#Chapter Five: Library Visit

[naminethewriter]

How It All Began

Chapter Five: Library Visit

Masterpost | First | Previous | Next | Ao3

Story Summary: Remus, son of a simple fisherman, had worked hard to become the captain of his own pirate ship. And in his humble opinion, it was going great! His crew was small but reliable and they had just stolen something that could them some nice cash from a military vessel they happened to cross on the open sea. They just needed to hide it somewhere until it was safe to sell. How lucky for them that they come across a nice, uninhabited island.

Little did Remus know just who he would find on that little piece of land and how it would change his life entirely.

Content Warning: Books, Minor Violence, Threats, Piracy, Breaking In

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remus loathed libraries. He always had. Which kinda sucked because he loved learning, but in a library, you had to be quiet and mostly still and he just couldn’t do that for the life of him. He learned better through listening anyway. So standing in the entry hall of the biggest library he’s ever seen made him feel kind of sick.

The place was huge. Three floors full of books, marble columns supporting the upper floors. The main hall was long and open towards the ceiling, with the second and third floor stretching from balconies on either side about 10 feet apart. It was a pompous place that had already done them a great service, as much as Remus loathed to admit it.

After presenting his crew with the instructions Janus had given them, Remy had supported Remus’ hunch about the ‘Ever-Frozen Isle’, while both Sloane and Missy agreed with Patton on the volcano bit. Corbin had been the one to identify the ‘Mouth of the Ocean’ as a giant whirlpool somewhere in the northeastern seas. Remus had heard about the phenomenon before, the thing was apparently a few miles wide and had swallowed countless ships that were unlucky enough to get too close to its rapids. He just never knew that it was referred to as a mouth, though he could see where the name came from.

So, after they had sold the Admiral’s seal (to Patton’s relief and the crew’s monetary benefit), they set off to Marblerock Port, a huge trading city about five days travel from their location. Once there, Missy and Toby had gone off to party, drink and maybe find some material to fix up their ship (not that it necessarily needed improving, Missy was just a tinkerer). Corbin, together with Sloane and Elliot had gone to the library for further research into their clues. Patton had tagged along on their first day, trying to help out when, according to Corbin, he had seen a worker have a bit of a meltdown when she dropped some books. Always willing to help, Patton had offered to assist her and apparently did such a good job that he was asked if he could come back the next day. Quite a few people that normally worked in the library had gotten sick and they needed to fill their vacancies somehow. Patton had refused at first, but Corbin nudged him to at least consider it and, after consulting their captain, they decided that an inside man could be helpful. So, Patton accepted the job for the few days they planned to dock.

Which turned out to be very fortunate for them, since some of Patton’s new coworkers were quite chatty and with his innocent demeanor, Pat had soon found out that Woodsworth’s book was indeed still in the library’s archive, though under restrictive access.

Why Logan had told them about the book also became clear once Corbin had figured out which volcano the note spoke of: Coal Black Peak, named for its ash covered crater that painted the mountain’s tip black, located about half a day’s journey into Siren territory. They had found it by connecting Glacier Paradise (the Ever-Frozen Isle) and The Swirl of Doom (aka the Mouth of the Ocean (whoever named it had a flair for the dramatic apparently)) on a sea chart. In the middle of that line, they then located the island where Coal Black Peak stood.

Sailing through Siren territory and surviving wasn’t unheard of, but it certainly wasn’t easy or a smart thing to do. If that book Logan spoke of had some information that would help them not anger a bunch of immortal beings known for sinking ships, then it would be worth getting. Which led to why Remus himself was currently standing in the library, along with Remy and Toby. Corbin and Elliot were already inside as visitors, Patton was working, Sloane and Missy acted as lookouts and Emile had stayed on the ship.

The plan was rather simple:

Locate the head librarian that they knew was working the floor today from Patton. Apparently, they were very severely understaffed.

Have Patton, Corbin and Elliot shoo out every other visitor under the guise of 'closing early because of official business.' While only Patton had the authority to do so, Corbin and Elliot could claim that they had been asked to help and if they weren't taken seriously, they could send Patton their way.

Get the head librarian to the back by asking about the history section.

Threaten her with guns they smuggled in to get her to take them to the restricted section and retrieve the book.

Patton and the others make sure no other employees interfere.

Tie the librarian up so she can't call the cops on them, leave her to be found by her colleagues later.

Bail back to the ship and get the hell out of the harbor quickly.

If they are tailed, let Toby shoot them down until they aren't tailed anymore.

Easy-peasy. Trying to blend in with the crowd was super annoying (Remus had to comb his hair – yuck!) but it worked well enough that they weren’t being stared at while walking through the shelves to find the head librarian. Patton had described her as a stern-looking and blunt older woman with gray, shoulder-length hair. She was supposed to be mostly at the front but when Remus and the other two had entered, there was only a young man behind the counter, who was in the process of checking out another visitor.

Remy and Toby had separated from him then. They were still in view, all three of the mulling about close to the entrance waiting for the woman to return from wherever she had gone. Remus idly played with the locket around his neck as he pretended to read the titles of the books in the shelves in front of him. Logan would have probably gotten a kick out of the place. He just found it suffocating. Thankfully it didn’t take long until Remy spotted the librarian first, giving the other two a signal before approaching her with a kind smile.

“What can I do for you, young man?” The woman fit Patton’s description to a tee and her voice just made it more obvious, firm and to the point while remaining appropriate for a library. Remy explained to the woman that the three of them were tourists and very interested in records of the local history, when Remus spotted Patton on the balcony above them. He gave him a nod, which he returned and then hurried off to tell the other patrons to file out.

“Hmph. Finally a tourist with a little sense. You’re actually come to learn something about our history,” the head librarian said when Remus tuned back into the conversation.

“Oh, of course, it’s fascinating,” Toby smiled. To the woman it must look friendly, Remus could see that Toby really just wanted to knock her out and get the whole thing over with. “I’m sure just this building alone can tell an interesting story.” The librarian looked far too pleased about the comment and, predictably, started telling them all about its construction, former uses and the extensive collection it now hosts while leading them deeper into the bookshelves. She was too distracted to note the number of people heading towards the exit.

They arrived at the history section conveniently located close to the entrance to the archives. The woman continued talking, even as she stopped at the relevant shelves. The trio let her. The longer she talked, the more patrons would get out of the building.

“…and I’ve held this position here for the last thirty-four years,” she finished with a smile. “Anyway, enough about me–“ Remus hadn’t even noticed that she had switched over to talking about herself at some point. “It’s the local history you’re interested in. These shelves should contain everything you could want to know about the subject, from out city’s founding to the renovation efforts of the last five years.”

“Great,” Remus said in the fakest happy voice he could muster. “I just have one more question for you.”

“Of course, I am happy to help,” she smiled. She didn’t notice Remy slipping behind her, gun in hand. Toby was next to her, ready to shut her up if she tried to yell. Remus pulled out his own pistol and pointed it at the woman’s chest.

“Would you be so kind and take us to the archive to retrieve Woodworth’s book about Sirens?”

The woman’s eyes were wide as saucers as she first stared at the weapon pointed at her and then Remus’ smile. She tried to take a step back, but Remy simply pushed his own gun against her.

“This doesn’t have to escalate,” Remus informed her calmly. “You get us the book and nobody gets hurt.”

“You—you can’t threaten me!” she squawked. “We are still during opening hours! There are many people here who will notice my absence!”

“Oh, weren’t you informed?” Remus asked, acting innocently. “The library had to close early today. All patrons were asked to leave.”

“As if my staff would fall for such a trick!” Her eyes darted between Remus, his gun and Toby next to her. She hadn’t even attempted to scream yet, Remus had to give her that, she seemed to realize there was a reason that Toby kept his hands free.

“Look,” Remus growled, now growing impatient. “I’m not some cliché villain that will tell you his entire evil plan if you stall long enough. I know you know where the book is. I know you have the key to the archive on you and I know the door down there is right around the corner here. You will bring us down there now, you will give us the book, or I will shoot you and then my crew will burn this building down to the ground, capiche?” Terrified, the woman nodded. “Great. Then, after you.”

Remus stepped aside and Remy poked his gun into the woman’s back to get her to start walking. Flanked by Remus and Toby, she led them to the locked door labeled ‘Archives’. With shaking hands, she pulled out a keyring and opened the door. Behind it was a staircase leading down, wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side. Remus took the lead, Toby put a hand on the librarian’s shoulder and guided her forward. Remy took up the rear, pulling the door behind him but not closing it fully.

When they arrived at the bottom of the stairs, they were greeted by a massive array of books that rivalled what they had upstairs in the open library, though the lighting down here was much worse. With the shelves reaching up to the ceiling it was hard to tell just how expansive the collection was.

“If you think you can lead us around in here in circles to buy time, you should forget it. I know this should take you no more than ten minutes to find and I will keep track of time.”

“Of—of course,” the librarian stammered. “It’s this way.” She started leading them through the bookshelves, Remus taking note of the turns they took and making a show of glancing at a pocket watch he had stolen at the market earlier that day. He usually didn’t bother with clocks. Eight minutes in the librarian stopped.

“It’s here.” She motioned to a safe embedded into the wall in front of them. It was a big iron door that probably had a whole room filled with banned books behind it.

“Well then, open it.”

“It’s— uhm, it’s complicated and I can’t really – well not alone at least – I…”

“Shut up,” Remus growled. “I’m not dumb. And I know you’re not dumb either, so if you really hadn’t been able to open this alone with what you have on you, you would have told us about it upstairs, because if we shoot you right now and leave, no one will know about it until your corpse has already started to rot. So–“ He leaned close to her face and grinned. “Open this door, get the book and stop wasting my time.”

She was wise enough to not open her mouth again and simply nodded, fumbling with her keys again. She had the safe open in less than a minute and Remus motioned for Remy to wait for them outside, he didn’t want to give the librarian a chance to lock them all inside. Remus took a look around the room while Toby hovered over the woman’s shoulder as she located their book. Few of the book spines told him why they deserved to be locked in a dusty room, never to be read, but he figured most of them were there for stupid reasons.

“H—here it is!” Remus turned around to see the librarian pull a book out of the shelves and hand it to Toby, who immediately held it out for Remus to take without taking his eyes off her. She visibly swallowed. Remus took the leatherbound tome and quickly leafed through it. It seemed legit.

“That wasn’t so hard now, was it?” he asked with a grin. Frightened, the woman shook her head. “Good, then let’s get out of here. Toby, keep a hold of her.” Toby did as he was told and Remus left the room, Remy nodding at him as he stepped out before filing in at the back again, gun ready. Remus took the lead back himself, pretty much to show off to the old lady that she couldn’t have made him lose his way down here if she’d tried. Once they were close to the staircase, but not in sight yet, he stopped.

“Tie her up and to a shelf. We don’t need her anymore.”

“You can’t leave me here, I’ll–” she started protesting, but Remus quickly shushed her as Toby pushed her arms together behind her back, firm but not hurtful, while Remy pulled out some rope.

“We’ll make sure someone else will come down here before the end of the day. We just need you to not make a ruckus until we’re far away.” Before she could try and argue again, Toby pushed her down by her shoulder until she sat leaned against the corner of a shelf which Remy then tied her to.

“You are an enemy to academics everywhere,” the woman spat as they moved away from her.

“Me?” Remus laughed. “I’m not the one who locks books away because they don’t fit with the narrow worldview I’ve built myself. From what I understand this book–“ He pat the bag at his side where he had stored Woodsworth’s book for now. “��shows a way to coexist with Sirens, or at least that they aren’t the monsters they are made out to be. But you and your like don’t want to hear that. You want everything to stay the same, to blame them for the shit you do. You piss me off.” Remus spat next to her, making her flinch before walking away, Toby and Remy close behind. Upstairs, they left the door to the archives open slightly and calmly walked out the front door, passing Patton on the way, who nodded at them.

Back in the fresh air, they made their way into an alleyway close by where Sloane was waiting for them. Remus handed the bag with the book over to him and the man quickly left. Sloane was the fastest out of all of them and hadn’t been an active part of the heist, so he was their best bet to transport their newly acquired cargo back to the ship where Elliot, Corbin and Emile should await him. Missy should have seen them leave the library and be on the way back as well and Patton would end his shift and push for someone to check the archives before closing.

Everything had worked out just fine.

Remus loved simple plans. They just worked.

