet in a dazed panic.

Enough was enough. You grabbed your phone, shut it off with a dramatic jab of your finger, and face-planted onto your bed with a muffled groan. You’d deal with the consequences of this digital nightmare later. For now, you gave your exhausted eyes their much needed sleep.

So much for your relaxing little vacation…

The next morning, you sat comfortably on your bed, your laptop resting atop a pillow on your lap as you scoured the internet in search of a logical explanation for the bizarre events unfolding around you. Despite your determined efforts, nothing remotely relevant came up.

In a final attempt, you reached out to a few other players through your SNS accounts. The responses were underwhelming — some mild backlash, a sprinkle of sarcasm, and one brutally honest comment that gave you an unwanted reality check. Discouraged, you finally shut your laptop with a sigh, giving up on your search for answers.

A glance at the clock told you it was around ten in the morning — your usual time to log into the game. With a small flicker of hope, you powered on your phone, silently praying that whatever strange glitch had taken over would’ve resolved itself overnight.

The app loaded, and there he stood — Rafayel, wearing his God of the Tides set.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he greeted smoothly.

You exhaled in quiet defeat. So much for divine intervention. Your hopes had clearly been ignored by whatever higher being was in charge of otome game anomalies.

Refusing to give him the satisfaction of your attention, you continued with your daily tasks in silence, not sparing him even a glance. As you flicked from the stamina tab to the shop, his voice trailed after you like silk.

“You know,” he drawled, tone laced with a playful charm, “women who ignore me? Exactly my type.”

He didn’t get to enjoy his own flirtation for long. You navigated away to the task menu, claimed your rewards, and braced yourself for having to interact with him for the sake of the task.

When you returned to the main screen, he was already gazing at you with hearts in his eyes. He sighed dreamily, a soft smile curling on his lips.

“Perfect.”

You dragged a hand down your face, heat blooming across your cheeks. Taking in a few steadying breaths, you mentally braced yourself to confront the truth — or rather, the surreal presence of your fictional crush who now stood before you, partially real. You opened your eyes to find him watching you with unwavering admiration, as though he had all the time in the world. The intensity of his gaze sent your stomach into a series of dizzying somersaults.

A thought strikes you and you decide to check whether he is abHolding up two fingers, you asked, “How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Two,” he answered effortlessly.

You shifted to four fingers and repeated the question. “And now?”

“Four. Gorgeous, what is all this?” he asked with a tilt of his head, his brows lifting in amused curiosity.

You ignored both the question and the smile threatening to tug at your lips at the sound of his nicknames for you. Reaching for a sticky note, you scribbled a short phrase, then held it up in front of your face.

“Alright,” you said, “read what’s written on this.”

He narrowed his eyes slightly, then flashed a slow smile. “I love you.”

Brows knitting in confusion, you glanced at the paper and read aloud, “No, it doesn’t say that—” But your voice faltered as realization washed over you. Your eyes darted back to his teasing expression, and your lips parted in shock while a deep blush crept over your face. 

As if to make matters worse, he blows you a kiss and follows it with a series of exaggerated, ridiculous faces. Despite yourself, laughter bubbles up and escapes your lips. Embarrassed by your own reaction, you hastily cover your mouth with one hand, your head dipping low as you try to stifle the mirth and steady your breathing.

Across the screen, Rafayel lifts a hand, his fingers hovering just above the digital barrier that separates your two worlds. His voice is tinged with something gentler beneath the jest. “Careful, darling,” he whispers, eyes glinting with mischief. “I’m the siren here. It’s rather cruel of you to try and steal my title with a laugh that enchanting.”

You don’t respond at first. You simply stare at him, eyes fixed, expression unreadable as a storm of emotions churn silently beneath the surface. For a brief moment, your throat tightens with words you can't quite say.

Before he can ask what’s wrong, you murmur, barely above a whisper, “I have to go.”

Without waiting for a response, you exit the game, the screen fading to black in a breath. You switch off your phone again as an added layer of defense, though against what exactly — him, your feelings, or yourself — you’re no longer certain. You lie back on your bed, eyes tracing the cracks in the ceiling, searching for answers that refuse to come. All the while your heart and your mind wage a paradoxical war.

Rafayel stared at the empty screen for a long while after you disappeared.

The usual spark in his expression dimmed, lips parted as if caught mid-thought. He exhaled a slow breath, leaning back on the sofa as the silence wrapped around him like a too-tight cloak. Fingers drummed against the desk, tinged with something unresolved.

He wasn’t angry. Not really. Just… frustrated.

Not at you, never at you — but at the invisible boundary you kept between the two of you. One that he knew, deep down, wasn’t purposefully placed, but had always been there. He respected it. He always has. But that didn’t make it any easier to stand on the other side of it, watching you retreat just as he felt you begin to reach for him.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk and burying his face in his hands. Then—

Bzzz... bzzz... bzzz...His phone lit up against the dark wood of the desk. “Thomas <333” it read.

Rafayel narrowed his eyes, letting it ring out once. Twice. Three times. He wasn't in the mood to talk business, not tonight. But the buzzing didn’t stop. It continued with a sort of urgency that started to scrape against his nerves.

Finally, with a tired huff, he snatched the phone and answered it.

“What?”

The voice on the other end was panicked, shaky. “Rafayel— Rafayel, it’s the studio… it's on fire.”

“I’m here — right now,” Thomas continued, his voice breaking. “I'm behind the trucks — they’re trying to contain it, but it’s bad, man. Really bad. It lit up fast. People are saying it might’ve been electrical but— I don’t know— I don’t know. Everything’s going up.”

Rafayel didn’t hear the rest of what Thomas was saying.

The words — “fire,” “bad,” “going up” — were already drilling into his mind. For a second, all he could do was stare blankly at the floor, phone still pressed to his ear though the call had ended.

He shot up from the sofa like the floor beneath him had turned to lava, heart throbbing in disbelief. It wasn’t Lemuria, no. It didn’t have the tide-soaked serenity of his undersea birthplace, where the water hummed through the golden walls like lullabies. But Mo had become something akin to that. A strange, crooked version of “home,” built not of sea salt and coral reefs, but canvases and memories smeared in oil paint.

That was where the soul of his work lived. Where he painted when the insomnia hit. Where he sculpted his silence. Where portraits of you were lined on the walls and the floors, behind locked doors, waiting for a day that maybe, someday, might come when he’d be able to show those to you.

And now it was burning.

Rafayel stormed out of Destiny Café, nearly knocking over a chair as he went but he didn’t stop to apologize. He yanked his car door open and threw himself inside, engine snarling to life with a growl that mirrored the knot in his throat. Tires screeched as he pulled out of the parking lot, speeding through the dusty roads that led to Whitesand Bay.

The scent of ash still hung thick in the air by the time Rafayel reached Mo Art Studio. The sky above the house glowed faintly orange from the remnants of the firelight, flickering like the last breath of a dying star. His residence stood — or what was left of it — collapsed and half-swallowed by soot.

A small crowd lingered on the edges, murmuring in hushed voices, faces pale from having witnessed that sight. But many were already dispersing, retreating now that the spectacle had ended. The fire trucks were still parked near the wreckage, lights flashing low. Firefighters stood around Thomas, briefing him in clipped, official tones as they packed away equipment.

Rafayel stepped out of the car slowly, the door left ajar behind him as if forgotten. His boots crunched over scorched gravel as he approached, each step weighed down with dread.

He dropped to his knees.

The impact echoed in the hollowness of his chest more than the ground beneath him. He couldn’t speak. His hands sat limp by his sides as he stared up listlessly.

Thomas turned at the sound and rushed over to him with widened eyes and voice tight. “Rafayel—Raf, I—” 

He didn’t finish his words after he saw the look on the artist’s face. He simply knelt beside him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder, offering unspoken comfort. 

Rafayel’s eyes flared, aglow with a piercing ultramarine light that shimmered like the deep sea and glimmering fins of the same tincture, unfurled from just above his ears. They pulsed faintly, mirroring the rise and fall of his breath. Rafayel’s jaw clenched, hands fisted at his sides, twitching with restrained fury.

Thomas withdrew from him slightly, but he didn’t look away. He’d seen glimpses of this before — but never like this. Never when the sorrow ran so deep it cracked the surface.

Rafayel stayed like that for a long moment before starting, voice low but sharp as the edge of a blade. “I want to know everything,” he said. “How it started. When. Who was near the building. Who had access. Cameras. Witnesses.”

He saw Thomas nod immediately from the corner of his eyes before patting his back comfortingly. Rafayel only stared at the debris of his house blankly, at the second floor specifically where all his portraits of you had been kept. And in the distance, the sea began to stir — not in fury, but with a tight-lipped menace, like a clenched jaw moments before a scream, holding back a violence that needed only the slightest provocation to spill free. 

Check out my other works if you liked this ♥

[howyouloveyourdragon]

Tԋҽ Sσϝƚҽʂƚ Lσʋҽ

summary: sometimes all you need is a gentle lover and a comforting hand, Jacaerys knows this all too well with you at his side and a crown at his temple request: Hii can I request a softest love prompt 2&7 for Jace:)))) pairing: King!Jacaerys x reader pronouns: she/her dividers by: saradika and cafekitsune wordcount: 2,659  prompts: 2. touching foreheads in a hug, 7. that gaze--tired, soft, their thumb gently rubbing your cheek, noses touching, silently mumbling an "i love you" banners by myself A/N: i really hope you enjoyed this anon! let me know!

“AND IF we are unable to find said payment or refuse, then it is a reasonable assumption to make that–” The droning speech of Isembard Arryn, Master of Coin, continues despite the Jacaerys’ clenching jaw and slitted gaze. “War is no solution.” Lord Cregan Stark swiftly interrupts him, glancing his King’s way as the words pass him. It is no secret that the King is not fond of division nor war. Jacaerys stays staring ahead, gaze hard and impenetrable. “We have the money.” He contributes, voice uncharacteristically gruff. You squeeze his hand but as quickly as you can blink, he brings your palm to his lips and places a deft kiss there. Soft and gentle as it had always been. The council pauses at the motion then returns to the matter. They shift in discomfort, they continue to look at his stiff form. “I believe, our liege, that–” Lord Thaddeus Rowen, Master of Laws and lord justiciar begins. “My Hand is right, let us rest on the matter.” Jacaerys snaps briskly. Lord Rowen clears his throat and lets a childish huff pass him. “The decision should be made with haste, your grace, Lord Baratheon shall not be so kind. He will–” Arryn presses further before– “We will let it rest!” Jacaerys shouts with suddenness. He stands and slams one cold, commanding fist against the table. Each breath is held at such an outburst and for once, the King is not blinking at the nothingness of a floor or blankly ahead. Purpose takes flight in his eyes, directing their focus as sharp as a blade on the infuriating man. 

Silence presides over the table, It echoes and flickers with the rage of a King’s charge. Your King had spoken and if his council continued to defy him, you were certain that it would end less than favourably for them. And so, you circle your thumb of his hand and latch your eyes on the side of his face until the pull of your attention tugs him back to you. His eyes lock on your own–at first they stare with the stark hardness of stone. They swim with slitted irritation and glare with a gruffness unknown to you. But he is still your Jacaerys and it takes not long before he softens at your own gaze, you are enough to gentle him. You always are. Jacaerys swallows and turns his gaze back on his dispersing council. “I meant not to frighten you.” He uttered quietly. His body lightened like a feather and his sights trained on the stone table before him. As easily as he does so, you stand and cup his face with your unarmed hand. Your fingers flatten against his face and turn him once more before you. “You could never frighten me.” You reply simply, closing your eyes. Simpleness was your most favourable quality. Everything you cast him was with ease, no secrets stood between you both. It was a relief after so long at troublesome court for you both. A bated huff fluttered with purpose through his nose and it took little for the both of you to rest your foreheads together. He releases shuddered breaths which follow the seam of your mouth. “I love you.” He whispers. A smile pinches at your lips. “I love you too.” You return as the doors swing shut. Another sigh passes through your husband and relaxation washes over him. 

Finally everyone has left, Jacaerys’ arms wrap around you and fingers are already pawing at your gown. It comforts him to feel you, to clench that fabric up in his balled hands and know you’re there. What feels even better however is when a warm, firm kiss is planted against your forehead. And then you hear the most lyrical words…“I love you so much I can barely breathe.” And you let out a shaky exhale. You flutter against him and it almost entices his arms to hold you tighter. The sweetness of his voice plays like a melody through your ears until they circle your brain and lull it to stop the whirring. The whirring that had become so painfully familiar. So painfully consistent. It reminds you of your lover. Not your husband but your lover. The marriage had been chosen for you but that did not mean that your love had been, as Jacaerys cares to remind you each eve as he twists those silken fingers through your hair, as he kisses his affection down your neck until caressed bruises lay in his wake and colour with the pink of his love. Because he does love you. He loves you, he loves you, he loves you, he loves–He loves to be yours, he reminds you as he pulls away. The drapes flutter the cold air inside as swiftly as you can imagine wings could. It folds over you in the space between yourself and your husband. Slowly, your eyes open to find him already gazing at you with his wear lovesick gaze. The gaze that buckles your knees and has you unable to as much as glance away from him. Not for a single moment. 

