#Good lord I need to stop writing about this show and go to bed

[bubybubsters]

Fruit Skewers, Laced Drinks, and the Whole Shabang

A/n: @tsunami-of-tears I AM YOUR SECRET SANTA!! ik crazy right! Anyway here’s your mix of angst, a lil bit of fun, and vague holiday spirit! I HOPE YOU LIKE IT LOL but it fine if u dont…

MERRY CHRISTMASSS or HAPPY SOLSTICE.

thank you @acotargiftexchange for hosting this lovely event.

word count: 2.1k

Eris POV

Most people don’t think of the spymaster of the Night Court as an avoidant person. In fact, when people do think of him it’s often when they’re committing a crime or sitting in shadows that look like they’re moving, or even seeing him on the street and finding him pretty.

Well Eris found the spymaster to be a very avoidant male. Yes, he was good looking and smart and the whole package. But Eris found he sucked and communicating. Not even in the normal way people sucked at communicating, in a way that he didn’t even try to talk about anything. All the spymaster did was kiss Eris’s weak spot until the heir gave in and stopped trying to make a half-decent conversation. 

Then again, Eris supposed one could defend Azriel’s actions. Considering their families, their past, the rejection of same sex relationships in the Autumn court, Beron, Morrigan, and every other little detail. 

However, none of that changed what had happened a few years ago at the solstice court meeting. The two of them had had a little too much to drink and got a little carried away. The night had ended with Azriel in Eris’s bed and the morning after the cold air from a very open balcony window had greeted Eris the moment he woke up. 

And still, a decade later, they hadn’t said a word about it. What they had done was fuck so much that Eris had found more new kinks he didn’t know about in ten years than he’d found in a century.

“What in the cauldren has you sighing every few seconds?” Eris blinked, his mother’s voice pulling him from his thoughts. Shit, he was still in the dining room eating dinner with his mother. Well, she was eating; his food was untouched.

“Sorry.” 

“What’s up with you?”

“Noth-.” He was cut off by a single raised brow that spoke volumes. “It's a romantic problem…”

His mother smiled. “With the shadowsinger, yes?”

Eris grunted in confirmation, choosing to not question how she knew about his so-called “relationship.”

“What’s wrong? Obvious problems excluded, of course.” Her words dragged a bitter smile to his lips as he thought of what he should say. He could tell her the truth and simultaneously put her in danger if anyone found out. Or he could lie. The fact that the choice he made came so easily concerned him to no end.

“He won’t talk unless it relates to court problems. All he wants to do when we’re alone is have sex.”

His mother grinned. “I never thought I’d see the day you complained about too much sex. Guess there’s a first time for everything.”

Eris grumbled something unintelligible and rolled his eyes.

“In all seriousness, find a time and place to talk. One where it’s too public to do anything but it’s just private enough to have a conversation. Also you need a reason he can’t leave. For example, if Rhysand assigned him to stay by your side and make sure you don’t do anything stupid. The best chance you’ll get to do this is at the annual solstice high lord meeting. Since everyone knows Beron won’t want to come considering it’s basically just a party… You’ll have to go in his stead and someone from each court will likely be watching you because nobody trusts the autumn court.“

Eris raised his hand, trying to stop the flow of information. “Perhaps, write it down?”

His mother chuckled. “Y’know I’m actually preparing you for your high lord duties. You really can’t be seen taking notes during a high lord meeting; it shows weakness.”

Eris rolled his eyes. “Stop teasing, we both know Beron doesn’t remember shit. He just does whatever he wants.”

“Yes, but you wish to be a better High Lord than him. Can’t do that if you copy him.”

“Well since I’ll be such a better high lord than Beron, it won’t be considered weak to take notes.”

His mother shook her head, a smile dancing on her lips.“I’ll write it down, but you just need to trust yourself.”

Eris said nothing. He knew he couldn’t trust himself around Azriel. It always led to him giving into the spymaster’s whim.

Az POV

“OY AZRIELLL!!”

He barely refrained from groaning as Cassian pulled the curtains aside and sunlight came streaming in.

“Go away.”

“BUT TODAY’S THE PARTYYYY!! YOU AGREED TO LET FEYRE, NESTA, AND ELAIN DRESS YOU UP IF YOU LOST AT CHESS. AND YOU LOSTTTTT!!”

“Because you all cheated.”

“You never said we couldn’t!” Cassian is practically singing as he dances around Azriel’s bed, trying to prod him awake.

Azriel groaned. “I’ll be up in 30. Now get out.”

Cassian pouted but ultimately decided to leave before Azriel could change his mind and argue that he would have won if they hadn’t fed him too many bottles of Rhysand’s expensive wine and cheated. 

Fifteen minutes later, Azriel warily dragged himself from bed. Normally, he would be fine, in fact he could be a morning bird. But all the wine he’d drank last night seemed to have caused a pounding headache that he doubted would get better.

He took a quick shower and dressed in casual black clothes before heading out. On his way to the River House he grabbed a pastry and jumped off a random balcony.

Letting himself freefall, Azriel’s thoughts wandered to forbidden territory. Eris would be at the party tonight. The fireling’s scent was ingrained in Azriel’s mind- smoke and crisp autumn leaves. 

Azriel sighed. He knew Eris wanted to talk, it was devastatingly obvious. The hurt that flashed in those amber eyes whenever Azriel brushed him off seemed an ever prominent companion in his day to day life. But it just wouldn’t work. Eris was going to be High Lord and Azriel was… well Azriel.

“He’s here!”

His high lady’s voice floated through the air, effectively cutting his thoughts short. He landed and glowered at Cassian.

“The party is at 8 in the evening.”

“Yes and?”

“It does not take twelve hours to get me ready.

Feyre cut in, “Of course it doesn’t. But do you really think we have things prepared? This bet was last minute and made drunkenly at around two am.”

“All the more reason we should agree to not do it.”

“Nope! Just an excuse to go shopping.”

Azriel groaned but a slight smile played on his lips, maybe he could use this distraction from Eris.

Eris POV

At precisely 8pm Eris and his advisors winnowed to the dawn court. Ever since that High Lord meeting during the war, the dawn court had been all the high lords preferred spot to meet. Eris wasn’t sure why but it was fine with him, just as long as nobody was in his court. 

They were greeted by a female that showed them to a dimly lit ballroom. Most of the other High Lord’s were already mingling and Eris spotted Vivian, Mor and Feyre. Azriel’s probably here then. Good.

Eris sighed, dismissing his advisors and heading for the food table. Picking up a skewer of grapefruit and some unidentified berries, Eris dove in. One could argue the only reason he came to these parties was for the food. More often than not, his first thought was complaining about the autumn court food. It wasn’t bad, in fact, Eris loved the spices and bold flavors, but after a few centuries, you occasionally long for something else.

Something refreshing. 

A light touch to his thigh urged him to pause his munching and look down. One if Azriel’s shadows was curled around his leg, seemingly looking up at him with puppy eyes. 

Eris suppressed a smile and looked around to find the shadowsinger already watching him from a dark corner. He did a double take, blinking in disbelief at what he saw. Azriel, the feared spymaster of the night court was wearing a light blue t-shirt and loose, frilly, white pants. And he looked good. Eris hesitated, grabbed another fruit skewer and headed his way.

“Fireling,” Azriel greeted, plucking the extra fruit skewer from his hand.

Eris made a sound of protest, mouth stuffed with food. “Was mine.” 

“You look like a toddler given access to his favorite candy store at these parties.”

Eris frowned, waving his hand, trying to get his rebuttal across without opening his mouth.

Azriel chuckled, biting into the stolen skewer. He groaned in satisfaction, gobbling down the rest of the skewer before Eris could finish his.

“What in the world are you wearing?”

“It was a bet.” Azriel waved his stick where fruit was seconds before. “These are good.”

“Did all that food just disappear?”

“It was good.”

“You’ve never had them before? These parties have been going on for a decade.”

“I’m usually too distracted by you.”

Eris chokes on his last piece of fruit. “Huh?”

Azriels lips twitched, “That wasn’t very heir like.” He tutts, wagging a finger. “The rumors seem to be true, you’re gonna be overthrown by a brother.”

Eris raises a brow. “Firstly, you cannot be talking, have you seen yourself in those clothes? Besides wouldn’t you miss me, beloved spymaster of the feared Night Court?” He leaned closer, lips almost brushing Azriel’s ear. “After all, you do seem to have taken a particular liking to me. Or shall I say, a liking to fu-”

Azriel clamped a hand over his mouth. “Not here,” he hisses.

“Where else then?” Eris sticks his tongue out, liking the scarred hand covering his mouth. “All you wanna do is fuck whenever we’re alone. So why not speak here? Your shadows can ensure nobody hears us.”

Azriel frowns. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that.” Eris raises a brow as if to say, do tell. “We should stop.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s never going to work out and we don’t seem to have any special connection. It’s also a hassle since we’re from different courts and it really would be convenient for both of us if we stopped. Besides, if you really need pleasure that badly, there are some wonderful places across Prythian that could serve one’s needs.

Eris gawked at Azriel. His jaw was practically on the floor in shock and his body had gone slack. Azriel, the guy who never talked and always convinced Eris to fuck was the one calling off this ‘situantionship.’ Adding that the one time he did talk was to inform Eris of good pleasure houses. Well, sorry mother, guess you wrote that down for nothing.

“Right, like you weren’t the one practically leaping on me every time. But by all means, go ahead, end us. It’s not like anyone else will ever understand you like I do. And of course we aren’t mates because why would the mother put someone like you with someone like me.” Eris finishes his last sentence off with a growl, teeth bared.

Azriel’s brows twitch, “What is that supposed to mean? Am I not good enough for a future High Lord?”

Eris shakes his head, attempting to stop the sudden feeling of emptiness in his heart. He turned form the male and his bright clothes.

“Whatever Azriel. I’m done with you.”

Az POV

Okay, so he might have messed up. He’d basically called Eris not special and not worth the hassle. He’d also said he knew a lot of good pleasure houses, which wasn’t a lie, he did. But the male he’d been fucking for the past decade probably didn’t want to hear that, even though they hadn’t said they were exclusive. Not that that was an excuse. All in all, Azriel regretted everything. Especially since the moment the red-haired heir had left, a beautiful, deafening, snap, echoed in his ears. 

The other side of the bond was foggy which made Azriel assume Eris had absolutely no idea. Great. That was not helpful in his current position. What was he supposed to do? Go up to Eris and say, ‘by the way, we’re mates! Sorry for saying we have no special connection, could we reconcile?’

Azriel sighed, deciding to get a drink. He approached a rose-gold cup with a pink-tinged liquid inside. After sniffing it, he downed the drink in one gulp. The liquid fogged his head, making it hard to think. But it tasted good. Like the pumpkin spice lattes that Eris would sometimes give him. He hummed, going to grab another cup.

He stopped, a sudden realization settling in. He had taken the first cup, nobody else had drank one all night. He knew because Thesan always said that once a drink was out, it was out.  Azriel slowly looked up. People were watching him, eyes drilling into his skull. Shit. What the fuck was that drink?

‘Whatever Azriel. I’m done with you.’

Azriel’s head shot up. That was Eris’s voice, those were his words, his tone, his accent. It was Eris yet Eris wasn’t even in this room. 

What the fuck?

‘I’m done with you.’

Azriel hissed softly. This was bad. Hearing voices was a sure sign of 1. crazyiness, 2. in this case, a love potion, 3. being cursed. It was most likely the second option, which was definitely not ideal. 

A small crowd of onlookers gathered, seemingly waiting for a reaction.

Azriel’s shadows surrounded him, almost laughing at their master. He couldn’t even blame them if they took Eris’s side in this matter. Sure, Eris had said some horrible things but at the end of the day, Azriel was the one to start the whole situation to begin with. 

So he closed his eyes, and let his shadows control wherever he goes, just as long as it’s out of this damn room. 

The only thing?

He didn’t expect to land right on top of a half-asleep Eris Vanserra.

dividers by @saradika

lol idk i like it- I tried to leave an open ending…

[tsukii0002]

Mc: Remember when I told you about my period?

The brothers: ...

Mc: And how it was recommended that for those days there should always be chocolate and hot water bags because it helped me and gave me comfort?

Satan: Yes, we remember it...

Mc: And remember that I told you so you would not be caught off guard?

Belphie: Yeah...

Mc: Well *taking a breath*, it's time for us to talk about YOUR periods.

Mammon: We do not have periods!!!

Mc: *slamming the table* Periods, heats, mating time…. Call it what you want but it's time to talk about it!!!!

Levi: *very flushed* But...

Mc: But nothing!! I'm tired of waking up in nests in random places in the house time to time!!!! It's not nice to wake up with feathers in my mouth!!!!!

Lucifer:*blushing*...

Mc: I would also like to be prepared in case I find any animal corpses at the foot of the bed!!! I appreciate the thought but I am human!!!! I don't need you to show me that you can get resources!!!! That's what supermarkets are for!!

Satan: *dodging the gaze*

Mc: And it would really be nice to know when you produce pheromones, that would have avoided me a lot of problems in RAD.

Asmo: Ha, ha *nervous laughter*

Mc: Or to know when to prepare myself to wake up in a cave dug in the garden or underwater.

Beel: ...

Levi: ...

Mc: And it would not be bad to know that during your period you are showing your demonic forms, I almost had four heart attacks the first time I saw your eyes glowing in the dark Mammon!!!

Mammon: That was an accident...

Mc: *enumerating with their fingers* Or that your sleep schedule changes, or that you don't sleep at all, or that your temperature changes, or that some of you become non-verbal, or that your wings produce a specific sound as a call…

Lucifer: Enough *massaging his temples while blushing* It has become clear.

Mc: You didn't think that, as a human living with seven demons, I should know these things???

Mammon: We didn't think you would notice...

Mc: *looking at him exceptionally* Mammon, my dear, last time you brought me a cocatrix egg because it glowed.

The brothers: ...

Mc: This is my last warning! Either we talk and set schedules or I take Solomon and Luke and go live somewhere else.

The brothers: !!!!

Satan: *whispering* Why only Solomon and Luke?

Asmo: *also whispering* Mc has given this same talk to Lord Diavolo, Barbatos and Simeon….

Mc: *taking out a notebook* So stop behaving like a pubescent teenager and tell me how your periods are going and if I can help you in any way.

Lucifer: Okay, you win…but this is not like your period.

Mammon: It's not fair!!! It's not like we can avoid it

Levi: *covering his face* This is going to be worse than a public exhibition…

Asmo: Well, at least this way we won't have to hide it….

Satan: *sighing* Will it really do any good?

Beel: *worried* It won't be a problem for Mc?

Belphie: … Well, I do want them to spoil me on my period.

The brothers: Belphie!!!!

Mc: *holding back laughter* That's the spirit.

.

.

I would like to write more extensive headcanons about it in the future 😊

Part 1 Part 2

[dollietes]

໒꒰ྀི´ ˘ ` ꒱ྀིა mimi’s fic recs !

in summary these are my fav fics that i’ve read recently and are living within the depths of my brain. this is just a way for my to show appreciation for the writers who had written them <3 please support their blogs and check out their other works as well!

please minors dni with the smut works. respect writers and their boundaries!!

f :: fluff / a :: angst / s :: smut

pretty girls make graves by @ijtaimes f

OBSESSED with this series!! the blend of the summer camp setting, the love triangle story, and the clever incorporation of horror elements?@)2)2) and the interactive storytelling it has with the outfit choices and other general choices?? ivy, cousin i love you and your sexy brain. i can’t get enough of it actually!

two peculiar swans by @astralnymphh f / s

WHEN I TELL YOU ALL I RAN LIKE THREE LAPS AND SAT IMMEDIATELY WHEN I SAW IT WAS POSTED. the writinggg!! so top tier! the dialogue, inner monologue how the story just flows so seamlessly?? i’m so excited for the rest of this series bro like aestra ate😋 HYPE IT UP YALL!!

loser!abby by @abbyscherry s

when i tell you all i profusely **** and ***** while reading both of the loser!abby works. like if i speak I would be deemed as insane, a mad woman it’s crazy. read them like bedtime stories before bed😭

cowboy!ellie + this by @catfern s

SAVE A HORSE RIDE A COWGIRL! COWBOY!ELLIE NATION RISEEEEE. these hcs had me foaming t the mouth like i need someone to hold me back before I ramble about how much I love these hcs and eat them up and will continue to eat up anything cowboy!ellie 😋

in for it by @brackishkittie s

ONE WORD. DIVINE. DELICIOUS. SCRUMPTIOUS. i could not stop smiling like a school girl while reading this it’s embarrassing actually. also vivian’s smau’s >>>> got me into the fandom actually

rockstar!ellie + this by @phantombriide s

i could write a thesis about how much i love this and rockstar!ellie works. like this is what i breathe, i eat, i consume everyday. it is the mantra i read to start my days. my daily reading to begin the day. god bless.

academic rival!abby by @beforeimdeceased f / s

ACADEMIC RIVALS CLENCHES FISTS. RAHHHHHHHHHHHH I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE ITTTTT. every bit of this series had me craving for more oml. like i need academic!rival abby in my bed immediately!

being pregnant with wife!abby by @bayasdulce f

baby fever has hit me once again what can i say?😞 I need wife!abby to take care of me so bad it’s getting sad at this point. I just this broke me down and worsened my baby fever (had me making a pinterest board and everything goodbye😞😞)

neighbour!ellie + this by @loaksky s / f

NEIGHBOUR!ELLIE NEIGHBOUR!ELLIE NEIGHBOUR!ELLIE MY FAV FAV FAV! i remember the influx of them on my dash and trust i was eating good 🍽️ both parts had me folding, giggling, smiling, swinging my feet everything and everything.

try it on by @moncherellie s

another work that got me into the fandom!! I remember reading this for the first time and hiding my face and giggling into my pillow and the audios lord i felt so giddy that night lmao😭

doctor!abby texts by @eightstarr f

doctor!abby has me in a chokehold like that’s my wife and mother of our three children everyone can leave pls and thanks😁 and i mean that with my whole chest. those texts are actual REAL evidence of what our convos look like you all can move (im joking pls don’t take what I’m saying seriously😭) I just am in love with everything zoe puts out because it’s so good and so dear and special to me

cutty love by @totheblood f

anything star puts out tbh >>>>> absolutely in love with cutty love actually! I am a whore for any fluff and PINNING (GIVE IT TEW ME). this is just so soft and sweet and it’s everything I need like uggggh. the audios too just chefs kiss love everything about it!

streamer!ellie hcs by @inf3ct3dd f

SIERRA’S HCS 🔛🔝 SO GOOD EATS EVERYTIME YALL like gen they all have made their home in my brain and I can’t go to bed without at least reading one of them before i hit the hay.

knight!ellie by @heavenbloom f

FIRSTLY written so beautifully?&* i love everything about this and i tend to go back to this work when I’m in need of a fluff fix! I absolutely adore how everything is written yes I’m reiterating my point because ‘green eyes thirsty for the well that was your beauty.’ LIKE WORLD STOP. ARE YOU SEEING THIS?? ‘she was utterly dedicated to you, body and soul, and she would be by your side until her very last breath. it was a fierceness, this love that consumed her, and it was all yours.’ LIKE WTF

partition by @whore4abby s

reserving my *clears throat* thoughts for now but just know * **** **** *** *** ***** **** * **** ***** *********!!! 😁😁😁 everyone should read this ASAP!

sun don’t set by @hier--soir f

another heavenly piece omg!! so in love with the writing in here oh my god. it’s so soft and sweet and it just felt like a warm hug on a cold winters day i just. please read this!!

you love it when i play with you by @ourautumn86 s

i think i like passed out and had three nosebleeds because of this. i think about this more than i should. I think about in the morning, throughout the day and night. my daily read at this point like it’s just sooooo😋😋😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

my love mine all mine by @doepretty f

this one is special to me too like. for one the writing is so beautiful and it made me shed a tear and secondly I melted into a puddle like i want Abby so bad I’m going to be sick.

[nightunite]

In your baron konig au, do you ever see reader noticing his language insecurity and trying to learn his native tongue from his other workers?

Thank you so much for this ask, it gives me a chance to write fluff! It's definitely one of the ways I see them getting closer, because it shows her not just wanting to understand him, but those around her. Most of Konig's staff are from home, either coming over originally with him or when he makes one of his few trips back home.

