#I can't actually remember if she got her arm or leg broken

[poguehearted77]

Tap Out

Just thinking about Rafe's super gorgeous, beautifully breathtaking girlfriend who is notorious for giving people a hard time. Especially him.

She got that million dollar Million dollar oow, oow And all I want to do is touch it Make her tapout, tapout, tapout, tapout,

Rafe stands tall and brooding in front of the bed where you sat while he hits replay on the overbearing series of voicemails you'd left him while he was out.

"Hi Rafe, I know you said you and Barry had to go take care of whatever it was that you said—I don't know; I wasn't really listening, but I just saw this new coach bag online, and I need you to send me a picture of your credit card front and back so I can get it. Thanks in advance baby."

You stay silent and unbothered by the replay.

He plays the next one, "It's almost midnight, Rafe. When are you coming home? I miss you. The bed is so big and empty without you in it. You remember that night we came back from the Blue Diamond charity gala and we barely made it up the stairs? The way you fucked me so good, left me aching for you for days--mmmm, wanna feel you like that again, come home Rafeyy."

Your boyfriend huffs as he moves to play the last one except this one is silent for the first few moments until some lewd sounds can be picked up. It's wet and sticky. It sounds like Thanksgiving mac and cheese being stirred in the pot. Soon, the faintest string of moans can be heard.

Most wouldn't be able to pick up on it, but not Rafe. His ears are trained to the sound of your voice. He's accustomed to every pitch, tone and frequency your pleasure can take on.

You stand, ready to plead your case, "You were gone for hours, what was I supposed to do?" Your arms cross defensively and they suddenly drop when Rafe's big hand is holding you by the throat, squeezing tight enough to have you gasping.

"You think this shit is funny?" His voice is strict, unwavering and serious. "What if Barry heard this? Huh?" Your eyes roll, defences refusing to crumble even with a limited supply of air, "It's Barry, he'd probably thank me-"

You need to learn when to shut up at the end of a rhetorical question because now Rafe had you bent up like a pretzel. One hand is still around your neck while the other holds you at the waist.

Your legs are shaking as he brings you to what you thought was your third orgasm but is actually the fourth (you'd blacked out during the second one). "Rafe- no- s'too much," You murmur, voice broken and weak from all your screams.

"Nothin's too much for you." He groans, punctuating his sentences with a sharp snap of his hips. It sends you reeling and your eyes roll back as you feel that familiar heat begin to unfurl in your core.

You shake your head repeatedly, "I can't--Rafe! Please." You beg, so incredibly turned on by the sight of your hot boyfriend who looked down to where your bodies connected. The way your slick covered his cock down to his balls. It pulls a groan out of him from his core.

You admired the sweat that gathered over the thin hairs on his chest and that piercing blue gaze that would glance up at you from time to time to taunt you like now. "You know what to do if you can't take it sweet thing." You do know what to do, but you refuse to back down, you're so close.

"O-oh shit I'm-" The words escape and your climax is stolen from you when Rafe stops completely and pulls out, his hands move down to your hips, shamelessly displaying his physical dominance over you and flipping you onto your stomach effortlessly.

He grips the flesh of your waist and manhandles you until you're being pulled back against him, the beautiful sight of your plump and juicy ass in his hands is enough to send him to the heavens above or maybe the firey pits below.

You're already too weak to hold yourself up on your arms, so you let yourself fall into the sheets. Your cries muffled into the pillows as Rafe slowly presses back into you, stretching you back open. His rhythm picks up with nothing but urgency and mercilessness.

Your back arches, and you cry out his name when you're blinded by your own orgasm. Coming undone once more and he comes soon after with a breathy chuckle. His hips are still rolling into yours lethargicly when he whispers, "You got one more in you, baby?"

"Fuck no. I'm done." You whine, your fists tapping out on the pillow and his pace slows until he finally stops, slowly pulling out.

"That'll teach you to fuck with my voicemails when I'm not here." He lays himself down beside you, carefully moving the stray strands of hair out of your face to admire you.

Your lips were swollen from all the sucking and biting he'd done to them earlier, your cheeks flushed and your body is spent. You grin, "You know you liked it, especially that last one." Rafe exhaled, even in your drained state you can still find time to be bratty.

"I did, I did. You sounded so fucking pretty playing with that perfect pussy of yours. Had to go rub one out in Barry's bathroom because of you." You smile a little bigger at that. "Good." Is all you say and Rafe can only roll his eyes as he moves to hold you in his arms.

You both lay there, enjoying the warmth of each other's bodies until Rafe speaks up softly, "Tuesday." He says, and your head looks up at him with a confused tilt. Without having to ask him, he explains, "The purse you want. I ordered it. It'll be here on Tuesday."

Just when your smile couldn't get any bigger, it does, and Rafe can't help but to be in awe because god you're so fucking gorgeous but you're such a pain in the ass.

His prettiest headache.

[always-just-red]

Hii! I've seen some Pregnancy scenario with LaD's men, but I have this HC-- personally for Sylus. That when fem!reader got pregnant, he didn't really understand how the Pregnancy hormones work, until he experienced one and he got confused how he should act or react because it's feels like he's walking on landime, one wrong move/word, she'd throwing tantrum or being sulky at him

I've heard from my Friend who got pregnant before, when she craving something and her Husband showing any form that he can't fulfill what she's craves, she felt her heart broken, and she'd sulk and acted as if he just cheated on her. The problem is, she always craved something that didn't even exist at that moment😂, she's craving certain type of Mango while it's not even that Mango season, so nobody selling it. He literally being desperate to negotiate with her cravings

So... Can I request a scenario smiliar like that? It doesn't have to be mango, or any foods. Just... how Pregnancy hormones or Cravings could make Sylus got frustated lol

Aaaaa anon this is adorable, thank you! We love making Sylus suffer in cute and harmless ways. He's always asking for trouble, so let's give him some! 😌💅

Something Sweet

Sylus x Reader 🩸

Summary: Sylus knows how to get what he wants. Getting what you want might be a little more tricky...

Genre: fluff!

Warnings/Additional tags: female!reader, IMPLIED pregnant!reader (pregnancy not actually mentioned or described- just hormones being hormones ✌), established relationship, canon pet names, a lil bit of roleplay because Sylus refuses to leave his Mystic Adventure era

| Word count: 2.1k | Masterlist | Opt-in to my taglist here!

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Love and Deepspace. All work is my own, so please don't repost or plagiarise!

“Sy, d’you know what I’m craving right now?”

“Always, sweetie.” Sylus doesn’t look up from his book. “Not now, though. I’m tired.”

Morning sunlight streams through the gaps in your living room curtains, casting pale yellow shapes over the floor. A shard of it has been inching over the sofa towards Sylus, the sharp edge now grazing the side of his face. He shifts, ever so slightly, away from its touch. His eyes are open but heavy.

“No,” you scold, leaning forwards to swat at him with your book. “That’s not what I meant, you narcissist.”

He chuckles with his usual low timbre— his gaze still not lifting— and the sound is deeper for how close he is to sleep. He wants to give in to it, you can tell. When he turns a page, the movement is languid, soft. You’re losing him.

“Sy,” you say again, then with more of a whine: “Sylus.”

His eyes flutter closed as he draws in a deep breath. His hand raises, his fingers stretching to pull his reading glasses from his face. They’re set down on the arm of the chair beside him, along with the book, and he turns to you with a smile. “What are you craving, sweetie?”

You rest your book on your stomach. Your legs are stretched out over Sylus’s lap, and his hand finds one of your feet, massaging an ache from it as you begin your speech. “Do you remember that café we used to go to? The one we found when it started raining in the park that day? We didn’t think it was open, but then the owner knocked on the window and said we could—”

“Yeah?” His hand moves to your other foot.

“Well, they make these—”

“Macarons.”

“You remember?”

His smile widens like he remembers vividly. “Kitten, how could I forget? I’m still jealous of that sweet little treat. You’ve never made that face for me, and believe me—” he wiggles one of your toes— “I’ve tried.”

That had been one of the only times you’d truly caught him off-guard, back when your feelings for one another were unnamed and uncharted. The rain had been drumming against the café window, and you’d heaved Sylus’s damp coat from your shoulders— giggled at the raised eyebrow and the sarcastic ‘…thanks’ he’d given in turn. One hot drink later, you were lifting a pastel pink macaron to your lips, taking a delicate bite and failing to stifle a tiny, almost euphoric moan.

You remember realising yourself: blushing profusely and expecting some remark, some ridicule, but none ever came. Sylus’s eyes were wide, dark, fixed upon your still parted mouth.

After a few of the longest seconds of your life, he’d dragged the plate with the rest of the macarons away from you and muttered something about how you had better not do that again.

“They’re still the sweetest things I’ve ever tasted,” you tease now, just as you’d wrestled him for that plate back then, set on eating every last macaron.

He makes a hmph as he idly runs a finger over the part of your foot he knows is ticklish. His expression is distinctly grumpy, but it falters as you laugh and try to writhe away from him.

You’re quickly out of breath. “Sylus?”

“Mmm?”

He glances up at you and you smile sweetly, head tilting. “Please?”

His coat on a rainy day. The entire plate of macarons in the end; he’s never been very good at denying you anything. For the first time since you’d stirred him from his book, however, he appears genuinely regretful. “You’re forgetting something, sweetie,” he murmurs gently. “Why did we stop going to that café, hmm?”

You shrug.

“It closed, kitten,” he sighs. “Months ago.”

“What?”

Not only did you already know that— you actually visited the café on its final day. The owner was telling you stories: he was moving somewhere warmer, closer to family, and he needed all the funds he could get. Sylus had snuck an obscene amount of money into the man’s tip jar whilst you acted as a distraction. You both had fond memories of that place; it was nice to make one more.   

It's all coming back to you and you’re struck by a wave of nostalgia. You want to go back there. You can’t go back there. It doesn’t exist anymore, and you’ll never taste sweetness like that again.

Your mouth has gone dry.

“Sweetie?” Sylus prompts, because he notices you’re far away. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” your voice wobbles, “I just really wanted… I mean, I really needed one of those—”

“… Macarons?” he finishes for you.

You burst into tears, and one day, you’ll tally this as another time you took the man by surprise. His face drops instantly— lost, for a moment— before he slides your legs from his lap, allowing him to lean closer. “No, no, no,” he coos, “don’t cry, kitten, please. I didn’t mean to… well, I didn’t realise…”

He doesn’t know what to say, and he always knows what to say. He set you off with a single word and now he’s stuttering like sentences are all possible landmines. He tries his luck again, putting a foot forward: “Listen to me. I’ll go to the store. Would that be alright? Or perhaps there’s another café that could—”

You explode: sobbing even more viscerally. Your whole body shakes with it.

Sylus has frozen. He watches on helplessly as you cry, blabbering about the macarons you can’t have and the café you can’t return to. Across the room, even Mephisto has hunched down on his perch, though he issues a few, spirited squawks, maybe in solidarity with your breakdown, or maybe in protest of it.

It’s like a catalyst. You cry more: burying your face in your hands because what the hell is wrong with you? It’s not a big deal. It’s not a big deal, so why do you feel sick? And then there’s Sylus— your Sylus, devoted and adoring— and here you are, punishing him for something beyond his control.

You look up from your hands, desperate to apologise, but he’s gone. More shards of sunlight paint his empty seat and catch all that’s left of him: a few crow feathers, glistening like onyx. Mephisto is gone too, and the room is quiet, save for you snivelling and feeling sorry for yourself.

“Sylus?” you call out into the empty morning.

It isn’t his fault, not really. You wouldn’t want to be around you, either.

…

Something brushes over your cheek, and your tired eyes open.

The sun has ebbed back behind the curtains and the ceiling light has taken its place, casting artificial highlights over everything in reach: the coffee table, the closed-up flowers at its centre and a mug of tea that’s gone cold. Sylus is in front of you too, backlit and soft like a daydream, and he—

He left you.

“Sy?” you whisper warily, because the context is coming back to you slowly, piece by piece.

“Hey,” he coaxes, voice as honeyed as whatever’s turned the air sweet.

You blink, rubbing sleep from your eyes and relishing the warmth of his hand on your face. Then you slap his shoulder. “Hey, really? That’s all you’ve got— hey?”

He’s kneeling for you— on the floor, beside the couch— so you can meet his eyes. He settles his chin thoughtfully on the edge of the seat, his nose almost touching yours. “What would you prefer, sweetie?” His lips are close to yours too. “Good evening, my beloved? Greetings, my queen?”

“How about sorry?” you snap, because he isn’t cute and he isn’t charming.

He pouts. “Why sorry?”

“Because you left, Sylus!” You sit up straighter, and your phone tumbles out of your lap. Its screen is still lit-up from a few hours ago, showcasing a very one-sided conversation and a rant you never actually sent, because it’s still in the text box.

You vaguely recall writing it, so you try to snatch the phone from Sylus’s hand as he plucks it from the floor. He’s more alert than you. More co-ordinated. He keeps it out of your grasp as he reads the unsent message, an eyebrow raising.

It was a lot of things— colourful, creative— not entirely tasteful. “My, my, your highness,” he tuts, “so this is the treatment your valiant knight receives for undertaking your quest?”

“You’re not valiant,” you rebuke, and you manage to wrestle your phone from him. “You’re—”

“A heartless prick,” he finishes casually, quoting your message with a chuckle. He takes your free hand and kisses the back of it, refusing to let you pull away. “And whose fault is that, I wonder?”

“You can have your heart back.”

“Nope. You’re stuck with it, sweetie. With me, too. Now—” he sits back on his knees— “would you please ask me about my quest?”

The analogy is lost on you. You sit fully up, looking down at him. “What quest, oh valiant knight?”

His lips form a smirk; he just loves when you play along. “Close your eyes.”

You do— whether you’re queen or not. You hear him shifting aside, and then there’s a snap of his fingers. The air changes, warping like thick, liquid smoke, and you know he’s using his Evol. “Open,” he commands.

And there on the coffee table, freshly teleported, is a plate of macarons the colour of cherry blossoms. As if anticipating the comparison, Sylus pulls a handful of pink petals from his pocket and blows them up into the air so they can spiral down on the scene. He watches them. Then you. “Ta-da,” he proclaims, his tone dry but full of humour.

You’re prone to hyperbole nowadays, but this is without a doubt the best thing you have ever seen.

“Sylus,” you gasp in disbelief, “how did you—”

“It doesn’t matter,” he says; the story isn’t for today, and he’s very, very tired. A few weeks from now he’ll tell you about how he tracked down the contact information of the owner of the old café. How he spent an hour on the phone bargaining for a certain macaron recipe, and several more hours in the kitchen, trying to get them perfect. “Now, they might not be exactly the same, sweetie. But I did try to—”

You surge forwards, capturing his lips in a kiss. It’s so impulsive— so reckless— that you almost tumble down from the couch, but he catches you, steadies you, and your hand is gripping the soft of his hair as he kisses you back. Slowly, his mouth not leaving yours, he lifts you back into your seat.

“Easy, sweetie.” His voice is low as he pulls away, and though he turns his face from you, you can make out the blush on his cheeks. He settles back into his kneeling position on the floor. “I have one more surprise for you. Do try to control yourself.”

He retrieves a small, complete flower from his pocket, albeit one a little dreary from its journey. Sylus smiles triumphantly as he holds it out to you, and he was right; you do want to throw yourself at him. Instead, you take the flower and lean forwards, tucking it behind his ear before he can protest. He’d tilted closer to help you, and he sits back with an exasperated tsk when you’re done.

“It suits you,” you grin.

He yawns. “Everything does.”