A shaky sigh sputters from The King of Just’s lips. The people had named him as such after the activities of his on-running reign. Of the odd mercy that he had approached his former enemies with. You think of these events as his fingers dance into your hair. His eyes follow fast to his own actions, fascinated in the treasure within those fingers. Of what he has been blessed to hold, he vows to hold you dearly. Tenderly. Softly. As he does so, your own sights linger on his face. At his pillowed lips and dark, thick eyelashes. At the short scar that stretches along his jaw and chin. The tips of your own fingers flutter toward it like a moth to light. Your thumb lays gentle touch upon it and smooths along the surface. Again, a sigh passes through him but with the gentleness of a doe. With the timid, uncertain glance of a doe. The thought amuses you but you allow it to settle. Breath threads between you both and tugs you ever closer. Ever where you belong. But when he finally presses a kiss to your lips, it barely greets the skin. There is something divinely religious in the way he caresses your lips with his like an idol. Worship dances along his tongue and almost expels prayers from his warm mouth. His thumb detangles from your hair and cups your face. His thumb rolls slow circles into your cheek as his kisses press on between unkempt words. “I love you.” He utters in repetition. “I love you, I love you,” His nose burrows into the side of your own until you almost become one body entwined only with itself. The words tangle themselves in the sweetest patterns throughout your brain and chest. 

Your face turns to face the tall dark door. “They must know that war will not be sustainable.” Utters through you, the spell of confusion and aged bewilderment leaves through an exhale. “We have funds to cease such affairs, why cause a fate of destruction?” Jacaerys feels his jaw soften and his eyes stare distantly into your face. With two gentle fingers, he turns you back towards him. “Men will destroy aplenty for power. I know that all too well.” His gruff words murmur through the air. Your eyes stare into the harsh darkness of his gaze – warm amber turns to stone. Your eyes continue to trace down his ridged nose and chiselled jaw, his plump lips. Something possesses you to caress them with your thumb – slowly parting them until his teeth peek out like shining pearls. His throat bobs but his shoulders stay calm as he leans in again. Jace had been not only your dearest love but your most sweet and that meant more to you than words could ever detail. His lips brush against yours before diving between them and all you can remember is that he feels like home. Jace feels like home. Your Jace. His soft love addresses you and only you – he needs not hide it from anyone. Not even from irritative lords in council chambers. Because you were not only his wife but his Queen. And he has no intent to keep that a discretion. His kiss blossoms your flesh like the blooming of your affection; tentative, tender and tenacious. You would not release it for the world. Not for any Kingdom or cure from mortality for you would happily die in his embrace. Endure any erratic wars or gruelling hardship. It is hard to imagine that you would ever deny him your kiss – the memory flutters the reverberation of a laugh from your mouth. 

Jacaerys has never thought himself one to offend but even less so to cater to the whimsy of romance, yet the moment your laugh reaches his ears, he feels himself reflect one himself. The hair of his fringe passes your own forehead as your press ever-closely together. The thought of parting from you for even a moment brings him heartache. His hands wrap atop the circle of your waist and squeeze with a playfulness unknown to those outside your threshold. “What is that which has you fluttering?” He delights in good charm. He cups your face with one broad, warm hand and rubs the skin. “Hm? What has my dereworthy darling fluttering so?” His amusement only triggers you moreso. When you return him your gaze, Jacaerys can recall why he wished to paint your face upon glass. He wishes to keep your sculpted, smiling face forever in view. It matters not should you outlive him so long as he need not spend a single moment without the sweet, shining eyes of yours. The brows of his face cannot help but droop at your mere sight. His expression stays tender and intense. How could he ever meet a woman of your beauty? He is certain that your charms were not merely a gift of Gods but the heavens themselves. “My joy, I nearly refused you.” It is that of befuddlement which pinches and clouds your pleasant face. A shake of your head rustles the strands of your hair. “How could I ever have refused you? My heart…” 

A chuckle rumbles throughout the King’s chest and he tucks the brushes of hair behind your ears. His sights skid across your features but not in search – he has every answer he could ever need and in the safest of vaults. The vault of his heart. You truly were the sweetest of wines, the holder of hidden truths and the wielder of worlds – his at least. “Tis not your fault, you had not met my charms until our day.” At the mention of such a date, he earned his years of prize – your smile. “To all truth, such an hour frightened me once.” “I know.” He murmured, grinning like a feline. “Of course, then I knew too.” Your eyes widened and the shortest intake rushed to your mouth. “Surely, you jest!” You all but scold, horror in your eyes. He shakes his head, humour all-consuming as he doubles over and squeezes his eyes. “I do not!” Jacaerys claims. “I was quite nerved by it, for what reason is it that had you to assume I not taken you to bed that eve if not your considerations?” His left brow rises and the air suddenly feels stifling. “I…” You stumble with abash. “I had presumed you had not taken a liking to me yet.” At that, Jace is quick to disagree and nuzzle his nose to yours. “I could never not want for you, sweet wife. You are the most beautiful of women and the most kind.” Your head tilts in that darling way that it only calls for when you are unclued. “For days I–” His voice lowers, his gaze flickers over your face. With a swallow, he summons his courage and rubs his thumb over your jawline. “For days, I took witness to your reading in the gardens. To my cousin on her walks there.” 

You had not realised he had seen you with little Jaehaera. The recollection of memories flushes your cheeks. You do not know whether it is your own self-pride or embarrassment. It makes him smile–how easily he can fluster you. “I saw you while passing a window and…Well, you charmed me. Heart and soul, you charmed me.” For a moment, all he can do is stare into your eyes, his gaze soft. “I…” You hesitate, wracking your mind for any clue of the past to which you had ignored but you find nothing. “I had no idea.” You murmur with the quietness of a newborn lamb. He only smiles. “I know, my darling.” Tease carries through his voice. “That is why I love you so; you had not a clue as to anyone witnessing you and your beauty at all.” Adoration was not new to Jacaerys; he had been well accustomed to the Goddess before him for years now. The hand not upon your face runs small circles on your middle. “It is when nobody is watching that I see your heart.” He lands a feather-light kiss to your nose. “I love you, my darling, I love you.” 

Your love is one of quiet halls and whispered confessions. Your love is of a King seeking for the mercy only his QUeen can bring him. The mercy of a gentle home. A gentle life amidst the meddling and politics of a life forever in court. You admit that your own love for your husband came later–the fear of marrying a prince heavy on your mind. The expectation that would come with that also gives no bounds. You still recall how trembles had shaken your form as your father hurried you through the luxurious spectacle. The aisle had been a long, empty space in where you could barely catch the face of your soon-husband and Septon. Surrounded by men and women, ladies and lords of note and yet you had not known nor met. Yet when you had finally forced your figure to stand beside the three men who would cement your future, the only calm you found was through the comfort and Jacaerys’ hand resting on yours. Both of your fates to be entwined and tied. You were together, hands warm and clammy with nerves but together. You were not alone. When he searched your eyes for any hesitance throughout the ceremony and whispered in your ear to ask if you were certain–that was when you knew. You were not alone. He would not allow you to be alone. 

Now, as tears kiss your cheeks. Of affection and warmth–you can still see that look in his gaze. That kind, soft, assurance that you are not alone. “I love you.” You whispered to him, unable to hold back. It does not take long at all for him to press his lips to yours again. His hands caress your face and his care is unavoidable. And when you parted, he still chased for you. “We should retire to bed. The children will have missed us.” You explain quietly, reluctant to leave. A sigh spills from him and although you both stand there together for another second of tenderness, of softness, you know that he agrees. Ever the dutiful father. He would not let a single eve leave them without a story before their rest. “Do you think they would prefer another tale of Nymyria?” “I think they would care greatly for it.” You agree. He takes your hand in his and draws you out of the chamber. The door closes quietly and so are your footsteps as the two of you walk through the hall. The soft rays of sunlight passing down to caress the dusk echoes around you. And like his love–some things are better kept soft. 

General Taglist: - @hopelesswritergall - @succnfuccubus - @madame-fear

HOTD Taglist - @wrendermedone - @its-actually-minicika - @gettheetoanunneryimmediatly - @adelusionalwriter - @cookielovesbook-akie - @maximofftwinsbitch - @ughhthisbitch - @daenerysapologist - @savagemickey03

Jacaerys Taglist - @fairysluna - @jacevelaryonswife - @maximofftwinsbitch

[scarlettjohanssons-mistress]

Are you safe with me

Warnings: Implied/referenced rape/non-con, sexual assault, angst and hurt/comfort, assault

Word count: 1.5 K

Pairing: Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) x Fem!Reader

Prompt: R has just suffered a trauma

Requests: OPEN

[Main masterlist] [DC masterlist]

Carefully, and trying to make it as unobvious as possible, I stretched out my arms, making my bones thunder, and carefully, I yawned, trying to get some oxygen to my poor, battered brain.

My boss had kept us in the conference room for what seemed like years.

More than three hours trying to find a solution to an extremely stupid problem, from which, it seemed, the magazine was hanging by a thread. It was extremely stupid.

Carefully, I looked at the watch on my wrist only to realise that it was already 11:30 PM.

"Does anyone have any solutions?" asked Jessica, the boss. Nobody answered, we were all extremely tired.

"Jessica, I don't think this is going anywhere," said Raquel, her right-hand woman, "We are extremely tired. We can sort this out tomorrow".

Jessica kept quiet, but watched us with a very unfriendly look on her face. She even stared at everyone's faces for a few seconds.

"It's OK. You can go."

Quicker than I would like to admit, I grabbed my things and left the office. I didn't even check my mobile phone or my work computer, I just turned it off, picked up my coat and went out into the streets of Paris.

Carefully, I ran down the stairs of the metro and climbed into the first carriage I came across, a few seconds before it closed its doors.

It was almost empty, only for a man and a woman with her baby. I carefully placed my bag in my arms, hugging her tightly and trying not to fall asleep.

"Hi cute" I looked up to see that the man was sitting next to me. I turned my head to notice that we were the only ones in the carriage.

"Sorry but…" I tried to get up from the seat, but his big hand stopped me. I sat back down.

"Why are you leaving, beauty?"

"Get away from me!" my right hand struck his cheek, but, apparently it only made him angrier.

"Well, princess, if you don't want to do it the easy way, you'll have to do it the hard way."

Out of nowhere, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at my head. I froze immediately and just raised my arms.

"Give me your phone and your wallet"

With a trembling hand, I took both things out of my bag and handed them to him. He quickly stuffed it into his sweatshirt pocket, but he never stopped pointing it at me.

"Good, beautiful. I like obedient girls. Now on your knees."

Without even thinking about it, I fell to my knees, feeling my stockings tearing on the scratchy floor.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see him start to undo the belt of his jeans.

"You're hungry for a fat cock, aren't you, gorgeous?" I could tell as he dropped his trousers until they covered his shoes. "Are you going to suck my cock?"

Before either of us knew it, the metro had reached the next station, so he pulled his trousers back up and forced me to stand up.

Thankfully, the station was one of the most used by tourists, so, despite it being almost 12:00 P.M. the carriage began to fill up quickly, so I took that opportunity to get off the carriage and run to the outside of the station.

With bated breath and a sense of dread, I approached a restaurant, asking a waiter if he could spare a couple of coins to call someone.

Maybe I looked really bad, because he didn't give me the coins, he just passed me to the kitchen and told me I could call whoever I wanted.

With trembling hands, I dialled the number I knew by heart.

"Hello?" Her voice was hoarse. She was asleep. Shit.

"Diana?"

"T/N, My love, is that you?"

I felt my eyes fill with tears again.

"Are you OK, why are you calling me from an unknown phone?"

Evade.

"Can you come and get me?"

"Oh, sure baby, are you at work?"

"No"

"Where are you?"

I broke away from the phone to see where I was. It was only then that

I realised where I was standing.

"Do you remember the restaurant from our first date?"

"Yes"

"Here I am"

"Okay, I'll be there in 5 minutes. Are you sure you're okay, T/N?"

I made a sound of denial.

"Can you hurry up… please?"

"Sure, baby. I'll be right there."

And she hung up.

———————————————————————————

Before I knew it, two toned arms embraced me tightly, as that sweet scent wafted into my lungs.

"I'm here".

Before she could say another word, I quickly pounced on her, hugging her torso and hiding my face in her chest.

Only then could I start to cry.

Diana like the good girlfriend she is, simply let me cry and began to rub soothing circles on my back and start a light cooing.

When I calmed down, I simply lifted my face and looked her in the eye.

Just looking into her beautiful eyes made me feel at peace.

"Can we go?"

"Sure"

With his right hand on my lower back, he guided me to the car Bruce had lent her, but not before thanking the staff.

If he had come by car and arrived in 5 minutes, that meant that he might have broken more than three traffic laws.

She opened the passenger door and made me sit down, even put my seatbelt on, closed the door and ran into the car.

She quickly began to drive,

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" she asked in her soft voice.

"Can we talk about it later?"

"We can talk about it anytime you want, baby, I just want you to be okay."

She gave me a smile as he took her right hand out of my hand and kissed the back of mine.

"Thank you. I love you."

"I love you"

———————————————————————————

I thought I would fall asleep on the way home, but no matter how sleepy and tired my body was, it was impossible for me to close my eyes for more than a few seconds.

So, I had no choice but to look out of the window and make Diana believe that I had fallen asleep. Until we reached our home.

Diana turned off the car, causing the soothing music on the radio to stop playing, leaving an uncomfortable silence.

"I know you're awake T/N"

But she didn't say anything else, she just got out of the car and opened my door, raising her hand. I took it and we both went into the house.

Once in the house, I went upstairs and into the bathroom. I quickly removed my smeared make-up and went into the bath.