With a satisfied smile, he made his way back to the ship, Remy and Toby by his side, joking about something or other already. Remus was so lucky to have them in his crew. He wouldn’t trade them for all the riches in the world.

~~~

“Jan? I’m back!” Janus was lounging on the ground of his ‘room’ when he heard Virgil calling.

“Wonderful!” he hummed back, using magic instead of having to raise his voice because he didn’t feel like exerting himself. He had gotten a break from doing work for the Council and he fully intended to make use of every moment.

“Still in lazy mode I see,” Virgil commented as he swam in, floating above Janus with a smug smile.

“I am relaxing, Virgil, something you should learn about sometime.”

“Oh, shut it.”

“You came in here to talk to me, don’t blame me that I acquiesced with your request.”

“I didn’t request anything.” Janus, who had had his eyes closed thus far, opened one of them to look at his friend. Virgil didn’t seem to actually be upset though, so he went back to dosing on his moss.

“Then what did you come here for?” he asked with a yawn.

“I thought you would be interested in hearing about what the status of the pirate was.”

“There’s a development? I would have guessed he would take longer to figure things out.” Janus didn’t open his eyes again, but his voice showed his interest. With a grin, Virgil floated down, stopping next to him without actually lying down.

“Oh, on the contrary. Not only is he on his way to the volcano, but he also somehow got his hands on some protection runes that he had his people carve on the belly of their ship. They’re a bit outdated but should let them cross our territory without drawing our kin’s ire.”

“Huh. Maybe he’s smarter than I thought.” Janus’ tone sounded bored and uninterested, but Virgil could see the smile tugging at his lips. He was trying to mask how invested he’d gotten. What else could Virgil do but tease him about it?

“Oh, stop trying to sound nonchalant,” he grinned. “You like him.” Janus sputtered, sitting up and staring at Virgil in offence.

“I do not! He’s filth! A typical human, a violent one at that!”

“Please! If that were the case, you wouldn’t have given him the quest in the first place!”

“I wanted to see how bad he could screw it up! I didn’t think he would get anywhere!” Janus’ protests were weak, especially since Virgil could watch the skin of his right cheek turn red in embarrassment.

“Stop denying it, Bananaconda! You’re interested! It’s not a bad thing.”

“I am not interested! He’s human! I hate humans!” Janus hissed, trying to act offended but Virgil could hear his voice falter. As much as Janus didn’t want it to be true, since he was put in charge of supervising Logan, he had slowly learned that not all humans were bad.

“You’re going soft,” Virgil teased with a grin.

“I am not!” Janus fumed.

“You so are!” Virgil laughed and Janus lunged at him. He dodged out of the way and took off into the tunnels, Janus close behind. As he continued to flee, Virgil wondered what other changes the humans would bring. And while he usually hated change, he couldn’t help but look forward to it.

[weasleyreidstyles]

Serendipity Masterlist

summary: it was only meant to be a purely transactional relationship. he would help her strengthen her abilities in return for her getting his friends out of his father's nasty path. he didn't mean to fall for her, but loving her was the easiest thing in his dark world.

series status: currently on hold (but not for long!!🙈)

“serendipity is the phenomenon of discovering something interesting or valuable by chance”

no use of y/n, but your general nickname is Meadow. All characters are aged up to be over 18. and bellatrix isn't mattheo's mother in this fic (just fyi)

pairings: mattheo riddle x fem!ravenclaw reader; platonic!slytherins x fem!reader; platonic!golden trio x fem!reader

general warning(s): 18+ content, angst, fluff, some canon compliance, some canon divergence, typical wizarding world violence, war, torture, drugging, hospitals, familial problems, mean!harry, mean!ron....

** indicates smut warning

~∞~ chapter one

chapter summary: on the trainride to your sixth year, your friends give you a proposition that you can't refuse.

~∞~ chapter two

chapter summary: it's your first day back as a sixth year student. Classes are more intense and your first lesson with Mattheo ensues.

~∞~ chapter three

chapter summary: the first Hogsmeade trip of the year has a rather unpleasant ending.

~∞~ chapter four

chapter summary: after you end up confined to the Hospital Wing, you're surprised when Professor Dumbledore pays you a visit.

~∞~ chapter five

chapter summary: Mattheo has been avoiding you. You find and confront him after a frustrating week.

~∞~ chapter six **

chapter summary: the growing tension between you and Mattheo snaps. He reveals something about yourself that you has scarcely any prior knowledge of.

~∞~ chapter seven

chapter summary: joyful dinner parties and a switch in point of view. Two juxtaposing starts to the christmas holidays.

~∞~ chapter eight **

chapter summary: you're given plenty of revelations: all equally as daunting as the other.

~∞~ chapter nine

chapter summary: Ginny ambushes you in the library and Ron's birthday is off to a delirious start.

~∞~ chapter ten

chapter summary: in the aftermath of Ron's poisoning, Harry learns a thing or two about where your loyalties lie when he overhears your private conversation with the headmaster.

~∞~ chapter eleven

chapter summary: intent on avoiding him, you underestimate just how desperate Mattheo is to be around you.

~∞~ chapter twelve

chapter summary: new friendships are formed and you finally learn to control your abilities. Mattheo comes to a life altering realisation.

~∞~ chapter thirteen **

chapter summary: idk how to summarise this but i will say it's pure smut...enjoy

~∞~ chapter fourteen

chapter summary: friendships are rekindled and you save Draco from certain death in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, igniting your powers in the process.

~∞~ chapter fifteen

chapter summary: now fully recovered, Draco has a task to complete. The fate of the Wizarding World hangs in the precipice of his actions.

~∞~ chapter sixteen

chapter summary: after a startling and gutting discovery. secrets are revealed and alliances are questioned as Voldemort's tyranny begins to fester into the beginnings of another war.

*invisible string fits into the plot here!!*

~∞~ chapter seventeen

chapter summary: Dumbledore's funeral reveals new allies as you navigate a world without its protector.

~∞~ chapter eighteen

chapter summary: with his new role as a secret spy of the Order, Mattheo begins to grapple with the consequences of the horrors that occur at his father's hand.

series oneshots/headcannons:

~∞~ tulips & starlight – valentines day drabble

~∞~ serendipity hcs (mattheo) – a glimpse at his life pre sixth year

~∞~ invisible string – bonus scene from chapter 16 **

~∞~ snippets of navigating fifth year with fred weasley

series taglist:

(striked out users are ones that i couldn't tag, reblogs of the individual posts have an extended taglist)

@camille-1019 @lovelyygirl8 @xluansstuff @babeylover @thejadeazalea @undercover-smutlover @adhxmoony @dreamingofonceuponatime @thepassionatereader @urmomsgayforme5 @aphroditeisamilf @devotedlycrookeddonut @purplegirls-posts @nofacenonamelikekira @foxboyapologist @lafrone @lovely-maryj @nromanovaswife @leeknows-wife @dracygf @wildlyobserving @ravenclawprincess33 @melllinaa @vellicora @lantsovheiress @emiliahoward @stunkbiggu @vcosette @prongsprincessworld @mattiesgirl @rachmmb @x-kermit-x @sun-fiower-seed @cas-planet @certaindreampost @weirdowithnobeardo @mikalovesicecream @sunasbbie @rainy-darling @faeriepigeons @lovely-blackinnon @hiireadstuff @gimalo135 @elsafromcabinsix @moonlightreader649 @blueshome @nopedefe @spencerreidsthings @navs-bhat @agent-tempest @magimtz23 @y0urm0m12 @sbrn0905 @leona-hawthorne @whatsupb18 @moni-cah @taylorann2013 @unstablereader @gisellesprettylies @nat1221

[urdepressedslut]

You’re Mine, Sunshine (masterlist) ♡

♡ Pairing: Grumpy!Bodyguard!Bucky Barnes x Sunshine!Fem!Reader (Mob!Au Bodyguard!Au)

♡ Series Summary: Bucky gets picked by a very rich and respected man to be his daughter’s personal bodyguard. The Father warns him that it won’t be an easy job, that she is a brat and difficult to deal with. But what happens when Bucky meets you and you’re the complete opposite?

♡ Series Warnings: mentions of amputation, dark themes, violence, death/death threats, talk of parent death, fluff, angst, stalking, daddy issues, anxiety attacks/panic attacks, abuse, depression, depressive episodes, PTSD, dry humping, hints to smut, (warnings to be added as new chapters are released)

Trope ⇢ Grumpy x Sunshine ☀️

(SERIES ONGOING)

Last Updated: 9/8/23

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT | SERIES 18+

⇨ Chapter One

↳ After Pierce interviews Bucky for the job, he warns him of you. Bucky is starting to rethink his decision, but when he meets you... you're not what he expected.

⇨ Chapter Two

↳ Bucky takes you home, and later finds you in the library. You both get to know each other a little better, but Bucky is hesitant.

⇨ Chapter Three

↳ Bucky has a surprise meeting with Pierce, getting informed about your secret admire. Meanwhile, Bucky tries to keep things professional, he’s hesitant to cross the line when you need him.

⇨ Chapter Four

↳ You don’t know what to think of Bucky after he took you to bed last night. Bucky can’t continue to keep the stalking situation hidden from you. Something is found on your doorstep.

⇨ Chapter Five

↳ Getting to know each other better doesn’t go according to plan. Bucky has to comfort you and fix the mess he made. Will you forgive him?

⇨ Chapter Six

↳ Bucky receives a morning visit from Steve, with the news about what was in the box. Bucky continues to think about what he should do. Should he tell you the truth about your stalker?

⇨ Chapter Seven

↳ Bucky finds you making a mess in the kitchen, attempting to bake and offers his help. The two of you get to talking and some reveals about each other begin to come out. Will he finally tell you about your stalker?

⇨ Chapter Eight

↳ After a surprise visit from Pierce, tension arises as he threatens Bucky of his job. Pierce wants to have a talk with you and it doesn't go very well.

⇨ Chapter Nine

↳ After the events from the other day, you try and cope with the reality of what happened. The world is a lot less colorful than you remember. Bucky helps comfort you after you realize you have no one left.

⇨ Chapter Ten

↳ Someone comes knocking at your door in the morning. Bucky answers and is surprised with who he finds. Are they going to help them or hurt them?

⇨ Chapter Eleven

↳ The tension can't be ignored anymore between you and Bucky. Steve shows up and he's not alone.

⇨ Chapter Twelve

↳ Reality is hitting you as you, Bucky, Steve and his men all venture off to a secret safe house only Steve knows about. The events from the last couple of days are starting to hit you with a sickening force, leaving you weak and crippled.

⇨ Chapter Thirteen

↳ Your dreams consist of random memories of your parents, but are they really random? Despite the past days of hell—you still find it difficult to resist Bucky. You two spend a heated morning together, devouring each other while you still have these moments.

[rabbitsrants]

SHINRAN AND THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES

gift giving

giving your partner tangible items that make them feel known, loved and cared for

chapter 48

shinichi giving ran mittens

we all know shinichi is a very observant and attentive guy, so naturally all of his gift are pretty well thought out... which is why i was confused as hell about the mittens, cause they seemed very random to me... until i paid closer attention and noticed something

THEY'RE NOT RANDOM AT ALL

HE GIVES HER MITTENS BECAUSE HE NOTICES THAT HER HANDS ARE FREEZING IN THE COLD

this ship is going to be the death of me.

chapter 237

ran knitting shinichi a sweater

IT TAKES HER A WHOLE MONTH YALL!

chapter 245

chapter 293-296

bonus: shinichi being appreciative!

chapter 307

even though she decides not to send him the cup, shinichi is still ecstatic about the gift. meanwhile in chapter 331-334:

both of them are hurting so much during this case. and here's my theory:

both shinichi and ran have a tendency to conceal or downplay their pain. ran says she didnt send the mug because it turned out bad, but i think that's just an excuse. i think not being able to give him the cup directly causes her a lot of anguish, which is why she ultimately decides not to send it.

but my girl is strong, so the first time she's confronted with a situation like that she's able to fool everyone. the reason why shinichi catches on to her during the valentine's case is because it's a romantically loaded day and this is the second time that she doesn't get to express her love through a gift.

she's tired of having so much love to give but the only person she wants to pour her heart out to is absent. she's understandably crushed. which ultimately breaks shinichi's heart as well. so he does this...

and i think that speaks volumes about shinran and the importance of gift giving in their relationship.

chapter 727

kogoro: mentions ran's cold at the beginning of the case

me: doesn't give it much thought

shinichi:

me:

chapter 884

chapter 743

not THAT much, huh?

visit the shinran library for more

[psychedelic-ink]

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐁𝐄𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

**stunning gif made by @pedrorascal 🧡🧡🧡

pairing: pre outbreak!joel miller x f!reader, one sided tommy miller x f!reader

genre: angst, smut, romance, slow burn, mutual pining, secret relationship

series summary: After your grandfather’s passing, you find yourself moving into his home in Texas. You meet the Millers; Tommy, his older brother Joel and his daughter Sarah. With time, you and Tommy become close friends and Sarah visits you often. But Joel…Joel keeps his distance. The reason for this is due to one crucial fact you don’t know but he does; Tommy has a crush on you. Which means you’re off limits no matter what. But as your own feelings for Joel grow, things start to get more and more complicated.

additional notes: Joel is 36 and since I saw Tommy's age nowhere, I decided to give them a five-year age gap which will make Tommy 31 in this story. Reader is in her late twenties.

warnings will be given before every individual chapter

chapters marked with ** indicates smut

⠀MLISTS .  LIBRARY . PLAYLIST . AO3

𝑴𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚

Prologue - Somewhere New

Chapter One - Pizza Day

Chapter Two - Rueful

Chapter Three - A Day In the Life of Tommy Miller**

Chapter Four - Like Highway Signs**

Chapter Five - Ostensible**

Chapter Six - Kinesthesia**

Chapter Seven - Helpless

Chapter Eight - Satisfied

Chapter Nine - Show Me How**

Chapter Ten - You Belong With Me**

Chapter Eleven - Hi, How Are You**

Chapter Twelve - Sui Generis**

Chapter Thirteen - Sarah

Chapter Fourteen - Conversations With**

𝑩𝒐𝒏𝒖𝒔 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔

Art Deco**

if you were wondering how Joel took his spicy picture for Asha, this is how. Takes place between chapters four and five

Mirror Lake**

Joel takes you to a cabin for the weekend, there you propose he pay up the bet he lost to you and that the two of you should have some roleplaying fun.

As It Was**

you decide to host a New Year's party and when Joel shows up soaked to the bone thanks to the rain, you lead him to the bathroom to dry him up.

Chapter Sneak Peeks: six | eight | nine

𝑬𝒙𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒔

Stunning artwork by the most talented Maia (@mjpens) commissioned by me depicting a scene from chapter six

Amazing moodboard made by the lovely @johnwatsn

Lovely moodboard & playlist made by the amazing @saradika

[fonteyn]

sweet lips like pink lemonade (when he's feeling generous he'll give me taste)

Pairing: Michael Gavey x afab!reader, no use of y/n. Warnings: Smut. Minors do not interact. +18 rating. Read on AO3.

Author's note: So. this isn't as much of a proper fic, it's more of a fever dream headcanon I had to write down.

*Images are purely for their aesthetic sentiment and not reflective of any particular descriptions of reader inserts.

**nobody look at me. enjoy!

Word count: 1.6k.

It was a Friday like any other during the Oxford term. Students flooded every bar near the campus, drinking their weight in beer with fearsome abandon, trying to forget how exams were getting closer and closer and the grades they needed to recover to make it through to the next year.

You, though, had been getting used to a different kind of normalcy. 

Soon enough, your boyfriend of a few months would arrive to hang out in your room. He'd always bring the food and, in exchange, you'd offer him tales of your week along with the easy intimacy you had found in each other as of late. 

This time, when Michael Gavey arrives at your dorm room, he finds you lying belly down on your bed, reading a book for one of your classes and just. Freezes. Already flushed and embarrassed and yearning for you. 

It had been a long week. With exams approaching, he barely saw you other than in two quick visits you paid him at the library, on which you pecked him on the lips, talked for less than five minutes, and were soon forced to leave or else you’d risk being late for your next class. During weekdays, he tried to remain laser-focused on his tasks, so much so that he sometimes forgot to eat as he got through endless papers and exercise lists. On the other hand, every time he saw you, he couldn’t help but feel a larger-than-life, disgusting, and too-big want for you, distracting him from everything else. 

He knows you like him, especially given that you made a point to reassure him about it so often. He thinks you might even love him at some point. 

Nonetheless, he couldn't help but think about how you’d react if you knew the truth. 

That what he felt was more than simple affection, an easy enjoyment of your company. 

What he felt was overwhelming and all-consuming, keeping him up for hours at night, heart racing thinking of your smile, planning ahead conversation starters and factoids he thought would be interesting to you, marveling about the increasingly easy ways you showed affection.

How your hand would reach to touch his knee under the table at dinner. The times you’d hide your nose on his chest, hugging him to protect yourself from cold weather. The times you’d position yourself behind him and massage his neck when you knew he had been studying for hours without ever so much as getting up once. You always managed to break his focus with minimal effort. 

Tonight, when he lays eyes on you, he is once again flooded with that overwhelming greed, accentuated by how you are wearing just one of his 'math pun’ shirts which you took home with you after spending the night in his room a few weeks prior. He fails at not staring, but the hem is hitting your thighs at the absolute perfect length so he can have a peek at your panties.

He lays down by your side, pretending not to be bored. And frankly, he didn't stand a chance. From the moment he saw you, he was aware of his cock growing hard. You innocently think he's just going to keep you company while you finish the last chapter of your planned reading for the night and then you can hang out together.

But. It's nearly impossible to focus when you can feel his gaze burning on your ass. He barely makes a sound, however soon enough you feel the warmth of his fingers starting to trace the hem of your/his shirt. And soon after, he touches the edges of your panties. Unknowingly playing with your emotions as he grazes a finger just underneath the elastic and then retreats. 

He keeps doing this for a few minutes, still silent, eyes closed, almost like he's meditating. You're stuck, trying to read the same paragraph over and over, without absorbing a word. 

"These are cute", he says, quietly. 

An edge in his voice, and before you know it, it's as if something in him snaps. He moves to his knees. 

He's got his hands massaging your ass and his nose gliding on the back of your thighs, leaving kisses here and there, so soft you can barely feel. Just enough to make your body stand alert, preparing for his next move. 

Despite this, any awareness goes out of the window because you simply don’t expect him to shove his nose right there in your clothed pussy from behind. Mouthing on your lips, kissing and licking and moaning against you until you don't know if your panties are wet from his saliva or your juices.

And though you want to drop everything right there and then, you can't. Through strokes and licks and moans he manages to say: “No, no, baby. Just keep reading, don’t mind me.”

But he doesn’t stop or grant you mercy, as his hands spread your ass to give him more room to continue kissing your pussy through the fabric of your panties. Pausing only a couple of times to bite the curve of your ass, or take in your scent. 

One of the many things you loved about Michael was how shameless he allowed himself to be in adoration of your body. How openly he wore his hunger for you. With clear infinite want.

You can tell his hips start rutting against the mattress as he worships you. And you are breathless, wanting just as bad to feel him without any barriers between you. 

He stays like that, kissing your panties, running his nose across your clothed pussy, humming and biting the delicate skin of your butt cheeks until you finally have enough and decide to beg.

"Mikey, pleaaase, put me out of my misery, take off my panties, honey." 

Never in your life had you whined like that to a man. And it strikes you like a bolt of lightning that the only one who managed to drag anything like that out of you was this skinny nerd with a big dick and an unawareness of his unbeatable head game.

When he hears your voice, he finally raises his head, as if he’s coming out of a ‘pussy drunk’ trance. He seems only vaguely aware of everything else. His sole focus for the past half hour had been enjoying your body, feeling your skin, smelling you, locked in an unbelievable dreamland of "I can't believe I get to do this, I can't believe I get to have you".

As soon as he hears you ask, he immediately, and clumsily, pulls down your panties and dives his tongue straight into your core. Adding quickly, two long fingers inside you. And you're nearly crying because as much as that feels good, it's not what you want. You want more. You need more. 

"Baby, please just give me your cock.", you’re almost sobbing.

His brain nearly short-circuits. He gets up, stumbling, dizzy with desire, and before he can grab a condom, your hand shoots out to stop him. Holding his wrist.

He eyes you, surprised. Stunned by how disheveled you look, with pupils dilated, quick pulse, and a wild look in your eyes.

"Just take me raw. I wanna feel all of you."

He could have died right there and then. 

Michael manages to, somehow, climb back in your bed, noticing how you put a pillow under your hips and now you're presenting your ass, prettily and ready. Pussy glistening to take him. 

So he does. 

Pushing his leaking cock inside you, where you hold him tight. Clenching in a way that has him nearly seeing stars. He needs to stop for a moment. 

He still wasn't very experienced, and if he was going to last at all until he could make you cum, he needed to recite pi on his head a couple of times to calm himself down.

So he leans down and presses kisses along your neck and your jaw, delighting in how you whimper, crying out in desperation. He leaves a trail of kisses down your back until he feels ok enough to start fucking you.

By this time, you have turned from nearly crying to whining and moaning, to finally begging him to move. When he starts fucking you, it's as if all is good and right in the world, and you bask in a surreal notion of Michael and you just fitting together in an impossibly perfect way.