Fair warning, this is going to contain some Google translate as well as future pieces most likely, native speakers please correct me on what I get wrong!

“Oh, good morning, my lord!” She bends slightly at the waist, a light bow to Konig as she met him where the staircase joined to the upper left wing of the barony. Standing upright at his nod of acknowledgement, her head turns as he swiftly strode down the hall and took in his frazzled state. In one arm he clasped several stacks of documents to his chest, paper developing light creases where his large fingers exerted too much pressure even through the thick paper. In the other he awkwardly gripped some quills, an inkpot, and the stamp bearing his familial crest. Having to go in the same direction, she saw as he almost dropped a quill then bent it with the force of him stopping it falling to the ground. It beat the alternative of him having to stoop all the way to the ground to recover it, she supposes. “Um, my lord?” She calls to him. His feet came to a stop, head turning slightly, eyes as cool as the outside air locking on her, a faint blue like ice water making her breath hitch at how it locks onto her. “May I be of assistance in carrying something for you?” After a few moments of silent staring she almost took back the suggestion out of embarrassment, a massive man of his stature surely does not need help from a maid- “Federn.” She blinks, unsure if she heard correctly. He clears his throat before repeating himself. “Carry quills. And ink.” He held out his hand and she quickly makes up the distance between them (curse his long strides), taking the objects in her hands, fighting the urge to shiver when their fingers brush. Just like the previous times, his hands were so warm and firm.

They walk in silence down the halls, stopping at the front of the library, intricately carved oak doors barring entry. As he turns the handle she swallows, mind flashing back for a moment to her last time in the library in the duchy. With any luck, the memory would continue to fade the longer she worked here, each time she cleaned the room wiping away the bitterness with the dust and incense ash. Though, she thinks, I can’t forget everything that occurred in that place. Just a fortnight prior it had been confirmed that yes, she was indeed carrying a Duke’s child, not that he would ever know. Her saving grace had been that she was not yet showing, the reduction of stress and ability to hold down food courtesy of Annika helping her regain some of the lost weight, no longer wan and sunken inwards. She hadn’t anticipated telling the head maid of her condition, at least not yet, but she hadn’t a choice when she was caught leaning against a wall fighting off a dizzy spell at the end of the day. Good fortune then that much like her employer, her superior was of a better cut, keeping the news tucked to her chest with little more than a chastisement of letting her know of any changes to her condition and an order to have a quick, light meal of gently seasoned soup from the cooks before heading to bed.

She places the writing set down on the table he had chosen to work at before commencing her own tasks of dusting the books and wiping down the wooden furniture, eyes briefly glancing at the papers as he set about placing the stacks in some order that made sense to him. They were written in that foreign language she saw scrawled across the spines of the novels, most of the letters making sense to her but combined in a way that was confusing, lengthy words packed with consonants and vowels, dots pocked sparingly in some places. She wishes she could read them, understand the different stories that came with the Baron from his homeland.

As she works her way along the shelves, she can’t help but take a few peeks at him, immersed in his tasks while hunched over his work in a way that makes her back ache. The air is mostly silent apart from the scratch of a quill and the gentle squeaking of a damp cloth. Shortly after though, a faint humming permeates the study, a tune she had grown familiar with in the month since her arrival. Konig was fond of this tune, singing the melody like he had no clue he was doing it, part of his routine when tackling paperwork. He had told her the name of the tune, accent making quick work of it, though she struggled to repeat it to herself.

Eye Popeeyah, she vaguely recalled, certain it was something like that. Gently wetting a spot on a plush chair, she waits for the tea stain to lift herself as she chances another look at the baron. He never notices when her eyes stray from the upholstery and she wonders if he even feels her eyes on him. He’s a shy man, she’s come to learn, content to keep himself tucked away from others. Perhaps he feels people’s gaze on him even when there is no one to stare, and so he doesn’t register her. Perhaps she is so beneath him that he doesn’t register her presence at all. Certainly not in the same manner as Duke MacTavish, she chews the inside of her cheek as she wrings out the washcloth and wipes the stain away, hands working at the spot even when gone as she unknowingly rests her eyes on him.

No, the Baron is not that kind of man. “Hirsch?” She jumps, jolted from her thoughts, Konig staring seemingly down to the core of her. Her blood pools in her cheeks and she feels her face become hot. She could die of embarrassment at being caught staring, much less at her employer! She can’t even tell what his expression is with his shroud in place, leaving her further off-kilter. “Apologies, my lord! My thoughts ran from me, I’ll get back to work now.” With a ducked head she averts her eyes from both Konig and the large damp patch her mindless scrubbing caused the poor chair. Unfortunately, the next shelf to clean is the one directly behind him, so she grabs her duster and rags and makes her way over. He hunches in further, trying to scoot in to give her room but ultimately there is nowhere for him to go, shoulders pulled up to his ears to make himself smaller. His grip on his quill is tight, and the papers crinkle under his free hand as he writes, more akin to forcing the ink in than letting the quill do the work, and the humming has stopped, replaced with heavy silence only interspersed with more scratching and the occasional grumble. She feels guilt over it, how her presence in his home forces him into these uncomfortable positions. It’s doubtful he wore the hood even at home before she came, and now here he is forced to curl up to avoid them touching.

 Even still, as she makes her way along the shelves, the heat radiating off him permeates her dress, a welcome sensation compared to the bitter winter outside, the frost outside sharp enough to stop the maids from cleaning the windows lest the water freeze on the panes. Not that he or Annika would let any of them go cold, providing them extra bedding and thicker clothes as the cold crept along the floorboards. The rumors from other maids had been correct, that while the Baron might come across as strange and off-putting to some, he took good care of those who worked for him. It makes the guilt inside her grow.

This man has been so kind to her already, and here she is making him feel like an outsider. Forcing him to repeat himself in stilted English for her sake because it’s the only language she knows. He has always held himself in a stern and awkward manner whenever they cross paths, but she sees his discomfort grow when trying to string together conversation with the few visitors to the barony. She wishes she could speak freely with him and ease that stress a little, make him and the other maids not view her as something to be wary of. Just the other day she had come across two of the maids giggling and speaking in hushed whispers, the conversation so quick she couldn’t make out much more than the occasional exclamations and snickers. Once they realized she was there though, they had startled in much the same way as the baron did, standing stiff with wide eyes before carrying on with their tasks. She tried to reassure herself they hadn’t been gossiping about her, there was always a rumor of some drama occurring in town, but it was hard. It reminded her that she had no one she was close to here, no one to confide in about anything she saw that would set tongues wagging and eyes gawking. “What language is this?” She was behind him again, this time gently removing the dust from the tops of the books that hadn’t seen much attention. Konig jumps, spooked by the sudden voice behind him, chair making a sound of protest as his upper back gently bumps into hers. Taking a moment to calm himself, he sets aside the letter with a harsh line of ink over the surface and frowns down at how it continued onto the table. “Was?” He asks, turning to look over his shoulder. She keeps her face turned to the bookshelf, hands fiddling with her rag once more. “The language you all speak. It’s the one from your homeland, yes?” An answering grunt is all she receives. “I wanted to know which one it was. There are so many books here in the library not in English, and I would like to read them once my work is finished. And-and I would like to be able to speak with the other maids, to greet them as they greet one another, or not require you to have to repeat yourself when giving instruction. I don’t want to impose on them or on you, I’ve seen the frustration with having to translate conversations when out in town.” She can’t help herself, having turned around and now locked in a staring match with him, feeling like a mouse surveilled by a wolf, the words tumbling free of her mouth. Her ears feel like they’re burning, hands, twisting the rag around her fingers. “I would ask Felix or Annika, but they’ve so many responsibilities and I would hate to take up their free time. I would use the novels themselves, but I don’t know all of the letters, they look similar but then there are these dots-“ “Umlaut.” He cuts her off, eyes giving a slow blink. “What is it?” “The dots. They are called umlaut.” He explains. “Umlaut.” She tries testing the word in her mouth. When he nods, she can’t help her smile, pleased at getting it right. “Off days?” He asks in his typical manner, and she works to figure out what he’s asking. “Annika has me scheduled off on Wednesdays and Thursdays, my lord.” He nods again, mulling something over. “Come to my office then. I will teach you.” She hears the drag on the “You’re so busy though my lord, I wouldn’t want to interrupt your work-“ A gloved hand gently reaches up, thumb and middle finger pressing lightly on her cheeks to stop her from rambling a second time. “Wednesday and Thursday” He repeats, accent showing on the 'and',  “and the days you clean the office.”

He releases her when she nods, finishing his final document and reorganizing them while she blinks. She would take great care to follow his lessons, she just hopes he will be patient with her. As she prepares to start on the final task of restocking the fireplace and taking cups to the kitchen, she pauses. “My lord?” He stops stacking papers, watching her from the side. “Thank you for this. If I may though, could you teach me one phrase before you go?” She fights the urge to beam when he taps the seat in front of him.

The next morning, she gives in to the urge when she greets the other early morning maids at breakfast with a nervous and stilted “Guten Morgen, wie geht’s?” and is met with excitement and smiles.

[honeyhotteoks]

okay i absolutely NEED toxic possessive yunho. you have infected me with the brain rot and i have not been able to stop thinking about dr. jekyll/mr. hyde boyfriend yunho who everyone in your life thinks is perfect. like he carries your bag for you when you're out, sends random just because flowers to your job, plays uber/designated driver when you and the girls have girls night out, always pays for things, etc etc. like he is prince fucking charming in everyone's eyes. including your own when you first started dating. but now that you've opened pandora box? he keeps getting more and more unhinged. it started with stealing your under wear but somehow escalated to dropping by wherever you are and asking you to take off the pair you're currently wearing. waiting for you to walk to your car late at night and blindsiding you for a quickie in the backseat because he couldn't wait until you got home to do it. fingering you under the table at crowded bar/restaurant and then licking your essence off his fingers while making direct eye contact with the random guy who tried to hit on you earlier. getting annoyed at you for missing a couple of his texts earlier in the day and taking it out on you in bed by edging you for hours and not letting you cum until you're covered in your own tears and begging for forgiveness. refusing to go on a business trip because it'll mean he'll be apart from you until you cave and cancel your own plans to accompany him only for you to realize it wasn't a business trip at all and he just wanted an excuse to monopolize your time for an entire extended weekend where you two rarely left the hotel room.

HI HELLO SWEET MOTHERFUCKING JESUS?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

i actually like... have nothing additional to add because you've scrambled my brain, but i want you to know that between this ask and the other one i basically just outlined a whole one-shot and as soon as i can write it i'm going to because good lord i need pervy feral pussy obsessed yunho in glorious 4k (so to speak).

i'm literally OBSESSED with the idea of yunho showing up at your car for a quickie like picture -

it's late after work, and he hates when you walk from the front of your office to the lot where your car is. it's dark, something could happen to you.... so he shows up to walk you whenever he can, which let's be real is most nights. he makes sure of it.

but lately you've been talking about a new co-worker a little too much for his liking. you're telling stories about him and smiling about him a little TOO much, and you were slow to respond to his texts today. and slow to leave the building like you always do.....

so he thinks he just has to teach you a lesson. he corners you out at your car, pressing you up against the side and rucking up your skirt, shoving your legs open and telling you to be quiet. and you're like..... definitely not trying to get fucked in front of your office like.... people could see?? you could definitely get fired. this could ruin your reputation.....

but yunho's not going to let that happen, not really. he keeps you hidden against the side, he shields your body with his, but his hands creep around front to work your clit. your panties get shoved to the side to make room for him. his hand closes over your mouth while you cum just to keep you quiet. and as you fall apart he's murmuring in your ear - that's it baby, remember who makes you come like this. remember who you belong to. it's my cock in your pussy every night, isn't that right sweetheart?

anyways. get ready for pervy yunho b/c i'm writing it LOL

[onceuponastory]

first footing - bucky barnes x reader

Plot: Bucky thought he was going to spend New Year's alone, just how he likes it... until Y/N showed up. Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader Warnings: A few mentions of alcohol and being drunk. There's also some light mentions of Bucky's past as TWS. But as always, if I miss any triggers, please let me know! Notes: Happy New Year my lovelies! In Scotland (where I'm from if you didn't already know) we have a tradition called first footing, where the first person to enter your house in the New Year brings luck with them (and usually alcohol, hahaha). I realised I wanted to write something with Bucky and this tradition (because lord knows he needs the luck) so here we are! Consider this fic me first footing you all ❤️

Also, incase you're wondering, a dram is a small measure of whisky. Not beta'd (I wrote this quickly bc the idea hit me like an hour ago), so any mistakes are my own.

“Happy New Year!” The TV host announces, cheering with the crowd behind her, and Bucky rolls his eyes, switching it off. He hates this time of year. He knows that the old him, the Sergeant, would be out there wooing girls, with a promise to kiss each of them as soon as the clock struck twelve. He misses those days. Back when the worst thing he had to worry about was looking good for his dates, and not… everything that’s happened to him in the last seventy years. And although New Year’s exemplifies change and bettering yourself, Bucky still hates it. Sure, everyone can make a change. He’s living proof of that.

But New Year’s is just so… loud now, and there’s so much pressure to better yourself, to change something about yourself. It symbolises everything he hates. God, he really is an old man.

Or maybe he hates it because he’s spending it alone, like usual. Or that despite the amount of personal growth he’s done over the year, each new year always seems to be a horrible reminder of everything he once was, and everything he’s lost.  

Now that’s not to say Bucky hasn’t been invited to things tonight. He’d just… rather do everything but. All he wants is to go to bed and pretend tonight never happened, like the old man he is.

Suddenly, a knock on the door cuts through the air, causing Bucky to frown. He’s not expecting someone tonight. He can tell who it’ll probably be though - Steve or Sam, telling him to stop being boring and to get over to Tony’s party with the others. The knock sounds again, the person clearly impatient. “Alright, alright!” Bucky groans, making his way to the door and opening it. “Steve, I told you I’m not- Y/N?”

“Took you long enough.” She teases. Bucky’s mouth drops open, and his mind goes blank. He’s speechless. All he can do is look at her. The snow caught in her hair seems to sparkle in the light, and the way she looks at him, her trademark bright smile on her face, makes his heartbeat increase and his stomach flutter. 

God, she’s so beautiful.

“Happy New Year, Buck.” She smiles, holding up a bottle of whisky. 

“What…what are you doing here?” Bucky gasps in confusion, yet he still can’t stop a relieved smile from gracing his lips. He doesn’t have to spend his New Year alone with his thoughts. This time, he gets to spend it with his favourite person. But another thought, one that makes his heart skip a beat, hits him. Y/N chose him. Out of all the options she had, including a fancy Stark party with the others, who are most definitely more fun than he is… she still chose to spend time with him. And that makes Bucky Barnes feel like the most important person in the world.

“Well, I was going to first foot you.…” She chuckles. “But I can’t do that if you don’t let me in.” Still frowning, Bucky steps aside and helps Y/N take her coat off. 

“You’re going to what?” Y/N laughs, another burst of laughter that Bucky swears is improving his mood by the second.

“First footing. It’s a tradition where the first person to enter your house after the clock strikes twelve brings good luck with them.” She grins. “So…here I am.” 

“Y/N, you don’t have to be here. I know spending tonight with an old man like me isn’t very fun. Go party.”

“No way!” Y/N shakes her head, heading to his kitchen. “There’s no place I’d rather be than here, with my favourite person.” She calls. Bucky’s heart almost goes into overdrive.

“Thank you.” He smiles, watching her go. “It means a lot.” More than she’ll ever know.

~ * ~

“Here we go.” Y/N grins, passing Bucky his dram of whisky. “Cheers Bucky.” 

“Cheers, doll.” He chuckles, clinking his glass against hers. Together, they down their drink. Despite the minimal amount of alcohol, and the fact the serum means he can’t get drunk, Bucky still feels the familiar warm feeling pooling in his gut, and the heat spreading across his cheeks. And especially how all he wants to do is smile.

But that could just be the beautiful woman sitting opposite him, the candlelight casting a soft glow over her features. The one who chose him over everyone else. The one he’s so deeply and irrevocably in love with. He swears he could just kiss her right there and then. He just can’t bring himself to do it, or even tell her how he feels. Despite how much he loves Y/N, Bucky swears that the pain of losing her and her friendship would be enough to finish him off right there and then. So, he stays quiet and lets the pain of not telling her, and the thought she could be with someone else eat him up inside.

“Any other traditions for me tonight?” Bucky raises a brow. 

“Other than finishing this whiskey? Nope.” Y/N chuckles as Bucky pours them both some more.

“Thanks again for tonight, Y/N.” Bucky smiles. “I mean, I wasn’t going to spend it alone. I wanted to go to the party, but-” He lies, trying desperately not to sound so lonely and pathetic. But a gentle, reassuring touch on his forearm stops him. Despite the gentleness of her touch, Bucky’s skin burns under it.

“It’s alright.” Y/N smiles. “I know.” What did he ever do to deserve someone like Y/N in his life? Perhaps he was a saint in a previous life. But even that wouldn’t be enough, make him anywhere close to worthy of having Y/N as a best friend. She looks at him intently, staring into his eyes. Bucky feels the heat on his cheeks deepening. “You know….” She chuckles.

“Mhm?”

“I know you think resolutions suck, but I have one this year. And there’s no better time than half twelve in the morning on January 1st to do it, huh?”  

“I don’t think they suck, they’re just not my thing.” Bucky corrects her, but he can’t stop his brow from quirking up. “What’s your resolution?” Y/N leans in, so close Bucky can feel her breath against his skin. It’s enough to drive him crazy.

“To not let anything pass me by, to take each opportunity as it comes.” She grins.

“That’s a good resolution.” Bucky nods, regretting his words almost immediately. Why the hell would he say that, of all things?

“So. Here it goes.” Y/N takes a breath. “This may be the whisky talking, but… I refuse to go another year without telling you this. I am in love with you, Bucky Barnes.” Bucky almost keels over. He almost asks her to repeat what she just said, or even to pinch him. But then she continues. “I don’t care if you don’t feel the same way… well, it would hurt a lot, but I just have to tell you because I couldn’t bear another day without you knowing.”

Bucky chuckles, cupping her chin. “I’ve been wanting to tell you that for so long.” He smiles, and Y/N’s grin grows just as wide. “You know….” He whispers. “There’s another New Year’s tradition I can think of.” Leaning in, he softly presses his lips to hers.

Something tells him this year is going to be pretty damn incredible.

~ * ~

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[runa-falls]

scratches and bites - 1

Pairing: Miguel O'Hara x Reader

Warnings: Almost kidnapping, age-gap but completely legal, grumpy/asshole Miguel, injury, them claws and fangs, sexual tension, cockblock lol

a/n: yes, i’m back at it with some writing. sorry for being mia lol. this became a lot more dark-ish than I initially anticipated–my bad. I was also gonna do a smutty one-shot, but i needed some background so ._. my bad again. now imma hunker down on pt 2. hope you enjoy ?

Summary: Miguel O'Hara is a grumpy man and you make him grumpy. You regularly go against his orders, create chaos, and invite danger. So this is how you met (which may explain some things...)

w/c: 1.4k

series masterlist | main masterlist

----

Miguel O’Hara is a grumpy man.

It’s almost like there are tiny weights holding down his brows to maintain his glare or ribbons pulling at the corner of his lips so he’s always frowning. Needless to say, being subject to an O’Hara scowl is not uncommon. Everyone in the spider-verse has had their turn. But you have seen it more than anyone. In fact, you might be the number one reason why he’s rarely seen in a relaxed state. 

You’re not even sure why you were recruited in the first place. When Miguel showed up, it was only a few days after you were bitten. You had literally just woken up from your Spider-coma to find what every spider-person experienced: sticky hands, superhuman strength, and a sixth sense. 

Endless thoughts ruffled your mind, overwhelming your already overly-sensitive body. Just as you were starting to fully freak out, a bright and distorted series of lights and noises invited a very tall man, dressed head-to-toe in a red and blue suit, to casually walk into your childhood bedroom.

You sat there shaking in disbelief as you watched the broad-shouldered man slowly reveal his face, easily taking off that terrifying mask before regarding your small figure on your bed. He almost looked inconvenienced or bored as he met your eyes.

This has to be a dream.

“Alright, come on.” Those were the first words he said to you. He gestures to the portal impatiently, waiting for you to come to your senses and follow his orders. When nothing happens he raises his brow. “Don’t have all day.” His tone is clipped like he’d rather be anywhere else. 