You don’t want to get into trouble, so you shimmy to the very edge of your seat and carefully— showing tremendous restraint— reach out to take his face in your hands. “You’re amazing, Sy. Thank you for doing all of this for me, but…”

“But…?”

“I missed you. I like macarons, yeah,” you smile, “but I’d much rather have you.”

This time, he can’t hide his face and the way it goes pink, like the blossom behind his ear. His cheeks are warm beneath your palms. “You couldn’t have said that before I spent the whole day—”

His voice is strangled as you keel towards him— slow and deliberate— to thread your arms around him and pull him into a hug. He tenses for a moment, then wraps his arms around you too: holding you tightly, keeping you from falling any further. You can feel his hand stroking your back and he hums as you give him a gentle squeeze.

“Such a lovely moment, kitten,” he muses, your head on his shoulder. “I do hope it’s sincere, and not— say— an excuse for someone to get her paws on the macarons behind me.”

There’s another moment of quiet.

“Don’t be silly, Sy,” you retort, but your mouth is full, your cheeks are stuffed, and not a single word of it is intelligible.

[hauntedparadisebandana]

More Desmond hcs cause I love him so much.

Desmond is the type of person to sleep everywhere but where he's supposed to. The others can't figure out if it's because of the bleeding effect and his episodes or if he's genuinely sleeping in weird places. They had an idea to lock his room door at night, but they didn't want to treat him like an asylum patient. There's been a few instances where Shaun has walked into the kitchen and has found des sleeping on the counter or even inside the cabinets.

"Hmmm, I'm in a chamomile mood today," mumbles Shaun as he walks into the kitchen yawning.

He fills the kettle with water and puts it on the stove. He lazily leans against the counter and waits, trying not to fall asleep. Then, a muffled voice fills his ears.

"You making tea? I want some too, please."

Shaun's eyes shoot open like he's seen Jesus himself. He stands up straight and frantically looks around.

"Christ, I'm hearing voices... I should've done the evaluation." He runs a hand down his face, rethinking his life choices.

"Nope, no ghost. Just your good pal Desmond." At this, Shaun is confused. Where is his voice coming from? He then gets the bright idea to look inside the cabinets, the only place Desmond could hide. Crouching down his opens up a door, and lo and behold, desmond is in there.

"Why on earth are you in the cabinets desmond?" Shaun says with an exasperated sigh.

"I'm actually not sure, I just woke up in here. Ugh my back hurts."

"Well, yeah, you fell asleep crammed inside a cabinet."

"About that tea, though, I want some."

"Oh- uh yeah, sure, tea for you too." He closes the cabinet door, "Wait!" The door opens again, "what is it, Desmond?" "Can you add honey to mine, please? " "Yes, you can have honey."

The same goes for rebecca and Lucy. Rebecca remembers the last time she tried to go to bed peacefully, she didn't.

Rebecca yawns and turns over, eyes still closed. She's feels something is off, it's warmer than usual, way warmer, and her bed feels...heavier? She opens her eyes, coming face to face with Desmond. All snuggled up under her sheets, leg thrown over hers, staring like this was an everyday occurrence.

"Jiminy Christmas! Fuck Desmond! what the hell are you doing in my bed?!" Rebecca whisper yells.

"Your bed is so warm, you mind if I sleep here? I think my heater is broken in my room."

Rebecca sighs out loud,

"Did you make sure it was plugged in? Cause you did that last time des."

Desmond thinks back to his heater. Now that he thinks about it, it probably wasn't plugged into the wall. But who cares? He's warm now.

"Probably not, but it's too late. I'm already lying down."

"Ughhhhhh, fine, you can stay. Just don't hog the blanket, and don't kick me."

"Ok ok I won't. Goodnight becca."

"Night des."

FYI, Rebecca got kicked at least 3 times that night.

Lucy has had her share of being scared shitless by Desmond, too, in her room as well.

Lucy sits up and stretches, just waking up. Checking her clock, she sees its 5am, no use in going back to sleep now.

"I could really start the grocery list today. The fridge is pretty empty -" she freezes, holding back a yell with her eyes wide as she stares straight into the corner at her hanging chair. Something tall, resembling a person is in it, it's way too dark in her room to see.

She shudders, reaching for her bed side lamp she flicks it on in a hurry.

"Oh what the hell."

There sits Desmond, sitting inside Lucy's chair with a blanket draped over him, he even brought his own pillow. Yet he's so tall. He looks a bit uncomfortable.

She stands up and walks over to Desmond, patting his shoulder.

"Des wake up, you can sleep in my bed."

"Hmmmm?" He groans, not fully awake yet.

"You can sleep in my bed. You look uncomfortable over here."

"Hm, thanks," Desmond goes to stand, "Ugh, wait, headache."

"From the bleeds?" "No, stood up too fast."

Lucy grabs Desmond by the arm and leads him to the bed. "Sleep now, I know you barely get any as it is." She expects a rebuttal but is surprised when he is fast asleep again, and this time, he looks comfortable. She leaves him there, making her way into the living room where Rebecca and Shaun are watching whatever is good on TV.

"Shaun, Becca, we need to get this Desmond sleeping situation under control."

"Agreed"

"Agreed"

[ode2cheol]

when you spoke to me..

doctor!joshua x f!reader 4.1k words, readers ex keeps texting her to take him back, fake dating au, honestly doesn’t focus much on joshua being a doctor other than at the beginning but he still is a rich doctor, fluff, angst, one sided love (?) (you’ll get it when u read it), part of waves will take us far away series !

why were hospital layouts so complicated sometimes? now you’re accidentally in the room of a really cute doctor embarrassing yourself while you fumble with your phone trying to find the correct room your friend was in.. but wait is he smiling at you?

“you what?” you screamed to your friend over the phone, “who the hell is stupid enough to go on a hike when they have a broken leg?”

“ankle. it’s a broken ankle. besides it all worked out in the end right? at least everything with cheol got cleared up” she giggled, and you sighed remembering the crush she’d developed on her doctor of all people.

“yeah yeah i guess, look you get some rest i’ll come visit you tomorrow with jeonghan. feel better alright!” you let out another deep sigh when your friend hung up. you loved her but she really did make some terrible decisions sometimes.

the bed sheets were warm beneath you, it’d started getting warmer as spring approached and you knew you were definitely grateful for it. the cold weather always made the skin on your hands rough.

the notification sound on your phone went off. confused you checked your phone again in case it was from your friend. you let out a groan when you read who the text was from. ‘i’m sorry i miss you’ read the text from your ex. you’d blocked him weeks ago but he kept finding ways to contact you through new or his friends’ accounts. annoyed, you put your phone on mute and put your head on your pillow ready to sleep.

balloons tied to your wrist and three gift bags resting on your forearms, you walked through the hospital halls keeping a lookout for any staff that could help you find where the room you were looking for was.

you didn't usually visit this hospital so you weren’t familiar with the setting. room 139. you just passed 122 so surely you can't be far, right? after walking for a few more minutes, you found room 139. something seemed off though.

you were sure jeonghan had told you that he was already here and after peeking your head in, you couldn’t catch sight of him. weird. maybe he just stepped out to grab something. oh well.

pushing the door open you could've cried at the sight in front of you. yeah you were right to be wary. instead of your friends you were met with an elderly man currently getting a cast on his arm.

“i am so so sorry” you said breathlessly as you tried to get out of the room. before you did, your eyes met with the second doctor in the room, was he.. laughing at you? ‘jerk’ you rolled your eyes before walking out of the room.

turning on your heel, you gave one last apology before trying to find the correct room. before you could make it far, you felt someone grab onto your arm to get your attention. ‘what the hell did he want?’

“can i help you?” you told him curtly.

“i can help you if you need actually. i’m guessing you’re here to visit someone and it wasn’t that man back there” he smiled at you. okay now you felt bad. he was just a cute doctor that wanted to help you out.

“oh.. thank you” you smiled at him, “uh this was the room that my friend has told me. i’m visiting her, she had a fractured ankle..”

“oh!” his eyes widened, “do you know who your friend’s doctor is? is it choi seungcheol?”

“oh that’s right!”

“yeah come with me i’ll take you to where it is. you were in the wrong ward”

you frowned. why would the hospital use the same numbering system for every ward? it’s so over complicated. whatever. at least you were getting there now. you continued to follow doctor.. well actually what was his name?

“excuse me doctor? what’s your name if you don’t mind me asking”

“hm? oh i’m doctor hong but you can call me joshua i don’t mind” he smiled again at you, and when you saw it you don’t know how you managed to dislike him at first when he had such a kind smile. “and what’s your name?”

“my name’s yn. sorry for making you go through all this trouble by the way, you must’ve been busy”

“oh no don’t worry about it, i wouldn’t have offered if i didn’t want to”

after about ten minutes of walking joshua showed you to where the room was, and you saw all of your friends. thanking joshua one more time you made your way in before waving back at him.

when visiting hours were done, you and jeonghan we’re making it out of the hospital together before you heard your phone vibrate a few times in your pocket.

you groaned at how it kept going, knowing it meant that it was your ex that found another way to contact you.

“you know, this should be considered borderline harassment at this point. he won’t leave you alone!” jeonghan sounded annoyed when you both confirmed it was your ex texting again, “he’s got no shame too, he’s the one who cheats and now he’s begging to have you back”

“i don’t even care anymore, i planned on getting a new phone and number soon anyway. so he can have fun texting the phone that nobody’s using” you sighed, exasperated at his efforts.

you’d told him weeks ago to stop contacting you, that no matter how much he did this wasn’t going to ‘win you back’. he was a terrible human being and you didn’t want anything to do with him.

“oh? yn?” you heard a familiar voice call out not too far from where you and jeonghan were.

turning to identify where the sound was coming from, you relaxed when you saw it was the doctor that helped you earlier.

“hi joshua, you getting off work now?” you waited for him to catch up to you.

“yeah. hey jeonghan” he waved to the man smiling deviously next to you, “uh yn do you have a ride home?”

“she doesn’t! i had to meet my parents for dinner right after so i couldn’t” before you could answer jeonghan was already doing it for you, faking a pout. “but hey, you could take yn home, couldn’t you shua?”

“if that’s okay with you yn i’d be happy to” joshua smiled at you again, that same too sweet smile.

“if it’s not any trouble to you” you told him sheepishly, “then i’d really appreciate it”

joshua’s car was nice, you could tell he took good care of it, making sure everything in the glove compartments were organised and that the seats were as clean as the carpets. you’d spent the time talking and getting to know each other. falling into conversation with joshua was too easy, almost as if you’d known each other for years. you’d learnt about how much of a kind person he was, but he never bragged about it, just about how incredibly grateful he was to be able to give to others. there was no way someone as nice as him really existed. and he looked that good too? oh it really wasn’t fair.

but you can really never have too much of a good thing because here came the 703rd call from your ex in the last few weeks. groaning you decline it but then came the bombardment of texts saying how he ‘loved you and didn’t mean it’.

“is that your boyfriend?” joshua asked, and if you weren’t so distracted with blocking the new number he was contacting you from, you would’ve caught the masked disappointment in his voice.

“thankfully no. but i don’t want to bother you with the whole story” you turned to look at him, but he was silently telling you to go on, like he doesn’t mind if you vented to him despite only knowing him a few hours. from what jeonghan had told you after being friends with joshua for a few months now, he was definitely a good listener. “he’s my ex. we’d broken up like a year ago or something but a few weeks ago he kept trying to reach out again out of nowhere. i’m guessing he realised that no girl wanted him so he thought i’d take him back”

“and what he’s just been bothering you for the last few weeks? have you tried telling the authorities?”

“i’ve thought about it but he’s harmless. i saw him at the store about a week ago and he didn’t even approach me. he’s all bark and no bite. i think if he sees i’m with someone else he’ll definitely back off” you sighed rubbing at your temples, you could feel yourself getting a headache already.

“are you? with someone else i mean?” he looked nervous. it was so cute.

“no, but why do you ask?” you asked him with a teasing lilt in your voice.

“well, my parents have been annoying me for weeks about finding a partner. so how about we just help each other out and pretend we’re going out with one another?”

it honestly was a good idea but you couldn’t help feel a little disappointed that it would just be fake dating. joshua was fun though so you’d push back your own brief hurt in favour of at least hanging out with him more often.

‘morning !! do u think u can meet me at this cafe at around 3 today ? need to ask u smth’ read the text that joshua had sent you today. it had been a few weeks since he drove you home and you’d both been texting back and forth getting to know each other more, and he mentioned that you both might have to meet soon last night. you texted him back, and agreed to meeting up. after getting ready, you left the apartment at around 2:30 to get to the cafe that joshua had told you about.

you texted joshua again to let him know you were outside and he told you that he was waiting at the table near the window on the left. when you stepped in you found him immediately. he was dressed casually, you’re guessing he didn’t have work today.

“hey, do you want me to grab you something to drink?” he smiled at you, helping you with your things.

you looked over the menu before he recommended something, promising you it would be good as he’d visited the cafe a lot. he went to place the order before joining you again at the table.

“did you have work off today?” you asked him.

“oh yeah, i don’t usually work fridays” he took a sip of his drink, “but anyway. the reason i asked you here was because i was wondering if you could come with me to some dinner my aunt’s hosting this weekend. her daughter graduated and my parents mentioned they wanted to meet you”

this weekend? that’s so sudden. i mean it’s not like you really had any plans anyway but it was still really sudden, “i’m free so i can go just.. well how formal is this dinner? like should i dress up or..” you trailed off, mentally trying to remember everything in your closet and if you had something fit for the occasion.

“it’s pretty formal i guess” he said sheepishly, rubbing the nape of his neck, “it’s at some fancy restaurant and i’m going wearing a suit. of course if you need me to i can definitely help you find a dress!”

“don’t worry about it” you laughed, pulling out your phone so you could find a picture. “i have a few formal ones but this is one i wore to my friend’s engagement party a couple months back, you think this’ll be alright?”

joshua looked at the picture, lips curving up into a smile before he met your gaze, “you look really pretty in that dress”

you flushed, taking a sip of your drink while thinking of a way to not let him get the upper hand, he can’t make you fall for him it wouldn’t be fair.

“thanks.. i just remembered! i have a high school reunion on the 30th. are you busy that day? i’m pretty sure it’s a friday”

you saw joshua frown thinking over it before opening what you’re guessing is his calendar app on his phone, “nope. i don’t have anything that day so i can go with you”

“great! my ex should be there too so after that he should stop bothering me too”

maybe it was all just in your head but you felt like you saw joshua tense a little at the mention of your ex, “has he texted you since?”

“i think he’s finally getting the hint. he doesn’t text as much anymore thankfully”

you were finishing up the last touches on your makeup when you heard someone ring your doorbell. you checked the camera to see it was joshua, a bouquet of flowers in his hands. you let him in, instantly taking note of his appearance.

you could hardly appreciate it from the cameras but in person you could see in detail how the suit he was wearing hugged his figure so well. the suit itself was black paired with a white button up and a purple tie.

“i remembered your dress was purple and thought i’d match the tie with it” joshua told you sheepishly when he saw how focused you were on it. “these are for you! i saw jeonghan today and asked him to make a bouquet for me”

you took the flowers, grinning at his thoughtfulness and thanking him, “is jeonghan still trying to win over your guys’ surgeon friend?”

joshua laughed at your comment, remembering how jeonghan had once called him at 3am to know what type of flowers his friend likes, “yeah he is. think she’ll say yes any day now”

you hummed, nodding. “how much time until we have to be there by the way?”

“about 45 minutes, it’ll only take us fifteen minutes to get there from here” he told you, checking his watch that you could just tell was expensive. you nodded again, telling him you’ll be right out after putting your dress on and grabbing a few things.

joshua waited on your couch for you to finish getting ready, scrolling through his phone to pass time. after a few minutes, he looked up when he heard you clear your throat nervously.