He keeps pumping inside you, and he can tell he's closer to coming than you. He's getting louder, unable to quiet the effects of having your tight pussy clenching and squeezing him. Michael knows he's nearly done for and, in a desperate and instinctive moment, uses his thumb to gather some of your wetness, bringing it up to softly massage your hole. And you cum instantly . 

So hard it makes him shoot his load inside you for what it feels like forever.

He finally collapses on top of you, feverish from it all, heart beating so fast it's threatening to jump out of his chest. But you manage to move underneath him, turning your body to face him.

You feel flushed, cheeks burning with embarrassment from cumming this hard and in this particular way. So before Michael can say anything that will inevitably be somehow a mixture of awkward, shy, and arrogant all at once, you hold his face in your hands and pull him towards a kiss.

Your lips appreciate the soft press of his own, still wet partly from him licking his lips, and partly from eating you out. Your thumb traces his stupidly perfect cupid’s bow and jawline, nearly getting yourself in a trance, much like he was when he first started this whole thing.

Finally, your eyes meet. Michael still has that wild, ravaging, and all-consuming gaze, now mixed with the distinctive look of satisfaction. It would be overwhelming if you didn't know that you were looking at him in the same way.

"So, that was good... right?, he asks. 

And all you can do is smile and hide your face in the crook of his neck.

A/n: I have one final point to make. Michael Gavey IS the type of guy who will take your panties home after the first time you hook up (probably a handjob in the bathroom of a bar where you are both slightly inebriated and you smile as you stuff your panties in his pocket, thinking that you're soooo funny for doing that and bringing out a priceless look of his face). And he WILL masturbate with his nose pressed against them afterward. AND he WILL tell you when you ask, because of course you ask and he CAN'T for some reason lie to you. His face and neck flushed with embarrassment unaware that if it were anyone else you'd find it creepy but because it's him, you think it's the hottest thing ever and you give him a blow job right after he admits to that.

[muzansfangs]

Bloodstain.

Starring: Aizen Sosuke x f!reader; mention to Shuhei Hisagi, Shinji Hirako, Ichimaru Gin, Shunsui Kyoraku;

Format: multi-chapters story;

Warnings for this chapter: domestic dynamics, suggestive themes, language, fear of storms, denial, sexual tension, struggling with feelings, mention to unprotected sex, breeding, violence, injuries;

Plot: To ease off the tension between you two, you decide to take Sosuke out to buy himself clothes, a phone and anything else he may need during his permanence in the World of the livings. Visiting shops, you mark some lines and establish rules to make your forced cohabitation more pleasant. What a shame you keep on repeating yourself the umpteenth ‘kiss’ is just an accident not bound to happen again.

MASTERLIST | PREVIOUS CHAPTER | TO THE NEXT CHAPTER

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐫𝐚.

After five hours spent in avoiding Sosuke, you had come to the conclusion you just had to put an end to this circus. The day had not started the way you had planned, but it was not too late to actually try to fix things. After all, your forced cohabitation had barely begun. If you did not confront him now, things would have decidedly degenerated in the near future. Before locking yourself up in your bedroom, you had caught a glimpse of him wandering through the living room and directing his attention to your library. At least, he was reading, not destroying your flat or the whole city. Still, you did not think he was still doing that. He was too quiet. Suspiciously quiet.

Therefore, stepping out of your nest, you made your way to the living room, only to be taken aback by the sight of him still sitting comfortably onto your sofa with his nose buried into a novel. You had definitely underestimated his capacity of maintaining a deep and constant concentration for hours. How stupid of you to forget he was built differently from common mortals. He was a self-proclaimed god, was he not? He had trascended reality, challenged the quintessence of the world.

Staring at him from the entrance to the living room, shoulder against the wall and arms against your chest, you also took notice that he had removed his eye-patch. Handsome, almost looking regal, he was already bewitching you again. You had almost forgotten how much his eyes had always affected you. His features, sharp yet gentle, made your stomach twist and turn for the war waging in your head between your morals and your lust for him. You had to keep your distance from him. It was not going to be easy, you were well-aware of that, but you had to try not to be stuck in the deadly web he was subtly sewing around you.

“Staring is rude. Hasn’t your father taught you that? Shame on me, I should not be surprised, if he has not. It’s Kurosaki Isshin, after all” Sosuke’s snarky remark brought back on Earth.

He was such a jerk at times.

You rolled your eyes, ambling towards the couch with an annoyed expression plastered over your face “As if I would waste my time staring at you. I was merely doing my job: checking on you. — you punctuated, the fact he had caught you red-handed upsetting you to no end — What are you reading, anyway?” you asked, plopping down onto the opposite side of your couch with a sigh. You had missed your forniture. As much as you loved the Soul Society, you had to admit the beds and sofas were not that comfortable.

“One of your books. I found it in the novels section, but I believe you misplaced it” Sosuke stated, flipping a page seemingly unbothered by your presence.

You quirked your eyebrows up, squinting to get a glimpse of the cover to read the title “Huh? That’s impossible, I personally make sure not a book is out of its genre. — you reasoned, scratching the back of your neck thoughtfully — What is it?” you asked then, only for your jaw to drop to the floor.

“It’s ‘Fifty shades of Grey’. That’s porn. Low quality porn, to be fair” Sosuke replied, before delicately closing the book and settling it down onto the coffee table in front of you.

Out of the vast collection of books you had, he had really picked up that one. You felt your cheeks boil, you eyes frantically averting from him to the volume under your nose, as you cleared your throat to utter out some excuses. Did you feel ashamed for owning something tagged as erotic? It was just a stupid book, a gift from Shinji to mess around with you.

“It was a gift and… It’s a novel, anyway. It’s just a little steamy” you stammed, avoiding his gaze at any cost.

“Oh, is that so? Interesting friends you have. Who was it from, if I may ask?” he inquired, propping his hand onto the palm of his hand, leaning forward to pull your gaze back on him. He did not even had to try to catch your attention. He always had it. As if you were strong enough to evade his magnetic gaze, though, you pretended not to be affected by those caramel eyes. Or his whole persona, to be fair.

“Why should I tell you?” you replied, grasping the book and standing back up to put it into its original place. You would have done anything in that very moment not to be forced to look at him.

“Oh, just to take note of who are your real friends and who merely wants to sleep in your bed” Sosuke cooed, causing you to flinch.

“Excuse me? None of my friends has such ambitions and, even if they did, this is not your business. I have already told you not to meddle into my life” you countered back, your voice taking a warning edge that seemed to amuse him.

Sosuke smiled, that subtle smile you viscerally hated “Are you so naive to believe men have pure intentions, when it comes down to a woman? — he questioned you, swiftly standing up as well and walking up to you slowly, the stately pace and elegance of a panther stalking down its prey — A friend doesn’t gift such scandalous books to a girl. Not unless he wants to send her a message” he explained his point of view, causing you to sigh in exasperation and clasp your hands together not to lash out at him. He apparently had no intention of dropping the topic and, above all, he was attempting to get you to talk. He wanted informations from you, this much was evident. But you were not going to tell him anything, especially given the altercations between him and Shinji. You did not really want your chaotic friend to go through more psychological trauma thanks to your new roomer.

“No, I’m not. — you started curtly, gaze hardening — In fact, I let you fuck me only because I agreed to sleep with you, not because I thought you were genuinely offering me a shoulder to cry on” you countered back, before glancing at the clock and realizing it was almost noon. Well, considering you had to help him settle down anyway, you could help yourself out of this conversation and tell him to follow you out of your flat.

As Sosuke stared down at you, seemingly resentful for your answer, you just walked towards the door and grasped your wallet and keys from the bowl at its left. You expected him to talk, say anything, but you were genuinely surprised when he silently followed you out of the door. It was irritating, so much that you had to be the one to break the ice after your snippy comment.

“Aren’t you even asking me where I am heading to and if you are allowed to come with me?” you asked him, locking the door behind you.

“Why should I bother questioning you? It’s not like I’m not going to follow you anywhere you go, love” he casually replied, unbuttoning the collar of his shirt absent-mindedly.

Love. Now he had started using nicknames. Where did it come from? Why was he burying the hatchet, even though you had just wounded his ego? You eyebrow twitched as you shoved your key into the pocket of your shorts, head whipping in his direction only to find him placidly smiling at you.

You sighed “Love? Really? Sosuke, cut the crap—“.

It happened too quickly for your brain to register it. One second you were staring daggers at him, the next one your back was flattened against the wall and his hand was clasped over your mouth to prevent you from talking. He was not upset, then again he did not seem to be irate. Reading him was hard, he was too imperturbable to be affected by human emotions. You looked at him wide-eyed, muffling noises of protests reverberating against his palm as he hushed you by raising the index of his free hand.

“Calm down. — he commenced, cocking his eyebrow up as he watched your features relax gradually, albeit your hands were still scrambling up in a pathetic attempt to tug his hand down and free your mouth — Did you forget what I have told your neighbour? We are supposed to act like a couple outside your flat. Can I remove my hand from your mouth, or are you going to keep up that stupid attitude of yours?” he asked you, watching your eyes grow round and then be reduced to two fissures.

He had a point. He always had a point and throwing hands in the corridor was not exactly a good idea, given your proximity to Mrs. Watanabe’s door. You were one hundred percent sure that hag was staring at you from the peephole, confident you were going to make a false step. Against your will, you nodded your head slowly and inhaled sharply before raising your hand to cup his cheek in your palm and sneering at him.

“Alright, we are on the same page about keeping a low profile. — you said lowly, through gritted teeth — But once we are back home, you will keep your hands for yourself” you clarified, before slowly and gently slipping out of his grasp.

Ignoring him never worked. Acting like a couple in public was probably the equivalent of letting the population of a small medieval town drag you to the village square and tie you up to a stick to burn you alive. Sosuke was going to be your excruciating death. The worst part of it was that you did not have the strength to run away from your feelings for too long. Not after chasing them away for years. You were tired.

But then, he made comments that got under your skin and you admonished yourself for having let yourself think he could have been a good match for you, if only he had not almost massacred your whole family and your friends.

“As you wish. — he replied, his presence looming over your frame from behind as you exited the building — Admittedly, I do not think you are going to last long without my attentions, darling”.

Yes, in times like that, you desired nothing more than kicking him twice in the guts and feed his genitalia to a crocodile at the zoo. Instead, though, you decided to keep your chin up and head towards the main shopping area of the city “Believe it or not, I have been living a relatively peaceful and satisfactory life until Shunsui appointed me to babysit you” you replied, an hint of pride in your voice as you hastily crossed the road not to be rolled over by a car you had failed to spot.

The driver’s insults pierced your ears as you did your best to ignore him and resumed your march. The man standing right at your left, however, was not going to let it go.

“Are you sure Shunsui appointed you to babysit me? Maybe you’re mistaken” he commented dryly, watching you roll your eyes and grasp him by his forearm roughly to pick up your paces and reach your destination faster. The less you spoke to him, the better. You had no time to bicker with him over such trivial matters, not when your stomach was protesting as well. You craved food and you knew a cheap place not too far from there, where you used to grab your lunch on your way back home from school.

Sosuke shot you a displeased glare, his hand gripping yours to stop you. His hooded brown chocolate eyes bored into yours, slender fingers slipping between your smaller ones to lock your hands and, factually, forcing you to halt. Your eyes met his once again, his lean frame making you feel so miserable once again as he tugged you closer to him, this time more carefully.

“Y/N” he spoke firmly, a warning for you to settle down and listen for once. In the middle of a crowded street, mere inches separating your bodies, you lost yourself into his gaze. It was not the first time it happened. You should have known better than trusting yourself around him.

Sosuke’s free hand skimmed over your arm, resting onto the top of your shoulder, goosebumps pattering your skin under his touch “I know no one respects me. Despite that, you once did. What did I do to be undeserving of your company?”.

You frowned, blinking to clear your own clouded mind “What? We live together now. Whether I like it or not, I’m stuck with you”.

“Don’t lie, Y/N. Your body is here, but your soul is desperately attempting to run away from me”.

His words rang in your head, a lump in your throat you could not swallow forming. You had not let your guard down, not since you had slept together, still he was capable of reading your mind. You clenched your jaw, sucking in deeper breath, as you shook your head.

“Get out of my head”.

“I don’t think I will. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever had the pleasure to be in” he replied, a faint grin crossing his lips as he shook his head and dipped his head down.

You were unable to talk back, his lips a magnet pulling you in, hypnotizing you, as you tightened your grip on his hand. No, you had to resist, you had to push him back, to block him out of your head. But a kid passing by ruthlessly bumped onto your back, your balance failing you as Sosuke caught you promptly in his arms and stole a brief kiss from you. Lips pressing against your soft ones for a few seconds, yet causing a turmoil of emotions into your stomach. You scrunched up your nose, feet finding their place back onto the cobblestone as he tentatively let go of you.

The moment you stepped back, hand reaching up to your mouth, you stared up at Sosuke stupefied only to notice he was smiling almost imperceptibly. He licked his lips, his tongue swiping out to brush over his bottom lip and a guttural hum reverberated through his chest.

“You’ve changed your chapstick” he commented, before hinting at the road with his chin and ambling towards the busy street leisurely, silently awaiting for you to join him.

And you did, you followed him, with your fingers still lingering right where his sinful lips had met yours. You reprimended yourself for having enjoyed it, but you refrained from shouting at him he had blatantly ignored one of the first rules you had set. It had been just a casuality. He was standing too close, that kid had the same grace of an elephant and the politeness of an ogre. It was not even a real kiss. Insignificant touches did not count, right? You really wished you could explain that to your heart too.

You soon found out Sosuke had a classy taste for expensive fabrics and brands. His charm even helped to get a discount, at times, and you were seething in rage. With the amount of money he had, that man did not someone to deduct such generous amount of moneys from the price. Right, he was filthy rich. You had literally goggled your eyes, when Shunsui had given you the access to Sosuke’s accounts. The Soul Society had made sure to change the local currency into Yen. You were genuinely surprised he had saved so much money from his days as a Captain.

“I can’t believe it…” you muttered under your breath, as you entered into your last shop for the day. You needed to buy him some boxers, but he had pushed you right into an Armani shop because he was not going to wear ‘cheap boxers’.

“Still upset I’m not broke?” he replied amusedly, as you two wandered through the shelves to look for the lingerie section.

You huffed, rolling your eyes as you picked up a pair of black boxers and showed them to him “I’m just surprised, that’s all. I mean, Shunsui is the Captain Commander and he’s not that wealthy” you spoke your mind, watching Sosuke examine the fabric absent-mindedly before looking at the size.

“He’s constantly dissipating his savings in women and saké. — he replied monotonously, before glancing at a point at your back with a sly expression on his face — I never had to pay for sex and I’m not an alcoholic”.

With that he handed you the boxers you had chosen for him and gestured at you for purchasing a couple of other ones too. You scoffed, his words pulling out a bitter chortle from you, as you whipped your head around and rummaged through the different assortments of boxers on the shelf. He was such a bastard. You did not even spare him a glance to check at what he was doing, as you walked up to the cashier and told her you had to pay for some articles.

However, on your way out of the shop, Sosuke was quick to catch up to you. You noticed he was holding a bag in his hand, something that made you arch your eyebrows “What is it?” you asked.

“Curiosity killed the cat, huh?”.

“You know what? Nevermind. I don’t even care”.

”Not even if it’s a little something to apologize for having offended you earlier?” he hazardously tempted you, causing your ears to prick up rizzare. Did he really buy something for you? Did he think he could get on your right side so easily?

You sighed “Really now? Why spending your money for me? It’s not like you really yearn to earn my forgiveness or something. This is surely one of your bluffs”.

“Ouch, you hurt my feelings. — Sosuke defended himself, the sky turning gradually purple above you two as you headed back towards your home — You’re a broken record. I never lied to you, I think I have abundantly made myself clear”.

He had, that was true, but you wished you could trust him blindly. You wished he was not the user of a deceitful zanpakuto, you wished he was not the man you had fallen for and tormented yourself not to love anymore. But above all, you truly wanted to erase those intimate moments you spent in his bed. Sosuke was a snake, a wizard, a bewitcher.

“It’s a nice gesture, Sosuke. But I am pretty sure you know that a simple gift will not make it up for everything you’ve done. I don’t think I can accept anything coming from you” you replied, only to be feel his hand cup your hip and pull you closer to him.

With his lips grazing the shell of your ear, you felt your breath hitch in your throat “Then, forgive my language, why did you accept my cock so easily? Further more, why did you let me breed you?” he whispered darkly.

The sound of a thunder rolling in the distance was all you needed to shove him off of you and run all the way down to your home. The warmth coiling in your lower abdomen, the irriration and rage blinding you when he got under your skin were something you could not control and it was driving you insane.

You did not want to die young. You did not want to die by the sword of a Captain, or a Lieutenant. Despite being the oldest of the team, and obviously not the weakest, you were not confident enough to wander down the mazy streets of the Seireitei. You had miraculously entered the walls without your brother and the rest of the gang, after escaping a tremendous fight with a Captain. The same Captain that had sent chills down your spine for his easygoing nature, but cold homicidal rage.

The same Captain that had almost cut your arm off of your shoudler. Hand pressing onto the wound, you were jogging down the streets, hoping no one recognized you. Some shinigamis did not pay much attentions to you, your uniform clearly confusing them.

But a guy with a tattoo over his face had been following you around for quite a while now. You had not even had the guts to look him straight in the eye, someone referring to him as ‘Lieutenant Hisagi’ had scared you off. You needed a shelter, you needed a place to heal your wounds and look for Rukia.

Your vision was getting blurry, though. Your limbs hurt and you eventually slumped down against a wall with a pained expression and the certainty you were going to die. Your eyes closed, a whimper leaving your lips, as you hoped no one found you like that. But a powerful spiritual pressure squashed you down onto the ground. Your wary eyes snapped open, a familiar face blessing your vision as a man with glasses knelt down in front of you.

The white haori, that reiatsu. He was a Captain. You were dead!

Your hand gripped your zanpakuto, swinging it towards him, as you coiled like a squirrel when he reached his hand out to touch your cheek. But he stopped you.

“I don’t want to hurt you”.

Curled up in a ball on your bed, you flinched at the sound of the umpteenth thunder exploding outside, the rain pattering against the window of your bedroom. You had not even eaten in Sosuke’s company, barely talking to him if not to inform him you were going to sleep. This happened around midnight. It was two o’ clock and you were restless, nervous and … Scared of storms.

You did not want to tell him about your weakness. You had been made fun of for it in the past and you were in no mood to argue anymore for the day. Probably a glass of water could calm you down. Or this is what you told yourself, whilst you walked barefoot in the dark corridor to reach the kitchen.

The door of his room was closed, your feet making no sound on your way back to your room. But a sudden thunder caused your grip on the glass to loosen and you watched helplessly as it made contact with the hard floor. Splinters of glass and a puddle of water littered the tiles and you let out a screech that caught the attention of your housemate.

Door creaking open, Sosuke leaned against the doorframe. No shirt, grey pants on and his chiseled abs in full display, he narrowed his eyes at you and the scene unfolding before his droopy eyes. You had never really seen him like that, partially disheveled, more human. He was not faking his sleep, at least.

“Sorry. Go back to sleep, I will clean up” you fretted, looking for a rag to wipe away the water and collect the shattered glass.

“Turn the lights on, at least. You’ll cut your feet like that” he tiredly observed, finger switching the lights on.