“What? ” It comes out hoarse and small, "No." If it weren’t for his sensitive hearing he probably wouldn’t have picked up on it over the noises the portal was making. Your fingers clench harshly against your blanket.

That marks the first time you saw his infamous scowl. He adjusts his stance, resting his hands on his hips like a disappointed parent. “No?" He chuckles humorlessly, "Well, you don’t really have a–” 

“Who the hell are you?” 

He shakes his head dismissively, “It doesn’t really mat–”

“Did you do this to me?” You lift a hand that has remnants of a Spanish flash card that you accidentally picked up when you leaned against your desk. You tried to peel it off but ended up ripping it into smaller pieces that were still stuck to your palm. His stare is patronizing as it lands on your flash card confettied hand.

“Is this new to you or somethi–”

“So you know about it?” You accuse, "You did--"

“Stop fucking interrupting me.” You flinch as he basically growls the words in irritation. As he steps closer to you, light pours over his figure, highlighting the intricate pattern of his suit that clings closely to his muscles. You cower slightly, noticing the menacing scars over his cheeks and the heat in his nearly red eyes.

His voice is low and dangerous as he addresses you, “You’re spider-girl, or spider-woman if you prefer, though by the looks of it,” His eyes glaze over your face and body, “you’re still just a kid.” He continues to inch closer as he speaks, unconcerned by the way the portal closes suddenly behind him or the way you start to shuffle away from him. “A radioactive spider bit you and gave you powers, lord knows why, and now you are to use them for good. End of story. Now,”  His hand darts out before you could react and grabs a hold of your arm, “you’re coming with me so we can save everything and fix all this shit that is fucking up the multiverse.” 

You attempt to yank your arm from his hold, but it only makes him grip you harsher. “Why are you doing this to me? I don’t even know why this is happening! I j-just woke up, I swear!” He doesn’t spare you a look as he mutters lowly into his watch.

Another portal opens, exactly like the first one he came through, but placed a bit farther away.

Now you’re panicking. 

“Didn’t you hear a thing I said?” He pulls you from your bed, almost dragging you off the mattress. You try to claw at his hands, but his grip remains unaffected. If anything he’s just growing more frustrated.

“Ok, ok, ok. I’m spider-woman.” You continue to pull away from him, dragging your legs as a way to slow him down. “Please, I promise to use my powers for good! I will be a nice neighborhood spider-thing–Just please let me go! I didn’t do anything–”

“This isn’t a discussion.” He pulls you up and closer to him until he’s basically carrying you to the portal, one arm supporting your spine and another under your legs. You squirm relentlessly in his arms, trying to make it hard for him to get a good grip on you. “Stop…Fucking…Moving–” Sharp, fire-hot pain zips up your body as claws sink deeply into your skin. The side of your thigh and abdomen throb with unbearable heat as you’re shoved closer to his chest. 

“Ahhh–fuck!” Your eyes sting with tears as your body catches up to the burning sensation of his claws retracting back into his body. 

“Shit…” You look up as you hear his softened voice and see that he’s staring right back at you. The portal in front of the two of you continues to hum, but it quiets as your eyes met his. “Kid, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—You just, you gotta come with me. The fate of everyone and everything rests on our shoulders.” The pain on your side dulls as you silently listen to the growing desperation in his voice. Somehow you’re able to divert those sensations, you might even be healing already. “I know you’re new to all this superhero stuff, but trust me when I say that I need your help. We all do.”

You’re almost afraid to ask, “...We?” 

“There are countless spiders across the multiverse, all with interconnected lives.” You feel the large warmth of his hand gently stroke against your aching thigh like he’s trying to soothe the pain with light touches. “I’ve recruited a couple thousand, but we still need more. There's darkness rapidly spreading around the multiverse, displacing heroes and villains from their original dimensions and destroying whole universes.” The colors of the portal reflect off his red eyes as he stares right through it, mind somewhere else.

You let it sink in. The whole multiverse. Everything and everyone. And you.

Your arms slowly link around his neck so as not to startle him, and you pull yourself closer to him. You secretly enjoy feeling his firm chest against you, suddenly realizing how much larger he is compared to you, but when you twist the wrong way you are suddenly reminded of the small gashes on your side. Your quiet hiss shakes him out of his thoughts. Your lashes, sticky from the few tears you’ve shed, frame your eyes prettily as you stare up at him.

“Ok.” It comes out quieter than you wanted but he immediately reacted to it.

His brows raise in surprise, “Ok?” You nod. “Ok. O–Alright, that's um, great. I mean, thank you.” You nuzzle your head into the warmth of his chest when you see a corner of his mouth perk into a small smile. Why is he making you feel this way? How can your body react like this to someone about to literally kidnap them? “D-do you want something for these, uh, marks…” His voice is hushed and almost sounds sheepish as his fingers carefully smooth over the marks he left on your skin. A soft groan leaves your lips as he applies too much pressure against one of the puncture wounds.

“Yes please.” His fingers stop their movements and you can barely feel the way his body stiffens at your words. 

“Alright, honey.” The hand under your back drags upwards, tracing your spine until it rests against the back of your neck. Goosebumps litter down your body as the warmth of his palm meets your bare and ultra-sensitized skin. He lifts you closely until you can feel his breath against the skin of your throat. Your eyes flutter closed. “Brace yourself.” The rough timber of his voice is enough to make you unconsciously clench your thighs. Time slows as you feel the sharp edge of – are those fangs? 

You’re so focused on the gentle brush of his incisors that you barely notice the borderline possessive way he’s holding you. Like a wolf preparing himself for the meal of a lifetime. Just as he’s about to sink in and finally give you the relief that you’re practically begging for, an engine roars to life. 

An engine. In your bedroom. 

Well, there’ve been weirder things. 

Both of you separate slightly at the noise and watch as a motorcycle slowly rolls into the room. There sits a heavily pregnant spider-woman with a very unimpressed look on her face, eyes bouncing from you to the nameless man cradling your body.

“What the fuck is going on here?”

[purplepickles]

NSFW ALPHABET- CENTRAL CEE

If your a minor dni

Pairings: Central Cee x black fem reader

Genre: smut *doesn’t go into detail but it is mention

A/N: the reader of anything I write will be black or a woc unless said otherwise💗

A = Aftercare

One thing about Oakley is that he’s going to take care of you in any and every way he can.

“Shittt baby we’ve made a mess huh?”

You nod currently shocked on what you just spend the last couple of hours doing

“You stay here and I’ll run a hot bath to clean you up”

B = Body part

He loves every part of you. He loves kissing and sucking your lips when he can. But when it’s just you and him he can’t stop looking at your tits. It could be movie night and he’ll still something manage to get his hand under your shirt and suck your tits in awe.

C = Cum

When you haven’t seen each other in months just know he’s loaded and soon as he gets the chance to fuck you he’s gonna cum and cum lots.

D = Dirty Secret

As much as he doesn’t want to admit he likes to be overstimulated. He loves it when you dominate him. He sometimes forgets how high your sex drive is and when you’re riding him trying to reach your climax he’s wants to tap out so badly but the feeling of your wet insides tightening around him how could not go for another round.

E = Experience

You would joke around in the beginning of your relationship about him being a whore because of his high body count but you two first started fucking you we’re so grateful because he definitely knew what he was doing.

F = Favorite Position

Missionary can be a basic or boring to some but you can never go wrong with a classic right? He loves to watching you his dick disappear in you. He loves loving directly into your eyes while you take him whole. The body to body contact and the rough makeout session kills You everytime. You can’t focus one thing it’s the satisfaction from his speeding up his movement or the rough makeout session or holding eachothers hands tight as if one one of you is going to disappear or the loud moans and screams everytimes he hits that same spot.

G = Goofy

Oakley likes make jokes in bed. Only the lord knows why he does this. You could looking into his eyes while riding him and he begins to make silly faces.

“Oakley stop doing that it’s not funny”

“I’m sorry baby I’ll stop”

Or sometimes you’ll have a morning debrief in bed and he’ll start bussing out jokes

“Oakley you think you’re some fucking comedian”

“I’m retire for music be a joker instead”

H= Hair

He lovessss it when you get hair done especially in when you do long braids. Watching you tie up your hair before giving him head turns him on. He knows that your getting straight to business. But he also loves it when you pull his hair when he eats you out he knows that’s your way of telling him to keep going.

I = Intimacy

Oakley isn’t afraid of showing you intamacy. He doesn’t care are if he has to arouse you in public, eating you like your his meal, fingering you till you squirt or fucking you to sleep he’ll do it. He want to show you off and show you how grateful he is to have you.

J= Jerking Off

This isn’t something he likes to do often because he doesn’t feel like it satisfies his needs the way you do but if he hasn’t seen you in ages he’ll FaceTime you just for you to catch him jerk off.

K= Kink

Overstimulation and a big breeding kink. When he sees you around your siblings or your nephews and nieces he thinks about the long but process of making you become his own personal milf. Maybe nutting inside you a little deeper wouldn’t hurt.

L= Location

In terms of your flat there’s no where you haven’t done.

Shower Sex ✅

Bedroom ✅

Studio✅

Kitchen ✅

Occasionally he’d fuck you in the car those were of a fuck it moment. Compared to you Oakley likes keep his imitate in a private place where you wouldn’t mind on pushing a few boundaries to get what you want.

M = Motivation

When he’s had a rough day he loves that you’ll push your shyness away and initiate things to get him in a good mood.

N = Nudes

He was never one to send nudes until you two started dating. You two don’t use snap as much you used to butt when he’s miles away or just hasn’t given you the attention you usually crave why not send him a purple snap showing how much you miss him.

O = Oral

Oakley loves giving head the thought of waiting you squirm over his fingers turns him on. He loves watching scream his names he licks all the mess the youve made.

P = Pace

You love when his paces switched from slow and hard strokes to straight up r rated porn. When he speeds up the pace the grunts will let you know how close he is to destroying your insides.

Q = Quickies

He hates quickies even though you always make sure he comes in the end but he hates rushing something he loves doing with you. He sometimes feels you’re not fully satisfied because of how much you focus making him feel good.

R= Risk

Oakley’s breeding kink is fun and games until he’s running around trying to find if a pharmacy is open so he can buy you a plan b or if your two weeks late again.

S = Squirt

He didn’t know girls could squirt til he met you. He thought it was only in porn and that it was fake. Ever since he discovered you’re a squirter it’s become his mission to make you squirt every session he doesn’t mind change the sheets everyday.

T = Toy

Oakley was once against toys he didn’t see the point in you needing on. He thought he wasn’t doing a good job. After a little bit of persuasion and a lot of experimenting you now have a mini collection of toys he likes to use on you.

U = Unfair

Oakley likes to push your buttons and see how far can he tease you until you beg. Sometimes he’ll start mid foreplay and decide to stop because somewhere to be and you’ll have to finish off yourself.

V = Volume

Oakley loves to make you scream. He loves to rail you and cover your mouth and tell you your being too loud and then thrusts into you harder just to hear you grunt louder

W = Wet

He loves seeing how wet he makes you guys are away. The sights are you showing how wet and soaked you are turns him on so much.

X = X-Ray

You’re convinced Oakley’s into a bit of role play. He’s mentioned a few times about you dressing up I’m a sexy nurse costume and help him with his “headache”

Y = Yearning

Oakley might just be obsessed wit you. And if it’s quite ironic for two reasons 1) of his song 2) he’s never been the obsessive type. Toxic yes but obsessive no. But for you however, he can’t seem to get enough of you. He’s always yearning for love and affection.

Z = ZZZ

Right after a long session one think Oakley’s gonna do is sleep. After all that energy he had he’s too tired to shower he’d rather stay him bed with the love of his life.

[lala3244]

A crush on Lucifer

~ This is a request from @venture-venus, it is a bit long but well when you are inspired it helps! I do hope you like it. I tried to follow your request as you explained it very well! ~

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Ik I read this before or the troupe but for an obey me!Lucifer x Mc fanfic what if Mc was developing a crush on him and thought it was mutual because he was kind to them, took them out, let them come to his study, and so on. One day Mc was bringing some tea after hearing Diavolo was stopping by so they peaked into the office and overheard the pair talking, revealing Lucifer was doing all of it just to make Mc happy as the exchange student. A pov for Lucifer can show Dia prodding at him saying smth that he’s doing a lot more than he needs to so he obviously likes them but Lucifer being prideful (esp during the first season) pushes away. Mc is of course sad and distanced themself, and so on.

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Warnings: Some angst I think? Hurt/comfort

also, English is not my language and I know sometimes, English speakers wouldn’t use the expressions or sentences I used as even when I read them, they sound a bit off but my brain is not used to speaking English regularly anymore so it can’t think of another way of turning the phrases! I do apologise for this!

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You were sitting at his desk, a book and a notebook open in front of you. You had a test coming up next week and you didn’t feel ready for it so you had asked the prideful demon for his help. He had agreed but with one condition: you had to come to his study every night even during the weekend. So that was where you were. Lucifer was explaining to you a chapter on potions when he leaned down to show you a passage that was important and he put his hand on your shoulder for support. Your breath hitched at the touch and you looked to the side and you realised how close his face was to yours. His beautiful face. You couldn’t help but stare at him. He side-eyed you. “Are you listening?” You blushed furiously, feeling the warmth invading your entire body and you got scared that he could feel the sudden warmth but he didn’t move or say anything. You just nodded stupidly and looked back at the book while writing something on your notebook. He stood up. “Well, it’s enough for tonight. Same time tomorrow okay? And don’t be late.” You picked up your books and stood up. “I know you think you have to do this so that I don’t fail but I still want to thank you for your time and help… and patience. You are a good teacher, Lucifer.” With that, you left in a hurry without waiting for an answer. 

You opened the door of your bedroom and jumped on your bed, hiding your face in your pillow. You couldn’t believe you were developing a crush on Lucifer, Avatar of Pride, a Lord of Hell. As if, you, a simple human, a nobody really could ever be with him! And could a demon and a human even be together? You thought about that moment when you were staring at him and you groaned. How embarrassing that was! But you were glad he didn’t say anything. You decided to change your mind so you went to the bathroom and got ready for bed. You went to sleep but it wasn’t a peaceful one, you kept waking up, bad dreams kept happening so you decided to stay awake and go through your notes again. An hour went by when you heard a knock on your door. You stood up and opened the door. Lucifer was standing there, arms crossed and a frown on his face. “Aren’t you supposed to be asleep right now?” You lowered your head. “Yes, I was but I kept waking up and every time I fell back asleep, I had a nightmare so I decided to stay awake and read for my test.” His arms went on his sides and his face changed into worry. “You still need to sleep. Would you rather I stay with you until you fall asleep?” Your eyes widened as you hear his words and you could feel a blush coming. You cursed yourself internally. You hated the fact that he could make you blush so easily. You lowered your head as to hide your face. “Yes, I would. Thank you.” You left the door open so he could follow you and you went under the covers. You were watching him as he was closing the door and you couldn’t help but admire him. How his hair fell on his forehead, how his posture was always so perfect, how his eyes were observing everything. You were starting to daydream when you felt him sitting next to you. He moved so his legs were lying on your bed and he leaned his back against the headboard. He looked at you and pulled you closer. You stopped breathing, waiting to see what he was going to do. He moved you around so that you were on your side, head on his chest and your arm around his stomach. You let him move you as you knew you were no match anyway but when he finally settled, you were surprised by what was going on. It was actually comfortable to use him as a pillow. He put his hand on your back and soothingly rubbed it. You finally let your breath go and breathed normally again. You let a few seconds pass before whispering. “Good night, Lucifer. Thank you.” You were starting to feel sleepy and his hand rubbing your back helped you relax more. Lucifer smiled at you, even though you couldn’t see him and waited a few minutes to be sure you were asleep. “Any time, darling.” Then he kissed tenderly your hair.

You got woken up by your alarm. You sat down slowly and looked around. Of course, no Lucifer. You lied back down again and took the covers with you to hide your whole body. You replayed the evening in your mind, eyes closed, it was actually nice. Maybe he cared about you more than you thought? No, that would be crazy! But… you snapped your eyes open. In your sleeping state, you thought you had heard him talking and calling you darling. Surely it was a dream. It wasn’t possible! But what if…? You heard one of the brothers calling you for breakfast. You couldn’t say who it was but you left begrudgingly your bed, not really ready to affront the brothers. You weren’t really hungry, having slept so little didn’t help with your appetite so you went back upstairs after drinking only a cup of tea and got ready for RAD. You all left the House of Lamentations, you would usually walk with Mammon, as the second born liked to brag about his schemes he came up with during the night but today, he was busy talking with Levi. You smiled fondly as you watched them together. You felt a presence next to you and you looked up, still smiling. Lucifer had started to walk next to you and he looked down at you. “Why are you smiling?” You chuckled. “It’s just cute how Mammon and Levi interact with each other.” He looked at them, an eyebrow quirked and he chuckled too. “Yes, they can be.” You were all greeted by Lord Diavolo at R.A.D’s entrance. You looked at the Prince who was, clearly, watching Lucifer with a smirk on his face. You said hello to the future King and went to your first class, leaving the brothers with him. The day went by, uneventful. Sometimes, you would catch glances of Lucifer and he was always watching you. He would smile at you when he saw you. 

You hated yourself when you had a crush because you would read every word, every gesture as a sign that they liked you and you were wrong more often than not so you tried to stop yourself hoping but that evening when you were finding yourself in Lucifer’s study, you couldn’t help but hope. For once, he was sitting. Not standing behind you but sitting next to you. Your knees touching slightly, he would brush his fingers accidentally against your hands and you kept telling yourself. “Don’t hope! Don’t hope! Don’t hope” and you failed miserably when after your study session he said that he would take you out after the last study session to celebrate your good results. You laughed and had said “We won’t know for another week.” He smiled. “I know you’ll pass.” It boosted your ego and when you looked at Lucifer’s eyes, you swore you saw a glint of pride. 

When you went back to your room, you couldn’t help but think about the subtle touches the demon gave you. It wasn’t like before. It felt like it was as if your bodies were attracted to each other and they needed to touch one way or another. You shook your head. You needed to stop thinking like that. To stop thinking like there was ever any hope but, still, your mind kept coming back towards those fleeting moments when his fingers were barely touching you. It sent electricity through your body and it kept feeding in your crush. You sighed, loudly. You looked around your room and decided you needed to get out so you went to the kitchen. You were making yourself a cup of herbal tea to help you fall asleep when you heard someone at the door. You tried to listen for a clue of who it was but you were too far away to hear anything. A few moments later, Asmodeus arrived. “Hey hon! Lord Diavolo is here! Lucifer asked me to make some drinks for them.” You smiled at the Avatar of Lust. “I’ll bring them the drinks if you’d like?” He jumped happily and kissed you on the cheek, giggling. You laughed and you busied yourself with the drinks. It took you a few minutes to get everything ready. You knew what Lucifer liked as you had brought hot beverages to him before but you didn’t know Diavolo’s preferences so you put on display different flavours for him to choose. Once everything was on the tray, you took it and left the kitchen.

You arrived in front of the door which was slightly open and you stopped. They were talking and you heard your name so you listened closely with the tray in your hands. Lord Diavolo was speaking. “… brothers told me you slept in their room last night?” You heard Lucifer groaned. “Who told you that? Never mind. I saw the light on in their room so I went in to check if everything was okay and they told me they had bad dreams so I proposed to stay with them until they fell asleep.” Lord Diavolo chuckled. “And you help them with that test?” You tried to see what was going on inside and you saw Lucifer stand up. “They asked me for help. I can’t let an exchange student fail. It would look bad on you or me.” Diavolo was sitting on a chair. “True. But every night? You don’t even do that for your brothers, I don’t think you would spend that much time with someone if you didn’t have any feelings for them.” Lucifer turned to face Lord Diavolo. “What are you insinuating, Diavolo?” Lord Diavolo stared at Lucifer. “You barely speak to Simeon and Luke who are also exchange students in the Devildom. Simeon was your brother as an angel but with this human you do a lot more to make sure they are comfortable and happy. I think you like them. A lot.” Lucifer stared down at Diavolo. “Stop it. I am THE Avatar. Of Pride! I won’t let myself have feelings for such a fragile human., an inferior being.” You took a step back, punched by Lucifer’s words and hurt by the hatred you could hear in his voice. You wanted to leave but they were waiting for the drinks. You braced yourself and opened the door. “Good evening Lord Diavolo! Here, I brought you some drinks, I didn’t know what you liked so you have the choice.” You put the tray down on the desk then looked at Lucifer who had an angry face on. Tears started to well up and when Lucifer looked at you, a tear fell. Lucifer’s eyes widened and concern could be read on his gaze. You wiped your tears quickly and said your goodbyes to the Young Prince. Lucifer stood up. “Wait…” and you left without looking back. 