“you look amazing, yn. really, you do” and joshua wasn’t lying. he always thought you were pretty and right now was no different. but joshua bit back those thoughts though, admitting to himself would mean he’d also have to admit that he can’t ever have you. “so uh, you ready to go?” joshua winced at the lump in his throat and the way his voice cracked ever so slightly, and he was grateful for the fact that you were checking over the things in your purse one last time so you didn’t notice it.

you nodded and the both of you made your way to his car.

joshua was oddly quiet on the car ride, opting to just play music to fill the silence. when you arrived at the restaurant, joshua opened the door for you and helped you out. “the restaurant’s technically part of some five star hotel” he explained when you looked at it a little confused.

“ohh it looks really pretty” you smiled up at him while he held your hand leading you to the entrance.

joshua told the receptionist his name and she led you both over to where joshua and his family were waiting. when you actually saw them, the nerves finally hit you. what if you accidentally let slip that you and joshua weren’t really dating? what if you embarrass joshua?

joshua seemed to take notice of your nerves, squeezing your hand gently and whispering a “you’ll be fine, they’re going to love you”.

and it seems joshua was right. the night did go smoothly and you congratulated joshua’s cousin for her graduation. his family was kind, they didn’t once make you feel awkward or uncomfortable, instead complimenting you and making sure you didn’t feel left out.

by the time the dinner was over you were honestly sad that you’d have to leave his family, they were so fun you wanted to be with them more often. you left for a few minutes to go to the bathroom and when you came back you found joshua looking for you.

“joshua? what’s up?” taking note of how he looked a little annoyed and out of breath.

“yn i’m so sorry. my uncle just told me now that they’d booked rooms for all us to stay at the hotel tonight. if you feel uncomfortable with it i can just say you have a work thing tomorrow and we can’t stay” you really didn’t mind staying, but you were surprised and did feel guilty that they paid for you. he wasn’t saying it for your sake but you knew joshua secretly wanted to stay. his job makes it hard for him to see his family often so he’d appreciate this time with them. at the same time, you knew that staying would only make you more regretful of the fact that joshua didn’t feel the same about you.

“it’s fine, i don’t mind staying”

surprisingly enough, you’d managed to fall asleep pretty quick considering when you fell asleep joshua was still taking a shower.

when joshua got out he saw you on the bed and couldn’t help the soft smile breaking at his features. he saw your phone was still unlocked, a video still playing. ‘you must’ve fallen asleep watching it’.

he was about to turn it off before rolling his eyes at the texts from your ex again. he was about to block it for you until an idea crossed his mind. joshua fought mentally with himself as he debated whether or not he should go through with it. he sent a picture the two of you had taken together earlier to your ex, a ‘can u leave us alone ..?’ text attached to it while he silently prayed you wouldn’t think he was crossing any lines by doing so.

you met up with joshua a lot more after the dinner with his family. but the both of you getting closer was not doing anything to help your own feelings. joshua by no means felt the same about you. when you’d gotten to know joshua and the people close to him, you learnt that he was always the bold one when it came to people he liked. he’d always be the one to ask someone out, the one to go the extra mile for them. so the fact that he hadn’t done that for you, or even implied he wanted to, it wasn’t hard to assume that he just simply didn’t like you in that way. joshua wanted you as a friend and nothing more or less and you just had to live happily with that.

the reunion was soon. you’d texted joshua about it again, reminding him the address and time it was. you noticed your ex stopped texting you and part of you felt a little disappointed at it. you were grateful he finally took the hint but sad because what if this meant joshua wouldn’t have to keep up the act anymore? you were aware you probably seemed crazy and pathetic clinging onto a fake relationship that was only proposed for convenience, but that’s how you felt and you couldn’t help it and were too tired of it all to make an excuse.

dressed in a plain black tee paired with black slacks and a blazer, joshua picked you up for the reunion. as hard as you’d tried to make it seem like nothing was up, you knew joshua could tell. you silently hoped he would just assume it’s nerves because you still hadn’t thought of a way to tell him that you wanted to break off the agreement of fake dating.

why was this so complicated? it’s not like you two were actually dating so it’s not like it’s an actual breakup, but it still felt like you were losing something. what if joshua only talked to you so much was because he needed someone that was willing to pretend to be his girlfriend?

you shook the thoughts out of your head as you both pulled up to the place the reunion was being held. stepping out, you could already see some familiar faces, smiling and hugging them whenever they came to greet you.

the night went by with you catching up with old classmates, introducing them to joshua too. it was scary how well he was able to get along with people instantly. you were honestly surprised that your ex hadn’t bothered you all night, guess he saw joshua and backed off.

when you decided to leave the reunion, joshua suggested you both grab dinner somewhere. the food served at the reunion wasn’t the best so the both of you hadn’t eaten much all night. and that’s how the both of you ended up in the parking lot of some takeout place, laughing while you both told stories of your high schools together.

it was fun, and you hated the part of yourself that always made you overthink. ‘none of this is even real, joshua doesn’t care about you like that. so stop thinking this means the two of you are really dating’.

“yn, what’s wrong?” joshua sounded alarmed, and it was only then you took notice of the tears welling up in your eyes, rubbing aggressively at them immediately.

“think that the contacts are just irritating my eyes, don’t worry” you assured him but he still didn’t look satisfied with your answer.

“here let me help you-”

“it’s fine joshua” you sighed, “look about this whole pretending to be dating thing. i really can’t do it anymore. pretending to be in a relationship with you is killing me-”

“fine. i’m sorry if i did something to hurt you or make you uncomfortable. it was stupid of me to send that picture to your ex-”

“what picture?” you looked up at him confused, what the hell was he talking about?

“the one i sent to your ex and i told him that we were happy and to leave us alone..”

“is that why he stopped bothering me? oh well i didn’t know about that but thanks because it’s the only thing that managed to shut him up”

“wait what? so then what are you mad at me about?” he pouted.

you stayed silent. you knew exactly where this was headed and if it carried on you knew it’d lead to you spilling your guts to him, and you weren’t sure you could do that. because if you did you’d lose joshua forever.

“nothing, don’t worry about it” you mumbled, going back to swirling the plastic spoon around the ice cream in your cup.

“no no no” you heard joshua say, his fingers holding on to the underside of your jaw gently so that you turned your attention to him. “tell me, yn”

“i can’t” you whispered, tears welling up again, “if i do i’ll lose you forever. i don’t think i can do that, shua” you knew tears were freely spilling past your eyes at this point but you couldn’t care.

“yn, i promise you, you’re not going to lose me. i love you far too much to let you go” you still shook your head at him sniffling and unbelieving of his words. “yn you mean so much to me that i’m willing ignore my feelings for you because i know you don’t feel the same way. you mean so much to me that i’d rather wake up knowing i can’t have you the way i want then to wake up not having you in my life at all. you mean so much to me yn, so please don’t think i’d try leaving you”

you sat, stunned at joshua’s confession. it was like he could read your heart and turned all the feelings and words you wanted to give him into his own. he looked at you warily for a few seconds, scared you wouldn’t reciprocate his feelings. if only he knew how much you’d been thinking the same about him for months.

you inched closer to him, closing your eyes as you brushed your lips over his. joshua tensed before melting into the kiss too, and your heart grew warmer and how you could feel him smile into the kiss.

when you both pulled away, you were both smiling, “you know this doesn’t serve as a confession right? i want you to list every single thing that made you like me!”

you laughed at his words, whining “no don’t make me say it, you just want to tease me”

“oh so you’re allowed to hear me pour my heart out to you but if i wanna hear you say it back it’s too much?” he jokingly pouted, bringing you closer for a hug while he fought off his own giggles hearing yours.

🏷️ @smilehui @suzuyamitsuki @minhui896

[saywhatjessie]

Alexa, Play Amnesia by 5 Seconds of Summer

"What's your name?" "Roy Kent," he answered. "And I haven't got amnesia, I'm having a psychotic break." Or Roy wakes up in the hospital eight years from when he last remembers and things ar not as expected. 4.2k [Ao3]

Roy had woken up in hospitals before. Nothing about that was confusing.

The weirdly stiff blankets, the weirdly muffled sounds, the darkened room that was still weirdly too bright. He could take all this in with his eyes closed. He had taken all this in with his eyes closed, reluctant to submit to light that would stab his brain. He didn't even need to blink his eyes open to confirm which private room his sister had put him in – she knew which one was his favorite.

He had opened his eyes, though, and yeah. He was in the hospital. Wasn't sure how he had got here but he assumed it was football related. He wasn't fussed. Wasn't his first time. Wasn't confusing.

No, the most confusing part about this whole rude awakening was why the fuck was Jamie Tartt at his bedside?

And, more than that–

"The fuck is wrong with your hair?"

Tartt startled, his leg jerking out, kicking Roy's bed. "Roy?"

Roy growled, eyes narrowed. Jamie's eyes were wide behind a pair of glasses which, whatever, maybe Tartt wore glasses in his personal life it's not like Roy would know. But his hair. It wasn't in the little prickish quiff like he wore it – the one like fucking Rinaldo. No, it was longer somehow. And softer? Curly like, with the sides shaved and a little mullet at the back. He was holding a book in his lap. Had he been reading it? He'd actually been reading a book at Roy's sickbed with a stupid little mullet?

"Your hair looks like shit," Roy said again. Because it was easier to antagonize Jamie than ask him what he was doing there.

And also Roy was wondering how his hair could look so different so fast. Was it a wig?

But Jamie just snorted, tucking the book away and leaning toward Roy. "Like I could condition properly when you've got me all stressed out like this, you brittle twat." He pushed on Roy's bed frame, making him rock about. "The fuck you go and knock your head for?”

Roy growled, going to cross his arms defensively but getting caught up by the IV. “Wasn't my fucking fault.”

“Yeah?" Jamie asked, smirking like a prick. "Then whose fault was it?”

“I… I dunno," Roy admitted. "I don't fucking remember! Lasso’s probably.”

Tartt rolled his eyes. "You can't keep blaming Ted for everything, Royo, you grumpy arsehole."

Roy opened his mouth to ask who the fuck he thinks he's talking to with that cutesy ass nickname but just then Keeley walked in.

Her eyes were on Jamie to start, smiling and speaking softly. "Hi, babe," and then she glanced at Roy and saw he was awake and her smile widened. "Roy! Oh, good, you're back!"

"Not sure I left," he said, giving her a barely there smile back. It was nice for her to smile at him like this but it was a little weird to respond too nicely in front of Jamie. They'd only just broken up.

Keeley rolled her eyes, coming into the room less carefully now she knew she wasn't disturbing anyone. "Could have fooled me! The way this one was acting was all 'When will my husband return from war?'"

Jamie snorted. "Less embarrassing if it was a war. This idiot just tweaked his knee and swooned unconscious, didn't he?"

"Oi!" Roy barked, because there is no way that was what had happened.

Keeley reached over and patted his leg over the blanket. "Now, now, don't be embarrassed, Roy. Even if this is your fault and you should have taken it easy like we fucking told you to."

"I'm fine," Roy said, automatically. They both rolled their eyes at him which was fucking uncalled for. Where did they get off?

Before he could do more than rumble threateningly (Which went unnervingly ignored by both of them), Tartt turned his attention back to Keeley. "Where's the baby?"

"Phoebe's got him," Keeley told him and Roy perked up a bit. Phoebe was here? "They were trying to lift a cadbury from a vending machine last I saw."

Tartt huffed in a weirdly fond kind of way Roy had never seen before. "Dickheads. I'll let them know he's up."

He reached over and squeezed Roy's foot, winking at him before heading out of the room.

Roy blinked at the door closing behind him, almost too startled to be pissed. "The fuck?" 

Keeley hummed. "Makes sense if you're a little disoriented," Keeley told him, dropping into the chair Tartt had left and swinging her feet up to his bed. "You were in and out for a while. Ruth had to put you under to make sure you didn't strain your brain or something."

Roy grunted. Okay, if Ruth was involved things were probably fine. He figured she was but the confirmation was good.

"Did I really fucking swoon?" Roy asked. It wouldn't have been the most embarrassing reason he'd ever been sent to hospital, but he was still glad Tartt was out of the room so he could get his answer.

Keeley laughed. "I wouldn't have said 'swoon'. You kind of just got dizzy from moving too fast and collapsed." She shrugged. "Probably wouldn't have been so bad if you weren't already working on no sleep, after an away match, at the end of the season, and you forgot your pain meds. AND Jamie tells me you haven't been doing your PT? Bad Roy."

Roy grunted again, not confirming nor denying he's been ignoring his physical therapy. But also, how would Jamie know?

"But yeah, low blood pressure and blood sugar and the stress on your body just–" she made an explosion sound.

Roy quirked a smile, despite himself. "Surely that's not the sound effect. It should be–" he made a drooping sound, like a robot powering down.

Keeley snorted. "I think you're underestimating your own drama here a bit, Royo."

And there was 'Royo' again, what was happening?

The door opened again and Tartt stood by, holding it open as two small people walked in.

Or maybe, not so small? Hadn't Tartt said there would be a baby?

"See? There he is, I didn't lie," Jamie said, stepping aside so the kids could run in. "Don't be too rough on him, though, he is still elderly."

"Oi!" Roy said again but was immediately sidelined by the blonde teenager.

"Uncle Roy!" She said brightly. "They have monster munch down the hall, can I get some of the money you owe me from all the swear words?"

"If someone can find my trousers they'll have my wallet," he said automatically before "... Phoebe?"

The girl smiled. And, yeah, that was Phoebe's face. Older though. Maybe 14?

He blinked at her. "Why aren't you 6?"

She frowned and, yeah, there were the consternated Kent eyebrows. "Because I'm a blossoming young woman with my own autonomy and ambitions."

"Gross," he responded blandly. 

She rolled her eyes and backed away from his bed, turning to Tartt. 

"Do you have his wallet, Uncle Jamie?"

Uncle Jamie?!

"Yeah, Pheebs," he reached his hand in his jeans and pulled out the wallet that used to belong to Roy's grandad. He tossed the whole thing to Phoebe. "Take whatever and tell me what I can knock off his bill."

She grinned at him. "Thanks!" And took off back down the hall.

Roy didn't look away from the door.

"See, baby?" Tartt said, but presumably not to Roy. "Papa's just a big old silly. Got too excited and his old man heart couldn't handle it. But he's alright now."

Roy blinked again, turning to look at Jamie. Jamie was looking at him. Was Jamie talking about him? But no, he'd said 'Papa'.

A sigh came from Jamie's right. The small boy. Roy turned to look at him, and the boy's tiny eyebrows were drawn together impatiently. "He's only gonna get older, though," he said, Manc accent like Jamie. "What, can he never get excited again? He can't be collapsing all the time."

Jamie chuckled. "No, no he won't be collapsing all the time. He got too excited this time because he wasn't taking care of himself," Jamie said, pointedly, glancing back and forth from Roy to the kid. "But I'm sure if your papa knew how worried you've been, he wouldn't ignore dad when he told him to rest and use his cane and then we'll never have to go through this again."

The kid was looking up at Roy, petulant, but also clearly looking for comfort.

And Roy was an asshole who was taking in a lot of alarming information but he wasn't about to traumatize this kid.

Roy nodded at him, doing his best to soften his face. "I'm okay. I'm sorry for scaring you."

The kid nodded, coming forward and wrapping his arms around Roy's neck.

Roy hugged him back but turned panicked eyes on Keeley.

"Help me!" he mouthed.

Keeley blinked a bit, surprised, but luckily didn't hesitate.