You were about to snap at him, ranting about how you were not a toddler and how you could perfectly take care of yourself, when you squirmed out in fear again and the thunder gave Sosuke the hint of what was happening right before his eyes. Trembling like a leaf, you stared at him like a soaked, scared kitten, his lips parting in disbelief.

You feared being judged.

“It’s pathetic, I know” you blurted out in defeat.

He did not reply immediately, merely glancing at his room behind him before stepping aside “Come inside” he offered.

You furrowed your brows, his offer sounding strangely soothing and you searched for his eyes to find some further infos about his intentions.

The shinigami sighed, folding his arms across his chest “I don’t want to hurt you”.

Those words again. This promise of not harming you, the way you found yourself entering his room in search for protection felt like a deja-vu. However, as you sat onto the edge of his bed and he joined you, grasping a black t-shirt from the desk and wearing it, you could tell he had no intention to fool you in any way.

“If you don’t want to sleep alone, you can stay here” Sosuke said, before lying down onto his back.

You felt your cheeks heat up, foreteeth sinking onto your bottom lip “It’s inappropriate and… I don’t understand why you’re doing it anyway”.

“We’re far beyond the ‘appropriate’ etiquette, don’t you think? — he bantered, watching you shift onto your seat and slowly lying down next to him, rolling onto your side to face the wall — Also, I don’t mind you sleeping next to me”.

You mentally cursed yourself for having accepted, but when his arm snaked around you, pulling your back against his body to spoon you, you felt safe. Not a single thunder scared you anymore that night, not as you fell asleep in his arms.

As selfish as he was though, Sosuke had his reasons for wanting you there. Since you two had slept next to each other, he had learnt to appreciate the company of a warm body next to his one, your body.

Maybe feeling was not as detrimental as he had always thought. Maybe you were worth the shot. Probably, you were the cure to his solitude.

AUTHOR NOTE.

Hi, there!

I honestly did not think so many people were going to be invested in this story. Thank you so much for showing appreciation to my work, it means a lot! Having said that, I have been looking forward to write this chapter. Whilst there will be other chapters in which Sosuke is going to be involved into mundane situations, shopping with his ‘so-called-girlfriend’ is something I really enjoyed picturing. Sorry for the late update! I promise you very spicy things in the next one. As for now, thank you so much for your feedback!

Love,

— Luce

TAGS: @pseudowho @seireiteihellbutterfly @onyxino @areyouflying @bakugosgirl01 @noirfan12 @velaenaa

[rubycruzin4abruzin]

Forbidden Crown - II

Summary: Five years after your last visit to Tir Asleen, you finally get to see Kit again. Although you promised your mother you wouldn’t let Kit influence you, her fiery personality and strong will draw you in, and open your eyes to a whole new world of excitement and adventure.

Pairing: kit tanthalos x princess!reader

Contains: fluff, reader’s subtle mommy issues, rebellious kit, weapons, sword fighting, stumbling upon mature illustrations, childlike innocence, implied parent death, one bed, sneaking out

Word Count: 5.6k

A/N: this chapter does contain adolescents stumbling upon some ‘sensual’ illustrations in library books. It is purely meant to be part of a ‘coming of age,’ and I even had others proofread it to make sure it comes off that way. Anyways, here’s the second chapter of Forbidden Crown! :)

Almost immediately upon returning to Azarenth, you began pressing your parents about revisiting Tir Asleen.

Your inquiries began innocently. “Mommy, can we go and see the twins today?”

Each time, she’d shake her head. “Not today, sweetheart. Our responsibilities leave no time for such an endeavor.”

Then, you resorted to excuses. “Father, we’ve been so busy, we could really use a holiday. How about a trip to Tir Asleen?”

He’d chortle at the suggestion. “Princess, if we were to go on holiday, it certainly would not be to a place such as Tir Asleen!”

Every day, you would pose similar questions, and as time went on, your parents' refusals became curt, tinged with vexation. Eventually, you ceased questioning altogether, not wanting to further irritate them.

Despite your silence, your mind occupied itself with thoughts of Kit. You longed to keep in contact with her, but your parents thought you weren’t old enough to have your own carrier pigeon. In an attempt to keep her close, you even secretly wore her breeches beneath your dresses until they no longer fit, then kept them stashed in the bottom of your storage chest, hidden from your parents or any prying maids.

Every day, you wondered how she was doing, and every day, you wondered if she thought of you as well.

It wasn’t until just before the summer of your tenth year that you thought you would ever see Kit again. On a golden May afternoon, you heard your mothers voice calling you in from playing outside with some children from the nearby village. Disgruntled, you bid your friends farewell and trudged back in through the castle doors.

Upon entering, you immediately saw your parents sitting in the Great Hall, hands folded on the table in front of them. You gulped; this room was rarely ever used, with the exception of large gatherings or very important meetings. Hypothetical scenarios swarmed your mind as you desperately tried to figure out what horrible thing you had done to warrant a meeting in the Great Hall.

Walking in, you took a seat across from your parents, folding your hands in your lap and refusing eye contact.

“I’m sure you’re wondering why we called you in here,” your mother began, never one to beat around the bush.

You nodded slowly, still declining to meet her gaze. Your father cleared his throat, taking over the conversation.

“Princess,” he began. “As you’re well aware, you are a child of nobility. It is very important to us that you grow up receiving the best education and training possible, and that includes learning crucial life skills such as independence and adaptability.”

Furrowing your brow, you nodded, confused. You didn’t have a clue where this conversation was going and frankly wished your parents would just get to the point so you could go back outside.

Almost as if she could read your mind, your mother jumped in. “Your father and I have been exchanging letters with the Queen of Tir Asleen. You remember Sorsha and her twins, don’t you?”

Your ears perked up at this, the mere mention of your long-lost friends sending a wave of sweet nostalgia to wash over you. “Of course! I loved playing with Kit.”

“And Airk,” your mother interrupted, hardening her gaze.

Forgetting that your mother wasn’t necessarily a fan of the Princess of Tir Asleen, you were quick to agree. “Yes, Airk too, surely.”

“After some back and forth,” your mother took a deep breath before delivering the news. “Queen Sorsha has agreed to foster you temporarily. You will be staying in Tir Asleen with her and her children for the summer months.”

Just for a brief moment, you swore your heart stopped beating before a burst of warmth exploded in your chest. Three whole months spent with Kit? Staying in the Tir Asleen castle? Away from your parents? The very thought made you tingle with excitement.

“This is not a holiday,” your mother interrupted your daydream as if she could see your thoughts. “You will be studying under an array of tutors and governesses, receiving a rigorous education and learning proper court etiquette. I hope you don’t think you’re going to spend the entire summer rolling around in mud with that filthy girl.”

Your mother’s slander against Kit made your blood boil underneath your skin, evaporating to your face and turning your cheeks a dark crimson. Every cell in your body wanted to stand up and scream at your mother before shouting Kit’s praises. Instead, you decided to seethe quietly, fearing that speaking up could jeopardize the trip.

As the conversation came to a close and you got up to leave, your mother called your name just before you made it out the door. You took a deep breath, forcing a grin as you turned to face her.

“Yes, mother?” Your voice came out strained and tense.

Her expression turned serious as her jaw stilled, mouth tight in a straight line. She peered at you through her brow, not breaking her gaze for one moment.

“Don’t let that Kit girl influence you. I mean it.”

The following fortnight seemed to drag as you waited impatiently for June to arrive. Each day seemed to tick by slower than the last, until you managed to develop an irrational hatred for the month of May.

When the morning of your departure finally arrived, a servant entered your bedchamber to fetch your storage chest, only to find the room empty and the chest missing. After informing the castle and a brief moment of panic, one of the guards found you already in the carriage, having dragged your storage chest by yourself all the way outside at the first sign of daybreak.

“May we leave now?” You asked, ever impatient.

The castle staff shared a hearty chuckle over your eagerness when your parents stepped outside, dismissing the crew before bidding their final farewells.

“Luck be with you in Tir Asleen, Princess,” your father began, bearing his familiar kind smile. “You’re not to worry about traveling alone, I hired the best coachman in all of Azarenth to ensure your safety.”

Returning your fathers warm grin, you leaned out the carriage window to wrap your arms around his neck. Your mother, nowhere near as affectionate as her husband, simply gave you a tight smile and a curt nod.

“Be on your best behavior for Sorsha, please.”

The day-long journey to Tir Asleen was long and winding, the wheels against cobblestone bricks gently rocking the carriage. Traveling alone for the first time had you a tad nervous, but the friendly coachman made sure to keep you company.

Soon, as the late afternoon sun began its descent, the castle of Tir Asleen gradually came into view. Nostalgic memories rushed through your mind as the stone battlements seemed to pierce the clouds. You leaned your head out the carriage window, feeling the warm wind on your face and breathing in the familiar smell of dew.

The carriage came to a halt at the castle entrance, the sudden stillness of the car making you wonder how long your hands had been shaking. Peering out the carriage window, you saw Airk near the front, sword sparring with another boy around his age.

Disappointment shadowed your face at the absence of Kit, but you tried to hide it. As you waited for the coachman to gather your things, you busied yourself watching Airk spar. He was quite the swordsman, staying quick on his feet, and countering each attack with focus clouding his uncovered face.

Despite Airk’s impressive skill, his opponent still seemed to have the upper hand. You couldn’t quite make out who he was due to a faceplate covering his features, but his technique was precise, perfected, almost as if he’d had to work twice as hard as Airk to get where he was.

Suddenly, Airk momentarily lost his footing on a slippery rock, allowing his mysterious opponent to take advantage and deliver one final strike. Airk tumbled to the ground, the anonymous swordsman moving to stand over him as he conceded defeat.

You couldn’t help but erupt into applause, after all, duels rarely happened in your kingdom. Startled, Airk and his friend turned towards you, noticing your presence for the first time since you’d arrived. You were about to approach Airk and exchange pleasant greetings when his masked adversary suddenly removed his faceplate, shaking out his hair and revealing his identity.

Shock hung from your features. This mysterious man wasn’t mysterious at all! Or a man! It was Kit!

“Kit!” You exclaimed, your voice coming out as an involuntary squeal.

She called your name back and ran to you, enveloping you in a hug. You buried your face into the crook of her neck, damp with sweat from the humidity of the faceplate.

“Your hair got so long!” You commented after pulling away.

It was true. Kits original short chop now flowed in waves down to her mid-torso, making her look oddly feminine even in trousers.

“I hate it,” Kit groaned, pinching a lock of her hair and frowning down at it. “It gets so hot, and I hate having to put it up.”

As she fidgeted with her hair, your gaze traveled down to her wrist, noticing a sandstone silk strand peeking out of her sleeve. Curious, you took her hand and pushed her sleeve up, revealing the ribbon she had stolen from you all those years ago.

“My ribbon!” You exclaimed, surprised and genuinely touched. “You still wear it?”

“Every day,” Kit answered truthfully. “It reminds me of you.”

You turned her wrist over in your hand, admiring the ribbon. The previously bright pink silk had faded into a blush beige, bleached from sun exposure. Once perky bunny-ear loops now drooped down her wrist, tickling the bottom of her palm. It was almost unrecognizable, this old ribbon that time had not been kind to, and the fact that Kit had worn it all these years warmed a special place in your heart.

Airk cleared his throat, startling you slightly as you had forgotten he was there. You offered him an apologetic smile, letting go of Kit’s wrist to shake his hand.

“Forgive me,” you chuckled nervously. “It’s good to see you again as well, Airk.”

The rest of the evening was spent catching up; the three of you laid on patches of grass and recounted events from the last five years until a maid rang the dinner bell. Even at dinner, all of you prattled incessantly. Airk eventually found he’d said enough and focused on his meal, but you and Kit talked through mouthfuls of food, much to Sorsha’s chagrin.

“You can eat or you can speak, but it’s terribly impolite to combine the two,” she scolded.

After the third or fourth lecture, you noticed how they would only come from Sorsha. A brief glance around the table confirmed your suspicions: Madmartigan was absent.

“Where’s your dad?” You whispered to Kit, worried that asking Sorsha directly would upset her.

Kit, however, perked up at your question, eyes sparkling at the mention of her role model. “He’s on a quest! He’s going to fight inside a worm!”

“He’s trying to destroy the Wyrm from the inside, Kit.” Airk corrected.

Kit brushed off her brother, ignoring his comment and continuing. “He’s been fighting the Wyrm for some time now. He’s so busy, but he always has a letter delivered to us on the first of every month!”

She sprang up from her chair, dashing to fetch the most recent letter before being stopped by Sorsha. “Kit, how many times have I said not to leave the table without being excused?”

Kit spun around with a dramatically curtsy and mimed pulling on an invisible skirt. “Mother, may I please be excused from this fine supper? Oh mummy, please may I?”

You stifled a giggle at her theatrics. Sorsha sighed, dismissing her with the wave of her hand. Kit sped out of the room, returning seconds later with a piece of paper and thrusting it into Sorsha’s hands.

“This one arrived today.” Kit explained, leaning over her mother’s shoulder.

Despite Sorsha’s annoyance with her daughter, she couldn’t help but smile as she gingerly pinched the corners of her husband's letter.

“My dear family,” she began reading as Airk rushed over, joining Kit in reading over their mother’s shoulder. “As I venture forth on this perilous mission, know that my thoughts are never far from all of you. My journey to confront the Wyrm may be ripe with danger, but carrying the strength of our family has gotten me through some challenging moments.”

“To my daughter, Kit,” Kit perked up at the mention of her name, leaning farther into the letter as Sorsha continued to read. “Your unyielding spirit and fearlessness are sure to serve you well in all that you do. Always remember to keep your sword sharp and your wits sharper.”

“To Airk,” it was Airk’s turn to lean into the letter. “My son, every day you continue to amaze me. I look forward to returning and watching you grow into the man I know you’re destined to be.”

“And to my lovely wife,” Sorsha’s voice cracked as she read. “Not a day goes by where I don’t picture your face. You are the light that leads me through the darkest tunnels.”

Sorsha sniffed, attempting to discreetly wipe away a tear before reading the last section. “I promise to return one day, victorious and bearing plenty of stories. Until then, I hope you’ll take comfort in these letters. All my love, Madmartigan.”

Kit looked up from the letter, eyes shining with undeterrable admiration. “When I grow up, I want to be just like him.”

Later that night, as you readied yourself for slumber in one of the castle's many guest rooms, a knock interrupted your solitude. You granted permission to enter, fixing your posture and bracing yourself to be greeted by Sorsha. However, your tension eased when the door cracked and Kit’s face poked through.

“I need your help with something,” she whispered, cautious not to disturb any sleeping residents.

“Why? What happened?” You inquired.

Without another word, Kit seized your hand and led you away. You protested at first, feeling naked in your thin nightgown outside the walls of your bedchamber, but Kit's hand wrapped around yours felt soothing, like a warm glove on a cold day, and you knew that no matter where you went, you would be safe as long as Kit was there.

She led you to the end of the hall, down a flight of stairs, and through the doors of the basement, only letting go of your hand to ignite a taper candle and shed some light into the dark room. Weapons of all shapes and sizes mounted the walls, their silver blades illuminating in the candle light. Various types of armor decorated the corners, including the faceplate Kit had worn earlier in the day.

“Is this…”

“The armory.” Kit answered your unspoken question.

You nodded, marveling at the room. Azarenth had an armory in their castle too, but it was heavily guarded, and strictly off limits to you.

Kit plucked a sword from the wall and laid it flat against her palms, presenting it to you. “I need you to cut my hair.”

“What?” You searched Kit’s face for any sign of humor, but found none as she stood completely serious.

“I need you to cut my hair,” she repeated. “I can’t reach back there, and Airk won’t do it because he’s afraid of getting in trouble.”

“What if I get in trouble?” You asked, still in disbelief at her request.

“You won’t,” she replied, completely sure of herself.

Kit still sensed your hesitation, so she put the sword down and took both of your hands in hers. “You’re not going to get in trouble, I promise. My mom won’t let me cut my hair because she says it makes me look ‘pretty,’ but what good is beauty if I’m constantly uncomfortable? Please, I really need you to do this for me.”

There it was again, that feeling of safety that surmounted whenever Kit held your hand. You sighed defeatedly, nodding in agreement. Kit beamed at you as she placed the sword in your hands, but the large piece of metal turned out to be much heavier than you expected and you ended up dropping it, the sword falling to the ground with a loud clatter.

“I haven’t actually… used a sword before,” you admitted sheepishly.

“Hmm…” Kit thought for a second before her face brightened once again, running to a nearby rack and picking up an oddly-shaped knife. “Dagger?”

You agreed, and Kit handed you the dagger, showing you how to grip the handle. As you clutched this foreign weapon, a new sense of power washed over you. You suddenly felt invincible, safe, but a different kind of safe from when Kit held your hand.

“How short do you want it?” You asked, still examining the jagged piece of metal.

Kit shrugged. “I just don’t want to have to tie it up in order to spar.”

She turned around, facing away from you and shaking out her long locks so they all flowed down her back. You gulped, gathering her hair in a handful just below her neck, hands shaking as the previous power evaporated into thin air and replaced itself with anxiety. With one quick slash it was all over, the sharp blade passing through her delicate hairs with ease. A sigh left your lips, relieved to have completed your task. You glanced down to admire your handiwork, but were met with a sight so horrific that the dagger fell from your unsteady hands, dropping to the floor with a sharp clang.

Her hair, once long and beautiful, was now absolutely botched. Tresses meant to float over her shoulders now curled just under her ears, while crooked sprigs stuck out in all directions.

“How does it look?” Kit asked, but you were too afraid to answer.

When you didn’t, she picked up the sword off the ground, admiring her reflection in the shiny metal. Her jaw dropped, eyes wide with shock. She reached up, carefully running her fingers over the butchered ends.

A lump rose in your throat as you became overwhelmed with guilt. “Kit, I’m so…”

“I love it.” Kit said in a low voice.

You blinked, not quite registering what she said. “Huh?”

“I love it!” Kit repeated, grinning from ear to ear. “It’s exactly what I wanted: short!”

“But it’s so choppy and uneven!” You exclaimed, confused by her elation.

Kit shook her head, sprigs flying in every direction. “I look the way I’ve always felt inside: a harbinger of chaos!”

She swung the sword around for effect, giggling like a little kid. You felt yourself relax as you watched her, relieved she wasn’t angry and somewhat enamored by her unbridled joy.

All of a sudden, the unmistakable slam of a basement door reverberated throughout the armory. A tall figure entered, holding a large torch that cast a looming shadow. You and Kit froze, tension palpable as the figure stepped forward, revealing itself to be Sorsha.

Her gaze immediately fixated on Kit’s hair, expression hardening into unreadable stone. “There was a clatter. I was afraid there might be an intruder.”

Slowly, she approached you two, both of you holding your breath in anticipation. She reached out to touch Kit’s chopped tresses tentatively, as if they would scald her. “Your hair…”

You glanced between Kit and Sorsha, a sense of dread settling inside you as you prepared your confession. “Your majesty, I…”

“I did it,” Kit interjected, surprising you. “I got fed up with my long hair, and since you wouldn’t allow me to get it cut, I snuck down here and did it myself.”

Sorsha squinted at her daughter, skeptical at her story. Noticing her doubt, Kit gestured towards you. “She’s here because she tried to stop me.”

Sorsha’s gaze shifted down, noticing Kit still holding a sword, while your hands were empty. She took a step back, her face darkening with a quiet anger. You held your breath, bracing yourself for the explosion, but instead her eyes softened as she turned to you.

“Your mother raised such a well-behaved young lady,” she remarked sweetly before redirecting her attention to Kit. “I wish I had done the same…”

You glanced over at Kit, who appeared unfazed by her mother’s hurtful words.

“We’ll continue this discussion upstairs,” Sorsha muttered through clenched teeth, seizing Kit’s arm and leading her away.

You watched as Kit was pulled out of the basement, the guilt from going along with her lie eating you up from the inside. Part of you longed to follow, to confess your involvement, but your feet stayed cemented to the floor, blocks of concrete too heavy to move.

Just before disappearing through the door, Kit turned to look at you, noting your terror-stricken face. You attempted to mouth an ‘I’m sorry,’ but she vigorously shook her head. Instead, she offered you a reassuring smile, sending a wink in your direction that made your heart squeeze. And just like that, you became certain that everything would be alright.

It would be a full month before you could speak to Kit again.

You were right to be worried about getting into trouble, because Kit had gotten herself into a lot. As punishment, she had been confined to her chambers for the past few weeks, only being let out to assist the scullions with chores. Sometimes, you would pass her walking with the maids in the hallways, and when no one was looking, she would shoot you a funny face that never failed to make you laugh.