You went to bed, not even bothering to brush your teeth, change or even get under the covers. You just plopped down on your bed, face down on your pillow. And you hurt. You hurt so much that your chest was painful. You moved your head so you could breathe better but you still had difficulty breathing. It was so painful. You couldn’t believe Lucifer had such hatred against humans or you. Your heart broke. You idealised the demon so much in your mind that to think that he could hate you that much was unbelievable, how could he be so nice and kind to you. A sob escaped your chest then more followed and you couldn’t stop them. You sobbed as if your heart had been ripped out of your chest, as if someone tore a piece of your soul. To know he didn’t like you like you did was okay, he had a right to not have that kind of feelings for you but you thought you were, at least, friends and apparently, he saw you nothing more as a pet. You laughed. A pet is loved, not hated. So for the Avatar of Pride, a human is even less important than a pet. A rat? A pest, that was what you were. Now, you were laughing hysterically and crying. You were alternating both. After a couple of hours, you fell asleep, exhausted by your rollercoaster of emotions. 

You woke up and tried to open your eyes. You touched them and you realised they were puffy from all of your crying last night. You checked your phone and saw that you had no notifications. You cursed Lucifer and his pride. He knew he hurt you but his pride didn’t let him apologise even via text messages. You got up from your bed and went to the bathroom, hoping that some cold water could help reduce the puffiness of your eyes then you went to the dinner room to have breakfast with the brothers. They all looked at you when you walked in but they don’t say anything. You mumbled a greeting to all of them and sat down in your seat. You ate your breakfast in silence while you felt their stares on you. You finally looked up after finishing eating and you saw quickly, all their heads turning to their plates, except Lucifer. He was reading a newspaper while sipping his coffee, unconcerned by your appearance. You felt your chest constricting at the obvious neglect the Avatar of Pride felt about you. You stood up abruptly and left the room, stomping your feet like a child throwing a tantrum but you didn’t actually care. None of the other brothers dared moving and all looked at Lucifer, who just shrugged his shoulders.

It was the evening. You had spent your whole trying to avoid the brothers and especially the eldest but when it was finally time for you to go and see him for your study session, you hesitated. You couldn’t face him, not after what he said but he texted, asking you to still meet him in his office at the same time as usual. So you went, anxious. You, now, knew he hated you and you were scared to say or do something wrong. You decided to just focus on the lesson and what he has to say about it. Not on him, not on his hatred. You remembered one of the first time he threatened to kill you because he felt you were a threat to his family. It was scary then but you just assumed he was a big brother protecting his brother. Now, you knew it was something entirely different. You shakily knocked on his study’s door and opened the door. He was standing by his desk, his back facing you. After a few seconds where you had stayed by the door, he turned around with that charming smile and showed you a chair. “Please, sit down.” You followed his order quietly and sat down. You started unpacking your stuff but he stopped you. “Today, we are doing something different. Here’s a mock-up test. You have an hour to finish it and together, we will do the corrections and see where you need to study the most.” You nodded, speechless. You started your exam and thought it was quite easy, well you hoped but it was actually nice to not have to speak to him for a full hour. The hour went by quickly and he took the paper. He read it quickly and you saw him nod to himself multiple times and when he was almost done, you saw a small proud smile on his face. Your heart bursted with pride and he gasped. His eyes fell on you while you were looking at his desk, basking in your pride. You thought you had passed when you saw the smile and you were so proud to have done so well as you weren’t prepared to have an exam that day. You looked at Lucifer with a big grin, oblivious of his turmoil. “So? Shall we start correcting?” He stared at you for a while longer and you started to get anxious. You were seeing an emotion in his eyes that was unfamiliar. He cleared his throat. “Well, except a few small mistakes here and there, there is nothing to correct.” Your chest swelled even bigger and he staggered back. You frowned. “Are you okay?” He nodded. “Well, keep reading your notes for the next couple of days and you should pass easily.” You nodded, relieved that you didn’t need to spend more time with Lucifer. You left the study and on the way there, you bumped into Asmodeus. “Hey hon! Tomorrow evening, we are going out to The Fall. Would you like to come?” You nodded and jumped excitedly. “Yes please! A night out before my test should help me relax a bit!” Asmo laughed and kissed you good night. 

The next day, you felt better and glad that Asmo had asked you for a night out. At least, not all demons hated humans. You knew you would finish early today so you had asked the Avatar of Lust to go shopping with you. You spent the rest of the afternoon trying on different outfits and you finally decided on one. It highlighted your body in all the right places and unconsciously you chose a black and red one. You realised it once you had bought it. Never mind. Asmo ushered you in his room so you could both get ready and he took you out for dinner. As you were in a hurry, you had left your D.D.D in Asmo’s room. It dawned on you when you wanted to take a picture of the two of you. You shrugged it off and went to the restaurant. You walked in arm in arm with the fourth brother and the maitre d’ showed you to your table. You looked at the menu while listening to Asmo who was explaining everything in there. You saw a shadow covering your table so you looked up. It was Lucifer, he looked pissed, arms crossed. “Don’t you look at your phone.” You stuttered “s-sorry, I-I left it at home.” He shook his head. “Very well, I will talk to you tomorrow.” And he left. You looked at Asmo when you realised. He had promised you to take you out tonight as it was supposed to be the last day of your tutoring. You excused yourself to Asmo “I’m sorry Asmo, I’ll be back! Choose for me”. You ran after the Avatar and caught his arm. Even though, you were still heartbroken and mad at him, you couldn’t help but feel sorry. He might not hate you that much if he was there waiting for you, right? And there you go, hoping. Again. He turned to face you. “What?” He was calm but you could see the anger behind his stare. “I’m… I’m really sorry Lucifer. I really didn’t mean to.” He crossed his arms. “Well, you are human after all, you discard things when you don’t need them anymore.” You stood there, speechless. “I don’t… that’s hurtful!” He smirked. “Is it?” You gasped and anger took you in. “Of course, you’d say that . I am only a pest under your protection. Something that you don’t want but still have to live with and can’t get rid of soon enough. You know what? I’m glad I have forgotten your invitation. You don’t deserve it, you don’t deserve me, you don’t deserve anything. You are only good to scold and teach but nothing else.” You turned away and went back inside. You threw yourself in the arms of Asmo who was waiting for you at the door. “Asmo, I want to go home please.” He nodded and walked past his brother, frowning at him to ask him silently what had happened. 

Spending the rest of the evening in Asmo’s room had helped you feel better and you were actually glad that you didn’t go out as your test was a bit more complicated than the one Lucifer made you take. You knew the answers, it’s just that the questions were weirdly worded and it didn’t make sense at first what they were asking you. When you finished your exam, you left the classroom and you saw Lucifer waiting for you. “How did it go?” You shrugged. “Fine I guess. The questions were kind of difficult to understand.” He nodded. They do that, yes. So it wouldn’t be too easy to answer.” You shrugged again. “Ok, well thank you for asking about my test but I don’t want to be late for my next class.” He nodded again and watched you leave. You shuddered and cursed yourself at how you felt butterflies in your stomach when he asked you about your test but then you reminded yourself, he did it to make sure he did a good at teaching you, not for you but deep down, your crush which had developed into more was still present and you could forgive him anything. You made a promise to yourself, to stop thinking about him and for that you needed to avoid him as much as possible. Avoiding him felt impossible. He was everywhere, you went. You wanted to do your homework in the library? He was there talking with the librarian. You went for a hot drink in a random coffee shop you never went, he was there having a coffee. You went for a walk, he was on the same pathway. You wondered if he had put a bug or a curse on you to know where you were going. And the next few days were pretty much the same. Even in the House of Lamentations, he was everywhere no matter the time except for your room, of course. So, you would hide in there every evening, avoiding him, and as a consequence, his brothers too. After a couple of days, the other brothers got worried but when Asmo told them about the argument with their brothers they decided to leave you alone. They didn’t want their brother on their backs again. You felt betrayed when none of them came to see if you were okay or even at breakfast, they wouldn’t look at you. 

It was snowing. You liked the first snows. It was always so immaculate and quiet. You liked the stillness in the sky and the invigorating cold. For the past few days, you had barely spoken to anyone in the house but you were glad, you had other friends at RAD, otherwise, you would feel really lonely. You had walked from RAD with Simeon and Luke to the House of Lamentations. It had been snowing for a few hours now and when you walked you could hear and feel the crispness of the fresh snow. You stopped and looked up at the sky, enjoying the feeling of each snowflake melting against your skin. You got startled when you received a snow ball on your coat. You looked around and you saw the two angels running away, laughing. You made a snowball then a second one quickly and ran after them. You laughed as you tried to aim at their backs and you got them. You had managed to arrive in front of your temporary home. Lucifer and his brothers were all on the porch, watching you. Mammon was the first to move, grabbed some snow and threw it towards you. You dodged it and tried to do the same but when you aimed for Mammon, you tripped and you sent your snowball on Lucifer. You froze mid-stumble and waited for a reaction. He looked at the snow that was slowly melting on his coat then at you. He slowly walked towards a railing and with a hand, gathered the snow and meld it in a ball then he threw it. It got you on the side of your head, it wasn’t a powerful throw but enough to unfreeze you and to start a snowball fight with Lucifer. The brothers joined you too, Mammon and Asmo played with you and the angels against the other five brothers. You played for a couple of hours but you asked to stop as no one was really winning and you couldn’t feel your fingers anymore. You hugged Simeon and Luke and thanked them for earlier. 

When they left, the brothers had the time to realise that you were cold. Your lips were becoming blue and you started shuddering uncontrollably. Lucifer ushered you to your room. “Get undressed, I’m going to run a bath for you.” Your teeth were shattering and you slowly started to undressed. You tried to lay your clothes down so they would dry but you decided to just let them as is because you were shaking so much. You wrapped a towel around your body and walked quickly to the bathroom. You didn’t realise how much the cold had penetrated your bones. You could barely feel your legs and feet and all your limbs started to be painful as you were slowly warming up with the heat from the house. Lucifer was still in the bathroom, making sure the water was not too hot for your cold body. He turned around when he saw you walked in. You weren’t really thinking at that point. All you needed was the warm water so you took off your towel and slided in the bathtub. There was enough water so that it covered all your body. Lucifer was watching you, slightly panicking at your actions and once you stopped shuddering, you looked at him. You chuckled when you saw his panic look but you quickly got embarrassed when you realised why he was panicking. “Thank you Lucifer. I’m alright now. You can leave, I won’t be long.” You smiled shyly at him and he nodded, his gaze looking everywhere but you now. You stayed a few minutes, rubbing your limbs to get the blood flowing, warm. You emptied the bath and you grabbed the towel to dry off. You left the bathroom enveloped in your towel and ran towards your room.  Lucifer was there, rummaging in your closet for warm clothing. He laid them on the bed for you. “Put that on. I’ll come back later because I would like to show you something but I don’t want what happened earlier happening again.” You chuckled. “Sure, Lucifer. I’ll get dressed appropriately.” He smiled. This charming smile that made you melt every time, no matter how angry you were at him. 

He went by your room and whisked you away to a new coffee that was in an incredible spot. You could see the whole city and the view was breathtaking. It was on a roof of a tall building and you didn’t know there was such a place in the Devildom. He ordered two hot drinks and when they were done he brought you outside. You shivered at the temperature difference and Lucifer instinctively came closer to you. You leaned on the railing to have a proper look at the view. The snow was everywhere, covering the city with a white sheet. You felt the demon coming closer to you and wrapping his arms around you from behind. You could feel his body’s heat even through your layers. “It’s only to keep you warm while you are outside.” You giggled. “Of course, Lucifer” He hummed happily then stopped. He turned you around so you were facing him but you were still in his arms. You gasped as it was sudden and you looked at him, surprised. He looked straight into your eyes and put his forehead on yours. He closed his eyes. “I am sorry”. You waited for him to look at you. “For what?” He sighed. You knew he knew but you wanted him to say it. “For what I said in my study.” You moved your head on the side so you wouldn’t look at him anymore. You started to completely pull away but his embrace tightened. “I-I don’t have any excuse. I went too far. My pride was speaking for me when Diavolo said out loud what I was denying to myself and I let it fester instead of just going to see you and to apologise to you as you deserve. You were right, I don’t deserve you. I don’t deserve a lot but I really hope you can forgive me someday.” You didn’t move your head while he was speaking, you looked at the city’s lights, blurred by the tears that were starting to fall. You didn’t look up either when you started to talk. “It hurt, you know? To hear such hatred from you. To hear that I was an inferior being because I was a human. I felt like you never wanted me and I was just an inconvenience even though you have been so kind to me.” He sighed again, lips strained into a thin line. He hugged you tighter, your head was now on his chest and you could hear his heart. “As I said, i don’t have an excuse for what I said. I could say I didn’t mean it but at the moment it still hurt you and for that I apologise, again. If there is one thing I would never do on purpose, it’s hurting you. What I said was me defending myself against Lord Diavolo’s true claims but I shouldn’t have used those harsh words.” Your tears were still flowing while you listened to him through the vibrations of his chest. You wrapped your arms around his waist and he kissed you on the top of your head. You waited to stop crying before pulling away. He grabbed your face with both hands and gently, with his thumbs, he wiped the tears off your cheeks. He kissed your forehead, both your eyes, the tip of your nose then each of your cheeks and he stopped his lips in front of yours. “Do you think you can forgive me?” You leaned into his hands. “I don’t know? Do you hate me or humans?” He chuckled then leaned in to press a soft kiss on your lips. “No, I don’t hate you nor humans.” 

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THE END

Thank you for reading!

Masterlist

[sofiadragon]

I love your hp fashion post! I have a question: what do you think is popular for teenager girls/young women to wear in the 90s? How does it differ from muggles? Would they have incorporate muggle fashion trends into their outfits? And is that a thing you would usually see younger wizards doing?

Thank you!

Ok, this requires me to sit at my PC to type. Got me out of bed and off my phone to make tea and type while I'm sick.

Obligatory link to the post in question.

Fashion is Political

Fashion in the 70's, 80's, and 90's was hugely political both in the UK and USA. Goths, punks, preps... It was an entire identity. I didn't paint my nails black, dye my brown hair with translucent red or purple highligts, and wear mesh layers just for the aesthetic, it was an entire philosophy that had political, moral, and social ideas baked into the culture those clothes represented. When I wore a yellow sundress, a hat that hid the highlights, and stripped the color from my nails to visit certain relatives it was because that was a Sundown Town and the ideas represented by the counter-culture I belonged to very well could get me hurt when walking around alone. Yes, I look entirely white (got some Japanese but so far back it doesn't show, and I'm basically French and Bulgarian) but that kind of conservatism didn't (and still doesn't) take kindly to those who support the queers, freaks, and weirdos.

And it's still true, if not quite as much as it used to be. Social cliques still dress alike, but it isn't as quietly political the same way it was then. People don't seem to associate fashion with a political statement using style as much as they use modesty and cleanliness, but it could be that I've just become Officially Old now that I've got a stripe of white in my hair. It seems a bit more on the nose these days, or more accurately on the head. I have a lovely bright red knit newsboy hat I had to stop wearing around 2016-17.

Yeah, but so what?

Fashion changes over time, so let's start with some 1970's makeovers and work our way to the 90's!

The Marauders Prequel: Kinktomato, and all the similar disclaimers, but I respectfully disagree entirely with giving Sirius, James, or any of the other marauders a Punk aesthetic. Sorry JKR, but what you have James and Sirius wear in your prequel needs a tweak. Sure, they wanted to fight against 'traditionalists' which sounds like it's punk... until you realize that the Light was the status quo before Tom came to power. The Order of the Phoenix is a vigilante group working to protect the Establishment and prevent change. Yes, realizing that while reading the 7th book hurt me in my heart too.

I have to throw JKR a bone about her recent nonsense, but she's right in the manner of a broken clock that the rebellious counter-culture going on in the Wizarding World was being backed by the Traditional Family Values set. The politics in the Wizarding World do not match up well with the real world, mostly because if you think too much about it the political aims of the Death Eaters implode. For blood purity, leader is a half-blood who hates the rich and treats the high society types with deep contempt; were not in power and had to have a guerrilla movement, members included half the House of Lords. You can't square those circles, so we get the Light Preppy types like the Marauders and the Dark Preppy types like Draco Malfoy, and then we have the punks and the goths who are the outcasts and queers that get indoctrinated into one or the other set. Don't blame me, I didn't write the books.

The Marauders should look a bit like The Monkees.

James and Sirius were not in with the queers and freaks, they did not read dark poetry in black clothing with sharp lines and heavy makeup that obscured bruises, they were Preppy Jocks and bullies picking on the outsiders. Remus Lupin might be 'one of the good people' who got wizard AIDS, but he's at best masking to fit in with a powerful social group for protection. The black leather with the rocker band t-shirts look? No, no. Put that boy in a polo shirt and chinos. Give him a cable-knit sweater or a blazer over a robe. (And many people do give these things to Professor Lupin, but I mean from the jump.) They'd all be clean-cut, perfectly groomed, and wearing light colors because their political movement is literally called The Light. Black T-shirts with a phoenix on them? No ma'am. White or yellow shirt, embroidered (or screen print to look like embroidery) phoenix. Yellow blazer jacket on top with creamy muggle trousers in a high-water boot cut to show off expensive white or tan boots. (The high-water boot cut on the trousers are muggle 1960's, but wizards lag behind on muggle trends.)

Moving on to the Dark Side

Snape's our punk, or maybe a broody goth gremlin reading poetry books. All via thrift-shop [charity shop] finds, of course. The set of upper-class future Death Eaters he eventually starts to hang out with would have started out in clean-cut expensive dark-colored robes, but might have embraced a morbid aesthetic, as we see Bellatrix wear in the movies. This would be a case of convergent evolution in a sense.

Snape dressed like that due to the poverty and muggle influences in his life, and I headcanon that he liked to visit a record shop and stim his autistic brain with niche experimental music just like I used to at that age, but the morbid and shocking aspects of Goth or Punk aesthetics parallel with Voledmort's completely unrelated skull and snake symbol inspiring trends among his more loyal followers, who are rich enough to be trend setters and social influencers.

Snape very well might have made friends with those awful boys because they liked the casual clothes he started to wear on weekends once his mum started tossing some money at him and telling him to get his own shopping done so she could get back to her crossword puzzle (or maybe he got a summer job at a bakery.) Snape chose that look because if he's styled punk (violent) or goth (morbid) the rips his father puts in his clothes when he gets tossed around are there on purpose and it's just a nice coincidence that the stains in the second-hand clothes he gets on clearance at the charity shop get hidden by the cheap black dye he uses to get that grey and black look. This way, it is not just because he can't afford better and washes both himself and his clothing in the same portable tin washtub.

This convergence was accidental, but the artfully tattered cloaks and general look of the Death Eaters in the movies is something I can get behind - minus the Victorian trousers on the men, of course. The movies make the clothes way too muggle especially for the pure-blood set! Regulus Black spent nearly a hundred galleons getting a robe made of the finest linen and fur, snipped and cut so artfully to look like it was moth-eaten and torn even though every edge is properly hemmed and trimmed with a bit of lace that merely looks like a frayed edge.

Then Voldemort got Blown up

Look, the actress has red hair and a preppy lavender top - it's too perfect a reference image for Lily Potter nee Evans in a fashion post.

The morbid aesthetic that was so popular in the late 70's doesn't just go out of fashion, it is jettisoned like the toothbrush mustache. Yeeted from a seaside cliff. Dropped in a ditch full of burning petrol. Abandoned at the side of the road in a bag. Morbid? Don't know her.