"Aw, there we are!" She said, gently, lifting the kid by his waist and putting him on her hip. Which was wild: he was almost as tall as she was. "Why don't we give your dads a few minutes and see what Phoebe's getting up to, yeah? Hopefully she left some Monster Munch for us."

The kid nodded, turning a small smile on Roy and Jamie before he hopped down from Keeley's arms and ran out of the room, Keeley on his heels.

Roy waited only long enough for the door to close before he whipped his head to Tartt. "Where's Ruth?"

"Should be doing her rounds," he answered. "You good, babe?"

BABE?!?!

"I think you should call Ruth," Roy told him, as calmly as he could manage. "Because I think I'm having a psychotic break."

"Really?" Jamie frowned, but not in a way like he was taking Roy seriously. He lowered himself back into his chair. "But you're acting really normal."

"Well I couldn't panic in front of the kid!" Roy growled, scrubbing a hand that wasn't full of tubes down his face. "Think how much it would fuck him up?"

"Yeah, but if you're having a psychotic break, wouldn't he not be real?" Jamie reasoned. "Why should you care about traumatizing a hallucination?"

"Well, what if he's not!" Roy said. "Gotta be nice, just in case, right?"

Jamie hummed. "Well this is actually a really nice look into your psyche. I knew you had a heart."

"See, and that!" Roy said. "You're being all fond and shit. And calling me 'babe'. What the fuck? We just cheersed to me dying like two days ago."

That got Jamie's attention. He finally looked as alarmed as Roy has felt basically this whole time.

He reached above Roy's head and hit the call button. A voice came out.

"Everything all right?"

"Can we get Dr. O'Sullivan in here, please?" Jamie asked.

Roy's sister came in, looping her stethoscope around her neck and smiling at Roy. 

"There he is," she said "You don't need to collapse to come see me, Roy, you can bring me lunch like a normal person."

"He's got amnesia," Jamie told her with no preamble.

Roy scrunched his face up. "Amnesia?"

Ruth blinked but immediately took out her pen light, shining it in Roy's eyes.

"Ow, fuck."

She hummed. "What's your name?"

"Roy Kent," he answered. "And I haven't got amnesia, I'm having a psychotic break."

"It's amnesia," Jamie said. "He knows me, Keeley, and Phoebe, but he doesn't know Robin, and he thinks we still hate each other."

"What's my name?" Ruth asked.

"Ruth O'Sullivan," Roy said, blinking the spots out of his eyes. "He's Jamie Tartt, Keeley Jones is in the hallway with a weirdly teenage Phoebe O'Sullivan and a kid who's probably a construct of my imagination."

Ruth hummed again. "And who coaches AFC Richmond?"

Roy rolled his eyes. "Fucking Lasso. They brought him in halfway through the fucking season. Honestly. I think Ms. Welton's trying to sabotage us to get back at her slimy ex-husband."

Jamie smothered a laugh and Roy shot a glare at him.

Ruth was smiling gently when he looked back at her. "What's the last match you played?"

Roy furrowed his brows, thinking, and was immediately met with a stabbing pain in his head. "Ow, fuck."

"He told me we just had the benefit auction," Jamie offered. "The one where Keeley dumped me."

He said it so casually, Roy shot him another suspicious look.

Jamie smiled gently at him in a way that made Roy turn away, ignoring the heat in his cheeks.

Ruth's look wasn't much better. "Well the good news is we did a scan of your brain while you were sleeping and everything looked normal so this is probably just some transient global amnesia. Nothing too serious and should only last a couple hours."

"Oh, thank fuck," Jamie said, sinking back in his chair, running his hands through his (stupid) hair.

Roy's eyebrows scrunched. "Wait, it really is amnesia? This is real?"

"Yup!" Ruth confirmed, sunnily. "Transient global amnesia is memory loss that can be triggered by emotional or psychological stress. And seeing as you're working your knee too hard and you're at the end of the season trying to coach the team to another championship win–"

"Wait, coach?" Roy asked.

"Yeah, grandad, it's been 8 years. Did you think you were still playing?"

And Roy had no idea how to process that. Both that it had apparently been eight years since he remembered anything and that he wasn't playing football anymore and also hadn't killed himself about it.

He turned narrowed eyes back on Ruth. "We're sure I'm not having a mad hallucination?"

She snorted. "Yes, Roy, we're sure. You'll have your memories back tomorrow at the latest. Meanwhile I'll let your husband catch you up."

Roy's eyes bugged out. "Husband?!?"

Ruth cackled as she left the room. Jamie shook his head fondly, turning back to Roy.

He held up his left hand, wiggling his fingers to make the ring on the fourth finger catch the light. "Surprise."

"No," Roy denied, checking his own hand. And son of a bitch, there was a matching ring. "No way. No way I marry you in eight years."

"Nah,You're right," Jamie said, his shitty prickish grin spreading wide on his face. "You marry me in three years."

Roy refused to sputter in front of this twat. He refused to look as cartoonishly flabbergasted as he felt.

"Call Keeley in here," Roy demanded. "I need Keeley in here to be sane and to tell me what the fuck brain damage I must have suffered for," He gestured disgustedly between them. "this to make any sense."

Jamie was not offended. He just kept on grinning. "Think you'll have to go further back than that, mate. Because a little birdy – you, actually, more than once – told me that you wanted to fuck me since you first saw me."

Roy made a rumbling in his chest, shaking his head thoroughly, but it didn't stop the blush from creeping up his neck.

And Jamie just nodded. "Yup! First time I came on for City in the prem. Got swapped in at the 71st minute. You were watching game film with Cartrick and once my sexy little feet started moving you got half a chub."

"I did not-"

"And it's always been there," Jamie continued, leaning forward and into Roy's space. "Even when you hated me, you liked watching me. Liked that I was fit. Liked that I was good."

Roy choked, unable to look away from Jamie's eyes.

"You even thought about it at the auction." Jamie's voice had gone low, breathy, as he came in closer. His eyes kept darting to Roy's lips. "When I told you about the poster. The one I had in my room. You thought about how easy it would be to take me home."

Roy wasn't even breathing. He also darted a look at Jamie's lips. He couldn't help it.

Jamie kept leaning in, keeping eye contact with Roy, before he darted in and gave him a little kiss on the nose, laughing as he pulled away.

"Fuck you," Roy growled, reaching up and rubbing at his nose.

Jamie chucked him on the chin, falling back into his chair. "Cheer up, Royo. I'm telling you it would have been easy. And it was easy when you finally got over yourself. No bullshit, the time between our first kiss and signing the marriage license was like two months."

Roy turned a bewildered look at him. "The fuck?"

Jamie rolled his eyes. "You cannot look at me like that when all I did was match your freak. I told you I wanted to live in your skin – I wanted to crawl in your ribcage and never come out – and you took me to a courthouse the next day."

Roy frowned but it did actually make more sense when he said it like that.

Roy had always been a little intense. 'Clingy' if you're to believe his old secret boyfriend from the academy. He hasn't really had a long term relationship in a while to see if he'd grown out of that but clearly he hadn't.

And it looked like Jamie was into it and they'd been steady for five years so maybe he didn't have to?

Roy blinked. The thought of being married to Jamie was becoming too normal. Bring it back to weird.

"How old's the kid?" he asked. Because the idea of him being a dad was definitely too weird.

Jamie's face lit up, his eyes going all soft like his stupid curly muppet hair. Roy still kind of wanted to ask about it but he didn't want Jamie to know he cared that much.

"Yeah, Robin," Jamie answered. "He's ten. We adopted him a couple years ago."

Roy raised an eyebrow. "They let us adopt?"

Jamie smiled. "Special circumstances." His face smoothed out in a frown, his eyebrows pulling together, tragically, and he looked at his lap. "Was actually pretty fucked up. Parents died right in front of him."

Roy's head jerked back. "What?"

"Yeah," Jamie nodded, watching his hands pick at each other. Roy had the impulse to reach over and stop him. "Fell from a trapeze. He was still on the platform, thank God. And lucky we were at the circus that day. Could scoop him right up and give him a better life."

Roy scrunched his eyebrows. "The circus?"

Jamie hummed, still looking down. "Kid has the best triple front flip you've ever seen."

And that did it. "Fuck you, that's Batman!" Roy said, reaching over and shoving at Jamie's shoulder. Jamie hunched over into snickers. "That's fucked up! That's a kid in there you're joking about being tragically orphaned."

"Oh, please," Jamie said, rolling his eyes, smothering the last of his laughter with a snort. "His name is Robin. If you think he doesn't tell half of those fucking jokes himself."

And the way Jamie said that, Roy just knew there was a picture of him with this kid somewhere dressed in a fucking cape, the kid as a traffic light by his side. Goddammit.

"The real story's just not that interesting," Jamie said, looking back at him and shrugging. "Mum's neighbor died. Single mum. Dad was deemed unfit, thank fuck." Jamie was smiling softly again. Like he couldn't help it. "We were already set up to foster but had bad luck with placements since I'm a famous athlete and you're older than God."

Roy growled. Jamie winked at him.

"Courts gave him to us when mum asked because me and him have a similar history, I guess. Something to thank my dad for at least."

Something complicated was happening behind Jamie's face. But Roy didn't actually know anything about Jamie's dad. So he didn't say anything.

Jamie swallowed and looked back at Roy. His smile was more put on than the other ones he'd worn but Roy still believed he meant it.

"And now we've got Robin! And speaking of, we should get him back in here. I want to tell him how you almost fell for the circus story."

"I did not fucking–!" But Jamie was already blowing him a kiss and ducking out the door. To fetch their child. Their child.

He didn't hate it. What the fuck was wrong with him?

Roy tipped his head back on the pillow, closing his eyes against the building headache from everything he'd been hit with.

It was not Ted Lasso's first year at Richmond.

Phoebe was not 6 years old.

He was not a professional footballer.

He was a professional football coach.

Phoebe was 14.

He had a son.

His son was 10.

He had a husband.

His husband was Jamie Tartt.

His husband had a fucking mullet.

Why was he so fucking stuck on Jamie's hair?

Roy took a deep breath, holding it before letting it out through his mouth.

He wondered if Jamie would kiss him before he got his memories back. It would be kind of cool to kiss your husband for the first time again.

Roy was brought back by the door opening, the small boy – Robin – clinging on to Jamie's back. They were both grinning like mad.

"Papa!" Robin started, climbing up to sit on Jamie's shoulders. "You really believed I was in the circus?!"

Roy's heart squeezed as he watched the boy climb Tartt like a jungle gym. Muscle memory.

"Dunno," Roy answered. "You kinda look like you can fly."

The boy cackled, leaping from Jamie's shoulders and flinging himself onto Roy's bed.

Jamie gasped. "Sweetheart, his knee, be careful."

"I know, Dad," Robin answered, turning to Roy to roll his eyes, like this was an exasperation they shared. He'd landed like a spider, his four limbs on parts of the mattress instead of on Roy, and he scuttled up to Roy's chest before curling himself into Roy's side.

"You didn't think I'd hurt your knee, right Papa? You know I'm number."

Roy's eyebrows furrowed, adjusting his arm to curl more comfortably around the boy. "Number?"

"Think he means 'nimbus'," Jamie offered, stepping forward and petting his hand over Robin's hair. "Like Jack over the candlestick."

Roy felt his face relax and he rolled his eyes. "Nimble, Jesus Christ, there's two of you."

Jamie scuffed a hand over the back of Roy's head and Robin giggled.

"I'm nimble!" He repeated. "Like a ninja! Or Spider-Man!"

Roy hummed. "Good, that. If you want to play football."

Robin shook his head, rolling his eyes again. "No, Papa, I'm going to the Olympics, remember?"

Roy's eyebrows shot up. "Yeah?" He looked at Jamie.

Jamie nodded, smiling softly. "Someday. He really took a shine to that kid on the pommel horse."

Roy scrunched his eyebrows again.

Jamie rolled his eyes. "You'll remember later."

Roy grunted. He reached a hand up to pet over Robin's hair like Jamie had. Robin turned into it like a cat.

It was a little mad. He remembered being ten: he would have never curled up with his dad like this. Would have never cuddled up with any boy. After he was sent to Sunderland, it became obvious very quickly that he was expected to be a man and men didn't need physical comfort. He could hug his mum if he needed but that was it.

But here was his son. His boy. That he hadn't even had for very long in the grand scheme of things. And this boy was comfortable enough to hurl himself into Roy's bed. To reach for him, unselfconsciously, because he knew Roy would reach back.

This boy was so loved. And he knew he was loved.

Roy felt like he might cry.

A little shutter sound came from Jamie's phone and Roy looked up at him, glaring.

"Sorry," Jamie said, his smile completely unrepentant. "You're just looking at him with abject wonder. You both deserve to remember that, right?"

Roy just stared at him. Jamie took another picture.

"And I deserve to remember that one."

Roy huffed. "And what was that one?"

Jamie grinned. "The look you have when you realize that you actually did fall in love with me."

Roy growled. Jamie winked.

But Roy couldn't tell him he was wrong. Not when Keeley and Phoebe came back and teased Roy with their Monster Munch. Not when Robin crawled out of Roy's bed and curled up with Jamie on the chair, reading the book along with Jamie. He was already laying the groundwork to convince Jamie to let him skive off school the next day. 

Ruth came back in the room with his discharge papers, smug as anything, and gave them to Jamie to fill out. And Roy couldn't even do it then.

Weirdly, knowing it already happened took the pressure off Roy to try and deny it. Denial was futile. Running was futile. It already happened. He was already happy.

So yeah, maybe he could see he loved Jamie.

And hey, look back at pictures of Roy from Chelsea.

He always did love a mullet.

[olivialau]

Shadow's Embrace Ch. 12

Sukuna x Reader

Disclaimer:

This is a work of fanfiction based on the universe of "Jujutsu Kaisen," created by Gege Akutami. The original manga, anime, and characters belong to their respective owners and creators.

Notes:

This story unfolds in the Jujutsu Kaisen world, set in a slightly altered universe where Sukuna inhabits his own vessel distinct from Itadori Yuji's body, making him a separate entity.

Summary:

Ryomen Sukuna, the King of Curses, becomes fascinated with a female sorcerer rich in potential but lacking control. Initially seizing her for his destructive plans, Sukuna aims to bind her abilities through a contract. Yet, as he tries to dominate her, he finds himself intrigued by her strength and determination. Over time, his interest evolves from strategic advantage to a deeper, personal connection.

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CHAPTER 12 - Veil of Lies

"Ugh, Gojo-sensei, can you please not recline the seat all the way back?" Megumi's annoyance was palpable as he wrestled with the limited space in the backseat. With him, Itadori, and Kugisaki already squished together like sardines, Gojo's decision to leisurely stretch out was pressing on his nerves as he struggled to stay composed.

Gojo chuckled heartily in response, his laughter reverberating through the car. He tilted his head back slightly, and his eyes sparkled with mischief as he glanced at Megumi through the rearview mirror.

"Sorry, kiddo," he mused, "No can do! My legs are beat from all that hard work, and I'm not getting any younger, y'know?". It was clear that he was enjoying the opportunity to tease his student.

Itadori then chimed in, with his trademark positivity. "Come on, you guys," he said, "It's actually kinda nice and cozy back here, huh?"

Kugisaki, who was squeezed in the middle, scoffed and crossed her arms. "Cozy?" she retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "If cozy means my personal space is non-existent, then sure."

Gojo turned his playful gaze towards Ijichi in the driver's seat. "Hey, Ijichi," he began with a grin, "next time, can't we just use a van? More space for everyone, right? And it'd look cool too."

Ijichi glanced down at the steering wheel with a resigned sigh, hesitant to disappoint Gojo, as he spoke "I'm afraid there's... no budget."