The weeks without Kit seemed to stretch, each day growing longer than the last. You eventually grew bored with Tir Asleen, the absence of your friend diminishing the kingdom’s original appeal. Luckily, you at least had Airk to keep you company.

“Why do you think our parents keep pushing us to be friends?” You asked him one day, while you were both taking a stroll around the palace gardens.

Airk simply shrugged. “I wonder that too sometimes. Perhaps they want us to learn about each other's homes?”

You shook your head. “Azarenth is only a day trip away from Tir Asleen, not much to learn. Maybe they just want us to get along.”

“But I don’t recall any conflict between our kingdoms,” Airk remarked.

These were the typical conversations between you and Airk: mundane, frivolous words meant to fill an empty space. It’s not as if he wasn’t pleasant company, but he just didn’t excite you the way Kit did.

One early morning, near the end of the month, you were sound asleep in your guest bed when you suddenly felt a crushing weight moving on top of you, followed by the inability to breathe. You opened your eyes to see a dark figure over you, holding its hands over your nose and mouth. Fear coursed through you as your survival instinct took over, thrashing under the dark figure and screaming pleas muffled by its hands.

“Shh… shh… Princess…” the figure leaned down to whisper in your ear.

Your stifled breath hitched in your throat at the familiarity of the figure's voice. Forcing yourself to calm down, you stared up at the figure, eyes adjusting to the darkness until Kit’s unmistakable face came into view.

“Kit…” you whispered as soon as she removed her hands from your mouth. “What are you…”

“I’m not in trouble anymore,” she cut you off. “I’m free.”

“What…” you sat up to lean on your elbows. “Kit, that’s wonderful. But, what do you mean?”

“My mother’s focusing on Airk now,” she replied. “Come with me.”

She seized your hand once again and pulled you out of bed, disclosing her intentions while leading you across the castle.

“I’m usually awoken this early to assist the scullions with chores,” she explained. “However, this morning one of the more prying maids told me that I’m no longer needed, that Airk will be doing chores now.”

“But why?” You inquired.

“I’ll show you.”

She led you down to the large double doors of the palace library, opening them cautiously to avoid getting caught. The overwhelming smell of old books hit you as soon as you stepped inside, smacking you in the face before enveloping you in a warm hug. Your castle didn’t have a library as much as a few bookshelves here and there, so you couldn’t help but stop and marvel at Tir Asleen’s vast collection of books piled high as the ceiling.

“Come on,” Kit insisted, yanking you out of your daydream and pulling you towards a table in the back of the library that was covered with half-open books. “The maid said that my mother caught Airk reading these late last night, and that’s why he’s in trouble.”

“For reading?” You were puzzled.

“Not just reading,” Kit explained. “She said the literature was lewd.”

“Lewd?”

“Bad.” Kit clarified, a wicked grin spreading across her face.

Your brows furrowed, still confused. “But… how can a book be bad?”

Kit seemed unsure how to answer your question, but was curious to find out. She pulled a paper manuscript off the top of one of the piles and opened it to a random page, both of you gasping at the sight. While the text was nothing extraordinary, the margins of the pages were filled with graphic drawings of women in various states of undress.

Your finger trembled as you pointed at one of the women, the top of her dress pulled down to her stomach. “Is that…”

“I think that’s what they’re supposed to look like. When we’re older.” Kit whispered, not taking her eyes off the page.

Both of you sat at the table and stared at the page in awe, neither of you daring to speak. After a moment, you decided to pick another book off of one of the piles, the cover reading “Carmina Burana.” You glanced at Kit, who bore into you, silently daring you to open it.

Flipping to another random page, you came across a translated poem entitled “Si Puer Cum Puella,” and began to read. “If a lad and his sweet lover, in a room together linger—an ineffable game begins, in their abandoned lips and limbs.”

Looking over at Kit, you expected her to explain what the poem meant, but she seemed as confused as you were. Turning the page, you found more marginalia, these drawings far different from the ones in the manuscript. In the corner of the page was a drawing of a man, carrying a sword in a full state of undress that exposed his flaccid…

You slammed the book shut in disgust, cheeks burning a dark crimson.

“What happened?” Kit questioned.

With a shaky hand, you pushed the book in her direction. She furrowed her brow at you and flipped it open, thumbing through the pages until coming across the drawing. Horrified, she let out a sharp “eek” before slamming the book shut once again.

“Shhh…” you reminded her, remembering what happened the last time you two got caught sneaking around. She nodded, slapping a hand over her mouth.

Both of you stared down at the book as if it had burned you. The air around you felt thick, the only audible sounds being shallow breaths and your own heart beating in your ears.

“Airk has one of those,” Kit finally spoke in a low voice. “I’ve seen it. We took baths together when we were younger.”

“Do they all look like that?” You asked in disgust.

Kit shook her head, gesturing to the abandoned book. “Not like that!”

The two of you stood frozen for another minute before you decided to take a leap of faith, grabbing the “Carmina Burana” and flipping back to the offending page. You tore out the drawing, ripping it to shreds and shoving it down one of your stockings to dispose of later. Glancing over at Kit, she stood shocked, her mouth agape.

“I think boys are nasty,” you exclaimed, grabbing the previous manuscript and revisiting the page with the drawings of women, a satisfied grin spreading across your face. “Much better.”

For the rest of the summer, you and Kit made it a habit to sneak around in the dead of nights, embarking on secret little adventures just for the two of you. Sometimes you would revisit the back corners of the library to explore banned literature; other times, you would break into the kitchen to eat an entire jar of fruit preserves between the two of you.

But most nights were reserved for nothing but late-night chatter. You would hide in each other's rooms, whispering secrets that dissolved into the quiet of the night, like you did when you were younger.

However, these late nights did take a toll on your daily schedules; neither of you could stay awake during the day. When summer classes started around mid-July, you often found yourself dozing off in the middle of them, frequently waking up to the angry scolds of a palace tutor following the sharp thwack of a ruler against your desk.

One Saturday morning, you were at the breakfast table eating with the Tanthalos family, when you felt yourself start to nod off before being awoken by a sharp jab in the ribs.

“Ouch,” you exclaimed, glaring daggers at Airk, sitting next to you. “What was that for?”

He held up his hands defensively. “You fell asleep on your toast.”

Groaning, you took your napkin and wiped the butter off your cheek. Now that you were awake, you couldn’t help but notice that Kit, who usually sat across from you in a similar state of stupor, was missing.

“Where did Kit go?” You asked Airk.

He gave a half-hearted wave in the direction of the kitchen window. “It’s the first of the month. Where do you think she went?”

Sure enough, Kit had glued herself to the kitchen window, refusing to look away from the nothingness of the outside in case a messenger were to appear out of nowhere.

“Kit,” Sorsha sighed in exasperation. “Come back and finish your breakfast.”

“But dad’s letter hasn’t arrived yet!” Kit protested.

“It’s early morning, the day has just begun. I’m sure your father’s letter will arrive later, now come eat!”

Kit grumbled as she plopped herself back down at the breakfast table, wolfing down her meal in seconds flat before excusing herself back to the window.

Unfortunately, the day’s sun came and went with no letter in sight. By nightfall, Kit was still perched at the window, wringing her hands like a damp towel.

“Time for bed, Kit.” Sorsha commanded, a hint of pity in her voice.

Kit looked up at her mom with wide eyes. “What about dad’s letter?”

Sorsha sent her daughter a reassuring smile, not showing any concern. “Sometimes messengers can get lost, nothing to worry about. I’m sure his letter will turn up soon.”

Several days passed with Kit stationed at the window, growing increasingly anxious each day as she waited for something that never came. By the end of the week, still no letter had arrived, and even Sorsha’s calm composition began to falter.

“Mom,” Kit called from the window, voice coming out small and frail. “Where’s dad’s letter?”

Sorsha rested her hand on her daughter’s shoulder, peering out at the fading sky alongside her. “I’m not sure, Kit.”

“Is he alright?” Kit looked to her mother for reassurance, a small child desperate for a glimmer of hope.

Sorsha opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She turned away from her daughter, letting the silence settle between them like a thick fog. And that was the moment all light died from Kit’s eyes, the innocence of her childhood crumbling before her like a glass vase shattering on tile floor.

That night, you were preparing for a restful evening when your door flung open. Startled, you whipped around to see Kit standing in your doorway. She seemed fragile, like a baby bird with a broken wing.

“Hey,” she whispered, her red, puffy eyes visible in the dim candlelight.

“Hey…” you responded, confused. Your midnight retreats had been put on hold after Kit’s attention turned towards her father’s letter.

“I’m worried about my dad…” Kit admitted in a low voice. “Can I sleep in here tonight?”

Her words tugged at your heartstrings, filling you with sympathy. You agreed, climbing into bed and patting the space beside you. Kit smiled gratefully and crawled onto her side, pulling the covers over the both of you. It was a bit of a tight squeeze to cram two adolescents into a twin bed, as you both had done a lot of growing since your childhood sleepover. But as Kit buried her head in your chest and snuggled up close, the proximity didn’t bother you. The warmth of your bodies merged like two flames into a single fire, becoming one and the same.

“No one knows where he is,” she mumbled into the silk of your nightgown. “Do you think something happened to him?”

You gently scratched her back and soothed her labored breaths, taking a moment to choose your words carefully. “Kit… you are one of the strongest people I know. I really, truly mean that. If your dad has even a fraction of your strength, I know there’s nothing that could stop him from seeing you again.”

Kit’s breathing evened out as your words seemed to reassure her. Her eyelids fought to stay open, a week of restless nights finally catching up to her. You bent down, planting a gentle kiss on her head before you both drifted off to sleep.

Tag List: @chloepricesgirl @canmargesimpson @yourelliewillms @valenftcrush @camilleee222 @prettygirlfemme @slaytillieswooo @love4lyn @joanvisitsrome @athenalive @mih11 @j-pacifica @everybodyhatesari @vii-ofswords @sofi4v13

[rwrbficrecs]

i’d take the bomb in your head and disarm it by @henrysfox (book-verse)

@na-dineee: Alex and Henry are students at NYU who randomly become dorm roommates. After a few short weeks of mutual dislike their friendship starts to grow - and could it actually be more ...?! At the end of the story, I was baffled that the two of them could be so completely clueless the whole time?! Then again, who am I to judge when someone settles for half-baked assumptions instead of just mustering up the courage and trying to have an honest conversation?! 😇 The story is so gentle, so angsty and Alex is just so vulnerable and soft - just beautiful and moving!

you are my mountain (you are my sea) by @alasse9 (book-verse)

@na-dineee: Five moments between Alex and Henry, starting with the visit to Alex's childhood home in Texas after Ellen's election victory, a vulnerable moment in the Brownstone, a vacation in Mexico City... This story isn't even close to 10,000 words, but it's so unbelievably powerful - I am still blown away! The author manages to hit on so many interpersonal aspects and delicate vibrations, to formulate soft, tender feelings and thoughts and describes Alex and Henry both so damn considerate and soulful - the author nailed it (imho), it's almost impossible to grasp!

Shatter Me by @historicallysam (book-verse)

@na-dineee: Henry and Alex are still Prince and First Son, some is canon, a lot slightly modified, but: Alex is out, Henry is not. He isn't even sure if he's gay or if he ever wants to acknowledge it - until he meets Alex and falls head over heels. The catch, on top of the homophobic Queen: Henry is engaged, his fiancée lovely, amazing even, and the wedding date is about to be set. How the author weaves together the familiar events and plotlines and their own ideas is brilliant! Not gonna lie: It was (to me) oppressive at times, really angsty - but also highly gripping!

The Consequences (of our Actions) (series) by @anchoredarchangel (book-verse)

@celeritas2997: Alex is just a Regular Guy who just happened to put Prince Henry on his 'No Consequences Sex List' and proceeds to tell him about this when they meet. Lots of sex (like, ridiculously hot sex) and feelings (SO MANY FEELINGS) ensue. I am convinced that Anchor is magic and will continue shouting about this series from the rooftops until the end of days; it is clever, sexy, funny, beautifully written and so, so, so heartfelt. ❤️

@heybuddy-drabbles: I started this when it first started and thought it was just some fun little pwp canon divergence. When I picked it up again, it was a hell of a series. I loved every last bit of it. It goes way into the whole "If cake gate didn't happen, Alex would have made himself a problem for Henry anyway" and he does in the most glorious way. I can't talk enough about HENRY in this though. It's mostly on Alex POV except the extra chapter but I'm OBSESSED WITH HENRY. How he's older. How he does things for himself like running the shelters with Pez even before he meets Alex. Anyway I could talk about Henry in this series for days but that's not why we are here for. Just, do yourself a favor and just read this.

5 Times Henry Hated New Year's + 1 Time He Didn't by @hgejfmw-hgejhsf (book-verse)

@suseagull04: This fic is such an emotional rollercoaster, but it's worth every gut-wrenching twist! It delves into each of the six parts so well that you feel like you're experiencing each of Henry's life experiences with him.

I don't wanna look at anything else now that I saw you by @gayrootvegetable (book-verse)

@suseagull04: This is the cutest combination of a high school AU and soulmate AU! This fic is short but so very sweet!

if you have a garden and a library... by @glasshouses-and-stones (book-verse)

@suseagull04: This fic is so cute! It's not technically a Cinderella AU, but it has those vibes, and the author does a great job with the setting. Another fic that's short but so sweet!

It takes a lot to know a man by dazedandconfused (book/movie-verse)

@inexplicablymine: when I tell you to mind the trigger warnings that is true, but I can also say my GOD is this fic fantastic the writing is superb and the pacing is right on and the plot is so intricately woven I am elated to recommend it everywhere I can. Talk about an in depth suspense thriller mixed with that sex club dom/sub trope mixed with a law case ~ truly there are no words to describe how much this work gripped me as I read through it

@dot524: The subject matter is heavy at times and so are the smut scenes, but also I was fascinated with the story. I didn’t expect it to end up in the intense culminating scene that it did.

Something borrowed, Something blue by @anincompletelist (book-verse)

@heybuddy-drabbles: Yes, I know I recommended this during our Wip Wednesdays but now I'm going to recommend it here for the peeps who only read complete works. Read this. I beg of you. It's so excellent. Henry's relationship with June is something so special to me in this. June and her little family, her daughter means the world to me as well. Alex and his complicated feelings for Henry, their "enemies" to lovers road is just. God I loved it so much. Henry. HENRY IN THIS. Just. Please read this.

hold on (get ready for the ride) by wilmonflicker (book-verse)

@wilmonsfolklore: a professional soccer/football AU that I binged and completely fell in love with. Alex transfers to the team where Henry is the star player, and they get together. it's beautifully written, smutty at times and perfect for sport lovers and non-sport lovers alike

check out our past Monthly Faves here ❤️

[flowerandblood]

The Impossible Choice (21)

[ Aemond • Targaryen x Baratheon! • female ]

[ warnings: angst, swearing, violence ]

[description: Aemond comes to Storm’s End to choose his future consort. However, Lord Borros Baratheon presents him with only four of his five daughters. Being attached to his youngest child, he does not want to marry her. The prince, however, thwarts his and her plans with his decision. This is slow burn, with a lot of dark angst and sexual tension. (Anon Request)]

* English is not my first language. Please, do not repost. Enjoy! *

Previous and next chapters: Masterlist

______

The thought of her separation from her husband which awaited her filled her with sadness and uncertainty. It was only then that she realised his strength and his nature lent itself to her, the embrace of his arms and his stony demeanour giving her a sense of security.

The fortress he had built around himself and which he had let her into, allowing her to hide behind its walls, was impregnable.

However, she did not hide her surprise when she noticed that her husband was not indifferent to their separation either; the closer they got to her journey, the more often he touched her, not only in his chamber but also outside, in front of everyone.

His hand would imperceptibly touch hers, his knee would cling to hers under the table, his nose would brush her hair when he wanted to whisper something in her ear.

A wonderful shiver ran through her and she had butterflies in her stomach from this touch − she had the feeling that the more frightening and monstrous the world around them became, the more they locked themselves in their private, intimate bubble, confined to the stretch of their arms and the touch of their skin, to their glances between each other.

She caught herself thinking sometimes, looking at her husband as they read together in the great library of the Red Keep, that contrary to what her father had feared, this marriage had not destroyed her.

Once her husband realised that he could count on her complete support and loyalty, he suddenly slowly let go of any means of control over her, deeming them unnecessary. In a sense, she now had more freedom and scope for action than she had in Storm's End, for she was a prince's wife.

The only thing she lacked for complete happiness was a child.

It had been nine months since they had married, full of their tender intimacies, and yet she was still not bearing his heir under her heart.

Her husband forbade her to speak about it, so she did not share her worries with him, leaving them to the women; it wasn't until a conversation with the Queen, which her husband didn't even know about, that she calmed down.

She visited her one day in her chamber, unannounced; the Queen, pale and tired, not sleeping well since her son became a King received her with dignity, offering her a kind, warm smile.

She knew from the beginning that the queen-mother had a fondness for her, seeing that her and her son's marriage was far more successful than her own.

She sat at the table and sighed quietly, remembering the words that she had said to her in exactly the same place nine months earlier, before her wedding night.

She thought with amusement that if she could, she would go back in time to herself from that period and reassure herself by saying that the only thing she would experience with her husband in bed would be pleasure.

However, she came for something else.

"I am concerned about my condition, my Queen." She said at last, playing with her fingers nervously. "I only dream of giving my husband an heir. We are doing everything right, and I am still bleeding."

The Queen sighed quietly and smiled at her; she placed her hand on hers and stroked her skin with her thumb.

A pleasant, motherly gesture full of warmth.

"You are still so young. A lot has happened in recent days. The Maesters says that a woman who is in a state of constant stress may find it difficult to bear a child. You still have plenty of time before your flower withers. Don't add to your worries by thinking about it, because it will only make things worse." She said softly, a calmness and conviction in her eyes that made some huge weight fall from her heart.

She didn't want them to think that she was useless.

She didn't want them to force her to divorce her husband.

He, however, was clearly not thinking of similar things; the day before she left he came inside her several times, drawing out her assurances that she would not touch her body seeking fulfilment during their separation. She sobbed again and again with each sharp, deep thrust of his hips, promising that she understood that only he had the right to touch her.

To him, however, that was not enough.

As soon as he came inside her, filling her with his seed, he began to place lazy, wet kisses on her sweaty skin again, his hand once more teasing the space between her thighs, starting it all over again. She begged him to let her sleep, knowing how hard the journey was ahead of her, and he answered her with amusement that he wouldn't mind it.

The next day she woke up all sore; her thighs was all wet and sticky from her moisture and his spend that he had filled her with. He slept, holding her locked in a strong embrace of his arms, his nose pressed into the hollow of her neck, his soft manhood still deep inside her.

She listened to the chirping of birds coming from outside the keep, watching as his chamber was illuminated by the first rays of the sun.

She thought that she was happy.

This realisation made her feel a squeeze in her throat, she suddenly felt like crying for some reason.

She didn't want to leave.

She didn't want to abandon him.

But she had a duty to perform.

She had to secure the support of her father for him and herself.

She tried to slip gently out of her husband's embrace, but his arms clamped violently around her, pressing her even tighter against his bare chest, feeling his frustrated, impatient breath on her cheek.

"Just a moment longer." He murmured lowly, his cock twitched and pulsed hard inside her. She swallowed loudly, feeling him slide out of her slowly, thinking that he was going to let her go, but he slid into her again, all the way in, making her breath catch in her lungs.

"− please −" She squirmed pleadingly, but he gripped her thigh in his large hand, digging his fingers into her soft skin, easing his way inside her, brushing her neck with his swollen lips.

He rooted into her in an unhurried, lazy pace, opening wide her slick folds on his cock, each time his thrust was accompanied by the wet slaps of skin against skin.

"− all sticky from my seed −" He hummed, delighted with her condition, his other hand teasing her nipple which became instantly hard at his words, her fleshy walls pulsing hungrily against it. She moaned helplessly, feeling the heat in her lower abdomen, his manhood thrusting so deeply inside her that she couldn't breathe.