Draco Malfoy, as I earlier teased, wears the fashion of the Dark upper class. Flowing perfectly tailored robes with a rope belt. Crisp and clean lines, no jagged edges or anything to even suggest aggression. 90's pure-blood fashion is soft. For the girls, more color, but we are going to backpedal so hard nobody will ever think we were associated with that guy we don't name. Draco Malfoy's non-uniform robes are like spun clouds, opulent and decadent in beautiful pristine velvet, shining satin, and resplendent metallic embroidery. While Snape and the generation of men older than him now wear waistcoats over their robes to look proper and all buttoned up, Draco's set is all about looking sleek, clean, and comfortably ready for a dramatic breeze. I don't think there is a large difference between what boys and girls wear, the gendering is all in the accessories and embellishments. Lace for girls, metallic piping for boys.

I'm talking flowy, I'm feeling swishy, I'm saying that 'looks like a dress' was a completely fair take from Harry's perspective. Yes the above characters are female and Frieren herself wears a lot of white, but you get the idea. The Dark Lord is dead, we need a rebrand yesterday. More lighter colors even for Dark-aligned [read:Tory, Conservative] families. No evil here! Nope, nope nope.

Harry is a Self-fulfilling Prophesy in More Ways than One

Harry accidentally has a hand in this trend in his earlier years, since he is wearing Dudley's castoffs and he's incredibly famous. Baggy is in! Just relax, chill, be comfortable. Dress like you just don't care what you look like. (You know, pandemic style.) He wears jeans, and probably most of his bottoms are jeans. They are one of the most durable things any boy Dudley's age would wear, and so wouldn't be as destroyed as the rest of his wardrobe by the time Harry got his hands on it no matter how hard Duds is on the trendy fast fashion clothing Petunia buys him. Petunia, a social climber, is set on making sure her family looks like the next rung up on the social ladder after all.

Later, when we can assume Harry has bought at least one wizard outfit that isn't his school uniform if he's got enough money on hand to buy Omnoculars, he's probably taken his fashion cues from himself indirectly. He likely gets his advice from Hermione and Ron, who get their fashion sense from looking at their peers, who get their fashion sense from... the trend of super casual heavily muggle-influenced baggy clothing in mismatched colors that Harry started as a first year.

Bit harder to find male examples than female ones, but that's fashion gifs on Tumblr.

Shorter robes with jeans underneath - or knee-high socks or dhoti style trousers in blue heather fabric that look like jeans provided you have never seen jeans before in your life. Open, short robes over closed-front ones, aping an overlarge muggle jacket over a robe. Floppy shapeless clothes held on with an overlarge leather belt. Squashy hand-knit jumpers. Girls in the Lighter political side also take cues from muggle women's fashion, which is more form-fitting than traditional wixan wear and shows off the legs. In the muggle world, this is the time of the babydoll dress, slim-cut trousers/jeans, and tightly tailored suit skirts for women.

Imagine way, way, way more gold embroidery on the above dresses.

And, because I can, because it's headcanon time, 90's Indian/ Bollywood fashion influence on the Light side after James Potter is martyred because #Indian Harry Potter is real and I love him. Music, clothing, art, it is in style among those who honor James and Lily's sacrifice. Harry's green eyes looks so bright next to chestnut brown skin. He can speak to snakes because his ancestry includes a bit of naga blood, not because of the Horcrux. Petunia certainly never taught him about it, and he's confused when an especially devoted fan sends him blessings addressed to Hindu gods instead of the Christian or pagan ones he hears about more often at Hogwarts. One of the Patil twins asks him what's wrong with him expecting, from his attitude and excitement about Christmas, that he's a devout Christian who hates his dark skin. Then they monopolize some of the time he's not teaching the D.A. or in detention to Educate That Boy.

[iguana-eyanna]

To Miss Laurant... Pt. 3

Pairing: Lord Alfred Debling x Reader

Summary: What happens when two souls who had not found love find it within each other?

a/n: very STEAMY, longing, pinning, and smut

Lord Debling stands in front of the Bridgerton estate, unsure if he should fall through with this.

'No, I have to... for her.' Alfred thought as he knocked on the door.

He knocked on the door, too late to realize that it has been past midnight and not realizing it was past midnight. Soon, the door opened and Alfred saw a tired Colin who's eyes were sunken and shirt untucked.

"You're awake?" Lord Debling asks, shocked.

"My son begun teething. I was all up night trying to lull him to sleep. But I think I should be the one asking why are you here at my doorstep in this ungodly hour?"

Lord Debling bows his head then rises to meet Colin in the eye, pushing away his pride.

"I need your help uniting a family again."

Colin brought Alfred in his study as the two decided to share a drink.

"So let me understand: Miss Laurant has family in Paris and you need my help to find them."

"I'm in no condition to travel alone, and you know the city better than me. I have the address here in this letter." Alfred said, taking the letter he took from you by mistake.

Colin reads it, thinking where the address seemed familiar.

"This is is near the grand opera house."

"Yes, her family lives just by. Please, I need you to consider helping me. I know we were at odds before, but I need to do this."

Colin was about to answer until there was a knock on the door.

"Colin, you weren't in bed, is everything alright?" Penelope asks, opening the door to see him and Alfred.

"Lord Debling... it is good to see you again." Penelope said hesitantly, but bowing in respect.

"It is good to see you too, Lady Bridgerton, or rather say Lady Whistledown?" He asks, showing into a slight smirk.

Penelope chuckles tiredly. "I apologize for writing about you."

"It is all water under the bridge. I do apologize for intruding your home, but there is something of importance that has brought my presence tonight."

Penelope comes over and sees the letter and reads it.

"Miss Laurant cannot reunite with her son? My heart goes out to her." She said.

"With your blessing, I've asked Colin if we may travel to France and find the-"

"Does she know you are doing this for her?" Penelope asks.

"Well, no." Alfred said.

Penelope gently places the letter down and looks at Alfred.

"Lord Debling, if I may speak freely, a woman who has tirelessly worked day and night to accomplish the impossible, and have a man swoop in to take all of her credit: doesn't it seem so... medieval?"

Alfred was about to answer, but he thought of how you did in fact worked years to build your family a new home. He would throw away all of your days work.

Penelope looks over at her husband, sharing the guilt.

"And you, were you actually considering traveling all the way to France while our son needs both his parents?"

Colin starts stammering, trying to find some support from Alfred but he could partake in defending his past cause.

"It seemed, like a grand gesture." Colin mustered out.

Penelope mutters under her breath and looked at both men.

"My Lord, we will help Miss Laurant as best we can. But if you device a better plan, I hope you will talk with her before setting any action. Now if you please, I'd like for my husband and I to take rest."

"Of course, thank you Penelope. And congratulations for the two of you. Farewell." Lord Debling leaves the study quickly to go back to his estate.

Penelope goes to Colin who was sitting by his desk and sits by his lap as he holds her closely.

"I was not too harsh on him, was I?" Penelope asks.

"No, it was the right thing to tell him. You were perfect." Colin kissed Penelope's temple.

Penelope combs through Colin's hair and looked back at where Lord Debling left.

"Well one thing is for sure, he must love this woman to move the heavens and earth."

+

Dear mother and father....

You stopped writing, not knowing what to write as you sat by a table with the drying ink and the quill that felt heavy in your hand.

You crumbled the paper and inhaled sharply, covering your face in shame.

"If you crumble one more paper, I'll have to start charging you. They don't come cheap anymore, you know."

You turn around and see Lady Danbury walking towards you as you sat in her spacious study as the sunlight poured in the room.

"My apologies, I'm feeling slight frustration sending a letter back home." You said as she took a seat next to you.

Lady Danbury places a comforting hand by your hand,trying to lift your spirits last night. You came back to the dinner, crying and unable to form a full sentence. Violet Bridgerton did her best to calm your tears as they guided you back to your room where you admitted the truth of why you came to Mayfair. They never shown one ounce of dismay, but felt empathy.

"I try so hard to protect my family, but I often feel as if I'm not a mother to my own son."

Lady Danbury sits next to you with a stern look.

"A lady never squabbles her own troubles. She solves them with her own wit and morals. I understand you must feel as if the world is turning too fast but that is the card you are dealt with. You can either fold or place all your bets in."

"T-Thank you, Lady Danbury. That's what I needed." You said, turning back at your letter, about to write.

"Oh, before you begin, I wanted to personally give you this." She offers you a note.

You take it cautiously and open the letter, reading its contents.

To Miss Laurant, I apologize for my ghastly actions the past night. I am not known to have my emotions get the best of me. I humbly ask for your presence tonight at the Debling Manor where I may host a special meal for just the two of us as a token of good will. If you do not arrive by the evening, I will understand. Sincerely yours, Alfred Debling

You look back at Lady Danbury as she had a knowing look on her face.

"Lady Danbury, if a woman is to be called on to a Lord's manor unattended..."

"I won't tell dear, you are an adult. What do you singers call it? 'Go and face the music?'" She asks out loud, turning away so you may choose whether to leave the note be or take action.

You sit alone with your thoughts, certain what you must do.

+

You arrived nervously at the manor, realizing you must be an hour early.

"He's your friend, nothing more." You muttered to yourself before knocking the door with the door knocker.

In a moment, an older gentleman opens the door for you.

"Miss Laurant, I presume? I am Burford, Lord Debling's head servant." He asks.

"Yes. I apologize if I may be early for dinner."

"Not to worry, Lord Debling is out in the field. Come, I shall escort you to him."

You walked inside the space filled manor. You see how many old artifacts and eccentric plants that were filled in each hall. You also noticed that there were barely any family painted portraits that were by the walls that you were used in seeing in other manors.

Soon, you were lead on the outside field that was stretched on for acres and a farm.

"Where is Lord Debling?" You ask, looking around.

"Oh, he's riding his steed. He's been out of practice for sometime. Ah, there he is." he points out.

You squint in the distance until your eyes widen, seeing Alfred riding on a brown mane. His shirt was open around his neck, as you saw his alabaster chest that was decorated by blonde hair.

He slows down his pace, realizing he had company. He then jumps down, petting his horse and then guiding them to meet you by the yard.

"Miss Durant, I was not expecting your company so early. Apologies on my appearance." He said gently.

"No! Um. No, my apologies for- arriving so soon." You said, feeling your cheeks blush.

You dared to step forward and admire the horse Alfred was holding.

"Their beautiful, what is there name?" You ask, admiring at the horse's beautiful brown coat and the black mane.

"Athena, after the goddess of wisdom. I saved her after from her previous owners. They almost shot her when she was injured. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't intervene."

"That's remarkable." You said, not truly realizing how Lord Debling would go at great lengths to save innocent creatures.

"Here, pet her here. Not too close to her face. It will startle her." Alfred guides your hand by her neck as his big calloused hand was hovering yours.

"My Lord, may I ask the chefs to prepare for dinner?" Buford asks.

"Oh, yes Buford. I'll have Miss Laurant accompany me to the stables."

Buford nods his head and Alfred leads you with Athena back to the stables.

"How many animals do you save?" You ask.

Alfred gives a heartful chuckle.

"As much as I can. But, I dare not to take indigenous creatures like the Amazonian birds or antelopes from Africa back here. They belong to their country and to their people. I just try to right the wrongs from hunters or poachers. Those barbarians..." He said with spite.

But, he did not allow his anger best him as he settled Athena into her stable. You saw a softer side of him, as he made sure he executed every detail perfectly so she can be calm and safe.

After he stabilized the gate, he walked you back to the outside part of the manor where a small table was set by candlelight.

"I hope you don't mind if we may dine outside. I am embarassed that I had not had the time to focus rebranding the manor."

"No, this is... very thoughtful of you." You said, looking at how intimate the table was set and how the table wasn't big in length, enjoying how closely you two shall sit.

He guides you to the chair and pushes you in as he sat beside you.

Two servants come with two plates and placed it between you two, accompanied with a glass of wine. Soon, you and the Lord were deep in conversation, and then with enough wine, you two were laughing to your hearts content.

Now, he was trying to converse with you in French, but his phrasing was horrible.

"Stop! Please, my ears are shriveled in pain." You said, taking a sip of your glass.

"Alright. But do enlighten me on a lesson. I was a great student in my youth." He swears.

"If it stops you from butchering the language of love, then yes. Repeat after me: Merci."

"Merci."

"Rêvasser"

"Rêvasser"

You pause for a moment, looking at his lips then back at his eyes that twinkled in the night.

He was silent as well, as he leans forward as you were the only ones that were here in this moment.

"There was a phrase I've studied all morning, I hope that you may understand.

He coughs in his hand and looks back to you, muttering a simple phrase that had you breathless.

"Je t’adore"

I adore you

He awaits for your expression.

"I-I'm sorry if I spoke out of turn I-"

He stops midsentence as he felt your lips on his. He holds you closely, as his hands held you closely, afraid that he would wake up from this dream his mind has made.

He hopes he will never wake up.

He draws a breath and flutters his eyes open, seeing that you were still here in front of him.

He stands up and offers his hand, feeling his heart race.

"Would you like to come inside?"

Your lips parted slightly, but you nodded confidently as you took his hand. You two quietly walked inside, afraid to awaken his staff that were finishing their rounds. With just a few feet, you walked inside his chambers.

His room was simple. A large bed was by the middle of the room and his walls were painted a soft sage green. You locked the door behind you as you reunited with Alfred by the foot of the bed.

Your lips reunited, as your hands traveled around his body.

"Wait..." He said out of breath.

You look up at him, concerned as his face formed a thin line across his forehead.

"Is everything alright?" You ask.

He gulps loudly and takes both your hands into his.

"You have been wonderful. But I must confess something to you. I... never laid in bed with another."

You knit your eyebrows together until you realized what he meant.

"Oh, I see... if you want to stop now...."

He shakes his head no and comes closer to you.

"I want to, please. Show me how to make love to you."

You give him a soft smile and kissed him tenderly.

"Lie down... and take off your clothes slowly."

Alfred lies by the end of the bed, taking his shirt off his shoulders as you see his bare chest in the moonlight. He tries unbuckling his pants until you stop him.

"Wait... I want you to look at me."

He wasn't sure what you meant until you began to untie your corset lining from your dress. You slowly moved each garment off and Alfred looked almost, animalistic. All was left was a light linen garment that hung on your body.

You then crawled on top of him, finding your hands on his belt.

He gasps for air as his member throbs in his pants.

"Please... please." He begs, looking up to you.

"Uh uh.... a patient man will receive his reward soon." You said, seductively placing your finger by his chest, tracing patterns on his skin like sand.

You move back and forth slowly on his clothed self as you hear whimpers beneath you. He holds you steady by your hips as you tease him so.

"Now, will you be a good boy for me?"

He could only nod his head yes as he felt all the blood rushing from his body.

Soon, you shifted downward and freed his member from its prison, gazing at it as it stood tall like a mountain.

"Is it... enough for you?" He asks shyly.

"Alfred... you're wonderful." You said, admiring him.

Now it was his turn to blush as his hands held you firmly by your waist.

"Lift me up a bit, and I shall do the rest."

He did as he was told and lifted you mid air as you lined yourself into him. You gasp loudly, then covering your mouth before anyone could hear you scream.

"What is wrong?" He asks worringly.

"Nothing... it's supposed to hurt the first time. Just keep a steady pace."

You sunk further in and moaned silently as you placed your cold hands by his warm chest. He felt your walls closing in as he gasped for air.

Both of your paces began to fasten as you two felt like the room was heating like a wild fire. His hands left your hips and his absecnce was missed until you feel him sitting up, finding the neckline of your dress and ripped it apart, like a hound finding flesh.

His lips found your neck as kisses it profusely and your hands get lost in his golden hair. Soon, you see his lips latching onto your left breast, swirling his tongue around your bud.

"Oh, Alfred!" You whispered into his ear as your pleasure rises to the top.

Both of you felt your climax in sync as your mouth hung open , drawing in a cold breath. A hand cradles the back of your head and Alfred connects his forehead to yours.

"Yours.... I am yours." he whispered, trying to find your lips as they would soon reconnect.

You don't know how long you felt him in you until both of you found your backs laid in the bed and had him pull his member out slowly as you moan in slight despair and relief.

His arms wrapped around you protectively as his head rested by your bosom, feeling your heart race for him.

"Are you sure.... You never done that before?" You ask him.

He chuckles lightly as he shifts upward to see you face to face.

"It was my first. Thank you." He says, kissing your shoulder as it sent shivers down your spine.

Alfred took that as a signal and brought the covers over your naked forms as you placed your arms across his chest.

"If you need me to leave in the morning, I don't mind. I don't want whispers spreading of our entanglement."

"Nonsense, I will take care of everything in the morning. You can stay here... only if you want to."

You nod slowly as you flutter your eyes, feeling slumber cascade over your body.

Alfred looks up at the ceiling, feeling tightness pull in his heart. What would his staff say when they see you sharing his bed before marriage? How can he tell you that he would do whatever it takes to bring your family here in Mayfair? Where in time can he establish you as more than a friend?

His racing thoughts stopped as you stirred in your sleep, keeping yourself closer in his arms.

He holds you tightly and kisses your head as he found peace in the night, only wanting to protect you from the world.

And hopefully, one day, to ask you to be his.

[wowcatboys]

Hi! Ur one of my favorite csm fanfic writers, and I hope you have a good day today. Since your request is still open, Im going to take advantage of it haha.... Can you write a headcanon for Quanxi, Power, and Makima where their s/o is a med student and they are struggling to adjust to a VERY busy schedule with almost no time for socializing outside of school and internships? There are also times where they sleep at 1:00 a.m. and wake up at 5:00 a.m., which is probably because I procrastinate A LOT and Im still wondering how I am still alive today.

Hi!! Thank you 🖤 I hope your studies are going well! (and dear LORD babe please get more sleep if you're reading this go to bed RIGHT NOW)

(Fem pronouns for Quanxi, GN for Power/Makima)

Quanxi

Quanxi isn't particularly social herself, so she struggles to understand why you miss parties with your friends or getting dinner with your family. After all, you're working hard towards a career you're passionate about, and the two of you have a good thing going. What more could a sweet, driven girl like yourself want? Still, she doesn't like seeing you stressed, so she makes it a point to get you out of the house on weekends. "You can do this later," she tells you, shutting your textbook despite your protests. "All your friends are already at the restaurant, and we'll only stay for a little while." She ensures you slip a little time for yourself in your packed schedule, even if going out to bowling alleys or movie theaters with your friend group isn't her favorite. At least she gets to hold your hand the whole time.

She's a master at taking care of her girl—Quanxi always makes sure that you're comfortable, even three hours deep into test-prep. She knows your favorite source of caffeine and keeps it on-hand 24/7. Whenever she notices your eyes start drooping, she wordlessly places a tall glass at your elbow, placing a quick kiss on the top of your head. If it's cold, she grabs a blanket and your favorite socks. If it's been a few hours since lunch and you're blatantly ignoring your rumbling tummy, Quanxi pops out to grab your favorite take-out. You never have to ask; she just knows what you need, and provides it without delay.

Though Quanxi worries about your sleeping habits and demanding schedule, she knows you're an adult and can manage yourself. She doesn't nag or chide you if you're putting your studies first, and forgetting to shower every now-and-then. She does what she can to help, and she always, always tells you she's proud of you. Whenever you're ready to scream at the paper you're writing or about to cry into a pile of flashcards, she gently rubs your shoulders. "Hey," she says, "You're working hard. I'm so proud of you." Maybe to anyone else it wouldn't seem like much, but Quanxi is so sincere and tender as she works the knots out of your tired shoulders. Her quiet words are almost always enough to give you a second wind.

Despite her policy to let you do your own thing, Quanxi does get after you if she notices you procrastinating. She knows you need a break sometimes, but she also knows if you put off your work too long you'll be ten times as stressed when you're staring down a looming deadline. "Hey, cutie," she pinches your cheek, gentle but insistent enough to make you scrunch your nose up. "You better hit the books." If you protest, she raises an eyebrow at you. "You know I'm right. Just work on it for a little bit, and then we can cuddle and watch your favorite show or something." As you pass her by, grumbling about your workload, she smacks your ass for good measure. It's usually enough to make you smile back at her, and stop complaining.

Quanxi buys you a set of scrubs in your favorite color. "So my girl won't forget about me, even when she's busy," Quanxi teases, and you roll your eyes. You reassure her with a kiss that of course you'd never forget about her, and she ruffles your hair fondly. It's your favorite set of scrubs, and you wear them almost twice a week.