Gojo's carefree complexion faltered for a moment as he processed Ijichi's response. "No way!" he exclaimed, feigning disbelief.

He leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms with a mock pout. "Well, looks like we'll just have to make do with what we've got, huh?"

Kugisaki scoffed as she muttered, "That's easy enough for you to say from your royal seat in the front."

The next few minutes in the car were spent in silence, broken only by the faint hum of the engine and the occasional sigh from Megumi, still adjusting uncomfortably in his seat.

Finally, Ijichi broke the silence, announcing, "We're nearly there."

Itadori sighed in relief at the prospect of being able to save his classmate soon, but his words were tinged with worry as he silently whispered to himself, "Man, I can't believe we only managed to get a hold of Master Tengen yesterday. I just hope we're not too late..."

Gojo was quick to reassure Itadori, sensing his student's concern. "She'll be fine," he said with conviction, though his confidence contradicted his own lingering worries.

"With Tengen's information, we'll be able to break through the veil in no time."

As the car rolled to a stop, everyone except Ijichi exited, their steps quickening with a sense of urgency as they followed the familiar landmarks guiding them to the location they'd inspected previously.

Megumi's brow furrowed in concentration as he recalled the details of their last visit. "If I remember correctly, the barrier should be just up ahead, around that old factory," he said, his gaze fixed on the dilapidated structure in the distance.

However, when they approached the building further, they all came to a quick halt, as they stood in stunned silence. Confusion etched across their features until Itadori stated the glaringly obvious.

"Huh? The veil... it's gone."

-----------‐-----------------------------------------------------------------

- 2 hours earlier -

The nerves in your stomach tightened as you waited with bated breath for Sukuna's next move. Now that the intensity of the situation had died down, your body had returned to a state of normalcy, and the only reminder of the dire situation you'd just been in was the thick blood covering the concrete floor.

It dawned on you—the full weight of the deal you had just made.

You were now bound to him, your fate irrevocably intertwined with his. And this wasn't just a short reprieve from normalcy; this was forever.

The only thought that kept you from going insane was the knowledge that there was always a way out. You wouldn't let Sukuna corrupt you to the point of causing irreversible harm to others—you were prepared to take your own life to prevent this, if necessary.

But you knew that playing along to a certain extent was inevitable, even if it meant causing some minor harm in the process.

And you were prepared for that. You did not take the value of your own life lightly, not after all you'd been through.

You had promises to fulfill.

Without looking up from the floor, you could feel Sukuna's gaze settling in your direction, he was scrutinizing you.

"I can see the cogs turning in that little head of yours, woman," he chuckled, a teasing edge to his words.

He leaned in, his crimson eyes narrowing as he studied you even more intently. "But what could you possibly be thinking about?" he mused in condescension.

"Surely you realize that you've sold your will to me now."

Sukuna's entire being seemed to pulse with authority. "From this point onward, I'll be the one doing the thinking," he declared, with an undeniable power in his stance. "Your role is to obey."

He let out a derisive scoff, shaking his head. "Stupid girl," he spat, as his eyes roamed across the blood-stained floor, taking in the results of the chaos that had unfolded.

"Seeing how you've made such a mess," he began, before he crossed his arms and the corners of his mouth twitched into a cruel smile.

"Let's start by having you clean this up," Sukuna commanded. The idea of working you like a slave, of watching you scramble to erase the marks of your own blood, seemed to amuse him greatly.

Ugh. Sukuna's nerve bothered you to no end. You seriously wondered how you were going to keep this up. The way he patronized you was absolutely nauseating.

But you couldn't exactly refuse him, and so you had to swallow your pride and comply.

Sukuna raised an eyebrow, his impatience clear as he questioned, "What are you waiting for?" He gestured lazily toward the stairs that led outside the room. "There's a mop upstairs. Get moving."

You looked at him doubtfully, unsure of how to leave the room when a powerful barrier was erected around the bounds.

But Sukuna quickly picked up on your hesitation, and with a casual snap of his fingers, the oppressive energy of the barrier dissipated, the invisible wall of cursed energy that caged you in, vanishing as if it was never there.

"There's no need for the barrier anymore," Sukuna said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "You can't run anyway."

His words were a stark reminder of the binding vow, of the invisible chains that now tethered you to him just as securely as any physical barrier ever could.

With gritted teeth, you made your way upstairs, scrambling around to find the mop. When you returned to the basement, you avoided Sukuna's gaze as you started cleaning the floor. The sound of the mop swishing across the cold concrete filled the room.

Despite your best efforts to focus on the task at hand, you could feel Sukuna's entertained eyes boring into your back. He observed you for a little while longer, before casually settling on the couch.

As he lounged with outstretched legs, he began to explain his plans for you, his voice smooth and calculated.

"I want you to return to Jujutsu High,"

Sukuna began, his words sent a wave of relief coursing through you. The prospect of being around normal- kind, people again brought a sense of comfort.

But as Sukuna continued outlining his plan, that sentiment became more complex, as it entangled with feelings of guilt and apprehension.

"Continue as a first year, get close to everyone, especially those high in command," Sukuna's tone was to the point and cold. "I want all the information you can gather, every whisper you hear. You will be my eyes and ears, a spy within their ranks."

He sighed, a hint of annoyance flickering across his features as he continued, "In the meantime... I will train you," Then his eyes seemed to glint with darker intent, as a subtle smirk tugged at the corner of his lip.

"And when the time is ripe, I will launch my grand attack," Sukuna declared, as he turned to lock eyes with you. "And you, little sorcerer, will be with me at the forefront. My personally molded weapon."

You silently listened to his plans, disguising your disgust behind a face of neutrality. To get through this ordeal you had to keep your emotions in check, you had to become calm and calculated. The more you resisted, the more Sukuna seemed to revel in taunting you, feeding off your struggles.

So instead of letting your true feelings show, you focused on gathering as many details as possible, preparing yourself for the challenges that lay ahead. You probed for more information, but it was clear that Sukuna was not planning on indulging you with the details.

He did mention, however, that Satoru Gojo and his brats were on their way.... without disclosing how he'd acquired this knowledge.

Sukuna elaborated that he planned to remove the barrier around the building, leaving you behind for them to discover.

He instructed you to pretend that you had just escaped from the basement and had not seen Sukuna in days. "I'm certain Gojo will see through your deception," Sukuna remarked, his voice laced with amusement.

"But that man will be intrigued enough to play along."

---------------------------------------------------------

- 2 hours later -

As you stood in the great hall of the abandoned factory, memories of Sukuna's brutal attacks here flooded back to you. The same metal pillars that Sukuna had slammed your body into stood as silent witnesses in the empty space. The crimson stains on the floor a reminder of your every tumble against the cold stone.

But amidst the haunting memories, there was also a glimmer of something else. It was in this very hall where you had experienced your first awakening. The first time you had ever felt a sense of control over your cursed energy.

And though you didn't want to admit it, Sukuna, despite his cruelty, had played a role in guiding you to that pivotal moment.

Regardless of the undeniable evil that surrounded him, there was a part of you that couldn't deny the allure of unlocking your true potential and gaining mastery over your abilities.

The prospect of learning more about your cursed energy, even if Sukuna would be the one to teach you, sparked a flicker of excitement.

But that excitement was greatly overshadowed by the anticipation of Gojo and your classmates' approaching arrival. The thought of deceiving them made your nerves run wild. The fear of being exposed as a traitor, a fraud, gnawed at your insides. Would they see through your facade? Would they sense the betrayal?

The walls seemed to close in around you, suffocating you with the weight of your own treachery, until a loud smash signaled the door being kicked in. You turned around, heart pounding in your chest.

There, in the entrance, stood Gojo. Hands on his hips, his leg still outstretched from the act of kicking in the heavy door. Though he seemed as if it'd been completely effortless.

Behind Gojo, you saw Itadori, the bright and kind-hearted boy you had befriended during the training, watching movies. His expression was a mix of relief and excitement at seeing you unharmed.

Beside Itadori stood Kugisaki and Megumi, the classmates you had briefly acquainted yourself with during the introductory week at Jujutsu High.

"Are you okay? Were you harmed in any way?" Gojo's words echoed through the space. They were filled with genuine care and concern, his bright blue eyes searching yours for any sign of distress or discomfort.

You were unable to mutter a word, as the nerves seemed to clamp down on your throat rendering you speechless. So instead you nodded slowly.

When Gojo had confirmed you were okay, his attention shifted to the next pressing concern—Sukuna.

He scanned the room with a focused gaze, assessing the situation before deeming it safe enough to approach. Your classmates followed closely behind him, their guard clearly up as well.

"Sukuna's not here?" Gojo inquired, his voice calm but with a hint of caution. The mention of Sukuna's name sent a shiver down your spine, but you forced yourself to breathe and calm down.

"I haven't seen him in days," you answered. There was a slight tremble in your voice and you could only hope that they didn't pick up on it.

You continued to explain that Sukuna had held you captive in the basement, and you had only just managed to escape.

Gojo's sharp eyes took in the red stains on the floor, contrasting them with your perfectly unharmed appearance. The contradiction seemed to give him pause, a thoughtful expression crossing his face as he processed the puzzling discrepancy.

"He didn't say anything important before he left? Anything I should know?" Gojo inquired, his eyes searching yours for any hint of deception. You shook your head in response, whilst avoiding his gaze.

Luckily Itadori disrupted the nerve-wrecking questioning, as he ran up to you in excitement and grasped your hand. "I'm so glad to see you," he beamed, his smile infectious and genuine. The warmth of his gesture and the sincerity in his eyes eased some of the tension that had been building within you.

You reciprocated Itadori's warmth with a smile of your own, telling him that you were glad to see him too. As you glanced behind him and met the gazes of Megumi and Kugisaki, you added, "I'm glad to see you all too."

Kugisaki waved at you happily, bubbling with energy. Whilst Megumi scratched his head, more reserved and slightly flustered as he muttered a quiet "Yeah, same."

Gojo's previous suspicion seemed to melt away as he returned to his usual gleeful and carefree manner. He swung his arm around your neck in a friendly gesture,

"You must've had it rough. Let's head back, and then we'll talk about it later."

As they led you out of the building, a sigh of relief escaped your lips as you felt the cold, fresh air against your skin and heard the birds chirping in the distance. The same birds whose songs had been your only connection to the outside world during your captivity in the tiny basement.

Itadori, Megumi, and Kugisaki guided you towards the car, their questions about what Sukuna was like filling the air.

Gojo was a few meters behind, as he glanced back into the building one last time, a hint of concern breaking through his carefree features.

His whispered words, barely audible, carried a weight of unease as he muttered to himself,

"Something isn't right."

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Taglist: @sukunasthightattoos , @tomiokasecretlover , @6demonize6me6 , @blindbabycadder , @domainofmarie , @marcoschuitmaker , @geniejunn

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[the-fiction-witch]

Experiment

Media The Artful Dodger

Character Jack Dawkins

Couple Jack X Reader

Rating Adorable

Requested Hi! Can you do a Jack Dawkins x fem reader where the reader works at the hospital as a nurse and has always been nice to Jack. They have similar humor and she's always very helpful. One day when Jack loses a patient he goes outside to take a breather and the reader follows him and comforts him. And then maybe a few days later Jack realizes he likes her. You don't have to write it if you don't want to! Have a good day! 

I walked the hospital halls as usual busy with a list of nine hundred things to do, as I went I momentarily stopped or I'd have been knocked over. As Y/n ran across the hall carrying a box full of clattering glass bottles from the stock room, scampering on her way in her little grey nurse dress, her arms bandaged and currently she walked with a slight limp but this was fairly usual for her she was always injured in some sort of way. Her ponytail fluttered behind her as she went. 

"Sorry Doctor Dawkins!" she said as she had almost taken me out, 

"It's fine Y/n." I laughed, "What are you doing?" I asked a little worried starting to follow her,

"I've had a breakthrough!" she said as she scurried down the stairwell, 

"Ohh god- you haven't broken through the floor again have you?"

"You have so little faith in me."

"Based completely on your track record,"

"I am right four out of ten times." she corrected,

"...I'm concerned you think that's good." 

"And you're surgery survival rate is?" She smiled, 

"Hey!" I argued but ignored me, 

She reached the little old storeroom in the basement of the hospital just a door down from the morgue where she was meant to be working, but she set her box down in the chaos since this room was emptied when the hospital moved all the stock to the storeroom upstairs for better access this room very much just became a junk room to toss old broken things or fill with tasks yet to be completed. Y/n is a... I don't want to say inventor she rarely invents anything...

Tinkerer let's say, and given she was meant to work down here in the morgue with Tim she often sneaks away to work in this little store room, on experiments and tests for things that would be the hospital, the room littered with everything you could imagine bottles, bags, stands, tubes, all with the floor well mopped and fixed, the wallpaper peeling and a hole in the boards up to the ward been hastily repaired... 

Yeah, I don't know what she had been working on but whatever it was erupted out the contained and blew a hole in the floor. 

she's a bit out there but she means well.

Even if she -

"Ohh crumpets." she sighed as she fell over her own skirt and landed on the wooden floor with her knee smashing one of the bottles she had in hand as she did, 

Yeah... she can be a little clumsy, but... she's kinda funny like that, I find her sweet almost childlike. You can't get mad at a kid for trying to bury her teddy bear to make baby bears grow I feel that kinda way about her, she's just trying to help even if she's not exactly harmless. And she's a damn good nurse... when she actually remembers to do her job. 

So I... admit I cover for her sometimes, when she blew the hole up to the ward I explained it away as someone knocking over a bucket of acid that ate through the wood, not sure if someone believed me but still. 

I rushed over and helped her up, "You alright,"

"Fine, thank you," she smiled getting back to rushing around and doing various things not sure what, 

"How did you hurt your leg?"

"...I may have... tripped over a box."

"Are you ever going to get that dress hemmed?"

"Are you ever going to get a waistcoat that fits you? or are you forever going to walk around the hospital flashing your suspender clips every time you lift your arms?" 

"Touche," I sighed,

"Aww, you can say stupid stuff in two languages," 

"Fine I'll go," I laughed, "Got work I need to do anyway," I told her but I only got as far as the door, "What are you working on?"

"I thought you were leaving?"

"I was. What are you working on?" 

"an experiment."

"what sort of experiment?"

"I am trying to work on a wound cleaner."

"Right?" I nodded, "How's that going?"

"Well if I got this right it should be perfect," she said as she filled a bottle, and pulled back her bandage to reveal a cut on her arm,

"Y/n! Where did that come from!"

"...I may have been testing is kolara like oranges."

"Do they?"

"...they do not." 

"So you got attacked trying to make another animal friend?"

"At least I did better than when you try to make human friends,"

"That's just cruel." I laughed, "Don't you have enough friends with that wombat you had living in your room?"

"Mr Brick loved me very much, you're just jealous." She smiled before she poured her homemade cleaner on her arm 

Her Face! said it all.

"Did it work?" I smirked,

"....it does not..." she complained as she hopped around in pain before tripping on her skirt and landing on her butt in a pile of boxes, I laughed but went to help her and saw how much worse her wound now was, "Ohhh Bloody crumpets that hurts!"

"Uhhh what is in that?"

"witch hazel, eucalyptus oil and carbolic acid."

"C-Carbolic acid!" I yelled, "As in the stuff we use to clean the bodies!" I quickly started to clean her up before she got too bad of an acid burn, 

"I figured, the bodies are clean. don't get infected and gross so I thought it would work on alive people too."

"it might. that doesn't mean pour it on your arm and find out!"

"Well, how else am I supposed to test it?"

I sighed, "You worry me you know." I told her rebandaging her up, 

"Ohhh?"