He took her twice more before letting her get up, but he was unexpectedly gentle and tender, placing sticky kisses full of devotion and desire on her body and lips, making her sigh with delight − if she could, she would fall asleep in his arms again.

All he could do was watch, lying bare on his stomach, as Lyanna dressed her, getting her ready to leave.

Her husband was not looking at her but somewhere in the distance, thoughtful, his face stony and expressionless again.

She suffered greatly seeing this sight, but there was nothing she could do.

She approached him, laying down beside his body with the loud rustle of her gown. He looked up at her but said nothing; she took his face in her hands and kissed him softly, tenderly, brushing her plump, moist lips against his.

He stroked her cheek one last time and let her go.

She spent the journey to her home fortress contemplating in her carriage how she should speak to her father − she knew it would be unwise to begin discussion about politics straight away.

She was sure that he would be wary and distrustful, thinking that her husband had forced her into this unexpected visit.

She wanted him to believe her when she told him that her marriage had been successful.

When she stepped out of the carriage and saw the stone castle where she had spent her entire childhood piling up on the hill around the dark clouds, she took a quiet breath; the air there was more pleasant and brisk, filling her lungs wonderfully.

She smiled broadly and squealed with delight when she saw her brother come out to meet her − she ran to him and threw herself into his arms, happy.

Royce spun her around and set her finally on the ground, his servants took the few trunks of belongings that she had brought with her.

She had not planned to return to King's Landing straight away, recognising that it would have been impolite and would have portrayed her journey to Storm's End as purely political.

"My sweet sister. Father hasn't been able to sit still for days out of excitement." He murmured, and leaned down, placing a warm, tender kiss on her forehead.

If her husband had been with her she would have held back, but now, that she was alone, she touched her brother's cheek, stroking his chin.

"You too, Royce. Gods, how I've missed you."

They stepped into her father's fortress chatting lively and lightly as they had been in the habit of doing before she left; although she felt that she was a completely different person now, as if she had undergone some kind of transformation, conversing with him was as natural to her as breathing.

No one knew her as well as he did.

Not even her husband.

As they walked down the stone cold corridor, Royce led her into their main grand dining room where the fireplace was blazing, a huge wooden table lined with dishes already awaiting her arrival. Her father, standing by the fireplace, reached out to her with joy − even if he suspected what she had come for, he could not hide his paternal joy at her sight.

She hugged her father as she had when she was still a small child, clasping her hands on his back; Lord of Storm's End could not contain himself, his bearded face placed a sticky kiss full of tenderness and longing on his daughter's cheek.

"My daughter is home at last. It's a joyous day!" He said with contentment, inviting her to sit down at the table with a gesture of his hand. She saw out of the corner of her eye her sisters, gathered in one place, casting her anxious glances − Floris lowered her gaze, all red, as soon as her gaze met hers.

She sat in her place on the edge of the table, her brother to her left and Cassandra to her right, pretending not to see her.

She thought that her sisters, despite being older than her, were still immature girls, offended that someone had taken away their toy.

Royce chatted her up constantly, and also asked her if she wished to return to practising sword fighting after such a long hiatus. She smiled lightly at this question, lowering her eyelids.

"My husband is allowing me to practice swordfighting with Ser Criston in the Red Keep. I may eventually be able to defeat you, brother." She said softly, taking a piece of roast into her mouth.

She thought fondly that she had missed the wonderful flavours of the food their cook had prepared, which she had lacked in King's Landing.

Cassandra snorted at her words.

"I see you have returned home as bad-tempered as when you left it." She said coolly, taking a spoonful of soup into her mouth, without even looking at her.

She pressed her lips together, looking at her eldest sister.

Before she would have let such an insult pass her lips, unmoved, but now she was the prince's wife.

Everything had changed.

"Perhaps it is the very trait you so despise that caused you not to become my husband's wife." She said lightly, taking a sip of wine from her goblet, setting it with a loud clink of metal on the table, looking calmly ahead.

She saw Royce raise his eyebrows, surprised and amused, pressing his lips together with difficulty to keep from laughing − her father stroked his chin, looking at her and trying to hide his smirk.

"My daughter has an even more sharp tongue than I remembered." He said in a low voice as they continued to eat.

There was an awkward silence at the table, only the sound of plates and food around them; she and Royce cast amused glances at each other, her heart filling warmly at the thought that her older brother was on her side as always. Her father grunted.

"So, what brings you home, daughter? Why isn't your husband with you?" He asked with feigned indifference, biting into a piece of roast.

She heard Cassandra move uneasily in her seat, casting her a curious glance. She grunted, looking at her father calmly and confidently.

"My husband headed to Winterfell in a bid to win Lord Stark's support for the King." She said slowly, Royce hummed quietly. Her father reached for his cup, taking a loud sip from it and set the vessel down.

"I thought we were supposed to have a Queen." He said dispassionately.

Silence.

"I thought so too." She said, not lowering her gaze. "However, King Viserys changed his mind at the last moment and, not wanting to break a long-standing tradition, made his son his successor."

Silence.

All eyes were fixed on her father, who was chewing a bite that he had just taken into his mouth, thoughtful.

"That rapist and drunkard became a King?" He asked coolly; she felt a shudder pass through her. She lowered her gaze, embarrassed − she knew there was no point in trying to defend Aegon in her father's eyes.

He might not be able to read, but he was no fool, and nothing spread faster than gossip.

"Yes." She said finally, letting out a quiet breath. She shuddered when she heard someone else's voice.

"You shouldn't get involved in this, Father. Let Prince Aegon and Princess Rhaenyra settle the dispute over the throne between themselves. Do not take sides." Floris said, lifting her head proudly, looking at her sister defiantly.

She frowned, looking at her sister as if she were a prey, a light smirk on her lips.

She thought that being with her husband had taught her a few things, his predatory nature had shown her how to handle people who were insolent.

"I forgot to tell you, sweet sister. My husband sends his regards to you. I hope your ribs no longer cause you pain." She said softly and lightly, as if she were talking about something normal and cheerful. All gathered looked at Floris with surprise and concern, her sister turned scarlet.

She felt like laughing.

Floris was sure that she would not broach the subject of this event, that she would be ashamed of it.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Her sister could have chosen humble silence.

Speaking up, she chose fire and blood.

So be it.

"What is the meaning of this?" Asked their father, looking at Floirs, demanding an explanation.

Her older sister looked at her pleadingly with tears in her eyes, but she decided that she would have no mercy for her.

"The evening before you left, my husband summoned me to his chamber. I found my sister there. My husband told me, as he put it, that she had come to him to suck his cock and asked me what he should do with her for such an insult for his wife." She hummed, no trace of shame or embarrassment on her face.

She was proud to finally share with her family what a viper her sweet sister was.

Floris wanted to get up from the table, humiliated, Cassandra, Maris and Ellyn threw her a surprised, horrified look, Royce restrained himself barely to keep from bursting into a loud laugh of embarrassment.

"SIT DOWN!" Growled their father; his daughter stopped but began to sob quietly, shaken, seeing Lord Borros' gaze she sat docilely, taking her place between Cassandra and Ellyn again.

"Is it true?" Asked their father, looking at her expectantly, his hands lying on the table clenched into a fist. Lady Baratheon watched with satisfaction as her father shook with rage. "You went to the Prince like some whore?"

Floris could not catch her breath as she looked down at her plate, shaking in convulsions.

"− I wanted − I just wanted −" She mumbled, struggling to get the words out, Cassandra turned her head away, clenching her eyes shut.

"− I wanted her to feel − to feel what it's like when someone steals something from her −" She whined out, squeezing her eyes shut and sobbing; she looked at her impassively, unmoved by her confession.

Borros covered his face with his palm, clearly devastated by what he had just heard; he lowered his hands helplessly after a moment, shaking his head.

"Any more jealous ones feel like spilling some of their venom? Humiliate her little sister, hit her, suck her prince-husband's cock? NO?!" He shouted low, enraged, rising from his seat, looking at his daughters in fury.

"Apparently the Septa raised you, you know how to sew, sing, read, write, but you don't know how to FUCKING BEHAVE! That a family to be strong, must stick together! What has your sister done to deserve this? How much more humiliation is she to endure because of your vanity? I have long since resigned myself to the fact that the Prince took my daughter from me, and you four are going to spend the rest of your lives mourning a man WHO DID NOT WANT YOU!" He growled out; she looked at him shocked and full of pride, her breast rising in accelerated breath, her heart pounding like mad.

Her father was standing up for her.

He stood up for her, as he always had.

He wanted to say something more, but he was interrupted by a servant who entered the room, bowing.

"What is it?" Their father asked him impatiently, pulled from his thoughts, still outraged.

"My Lord, a messenger from Dragonstone has arrived. He wishes to speak to you." Said the boy, Borros and all assembled looked anxiously at each other.

Her father decided to receive the messenger in the throne room; she and her sisters stood at the sides of his throne, looking intently at the entrance, Floris was still sobbing quietly, all pale.

Cassandra and Ellyn were not standing next to her, but at her side, thus showing her their support after what they heard.

She could feel the sweat running down her back and wondered who they had sent to speak to her father and what he would have to offer.

Suddenly one of the guards walked inside, announcing loudly who would honour them with his presence.

"Prince Lucerys of House Velaryon, heir to Driftmark."

She felt a tightening in her chest as a black-haired boy with big, frightened eyes appeared before them, all wet from the rain and the storm that had just broken around the fortress.

Loud thunder could be heard all around the stronghold, exactly like the day when her husband had come to take her away from her father.

The boy bowed to her father; she could see that the sight of her terrified him and that he knew what it meant. However, he tried not to show his terror and began to speak in a slightly trembling voice.

"My Lord, I have come here on the command of my Queen to remind you of the oath that your father made to her." He said lowly, his voice only just having undergone a mutation, both low and squeaky. She looked at her father.

She could see by his grimace that he did not like his words.

"An oath? Prince Aemond married my daughter to make an alliance with me. Which of my daughters will you marry to win my favour?" He asked defiantly, everyone's gaze fixed on the young Prince. She saw that he swallowed loudly, knowing that he had nothing to offer.

"I can't marry any of them. I am already betrothed." He said in a slightly breaking voice, realising his hopeless situation.

For some reason, even though she knew that she shouldn't feel it, she felt sorry for him.

She thanked the gods for not allowing her husband to travel with her to Storm's End.

It would have been a disaster.

"So you come with empty hands. Go home, pup, and tell your mother that Lord Borros Baratheon does not come when called like some dog." He said, waving his hand at him, dismissing him. The boy accepted his words with humility and bowed low, shivering all over from cold and stress.

"I will take your words to the Queen, my Lord." He said, turning and walking away.

She hesitated, but to the surprise of her father and her siblings, she moved to follow him.

She knew that her husband would kill her if he found out about it.

However, she felt that she had to do it, that she wanted to tell him.

She ran after him into the pouring rain, saw that he had approached his dragon; he turned towards her, frightened, hearing that she had followed him out. They looked at each other, both breathing loudly, terror in his eyes − she swallowed loudly, her hair and gown all wet.

"Please, convey to your mother my condolences on the death of her daughter." She said aloud, looking at him pleadingly, her lips pressed into a thin line. Luke swallowed quietly, confused and astonished, looking at her with a kind of gratitude that made her heart squeeze.

"Thank you, my Lady." He said in a trembling, warm voice.

They looked at each other for a moment longer, and then Luke mounted his dragon, shouted a few words to him in the language of Old Valyria, and then they took to the skies with a loud rumble of his dragon's wings, before disappearing between the dark, black clouds.

_____

Aemond Taglist:

(bold means I couldn't tag you)

@its-actually-minicika @notnormalthings-blog @nikstrange @zenka69 @bellaisasleep @k-y-r-a-1 @g-cf2020 @melsunshine @opheliaas-stuff @chainsawsangel @iiamthehybrid @tinykryptonitewerewolf @namoreno @malfoytargaryen @qyburnsghost @aemondsdelight @persephonerinyes @fan-goddess @sweethoneyblossom1 @watercolorskyy @astral-blossoms @randomdragonfires @amirawritespoorly @apollonshootafar @padfooteyes @darylandbethfanforever9 @fudge13 @snh96 @diosademuerte @rwdkarla @echos-muses @ipostwhtifeel @letmeloveyouuuu @yentroucnagol @valeskafics @tempt-ress @blairfox4 @crazymusicgirl104 

[delicatebarness]

the manuscript | chapter five

Summary: A meeting with your brother doesn't go to plan.

Warnings: Age Gap. (Dr Barnes: late 40s & Reader: early 20s). Russian language.

Word Count: 1596

Spotify Playlist | Pinterest Board | Support: Ko-Fi

Series Masterlist | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

A/N: What do you mean, Dr Barnes? What do you mean?. - Please feel free to leave feedback or let me know where and how you want the story to continue, this is just as much yours as it is mine. - B

Series: @mostlymarvelgirl | @mrsnikstan | @angelbabyyy99 | @kaithesimps-blog | @julvrs

Everything: @hallecarey1 | @pattiemac1 | @uhmellamoanna | @scraftsku35 | @ozwriterchick

Feeling a whirlwind of emotions, Dr. Barnes’ cryptic words and steady gaze haunted your thoughts as you returned to the library. A mix of fear and desire intoxicated your mind. Peter was sat where you had left him, immersed in his textbook, unaware of the turmoil inside you. You tried to focus on the material in front of you as you settled back into your seat.

Your eyes drifted to the door every few minutes, you half expected Dr. Barnes to appear. Peter noticed your distraction, placing a comforting hand on your bouncing thigh. “Are you okay?” he asked softly. 

Turning to face him, you forced a smile. “Yeah, just… a lot on my mind.” 

He returned the smile, giving your thigh a reassuring squeeze. “I’m here if you need to talk about it.” 

You nodded. “I know,” you replied, you reached up to cup his cheek before placing a soft kiss against his lips. “Thank you.” 

The library began to empty as the hours passed in a blur, the sky outside turning a deep shade of indigo as evening approached. “Ready to call it a night?” Peter asked as he stretched and yawned, closing his textbook.

Packing your things, you nodded. Peter walked you to your dorm, you leaned into his familiar warmth as he placed his arm around your shoulders. Approaching the entrance of your dorm, he cleared his throat. “Hey, um… yeah, I hate to do this, but I need to get back to the house tonight.”

You smiled reassuringly, “No worries, I get it.” Despite the events of the day, you had hoped to spend more time with him. “Duty calls, right?”

“Yeah, exactly,” he replied, relieved by your understanding. “I promise I’ll make it up to you.” He gave you a quick kiss before turning toward the way to the fraternity house. “I love you.” 

“Love you too,” you said with a grin, waving before he disappeared into the evening shadows. Taking a deep breath, you pushed open the door. 

Inside your room, you changed into something more comfortable and sat on your bed. The urge to email Dr. Barnes was overwhelming as you started at your phone, yet you hesitated. What would you say? What would he say? Would he even reply?

You pondered with your internal struggle for a few minutes before ultimately deciding to send a simple message: “Thank you for the advice today.” 

Fidgeting with the edges of your phone case, your leg bounced. It wasn’t long before a reply appeared in your inbox: “You’re welcome, Miss Spector. I look forward to seeing how you apply it.” 

Your heart pounded at his words, the promise hanging in the air. Putting your phone down, you tried to calm yourself. 

~

The next day, you decided to visit your older brother, Marc– or Steven, or Jake, whichever one of them was in control. Steven was also known as, Dr. Steven Grant and was also a lecturer. He’d always been a source of support for you, and you hoped talking to him might help clear your mind. 

When you reached his door, it was slightly ajar. Knocking lightly, you pushed it open. “Hey, can I talk to one of–” You stood there for a moment, the sight before you catching you off guard. “You?” Dr. Barnes’ presence was unexpected, he sat across from your brother in deep conversation, his eyebrow raised with a steady gaze on you. 

“Ah, Miss Spector,” he said smoothly, amusement hinted in his eyes. “What a pleasant surprise.” 

Steven gave you a warm smile, though concern filled his eyes. “Hey, what’s up? Come in.”

Stepping further inside, a sudden rush of nervousness coursed through you under Dr. Barnes’ gaze. “I, uh, just wanted to talk to you about something, if you have a moment?” 

He nodded, gesturing to an empty chair beside his colleague. “Of course, we were just finishing up here. Please, sit.” 

Dr. Barnes’ piercing gaze didn’t go unnoticed as you took your seat, following your every move. The air thickened with unspoken tension, the walls of the room seemingly closing in on you.

“Is everything alright?” Steven asked, his tone gentle. 

Briefly, you glanced at Dr. Barnes before focusing on your brother. “I’ve been struggling to focus, it’s been a bit… overwhelming lately. I was hoping to get some advice.” 

Dr. Barnes leaned back slightly. “Sometimes a shift in perspective can help. New challenges or seeking different… experiences, might be what you need.” 

Steven nodded in agreement. “That’s a great point. Have you thought about starting a new project?” 

“I’ve been considering that,” you picked at a loose thread on your skirt, glancing toward Dr. Barnes for a second. “I just need something to ground me, channel my energy into.” 

Dr. Barnes’ eyes sparkled with intrigue. “And, what kind of project would provide such focus?” 

You glanced at him again, the weight of his attention heavy. “I was hoping to get some advice on that too.” 

Steven beamed, his tone encouraging. “You’ve always had a knack for languages. Maybe explore one of them further?” 

A hint of a smirk played on Dr. Barnes’ lips as his eyebrow raised toward you. “Immersing yourself in language studies can be incredibly rewarding. Which language would you be considering?” 

For a moment you hesitated. “I’m currently taking Romanoff’s Russian class,” you replied, despite the butterflies in your stomach, your voice remained steady. “I’ve been studying it for some time now.” 

His reaction was immediate, eyes darkening slightly, and his jaw tensed. “Russian,” he repeated, his voice lower, as he gave a slight nod. “A complex yet fascinating language.” 

You nodded, as Steven replied. “She’s always been drawn to its history and intricate grammar. Plus, it opens up a lot of opportunities in various fields for her.” 

He nodded in agreement with Steven as he leaned closer to you, his interest clearly piqued. “Have you found Romanoff’s class to be challenging?” 

“Yes,” you said, offering him a smile. “In a a good way. It’s demanding, but I’ve learned so much.” 

His eyes never left yours, as he seemed to consider this choice of words. “Russian can be quite challenging. If you ever need any assistance, don’t hesitate to ask, I do have experience in Russian.” 

“Thank you, Dr. Barnes,” you smiled at him, crossing your leg over the other. “I appreciate that.” 

“Sounds like you’re on the right track,” Steve continued his encouraging tone, oblivious to the undercurrents in the room. “Maybe focusing deeper into your Russian can help you.” 

You nodded, trying to appear as casual as possible. Steven glanced at his watch, then back between you and Dr. Barnes. “Oh, I have a lecture to prepare for, but I’m glad you came by. Let’s catch up more soon, alright?” 

“Absolutely,” you said, standing up as you watched him rush his paperwork into his bag. “Thank you, bro, and of course, to you, Dr. Barnes.” 

With a final nod, you exited the room, closing the door softly behind you. The tension you once felt under his gaze began to dissipate as you walked away from Steven’s office.

~

Later in the afternoon, you found yourself wandering back through the library, each step increased the anticipation. Before you knew it, you were outside of Dr. Barnes’ office once more. Hesitating for a moment, your hand hovered over the door handle. Unsure if you should enter. Your longing proved too strong to resist as you took a deep breath before opening the door and stepping inside. 

Looking up at his desk, his expression was unreadable as he fixed his tie. The air charged instantly with unspoken tension. “Miss Spector,” he said in a low and controlled voice. “I see we’ve lost our manners?” he questioned, gesturing to the door. 

“I can’t stop thinking,” you admitted, a tremble in your voice. 

He stood, his gaze meeting yours as he walked around the desk. “Is that so?” he murmured, his lone laced with a hint of amusement as he swirled the liquid in his glass. “And what exactly have you been thinking about?” 

“You,” you confessed, your cheeks flushed. Excitement mixed with embarrassment. “The way you look at me, the way you make me feel… I want more.” 

He placed his glass down on his desk as a smirk spread across his lips, pushing against the desk he closed the distance between you. “You want more?” he reached out to gently caress your cheek. “Well, I do believe we can arrange that.” 

Your breath hitched as he glanced down at your lips, his gaze was appreciative. His eyes lingered as he noticed the subtle nervous habit of your bottom lip catching between your teeth. Your skin prickled with anticipation as the room grew warmer. Nerve endings tingled as the magnetic pull intensified.

The heat between your thighs surged, and you swallowed hard as your pulse raced in your ears. You struggled to maintain composure. 

Leaning down slightly, he growled low in his throat. “I want to hear you beg for it.” 