Power

Power absolutely. hates. your jam-packed schedule. In her opinion, you should be devoting all that time to her! After all, you two could be having so much fun! Why dedicate hours to your internships and classes when the two of you could be out getting soft serve, going to fairs and winning goldfish, or eating exclusively the meat at monjayaki restaurants? She despises the fact that she has to share you with your studies. With a little help from Denji, though, she leaves you alone to do your work. If you ask her to scope out date locations, she's eager to hit the city and plan a perfect date for you two. Just bribe Denji with a handful of Family Burger coupons and he's willing to chauffer her. You get a nice, long day of peace and quiet to cram your studies into and, as a bonus, you get to look forward to whatever date spot Power's deemed a necessity to visit, whenever you've got the ever-rare free afternoon. The cramming might seem counter-intuitive, but it actually helps you get things done faster. It's harder to procrastinate when Power's asking for constant updates on your progress, eager for you to be done so she can have you all to herself.

Whenever you're settled on the couch for a study session, Power comes to cuddle up with you. She'll splay out across your lap or nuzzle her chin into the space between your neck and shoulder. She summons every single ounce of self-control she has to stay quiet and still, so you can keep studying. At first it's pretty difficult for her to resist the urge to poke your face or put Meowy on your head, but as she gets used to the quiet, she finds she starts to enjoy these gentle, low-key moments with you. Sure, she prefers being hyper and loud, but silently nestling into your side and soaking up your warmth is pretty nice, too.

Thrilled to have knowledge about something you're studying, Power is always eager to tell you about blood. How it feels when she's directing its energy, the way it almost hums beneath her fingertips as she molds it to her will. It's not something you'll find in any textbook, and your professors probably won't quiz you on how blood "feels"—but it's still fascinating stuff. Whenever you're diving into the specifics of how blood flows through the heart or mapping out arteries and veins, you tell Power about your studies. You listen eagerly as for every fact you give her, she tells you something about blood that you'd never find in any textbook.

Power absolutely insists that you get enough sleep. Pulling an all-nighter is simply not an option. "My human," she commands, closing her hands around your shoulders, " 'Tis time for us to go to bed." If you protest, telling her you'll come in a few hours, she pouts and shakes her head firmly. "Not an option! You must rest, and I must have someone to cuddle with." She'll physically pull you into bed if she has to. If you have to get up early to finish something, she'll begrudgingly allow it, but going to sleep together is non-negotiable.

All of your notes and flashcards are littered with Power's doodles. It's her way of cheering you up when you're three hours deep into studying the brain. Little scribbles of stars and hearts and hammers (don't ask), or sketches of Meowy doing impossible things like fighting a supervillain or rolling up some sushi. She's not the best illustrator but her pictures definitely have heart, and they do the job of cheering you up splendidly.

Makima

Makima's no stranger to a busy schedule, so she completely understands your struggles. For her, maintaining a planner is a must and she'll gladly help you start one. She gets you a plain faux-leather journal, your name embossed on the cover in gold. Inside is a neat chart laying out the week in precise detail. There's a spot for to-do lists, due dates, progress trackers for big assignments. She's also included reminders to eat, stretch, and drink plenty of water in the margins. She really thought of everything, and if you end up using the planner to its fullest extent, it pretty much kills your procrastination problem. (It's much easier to get things done when it's broken down into efficient, day-by-day steps for you.) Pay attention, and you'll find new comments from your lover packed inside the margins. Simple things, like "Be sure to eat something nutritious today" or "Remember, you have to be at your internship an hour early on Tuesday.", penciled in her neat handwriting. It's not an "I love you"—she struggles with those—but for Makima, the simple care is close enough.

Outwardly, Makima is sympathetic when you lament that you've got no time for friends and family. She nods her head and frowns when you tell her it's been three weeks since you've gotten to go out on the weekend, and assures you that you'll be able to hit an izakaya or bowling alley with your friends soon. Inside, though, Makima likes that your busy schedule keeps you from interacting with people too much. This way, she gets to have you all to herself. Makima loves that you have precious little free time, and that you spend most of it on her. The less other people get to claim your attention, the better.

Instead of eating on her lunch break, Makima dedicates that hour to you. She comes by your place to share a quick lunch, or drives you to your internships. Even if it's only a twenty-minute car ride and a quick kiss before you hurry into your internship building, decked out in scrubs and eager to learn, Makima cherishes this rare time with you.

Sunday afternoons are scheduled date times. No matter what might be going on at work, Makima pushes it aside to spend the day with you, and she expects you to do the same. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Just getting coffee together or walking the dogs down a new path is enough. What matters is that the two of you, despite your demanding workloads, have time that's just for each other. She's not happy if you try to blow off your scheduled date to study. It's her favorite part of any week, so expect her to act cold for a few days if it's taken away from her.

Makima respects your work ethic, and she's incredibly proud of you. She makes it a rule not to bring her personal life into work—that would just make you a target—but she's hidden a photo of you, beaming at the camera in your scrubs, in her office. Whenever she's stressed, she pulls out that photograph and reminds herself how impressed she is with your hard work and diligence. It's enough to help her refocus and get her own work done.

Makima knows you're busy, so she likes to take care of your needs. Often, there's a healthy lunch she's put together for you in the fridge, a full bottle of filtered water in your bag, and a fresh notebook on hand in case you run out of paper. She prides herself on anticipating your needs. It sends a surge of satisfaction through her when you start to ask a question: "Darling, have you seen my—" only to cut yourself off as she holds up whatever you're looking for. She hands it off to you with a barely-there smug look and quick kiss to your nose. Now, if only she would look after her own daily needs with such dedication...

[the-cult-of-riley]

Sleeping With Ghosts (Act Two: Chapter Three)

Simon 'Ghost' Riley x Female OC

[[Masterlist]]

A/N:

Man, I’ve been feeling like shit lmao

My b12 anaemia has been kicking my ass and I’m not even joking. I went to see Greg Puciato on the 10th and I legit spent the whole first two starting bands throwing up and almost passing out, with zero alcohol consumed. I thought I was gonna die but refused to go home ‘cause no way was I missing Greg loooool I pushed through and it was the best show I’ve ever been to, even if I felt on the verge of death. I also picked up some germs ‘cause now I feel like I’ve got the flu and I haven't even got over whatever I was dealing with before.

I don’t know why my brain has been really struggling with this chapter. I have so much of Act Two mapped out but it's mostly the action and the fun and the angsty bits and the making up and all that. The little in-between parts to get there haven't been written and my brain really wasn't playing ball. Sorry for any typos, It's currently 2 am here and I've literally just finished writing and quickly editing it lol

In the name of our Lord and Saviour, Simon Riley, I beseech you to strike the writer curse from my weary body and allow me to continue feeding my hungry children with Ghostly content.

The last wisps of sleep were still clinging onto Charlotte’s consciousness when she felt her bed dip and the covers rustle and move. Her eyes blinked open slowly, her brain trying to comprehend the shit show that had become her life. For a brief moment, she thought she was back home, dying under the weight of grief and raising a child alone. But then she realised this wasn't her bed, these weren’t her bedroom walls and her husband wasn't dead. She still felt that grief though, it wouldn't shake even if he was breathing and now she had a heaping scoop of betrayal to go along with it. She rolled over to the source of what woke her up to see Beth beside her, giving her a cheeky smile.

“Good morning, mummy,” she murmured tiredly, scooting closer and wrapping herself around Charlotte like a snake. It made all of her tension seep from her body, even if only for a moment. She loved these moments in the morning with her daughter. They made her feel like she was glued back together briefly. 

“Good morning, pickle,” she smiled softly and Beth made a disgruntled noise like she always did at the nickname. They didn't need words as they cuddled together as they both woke up and Charlotte tried to will some backbone to leave the room at some point. 

They’d need breakfast and she hoped Simon wouldn't be in the mess hall. She wasn't sure how Beth was supposed to bond with him when she wanted him nowhere near her. She knew she needed to suck it up for Beth’s sake and Simon was lucky she’d do anything for their daughter. 

“Did you have a good sleep?” Charlotte asked, her fingers stroking through Beth’s unruly curls. The girl shot her a bright smile with a nod.

“I did. I’m excited to go and see daddy at breakfast! Can we go yet?” she asked eagerly and Charlotte tried to stop her stomach from tying itself in knots. 

“Let's get dressed then,” she flashed her best fake smile and Beth giggled, rushing to get out of bed as Lottie sat up and rubbed her eyes.

“Can we match, mummy?” Beth asked hopefully and Charlotte nodded.

“You pick what you want us to wear,” she instructed, watching with a fond smile as Beth rummaged around in the bag, pulling some things out and leaving them strewn about the place. 

She picked out two matching hoodies that had Placebo across the chest. Hers was real merch but they didn't make kids stuff so she’d wound up using fabric paint to replicate it on a kids hoodie. She picked out black leggings to match too. They both got dressed in their matching attire, boots to finish off the look and Charlotte really didn't feel like making much of an effort with her hair with how she was feeling so she threw it up into a high pony. Naturally, Beth gave her a look and was only placated once she also had a high ponytail that looked nothing like Charlotte with her blonde curls.

If she thought she felt nauseous on the way to the mess hall, it was nothing compared to how she felt when they strolled in, hand in hand. It felt like everyone’s eyes turned to the two civilians on base and she knew she wasn't imagining how they all murmured to each other. Maybe word travelled fast. 

One pair of eyes in particular felt like they burned her right down to her bones and she glanced over to the table housing the 141, seeing those deep brown hues staring right at her. She felt like the wind had been knocked out of her and she looked away quickly, ushering Beth to the food. She grabbed two trays, feeling guilty that Beth was babbling about something but she was struggling to pay attention. She scooped some scrambled eggs onto the plates and some bacon. She was just scooping some beans too when someone approached. 

“Well then, who’s this wee pretty lass?” 

Charlotte turned to see Johnny standing there, a smile that she could only compare to sunshine on a rainy day as he peered down at Beth. she clung to Mr Snuffles tightly, blinking up at the man.

“I’m Beth,” she answered sweetly and Charlotte watched as Johnny crouched to be closer to her height.

“What a beautiful name,” he grinned and Beth beamed at him.

“What's your name?” she asked curiously.

“I’m Johnny but people call me Soap,” he answered and Beth giggled.

“That's a silly name!” 

Johnny snorted with a nod.

“Aye, it is, but it's mine and I love it. We need to get you a call sign, aye?” he asked and Beth toddled closer to him, eyes wide as she nodded.

“Yes please, Mr Soap,” she clapped her hands excitedly and Charlotte didn't miss how she was drawing attention. 

“Alright., let’s think…” Johnny rubbed his chin, making a show of thinking and it made Beth giggle again.

“Do ye have a nickname already? We could use that,” he suggested and Beth pulled a face.

“Mummy calls me pickle sometimes,” she muttered gloomily and Johnny chuckled.

“Nah, we don't want a name like pickle, do we?” he asked her, pulling the same face she had and it made her laugh.

“What kinda things do ye like?” he asked her thoughtfully and Beth’s face lit up.

“I like Halloween and spooky things. Ghosts, skellingtons and pumpkins. I like monsters,” she made fake claws with her hands and growled at him. 

Being the good sport he was, Johnny yelped dramatically, falling on his ass and Charlotte couldn't help the grin on her face as she watched the pair, Beth laughing brightly at him. She was quickly warming up to the man. 

“I have the perfect name for ye, and it kinda goes with yer daddy’s” he announced, looking pleased with himself and Beth was practically bouncing on the spot.

“What is it?” she asked eagerly.

“Spook,” he declared with a flourish and Beth’s eyes were almost sparkling. 

“I love it!” she beamed, dancing about a little, the bunny in her hands getting thrown about in the process.

“Awesome!” Johnny grinned, holding his hand up to her and she slapped him a high-five harder than he expected if his wince was anything to go by. 

He stood back up, a slight groan leaving his lips as he back popped. 

“Now that's settled, let's eat, aye?” he smiled, turning to look at Charlotte as he gave her a warm grin that had her smiling back at him.

“Alright?” he asked her and she nodded, feeling somewhat better by his soothing presence. He seemed happy with her answer, clapping her gently on the back before he swiped Beth’s tray so Charlotte didn't have to carry two. 

Beth was happily chatting to him as the three of them made their way over to the table. Price was at the head of the table to the right, the bench along the back housing a man she didn't know with a cap on his head and a calming smile aimed at her. She smiled back nervously and looked away, her hands tightening over the tray. There was an empty spot beside the man and Johnny plonked into it, not before putting Beth's tray on the other side of the bench which was empty. On the head of the table to the left was Simon, whose eyes were glued to her. Beth’s tray was placed beside him and that left the spot between Beth and Price open for her. 

She noticed two of the men who were there at her outburst the day before weren't here but she was glad. It was bad enough being around just this small group, especially because she’d spilled her heart out in front of them. Worst of all was Simon though and the only respite she got from his burning gaze was when Beth climbed up on the bench, having to sit on her knees to reach her tray as she beamed a blinding grin at him and his eyes now went to his daughter.

“Good morning, daddy,” she smiled up at him. Charlotte wished to tear her eyes away and yet she couldn't, seeing his dark eyes peering out of his mask at Beth, all soft and gooey. It was the same look she had herself when her daughter was being sweet. 

“Mornin’, lovie,” he murmured quietly and Charlotte swallowed thickly. 

“So! Introductions since this spooky bastard won’t be makin’ ‘em,” Johnny started with a smirk and Beth gasped, slapping one hand over her mouth, the other pointing accusingly at the Scot, making him go silent.

“You swore!” she exclaimed and the whole table went quiet as they watched her. Charlotte bit her lip to stifle a laugh as Johnny blinked at her for a moment before he let out a laugh.

“Aye, I did, I’m sorry, lass,” he murmured with a grin and Beth raised a sassy brow at him.

“You owe me a pound now,” she held her hand out expectantly and Charlotte watched the Scot look to the girl's hand before back at her face.

“I owe ye?” he asked slowly and Beth nodded.

“We have a swear jar and every time mummy swears she puts a pound in and then I get to spend it,” she flashed her teeth in a toothy grin and Johnny’s lips quirked upwards as he glanced to Charlotte and then back to Beth.

“Well, I don’t have a quid on me right now, but I’ll owe ye one, aye?” he asked and Beth sighed with a nod.

“So, ye already know the Captain and this creepy fu- fool…” he trailed off after curtly cutting his words so he didn't owe even more money to the mini Riley. He slapped Simon on the shoulder and Lottie watched carefully as his dark eyes slid to Johnny, mild amusement and annoyance shining behind them. But when those eyes slid back to her, she felt like a lightning bolt struck her right in the chest and she looked away quickly, picking at her eggs. 

“This one is Kyle Garrick, also known as Gaz,” Johnny finished as he gestured to the only man on the table she hadn’t met yet.

“Nice to meet you Mr Gaz,” Beth smiled sweetly at him. The man smiled, a soft look on his face.

“Nice to meet you too,” he replied politely, his eyes turning to Charlotte then.

“You too, Mrs Riley,” he smiled and her hand tightened around her fork.

“Charlotte’s fine,” she muttered tensely and she could practically feel Simon’s eyes burning into her.

“And all you fuc- idiots know Charlotte and Beth, now also known as Spook,” Johnny gestured to the little girl with a flourish and she grinned, making a spooky noise while she wiggled her fingers.

“You gave her a callsign?” Simon asked and Charlotte couldn't decipher his tone. It was so detached, different to what she was used to with him.

“Course I did. She loves spooky shi- stuff, so it felt right. You like it, aye, Spook?” he asked her and she giggled, nodding her head.

“I love it,” she answered happily before she turned her deep brown eyes to her father.

“Do you like it, daddy?” she asked, her eyes hopeful and wide as she stared at him. He just watched her for a moment and Lottie was starting to think he wouldn't answer her.

“I do. Suits you,” he answered, reaching out slowly and stroking her head softly. Her smile widened as she leaned into his touch and Charlotte felt a burning in her chest. 

“We need a call sign for Charlotte then,” Gaz commented, a thoughtful look on his face.

“Grim,” Simon answered before anyone could suggest a thing. Had he shot her in the chest? It felt like it. So many memories flooded her system, memories of a happier time, of a time where he hadn’t betrayed her trust, hadn’t lied to her, hadn’t hurt her. 

“Aye, that's good. Ghost, Spook and Grim, a proper family,” Johnny snorted gleefully

“What can I say? I like a good theme,” Simon answered dryly but she heard the amusement and it sparked an annoyance in her. 

Five years he’d been gone, five years he’d fucked off, only to live in their old base. Was he here every day eating with his friends and cracking jokes like she wasn't at home raising a child alone and drowning in grief? Did he really care that little that he hadn't even checked in with her once? Didn't have anyone look into where she might be, what she was doing? Would he have even bothered to come back if he knew Beth existed? Would he have come back for her? Did he like it here without her? 

She pushed her tray away from her, a vile feeling creeping into her chest like an infection that was spewing puss. She didn't want to be here.

“Mummy, your breakfast,” Beth murmured, looking up at her carefully.

“I’m not hungry anymore, sweetie,” she replied but her voice felt far away, floating out of reach. 

It felt like her eyes weren't seeing, she couldn't get out of her own head. She suddenly felt warm leather on her cheek and with a start, she realised Simon had reached over Beth to cup her cheek, turning her to look at him with pure worry in his gaze. She jerked her head from his grasp like he’d burned her and his arm dropped back down. She didn't miss the pure anguish in his eyes. She needed to get out of here, she couldn't break down in front of everyone, not in front of Beth.

“How about I give ye that tour we were talkin’ about?” Johnny asked her with a grin but there was something on his face that touched her, soothed her spiralling. He’d never offered her a tour, he was giving her an out and in that moment, she knew Johnny meant his promise from the night before. 

“Sounds good,” she forced a smile and Beth grasped her arm.

“Mummy… could I stay here with daddy?” she asked with a smile and Lottie hated the pain that lanced through her chest. 

It shouldn't hurt her that she wanted to spend time with her dad, she’d only just met him and they had a lot of lost time to make up for. Yet she couldn't help the burning jealousy that hit her out of nowhere. He hadn't been here, it wasn't fair that he got to covet her and she got left in the dust.

“That's fine,” she answered, trying her best to keep herself in check until she left. She stood up quickly, not looking at anyone and not really bothering to think about manners to the other men at the table as she rushed out of the mess hall and outside. 

Johnny was right behind her, hand on her back as he led her to a bench. She crumbled onto it, resting her face in her hands. She didn't want to cry, not again. She was sick of it. She wished she could just pretend it didn't bother her what he did. That she could just be happy he was here, happy he was alive. She couldn't shake the feeling of abandonment though. That the one person who swore he’d never do that to her had done it without care. It hurt so much that she felt she might die.

“It's alright, love,” Johnny murmured sympathetically as he rubbed her back. 

“I just… he’s been here this whole time while I’ve been suffering ,” she lamented, feeling like her sanity was slipping through her fingers. 

“I know… I know, lass. I wish I had the words to make this all better. Ye didn’t deserve to go through all this,” he sighed sadly, his hand still rubbing her back. Silence settled over them for a moment as she fought the deep urge to cry, sitting there staring out at nothing as she wondered how it all came to this.

“Ye wanna blow some shit up?” Johnny asked out of the blue. Her eyes darted to him, wondering if he actually meant what he said and he gave her a roguish grin that told her he did indeed mean it.

“Okay,” she nodded with a sniffle. Johnny’s grin widened, a gleeful laugh leaving his lips as he jumped from the bench, grabbing her hand and yanking her with him. He all but dragged her through the base to get to the demolitions section where training was held. 

Ghost sat stiffly, watching as Charlotte rushed from the mess hall, his best mate in tow like a little puppy at her feet. He couldn’t get that haunted look she had out of his fucking head. She looked so lost, adrift at sea with no anchor to tether her to the world. He’d been that anchor once and now he was the cause of her spiralling. He’d wanted to be her anchor again and his touch had brought her back, but it wasn't the reaction he was hoping for. 

Having her pull away from him like that was more painful than the gunshot wound to his collarbone last year. The fleeting contact he’d had with her filled his dead heart up with so much warmth before it was snuffed out like it was never there to begin with and he cursed himself for wearing his fucking gloves. He just wanted to be okay with her again, wanted her to accept his touch, wanted to fall into her arms and have her make everything okay again. 