"I'm serious. You do worry me."

"I know, I'll be fine."

"Alright, I've got surgery. But be careful." I told her,

"I will I promise," she nodded,

I headed back up to the hospital and got prepped for today's surgery, Hetty brought the man in and I didn't waste time getting to work but soon enough the Prof came in drunk and full of ego he ordered me to stand aside, I didn't want to but I didn't have a choice so I handed my blade over and stepped aside. He went at it like a mad man and I tried to correct him but he made a wrong move and blood went everywhere, Immediately I pushed him aside and took over doing everything I could and working away as hard as I could to save his life and managing to get him stable but after all the blood-soaked work. Just as I finished up.

He died of shock. 

I threw my tools on the table and ran a hand through my hair, I sighed and I marched out to the steps sitting there in the sun trying to get my breath. I leant my head back and tried to get my mind steady even if it ran at a million miles an hour with a hundred different ways of catastrophe, 

I heard the door open. 

But I didn't worry about it, I just tried to hold back the tears. 

I felt Y/n wrap her arms around me, she didn't say anything she just wrapped her arms around my torso and shoulders, she pulled my head to rest on her chest, and set her chin on my hair, her hand stroked up and down my sleeve, for a moment I let the tears slip letting them fall onto her apron, there was a silence between us, the only sound the wind blustering the sheets hung outside, and the sound of horseshoes and carriage wheels on the street to the side, her arms felt warm, her dress scratchy, but I didn't care. I wrapped my arms around her tightly holding her as close to her as I possibly can, blood coating the both of us. 

We sat together for a good while before I spoke, "Thanks."

"It's okay. I can't imagine how hard this sort of thing is." she whispered, "It's not your fault-"

"Who else's is it? I'm a doctor. My job is to save people."

"But you're human." she said, "You can't blame yourself for these things." she whispered, "You did all you could and in the end that's all you can do," she said kissing the top of my head, 

"Thank you y/n. Really... Thank you." 

"You're welcome." She smiled, "Take as long as you need Jack." she said before she got up adjusted her dress she headed back inside leaving me alone. 

I headed on with my work through the halls as usual when I heard a clattering and banging making me stop looking into the storeroom, to see y/n in her usual dress bandaged up as usual having tripped her overskirt and topped a box of tools in her hand. "ohh Crumpets." 

I couldn't help but smile my cheeks flooded with blush for a moment, and as I looked at her.. I felt so homely, so cozy, so comforted, "Y/n." I rolled my eyes coming into the storeroom to help her up and brush off the dust from her, "You need to be more careful. What on earth are you up to know?"

"I think I've figured out the experiment with the acid."

"Have you. and how many burns have you gotten in your experiments?"

"... some."

"Alright, just be careful y/n."

"I will," she smiled grabbing her box and scampering away to her little experiment room, I watched her go and smiled as I watched her, I felt compelled to follow her concerned she'd do something foolish, and... partly because I just wanted her in my arms. 

Wait- I really do want her in my arms, I want to hold her close, give her kisses, tend to her insane amount of wounds, likely with some kisses, I wanted to follow her, keep her safe. For a moment I wondered why but I already knew why. I... I like her. I wanted her up in my room not just for one night but for as long as my arms can hold her. 

I heard her trip over her damn skirt again and go tumbling down the stairs so I rushed over and saw her at the bottom luckily not badly hurt, 

"Ohh Crumpets..."

"You need a hand?"

"I need a hemmed dress I think,"

"Yes you do," I laughed going down to help her up but she almost immediately lost her balance putting weight on her leg, so I rolled my eyes, "Will you let me examine you?"

"...Fine," she sighed,

"All of you?"

She glared for a moment,

"Y/n."

"...fine."

"Come on, I'll take a look at you" I smiled picking her up and carrying her back up the stairs to one of the rooms so I could examine her, 

[fantasy-relax]

@muffinsin I blame you for this, I write the reader point of view of reader you write Cassandra, deal? deal.

Fucked up! Reader x Cassandra dimitrescu

Warning: violence Cassandra being Cassandra, really what do you expected of this tag?

You always have been a Little... different that's what your family used to say. You were blunt and honest but the thing that trouble them most was your prediction for violence.

You got in a fight with a neighbor when you were a kid, your father had to pick you off the boy, the rock you grabbed to beat him was full of blood.

People keep their children away from you after that. Your parents too keep their distance.

Now all grow up, you are in the Dimitrescu Castle, working as a maid. The only thing you hated was the dress. As for everything else...

"AHHHH PLEASE LADY DANIELA I'M SORRY"

You actually don't mind. People die all the time, people suffer all the time and nobody of them were someone that you particularly care for, so being in a castle full of death and blood was pretty easy for you, do your job and that's all.

Rounding the corner, you see a pretty common scene.

"Look what have you done! My favorite sword has a scratch! You useless woman!"

" I'm s-orry Lady Cassandra my arm was tired and I-AHH"

The cut was fast and made with lethal precision. The arm was in the carpet, it will be a pain to clean luckily this was not your assigned area.

"Not tired anymore I bet"

The maid keep screaming, until Cassandra cut her head in another clean swipe of sickle. You can't stop the low hum in your throat. She looked at you her sadistic smile displaying her fangs.

"What is little morsel? Want to be next?"

She was full of blood, ready to cut your head too but the only thing you could think was:

"That was a clean cut my lady, you have a steady hand"

Cassandra freezes for a moment, you get closer to the body not too much as you still have to clean and getting your uniform dirty before that was a bad idea.

"You also have to be pretty strong or have a sharp weapon to make this so smoothly"

You stand up. Looking at the still frozen fly girl.

"Truly impressive"

At the end of your words Cassandra just swarmed away, her prey forgotten in the floor. You shrug walking to your duties.

For a moment you though that she was blushing.

The next day there is a leg outside your door something carved in the skin.

"How is this cut for you?"

Again it was very precise but what caught your attention was the handwriting, it was messy and the message feels like if she was pouting when she wrote it.

"Aww, My lady is pretty cute"

You hear something move above you, looking fast you catch part of one swarm, you know exactly what sister was spying. You laughed softly, very cute indeed.

The next week you were assigned to take some things to the dungeons. A chore that all the maids are terrified to do, the scream of the unfortunate souls trapped there and the sadistic daughter that was always ready to take more were more than enough to make them beg at the feet of the head maid for a change that like them never comes.

You just pick the box and go. The screams were annoying but you just tune then out, you put the thing down. Looking around you see one of the victims, Stella?Sara? you don't remember, she had cuts all around her body, how long was she here? Was two weeks ago? Three? And she was still alive?

"Seeing your future, little maid?"

You flinch surprised. You don't hear her come.

"I make sure to keep her miserable as long as possible by-

"Making cuts that are painful but not mortal, absolute brilliant, nothing less of expert like you"

You take a look around you see a man being held by hooks that goes through his hands, his legs are broken you can see that clearly, either he put his weight in the legs or in the hands , both choices painful.

"Very creative"

Full of curiosity you keep exploring. Praises to Cassandra talents never stopping

"Astounding"

" Visionary"

"Imaginative"

Until you feel the swarm pick up you up and rapidly throw you outside and closing the door as fast.

"Rude"

You stand up going to report the head maid of your completed chore.

If you could saw through walls you would have see a peculiar image of the so called monster sitting on the other side of the door, face red, hugging herself and purring happily.

More limbs were given to you as well as some organs, luckily they were of animals, so you cooked them. You keep a journal were every gift is written some examples were :

Deer leg with the following message *you have pretty eyes*"

Boar heart *Did you know they are the most similar to humans? * she is such a nerd

Full Bunny *Small like you* the small was more like a smoll it made you laugh.

One day a group of hunters try to raid the castle and kill the monsters inside, they only end giving you more work.

Bodies, blood and all kind of gore is in the floor AND in the carpet. It will be a pain to clean, even lady Bela it's looking at you with pity. You sigh pulling you sleeves up when you are tackled by certain brunette.

"Are you okay?! Did they hurt you?! Tell me who-"

"I'm fine lady bela take care of them"

"You took three"

"oh yeah, that reminds me"

You point at the three bodies.

"They are all yours Lady Cassandra"

The sisters have a particular rule, prey that they hunt, prey that they eat. Cassandra was the strongest not the fastest, Daniela and Bela surely got more than her.

"I killed them so they are mine but i don't gonna eat it so they are all yours."

Cassandra keep looking at your face you cleaned her face with you apron the only red was in her cheeks, she was so cute that you can resist it anymore you grabbed her neck and kissed her, it took a few seconds but he eagerly returned the kiss.

"FINALLY, the pining was killing me"

"SHUT UP DANIELA"

You were in a relationship with the sadistic sister something that you still were processing, you could easily live freely without working at all. But you were sorry for Bela having to work with short staff because her sisters were little shits with zero self control. So you keep working, in Cassandra side mostly and sometimes in Daniela.

Today was one of that days were you work was in Daniela hall. Everything was going well until a new maid decided to ruin the mood

"I told you, someday that bitch a Cassandra will get what she deserves, maybe I could let her live if she eats my pussy real good".

The other maid was new too but a lot smarter she looked like she wanted to stay away from her and was making signals to the absolute imbecile that was talking.

" I would tear her ap-UGH"

You grabbed her head and bashed her harder against the wall.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. She is out.

You let go of her head and looked at the other maid she just picked up her cleaning tools and continue her job, she was learning fast.

You walk and pick one leg of the imbecile, you start walking to the library were you beloved was having a sisters day.

No one interrupt you or try to help her. They know better.

The newbies considered you a depraved traitor. Sleeping with the monster that could kill them any day. But still survival is priority so they keep working.

The older considered you a blessing. The amount of death and injury since you started dating Cassandra was lower. Keep working, Survival is priority.

You were at the doors of the library you opened the door.

"knock first I know you have manners"

"aw did Draga mea miss me so much?

Focusing on the sickle on the table you entered in the room, dropping the maid in the middle of the room you pick the sharp blade.

You bend and grab the little bitch head again, you pull out her tongue and with a quick swing cut it out.

"AHH-UGH"

You grabbed her again and bashed her against the floor again.

One, two, three, four, five. She is out.

You dropped her and walked to your beloved, you throw the sickle on the table, she was silent looking at you with that pretty blush, so adorable.

You grab her chin, kissing her deeply until she is panting, the blush in her face just grow bigger and the soft purr in her chest is music, yours she is totally yours.

Grabbing her gloved hand you drop the tongue, you point to the crying woman in the floor.

"Here my love, a snack"

You kissed her again.

"I still have duties to attend, I see you later."

She looked like a lovesick puppy. A puppy whom you will play with later. What a good life.

[short-for-melancholy]

Hmm. Okay so here's my current thoughts on floating weapons girlie. She was a normal girl, probably an orphan in the slums that nobody would notice missing, and she got abducted by... [someone], who for [reasons] needed an obedient and overwhelmingly powerful soldier, and had spent the last [however many] years experimenting creating Super Soldiers. But this was their first success. They managed to fuse her heart with an earth elemental's core, which granted her the ability to affect magnetic polarity. It was kind of a nightmare at first bc it's very difficult to control that sort of power, but with constant, intense training for a few years, she became serviceable.

In order to eliminate variables like some weapons being more magnetic than others due to different materials used in their creation, she focuses her ability on her own weapons almost exclusively, only ever using it on enemy weapons if she can't dodge an attack otherwise. She uses her ability to align the polarity of her blades so they can be attracted or repelled by simply flipping the polarity of the magnetic fields around them rather than moving the whole thing to attract it in the opposite direction. The blades themselves are crescent-shaped, sharp on the outer edge and the points, and blunt on the inner edge. She can rotate them at high speeds by spinning the magnetic field around them. Currently, she can use 10 blades at once.

The girl was raised to believe she's not actually human, and she's a tool created to serve the one who made her. She believes her life force is tied to theirs, so she can't disobey or run without dying. As a last resort, in case she finds herself in a situation where all her weapons are broken or missing and she needs to perform her duties, her creator filled several of her bones with metal so she would be able to wrench them out of her body and use them as weapons. Primarily these would be her ribs and both arms' radius and ulna. Since she has significantly less bone marrow to produce blood, she's uncharacteristically anemic for a fighter and often sick. She has a perpetual case of the sniffles and gets fevers frequently. She is physically quite weak. Yknow what? Fuck it, she uses a wheelchair to get around. I think that's her vibes. And now we can put metal in her lower legs too. Win/win!

She was only trained to fight effectively, but with nothing better to do, she spends most of her free time practicing artful patterns with her blades. Her creator doesn't like the individuality, but it improves her control and keeps her from going mad, so they tolerate it. Her bladework is undeniably beautiful now. Was there anything else I need to say? I can't remember. Oh, right, she's got a big scar in the center of her chest like something exploded out of it (release of energy upon merging with elemental core) and several scars along her ribs, forearms, and lower legs. As a result she dresses very conservatively, with long frilly dresses with sleeves. She looks very tired and her voice is kind of raspy.

Anyway her name is Polarizing Earth-Aspected Combat Homunculus, or Peach for short. I imagine her journey starts after her master dies and she doesn't. I'll have to make a picrew soon

[marvelgirlstories]

And here it is... Enjoy Xxx

Stole my heart

Part 2 Part 1

Warnings: bad language, fighting

The next day you went to the training rooms. You had no particular reason for this, you just needed something to do. Also you needed to think. Bucky shouldn't be able to remember you, but here we are.

You sighed as you punched the punching bag, memories running through your head like a freight train. You stopped in your tracks. No,not freight train, now everything you think about leads back to the past, your punching only getting faster. With one final punch, the bag lay broken on the floor.

Suddenly you heard clapping behind you:

"Wow, what's going on in your head?", a voice from behind you said. "Do you want to end up like Tony?", you asked in return. In your past you were trained to know who was coming or behind you by knowing their footsteps or voice. "Ok, I'm sorry", Steve said. "Are we annoying you if we train here?", Bucky added. They came down here, not expecting to find anyone as it was very hot, but instead they found you fighting a punching bag in a sports bra and leggings. "No. I can't really expect to have this all to my self", you answered.

"Ok. We'll try to stay out of your way" You smiled and then turned your attention back to the punching bag, dragging it out of the way and then hanging up a new one. This time you tried not to hit it too hard.

Why was he not affected by it all, or was he just that good at hiding. I mean you were also that good, but...

You knew you were being watched by Steve, who was meant to be helping Bucky. You didn't care, you knew how to control your body language. But you moved to the shooting range, why? You didn't know why.

You loaded the gun up, cocked it and then fired it. Bullseye and again and again.

"Y/N!", a voice called, you turned facing Steve, still holding the gun. "Yes?", you said, firing the gun while looking him straight in the eye. Bullseye! "Wanna fight?" You knew he was going to ask this, wanting to see why Fury thought you were so good. "Sure", you answered, not wanting to disappoint. What was wrong with you? Normally you would of turned that down, but somehow you wanted it.

As you stepped into the ring, you actually felt nervous. You were up against a Supersoldier for fucks sake. "Ok.", Bucky said,"Whoever has their opponent down at the end of 3 minutes wins. Are you ready?" Steve said yes and looked at you awaiting your reply. "Yes", you said. "And go" Steve dove for you, you dove for him he got you and threw you to the ground, holding your arms pinned to your sides. He turned and grinned at Bucky. "Rule Number one", you said, "never take your eyes of your opponent" With that you swung round, taking him by surprise. You were pretty evenly matched, so it went on like this for about two minutes. Then you suddenly went for his legs, knowing the weakest part of the body. With two seconds to go you were the one with him on the floor, before he completely flipped you. Then Bucky yelled: Stop! and there was nothing you can do.