I washed my hair about three times and scrubbed my arms, legs and face with enormous force. I even hurt my thighs a bit.

I left the bathroom to put on some panties and one of Diana's few casual T-shirts.

I put a towel over my head and lay down.

Minutes later, Diana arrived and lay down next to me, hugging me from behind, pressing little kisses on the back of my neck.

"I was assaulted"

The kissing stopped abruptly and I felt her get up.

"What?"

"I was mugged in the underground. The man had a gun" I began to sob "and he almost raped me, Diana".

The brunette didn't hesitate for two seconds to hug me tightly, letting me cry as much as I wanted, but when I pulled away from her chest, I noticed that she was crying too.

"Why are you crying?"

"This wouldn't have happened if I had been with you."

I took her face in my hands and forced her to look at me.

"No, my love. Neither of us is to blame for this."

We both hugged each other for a long time. Trying to soothe each other with Diana's body heat. It was a great advantage of dating a goddess.

"I'm going to kill him"

She tried to get up quickly, but my arms prevented her from doing so.

"No, not today. Now I just want you to hold me" I hugged her burying my face in her neck. "Please, I just need my girlfriend."

"Here I am, sweet girl. I'll always be here for you" I constantly kiss my head "You'll always be safe with me"

"I know, I always feel safe with you."

"What did they steal from you?"

"My mobile phone and my wallet"

"The one you just bought?" I just nodded, feeling the tears of anger start to roll down my cheeks. "Oh baby, I'm so sorry."

After another moment of silence, of her hand trying to reassure me and her lips kissing my temple and my hands playing with the zip of her sweatshirt.

"I love you, and believe me, I'll be sure to cut off his testicles."

"I know, I know your word is fact."

"Just like my love"

"Just like mine" I kissed her nose.

Note:

The only good thing about having my own cell phone stolen is that… I'm more active writing

I hope you enjoy it

I appreciate the reblogs, the likes and the comments

taglist: @littlebitchsposts // @xxsekhmet

message me or send an ask to be added to my taglist!

[celestiall0tus]

Long Road - I See You

Beginning || Previous || Next

            Tikki rose from her sleep. She stretched and paused seeing Marinette was gone. She flew up and saw only Gimmi curled up on the chaise. She headed towards the door downstairs when Gimmi stirred.

            “What troubles you?” Gimmi asked.

            “I need to find Marinette. She’s missing.”

            “She’s with her mother on the sofa. They fell asleep watching a movie.”

            Tikki flew over to Gimmi. “What happened? Is Marinette ok?”

            “No. Her heart is troubled. Would you help me think of a solution?”

            Tikki tilted her head. “I can, but aren’t you, well, him?”

            Gimmi stared ahead, then looked down. “I’m not quite sure what I am yet and yet there is some understanding that doesn’t make sense. Things I shouldn’t know but do. That sort of thing. And yet I can’t make any sense of it all.”

            Tikki hummed and sat beside Gimmi. “I don’t quite understand, but I’m here to help.”

            Gimmi nodded. She shared the concerns that Marinette had and the burdens that now weighed on her heart. Tikki looked away at the mention of Adrien.

            “This is… worrisome,” Tikki admitted.

            “I was afraid that was the case. What should she do then?”

            Tikki grimaced. “I… I feel like I would say she should push through, create something new from these revelations. Build something new and beautiful from it all, but something feels off. I want her to pursue love, but something just isn’t right.”

            “Is it the boy?”

            “Maybe? But it couldn’t, right? Marinette fought for a year to overcome her anxieties and everything just to win Adrien’s heart. Admittedly some of her methods were questionable, but she should be able to enjoy the reward, right? Surely, she does still love him, and he loves her.”

            Gimmi looked at Tikki, then at the floor. “That feels… wrong. At least, how you worded it. Is it really a reward one should pursue? Isn’t love supposed to be a mutual feeling that both pursue? Did both pursue it?”

            “Well, I mean, yes? It was a whole thing that got really complicated. They didn’t know each other’s identities and it caused a big mess. Chat Noir loved Ladybug, and Marinette loved Adrien. Then after so many rejections and other stuff, it switched around. Then Adrien loved Marinette and Ladybug loved Chat Noir. But even at that point, Marinette wouldn’t herself love Adrien despite him liking her. Then they started dating and there was more nonsense about being able to show affection and… and….”

            Tikki looked at Gimmi, whose face was twisted in utter confusion.

            Tikki chuckled nervously. “Yeah, it was a mess, but that’s love, right?”

            Gimmi’s face returned to a neutral position as she looked at the floor. “That doesn’t feel right either.”

            “What do you mean?”

            Gimmi’s eyebrows knotted. “Well, love is… equal.”

            Tikki gasped silently. She looked at Gimmi and saw a light in Gimmi’s eyes she had seen many times in Velze’s own eyes. She waited with bated breath for Gimmi to continue.

            “Love is… acknowledging your partner, friend, family, anyone. You respect who they are and what they want. You want them to be happy, but also for yourself to be happy. The truest of loves being honest and open. You know everything about the other and hold no judgements or harsh connotations about the other.”

            Tikki watched as Gimmi’s eyes lit up and smiled. She smiled as Gimmi slowly floated up and twirled.

            “Love is accepting the other as we are. We don’t change those we love but embrace their true selves. We don’t take away what they add to this world but lift it up as high as we can. Let the world see what we love and admire so much. Be their wings to help them soar, but also their anchor to keep them grounded and not lose themselves.”

            Tikki’s jaw dropped as lights formed around Gimmi. Gimmi shut her eyes and spun around. The lights shifted between every color of the rainbow and shaped into hearts. Tears welled in Tikki’s eyes seeing some lights flare out of Gimmi like a mane and tail.

            “Love is… freedom. It is letting those you love to be free to live as themselves. To be free to be yourself. Love is setting them free, not keeping them caged. Love is finding happiness for the other, even when they aren’t around. To wish the best for them, no matter where life will take you both.”

            Tikki smiled and flew up. She grabbed Gimmi’s hands and spun around within the light show. Gimmi looked surprised, then smiled with a familiar warmth. She knew it well; it was Velze.

            “Love is unbelievable,” Tikki said.

            “Love is reasonable,” Gimmi continued.

            “Adventurous.”

            “Hesitant.”

            “Peaceful.”

            “Frustrating.”

            “Love is fantastical.”

            “Love is real.”

            Tikki and Gimmi pressed their foreheads together as they laughed.

            “Gimmi?”

            “Yes?”

            “Do you have my memories?” Tikki asked.

            “I don’t.”

            “Then look into them. See what I have over the year and judge for yourself what needs to be done.”

            Gimmi nodded and closed her eyes. She delved into Tikki’s memories of Marinette. She bore witness to the long year Marinette spent obsessing over Adrien, stalking him, keeping him from all potential romantic partners, attempting to stomp out the feelings just to fall again until they were finally together. She watched the mess of them dating with Gabriel keeping them apart, the dysfunction of their communication, and forcing themselves to move at an uncomfortable pace due to their friends.

            The lights faded away. Tikki and Gimmi stopped and openly cried.

            “Is this what she thinks love is?” Gimmi asked.

            Tikki bowed her head. “I’m sorry. I failed.”

            “Not in the way you think. You couldn’t be what you are now. None of you could.”

            “Will you help her as you had with us so long ago?”

            “I… will?”

            Tikki grinned and hugged Gimmi. “Thank you. Thank you for everything.”

            Gimmi furrowed her brow. “You’re welcome?”

            Tikki flew back and bowed. “I’m going to return to Marc. Will you tell Marinette that I’ll see her soon?”

            Gimmi nodded. Tikki nuzzled her, then left. She remained in the room as dawn’s light poured in.

            Gimmi was unsure of what Tikki asked of her. What did Tikki mean “as she had with us so long ago”? Why did Tikki bow and had a sudden shift in compliance? She was certain Tikki would be upset and push back as Ivan had, but it was absent. An uncomfortable feeling rose and consumed her.

            Gimmi flew down to Marinette’s vanity table. She inspected herself in the mirror. A tiny white body, cicada wings, and big sea green eyes. There was no mane, tail, horns, or many eyes. She was herself, she saw it clearly, but the feeling remained. She reached out and touched the glass. Her reflection shifted to that of Velze. She gasped and flew back as her reflection returned to normal. She shook her head and returned to the chaise.

            Gimmi knew who she was. She was Gimmi, kwami of reality and shell of Velze. She wasn’t him. She was him only in concept, nothing more.

[angel-0f-verdun]

14 Apprehensive Devotion

Previous Chapter

“Ahmanet is attached to her like a demon possessing a body for the first time. It will not be an easy task to remove her permanently, you may want to keep Eris bound.” Ardeth said, a stressed look on his face. I noticed this as I peered around the corner staying in the shadows so that I wouldn’t inform everyone of my presence. I wanted to see everyone’s candid reactions to what the Medjai had to say.

“No,” Rick said forcefully, Evy gave him a heartbroken look. I knew if the roles were reversed she would have the same reaction as Rick did. Evy started pacing as she thought of potential solutions.

“I don’t see another way… The switch can happen in an instant and before you even realize it she will be your enem-” Ardeth started to say before Rick cut him off again. I couldn’t decipher the Medjai’s expression, he was utterly unreadable.

“I am not going to leave my baby sister tied up somewhere with this bitch in her head. We need to keep an eye on her. I haven’t ever abandoned her before and I’m not going to start now.” He said, Evy put her hand on Rick’s chest to calm him down, pushing Rick backward as he was starting to overreact, his emotions getting in the way. Evy suddenly spun to face Ardeth with a coy smile.

“Is there any way you could be the one to watch her… There is certainly something that you are doing to keep this monster at bay.” She asked him politely. He blinked, his eyes flitting towards the corner where I was standing. I knew he could sense me, unlike everyone else that was in the room. Our parents couldn’t even keep track of us when they were alive, neither could the orphanage clowns, but a total stranger could. I couldn’t help but admit there was some sort of connection between us, I knew that since the moment I tried to kill him. I watched as he dropped his head thinking as he stared at the floor. I found myself waiting for his answer with bated breath, and then he slowly started to nod. When he lifted his head his eyes met mine briefly and my heart leaped.

“How is it that you two are just these magic protectors?” Henderson arrogantly asked breaking the silence that had fallen over the group, pointing to Ardeth and Dr. Bey. I decided now was the time to reveal my position, I removed myself from the wall I was leaning against walking to a chair furthest from everyone. Ardeth walked towards his mentor.

“We are part of an ancient secret society, for over 3,000 years we have guarded the city of the dead. We’re sworn at manhood to do any and all in our power to stop the high priest Imhotep from being reborn into this world.” Dr. Bey started to explain as he sat down in one of the exhibit's ornate chairs, Ardeth pacing the floor next to him.

“Now because of you, we have failed.” Ardeth glared daggers at Henderson and Rick. He finally stopped pacing and planted himself next to the elder man. He watched me carefully, eyebrows furrowed in a perpetual frown.

“And you think this justifies the killing of innocent people?” Evy asked, a scowl on her face questioning the only people who were helping us. I had half a mind to throw something at her from across the room but I stopped my impulse.

“To stop this creature, let me think… YES.” Dr. Bey and Ardeth answered strongly, knowing she wouldn’t understand anyway.

“Question… Why doesn’t he like cats?” Rick slid into the conversation listening intently for the answer. I smirked, he really was curious but it made me wonder if he had learned nothing from our time in Egypt.

“Cats are the guardians of the underworld, he will fear them until he is fully regenerated.” Dr. Bey answered his seemingly simple question. Rick nodded looking down, his hair falling into his face.

“And then he will fear nothing…” Ardeth said to the group, annoyed. He made it seem as if we were school children acting up in class.

“Yeah, and you know how he gets himself fully regenerated?” Daniels rhetorically asked.

“By killing everyone who opened that chest” Henderson answered, looking at his Colt and contemplating putting a bullet in his brain, no doubt. Rather bite that then be reborn as a mummy’s flesh and bones.

“And sucking them dry, that’s how” Daniels enthusiastically vented.

“Jonathan, will you stop playing with that?” Evy scolded him for playing with the bow that the chariot display was equipped with. He stopped immediately, almost causing the mannequin to fall over.

“When I saw him alive at Hamunaptra, he called me Anck-Su-Namun, and then just now in Mr. Burns’ quarters he tried to kiss me,” Evy told the two men who were now in charge of our army.

“It is because of his love for Anck-su-namun that he was cursed. Apparently after 3,000 years–” Dr. Bey mused looking at Ardeth carefully.

“He is still in love with her.” Ardeth finished his thought glancing in my direction, looking away quickly. I wasn’t sure what to make of that comment, I cleared my throat causing his eyes to find mine again. It was interesting, he wanted to be around me and watch me closely but at the same time, it felt as if he wanted nothing to do with me.

“Yes, well that’s very romantic, but what does it got to do with me?” Evy asked them, fiddling with her necklace.

“Perhaps he will once again try to raise her from the dead,” Ardeth said to Dr. Bey, not sparing a look towards Evy.

“Yes, and it appears he has already found his human sacrifice.” Dr. Bey told the whole group, both him and Ardeth finally turning to stare at Evy.

“Bad luck old mum” Jon uttered out, unsure of what else to say. 

“On the contrary, it may just give us the time we need to kill the creature.” Dr. Bey contemplated.

“We will need all the time we can get, his powers are growing,” Ardeth said as he looked up through the skylight at the beautiful display of nature that caught everyone’s attention, an eclipse of the sun.