It wasn't okay though, it hadn't been for a while and this was his doing. He wasn't sure he’d ever be able to fix it and having Johnny be the one glued to her side was like salt in his wounds. He knew it was a good thing, Johnny would try and get her back on his side like the good best mate he was, yet it still stung. Hurt like a bitch when he saw her embracing Johnny while she refused his touch so viciously. How easy she’d fallen into Johnny’s arms, how desperate for comfort she was. It hurt. It really fucking hurt . 

He was brought out of his depressing musings by a tug on his hoodie and he glanced down, remembering the little girl sat next to him. Her brown eyes were blinking up at him carefully, tilting her head like she was sizing him up. She was so beautiful.

“Daddy?” she asked him, her voice soft and sweet, wrapping him up like a warm blanket.

“Yeah, lovie?” he asked quietly. It was like no one else existed in that moment but her. She nibbled her lower lip as she shifted where she sat for a moment, looking deep in thought. 

“Can we do something?” She gave him a hopeful smile and despite looking so much like him, he saw Lottie in that smile and he wasn't sure if that eased the ache in his heart or made it worse. 

“What do you wanna do?” he asked, unsure what four year olds liked to do and even if that was possible on a military base. Her eyes seemed to light up as she flashed him a bright grin.

“I know!” she shuffled off her seat, moving to stand as she grabbed his hand and tugged on it impatiently. He stood, seeming to tower over her and she refused to let go of his hand as she started pulling him along. He couldn't hear Gaz’s witty remark but he heard Price chuckle at them both as he left. 

He allowed her to lead him until they got outside and she kept pulling him until they moved over to the patch of grass that ran along the gates near the car park. She let go of his hand and he watched curiously as she plonked herself down without a care. She looked up at him expectantly and his lips tugged up slightly as he moved to sit on the grass with her. 

“Daisies are really pretty,” she murmured happily as she started picking them. He’d never really noticed them before but now she’d drawn attention to them, he noticed they were scattered all over the grass. 

He had no idea what to say, couldn't remember how to act around kids, it had been far too long. Part of his brain tried to remember how he’d interacted with Joseph but that was far too painful and he shoved it away quickly. He wanted to bond with her but he really had no clue how, so he just watched her. 

She picked a bunch of daisies, her tongue poking out of her mouth a little in pure concentration as she started fiddling with them. He couldn't really tell what she was doing with them but after a few moments, she grinned triumphantly and put a flower crown on her head.

“What do you think, daddy?” she asked him sweetly and he melted into a puddle looking at her. The sun shone down on her and he wondered for a moment if he was dead and she was in fact an angel. 

“Perfect, love,” he murmured, his throat feeling tight and uncomfortable and he had to clear his throat to ease the sensation. 

Her smile widened even more and his chest felt like it was expanding. She picked a bunch more and he was helpless, could do little else but watch this little part of himself as she busied herself with the flowers. He still hadn’t fully wrapped his head around the fact he was a father now. 

He’d been so ready for it back then, when he’d left for the last time. He’d been so excited to get back to Lottie and start a family. He’d been excited to watch the bump grow, to watch Charlotte glow as she carried their baby, looked forward to the scans and all the milestones. Looked forward to holding a tiny bundle of his own, much like he had when Joseph was born. 

He didn't have any of that though and it was all his own fault. He’d missed out on the most precious moments of Beth’s life because he was a coward. He’d never be able to get those moments back, he couldn't undo what he’d done. Knowing all the things he’d missed made him wish he had died back in Mexico. It would be a relief from feeling what he was currently feeling. 

He flinched with a blink when something touched him, rousing him from his thoughts. Beth was standing in front of him now, a cheeky grin on her face as she put a crown of his own on his head over his balaclava. He felt a rush of warmth flowing through him and he really didn't give a toss who saw him wearing it. She’d made him something and he wished he could keep it forever, wished it wouldn’t wilt away. 

“Thank you, sweetheart,” he smiled softly even though she couldn't see it. It was like she could sense it or maybe she was perceptive for her age and picked up on the scrunching of his eyes because she beamed at him, such a radiant smile he wanted to burn to a crisp from it. 

“You're welcome,” she smiled, kissing his cheek over his mask before she moved away. 

He was overwhelmed, too many thoughts and feelings running rampant in him and he wasn’t sure how to deal with it. An explosion across base felt like it shook the floor and Beth jumped up, a worried look on her face that had a protective streak surge through him. He steadied her with his hands and she settled closer to him, plopping into his lap as if she’d done it a million times before.

“What was that?” she asked with big eyes, looking towards where the noise came from.

“It's just the demo practice. Its where they learn about bombs and things,” he explained, hoping to ease her worries. It seemed to work as she relaxed into him more. 

“So, it's not bad?” she asked him, blinking her pretty eyes at him.

“It's not bad. You don't have to worry, lovie, I won’t let anythin’ bad happen to you,” he meant those words wholeheartedly. He’d burn the entire world down with everyone on it to keep her safe. 

Another explosion happened and this time Beth seemed fine, pressed into his chest as she sat on his knee. While he wasn't worried as the noises were coming from the demo area, he was sure there weren't any classes or training today. It wasn't uncommon for Johnny to go and play around a bit, the only one to get away with it as the demolitions expert and being one of the 141. Was Lottie with him? Was it them making all this racket?

His eyes drifted back to Beth then, happily sitting on him with their matching flower crowns. He wanted to know more about her, all the things he’d already know if he’d have been around. 

“You wanna play a game?” he asked her and she grinned up at him.

“What kinda game?” she asked him excitedly. 

“We ask each other questions to find out more about each other,” he suggested and there was a mischievous twinkle in her brown eyes. 

“I already know everything about you. Mummy told me,” she beamed, sounding more than proud of herself. He felt like someone just gutted him, sliced him right open and let his insides splat onto the floor. He pushed it away though and tried to ignore it. Of course Lottie told her everything. 

“How about you tell me stuff about you, then?” he asked her hopefully and she clapped her hands excitedly. 

“My full name is Elizabeth Anne Riley,” she started. No, he hadn't been gutted before, he was now though. The pain that ricocheted through him tore through skin, muscle and bone. He bit down on his lower lip hard behind his mask, drawing blood. The sensation grounded him though as he nodded, trying not to look too upset. 

“That's a lovely name,” he muttered, voice strained and choked. Her smile turned softer then, blinking up at him and she leaned into him more.

“It's a special name. Mummy told me I was named after special people,” she murmured. His chest felt so tight that he felt like he couldn't breathe. Without thinking about it, a hand came to stroke her hair and he found the feeling soothing to him, easing that ravaging ache in his chest. 

“I’m four but I’m five in two weeks,” she held her hand out, wiggling her fingers at him to demonstrate her point and he felt his lips tug up a little at her excitement. 

“My favourite colour is…” she trailed off, tilting her head with that thoughtful look on her face again. “Black. I like black ‘cause it's all spooky,” she flashed him a toothy grin and he melted once again. 

“Mummy’s sketty is my favourite meal but I also love when she does eggy bread on my birthday,” she beamed up at him and he swallowed thickly, still stroking her hair as he nodded.

“They’re my favourites too,” he replied hoarsely and she gave him a cheeky look.

“I know,” she giggled and he made him smile. 

Without warning, she hopped off his lap, his hand suddenly cold now it was no longer stroking her hair but she flopped down next to him, laying down and making her crown fall a little onto the grass.

“Lay down,” little one was bossy and he knew he had no choice so he obeyed. He held onto his flower crown as he shuffled around before laying on his back beside her. He moved his hand back to his side even though he was sure the crown had slipped off into the grass anyway,

“Do you like clouds, daddy?” she asked him softly. He turned his head to look at her and she was laying there, staring at the sky. 

“Never really thought about it,” he replied honestly. She turned to look at him then, scrunching her face up with the most judgmental look he’d ever been given.

“Look at the clouds. Sometimes they look like things,” she murmured.

“I’ve seen that sometimes. Once I saw a cloud that looked like a co-... clock,” he muttered, shaking his head as he changed his words. Wouldn’t bode well for him as his first day being a dad coming out with that. 

He still remembered that day though, in the sweltering heat of Al Mazra in the middle of a mission. Wasn’t every day you see a cloud shaped like a fucking dick in the sky and he’d have thought he was hallucinating due to the heat if it wasn’t for Johnny seeing it too. The Scot had said it was the best thing he’d ever witnessed in his entire life. When Soap had got Price to look, the shape had changed and the old man was sure they were off their rockers. 

“Look at that one, it kinda looks like a bird doing this,” she pointed at a big cloud before she started flapping her arms around weirdly and he shook his head fondly before he looked back up at the clouds. He just watched them go by for a moment, enjoying the peace he felt. Something he wasn't sure he’d felt in a long while.

“That one kinda looks like a bum,” he murmured, pointing to a cloud.

“Daddy!” Beth burst out laughing, smacking his arm and he found himself laughing. Actually genuinely laughing and not the half arsed chuckled Johnny would draw out of him with a bad joke. It was an odd feeling to laugh like that, he was sure he hadn't done it since before he’d left for that mission, the one that ruined his life. It made him feel lighter.

“You can’t tell me it doesn't,” he huffed playfully and she laughed again.

“... It does, but you're still silly,” she snorted, making his whole body light up. 

She was so precious and he wasn't sure just how to handle it. He was sad things with Charlotte were so bad and he didn't want to think about how the hell he was supposed to fix that mess, but being able to spend time with Beth and bond with her meant the world to him. He could focus on Beth for now, one thing at a time. He’d build his family back up from the ground, brick by brick. He’d done it before, back with his brother and his mum and he could do it again. It’d be painful and probably take a while but he wouldn't waver, wouldn't give up. Not when he had the whole world in the palm of his hand. He couldn't give that up for anything.

[multifandombullshitbabes]

Random Merlin Rewatch: Where a random number generator gives me a season and an episode from BBC Merlin; and then I comment on it as I go.

Today's episode: Season 4 Episode 7 - The Secret Sharer

Before I start, let me just say and I have done my uni exam and that's why I haven't been posting these even though I really wanted to. Not joking, I had to let my fingers rest 'cause I wrote all my notes and shit. It was a lot. Anyways, let's fucking do this.

LET'S GO INTRO!!!! YOUNG MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOH

EWWWWW WHY IS AGRAVAINE TOUCHING MORGANA LIKE THAT I'M GONNA PUKE BRO

Damn, Morgana's eyes are so GREEN, that makeup really does it for her. Kinda funny she's wearing it to bed though. Girl.

GOOD LORD MAMA, HELLO

Agravaine needs to chill the fuck out. Every time he's on screen he gives me the ick. Ugh. Also Morgana looked so damn paranoid talking about Emrys. "He knows everything. All our plans, all our secrets." Girl.... RIP Morgana you would've loved therapy (or not).

Ohhh... interesting Morgana's reaction to Agravaine's accusation of Gaius, saying that he's the ones working with Emrys. She almost looks... hurt? Like. She really doesn't want to face the reality that Gaius exists, in the sense that she's just so hurt by everything these people that "loved" her have done. She just feels so betrayed by everyone, so hurt, so ANGRY. It's so tragic.

Oh my GOD. I NEED PEOPLE TO STOP MANIPULATING MORGANA!!! I'M SICK OF IT!!!! The way she hesitates!!! When she knows that it means that they're going to use Gaius or maybe even kill him!!! The way that she moves away from Agravaine, processing this, the way he INTERRUPTS THIS and insists, again, that it has to be Gaius, they have to do something. And for a second she almost looks so fucking scared, like!!

LOOK AT HER!!! ANOTHER PERSON THAT'S BETRAYED HER!!! SHE'S SO HURT AND SCARED!!! OH GOD HER AND ARTHUR ARE SO SIMILAR.

She even blinks her eyes after that line from Agravaine, like blinking away tears, her eyes are so shiny bro, I'm gonna cry :((. And after blinking she turns all smirky and "evil" and shit. Jesus Christ. I could write a whole thesis about Morgana and her character progression holy shit.

LET'S GO MUSICCCCCCC

AHHHHHH the iconic breakfast in bed scene!!! Yay!!!

I don't blame Arthur for spitting that out, shit looked dry as FUCK. Also there's a bunch of crumbs on the bed, Merlin, YOU'LL have to clean that up!!! Don't give yourself more work!!

"I don't know anything about Polishing." We really need more appreciation about how Bradley delivers his lines, this one is just too funny, only hearing it, bro. Also. Merlin writes Arthur's speeches. One of the best pieces of canon in my opinion. It's just so comical, for some reason. And they must be good too, 'cause no one's questioning them. It's just such a subtle way to show that Merlin IS smart. Sometimes. A little bit.

Merlin, babe, you cannot be serious. You writing the new bible or something, what the fuck is this.

"You don't have hours." Most threatening and terrifying Merlin's ever sounded. Arthur's better than me, I would've have an anxiety attack so bad it'd send me straight to hell.

THIS INTRO IS EVERYTHING!!! WHY ARE THEY SAYING THINGS SO PERFECTLY SILLY!! I LOVE IT!!! Also, damn, Arthur's BUSY. I guess we do forget that kings had to, y'know. Do basically everything, like be a judge sometimes. Hello??

Ah yes, what I've been waiting for: the wrestling Arthur out of the bed scene. Love it. No notes, really.

"You're doing very well, Arthur." WHAT IF I CRY???

"I don't think so."???? ARTHUR WHAT IF I SMACK SOME SENSE INTO YOU, SHUT UP!!! YOU'RE DOING PRETTY GREAT IN MY OPINION, LISTEN TO YOUR MANSERVANT FOR ONCE.

A tiny bit of appreciation for Arthur's chest hair.

Thank you.

Love that Agravaine just. Ignores that it's Merlin writing Arthur's shit. He must have gotten such a shock right at the start and now nothing's surprising anymore.

The fact that Morgana, all in black, has a white horse is so fucking cool to me. Work that shit, queen.

OK GORGEOUS?????

Hate the way Agravaine speaks. Shut the FUCK UP.

Arthur. Arthur, honey. Yeah, you've got to stop being so easy to manipulate. I know it's hard, but your uncle is so fucking obvious doing it, please, please, just. Please. Holy shit.

Morgana's dress (cloak?? hood?? idk) is so pretty.

Morgana being the last of her kind, High Priestess of the Triple Goddess. Merlin being the last Dragonlord. Something something...

Also. Some obvious orientalism is this episode. Kinda icky, but unsurprising giving it's BBC and also like. 2011 or whatever. But still. Ugh.

Welp. Welp, welp. Can't really say much about that, can I??

I can't remember, but I'm assuming that bracelet she gives to the Catha is from Morgause, simply by the look of pain in her face when it's out of her grasp. Literally, when will my wife's suffering end?

I wonder just how many different kinds of magic beings and users there are in JUST the five kingdoms. What about the rest of the world?? Like. that's just so cool!! I love world building, maybe one day I'll waste away some days just building up lore and lore, probably some made up, but mostly from all cultures and countries. That would be cool as fuck actually.

Agravaine's smile is so FAKE, FUCK OFFFFFFF

Ew, why does he just touch everybody. Weird uncle vibes, for sure.

Oh, I just don't like how Arthur's so quiet. I bet Agravaine's just gotten in his head so bad. He already looks ready to cry, like Gaius has already betrayed him. He's so used to that, what's one more?

Jesus, this hurts to watch. The fact that Gaius knows exactly what's happening, and he's trying to be as truthful as he can but Agravaine's just. making it all worse and horrible. This is so bad.

Ok, Gaius, I know you're better at lying than this. Fucking damnit.

EW. Agravaine's little smirk?? What the fuck is wrong with him? Jesus, I feel so sick watching this, knowing that he's just basically sentenced Gaius as a liar!! Fuck!!!

Well, at least Arthur noticed that Agravaine was being a fucking bitch. Not all is lost.

"... we might find some (proof)." Oh, ok, so you're just admitting that you're going to fabricated evidence against Gaius? Oh ok.

JESUS THESE MAN'S TITTIES ARE JIGGLING GOOD LORD

OH MY GOD, NOT THE PECS FLEXING??? I'm assuming normally you don't see that when you're on a horse adjusting yourself 'cause you got clothes on but this guy DOESN'T and you can SEE EVERYTHING.

The way that Merlin opens the door is so funny. He is NOT amused to be called upon by Agravaine. Mood.

Why is Agravaine's smile literally so disgusting, I cannot.

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW WHY DOES HE SMILE SO MUCH???? VERY MUCH WEIRD UNCLE VIBES. VERY MUCH "PUT SOME CLOTHES ON, YOUR UNCLE'S COMING." VIBES. EW. EW EW EWWWW

Love seeing Agravaine getting humbled, thank you big titty man.

Really? Really??? A book boldly proclaiming that it's about magic and sorcery, kinda hidden by one (1) sheet of paper as your proof? Really??? Are you for real right now?? Fuck off.

It is actually so upsetting seeing Agravaine in Merlin and Gaius's space. Like that's not for you, disgusting bitch.

Not Merlin finishing polishing the dagger and setting it on Arthur's nightstand JUST as the warning bells start to sound. Lol. Lmao even.

OH MY GOD THEY'RE DESTROYING GAIUS' SHIT??? WHAT THE FUCK

No no no. I hate this. The fact that Merlin now get's why Agravaine made him polish that dagger. He's fucking blaming himself right away, oh I can't do this.

Merlin literally looks like a baby in this shot, holy shit. My baby :(((.

Agravaine's acting (not the actor's, is the actor acting the character acting!! which is so fucking cool) is so fucking annoying. It's so obvious, dammit, Arthur, you're a king, how can you not see it!!! I know he's family, but you barely know him!!! I know he's from your mother's side and you want THAT side to be good unlike your father's side that's brought you so much pain, I know, but come ON!!!

Oh, Merlin's so mad, not at Arthur, at Agravaine and himself, but he's so hurt, so scared, so pained that it comes across as quietly, restrained angry, and it's fucking heart breaking.

Oh god. This is one of their most painful fights in my opinion. I think they get so fucking heart breaking when it's Merlin just. trying to show his side, trying to get Arthur to understand but Arthur just cannot because he's been given a certain information that WOULD make his actions sensible, but WE know they're lies!!! We do, Merlin does, but he can't just say that 'cause it might reveal HIS lie, and it's just UGH!!!!!!!!!! FUCK

MERLIN IS FUCKING TEARING UP I CAN'T. "He would not leave without saying goodbye to me." I AM GOING TO PUKE.

The way Merlin turns away when he's close to crying, ohhhhh. Oh BBC Merlin writers when I catch you. Colin Morgan when I catch you.

"I don't wanna lose another friend." I think these are the moments that really make me wanna chortle Arthur. I truly feel like he cannot understand the depth of the power that he has compared to Merlin. 'Cause what does that threat mean? Just them stop being friends but Merlin's still employed? Arthur sacking Merlin? Arthur treating Merlin how he's treating Gaius right now? Because, truthfully, with the power that Arthur has, any of these options is viable. I think this is what scares me, Arthur just cannot comprehend that he just cannot threaten his friends, his loved ones, like this just because he's king now. He simply cannot. The weight of it is different. Even if he would never hurt them, it doesn't matter, he has the POWER to. That's what's so scary. And then he wonders why Merlin doesn't tell him things. How can he?

The way things just. Change between the early seasons and now. The way Gaius talks to Morgana, knowing she wants to kill him, when he saw her grow up. I'm gonna be so fucking sick, y'all, what the fuck.

Does she braid some of her hair with leaves?? Or a green ribbon? What is that in her hair??

Not gonna lie, Morgana is so hot in this scene. Jesus. Love that voice, and that's all I'm gonna say.

HE LOOKS SO BABY!!!!!!!!!!1

I love that Gwen doesn't even question that Agravaine's behind it. She's like "I'll use my charms to get Arthur to see reason, don't worry bestie."

ICONICCCC GAIUS USING MAGIC!!!!!!!!

Oh, I love when Merlin doesn't even use words. Just golden eyes and BOOM. Magic.

MERLIN FOR FUCK'S SAKE BRO YOU CAN'T EVEN SNEAK OUT CORRECTLY WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!!!!! That's so fucking funny though, I'm losing it-

GWAINE!!!! MY BABY!!! You look like a puppy :,).

Oop. Cock blocked.

Merlin is just in a fucking mood and honestly he deserves to be. But it is interesting how differently he acted with Gwaine and Gwen. I wonder if he's being shorter with Gwaine 'cause he's a knight now, and he knows that knights talk and are closer to the king's views than the servants. Classic class division and such, even if Gwaine is not like other knights. He just cannot be sure now. Also 'cause he almost got found out my Agravaine which does not good for your nerves I bet.