A shiver ran through you as you realized he intended to make you earn it. “Please, Dr. Barnes,” you pleased, your voice quivered. Opening your mouth to continue, you were interrupted by his hand covering your mouth. 

“In Russian,” he demanded, his voice a husky whisper against your ear, as he slowly moved his hand back to your cheek. 

“Пожалуйста, ты мне нужен.” 

He smirked, pleased with your response. “Нет.” 

Disappointment and confusion flickered across your face. “No?” you echoed his reply softly in English as you tried to conceal the surprise. 

---

Series Masterlist | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

[pawnshopbleus]

These Are the Days Five - The Emerald City

Abby Anderson x Fem!Reader High School AU

For the summary, warnings, and more please visit here.

Previous chapter.

The library is drab and dreary as usual. It is quiet except for the usual sneeze or cough that comes out of studying students. 

Dina and Jesse sit in the chairs across from you, their brows furrowed as they try and understand their homework. They’re taking AP Physics together which they both agree was a mistake. 

You, on the other hand, are still struggling with your math homework. No matter how many times you did the equation, you still got the answer wrong. It’s gotten to the point where you’ve had to switch the paper you were writing on. The old one had gone gray with how many times you erased and wrote over it. 

The doors to the library swing open, giving you a glimpse of the free souls roaming the hallways. 

Abby and Ellie pull up chairs and sit at the table with you three. Their faces are slick with sweat dirt, they’re wearing their softball uniforms, and they have their bags in hand. They drop their bags with a thud and place their sweaty foreheads on the table.

“Long practice?” Dina asks, looking up from her physics homework for the first time. 

Ellie grunts, giving you all the answers that you need. 

Your parents were always too busy with work to put you in anything recreational. The closest thing you did to a sport was ride your bike everywhere. Now that your bike is gone, all that there’s left to do is walk. 

Ellie lifts her head, “You know what would make me feel better? The Crab Pot.” 

Abby sighs at the thought of seafood. She likes it but less than she likes Mexican food. 

“That touristy place in Miners Landing?” Abby asks. 

Ellie nods her head with a smirk on her face at the thought of seafood. 

“I don’t think they doordash,” Jesse sighs. He too would like some seafood. 

“I’m not using doordash. I’m driving down there.” Ellie waves her keys at the group

Dina looks at Ellie, confused, “I thought your dad took your keys away because you threw a party again?”

“One car ride with me in the morning and he practically begged me to take my keys back.” 

“Road trip?” Jesse suggests, his eyes lighting up at the sight of Ellie’s keys.

“Road trip,” Ellie nods.

Ellie's car is a bright red Jeep Wrangler with an extra row of seating. It’s the perfect vehicle for a family of six or in this case, five teenagers on their way to Seattle. 

Jesse turns to you. “You better buckle up. Ellie’s a bit of a-” he’s interrupted by the jolt of the car. 

“Sorry!” Ellie exclaims. “I didn’t see the curb!” 

“A scary driver,” Jesse finishes his thought before he’s sitting up right in his seat. 

Lakeview becomes a blur the farther away the five of you ride along. You don’t have room to comment on Ellie’s driving as you don’t have a license or a car. She narrowly avoids running over a few trash cans and parked cars but soon enough you make it on the freeway. 

Cars honk and pass Ellie as she tries to get over a lane. You feel bad for her. You can tell that she’s trying by the way she keeps checking her surroundings but cars around her aren’t giving her any grace. Dina’s got one hand on Ellie’s thigh, a reverse of what people usually expect. Dina’s trying her hardest to calm Ellie down and by the looks of it, it’s working. 

Ellie merges off the freeway and you’re taken aback by the beauty of Seattle. The greenery that surrounds all the skyscrapers and modern buildings is mother nature’s way of saying that she is ‘still here.’ 

Ellie pulls into the parking lot of Miner’s Landing and sighs with relief. “We made it.”

You notice that Abby hasn’t said anything the entire drive. She throws a hoodie over her dirty softball uniform and you nearly roll your eyes. Owen’s name is sprawled across the back in gold letters. 

You get out of the car and follow the Seattle experts onto the pier. Being here almost reminds you of home. If you just close your eyes, the salty air in and creaking wood under your feet could transport you back to those countless beach days. 

Abby grabs your hand and pulls you along with them. Your day dreaming of home has led you to be a bit behind the group. 

Your mind goes blank and for a split second you can feel your heart give a jolt at your skin on Abbys. This doesn’t mean anything, right? She just didn’t want you to get left behind. 

The two of you catch up with the rest of the group already waiting for the next available table. Ellie and Jesse are talking about the latest comic book Ellie bought with her allowance while Dina braids a few strands of Ellie’s hair. 

Abby let go of your hand a while ago but you can still feel the way her soft skin felt upon yours. You sit there, in silence as you watch her leg bounce up and down. Somethings wrong, it’s been evident ever since she made her way into the library but you haven’t had the chance to ask her. 

“Hey,” Dina waves her hand in front of your face, trying to get your attention. “Isn’t this your first time at Miners Landing?” 

“This is my first time in Seattle actually. I saw a little bit as we drove in, but I haven’t actually had the chance to explore.” 

Dina’s eyes widen and a smile grows on her face. “We have to show you around!” 

The hostess calls Dina’s name and escorts you all to the back of the restaurant. It’s illuminated by the light outside and the yellow lights above. The table is covered in a red and white gingham tablecloth and a smaller white tablecloth for extra protection. 

Menus are placed on the table and the hostess leaves, saying that your waitress will be out in a few. As promised, a waitress with a blue pixie cut comes out with a smile on her face. 

After you order your food and drinks, the waitress collects your menus. An old jazz song is playing softly in the background while other patrons enjoy their food. You observe the people walking through the big windows in the front of the restaurant. A little girl drops her ice cream, an old man almost trips but is saved by his grandson, a mom uses her kids forward, and a man that almost looks like a famous actor trips his untied shoelaces. 

Abby’s phone starts ringing and she sighs as she takes it out of her pocket. Ellie, Dina, Jesse, and you all peer at Abby nervously. 

“Hello, Owen,” Abby says enthusiastically. 

Abby excuses herself from the table and walks outside. As soon as Abby’s foot is out of the door, your food comes. You could care less about your clam chowder as you watch Abby through the big windows. The blue and gold hoodie she’s wearing makes her stand out of the crowd. 

Her brows are furrowed and she’s talking with her hands as if Owen can see her right now. Parents shield their children's ears as they look at Abby with a mixture of concern and caution. 

“I fucking hate Owen,” Ellie shakes her head as she breaks apart a crab leg.

“Don’t we all,” Jesse sighs. 

This catches your interest and for the first time this evening, you pay attention to the conversation happening around you. 

“You guys don’t like Owen?” you ask. 

“Who does? He’s an asshole and he’s a horrible boyfriend,” Dina jabs her fork into a potato. 

“Then why don’t you guys tell Abby that? Maybe that’ll wake her up a bit.”

“Don’t you think we’ve tried? They’re that type of couple that’s on and off again. I thought the last time that they broke up it would be for good but I was mistaken. They were back together two weeks later and they’ve been dating ever since.” Ellie shared with you as you leaned in closer. 

“The point is that we’ve given up on them breaking up for good,” Dina leans back in her chair, a look of pity on her face. 

You let this information sink in as you play with the vegetables in your clam chowder. You knew that Abby and Owen’s relationship was a bit odd from what you’ve seen, but you never knew they were one of those couples. 

You pitied Abby right about now. If you could, you would switch places with her in a heartbeat. She looked like she needed a break from whatever was going on. Her hair was a bit messy, partly from practice but also from pulling her hair out of frustration as she yelled into her phone. Before your mind could process what you were doing, you got up from the table, but Jesse put a hand on your shoulder. 

“It’s better if we let them yell at each other. Trust us, we’ve tried everything,” Jesse says. 

Abby hangs up the phone and sighs, looking at herself in the window, she sighs. She undoes her braid and ruffles her hair, trying her best to make it look more presentable. 

The food on the table has now gone cold as Abby walks back in and takes her seat next to you. She takes a bite of her food and shudders as it goes down. She doesn’t say anything as you all look at her. 

She looks up, ignoring your stares, “We should go on the Ferris wheel. I’ll pay.” 

Abby takes out two one hundred dollar bills and places it on the table and gets up, not waiting for you to join her. You look at everyone, puzzled. It’s like staring at a mirror as they too look puzzled. You grab your stuff and get up, following Abby out of the restaurant and to the huge Ferris wheel. 

Its lights flicker on as the sun sets, emitting a green and red glow across your face. You say ‘excuse me’ and ‘sorry’ as you cut through people to catch up with Abby at the front of the line. 

The five of you sit in the gondola. The caged windows provide an obstructed view of Seattle on one side and the bay on the other. Abby peers out of the window, her nose almost touching the metal, and for a split second, you see a smile wash over her face. You blink and then it’s gone.

Next Chapter.

Taglist: @soupycloud

Thank you for reading!

[waklman]

Fake It — Masterlist

synopsis: a pair of best friends, one apartment, and one fake dating ploy to get jake’s ex girlfriend back, will end well right? wrong.

pairing: jake seresin x female reader.

warnings: no use of y/n, slow burn, underage drinking, light drug use, fluff, angst, smut. 18+ blog minors dni. jake and reader are both 20. each part will contain its own warnings.

college au, fake dating trope, roommate trope

fake it playlist | fake it taglist | jake’s playlist

fake it asks

teaser

chapter one: kiss me

chapter two: drunk on halloween

chapter three: deja vu

chapter four: waste my time*

chapter five: the in between

chapter six:

chapter seven:

chapter eight:

chapter nine:

chapter ten:

chapter eleven:

one shots/blurbs:

the disasters of baking with jake

jake finds a sex playlist another guy made for you

snuggling with jake

beach day with jake

pulling away from jake

texts:

roomate chronicles

roomate chronicles 2

roommate chronicles 3

the tshirt

..

moodboards:

jake & you

visit top-gun university’s other students:

follow the adventures of bob

follow the adventures of bradley

feel free to follow @waklman-library and turn on notifs to be notified when i post!

[rabbitsrants]

SHINRAN AND THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES

acts of service

"actions that make your partner feel like they can trust you to have their back, for the small and the big things - making life easier or more enjoyable for them"

chapter 307

shinichi immediately pausing his game to bring ran a bag of chips is one of my favorite shinran moments ever lol #notallgamers

chapter 353

shinichi annoyed with ran for caring so much about a handkerchief:

also shinichi:

ran's priorities are shinichi's priorities!

chapter 370

chapter 454

chapter 457

ran asking an unbothered kogoro to investigate a ghost mystery at her school because she's scared and him dismissing her:

MEANWHILE SHINICHI:

chapter 630

kogoro eating ran's leftover cake:

meanwhile shinichi:

chapter 638

(SHE CLEANS HIS HOUSE COUNTLESS THROUGHOUT THE MANGA THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE)

chapter 652

chapter 716

ran telling kogoro that her and sonoko want to catch a pickpocket:

shinichi not being thrilled about it either but showing up anyway CAUSE THAT'S HIS WIFE:

chapter 745

RAN DOING RESEARCH FOR SHINICHI BEFORE GOING TO LONDON SO SHE COULD TAKE PICTURES AND BRING HIM GIFTS SHE'S SO CONSIDERATE AND SWEET I CAN'T

chapter 746

chapter 760

SHE'S ALWAYS TAKING CARE OF HIM, I'M ABOUT TO CRY

chapter 853

shinichi fetching kogoro for ran:

chapter 856

the fact that she was fully willing to abandon their plans with her MOM and go home... MY HEART YALL

chapter 882

shinichi joining ran on her quest to reunite her parents:

im laughing out loud hahahahaha ran is hilarious (and shinichi is a good bf)

chapter 966

shinichi abandoning soccer with his friends for ran:

chapter 1042

visit the shinran library for more

[lostgirlmuseum]

🐚Chapter 1

Mini Series Masterlist ❤️

Summary: You invite both your best friend and your boyfriend to a three-day weekend getaway at a beach resort. This trip was meant to be relaxing, but tensions and jealousies rise as both Miles and Bucky fight for your attention. 

Pairing: BestFriend!Bucky x f!Reader

Words: 3.3k

Warnings: Nothing that bad I don't think? Language. Miles being a dick. Please let me know if I've missed something!

A/N: I really hope you like it! I don't have a taglist, but you can follow updates at @lostgirl-library instead

(Divider credit: @firefly-graphics)

Reader’s POV

“Welcome to FM 98.2, I’m Nash Reeves, and you’re listening to The Grooves. Now if you’ve been following us on our social media, you already know what’s up. If you haven’t then I’ll catch you up to speed. Today is the last day to win ‘The Groovy Giveaway!’ The prize? Win up to five tickets to an all expense paid visit to the SunHaven Sea Resort’s special beach houses! Now callers, you can find our phone number on our website, but—”

“You have the right number, right?” You interrupted the radio host and turned to Wanda. You were both sitting on the soft rug of your room, crowded around the small silver radio, waiting impatiently with your phone in hand.

“I’m not an amateur, of course I have the right phone number!” 

You’d both dialed separately, in hopes of doubling your chances of winning.

“We’re about to play ‘Guess That Sound.’ Callers, have the number ready, and dial in when you think you know. Best of luck to all of you out there! Here we go. In three…two…one.”

“whHScHRRRR-whHRiRI—” The most obnoxious sound attacked your ears, but neither of you jumped. You were Avengers. You knew how to act when the stakes were high.

“CALL IN WANDA, CALL IN!” 

“I DID!”

“THAT’S A BLENDER, I KNOW IT!” 

“We already have calls pouring in! But who called first? Let’s see…hello? Caller?”

“NOOOOOO!” You yelled, falling back onto the floor when both of your phones continued ringing.

“Stay calm, they might get it wrong! We still have a chance.”

“Hi Nash!” A cheery and nearly mouse pitched voice crackled.

“Hello! What is your name?”

“Sunny!”

“Fuck you Sunny!” You abruptly sat up, pointing at the radio, “I bet that’s not ever her real name!”

“Welcome to the show Sunny! What is your guess for the sound?”

“Is it a car starting?” She said with confidence.

“No, unfortunately it is not a car starting. If that’s how your car sounds when you start it, I recommend you see a mechanic ASAP. I think you’re having major car problems Sunny.”

“Does this mean I lost?”

“Alright, next caller!” He completely ignored her and hung up.

Wanda’s phone stopped ringing.

“Hello, what is your name?” The voice had a strange delay.

“OH MY GOD, IT’S US!” Wanda squealed, quickly covering her mouth.

“Answer him!” You quickly turned down the radio and forced her to put the call on speaker.

“Hi! This is Wanda.”

“Hello Wanda! Do you have a guess for ‘Guess That Sound?’”

“Yes,” Wanda leaned in closer to the speaker, “is it a blender?” 

“Sound the alarm everyone, Wanda guessed the sound!”

“YES!” You both jumped up and started bouncing around each other.

“Congratulations, you’ve won yourself one ticket. But can you guess what specifically is in the blender for four more tickets?” 

“Um…” Wanda stopped jumping and looked at you, then the phone, concerned. “Can you play it again?”

“I’ll play it one more time.”

The annoying sound blared again and you felt your heart stop. Holy shit.

“I KNOW WHAT IT IS!” You screamed, yanking the phone away from Wanda. “Frozen strawberries, non-fat yogurt, half a banana, ice, oh… and um…” you closed your eyes, thinking hard, “Oh! And milk!”

“...”

You waited for the response. Were you wrong? Was it actually a full banana?

“THAT IS CORRECT!” Nash cheered.

“HOLY SHIT, HOW DID YOU DO THAT?” Wanda grabbed your shoulders, shaking you with elation and disbelief. “I KNOW MY FUCKING SMOOTHIES!” You pound your fists in the air.

“We’re going to the beach!”

“Hell yes we are!”

With five tickets, you mostly already knew who you were going to bring. Wanda wanted to take her boyfriend, Vision, you desperately wanted to take Bucky, and you discussed bringing one of Wanda’s friends as your fifth. You had one problem. By taking Bucky, you’d be leaving behind your boyfriend, Miles, and you knew he loved the beach. And besides, you wanted to see if this could be the next step in your relationship.

You and Miles had been together for three months. Neither of you had said I love you yet, which you were secretly relieved about. You knew you felt something for him, you just weren’t quite sure if it was love yet. You had met at the bar spontaneously when he offered to buy you a drink. On any other night, you probably would’ve turned him down, but that night you went to ignore your confusing feelings for your best friend. You had been battling these strange emotions for months, wondering why you felt so uniquely about him. Do you love Bucky? Of course you do, he’s your best friend! But do you love Bucky? No. Right? Because that would make things complicated. And he would never love you back. But what did it matter if you didn’t even like Bucky like that? And anyways, how could you have feelings for Bucky if you were with someone else? That sort of logic led you to where you were now, dating Miles Proctor, a brown eyed, sandy blonde, relatively charming (when he wants to be), beach loving man.

You told Wanda your predicament, and she told you to bring both Bucky and Miles. Apparently, her friend had a work conference already scheduled, and wouldn’t be available for the trip. You felt bad that Wanda’s plan fell through, and you promised her she and Vision could take the master suite. 

DAY 1: FRIDAY 🐚

“Miles!” You called, once you spotted his red cap coming through the airport doors. He heard you, gave you a short wave, and made his way to you, immediately wrapping his arm around your waist and kissing your cheek. He failed to acknowledge Bucky, who was standing right next to you.

“Miles, you know Bucky,” you gestured, giving a radiant smile. You were ecstatic to have them there together.

“Bucky,” Miles slowly nodded, a lilt in his voice, “right.”

You felt your heart squeeze when Bucky lifted his left arm to initiate a handshake.

He’s going above and beyond! I thought he’d only nod his head!

You missed the way Bucky slightly pulled up his sleeve to reveal more of the metal. You also missed the way he squeezed with just a little bit too much pressure, causing Miles to wince.

“Miles.” Bucky stated like an observation. 

“We met at the…” Miles held the last word, prompting Bucky to respond.

“The gala.” His voice sounded bored. 

“Right.” Miles nodded, acting as if he still wasn’t sure.

“C’mon Miles, stop joking around, I talk about Bucky all the time.”

“All the time.” Miles gave Bucky a synthetic smile.

“Funny, she doesn’t talk about you that much,” 

“Yes I do,” you defended, and looked at your watch. “We’re running low on time, we need to start moving.”

You successfully got Bucky passed security with his arm, boarded and exited the plane, and the only step left was to get a rental car and drive for an hour. Bucky offered to drive, you took shotgun, which left Miles in the back seat. Bucky remained silent the entire ride, but Miles made up for it.

“It’s beautiful!” You cried as Bucky drove the rental car into the driveway.

“So your friends are already here?” Miles asked, unbuckling his seat.

“Yeah, Wanda and Vision flew earlier today.” 

“Why didn’t they take the same flight as us?” 

“No, I mean they flew here. Vision can fly, remember?” You stepped out of the car and went to grab your bags from the trunk.

“Oh, yeah. Weird.” Miles mumbled.

“I’d argue that anyone that works with the Avengers has got to be at least a little bit weird.” 

Bucky had beat you to the trunk, and had already grabbed your things for you.

“Some are weirder than the others,” Miles said, grabbing his own bags.

You ignored his comment, missing the way he glanced at Bucky when he said it. 

“You don’t need to carry my bags, Buck,” you smiled and shook your head at your best friend.

“It’s not a problem.” His voice was a bit gravelly.

Seeing as Bucky only brought a single small suitcase for himself, he literally had super strength, and the walk to the door was less than fifteen feet, you acquiesced with a thank you.

You followed the steps up the porch and didn’t even have time to knock before the door was opening.

“Welcome to paradise!” Wanda squealed, bringing you in for a quick hug.

“Happy to be here!” 

“Come on in!” She stepped out of the way and gestured to the living space.

Bright white walls surrounded you in sunlight, and teal accents covered the space. The area felt fresh and untouched, and smelled lightly of sea salt. 

“Are you sure you’re okay with Vis and I taking the master bedroom?” 

“Of course, Wan, it’s all yours.” You smiled, and slowly turned, taking in the area. “Where’s Vision?”

“I sent him to go pick up some groceries. He should be back soon. In the meantime, you guys should get settled.”

Wanda pointed you to the bedroom with the queen bed, which happened to be to the left of the foyer. You opened the door, and appreciated the cute pineapple theme of the room. You and Miles quietly got to work unpacking your things, and it stayed quiet until you started plugging your charger into the base of the pineapple lamp on the side table.

“So,” Miles cleared his voice, “Wanda and Vision get the master bedroom?” 

“Yeah,” you mindlessly answered, looking up the weekend weather for the fourth time.

“Okay…” 

“What’s wrong?” You glanced up from your phone. He was putting his swim trunks away.

“Nothing.”

“Okay.” You looked back to your phone.

87℉ right now, but it’ll start cooling down around six…I should probably put on some sunscreen—

“It’s just, why do they get it? Weren’t you the one who won the game?” He made eye contact with you and quickly added, “It doesn’t bother me, I’m just curious.” 

“Yeah, but the whole thing was Wanda’s idea. She just let me do it with her. And besides, she seemed to want the master bedroom more than me.” You tilted your head, “You don’t mind, do you?”

“Nope.”

“It kinda seems like you mind.”

“I mean, their bed is probably bigger.” He said matter-of-factly.

“This is a queen size bed, it’s plenty big for us.”

“It’s fine.” His voice was high. “Does Vision even sleep though? I mean, if it’s one big bed for one person, that seems a little weird, right?”

You sighed. 

“I’m going to go see if Bucky’s unpacked yet.” You politely smiled and left the room.

The walk to his room was short, seeing as it was just across from yours.

“Hey Buck,” you gently knocked on his door and it creaked open.

“Hey.” He replied, sitting on the side of the bed. 

His room seemed to follow a deep sea theme, his walls a deep blue with kelp and coral decals crawling up the walls.