“And he stretched forth his hand towards the heavens and there was darkness throughout the land of Egypt” Jon quoted the bible sighing towards the end.

“Alright well, I suppose that’s our cue to leave,” Henderson said, as he looked down from the sun. I stayed planted in my chair as Evy had permitted Ardeth to be my keeper now. I glanced over to Rick who was busy paying Evy attention. They were speaking in hushed tones as they planned what the next step in the agenda would be. I looked away from them and back at Ardeth, he stood stoically watching me from afar like a panther stalking his prey. But what he didn’t realize was that I was the predator that he would need to escape from. My thoughts turned darker the more annoyed I got with our situation. I sighed, happy my head was finally empty from Ahmanet. But I knew she would be back with a vengeance sooner or later. 

“Alright.” Rick clapped, the loud noise filling the atmosphere making my ears ring as he walked over to me.

“Hey, you doing alright?” He asked me with sympathy in his eyes that bothered me. Rick wanted to get back into the brother-sister relationship as if he hadn’t missed a beat. But for the last three years, he had no idea the trauma I had been through. I wasn’t sure if I could just ignore that and continue. He was becoming a less grizzled version of his younger self, thanks to Evy, but I was tired of his non-apologies.

“Don’t give me that, ‘poor Eris’ bullshit” I spit out, he was treating me like a delicate little flower. His brows knit together, I could tell he was tired and trying to help. I saw the frustration grow on his face as he rolled his eyes and pushed past my shoulder. This pissed me off but I decided not to make a show of it and just let him go brood. I was tired of the constant side-eye looks and constant worrying, I needed to get away from it.

I started walking to the entrance of the museum letting my feet take me where they wanted. I heard the soft footsteps of Ardeth behind me, he would rather blend in with the background. I could tell he felt more comfortable this way but I wanted nothing more than to yell at him asking what was wrong with me. I continued walking upstairs to the darker hallways that held our stone displays, when I got to a corner furthest away from the group I decided now was my chance, as they would never hear us here. I spun around on my heel facing him, holding back the true anger I was feeling at the moment.

“What’s so wrong with me that you can’t even look at me?” I asked him genuinely curious, but I could feel my tone shifting to one of anger. 

“All I see when I look at you now is her,” He said, not even daring to utter her name. I understood the sentiment but I longed for him to look me in the eyes and hold my gaze like he had when we were fighting not 48 hours prior. He continued avoiding my eyes.

“Look at me!!” I started to raise my voice at him, desperate for the connection. He slowly started moving his eyes in my direction moving slowly up my figure. When his eyes finally met with mine he strode up to me closing the space between us. His arms reached for me, grabbing my hands and grazing his fingertips up to my shoulders. His touch was light, it almost felt as if he couldn’t control the movements. He continued up my neck and to my face pulling me closer to him, resting our foreheads together. He closed his eyes as he started to play with the ends of my hair. 

“Eris.” He breathed out slowly, his accent made my eyes close as I melted into his grip. I didn’t want to push him away from me, but he still wasn’t doing what I had asked him. 

“What is it?!” I yelled as I attempted to push him away but his reaction was too quick for me to walk away like I wanted. His strength was impressive and he let up almost immediately as we stood there. 

“I know you can feel this between us too,” He said as his hands went to my hair moving a strand that had loosened back behind my ear. His scent consumed me rendering me speechless. 

“I can,” I replied, softening my tone, unsure of what else to say to him concerning the matter. We both knew there was a chemical reaction between us but neither of us knew what to do about it with the current circumstance. There were too many unknown attributes. “She’s not here right now,” I whispered before I could filter my thoughts.

“But we have no indication of when she will return either.” He silently considered.

“So let’s take advantage of the time we have now,” I grumbled, getting annoyed yet again. 

“Eris.” He said my name again. “We can’t, I can’t.” He didn’t even attempt to explain why as he continued to hold me to him. 

“Why not?!” I yelled at him attempting to get free of his grasp. “If you wanted nothing to do with me then why are we constantly so close with one another? None of this was my doing, it’s almost always you that’s bringing us closer together.” I spit out thoroughly pissed off now. He gripped me tighter, not letting me move. I closed my eyes, the frustration getting to me quicker than I knew it, feeling the tears starting to form. 

“Open your eyes,” He commanded me, but I wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine. So I kept them closed, shaking my head as my lip started to quiver. No one wanted me around, he was the only one who wanted to be close to me and even then he didn’t. 

He moved me backward and in an instant my back hit the wall behind me, with a force I wasn’t expecting. A gasp escaped my lips, feeling the cold stone against my skin, effectively causing me to open my eyes. Our gaze met and I could finally discern the emotion that was in his eyes. Love.

“I want you more than anything in this life. I cannot explain it, we are so strongly connected. But you are not what I was expecting, you have to understand. My tribe has a certain expectation from their leader. You and I shouldn’t be compatible in any way but we are. A medjai and a demon.” He scoffed letting a small smile break through. “You are the hardest thing I have had to keep myself away from and I’m afraid I can’t do it anymore.” He spoke quickly as if he couldn’t get through the words fast enough. I could tell that he was fighting an internal battle. All of a sudden he didn’t hold back any longer, he dipped his head down and captured my lips in a passionate kiss, he moved his hands from my figure to the wall behind me attempting to hold himself back from doing anything more. But that wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted more. I wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him down as close as I could to my body forcing him to move himself as I brought his tall figure down to my frame. His lips left mine and quickly attached to my neck, sucking and pulling the skin beneath it as he moved his hands to my bum, lifting me up and pushing me up against the wall, my legs wrapping around his waist. I moved his head away from my neck and back to my lips, I grazed his bottom lip with my tongue and he easily opened for me to explore his mouth. Our tongues battled for dominance as the kiss deepened. My fingers entangling in his hair, he groaned, enjoying the feeling. Just before we could take it any further I heard my brother clear his throat behind Ardeth. Ardeth stopped the interaction abruptly, setting me back down on the floor, my legs felt weak, as I attempted to get around him to look at my brother my face flushed from our encounter.

“You know when Evy said to watch her, I didn’t think this is what we would walk into.” He stood there with his arms crossed, a stern look on his face. 

“I apo-” Ardeth started. I could feel him lurking behind me, his fingers lightly touching the small of my back, not willing to keep his hands off me completely. I elbowed him in the ribs to get him to stop talking, there was nothing to apologize for. Jon was smirking behind Rick’s shoulder and Evy just looked shocked.

“Fuck off Rick, I’m not a child anymore,” I interjected still pissed from our previous interaction. 

“Sure, but you are a time bomb” I heard him whisper under his breath. I ignored the comment not wanting to fight with him right now.

“We’re going to head back to the fort to keep the others safe. You guys do whatever you need to do to prepare, come find us later.” Rick said to us. I nodded as my brother and the others retreated back down the stairs leaving the museum. I turned around looking at Ardeth, he pulled me into a side hug.

“I want to show you something.” He said to me as he ended our hug, picking up my hand and gazing into my eyes. I nodded, not entirely sure what he meant by that but happy that we were alone again. He led me back down the stairs and towards the curator's office. 

“Wait here for a moment.” He told me as he knocked on the door before going in. I gazed around at the hallway I had walked for years around giving tours trying not to eavesdrop on their conversation. When he came back out he had Dr. Bey with him. I could tell he was trying to stifle his excitement. 

“Eris. I know this may seem fast-paced and rash. You do not know me very well, and our traditions are different than yours. Dr. Bey has been my mentor for years, he is all I have currently with me but I assure you there is a whole tribe that would be behind me if they could right now.” I wasn’t entirely understanding where he was going with his speech but I stood there hanging onto his every word as he came up to me and took both my hands in his. “When I was 16 I took an oath to become a Medjai, following in my father's footsteps, four years later I became a chieftain after my father's death. I have taken many lives. I want you to know me fully. I want to teach you about my culture, as your husband if you’ll take me.” He retrieved an item from his pocket, a small box. He opened the lid to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. I gasped, it wasn’t what I was expecting at all. Dr. Bey smiled at me as tears started to escape my eyes. 

“Yes!!” I found myself saying, an immense amount of excitement flowing through my body. I looked up at Ardeth, he gave me a wide grin showing off his extraordinarily white teeth. He wrapped his arms around me in a hug giving me a quick peck on the lips as he broke off and slipped the ring onto my left ring finger. 

“Seeing as the circumstances are a bit complicated with Imhotep on the rise I would like, with your permission, to commence our ceremony now,” I smiled at him, enticed by the offer. 

“Yes, I never thought it would happen so quickly but, like you mentioned earlier, there is an undeniable chemistry between us since the moment I saw you. So yes!” I told him immediately, bringing his face to mine, ignoring the presence of Dr. Bey. He pulled me to him, closing the space between our bodies, dipping me down toward the floor and back up. He broke the kiss more aware of our surroundings than me at the moment. He took me by the hand and led me to the courtyard outside my office window where I had first seen Ahmanet. Dr. Bey followed us, standing to the side carrying a book that I hadn’t noticed before. 

“Ardeth, Eris, I have known you both for many years, I am happy to initiate the wedding for you. If I’m being completely candid I knew that you two were bound for each other the second I met you Eris. Although I held my tongue until recently it is my honor to wed you on this night. Here I have the Nikah, the agreement you two will honor as a married couple. It is a standard such as a marriage license in America.” He explained to me as Ardeth and I held hands excited to continue on our adventure together. Ardeth signed the contract binding himself to me for eternity or however long we had left, after he signed, I signed right after happily doing the same. 

“Ardeth, are there any words you would like to add before your vows?” Dr. Bey asked him.

“Yes, Eris you make me feel as if I am a young soul, I have never had that feeling before in this lifetime. I matured at a young age and have always been described as an old soul by my peers. It is part of the reason that I became Chieftain at a younger age than the rest. My decision to marry you may have come out of a place of rashness, but I knew the second you were in my arms at Hamunaptra that this was the right decision for me. I promise to cherish you, honor you, and love you for as long as I shall live. I will never command you to do anything you do not want to do. You will never be an object for me. I love you and this chemical attraction between us is unmatched by any power and love in this lifetime. I will protect you at all costs whether or not it takes my life from me. You are now my top priority.” He said to me, I smiled more tears coming down my face at the lovely words he was saying to me. 

“Eris.” Dr. Bey prompted me.

“Ardeth, I promise to love you no matter what happens in the future, through arguments and any adversity we might face. I promise to protect you fiercely and honor your decisions, we will make decisions together and help each other through our worst and best times. I will support you in anything and everything you do. I love you.” I told him as we exchanged wedding bands. Dr. Bey smiled throughout the whole conversation.

“May Allah smile upon you always, by the power vested in me I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.” Dr. Bey concluded our elopement ceremony. I smiled as Ardeth pulled me to him kissing me, almost immediately his tongue was in my mouth. I couldn’t help but laugh a little seeing him out of his shell. If someone were to ask me if this is what I thought would be happening tonight I would’ve told them they were crazy. But here we were, I was now a wife.

Next Chapter

[punkstarlet]

Fallen Stone: Finding Answers

The next day, the lobby was quiet and empty. Shilo quietly entered inside, checking to see if Belle was around. To her relief, she was out of sight and away from her desk, making it easy for Shilo to get in without a witness spotting her. She needed to get the archive fast. She closed the door behind her, careful not to make a sound.

She rushed to the hallway, careful not to make a sound with her heels. She hardly noticed how empty the building was or the lack of angelic beings in sight. She was too focused on finding the archive to worry about it. She saw a door with a glass window and an angelic handle on her way. The label on the top read ‘Heavenly Archive.’ 

She quickened her pace, too excited to hear her heels clicking on the floor. Once she grabbed the handle, she tried to open it, only to find it locked. “Oh, frostbite," she whispered. She backed away while thinking of an alternative solution.

She turned around, heading to another hallway. She knew where the key to the archive was—in Uriel’s office. That’s where he kept them. She could use it to get in if she could get her hand on it. She just hoped that he wasn’t here and out on business.

Once she found his office, she saw a door with his schedule on the window. She grabbed the handle, finding it unlocked, giving her access inside. Shilo opened the door and entered; Uriel’s office was cleaned with a neat row of papers, and the blinds were closed. She closed the door behind her, giving her privacy.

She looked around the office, looking for the keys. To her most incredible luck, the key to the archive lay on top of his desk. She picked it up, holding it in her hand. With a soft breath, she used her frost powers to create a replica of the key. She smiled at her success.

Suddenly, the door handle clicked, hinting that someone was getting in. She put the key back in its place and hid under the desk.

“Yes, yes. I’ll let Sera know as soon as I have the chance.” Uriel’s voice spoke through the door. The door opened, and he entered inside.

He approached his desk and sat down, not noticing Shilo under. She did her best to remain silent and wait for Uriel to leave. While waiting, Uriel grabbed a stack of paperwork and reviewed them. He sighed softly, looking them over. A single paper fell from the stack and landed next to Shilo.

Shilo covered her mouth, blocking her breath, and tried to hide deeper. She watched Uriel lean down to grab it, watching with bated breath. She was shaking in her spot, praying to the gods that he didn’t notice her.

The phone rang, drawing Uriel’s attention as he pulled himself up to answer it. “Hello?” Uriel replied to the other line. Then he let out a sigh. “What do you want, Gabe? Can it wait?” he asked. Shilo guessed it was Gabriel on the other end. “Fine. I’m on my way.” Uriel ended the call.