WOW. Gwaine, baby, STAND UP. Get some self-respect. Good god. At Merlin's back and call, it's really ridiculous bro.

Immediately on a secret mission, love these boys.

Not Agravaine seeing his plans fall apart, GET REKT LOSER.

I wonder if Morgana's a good cook. I think she isn't actually. Just never gets recipes right. Burns things, undercooks others.

Oh, poor Gaius... he really tried to fight it but...

It's really fun watching the series and recognizing common clips used in edits.

The way Gaius speaks about Merlin with such wonder and pride... crying rn.

LMAO NOT MERLIN JUST COMPLETELY TRIPPING BOTH OF THE GUY'S FEET. ALSO THE WAY THE CATH TURNED??? HELLO??? HE LOOKED LIKE A SQUIRREL.

"We should split up." "Yeah." two dumb bitches saying "exactlyyyy"

"If you find him, don't wait for me." Gwaine IMMEDIATELY disagreed with that, Merlin dearest, he's not gonna let that happen.

Oh my god, Morgana hasn't met Gwaine yet. All she knows, from Agravaine, is that he's a "hothead". Lmao. lol even.

I love how Agravaine, literal dagger to Gaius' neck, is disagreeing with Gwaine's very keen observation, that he's the kidnapper and traitor. Girl, shut the fuck up.

Gwaine is so handsome. Also, yes, not completely stupid because, if Agravaine didn't kidnap Gaius, how did he know where he was, hm?? Bitchass.

Jesus. Credit when credit's due, he can be a good liar. Also, I feel like Gwaine's acting like he believes Agravaine's innocent, mainly because he can sense something fishy about him. His question, "So you agree he was abducted then?" is so SMART. 'Cause what else can Agravaine do but agree and declare Gaius an innocent man? Yeah that's fucking right, bitch.

Morgana is literally so hot and tragic when evil, good lord.

UGH, Morgana using magic without words, YES!!! Love her being powerful.

Face card never declines for either one of them, good god. Y'know what, more and more I understand Mergana. Just. Look at them!!!

OH THE WAY MERLIN KNOWS THAT ALATOR KNOWS HE'S EMRYS. OH MY GOD?????

Oh jesus, the way Morgana's just RELIEVED to finally know who Emrys is, she's so scared of him she just doesn't want to be scared anymore. Her voice is so soft here :(.

HOLY FUCKING SHIT HE YEETED THE FUCK OUT OF MORGANA WHAT THE FUCK, WOAH!!!!!!!!1

Oh wow that scene just gave me chills, holy shit holy shit. The way Alator just kneels and allies himself to Merlin. Jesus Christ, that's my drug bro.

Gwaine and Arthur interacting. Gwaine being so soft about Gaius, so worried :(. Arthur too :(((.

I really do love how royals just think the servants can't fucking hear. Gwen is right there as they speak very sensitive matters. Like bitch?? They have ears I promise??

The way Gaius and Merlin communicate their fears and anxieties :((( I'm so emotional bro.

"My worry is Arthur." and THOSE are your loyalties, while Alator and other's loyalties are to YOU, Merlin, 'cause you're supposed to bring forth Albion, but you're too busy having a fucking CRUSH TO DO IT!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, the way Arthur walks into the room and Merlin cannot even BEAR to look at him. He's HURT. As is his right.

The way Merlin immediately lightens the mood, 'cause he wants things to be easy as possible, even if it gets hurts swept under the rug like this. UGH. AGHHHHHHHHH.

Boys. Stop eye fucking. You're supposed to at least be a little mad at him, Merlin, you kinda deserve that, y'know.

Love that Arthur believes without a doubt that Gaius withstood torture for him and Camelot and won. Like. He truly sees Gaius as this strong figure. Just always there since he was born, bro. Even before, while he was being made!! That's bonkers.

I love how Arthur understood Gaius' lied even though Agravaine talks in the "evil manipulative guy" voice all the time. Fuck off bro, I swear.

The Gaius is trying to teach Arthur to understand the complexities of magic, that it's all evil or all good, it's all different. I love this scene so much.

Pretty boy.

And that is it!!! God, what an episode!! I feel like this episode is a good starting point for a show rewrite, in which Arthur gets more and more curious about magic and tries to understand, and maybe we'd get a magic reveal and shit like. I like that a lot.

[gabriel-xander]

I Wish You Died Instead Ch. 6

[Scaramouce x Fem!Reader]

A/N: I started writing this before all of his lore came out/Before the last Sumeru Archon quest, so there will be a handful of inconsistency later on. My advice to you? Just go with it!

{Also on Quotev, Ao3, and Wattpad under Gabriel Xander}

Chapter 6: Bitches on Me Left and Right

You furrow your brows in your reflection, putting in the red dangling earring that Childe had given you. You tug at the fluffy collar around your neck and sigh heavily. You're going to ditch the coat. It's your first day in Liyue and the weather is already getting to you.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Who the fuck is that? Aside from La Signora's direct subordinates, no one should be coming to get you. And you shouldn't have any visitors either.

You grab your mask from the nightstand next to the mirror, making sure it's secure on your face.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

You hold back the sigh and drop your coat onto the bed and rush to the door. You swing the door open and automatically stand up straight.

"Good mor-NAOOO!!"

You throw your mask off and throw your arms around Kazuki's neck, pulling that fucker into a hug. You feel his arms go around your waist, squeezing the life out of your. Your best friend chuckles and sways you both side to side.

"You should've told me you were coming. I thought you were working for the Knave for the time being."

"I-I had no time to write to you, the Fair Lady suddenly requested my recruitment," You pulled away from the pretty man, holding him at arm's length with a grin, "Oh, Nao! I missed you so much! Did your hair get longer? We should trim it. You wanna have lunch with me? Show me around Liyue! Oh! How is Lord Childe? Are you two getting along? How have your missions been? Do you think-"

Kazuki cups your face with both hands, and leans forward to kiss your forehead.

You stop immediately, your shoulders relax and you allow yourself to enjoy the moment. He pulls away after a few seconds, wrapping his arms around you again and hugs you close. You just sink into the embrace, smiling to yourself and relishing in the familiar touch of your best friend.

"We have a few hours to ourselves, let's go get something to eat first, yeah?"

You nod.

"There's a few places I want to take you. My favorite place is the Liuli Pavillion, but Xinyue Kiosk is really good too. And maybe later tonight, we can head to Third-Round Knockout for drinks."

"I don't know any of those places, so I'll trust your judgment on this one."

Kazuki pulls away and smirks very slightly, "Come on, let's get going."

————

Kazuki takes you straight to Liuli Pavillion for breakfast, ordering a lot of Liyue dishes that he thought you'd like since you're a bit hesitant to try new foods you're unfamiliar with. They didn't have forks or spoons though, only "chopsticks", which kind of sucked ass.

Kazuki was already a master of them, making fun of you as you struggled to get food in your mouth. You felt so bad though, he ordered so much food but you barely managed to finish one and a half of the seven dishes he ordered.

"No matter," Kazuki simply said, "We'll box this and take it back to where you're staying."

"You're too frivolous with your Mora."

"You're just jealous that I make more money than you."

"Yes I am, and I'll die mad about it."

"Hm."

Fucker.

After that, he takes you around the city to look around, buying you a few trinkets and clothing if you spend a second too long looking at it. Kazuki is too eager when it comes to buying you things, since that's his love language–both platonically and romantically. And Kazuki? He loves you very much, and you love him just the same.

However... Kazuki was insistent on carrying everything for you, but he started buying you too many things that you also have to carry. And not is not an issue either, but both of your arms are getting full and supposedly he wants to take you somewhere else?

"Uh, Nao... I-I don't need that, I swear! My eyes just looked at it for a second!."

"Nonsense. You like the color, don't you?" Kazuki hums, holding up a skirt that, yes, was very pretty in color. "How much is it, boss?"

"Naooo!" You whine, your arms beginning to get sore from carrying so many things.

"Well, if it isn't [Y/n]!"

Ah fuck berries!!

You turn to the voice with a tired smile. "Lord Childe! It's good to see you! Ah, and... you are?"

You don't know if it's good or bad luck that Childe managed to find you. You knew he was still in Liyue, but you thought maybe at the moment he was dealing with his Harbinger duties? Walking next to him was Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome. Well, not really dark since his skin was pretty pale. But his overall color scheme was browns and golds.

"I am Zhongli, a close associate of Childe," The man greets politely with a smile, "I assume you are as well?"

...You are as well what?

Oh!

"Yeah, I guess you can say that. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Zhongli. You can call me [Y/n]," You nod.

You didn't understand why he'd think you're close with Childe, but you guess it's because of your matching earring with the Harbinger. You don't know if that warrants an assumption that you two are close, but you guess it doesn't really matter.

"What are you doing here in Liyue, [Y/n]? Is your boss here too?" Childe asks.

"Uh, he's-"

"-Perhaps we should talk somewhere else and not hold up the stall," Kazuki cuts in, "Not to mention, I believe [Y/n] is getting tired from carrying all this. I should escort her back to where she's staying so we can drop this off."

Ah, you know that look. To outsiders, his blank expression is one that never changes no matter what emotion he feels. However, yOu'Re NoT lIkE tHe OtHeR gIrLs and you notice every slight change in his expression and body language. You can read that he was actually feeling quite annoyed that his alone time with you is likely coming to an end.

"Oh, why don't we help you with that?"

As Childe decides this all on his own, he takes the bags from your arms, and the boxes you were holding. He was having a much easier time than you were, and Zhongli even took it upon himself to take a few things from Childe to help him too.

You smile at Kazuki apologetically, taking some things from his arms now that you had more help. He narrows his eyes slightly, getting more irritated as the second passes.

"Lead the way, [Y/n]," Childe smiles.

And lead the way you did. You take your gaggle of friends (Can you call Childe and Zhongli your friends? You feel that's a bit unprofessional and a bit presumptuous of you to assume you're all already friends) to the place you, La Signora, and the other Harbingers under her command are staying. Though as you get closer, Childe seems to light up.

"Oh, you're staying here?" Childe speeds up a bit to walk closer to you, "What a coincidence! My troops and I are staying here as well!"

FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC!!

So not only are you blessed that Kazuki is in the same building as you, you're also cursed that Childe has easy access to you too now!

You'd be more open to being Childe's friend if you weren't super cautious of ALL the Harbingers. He seems really nice, and expressed that he desires to be your friend, but that doesn't suddenly make you more trusting.

"I should warn you, Lord Childe. I'm not here for Lord Scaramouche, I'm here with the Fair Lady," You inform, walking up the stairs to get to your floor, "So you should do your best to avoid her... Don't tell her I said that."

"La Signora?" Childe frowns, "But why are you with her? You're Scaramouche's subordinate, aren't you? Did something happen?"

You shrug, "My Lord was sent somewhere, but that's all I know since he refused to tell me anything more. He said he could be gone for a while, so in the meantime he ordered me to assist any other Harbinger so that my skill isn't going to waste. The only person he prohibited for me to help was the Doctor, so there's that."

You're too busy to not trip over the stairs to see the look on Childe's face. Maybe if you were paying more attention, you would've noticed how... guilty he looked when you mentioned the Balladeer was sent somewhere.

"So that's why I'm here with La Signora. Before this, I was with the Knave."

"I heard she's a stone cold bitch," Kazuki hums, "I hope that wasn't too unbearable."

"Ooh, watch your tone in the presence of another Harbinger," You snicker, "Lord Childe might rat you out."

"Ah!" The ginger makes an exaggerated noise as if he was offended, "Comrade! I would do no such thing!"

"It's true. Lord Childe's favorite pastime is to shit talk-"

"Ah-ha ha ha! Ah, Kazuki...!" The Harbinger clears his throat, sending a not very subtle message to keep the other quiet.

"Yeah, yeah," You hum, walking down the short hall until you get to your door, "So, Mr. Zhongli, what do you do for a living? I don't think I've had the chance to ask yet."

Appreciating that he could be part of the conversation now, the brunette offers you a smile even if you couldn't see it, "I am a consultant at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. I perform all manners of ritual for burying the dead, along as funeral rites for the adepti."

"Oh wow! That's pretty serious stuff. And that's really admirable too, you know? It can't be easy being surrounded by death all the time, and having being the one to send them off too? Your work is very important to a lot of people, Mr. Zhongli. I hope you take a lot of pride in that."

Zhongli smiles a little more genuinely at your words, "I'm glad you understand and see the importance as well. It's nice to meet and talk to someone who can appreciate what I do... No offense, Childe."

"Wha–Well, I didn't take offense until after you said that!"

"Me personally, sir," Kazuki leans towards the ginger, "I wouldn't let that slide."

"Do NOT be an instigator, Kazuki!" You laugh.

Putting your shit in the room didn't take too long, as you told them you'll properly put it all away later tonight. You did forget that Kazuki plans on keeping you busy for a long time, so it might actually have to wait until tomorrow morning. But that's tomorrow's problem.

Today? It's your day off and you might as well spend it with some friends while you can.

————

05 . 14 . XXXX

My Dearest Scaramouche,

...

...

Ha ha! I bet that got your attention, didn't it? Since I've never addressed my letters to you that way; it's always been "To My Lord" and all that. I thought the change would be funny, and it would keep you on your toes.

Let's see.

It's been about five months since I've last seen you, five months since you were sent away by Lord Pierro. I wonder... I'll just be frank. I am, admittedly, getting worried about you.

I've been told my letters are getting to you, but I haven't received anything back. And if you had died, I CERTAINLY would've gotten word about it, too. But that might be very presumptuous of me to assume that you'd even write back. We're not remotely close, or friends for that matter, so you have no reason to respond. But you ARE my boss, and it's always been my duty to protect you.

How have you been? I hope you haven't been through too much, I know how much work inconveniences you very easily. How are the people who accompanied you? I heard you only brought along two other people; are you treating them well? Are they treating YOU well?

I've done as you said, helping the other Harbingers, staying clear of Il Dottore, doing my best, not letting my skill go to waste.

...

Do you remember all those months ago when we investigated those Treasure Hoarders? Noah, Ivan, and Isaac? And when we got the information we needed from them, you...

I think about them a lot. You had the mercy of allowing me to look away and not help you bury them, but I still carry the burden knowing that we had killed them. That YOU killed them and I did nothing about it. I always took it for granted, how you always let my hands stay clean, how you never forced me to look.

... I've seen a lot of fucked up shit when I was working with the other Harbingers, especially the Knave. They made me do horrible things too. Well... normal things expected of a Fatui, I think.

For the past month, I've been working with the Fair Lady, and we've been residing in Liyue. I don't really do much. She makes me do paper work, help out at the Northland Bank, keep tabs on Lord Tartaglia and Mr. Zhongli of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. She hasn't told me why, but I honestly think she might just be nosy. Don't tell her I said that, okay?

Kazuki has been a little more... reserved? I don't know what happened to him while we were separated, but I hope one of these days, he can open up to me and tell me what's happened to him. He's my best friend, you know? He's my person. Did you have someone like that before? DO you have someone like that?

I'm getting a little sleepy now, so I'll wrap this up. I know you're getting these, but I have no idea if you're reading them or not. If you don't, then that's fine. At least then you wouldn't have to read all my embarrassing thoughts.

And if you do...

I hope you're okay, and I hope I can see you again soon. Please take care.

Your faithful servant,

[L/n]

————

"Hmph..." Scaramouche smiles tiredly, "What an idiot..."

He sighs through his nose and folds the paper up, tucking it away in his open kimono for safe keeping with the rest of the letters. He looks down at the two spots near his camp. Two half-assed graves that he made almost immediately when he arrived.

The two that had accompanied him survived the best they could, but he's not completely surprised that they have died after a few years. After all, they're only human.

It's moments like these where he's glad he fought tooth and nail to convenience Pierro to let you stay behind with the other Harbingers instead of letting you accompany him.

In your letter, you said it's been about five months since he had departed, but to him it's been nearly three centuries. Time works differently in the Abyss. If he had to make the estimate, one day to you is about one year for him. So by that measurement, you've been sending him letters once every two weeks, but he's only been receiving them once every 40 years or so.

He's actually very grateful for your letters. It helps him keep track of time, helps him stay somewhat sane, helps him remember that it hasn't ACTUALLY been 300 years, helps him not feel THAT lonely...

It helps remind him you haven't died, and that you're still waiting for him.

You're still waiting for him...

Scaramouche stands up and works to put out the fire.

He can't send you anything back even if he wanted to, the only papers he has are for his reports back to Pierro and he's already running out. You'll just have to wait for him for a little while longer.

For now, he'll do the best he can to hurry up. It's not that he particularly cares about you, but he supposes he should repay you with his presence.

It's the least he can do in return for all your letters.

Scaramouche leaves his camp with a slight smile.

He can't let himself die, he's extremely looking forward to your next letter, after all.

[theunsinkablesappho]

Hazbin Hotel Thoughts

I'm on my second watch and have some thoughts. Would love to chat about these.

Spoilers, Obviously

I think Alastor is going to end up being an antagonist in the series at some point. As part of this, I think it's going to absolutely shatter Charlie when this is revealed, and that while it won't stop her optimistic belief in the power of change, it will significantly dampen the naivete we see in her right now.

I am really looking forward to the day that Charlie decides she has truly had enough of the way Valentino treats Angel Dust and goes toe to toe with him

I need more Carmilla Carmine and her lil family

Why is Carmilla so badass and her daughters both look like total NERDS (not that there is anything wrong with being nerds). They showed up to that Overlord meeting looking like her damn accountants. I think one of them IS her accountant.

My current theory is that Carmilla was a crime boss of some type in her real life - drug lord, war lord, something - and that she and her daughters were all killed at the same time. Maybe by a rival, maybe by the ATF/CIA, who knows.

Season 1 has established some clear character parallels between Carmilla Carmine and Vaggie. I would like to see this develop more.

Did Lucifer actually seduce Eve (aside from the apple) or was he just taunting Adam during the fight?

My brother pointed this one out: If Adam was the first soul in Heaven, that is really bad news for poor Abel.

I see a lot of people talking about Niffty like she's a child, but she appears to have canonically been in her 20s (born in the 30s, died in the 50s) when she died. My brother and I theorize that she's a speed-addicted housewife. Rationale: her default "weapon" is a giant sewing needle; she has something of a housewife aesthetic; the obsession with cleaning.

Maybe a weird thing to notice but Charlie appears to have a... snout? Like, in profile shots, there's no dip back into the face beneath her nose... which would imply that she has more of a snout shape than a human face shape. Neither Lucifer nor Lilith appear to have this, so I am curious...

Charlie writes a script in which a "good" Sir Pentious announces he is "off to NOT have premarital sex" ... while she is sharing a bed with the girlfriend she is clearly not married to. No one likes a hypocrit, Charlie. This entertains me wildly.

Speaking of that, was Lute being homophobic or racist when she called Vaggie and Charlie vile and disgusting?

My theory of the final fight is that Lucifer was nearby, watching the whole time, but that he did not intervene until Charlie was in real danger for 2 reasons. 1 is that he was trying to let her do this for herself and 2, I think part of the pardon deal he negotiated with Heaven requires him to stay out of the Exterminations. If we think clearly, there's no real incentive for Heaven to just grant a universal pardon to ALL the Hellborn (and the pardon was for ALL Hellborn, not just Charlie). But if Lucifer traded his participation for their protection - which is clearly in character for him, as he definitely wants Charlie safe - then that is a hell of an incentive. It both makes the Exterminations that much safer for the Exorcists, but it will demoralize the demons of the Pride Ring (because Lucifer won't defend them) and weaken Lucifer's influence (because he's a lazy king who won't protect them). If Lucifer comes in too fast and hot, then he could be seen as in violation and bring down exponentially worse upon the inhabitants of Hell. But with Adam attacking and threatening Charlie DIRECTLY (attacking her Hotel and the Sinners there wouldn't count), it could be argued that Adam was the first to violate this hypothetical agreement. (I mean, it could also be argued that Charlie violated it as well. I said it could be argued, not that he would necessarily win.) He even says it, when he comes after Adam after the hotel is broken "You come after me and MY DAUGHTER"

I don't like St. Peter. I have no super good reasons for this... I just hate his stupid little face and his stupid little... everything. Someone I know said he gives "televangelist vibes," so maybe that is it.

BUT WHERE IS EVE?!