"Nice game!", Steve said. "Thank you", you replied, before stepping out of the ring, grabbing your stuff from next to the punching bag and leaving. Just as you were going to step out of the door, you turned. "See you around. Both of you.", were your last words.

"She knows something we don't.", Bucky said,"Be careful." "How do you know her?", Steve asked. "I have a long history"

This feels worse than the first one but here you go. If you want to be tagged, just say and I am open for requests as I don't have many ideas.

I will be on holiday the next week, so I don't know how often I will post.

Anyone have an idea, what Y/N's past is??

Anyways, bye 💖💖💖

Tags:

@felicitylemon @kandis-mom @animegirlgeeky @cjand10 @capswife @tripletstephaniescp

[practically-an-x-man]

You've been answering a lot of these and I can't remember anything much on a good day, so I'll leave the who open to you, soas to hopefully avoid duplication.

3, 5, 10

M, R, W

💀 🌍 📝

Thank you so much!

OC/Ship Ask Game: Firsts

I think I'll go with Ophelia for these!

3. First opinion of school as a kid

School was an interesting thing for her: she loved learning and took in information very easily, she was always very smart and academically-minded, but that made traditional schooling honestly quite boring for her. She took to things a lot faster than many of her classmates, even when she began moving into higher-level and advanced courses, and more often than not found herself bored or annoyed as she waited for her classmates to retain a concept she'd already picked up.

She didn't hate school by any means, and she had a few teachers she genuinely liked (usually the ones that would make an effort to keep her engaged, find new projects or activities to start her own so she wouldn't be quite as bored), but as a whole it really felt like a chore to her.

5. First time breaking a bone

She was maybe 8 or so, hanging out at Harry's house while her parents were out of town for an academic conference. Harry dared her to slide all the way down the banister on the staircase ("I've done it loads of times, it's fun! You'll be fine!"), she lost her balance near the bottom and broke her wrist on landing. That was a fun phone call...

10. First time adopting/taking care of a pet

She had tropical fish (and an aquatic snail!) as a kid, but no other pets until she became an adult. It was just too busy of a household to justify a pet with a lot of extended care and upkeep, but she did take very good care of her fish.

____

Hm... I think I'll go with both of my Suicide Squad ships for this one, just for fun

M. First time they introduced the other as their partner

Eris/Rick: In terms of just using the word, it really didn't take long. They were partners-in-arms (hey look it's the ship name!) well before they were romantically entwined, and for a long time "partner" just meant "person who guards my six" to them. Romantically-speaking, though... I don't know when exactly it began to shift for them, it just started to have more meaning as time went on. I think Eris honestly likes the ambiguous meaning of it, especially because Rick to them is a lot more than just a romantic interest or battle buddy.

Nikoletta/Abner: I think it took a while, mainly since they were both a little hesitant and inexperienced when it came to having a partner in general. I feel like Abner would've.... I don't know, "tested it out" in front of one of the other Squad members before he had the courage to say it in front of a stranger (or even in front of Nik, honestly), but once one of them mentioned it the first time, I think that would have broken down the wall and gotten them both comfortable with the word.

R. First time cooking for the other

Eris/Rick: I'm actually writing a fic about this particular event/stage in their relationship, but Eris got very injured (read: got both legs blown off) on the battlefield after a few months of knowing Rick, and he brought them back to his place to heal - which included learning about Eris' nutrient needs to regrow tissues and cooking for them while they healed.

Nikoletta/Abner: I think they did a lot more cooking together than they did cooking for one another at first, unless you count making sandwiches or heating up canned soup for the other when they were sick. Cooking was a skill they both had to relearn after spending so much of their lives in Belle Reve, and they tried to learn it together.

W. First time they realized their relationship is endgame... or isn't

Eris/Rick: I think Eris kind of sensed it from the beginning, but it was really after the events of Vestalia that they both really locked onto the idea - for Eris, it was the fact that they wanted to wait for him instead of finding someone else (I've mentioned before that Eris' love life has always been fairly inconsistent, ranging from diehard devotion to commitment-free flings just for the hell of it); for Rick, it was realizing that Eris was more than just a hurricane on the battlefield, and seeing candidly how much they really did care about him in how they comforted him after his fallout with June.

Nikoletta/Abner: I mean, the events of No Longer Alone are a pretty good indication - not necessarily that they were romantically endgame (their relationship is a bit nebulous, like a QPR), but that they cared about each other and wanted to support each other no matter what.

____

💀 - First time writing character death, and how you felt about it

Answered previously!

🌍 - First attempt at worldbuilding, or a notable piece of worldbuilding you're proud of

Also answered previously!

📝 - Pick a character: first draft of that character + the final version of that character

I feel like I've talked about the background/creation process of most of my OCs before, particularly the notable ones (like Rae and Mira coming from the same first OC, Nikoletta's dramatic changes over time, Eris' becoming much darker and more morally questionable, etc.)

And honestly... for the most part, I don't really have particular "drafts" of characters. Some characters, particularly my more recent ones, I create very quickly and tend to lock in that design once it's made. Others I'll have held onto for a while, and I'll do a revamp of the older ones before I begin writing them (this is the case for Eris and Nikoletta, among others), so I'll have an old version and a revised version but that's about it for the "drafts". And of course, all of my characters end up evolving a bit over the course of their stories, both as they grow and develop from their experiences and as I get better at writing them.

[inhibitionfreewriting]

request again (if that’s okay?) i’m the noah kahan anon (and your fic was SO good im so excited for more) but butchered tongues by hozier as childhood friends to lovers with lud?

or first time (by hozier) with lud!!!!!

so while the second part to the original request is coming slowly but surely, once again i got into a zone and i just...

--

he was your best friend, who lived across the street and two houses down, who from the moment you met him always had you giggling. small bursts, full on fits of laughter, tiny snickers hidden by tiny clasped hands, trying not to wake the adults, trying to hide your secrets away from the world. but he's always there running around with you, scraped knees, dirt under your fingernails.

there's the time you almost drown in the nearby lake because you're both daring each other to go further out than you should and the mud beneath your foot slips and you're overtaken by water and panic. you're not the best swimmer and when you can't find your footing again, he calls for you, hoping it's just a joke.

he's there just out of reach for the first time and it solidifies just how important he is to you. he helps you up as soon as his little legs can cross the distance. you don't tell him that you think you have a crush on him, because you're only 11 and feelings are cringe and right now it doesn't matter. he's your best friend and you are his.

it's a few years later and you're walking home, crunching the autumn leaves under your feet, kicking pinecones in your path. he's talking about a girl a class you don't share and you can feel your heart breaking into a million pieces as he explains an over elaborate plan to ask her out on a date. in the end she says no and you're there with him for the heartbreak. you call her every name in the book at 14, explaining that she's the biggest loser in existence and anyone would be lucky to date him.

you wish it was you, to be the one cradling his heart and protecting it from the pain, but your friendship is number one and always above all else. he stays that night, too tired to walk back home. it's different, you think, staring at his back in your bed after having his heart broken, but your heart is broken too, isn't it? you stifle your crying to the best of your ability, roll over and force yourself to fall asleep.

he's thinking it too, staring at the pictures you have thumbtacked into your wall of you and he and the few other friends you both have made. there's a picture of you both with your arms around one another in red matching sweaters. he loves that picture even if he doesn't know it yet. it's his favorite. there's something in his chest that tells him to roll over, a paranoia that you're not okay but he mistakes the feeling as just more pain of rejection and doesn't move. it's the last sleepover that you both remember and on nights when you're drunk the memory still stings like a shot.

"ew - really? there's no way you actually like him." he embarrasses you, making a face at your admission of a crush on another classmate. you can't keep eye contact with him while you try to elaborate - he got you a carnation from the school on valentines day and it was sweet and you thought, maybe, just maybe it would be the way to get over the lump in your heart that he was. still, you keep that secret to yourself, going silent halfway through a sentence and curling in on yourself mentally. "look i'm - i'm just saying that derek on the soccer team is dumb as fuck and have - have you ever even had a conversation with him? he's probably just doing it out of pity."

"pity?" you snap, "oh, right, okay, because the only way i'd ever be able to get a date with anyone was out of pity." you stand up and knock the textbook and notes off of the desk in front of him before storming away. there's no way that he thought that low of you, but it's the ichor in your heart gumming up the gears. it hurts, it hurts so bad to think that- was he pitying you? all the time and years that you spent together? doing chores and spending allowances together, memorizing the others favorite ice creams and movies and video games and-

your mother holds you tight that night, stroking your hair as you cry into her chest, about how much you hate him. he's an asshole and he doesn't even like you clearly. she soothes you the best she can, but you're a few months shy of 17 and nothing stitches the wounds he's laid on your fragile heart. that doesn't come until much later in your story. you go to bed that night after clearing polaroid after polaroid off of your wall, throwing them into some school folder that previously lay abandoned in your room. you don't want to talk to him let alone see him before you go to sleep. the poorly sewed pillow from home economics he traded with you gets shoved into your closet.

he keeps it to himself when he gets home, telling his mother that he's tired and he just wants to get through his homework and go to sleep. he doesn't do his homework that night, too busy watching tv and the clock, ticking later and later into the night. his mother is worried but doesn't press, though she makes him eat that night even if he hates it.

not to be dramatic, but for a minute you feel like you forget what his voice sounds like, you haven't spoken in a week. stubbornness flows through both of you stronger than the harshest waters in a river, capsizing anyone who isn't certain of their path. he finds a new groove where he leaves for school 5 minutes off of you, whether it's before or after you can't determine but it's never the same time. a few kids at your lunch table take pity on you when you are eating alone for what feels like the billionth day in a row and you connect easily. as the loneliness gets pushed beneath the surface you wonder if he notices that you're not trying to catch his eyes as often.

he does, and he hates it, because he's trying to return the caught eyes even if he doesn't know it. but you're both foolish and angry over nothing. he passes 17 without you at his birthday party, the invite torn up and in a trash bag in a place where his mother won't find it. he lies when she asks, curious as to where you have been all this time, months and months at this point.

"i don't know," he shrugs, nonchalant to the best of his ability while he watches his friends play melee. he can't make an excuse before one of the guys sits up and scrunches his face in thought.

"didn't you throw her invite out because she's a freak?"

"woah - you can't call her that."

"you literally called her weird like 5 minutes ago!" ludwig's face turns red and sheepish as his mother gives him a look, disappointed and sad all in one. when she leaves, he sinks into his spot, covering his face. how embarrassing. "dude, she is a freak though, she's always by herself, it's fucking weird."

"she's not fucking weird!" he snaps, shoving him. nobody is allowed to call you weird except him, you are his weird friend. an argument breaks out and the party ends sooner than intended and his mother grounds him for fighting in the middle of the house. at least his birthday doesn't get worse outside of the sinking feeling in his chest.

you hesitate on a text saying happy birthday with the picture of the two of you in red sweaters attached. you remove the photo and the heart and send it, plain. it felt disingenuous - maybe he deserves it though, he didn't even invite you to hang out.

you 9:56pm: happy birthday

ludwig 10:27pm: thanks

you 10:30pm: do anything fun?

ludwig 10:36pm: party got cancelled cuz my friends are assholes

you don't think the laugh that comes out of your mouth is real, but his text gets the tiniest of noises from you.

you 10:37pm: all guys are assholes lol

he starts typing and then stops a few times. maybe that was too much and the regret swims through your veins immediately, you curl up into the poorly stitched pillow long rescued from your closet for comfort. the longer it takes, the more you sink, starting to type an excuse, 'i mean not you', but he responds faster than your shaky hands can type.

ludwig 10:50pm: you're right

ludwig 10:50pm: sorry i was an asshole

ludwig 10:51pm: ider what i said but i know it was stupid

of course he didn't.

you 10:52pm: derek would only go out with me bc of pity

ludwig winced in his bed, dropping his phone to his chest and smacking both his hands to his face. wow he was stupid, derek would have been lucky to go out with you. you were wonderful - fantastic even, you kept him up at night, his mind wandering to moments of you smiling and laughing with him, and then the way your face fell when he made that stupid pity comment. rolling onto his stomach he replied.

ludwig 10:59pm: wow 16 year old me was dumb huh

you 11:00pm: you've been 17 for less than 1 day 💀

you 11:00pm: you're so stupid

you 11:01pm: i h8 you

surely, you meant it in jest. you were talking to him, at least, hell this was the most you'd spoken in months so you absolutely had to be joking. he pulled a dramatic frown, took a picture and sent it to you before questioning the decision.

ludwig 11:03pm: [image attached]

you 11:03pm: can i be gay for a moment

ludwig 11:04pm: yes?

you 11:08pm: i missed your face a lot😞

you 11:08pm: i miss you a lot

you 11:08pm: can we hang out tomorrow

you 11:09pm: we can do w/e i dont care

you 11:09pm: we dont even have to do anything

you 11:09pm: can we just hang out

you 11:12pm: please

he missed you too, more than he would ever care to admit, eyes heavy with exhaustion and sadness as he stared at your near pleading.

ludwig 11:15pm: come over when you wake up

ludwig 11:15pm: im going to bed

ludwig 11:16pm: night

shoving his phone far under his pillow, he flipped onto his back and stared at the ceiling. you were mimicking the position in your own bed, your hands over your heart. how long had you been sitting on your infatuation? how many diary entries had you written about him? how many poorly drawn profiles littered the ripped pages of your notebooks? sleep took you both restlessly, carrying you along the rocky waters till daybreak where you wrestled yourself into shorts and a tshirt.

you couldn't bring yourself to care about how you looked or smelled (you couldn't quite remember when you showered last), you just wanted to give him a hug, the biggest hug you could muster. you missed him so so much. as you'd done hundreds of times before, you entered his home, locked the door behind you and all but ran up the stairs and towards his room.

badum badum badum

your heartbeat was loud and almost painful in your ears which caused you to stop and stare at your hand centimeters away from his door. you wanted to feign ignorance, that your broken heart was not beating like this for any reason, that it was silly and foolish and so very very stupid. chewing on the inside of your lips, you swung his door open. his body jumped a little, still under the covers and barely processing that you were already here.

"hey," came his groggy voice, the heel of his palm rubbing into his eyes as you nudged the door closed and kicked your shoes off. he propped himself up on his elbows and maybe it was the way you looked, slightly disheveled but jittery, or the fact that your breathing was a little choked and heavy, but he wanted to kiss you more than any other girl he'd ever seen. "why're you standing over there still?"

"i-i.. i don't know." he breathed out a tired laugh.

"so come here?" with the invitation you crossed the remaining space between you and flopped into the space next to him, on top of the covers. it takes him a minute but he lazily rolls over to face you. he smells of a late night shower and morning breath. he's warm with sleep and you're warm with the early morning sun.

"i have a crush on you," you blurt out, closing your eyes like you expect physical retaliation from someone who has never actually gone so far as to beat you up. when nothing comes you slowly open your eyes, peaking through the timid butterflies frantic in your stomach. the face he has on is awkward at best and you're trying not to read into what he may or may not be feeling. "s-s-sorry, that's. i shouldn't have-"

"no, me- me too!" he responds, stopping you in your frantic, panicked downfall, not wanting to hurt you again over a miscommunication that he was the cause of. he wraps his arms around you tightly and you let out a tiny breath of relief and returned his hug.

"i'm sorry you're so stupid," you snicker, burying your face deeper into him, still embarrassed. when you both finally pull back, your lips are pursed into a pout, and his mouth is open to say something snarky in return but nothing comes out. instead he kisses you the way he's wanted to kiss you for two years, since the first time he saw you wear a pink tinted lip gloss. you return with fervor and you kiss like that a thousand more times.