He stood from his desk and left the office, closing the door behind him.

After the door closed, Shilo left under the desk, stood up, and headed out of the office. She resumed her goal of going to the archive, even going far to run in the hallway. She saw the door waiting for her.

She uses her frost key, unlocks it, and enters inside. The archive is enormous, with many recorded documents, information, and books written over time. Shelves filled with flies under labels of topics, drawers that carried small cards to the archive library, and dim lights hanging on the ceiling. The room is spacious enough for an angel to spread their wings without worrying about knocking shelves down.

But she isn’t here to observe the wonderful sight; she must find the extermination section. She pressed forward, passing labels while scanning them with a keen eye. The room is enormous, with so many shelves that fill the space. But she’s not giving up; she pressed on.

Then she found what she was looking for: a shelf with the label ‘Extermination.’ She let out a smirk. “Checkmate,” she whispered softly.

She summoned her binder out of thin air, ready to record everything she needed to expose the seraphim and the archangels. She picked out a file and pulled it out. She opens the file and sees a pile of paperwork signed by Sera. The first paper shows a signed agreement with Lucifer and Sera’s handwriting in golden blood. Azrael was right; it was an agreement signed in blood. It said that it gives Heaven’s permission to kill all sinners but leave the hellborns and his daughter, Charlie, to live.

Shilo gasped, her hand covering her mouth. “That woman is his daughter?” She mumbled. So, Lucifer and Lilith had a single daughter with more than Lucifer’s appearance, passion, and desire to dream. No wonder she caught her attention. 

She continued reading the paper. It said that if a hellborn or the princess of Hell is killed, the agreement would be broken, and the extermination would be over. It makes sense why they have to avoid the two pardons. She pulled out a pen and wrote the agreement information, along with Charlie. 

She placed it down, taking out another paper, this one with the signed agreement from the archangels to create the extermination and form a band of angels in Michael’s name to go to hell once a year. She could feel her blood run colder than her powers, seeing Michael’s name in golden blood, Sera’s name, and others. 

She gripped the binder, feeling her anger coursing through her veins. She inhaled her anger and realized she needed to focus on her goal now. She copied the agreement into her binder, making sure not to misspell anything.

After that, she set it down along with the first paper and took out a paper with Adam’s information and his signature to be the extermination’s leading angel. “Are they fucking kidding!?” she shouted, keeping her voice down. “My lord, they must be dense to put this guy in charge!” She doesn’t see him as the leader type; he’s too prideful to know how to lead. She gets to work on writing his info in her binder, looking forward to him getting the boot out of heaven.

She put the papers back in the file and put them back in their place. She turned to the file beside her, took it out, and opened it. “Okay, what do we get here?” she mumbled.

She sat down and pulled out a paper with rules for the exorcist angels to follow. One, never show mercy on the sinners. Two, they can’t reveal their true selves to ordinary angels. Third, only exorcist angels are allowed to know about the exterminations. Fourth, stay away from the demons and the royals. And five, be careful with angelic weapons. They can kill angels.

”No wonder Emily and nobody here heard of them.” Shio whispered. It just proves that Heaven wants them to be kept in the dark. She wrote the rules on the binder, which might help prove enough. She placed it beside her and pulled out another paper that was full of the names of the exorcist angels. One name was crossed out, but she could see it through the golden line. Vagatha. She would have guessed she was kicked out, and nobody knew she existed. She also spotted Lute’s name on it.

”Hmp, a soldier for Michael?” She mocked Lute’s answer. “I knew there was something I hated about her.” She wrote down the names; there had to be some angels who knew them.

Then she gasped; she heard a voice, and it was coming her way. She quickly put the papers back in the file and placed them on the shelf. She ducked under the window door to avoid being seen through it.

“Mikey! Hey Mikey!” Adam’s voice shouted behind the door. She groaned, irritated. Great, this embarrassment was here.

She also heard Michael let out an irritated sigh. “What is it now, Adam?” he asked, annoyed.

“Okay. No offense, but I just got to know.” Adam began. “Why are you still with that virtue whore?” he asked him.

Michael growled at Adam. “Watch your tongue, or I will make you shallow with your words,” he threatened.

“Okay, okay. sorry." Adam apologized, backing away a bit. “I mean, from what I heard. She was troublesome before I arrived.”

Shilo listens to them, wondering who they are talking about. She knows she is the only virtue Michael has been with; no one else has.

“She was, but Shilo is much better,” Michael answered. “Just as long as she doesn’t start questioning, she already found out about the extermination,” he added, sounding disappointed.

“Then can you have her fall? You know, save the trouble?” Adam suggested. Shilo started to feel anxious. They would never have her fall.

“No,” Michael shook his head. “That would raise suspicions; the school would have noticed her gone, and Emily liked her too much to let it happen.” He answered, “Shilo wouldn’t go against me and my brothers. She is far too naive and ignorant to disobey us.“ He added, “And we ensure she stays this way forever.“

Shilo’s eyes widened at this. Is that what he and the others think of her? Naive and ignorant? They tried to help her stop being naive after Lucifer’s fall, but only to hear they wanted to keep her that way.

“Now move on. Sera needs me.” Michael pressed.

“You got it, Mikey.” Adam jeered.

Michael growled. “And don’t call me that,” he warned him.

She heard Adam apologize as she listened to their footsteps as they walked away. She slides to the floor, taking in what Michael said about her. He called her naive and ignorant, and not in a positive tone. She can feel the heartbreaking reopening of the wound she desperately tried to heal; tears formed in her eyes as it fell down her cheek. Is Michael starting to get bored of her? Her fist gripped tighter, and her broken heart began to freeze more.

After getting her binder and wiping her tears off, she left the archive and closed the door behind her. She had some of the information she needed; she could come back again to get more before the others began to get suspicious.

As she walked down the hallway, holding her binder close, she bumped into someone in the same hall as her. She looked up, and to her shock, it was Uriel and Raphael she bumped into. She quickly hid the binder behind her.

“Ah. Shilo.” Raphael greeted her.

Shilo quickly sends her binder away, back to her place. “Hi!” she replied back with a smile. “How are you two?”

“Very well. Thank you for asking.” Uriel smiled back at her.

Raphael narrowed his eyes at her as if he sensed something was off about her. He watched Shilo smiling with her hands behind her back. “What are you doing here?” he questioned her. “Shouldn’t you be in your class, teaching the students?” He raised an eyebrow.

Shilo gulped, shallowing her nervousness. “I was on my way. I... I was just looking for an assignment to teach the angels," she answered, lying in front of their faces. “You know, something new.”

Raphael placed a hand under her chin, rubbing it. “Is that so?” he mumbled, taking his hand off. ”What is it about?”

“Oh!” Shilo hummed, trying to come up with an excuse. “Uh..about Judas Iscariot!!” She nervously smiled, hoping they would buy it.

Sadly, she could see their expressions of disgust and confusion. She knew they were not comfortable speaking about Judas and the crime he did to Jesus. But she was panicking, and it was the first thing that popped into her mind. 

“Why him?” Uriel asked her, arms crossed and staring down with a displeased look. “We don’t allow people like him to be taught here in heaven." He pointed out.

“I know.” Shilo sighed. “But what’s wrong with teaching something new?” She pondered. “I mean, why can’t we change a bit and-“

“Shilo Winterstone of Perseverance,” Raphael spoke, cutting her off. He watched Shilo close her mouth and give her full attention. “Are you questioning what we should allow here?” He interrogated her.

She shook her head. “No. I... I don’t understand what’s so wrong with trying something new.” She questioned them, wondering if they would allow a better way to keep sinners out of hell.

Uriel stares down at her with a stern expression, making her nervous. She is asking too much, which might reveal too much about their actions. He and Raphael need to throw her off track and fast.

“Walk with us.” He ordered her.

Shilo released a frown on her lips. But she nodded, knowing she couldn’t argue back on them.

~*~

The three walked down a hallway with a huge open window that looked out onto Heaven. Shilo kept her eyes on Raphael and Uriel, walking beside her on both sides. She was a little suspicious and cautious about their following action, but after hearing Michael’s words, she starts to feel doubtful about the angels who spent their eons teaching her.

After a while, Uriel begins to speak. “See, we all love a good little trait of knowledge. It’s what built our golden paradise.” He preached, looking out through the window and watching the angels outside. “But knowing too much can be quite troubling.”

Then Raphael stepped in. “And we can only afford so little here.” He added. “It’s why we are in charge of ensuring Heaven doesn’t go out of order.” He set his attention on Shilo. “And why we all decided to train you, to help you try to understand more.”

Shilo only frowned at their words. “But why can’t I try something new? Are you all afraid I will end up like Luci?” she guessed. 

The three stopped their track, standing in the middle of the hall.

Raphael sighed sadly, as if he were being given a heavy weight on his shoulder. “What he did was out of our control,” he implied. "He thought we could try to do good, but in the end.” He paused on his word. “Well, you saw what happened.”

“Don’t remind me..” Shilo sadly replied. The memory of that horrible day still plays in her mind.

“We don’t want you to feel like your actions are wrong,” Uriel explained. “But we all don’t want you to get a little too wiser. Knowledge can be quite troubling.”

Shilo blinked. “What do you mean?”

“It’s not what you are expecting.” Uriel proclaimed. 

“It’s much worse,” Raphael added.

Shilo furrowed her eyebrows as if she felt something wasn’t quite right about those two and their words.

“My dear blue star. When I move, there you are not far behind.” Uriel sings, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Why do you walk in my shoes? Should I tailor-make this dream for you?” He put his fingers under her chin, making her look at him. “Too many roads to pick one right now. Just wait to see how it unfolds.” Shilo felt a chill in her spine, getting a bad sense.

He then backed away from her as the two archangels sang. “ Don’t put all your eggs in just that basket. I’ve seen too much; that’s why I ask it. ”

Raphael grabs her hand, holding it. “ This paragraph ," he sings while he strokes her palm. “ It’ll be your epitaph , my girl. ” Shilo frowns; what once made her feel safe only made her feel rotten. “Go break the rules. Show them all why the system needs an overhaul . ” 

Uriel’s face is close to her, just on her right side. “ First to the eyes of the storm is the first to feel the thunder snapping at their heels. ” Both sing.

Shilo backed away from them as if they were violating her. Till her back hit the wall, trapping her with the two.

“ Rinse the evil from the golden temple. ” Raphael sings, staring down at her with a cold glare. “ Blue star, it wasn’t accidental. ”

They both circled around her. “ They wanna clip your wings 'cause a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. They wanna stamp out queens 'cause a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, ” they sang to her as she watched them surround her. “ No room for a cat to swing or a bee to find its sting. They wanna clip your wings 'cause a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.”

They stopped circling her, only to side on both sides as they stared with a dangerous glint in their eyes. “ All that I’ve learned, I will save it for you when I return. ” Shilo could feel her breath getting heavier with each stare from them. “Till the knowledge is passed down. There’s no way to know if it’ll live on. ” They spread their wings open and hovered over her.

“ I think I’ll be forgotten if fate allows, 'cause they stopped asking who , what , and how. There’s too many roads to pick one right now. Just wait!” They sing as they both circle in the air while Shilo watches them. 

During this, Shilo was speechless and mainly frightened. What if what they were saying was true? About using too much knowledge. She doesn’t see it as a wrong thing to have; it’s better than remaining in the dark and getting hurt again.

The two returned to the ground. Uriel grabbed her cheek and turned her face toward him. “ Hold them close, ” he sang to her. “ Cause they’ll remember when you’re gone. ”

Shilo frowned, staring into his eyes. He let her go, backing away from her.

“Teach whatever you like, but remember to keep that knowledge to a minimum,” Raphael advised her. “The angels of today are essential to us.”

“I understand.” Shilo nodded.

“Good.” Uriel nodded. “Now, head back to the school; you got a role to do.” Seeing a nod from Shilo, the two nodded in satisfaction and headed away, leaving Shilo alone in the hallway.

Once they are gone, Shilo sighs, looking out the window and seeing her reflection against the window. She frowns deeply as she stares at herself. She wonders if she is doing this out of anger, mad for being lied to and misled by the angels she trusted. It sounds selfish to do all this because she wasn’t informed about it. 

“Knowledge is a dangerous thing,” she mumbled to herself. “Maybe they’re right. I could be exposing everything Sera and the others are trying to hide to protect Heaven.” She bowed her head down, reflecting on her actions. She should forget this and move on with her life.

She looked through the window, watching the angels in their daily lives. In the afterlife, they had no care. They didn’t know what was happening; they just lived utterly ignorant. She gripped her fist. She was ignorant like them, not knowing what was happening somewhere else that got heaven involved. If they continued to remain that way, then they wouldn’t get a say on how they felt about the extermination. 

“But who will protect Hell? Lucifer may let it down and allow Heaven to boss him around, but I won’t let them boss me around, too.” She moralized. She focused on the hall ahead, approaching her way out. “I’m done being ignorant. Heaven needs to wake up.”

[raisedflooringsystem]

Elevate Your Workspace with Diverse Commercial Carpeting Options

Discover top-tier commercial carpeting options at Bates Interior Solutions, where quality meets style. Transform your space with our curated collection of durable and stylish carpets designed to enhance any commercial environment. Explore innovative flooring solutions that prioritize both functionality and aesthetics, creating a sophisticated atmosphere that leaves a lasting impression. Upgrade your business space with our extensive range of commercial carpets, expertly crafted to meet the highest standards of durability and design.