“All unpacked?” You asked.

“Didn’t bring much.”

You nodded, and pursed your lips. He stayed silent.

“Are you okay? You were pretty quiet this whole trip.” You cracked the door behind you and sat beside him.

“You don’t need to worry about me.” 

“That’s kind of my thing,” you chuckled. “Seriously, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. You know me, just quiet around new people.” He shrugged.

“But what about the gala?”

“I didn’t talk to him much there.”

“Yeah. Well, I’m hoping this trip will be a great opportunity for you guys to get to know each other. I think you’ll get along.”

“Are you certain about that?” 

“Why? Did something happen?”

“Nothing,” he shook his head. “You’re right, I’m sure we’ll get along.”

“You’re the best.” You wrapped your arm around him into a hug.

“I try.” 

“I want you to have fun this weekend.” You let go of him and made sure he met your gaze. “Will you try to have fun?”

“Yes, I will try to have fun.” 

“Good. Because you deserve a vacation.” You said earnestly.

There came a small rumble.

“Somebody’s hungry, huh?” You nudged his side.

You could tell he was about to laugh until the door opened.

“Babe, let’s go swimming.” Miles stood leaning in the doorway, already in his green swim trunks.

“I think we should probably get some lunch first. I did some research earlier about the restaurants, the hotel has it’s own seafood place. We could walk if we wanted.”

“But I wanted to go swimming. We just got here.” He whined.

“We have all weekend to swim. And anyways, Bucky is hungry, and I’m getting hungry too.”

“Okay.” He changed his demeanor from pouty to cheesy. “Anything for you,” he walked in and kissed you on the head.

Bucky looked away.

Vision soon returned with the groceries, and the group made their way to lunch. It was around 3 p.m. when you got back to the house, and everyone decided to take advantage of the beach.

Wanda swam for a couple minutes before returning to sunbathe on the sand. Vision sat next to her in one of the provided blue striped beach chairs. You and Miles were splashing around in the water, far enough out that the water was up to your neck, but Bucky had yet to join in. He was sitting on the steps of the back porch, simply watching you.

“Does he seem lonely to you?” You asked Miles once he came back up for air. 

“Bucky? No, he’s fine.” He answered nonchalantly, flipping the hair out of his eyes.

“But he hasn’t even gotten in yet.”

“If he wanted to get in, he’d get in.”

“Yeah…” you agreed. But one more glance back at Bucky’s form had you changing your mind. You started to swim a little closer to the shore and waved vigorously above your head.

“Hey Buck, come on in! Come on!”

After a bit more coaxing, he stood and made his way to the water, eventually meeting you. However, where the water was up to your chest, the water only met him a little past his midriff.

“See, isn’t this fun?” You laughed, giving him a small splash. 

“I think I see the appeal,” he smiled, the first real one you had seen all day.

“Babe, come back out farther,” Miles whined, coming up behind you and wrapping his arms around you.

You shook your head.

“I feel safer here, we were a little too far out I think. I don’t want to get stuck in a current.”

Miles huffed.

You felt the sand give way to something hard under your foot. You leaned down, while also trying to keep your head out of the water, and grabbed it.

“Oh my gosh, look how pretty!” You held the peach colored shell up into the sun for the boys to see.

“I think that’s a conch,” Bucky noted, bringing his fingers up to the shell and lightly touching the ridges.

“It’s just a shell,” Miles rolled his eyes, “they’re at the beach a lot.”

“Obviously, but isn’t this one pretty?”

“Sure.” He shrugged, clearly disinterested. “I’m going back out.”

“Just be careful, okay?” 

“Yeah, yeah.” He quickly made his way back to the deep, leaving you and Bucky together.

“You’re bringing a bunch of shells back home, aren’t you?” Bucky asked, but it was definitely more of a statement.

“Do you want to find some cool shells with me?” You asked, giddy.

Your enthusiasm was contagious.

“There is nothing I’d rather do.” He smiled, and you could see the crinkle of his eyes from under his sunglasses.  

You spent the next ten minutes swimming around together, showing each other the cool things you’d found, and placing the keepers on the shore before returning to your searches. The waves slowly started to get bigger, eventually to the point where it was nearly knocking you off balance.

“Bucky, I think I found a starfish! Look!” You pointed somewhere in the sand. Bucky waded over to you and patted you on the back in a congratulatory manner.

“Probably should leave the fella’ alone, I don’t think it’s good to pick them up.” He said, removing his hand from your back.

“I know. It’s so cute, I wish—” you started, but were abruptly cut off when the biggest wave yet came crashing over you, pulling you briefly underwater. Within seconds, firm hands grasped onto your arms, and pulled you back above. Instead of letting you go, Bucky moved his grip to your hips, holding you steady as you coughed.

“Are you okay?”

“Yep,” your voice came across nasally, “just wasn’t expecting that. Salt water up the nose hurts like a bitch,”

“Are you ready to get out?” He asked, picking you up as another wave came rolling through, only forcing him to back up a step.

“I think so,” you wheezed. 

Bucky escorted you to the shore, using himself as a shield against the attacking waves.

The moment your feet hit the dry sand, you looked back at the sea. Where was Miles?

“Miles?” You called over the crashing waves. He was nowhere to be seen. “Miles! M–”

“Gotcha!” Miles came up behind you and picked you up in an effort to try to surprise you, but the way his hands stuck to your wet skin only managed to hurt you.

“Ow!” You yelped, turning to face him once he’d put you down. “What the hell! I thought you drowned!”

“Me? Drown? C’mon.” He wiggled his eyebrows but it only pissed you off that he wasn’t taking you seriously.

“You scared me, asshole,”  

“Alright, I’m sorry, jeez.” 

“Whatever,” you sighed. 

You didn’t even realize Bucky had walked off until he reappeared with a bucket full of shells you’d accumulated and a towel over his shoulder.

“I’m going to start washing these off,” he said, and tossed you the towel.

“I think this one’s a Sunray Venus!” You beamed, holding the shell to the laminated shell guide you'd found on a counter.

You and Bucky had set up shop at the kitchen table, admiring and identifying the treasures you'd found together.

“Doll, I think that one’s a Dosinia.”

“Oh. Yeah, you’re right. Bummer.”

“Bummer? What’s wrong with a Dosinia?” 

“Nothing, but Sunray Venus just sounds so cool. I haven't seen one yet, though.”

“We have a lot of cockles,” Bucky noted, picking another shell out of the yellow bucket and lining it up on the table.

“Oh my gosh, look Bucky! It’s a sand dollar!” 

“Too bad it’s broken,” he commented, holding it gently in his palm.

“What do you think the chances are of us finding the other half?”

“One in ten-trillion.” He looked you dead in the eyes.

“I don’t like those odds.”

“I’ll find you a full sand dollar.” 

“Good luck with that,” you laughed. 

Bucky put down the sand dollar and turned to face you.

“What’s the plan for tomorrow?”

“Wanda scheduled me and her appointments at the spa tomorrow, but besides that, I don’t think anything is on the docket. Is there anything you’d like to do?”

Bucky sat back in his seat a bit.

“Whatever you want to do, Doll.”

Oh Bucky, always the gentleman.

“C’mon, Buck. There’s gotta be something.”

“I’d be happy just reading on the beach with you.” He smiled, his voice gentle.

“Consider it on the schedule,” you nudged him. 

“Looking forward to it.”

You could tell he meant it. 

God, how did I end up with the sweetest best friend? If only—

...

If only.

A/N: Thank you so so so much for reading the first chapter! I really hope you like it. I’m pretty nervous bc even though this series is short, I still feel like it won’t ever be as fleshed out as I want it to be, so I’m just kinda forcing myself to be happy with it. I didn’t really know how to end it, but the next chapter is in Bucky’s POV! 

Chapter 2

[paintyoureyeswithavividmind]

close to home | chapter forty five

close to home | chapter forty five

plot: the reader deals with the aftermath of her attack, Negan shows his cards to the reader, and Carl shows up at the Sanctuary

series masterlist

Pairing: Eventual Daryl Dixon x f!reader Word Count: 2,879 Warnings: violence, blood, typical twd A/N: thank you for reading!!! I've gotten so many sweet replies and messages lately and they mean the absolute world to me! I truly love and thank you all for showing this story love. I hope you're all loving it as much as I've loved writing it!!! 🖤

The next day, you didn’t leave your room. Sherry and Frankie brought you food and tried to coax you out. But all you could do was cry and lucidly beg them to get Daryl; they left you alone. You spent the day watching shadows cross the floor and staring at the ceiling as thoughts danced around you. 

You pictured Glenn and Abraham, and then you cried for them. Then you wondered desperately how Maggie was doing, and the baby and you cried for her. You cried for Rick and Michonne, for Rosita, and Carl and Tora. You wanted to go home more than anything. 

Sherry and Frankie visited you before dinner, bringing you a bag with a few books. “I thought you might like these; they’re from the library. You can go anytime you want and take whatever you want.” Sherry told you as she sat down. 

Frankie approached you on the bed and sat beside you, sweeping back your hair. “Hey, sweetie,” She said sadly, “How are you holding up?”

You glanced at her and nodded slowly, “I’m okay.”

“Your hair is getting so long. Do you want me to give it a cut?” She offered. 

You nodded because of her generosity and because you actually did like her, and she excused herself to find her hair-cutting tools. 

While she was gone, you sat up and looked at Sherry. She was leaning forward on her knees and looked more than just preoccupied with a few thoughts. 

“Sherry?” You asked her, waiting to get her attention. “Why do you care about me so much? It doesn’t matter to you if I live or die,” 

She looked at you for a long minute before coming over to you. “I debated on telling you this… I couldn’t stand the thought of you hating me. The other wives don’t know, but I…” She breathed out. 

“What?”

“Dwight and I tried to escape with my sister a while back. This was before I married Negan. We met Daryl on the road. Did he tell you about it?”

“Vaguely…”

Sherry nodded and tucked her hair behind her ear. “We thought he was one of the saviors, so we kept him hostage. But he was able to take off, and you see, Tina, my sister, was diabetic. We couldn’t afford her medications. So we had stolen them, and the saviors were after us. And I guess Daryl saw the medicine because he came back. And he helped us when Tina was bit.” 

You weren’t sure what to say, so you stayed quiet and let her speak. 

“We stole his bike and the crossbow and went back to Negan. I wanted to run but Dwight he… he wanted to protect me. Negan was going to kill him, but I offered to marry him instead. And now Daryl’s here anyway, after what we did…” Sherry started to cry. 

“And I just feel so guilty. And when I found out about you and Daryl, how Dwight said you two must’ve been an item or something, I just had to protect you. I had to help you. I’m so sorry, (Y/N).” She cried. 

You moved from your spot and went to her, wrapping your arms around her shoulders. It made sense now why she tried to help you so much. And why she seemed to be intent on protecting you. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” You tried to soothe her. 

“It’s not okay, but I’m trying to amend what I’ve done.” Sherry looked at you. “I know you’ve only been here a week, but I hope you know you can trust me. What I owe to Daryl, I can never repay him. But I can help you.”

You nodded and gave her a hug. You knew what she did wasn’t okay, but she was trying to make amends. And she helped you; she probably saved your life, even if it wasn’t a life you wanted anymore. And regardless of what she’s done, you couldn’t find it in your heart to hate her. The two of you were going through the exact situation. 

“How do you stand it? What Negan did to him…” You asked her when you pulled away. “Every time I see Daryl, I want to scream. I can’t imagine what they’re doing to him, what they’ve done.” 

“I don’t stand it. I drink, I smoke, I do anything to try and forget. But Dwight’s alive and one of Negan’s top men. What else can we do? We tried running before…”

“We can do it again, together,” You said. “We can get them and go.”

“Where, (Y/N)?” She asked. “There’s nowhere to go. We have shelter here; we’re safe here. We have food and running water, and electricity. You can’t go back to Alexandria, you know that. Negan will spend every resource he can looking for us. Especially you and me. And you have people at Alexandria he'll take it out on, too.”

You deflated as you realized she was right. 

“I…”

“I know you want to be with Daryl. But he’s alive," Sherry stressed. “Let’s just… let’s just think about this. It would take a lot of work to get out.”

Just then, the door opened, and Frankie walked in. “Amber needs to talk to you, Sher.” 

Sherry squeezed your arm as you both stood, and she bid goodbye. Frankie smiled at you, obviously pleased you were up and out of bed. 

“I brought the scissors; let’s give you a cut!”

***

The next day, you were in the wives' room, trying to control yourself. The mess from two days ago had been cleaned up, and you had to keep telling yourself that nothing happened, and that you were being silly for acting this way. What Sherry said was right; as of now, you were safe. Everyone you loved wasn’t, but you were safe. And you could figure everything else out. 

You were absent-mindedly listening to Tanya and Frankie discuss a book they’d been reading when the door opened, and you heard a familiar bell. Your stomach clenched as you watched Tora run into the room, looking scared and on edge. 

“Tora!” You exclaimed, dropping down to the floor. She meowed profusely as she ran over to you, and you scooped her up in your arms. She was immediately purring and rubbing her face against yours as you cried. 

“Oh my God,” Frankie laughed as she approached you. “A cat? How?”

You laughed through your tears. “This is Tora. She’s been with me since before.” You cried, trying to control yourself. 

Another presence made himself known, and you looked up at Negan, who was leaning against the doorframe. He had a smile on his face, a genuine one, and he walked over. 

“A little birdie in Alexandria told me that the cat was yours,” Negan said, “I’d like to say I’m surprised, but I’m really not.” Negan laughed, giving Tora a rub on the head. 

“I…” You didn’t have any words. 

“I sent out a group to get some stuff for her since she won’t be able to go outside here.” Negan said, “But I thought it might make you feel more at home here, and I knew you all would just love her.” 

There was a chorus of thank you’s, yours not included. But you maintained eye contact with Negan, and despite how much you hated it, he knew how much it meant to you. 

Negan wished everyone goodnight before he left and shut the doors behind him. You let Tora go, and all the women started playing with her with whatever they could find. She was a little skeptical but warmed up quickly with all the attention. 

You sat on the couch and watched, wiping away tears. Sherry sat down next to you and said softly. “He doesn’t do that for just everyone.” You looked at her with confusion. “We get whatever we want here. But he doesn’t do anything like that. I think you’re really special to him.”

“I don’t understand…” Your voice trailed off. 

“Nobody does. That’s the problem with Negan. He’s a monster. I know it. You know it. But then there are times…” Her voice trailed off. “He’ll give you more time after what happened. But he’ll be expecting sex soon. He won’t force it, but if…”

“If I know what’s good for me and Daryl, I have to do it.” You finished her sentence. 

***

More days passed since Tora arrived at the sanctuary, and even if you didn’t want to admit it, it brought a little life back into you. The run group Negan sent out brought back everything you could possibly need, and Negan had the worker who cleaned all of the wives room’s add Tora’s new litter box to her list. 

You felt awful about it, but Sherry told you to let it go. Still, you ensured the worker had something to eat and drink each time she came up. It became a little secret between the two of you. 

Negan visited you every evening at the same time unless he was out. He would eat with you all and talk about his day while you and the other wives would listen and share conversations. He hadn’t made an attempt to have sex with you yet, but as each day passed, you knew it was coming. 

You hadn’t seen Daryl much, aside from when he was out manning the fence--you could see him from the sitting room, where you watched him more often than not--or mopping up the floors while you walked around with Sherry. The two of you knew better than to speak to each other, but each time you made eye contact, you shared a nod. And it broke your heart every single time. 

As usual, you were with the girls, reading a book with Tora on your lap. She’d adapted nicely to the new space, and the wives agreed to keep her on this floor for her safety. She loved the company of all the women and all the affection she got. 

Amber was talking with Sherry about what happened with Mark, who you knew she had slept with. You’d learned from Sherry yesterday and dreaded the altercation with Negan.

You heard voices before the doors opened, and everyone tensed simultaneously. 

“Ladies,” Negan greeted you all.

When you turned to look at the man, your mouth parted, and your heart dropped to your feet when you saw Carl standing there. The book fell from your grasp, and you stood, knocking Tora off. She didn’t seem to mind because she immediately ran up to him and started rubbing against his legs. 

“Carl?” You said, slowly approaching him. 

Negan looked at you with that smile again, and your skin crawled. “Baby, can you believe this kid? He hopped on my truck and then gunned down two of my men! The balls on this kid.” 

Your fingers were trembling as you made eye contact with Carl. Then you turned to Negan, “Can I talk to him, please? Just for a second. I’ll do anything.” You knew exactly what he would cash in for the word anything.

Negan smiled and rubbed his jaw. “Anything. I sure do love that word on your lips. Go ahead, baby, just for you.”

You breathed a sigh of relief and walked up to Carl, cupping his cheeks. “Carl, what are you doing here? Are you stupid?” You asked quietly, knowing that everyone in the room was listening. “Are you okay? Why didn’t you just stay in Alexandria?”

Carl didn’t answer, but he looked at you with every emotion on his face. You knew he was playing tough, really tough, but you knew him. 

You sighed again and leaned forward, not being able to help yourself. You kissed him quickly on the forehead, over his bandages, and then stepped back. You didn’t want to push your luck with Negan. 

“My, my, my, and she’s good with kids,” Negan said, “Maybe I should think about expanding the family, then.”

Carl looked up at Negan then, and you saw the exact look you’ve seen in Rick so many times. “Don’t you dare," Carl said. 

“Carl, it’s okay,” You rushed out before Negan could even speak. “It’s okay. I’m Negan’s wife now, so… so if that’s what he wants, that will happen. Don’t worry about anything. I’m alright. I’m perfect. I’m happy here.” You rambled on, trying desperately to make sure Negan didn’t do anything to the kid. 

Negan smiled at you as more saviors entered the room, and Daryl appeared with them. Your lips trembled as you locked eyes with him, the closest you’ve been to him in days. And he had heard everything you just said. 

But with one look in his eyes, you knew he didn’t believe you. He saw right through it, through you, like he always did. 

A hand grabbed your arm, and you looked back at Negan. “Isn’t my new wife just perfect?” He asked nobody in particular before he leaned down and kissed you on your mouth. 

You froze for a moment as your brain went wild. You didn’t know what to do. To pull away from him in front of everything would make him mad, and you knew who he’d take it out on. So you did the only thing you could think of that would keep everybody safe. You leaned in and kissed him back. 

Negan smiled at you as he pulled away. “Oh, I’m gonna love this.” He said to you and then turned back to both Daryl and Carl. “Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot you guys were here. (Y/N), baby, be a dear and fetch me a drink.”

You clenched your fists and nodded, turning your back on them and walking to the minibar. You blinked away tears and swallowed the lump in your throat. The feeling of Negan’s facial hair still tickled you, and you wanted to take a long, hot shower to get rid of the feeling. 

After making his favorite drink--one you’d learned to make perfectly the past few days--you brought it over to him as he talked quietly with Sherry. Then you went and sat down in your chair with trembling fingers and tried not to look at anyone. But you could feel Daryl’s gaze. You hoped and prayed he wouldn't do anything stupid. Not after what he saw.

After Negan and Sherry finished talking, and he went to Amber, you knew exactly what it was. You stood up and walked across the room to Sherry, who was making a drink. 

“Mark?” You asked her. When she nodded, you poured yourself a drink and took a shot. When you turned back and looked at Negan talking to her, then looked at Daryl and Carl, who were both staring at you. You slowly shook your head. 

“Here, you’re gonna need one more for this,” Sherry told you. She handed you another drink, which had a bigger pour. But you didn’t question it and knocked it back. 

***

An hour later, everyone was gathered in the main room of the compound. Sherry told you what was coming; you knew very well about the iron from conversations with her and the other wives. But you hadn’t seen it yet and felt like you would be sick. 

When Negan finally showed up, you thanked the lord that Carl was with him, but your fingers twitched when you saw that he wasn’t wearing his bandages and looked shaken up. You felt like screaming and throwing something. And you felt hopeless. All you wanted was to be able to protect Carl, and you didn’t even know what Negan did upstairs. 

Sherry grabbed your hand when Negan started to talk and walked down the stairs. To your right were Frankie and Amber, and the ladder was holding a scared and frightened Amber. 

Daryl was with one of the other guards across the room, usually with him. With Negan’s attention elsewhere, you could show Daryl emotions you’d had to keep hidden. Your face softened, and you bit your lip and pressed your free hand over your heart. You hoped he knew what you were trying to say. That you were scared, and you were doing what you had to do, and that he was the only person in your heart. 

You don’t know if your look conveyed it all or even a fraction of it. But then he nodded slightly and lifted his hand. It was brief, and he played it off like he was scratching his chest, but he laid his hand over his heart. 

Tears filled your eyes, and you had to look down at the floor to smile. He knew. Of course, he knew; no one in the world knew you better than him. 

A few minutes later, you watched as Negan pressed the hot iron to Mark’s face. You looked at Daryl and Carl and then at poor Amber, who was going through a pain that you knew too well. Seeing a loved one hurt. That thought made you tremble, and Sherry squeezed your hand. 

After it was over, Negan took Carl away, and Sherry forced you to move on. You didn’t get a chance to look at Daryl as she pulled you away.