[accessflooring]

Access Flooring Systems for Dynamic Environments

Discover the transformative potential of Access Flooring Systems offered by Bates Interior Solutions. Designed to meet the demands of modern, dynamic spaces, access floors offer unparalleled versatility and adaptability. Elevate your environment with a solution that seamlessly integrates technology, facilitates efficient airflow, and optimizes space utilization. From corporate offices to data centers, educational institutions to healthcare facilities, access flooring systems provide a flexible foundation for any setting. Experience the freedom to reconfigure layouts, integrate wiring and cabling, and enhance accessibility with ease. With Bates Interior Solutions' expertise, access floors are not just a structural element but a strategic asset, enhancing functionality while maintaining aesthetic appeal. Explore the myriad benefits of access flooring systems and unlock the potential of your space with Bates Interior Solutions as your trusted partner.

[siempre-bucky]

Silk

Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Fem!Reader

Summary: Jakes comes to your door after a night of drinking, his brain goes haywire after seeing you in a silk nightgown.

wc: 1.7k

a/n: i love old silk nightgowns and i wanted to create something soft and delicate bc soft!jake just does it for me...enjoy!!

You turned off the last light in your little housing unit, kicking aside bubble wrap from the few boxes you’d brought with you to Top Gun. You hummed to the tune of the romantic oldies music playing from your record player, softly swaying side to side as you grabbed the decorative bottle that was on your bar cart. Your long silk nightgown flowed as your rotating fan hit the cream-colored material. 

A drink in one hand, your midnight snack in the other, you made your way to the dark hallway with your bedroom light being your only guide. There was a gruff tap on the door, the knocker dragging their knuckles down the door. You stilled at the knocking, it was almost eerie. Placing your items on the side table you grabbed your matching silk robe off the arm of the couch. 

The knocking happened three more times as your bare feet padded along the cold wood flooring, your hands nervously fiddling with the tie. You took in a cautious deep breath before peaking into the peephole. It wasn’t a man dressed in black with a ribbed ski mask over his face or the little old man from down the street. It was Jake. 

You opened the door and his slumped figure stood up straight, the vertebrae of his spine cracking with each inch he rose. “Jake,” you breathed out, looking out at the dark street. There wasn’t a car in sight, then you caught a whiff of the pungent smell of beer. “You’ve been drinking,” you noted out loud, “how’d you get here?” 

“Phoenix,” he slurred, trying to hold himself up. 

“She didn’t take you home?” 

“You were closer.” Your eyebrows lowered at his softly spoken words. It made sense, God only knows if Hangman would be able to get himself into bed after that much to drink. 

His green eyes looked you up and down, the beautiful silk glowed in your porch light. Heat rose to his already warm cheeks, and a peony pink dusted his cheekbones. Have you always worn things like that? Was he interrupting a romantic evening with a stranger just beyond the front door. It was a good five seconds of both of your brains trying to come up with solutions to their unspoken questions. His mind only put you into focus, your soft features, and that dress. Jake’s green eyes were the first to break eye contact, his chin dipped and his eyes shifted to the delicate lace around the hem that hit just above your ankle. He didn’t dare to look back up, following the high slit up your thigh. “Come inside,” you told him, standing to the side and allowing him in. 

The blond entered the house, his blurry eyes not seeing the small step and instantly making him crash into you. His hand found the small of your back while your hands gripped his black t-shirt to prevent yourself from falling over. “S-sorry,” he stuttered. Your eyes didn’t leave his face, he’d never been this close before. Well, not in a way that wasn’t the two of you getting in each other's faces in the heat of an argument after training or missions. The different shades of green in his eyes seemed impossible to count. 

Jake felt the palm of his hand begin to tingle as he held you up. His fingers grazed your back, the soft material combined with his mildly calloused hand felt—right. How many men have gotten to touch you wearing this? He thought as he stopped his movement. “S’alright,” you responded through a bated breath. You shifted around, draping his arm over your shoulder and leading him over to the couch. There was a small problem with the little government-issued loveseat. Your eyes swiveled from Jake’s tall frame to the blue couch—there was no way Seresin was fitting on that. “You can take the bed,” you whispered, turning towards the hallway. 

The two of you walked in silence. It was odd how it wasn’t an awkward silence; Jake was plastered and you were well, dressed like that. Jake did his best to walk by himself, every so often he’d crash into you. His bodyweight made you grunt, your hand placed on his stomach to help brace him. 

He stumbled into your room, reluctantly freeing himself and stumbling to the foot of your bed. He plopped down and rested his hands on his knees, a soft groan escaping his lips. You stood against the doorway just observing how slowly he moved and how all of his muscles tensed. 

He looked up at you once more to take it all in. His foggy brain was trying to string along coherent sentences, his eyebrows lowered as he stared. In return, you folded your arms over your chest, trumpet sleeves of your robe falling in front of you. “Do ya always wear that to bed?” he asked, his thick accent perking your ears. 

You bashfully looked down at the floor. “When I’m home I do—reminds me that I’m still a girl,” you said, a small smile forming as you looked up at him through your lashes. 

Jake’s face fell. It was easy to get lost in a sea of green flight suits and khaki uniforms in their profession. He’d seen you in formal dresses and casual sundresses when you went out with the team, this was much more, delicate—feminine. Turned his brain to a pool of pink heart shaped goo. He recalled a ball just after graduating from flight school, you and Phoenix for one of the first times got to dress up. “Sometimes it’s easy to forget y’all are still girls under those flight suits and helmets,” he teased. You got in his face that evening, telling him you could outfly him in heels. He fell in love with you that night. 

“I shouldn't have said that to you that night,” he admitted, sitting up a little straighter. 

“I didn’t take it personally,” you assured him. You held your tongue between your teeth, preventing yourself from saying that you did all this for your benefit, and not a mans, but you’d be more than happy for him to take it off of you. You bit down harder when you recalled the fantasies you’d fall asleep to time and time again of him, with his hand running up your thigh, pushing the silk closer to your waist—

“Still…” he managed, cutting off your thoughts. 

There was a long pause, the trumpet from the record player in the other room provided distant background noise. He stood as the music swelled, a whole band joining in as he sauntered to you. Every step he took was careful as if he was afraid to startle you. “Widow,” he spoke, the mention of your callsign making your chin rise to meet his longing stare. “Y/N.” Your name on his tongue was what did you in. 

“Y-yes,” you breathed. 

“You’re—” he paused again. You managed to look at the small movements his captivating face made: hesitant, searching. “Pretty.” 

Pretty. 

Jake Seresin was a man that had a way with words when it came to seduction. After a drink and a prospective date located, he turned into a thesaurus in an effort to woo her. Yet here he was, drunk and calling you pretty. The word still had its effect on your soul; a family of butterflies aggressively swarmed your stomach, your heart skipped a beat and sent a wave of warmth through you while your ears and brain worked together, committing the way he called you that to memory. He wasn’t trying to pick you up and take you home—he was just being honest. 

You smiled. 

“It’s the nightgown,” you justify, slinking away from him. 

Jake caught your wrist, gently pulling you back towards him. “You’re always pretty,” he told you. 

“You say that to all the girls,” you chuckle, suddenly slipping into the same old banter. 

The pilot released your hand and saw how your robe was coming undone from your movement. He shook his head and looked at you for approval. Your lips parted but you managed to nod shyly. His strong hands pushed aside your robe and a breath hitched in his throat as it fell off your shoulders. The cream spaghetti straps of your nightgown barely clung to your shoulders. A fuse blew in his brain as he looked at your chest, barely covered by delicate lace and dotted with pearls. “No,” he spoke, putting his hands on your waist. “Just you. It’s always been you.” 

“I-I don't live closer to the bar,” you said, suddenly recalling his excuse from earlier. 

“I know,” he said, pressing his lips against yours. 

He kissed as flawlessly as he looked. His lips were soft and tasted of faint cherry Chapstick, they glided along yours like they were meant to be there. Perhaps they were. You drop your hands, your robe pooling around you before you wrap your hands around his strong neck. 

Lips gently smacked as he deepened the kiss, guiding you back to the foot of the bed. You removed your hands as he sat down, you hiked up your gown and straddled him, sitting back on your knees. Jake gently held the sides of your face while he kissed you, his teeth dragging along your lower lip. You dipped your hands under his shirt, rock hard abs ridden with nerve induced goosebumps. 

Jake pulled back and took your hands, bringing them up to his gaze. “I’m still drunk,” he said softly, pressing a tender kiss to each of your palms, his green eyes never leaving your peaceful face. You nodded in response and let your tongue swipe your lips, tasting the remains of his kiss. Ever the gentleman. 

“Will I still look pretty in my flight suit tomorrow?” you questioned him as you traced his features with your fingertips while his fingers traced the lace on your back. 

Jake chuckled, “No one can fill out that shapeless uniform like you can, darlin’, no one in the world can look as pretty as you. No matter what you wear.” 

Leaning forward, you gently lowered him on the bed, your arm extending to turn off the light. The last thing Jake saw was you hovering over him, your nose scrunching as you smiled approvingly. He rolled you over, placing loving kisses on your jawline leaving a trail of complements in his lips wake.

[writefightandflightclub]

Hugs: Nathan blurb

Hi. Not even gonna tag / describe this properly, sorry. Nothing elaborate. Just a short, comforting Nathan blurb with hugs because that’s what I was feeling (and about all I can manage) 🙈 OMG I luff him, your honour.

You quickly fumble away your tears as Nathan enters the lab, sitting up straight as a rod before your screen.

The last thing you need is for your boss (and crush) to see you crying. Thankfully, you think you’ve hidden it reasonably well.

“Are you crying?”

Shit.

“Maybe.”

Nathan frowns. “Why are you trying to hide it from me?”

You shrug. “You know. You’re… you.”

Nathan frowns more deeply. “I am, insofar as we can perceive of the concept of the ‘self.’ Unless we’re subscribing to the antirealist philosophical view and-”

You look at him tiredly. “-Nathan.” You rub your temples, and to your surprise your small plea actually shuts him up. He clamps his mouth abruptly into a thin line, and crosses silently to the desk, perching one ass cheek on the edge, and calmly folding his hands into his lap.

Then, he begins, much more softly. “That’s a bad thing in this scenario? To be me?”

You look up at him through a blur of tears, emotion swelling again. “You’ll think I’m all… pathetic. And human.”

Nathan scoffs, with a flash of white teeth. “Wow. I will, will I? Let me tap your brain for that sexy algorithm, honey. Didn’t know you could predict thoughts.”

A deep sigh leaves you, and you haphazardly scrub the tear tracks away from your cheeks. “You know. Your sarcasm isn’t helping.”

He actually looks a little put-out then, as though he genuinely might have believed his sarcasm to be a magic cure-all. “You’re wrong, anyway. I don’t think you’re pathetic.”

You look up at him in light surprise -and mild suspicion- as he reaches across the surface to offer you a box of tissues. Gratefully, you pull the tiny sail from the opening with a flourish, and sniffle into it. “Well. What are you thinking?”

“I think you’re snotty and making me uncomfortable.” Well, you asked, and Nathan’s blunt enough to tell things how they are. You look up at him again, ready to chide him. However, you spot a tiny smirk beneath his beard which reveals he’s teasing. Then, as your gaze travels up further, you find his deep, dark eyes have become uncharacteristically soft, the care present in them stunning you into silence. “What do you need?” Nathan asks softly, ever the one for solutions.

You shrug.

Nathan looks perplexed at that, his head tilting to the side, and his mouth drawing into a stern line. “Well if you don’t know, honey, I can’t help you.”

You simply look at the floor. You don’t know what you need, and that’s part of the very multi-faceted problem. Nathan deals well with complexity, typically, but not the emotional kind - nuance be damned. In fact, from what you’ve seen of him, he has five very distinct states: horny, arrogant, sarcastic, drunk, and pissed off. Currently, he seems to be leaning towards the latter, and it’s the last thing you need. In fact, you don’t think any of them would do you much good right now.

So, you’re honestly about to tell him to piss off when a tentative, broad hand settling over yours takes you by surprise. Nathan looks at you earnestly, softly, and in this new context, his perturbed attitude makes a little more sense, you think. You realise that he’s annoyed when he doesn’t know the solution to meet his goal - he doesn’t enjoy feeling unsure or outdone, after all. And, his “goal” here, you realise? Only to comfort you. For once, you don’t think he has a single other agenda.

You peer down at his hand, Nathan’s warmth blooming pleasantly through you. You trail your gaze up his bulked, sculpted arm, over the sleeve of that flattering black polo, and flit it around his singularly handsome face, brow still locked in a stern portrayal of concern.

Suddenly, you think you do know what it is you need. Not to solve anything, no; but to feel just a little better? You think so.

“Can I have a hug, Nathan Bateman?”

Nathan stiffens tellingly in his perch. Clears his throat emphatically. His throat bobs with uncertainty. He’s hardly a tactile person. Not affectionate.

But then, as soon as you submit your request, he is shifting. Extending his arms out willingly towards you. “Come here then. Just don’t snot all over me before my 3pm with the board, understand?”

Nathan’s words and expression remain harsh, but, when his arms envelop you, they are nothing but tender and gentle. All of his strength and his bite reined in; for you.

He wraps you up in him, shuffling his butt forward to the desk edge so he can plant both feet, allowing you to nestle comfortably between his thighs. To lean yourself into his chest and be thoroughly cocooned by his warmth.

For a moment, you breathe deeply, sucking in the scent of him, your chests rising and falling in time. The pleasant, dull, slow thud of his heart sounding against your ear.

Nathan is almost entirely still - and yet, after a deep breath, he seems to melt into it. His hands begin to smooth a slow path up and down your back.

“Fuck,” you breathe. “Why are you famous for code, Nathan? You should be known for giving the best damn hugs, I swear to God.”

Given how Nathan usually riles you, you feel unexpectedly at peace wrapped up in his arms, and a whole different kind of emotion swells within you.

“Yeah?” he asks, and you feel him shake lightly against you as you earn a gruff little chuckle. “Well. You smell great.”

The compliment reverberates through you along with the deep thrum of his voice, and you smile bashfully into his chest.

You think you could stay here all day, lost in him, but you know that Nathan -for his part- has other plans. More important things to do; namely that board meeting at 3. You stiffen as you catch a glance at the clock, and, reacting to you, Nathan releases his arms, creating an open loop around you, his face carefully examining yours. “What is it?” he says with an animated concern, even if his eyes now look hooded and content, his posture far more relaxed.

“Your meeting, Nate.”

“C’mere,” he says, softly shaking his head, drawing you gently back into him.

“But what about-“

“-They’ll wait,” he says confidently, as though the matter is settled. They’ll wait.

This embrace though? Apparently, this is something which can’t possibly be bumped until later.

And, to your utter shock, Nathan stays there, holding you tenderly - until you opt to let go.

You don’t though; at least, not for a rather long time.

Not until you’re feeling much, much better.

[wellpresseddaisy]

@rantxiety

It's short, but it's a beginning. Title subject to change.

There's a Silver Lining Through the Dark Cloud Shining

It was Neville's fault.

In Potions, it was always Neville's fault. He could be 400 miles away in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and any mishap would still be his fault.

Presumably because he was in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean due to a different magical mishap.

The entire class turned as one at the wretched, horrible glurgling noise emanating from Neville's cauldron. Ron had two galleons on Neville getting through at least three more classes before melting it, so he hoped the potion made the noise. Harry refused to bet on Neville's misfortunes but wanted Ron to win. He usually did. The Slytherins turned mostly to ensure their own safety. Longbottom's Potions debacles had quite the splash radius.

Professor Snape started over, clearly concerned by the alarming noise, just as Neville leaned over to sniff the concoction. He'd learned that from Hermione, that you could tell an unbalanced potion by smell.

Harry reckoned he probably should have stopped at looking. His boil cure had, somehow, gone an odd shade of puce.

"Huh." Neville commented. "Dunno that's—"

And passed out flat on the floor. The professor hurried to him, checking his pulse first. He sighed the sigh of a man who had taught Longbottom for more than thirty-five seconds and pressed a small medallion to Longbottom's chest. He disappeared in a flash.

"I have sent Mr. Longbottom to Madam Pomfrey. Everyone to the Gryffindor side of the room, as far away as you can get. Now." Snape barked.

They obeyed orders immediately, no one daring to complain about having to share space with them. Them, of course, being anyone in the opposite house. A shimmering field snapped into place, shielding the student side of the room if something should go wrong. Malfoy tried to start a whinge, but Parkinson trod on his foot and elbowed him. They all watched with bated breath as Snape carefully took a sample and then stirred the thick liquid.

The reaction came instantly, too fast for any kind of shield. With a horrible glurp, the viscous solution rose over the side of the cauldron in a wave and coated Professor Snape. He sputtered, muttering a spell to clear it away.

The light took all of them by surprise. The magical wind kicked up as the last syllable died on Snape's lips, obscuring their view with papers and ingredients whirling past.

If died down and the shield broke, fracturing into glittering shards of magic as it disappeared.

The class stared at the other side of the room. The mess would take hours to put right, and they thought Longbottom's cauldron would need to be disposed of by the Unspeakables.

Again.

"Oh, bugger." Harry muttered, getting a good look through the mess of parchment. "Er, Dean, you're pretty fast, right?"

"Harry?"

"Run for Madam Pomfrey, right now."

Dean edged out of the room, unwilling to ignore Harry when he used that tone. That tone meant some kind of emergency. Once the door shut, he took off at a sprint.

"Where the bloody buggering fuck am I?"

Well, the Gryffindors had always wanted to hear Snape swear. They'd just wanted to hear it from an adult. The young man glaring at the world from the other side of the room couldn't have been more than twelve.

[downwiththemutantnjnjaturtles]

The Race to Find The Cure

(2012 Donnie x fem reader) Chapter 1.

Based off of my apocalypse AU that I created for Raph a while back. Here is Donnie's version. :) (written in third perspective but using [y/n] in place of a name.)

Running out of time.

The solution had to be somewhere amongst all his papers.

Time is running out, thought Donnie again as he stared long and hard over his notes. Data he’d gathered and extrapolations he’d made over and over again—what was missing? He knew how to create retro mutagen. He had the formulas. He had the tools. He had the mind. But there were holes in his research. Things he had no access to. This wasn’t just Ooze he was dealing with; it was a hybrid, pathogen and mutagen spliced together to make a catastrophe that spread. And it spread fast.

He glanced over at the map pinned to a corkboard, routes and places of interest he’d drawn sprawling all over it. But one fat red line stuck out the most: the projected path of the horde that was currently accumulating. Just another addition to his list of problems.

Donnie’s brain worked every which way. His attention was divided between a set of different things, a heavy burden on his drooping shoulders. Between the cure, taking care of other things that needed to be done, and her, he was stretched thin.

Behind him on a mattress on the cold floor was his newest patient, which he was reminded to check the temperature of when he heard rustling in the sheets. His tires eyes lifted from the papers quickly, grabbing a thermometer off the shelf to head over to the girl starting to toss awake. Without fail, he felt a pang of guilt every time.

If anyone was strong when it came to this situation, it was him. And maybe Leo. Though their leader was preoccupied, he still came to check in, and even he had a grimace at it. Donnie knelt down. Don’t look bleak, he instructed himself as he pulled a tender smile and took one of her hands. “Sleepy, are we?” he asked as she roused awake. “Gotta take your temperature again. How do you feel?”

She sat up against the wall, obviously drained but fighting sleep. She, too, managed to force a smile through the waves of nausea and headaches as if to say “all better”, which made her happy too see his face soften. “I feel a little hot, but that’s all,” she said.

Then the virus hasn’t progressed, he thought with a glint of hope. We still have some time. That was all he needed.

He gave her the thermometer, her flinching back as their fingers touched. “Won’t you get it too being around me like this?” she asked with concern, having put some distance between them.

“Well, you aren’t developing pustules or any open sores, so it’s okay for now,” he replied, handing the thermometer back to her. And when she did? He’d copped a hazmat suit and more than enough disposable gloves a month prior. They both waited with bated breath for the little beeps. Both jumped as a gunshot sounded from the platform upstairs—it was Casey picking off incoming infected from the window again, as was his evening shift. A straggler here and there was not welcome in their compound. Casey was quick to dispatch any that wandered too close so long as his pistol had a silencer.

The thermometer beeped, and Donnie took it, inspecting the numbers. 100.1°. Not great.

She saw his face fall ever so slightly. His brow ridges stitched as he slipped the notebook from his belt and scratched in a log of her temperature, among a growing list. It had been on a steady incline since three days prior and the…incident.

Hearing the shot fire above them, she played with her thumbs. She knew Donnie was under a lot of stress. And to add onto that? She felt guilty.

“Seems like Casey’s becoming quite the sharpshooter,” she commented in the silence. “And seems like we’ve been hearing those more often. I wonder why the infected are out more these days.”

Donnie set his notebook on the tray next to the mattress and sat back on his legs. “They’re starving,” he said, “most of the city’s been turned, so…they have to look. But they can survive a lot longer without food than us." The air between them was filled with a looming feeling of uncertainty. Donnie was sure he could find the cure. He’d done it before for mutants, he could do it for infected people, too. But time of was the essence and resources were running out. He had to work harder.

“Hey, not so different from us, then,” she joked in a low voice, letting her head fall back and eyes close shut. Being sick was really taking a toll. How much longer would she be able to keep a straight face for him with the body aches, the skin burning, and the chills? Oh, the chills. Along with the fever, it was turning Autumn in New York City. She cracked an eye open to find him deep on thought.

“Donnie,” someone called from the entrance to his lab space. There were some empty crates they'd stacked up and around the corner to give him some privacy to work. He snapped out of his thoughts it to find Leo leaning in. Leo motioned with his head for him to follow.

Another family meeting, she thought in dry humor. Probably a game plan on how to deal with her when push came to shove. Which was looking inevitable, but she'd never let Donnie know how she felt that way.

“I’ll be back, okay?” Donnie said, reassuring her of the fact that he would not leave her side for long. He'd been practically glued to it, even moved the mattress into the back corner of his pseudo lab to be able to pay more attention to her. They could always count on Donnie for that.

“I’ll be here,” she mumbled, laying down to face the wall.

Donnie met at kitchen table with everyone else. They were all a little awkward and downtrodden, but Leo poised himself, clearing his throat. “There have been more infected on the move here lately. Casey, you say you shot three just in the last two hours?” Leo started. His eyes flitted over to Casey, who sat halfway on the table. Casey nodded and continued chewing his gum; the sound was driving Donnie up the wall. Casey acted flippant as ever, but even he was troubled by the turn of events.

“Hit ‘em right in the head, bull’s-eye,” said Casey, pretending to fire a finger pistol.

Leo turned his attention back to Donnie. “And [y/n]? How is she?” he inquired.

Feeling everyone’s expectant eyes on him, Donnie went by all of them with his, one by one, and answered: “Stable. Doing….okay.” He wasn’t known to be obtuse on purpose, but everyone around the table could tell he wasn’t going to speculate to them. That was fine, thought Leo. She still had time; in turn, they did as well. Leo would have to make a note to check in with her more often to gauge their next move. For now, they had other issues.

“Look, guys,” Leo said with a sigh, “I know you like the warehouse—I do too—but it’s just not safe here anymore. We’ve had two fence breaches this month and it’s only going to get worse from here. We’re in a bad spot. We need to move. I'm thinking upstate, less people and April's got a farmhouse out there."

Raph was glaring down at the table. “So, what? We get pushed out of our old home in the sewers and now we’re getting pushed out of here, too? Is that what we’re doing now? Being pushovers?” he spat. “What’s a few more infected? Last time I checked, we didn’t have a problem. Just fix up the fence and we’ll be fine.” As usual, he focused on Leo, his mounting anger directed right at his older brother. Leo ignored the bitterness in his tone and continued.

“Donnie, tell them what you heard,” Leo said, rubbing his face.

Way to put me on the spot. His fingers drummed the edge of the table as all but Leo waited to hear the latest update, but they weren’t going to like what he had to say. “I—I picked up some radio chatter about a week ago about a horde supposedly starting to form," he said uncomfortably. “I didn’t know if it was true or not, so I watched the channels over the last few days, and…yeah, a horde’s on the move, and it’s headed our way. Pockets of infected are assimilating and I don’t know why.”

Scowling, Raph turned heel and stormed out of the room with Mikey on his tail trying to get him back. April put a gentle hand on his shoulder to stop him. “Let him cool off,” she said, and Mikey reluctantly came back round, downcast.

“So…that’s it. We need to pack up. I know, I like it here, too. Donnie, how much time do we have?” Leo looked his way.

“Not enough,” he always wanted to say, but he bit his tongue and opted for an estimate of about two days given that the infected didn’t exactly move with purpose. As far as they were concerned, they only knew one speed when unstimulated, and that was: meander. “Considering it’s not really moving in a straight line and they’re not the smartest, we have some time to get out. If that’s what we want to do. Maybe the warehouse will hold?”

"But my equipment!" he'd wanted to argue. Not all of it would fit between their two vans. He feared for the worst that he wouldn't be able to save anyone without it. If they left, his only option would be to start from scratch again, and for [y/n], that was not an option.

But to seize a lab was an option.

For everyone's sake, we can make one petty crime.

Leo crossed his arms, tapping his chin. “I can’t take that chance. It’s my job to keep you guys safe. I’m sorry, Donnie.”

“Whatever,” murmured Casey as he hopped off the table and went to join Raph.

“I miss Master Splinter…” Mikey said under his breath. April sensed some unspoken words between Donnie and Leo and took her leave as well.

And then there were two. Donnie gripped the edge of the table, fixing his gaze away from the harsh orange light dangling above them. After a moment, he spoke. “There’s a lab East of here. A real one. I don’t know its status right now, but if I could just get in and get the research, I know I can make a cure,” he said hopefully. “I need to get to that lab, Leo. If not for the sake of everyone, but for [y/n].”

"What if there are still people there?" Leo asked.

"Then we'll break in at night," Donnie responded. "Like we always do. I need to do this, Leo." Only the fate of [y/n], my family, and possibly the whole country is resting in my hands, no pressure, right?

“We’ll figure it out,” Leo concurred. “We know you’ve got what it takes, Donnie. We’ll do everything we can to help.” He gave a reassuring smile, the one that always makes them feel like it all might just be okay. If Leo could muster one, Donnie could, too, which he did after they all dispersed from the little kitchen table and he headed back downstairs. “[Y/N], do you need any—” he started, but stopped upon seeing her sound asleep. Though mostly comprised of mutagen, the pathogenic part of the virus was the part the body tried its hardest to fight. But the unstable nature of the mutagen made it a tossup of how strong each case would be. Donnie could only hope that hers was a weak one.

On his tips of his toes he went to her side, pulling the fleece blanket up to her neck. It was getting cold out. Anything to make her more comfortable. Then he prepared a bowl of cool water and a rag for if she got hot, placing it on the tray next to her for her to find in case he wasn’t there. His hand lingered there hovering above her shoulder, wanting to feel the warm comfort of knowing that she was in fact still with them and still had a chance. Should he wake her up to tell her Leo’s verdict? It seemed like the right choice. But she looked far more peaceful than any of them in her own world just then, and he wanted to keep it that way only for a little longer, so he whispered a goodnight and went back to his station.

Seeing that she was taken care of, he quietly resumed his work over yonder, unaware that she had been laying still, but fully awake.

Me posting this anyway even though I'm unsure and don't know if I'm digging it yet 👨‍🦯👨‍🦯👨‍🦯👨‍🦯

[yumeyooa]

[12:30 PM]—as sweet as the first drop of honey

—pairing: kim namjoon x gender neutral! reader; genre: fluff, established relationship au wc: 0.6k+; warnings: hints to squid game

Grinning wickedly, you giggle to yourself as you make your way around the kitchen, a sweet scent wafting through the air. Your boyfriend, Kim Namjoon, pays no mind, sitting in your shared living room, catching up on some news that he had missed due to his busy schedule. 

Namjoon had been whining to you these past few days about how much he despised his clumsiness. He always found a way to break the unbreakable or lose something almost impossible to find. Lord knows how many times you had to scramble to find him the other half of his AirPods, only for them to vanish in the wind. It was truly a nightmare. 

Even if you reassured him that his clumsiness was part of his charm, he still wouldn’t budge, mulling over how exactly he could get over it. Your heart ached for him, knowing that he must have been in a pickle with all those thoughts running through his mind. 

It wasn’t until you had finished a drama late in the night did you finally find the solution to Namjoon’s clumsiness. It was a brilliant idea, something that would benefit both of you in the long run. 

You grab the star-shaped cookie cutter, pressing it firmly onto the sweet-smelling disc of sugar until a shape forms. Satisfied, you grab a small pin before heading into the living room, hiding the plate of sweetness behind your back.

“Joonie?” You call, and your boyfriend immediately perks up, lowering the volume of the television in front of him to turn to you, attention entirely yours. 

“You know how you were whining about being clumsy just a few days ago?” You’re met with a raised eyebrow, Namjoon skeptical as he nods, finally noticing the way your hands laid behind your back as if you were hiding something. 

“Well, I have the perfect solution!” You say, finally bringing the dalgona out from behind you and setting it on the coffee table. “If you can cut out the shape without breaking it in under ten minutes, then I’ll do your bidding for the whole day. How does that sound?”

Perfect, Namjoon thinks in his head. The appeal of you spending the rest of the day doing whatever he wanted weighing heavily in his mind, attracting him to no end. But would he be able to do it? He wasn’t good with his hands when it came to these sorts of things, and the time pressure would only make it worse. 

“Alright,” he says, sitting on the floor so he can get a better grip on the candy in front of him. “I’ll do it.”

You smile, getting the timer ready. The moment you hit the start button, Namjoon immediately goes for it, picking on the outlined edges of the star carefully with the pin. You can tell that he’s trying his best to be gentle, to not break it because he genuinely wants the reward, and it’s endearing. 

It makes your heart swell with love because it only cements the fact that your boyfriend would do anything for you. You couldn’t help but feel the urge to kiss him but hold back, not wanting to ruin his concentration. 

He’s halfway done, successfully removing the excess edges without breaking the shape. You smile at his own giddy smile as he works to continue the momentum he’s started, grabbing the leftover candy and savoring it in your mouth. 

There are only two minutes left and Namjoon’s on his last stretch, and the both of you watch with bated breath as he carefully applies enough force to break the excess apart, successfully isolating the star from the disc.

The timer goes off. He’s made it. And you couldn’t be any prouder. 

You engulf him in a hug, peppering his face with what felt like a million kisses, although Namjoon doesn’t mind. He loves your kisses, as seen in the way he pulls you closer to him, candied star left forgotten now. 

When you finally pull away, he grins cheekily at you. “Can I get my reward now?” He asks, and you roll your eyes playfully, snuggling into his warmth. 

“Of course, Joonie. Of course.”

➢ taglist (send an ask to be tagged): @mwitsmejk​

© yumeyooa 2021. All rights reserved. Copying, reposting, translating, and modifying in any platform aside from a03 and tumblr or by any means is NOT permitted and will be dealt with accordingly.

[lena-in-a-red-dress]

Ok, but is Kara still Supergirl and Andrea in the protection au? Honestly it would work either way, but there is definitely comedic value in Kara still being supergirl. Or maybe not supergirl. But she still has powers but doesn't really use them for heroing, which could also explain why Alex is FBI and not DEO. Like Lena is just a split second too slow, nothing that would have killed Kara, but something that should have hurt her, and Lena is confused as to how she is ok. Kara tries to bumble through something, but lena figures it out. Then they go on a funny out the bad guys scheme and Andrea regrets ever introducing them cause they are a pain in her ass.

I was kinda feeling a no power au, but if you wanna go with a Kara who's secretly super but never became Supergirl, I could dig it.

As for your scenario where Kara finally reveals herself to Lena, I could see it happening after they find themselves in an all out war with whoever is after Kara. It's not just an individual, its an organization, and they have endless resources and intends to throw assassins and gangs towards their Kara Danvers-sized problem until it goes away.

Anyway, they end up in a shoot out, and one by one Lena's entire team gets taken out until its only Lena and Kara left fighting for their lives in the middle of the warehouse district. Lena's running out of ammo when she turns and sees the barrel pointed at Kara. She shoves her ward out of the way and fires in the same moment the bullet clips her in the ribs.

"Lena!!" Kara cries, in horror and budding panic.

"Keep moving!" Lena barks, shoving back to her feet, clamping one hand against her side. She pushes Kara towards an empty building and follows her inside. There, they a moment to breathe, and Kara immediately tries to tend to Lena's wound.

"Oh my god, oh my god," she mutters, hands fluttering as they hesitate in her panic. "Lena, I--"

"I'm good," Lena says. As though to prove it, she takes her hand away from her side long enough to check the chamber of her pistol. "Damn it."

"Lena, I am so so sorry. I should never have insisted we come here--"

Lena shakes her head, leaning against a crate in exhaustion. "No, Kara. I'm the one who has to apologize."

"W-what do you mean?"

"I agreed to let you come here because no one knew you'd be coming."

Kara's eyes widen. "But that would mean..."

"Someone's been compromised." Lena smacks her head back agaist the crate. "Damn it."

Quickly running through the interactions she's had with Lena's people over the past few months, no one strikes Kara as a likely culprit. She'd found that Lena inspired a particular brand of loyalty, and an enthusiasm for the work they did no matter how dangerous it was.  Well, except for....

"Thompson."

Lena meets her eye briefly. "Probably. Bastard can talk shit about anything and anybody but the moment a woman raises his voice at him he goes completely ape--"

"Now, now, sis, you know he has an ego."

Both women start at the sound of the new voice. Lena instantly places herself between Kara and the intruder, empty gun lifting in reflex-- only to lower again when she recognizes her older brother Lex.

"Lex? What are you--?"

"And you can't blame him-- he was only following orders."

Lena's features harden the moment the pieces click together. The gun comes back up.

"How much did they pay you?"

Lex waves the question away. "It wasn't about the money. Well, not entirely anyway. They simply provided a simple solution for my problem, and in return I was happy to provide one for theirs."

"What kind of problem was it? Drugs? Gambling?"

"You."

Kara watches the exchange with bated breath. Without having met Lex before, she knows next to nothing about him, but the fact that Lena's treating him as a threat tells her that he isn't to be taken lightly. And if he was in here, serving as the pinnacle of this blood-soaked dash, then who knew how many more goons were waiting outside, just waiting for the signal to storm the building?

Shaking, Kara reaches for Lena. She places her hand gently between the woman's shoulder blades, giving her enough room to move, but staying close enough that Lena would know where she was.

All the while, blood drips from the wound in Lena's side, plicking against the concrete floor.

"I've heard the same rumors you have, ace. Our father is sick, and looking to retire. He needs someone to hand the reins to, and lately, he's been looking at you."

"You rather kill innocent people than work under me?"

"It's my company, ace," Lex reminds her. His voice takes on a dangerous edge. "Always has been."

Lena doesn't blink. She glares at her brother, turning to keep the gun trained on him as he slowly circles them.

"So what now?"

"Now," Lex explains, "either you die in the course of protecting your charge, or you fail to protect a high profile client. Either way, you're out of the running, and dear old dad looks to the rightful heir."

He lifts his gun and points it at Kara. He shrugs.

"You choose."

The gun fires, loud enough to set Kara's ears to ringing. Time seems to slow. Lena's back presses against Kara's hand, as Lena throws her arms wide, making herself as big as possible. Then she crumples, collapsing in a heap when the bullet sinks into her chest in a bloom of red mist.

The next time Lex lifts his gun at Kara, she's no longer there. In the moment it takes him to register the open air she used to occupy, Kara surges across the room and cocks him cold. He goes down hard, a fall made all the harder when Kara kicks him into the far wall of the warehouse.

She hasn't used her strength in years. Kara has been so careful with it, she's almost forgotten that she has it. But the sight of Lena bleeding on the ground brings it surging back. She's back to Lena's side in a flash.

"Lena..."

"Kara." Lena coughs, and blood coats her chin. "Go," she gurgles. "I'll only... slow you down. You have to run."

Kara cradles her in her arms, shaking her head no as tears pour down her cheeks. "No. Not without you."

"Go..."

Lena's whisper falls in the din of the doors being breached. Kara takes a moment to register the sight of armed humans pouring into the warehouse before she's making up her mind.

Gathering Lena in her arms, Kara holds her close. She can hear her heartbeat quickening, the pulses growing weaker in their flutter. She doesn't have long.

Kara will only have one chance.

As the goons swarm towards them, Kara gets her legs beneath. In a single deep breath, she calls on all the parts of herself she's purposely let go. She summons her strength, and the memory of nights spent with Alex, coasting low over the ocean.

On the exhale, she surges upwards, lifting off the pavement and crashing through corrugated metal roof. She wobbles slightly, pitching perilously under the unfamiliar dynamics of flight, but then she steadies, calms.

Then, with her heart in her throat, she aims towards the nearest hospital, and flies.

[danwhobrowses]

One Piece Chapter 1039 - Initial Thoughts

And we're back, and continuing from where we left off

While there was a lot of standing ground and bated breath, we continue to get through the major fights occurring

Spoilers for the Chapter, Support the Official Release

Today was Colour Spread Day, nice stroll in the forest, not much to dissect, but there is irony in Zoro's jacket saying 'Always B Calm'

Starting with Momo this time, he's still pushing Onigashima away, the bottom is still crumbling and the top has a ring of dust from where Luffy and Kaido are fighting

But during this Momo hears an inaudible voice, Zunesha maybe?

Back to the Big Mom fight though and we see the aftermath of Kid's giant metal bull

You'd think though against a Yonko the Kid and Heart Pirates would know better than to celebrate early...

Law though is being petty, calling Kid out for using his big move after Law's big move as a means to steal credit

The sass though at hearing about Kid's Trump Card and thinking it's just a bigger animal XD

Big Mom though is smiling down her foes, broken wrists and broken ribs to boot

Woman literally made her bones into homies!

With her combo homie sword attack, she slices right through Kid's bull, but Kid assigns Big Mom so she sticks to a wall, looking to gore her in between the bull's head

Big Mom escapes by ripping the wall off and using it as a shield

But now it's another combo attack: Mother's Misery, a homing attack which embodies a woman (I wanna say a younger big mom but it could easily just be Hera)

While she's focused on Kid though, Law comes in and drops a tower on her head

His last ditch attack involves stabbing Big Mom in the chest like before with Shock Wille, but this time the sword is increasing in size so much that it stabs through the floor, through the basement with Yamato and through Onigashima into the floor of Wano below!

Tanking Haki-based punches, Law drives the sword deeper into the earth before unleashing Puncture Wille

The edge of the flower capital must've heard that, I mean it left a crater on the floor and it's visible from the sky...this could probably damage the foundations of Onigashima's flooring too

Big Mom survives, but now we have a gaping hole in the lower half of Onigashima...wonder if it's big enough for Yamato to dispose of the armoury's explosives?

With Law now the target of Mother's Misery, it allows Kid to get his attack

WITH A MOTHERFUCKING GIANT GLOCK

Big Mom invites the challenge, but the duo finish the chapter declaring her era is over, as she reels from being shot in the face

So yeah an action-packed chapter this one, it also seems to offer a solution for Yamato and the Kazenbo. We're possibly hinting at Zunesha being nearby too for Momo but it could easily be a misdirect.

The Flower Capital people must be blind to not see or hear this giant island dropping giant pieces of rubble to the floor, but it seems the Namekian 5 minutes may have been stretched thanks to Momo.

As for Kid and Law, it's a good show from them but I still worry, usually when the hero says 'this will be my last attack' it never finishes the enemy off, but it was good and we're not getting a break.

BUT, I will say, it means we're waiting another week to get to the bottom of the pressing matter that's the GRIM REAPER STANDING BEFORE ZORO! I gots to know Oda I gots to know!