[nomoreusername]

A Reason To Stay

⚠️ Suicidal thoughts ⚠️

Pairing:Teresa x Thomas

Summary:Despite making it the Safe Haven, Teresa is struggling with finding a reason to stay there.

I didn't want to be saved. I didn't ask to be here. I didn't ask for anyone to pull me up. I didn't ask for anyone to stick their neck out to save me.

Newt's not here anymore. He's gone. He's just gone. He died as I had the thing that could have saved him in my hands. Only I lost that too. I chose Thomas over everything I had worked for. I gave it all up. I ruined so much and have nothing to show for it. Nothing but burns and received glares.

I can't stand it anymore. I can't take it. The way I’m stuck in my own head.

Sure. The last of the Gladers and Group B has forgiven me, but the rest of them? Forget it.

Everywhere I go, all I hear is traitor. Traitor, traitor, traitor. No understanding. No possible thought that I had lost everything and wanted to make sure nobody else had to go through that. No possible way that all I wanted was to save innocent people. No possible scenario that I felt regret when I had gone home and sat in my empty apartment.

No. Teresa Agnes doesn't cry. She doesn't want anyone to live good lives. She doesn't want everyone to be safe. She doesn't want to help. She just wants to take. She just wants to stay here and think about how she can do it again. She thinks of all the pain that she single handedly caused and feels nothing.

I hear it. I hear it all. Sometimes they want me to, sometimes they don't.

I lost it all, and all I got back were some scars and dirty looks.

I stayed in and looked out the window. It was a bonfire night. The kind of bittersweet celebration that left you grateful to be here and missing everyone who isn't.

I never go. I’m not grateful to be here. I didn't want anyone to pull me up. I was supposed to fall to my death. Then it would finally be over. I could see my mom again. I could be in her arms. I could cry and tell her that I tried and she would promise that it was okay. She would tell me that I don't need to hurt anymore.

I hate it here. I wish I was dead, and there's not even anyone I can tell. I also can't just kill myself. I can't give anyone another reason to call me selfish.

Closing the blinds, I laid on the bed, trying to ignore the aches in my body from how I still hadn't healed right. I mean my lungs were never going to be the same. Not with all the smoke I inhaled. My right leg still hadn't healed quite right from where I had fallen and broken it. I would never feel completely fine with any movement. All more reasons for life to feel like hell.

“Are you coming tonight?”Tom asked.

“No.”

“Are you sure? You never come.”

“Why would I? So I can get called names again?”

“If you come, they would see who you actually are,”He tried to convince me.

“Yes. Because that's definitely worked.”

“Teresa-”

“You can just go. I’m going to stay here,”I muttered, pulling my knees to my chest.

“It's okay. I’ll stay with you,”He shrugged.

“No. It's fine.”

“Teresa-”

“It doesn't matter, Tom. Nothing does.”

“Teresa,”He said softly, sitting beside me on the edge of the bed. Not bothering to move, I stared at the wall. “I love you. No matter what, I will always love you.”

“If you think so.”

“I’m by your side. Okay? I will always be by your side, no matter what happens.”

“If you think so,”I repeated, unsure of what else I should say, if there was anything to say.

“I know it's hard right now, but it will get better. Just trust it. Okay? Trust me.”

“Tom, I really don't want to do this right now. I just want everything to go away. I just want everything to stop.”

“What do you mean?”He whispered, placing a hand on my shoulder.

“It doesn't matter.”

“But it does. It really, really does,”He pushed, tracing his fingertips up and down my arm, the familiar pattern soothing me in ways only he can. Just like from before he can even remember, when we were just kids who thought we'd never have anything more to fear. When we would stay up late and talk about things that only made sense to us. When we would give each other a glance that said a thousand words.

So much has changed yet everything is the same.

“I’ll stay with you tonight, okay?”He asked, though it was actually a statement. He knew that as well as I did. When he had his mind made up, that was it. Whether anyone agreed or not, he was doing it.

“Okay,”I accepted.

Laying behind me, he wrapped his arms around me in a way that showed he thought I would disappear if he stopped. I wouldn't, but I knew the feeling. The fear of losing someone who means everything all over again.

“I do love you. I promise,”I whispered when his grip loosened. Judging by the way he didn't answer, it was obvious he was fast asleep.

Which is exactly when I tell him everything I don't know how to say. Maybe it's weird, but it's all I have. It's the only way I can tell him all the things I feel without his concern growing. He's also the only person I would want to know.

Maybe it’ll get better. It doesn't seem like it, but it might. If I keep holding on and keep him close, just maybe I can finally look forward to tomorrow for another reason besides him.

[db3at]

What happened after Blacksheep left.

After Blacksheep leaves without saying anything at all, Rae is broken. They felt as if they were never going to be happy again. The day after Blacksheep left, a hurricane hits VILE Island. Rae actually went outside during it and sat on the beach thinking about Blacksheep because of How They Met. (My OC X BS fic)

While they were sitting there, they thought about just jumping into the ocean and never coming back up. But then they thought about the other people they met and how close they'd come with the faculty after being with Blacksheep.. how would they react?

So Rae starts to cope with it. They start working out more, fighting harder, sleeping less. They didn't really focus on much of their emotion anymore. They didn't feel much pain anymore either- even when Bellum was doing experiments on them.

These experiments included putting these glowing chemicals through the body to help Rae grow taller, gain a bit of weight, grow even more muscular, and even make their voice deeper. Rae didn't like the color of the chemicals that glew under their skin so they asked Bellum to see if she could turn it purple, she couldn't see a reason not to, so at times on missions when Deathbeat feels energized, their eyes and veins will glow neon purple.

They also got their canine teeth made into artificial fangs ^^

In appearance change, Rae became Deathbeat in just a matter of the 6 months they had left in the academy.

Rae was skinny and pale. Their arms, legs, and everything else were skinny. They didn't eat much, didn't weigh much, would throw up every so often. And they were only 5'0. Rae didn't like people and kept quiet at anytime they were around people. They had longer hair when they were a student, and it was darker.

Deathbeat became an almost polar opposite of what they used to be. They were still skinny but the muscles they gained added to their weight a lot. They ate more, didn't throw up as much, took pain like a champ, and they grew by 5 inches.

Their hair was buzzed shorter, and they were tanned from being on the island for so long. They had little fangs. Now that they were able to fight, they were more confident around people. Some were even scared to fight them.

A few missions into being sent out on capers, Deathbeat was walking down a hallway in a museum when Carmen jumped down in front of them from above somewhere. Deathbeat was now face to face with what used to be Blacksheep, but they didn't know it yet.

Carmen scanned Deathbeat up and down and recognized the scar under their eye. After she called it out and said she remembered them, Deathbeat was stunned. They didn't expect Blacksheep to have changed so much, she was almost unrecognizable.

Deathbeat didn't want to hurt Carmen after knowing that it was Blacksheep, but they didn't know if Carmen wanted to take defense against them. They were actually feeling a real emotion for the first time in months.. they were scared, stunned, and somewhat happy?? they felt like they were going to cry but they didn't want to in front of Carmen. They didn't speak either because they knew their voice would break.

Carmen was surprised as well with the way that Rae had changed after all this time. She too was going through a similar roller-coaster of emotions.

Deathbeat took off the Deafener (the weapon Deathbeat uses) took off their comms, and completely disarmed themselves before holding their arms open for a hug that they didn't think they would receive, but they did.

Carmen hugged them back for a while. Deathbeat sobbed silently into her shoulder. Both of them knew that they missed eachother, but they had already gotten over their relationship ending.

Rae- "I'm supposed to be fighting you and I can't because I don't want to hurt you."

Carmen- "I know."

She hesitated for a moment and let go of Deathbeat but kept one hand on their shoulder.

Their face was red and wet from their tears.

"You'll see me again." She said.

[sadiecoocoo]

The Sorrows We Drown Chp. 4

Summary - Reiner has a familiar dream (I can't write summaries for each chapter I'm so sorry)

Word Count - 2,586

Read on AO3

Previous Chapter

Notes: I'M SO SORRY I DID IT AGAIN!!!! I FORGOT TO UPDATE LMFAO it's because I haven't actually been writing the fic since I got to a point where I didn't really know what to do (I figured out where I went wrong so it should be okay now, but updates might be less often) anyways, please enjoy :)

Reiner felt the coarse scrape of sand against his cheek. He groaned as he scrunched his eyes, not wanting to open them.

A chill racketed over him. He curled in on himself as he shuddered. 

He wanted to go back to sleep. His nightmares somehow seemed better than reality now. He half hoped that the events of the last day were all just a nightmare. Maybe when he’d open his eyes he’d be met with the bland wall of his bedroom.

The sand was digging into his skin uncomfortably. Whenever he moved, it felt like thousands of small blades were poking him.

He groaned quietly as he finally decided to get up. His eyes fluttered lazily as he tried to push himself to his knees.

Sand stuck to his clothes, and he had half the mind to swipe it off of his face.

It looked like he was in a desert. The sky was strange, with millions of unfamiliar stars that almost painted pictures. When he turned, he was met with light coming out of the ground like a tree and breaking off into a million little branches.

When his sluggish mind finally caught up with his eyes, he felt his heart leap.

He jumped to his feet clumsily and turned around in circles. There wasn’t anything else around him. No little boy that wanted to end the world, and no miserable girl that sought freedom.

How was he here? He thought this place had been destroyed along with the titans.

His head throbbed as he remembered what had really happened before he woke up here. Titans. How did they still exist? How did they just appear at random?

How was he even alive? He had been gnawed upon like a fucking chew toy. Jean and Connie had looked at him like he had been dying, hell he probably was.

Oh god, he could be dead now. This could be his hell, he could be stuck in the coordinate plane, of all places, for all eternity.

A cry rang out behind him, and he whirled around back to the giant tree of lights. His eyes widened at the new sight before him.

Hundreds of people were around the tree now. So many of them were sobbing, screaming, and crying.

Reiner took a tentative step forward, his eyes trailing over the crowd. He didn’t think he recognized anyone, at least no one that jumped out to him.

He walked through the sand to the edge of the crowd. Some of the faces looked blurred. No matter how much he squinted his eyes, he could barely make out a feature.

Someone grabbed onto his ankle, and he practically jumped out of his skin. He looked down to see a bloodied woman holding desperately onto him with a clearly broken hand.

She screamed as he tried to drag herself closer to him. He watched in horror as the poor woman’s legs dragged behind her limply, twisted at odd angles.

Were these people all dead too? Was he even dead? If so, why didn’t he have all the same injuries as he did when he died? 

Shouldn’t his arm be gone? Shouldn’t his legs be broken? Shouldn’t he have been torn in half?

He was still covered in blood, but he wasn’t in any pain. These people clearly were. Several more of them had started paying more attention to him.

The woman had dragged herself right up to him now, she was pulling on his trousers to try and stand. He leaned down to hook his arms under her shoulders.

He pulled her up, the woman collapsed against his chest. Her shoulders shuddered with sobs that seemed to echo through the empty expanse of sand.

Another person grabbed onto him, pulling on his tattered sleeve. He flinched as they tried to drag him closer to the tree.

The woman fell onto the ground with an anguished scream as he was dragged away. He tried to struggle back to her. Why was no one else trying to help her?

More hands were on him now, overwhelming him. He was being steadily pulled over to the center of the plane.

He was surrounded by the sonorous sound of sobbing. It was starting to make him nauseas. He had never heard such a pitiful yet terrifying sound.

Finally, he was pushed through the edge of the crowd. He landed on his hands and knees as he was right before the glowing tree. He could almost touch it, but he didn’t dare.

This is what Eren used to destroy eighty percent of the population. This is what trapped Ymir for over two thousand years.

The light was bright. He felt like he was staring straight into the Aurora Borealis.

With a moment of panic, he realized the plane had fallen into a sickening silence. He turned back hesitantly to see the crowd were all turned towards.

He sat back on his knees as he stared in turn at the eerie crowd. He felt like he was looking into a horde of zombies.

A light force pushed into his side. Someone wrapped their arms around him. He turned down to see a boy.

The boy looked up at him with tears in his eyes. Reiner realized this boy’s face wasn’t blurred like the others.

He hugged him tightly, pulling the boy into his chest. He was met with parts relief and parts anguish at his new company.

If he really was dead, Falco should not be here.

Reiner’s eyes fluttered lazily as he awoke. Someone was standing over him, their hands were on his shoulders.

They came into focus after a moment, and Reiner stared up at Jean for several awkward moments.

Jean’s mouth was moving, like he was saying something, but Reiner’s foggy brain could barely process it.

He tried to speak, but it came out as a dry cough. His throat was hoarse and his skin felt dry, like he had spent days in a desert.

He shut his eyes tightly with a faint whine. He still felt the coarseness of sand on his face, from what he wasn’t sure. The dream he had was quickly dissipating, replaced instead by a just as miserably reality.

He flinched as a soft touch in his cheek replaced the rough feeling. A hand was set on his shoulder and seemed to ground him.

He felt miserably cold, but sweat coated his skin. He still felt the phantom touches of hands grabbing and pulling onto him. He thought he could still see the outline of bright lights that looked like a giant tree.

“Rei?” A soft voice said. The blonde let out a groan at the noise. It sent shattering pain into his skull.

“Hey, I need you to wake up, okay?” The voice continued. “We’ve gotta get back on the road.” It urged.

He squinted his eyes open again, grateful for the shadow that still blocked the sun from his eyes.

“Wha-“ he was interrupted by a rough cough. He lurched forward as his chest stuttered and his lungs struggled for breath.

“Hey, easy,” the voice said softly. Jean, it was Jean. He shook his head, as if that would dissipate the fog surrounding his mind.

“You’re just about healed up now,” Jean explained, “but I think you might still be concussed.” He added solemnly.

Jean’s eyes flickered over to where his knuckles still pressed lightly against Reiner’s cheek. He felt heat rise to his face as he realized how much he had started leaning into the soft touch, though that was one of the least of his worries.

“‘Ow am I ‘live?” He slurred. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth. Reiner rubbed it against the roof of his mouth to try and get rid of the taste of sleep.

Jean squeezed his shoulder before answering. He pulled his hand away from Reiner’s cheek, and instead pulled the blonde against his chest.

He placed his hand at the back of Reiner’s hair. Reiner was limply pressed against him, not finding the strength to lift his arms and wrap them around Jean in turn.

“You saved us, Rei.” Jean said in a soft whisper, “you saved so many people.”

Reiner felt a welling of pride in his chest at that, along with confusion. The last thing he remembered was seeing Jean and Connie being lifted away from him by a giant titan. The last thing he remembered hearing was Jean calling out to him.

“How?” He rasped, so quiet that for a moment he wondered if even he had been able to hear it.

“You turned into the armor again.” Jean answered, sounding almost regretful. He wrapped his arms tighter around Reiner. For a moment he wondered if Jean was trying to suffocate him.

“Oh.” Was all he could manage. He wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or not. The armor had always been an integral part of him, but when he lost it, it felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders.  

After several more seconds, Jean pulled back. He kept his hands on Reiner’s shoulders, keeping him steady.

Reiner let his eyes wander around their campsite. He looked over Jean’s shoulder to see Connienstanding not too far away. He was stomping out a small fire.

A few paces away, there was a car. He was a little surprised to see that the two had willingly taken a car. He didn’t think either really knew how to drive.

Jean followed his gaze to the vehicle. He let go of Reiner’s shoulders to instead fidget with his hands nervously.

“It stopped working last night, I don’t know why.” He admitted with a light shrug. Reiner hummed quietly.

“Help me up, I’ll take a look.” He offered. He didn’t know much about cars, having spent a majority of his formative years on Paradis, but Pieck had made sure to teach him the basics in how to drive once he came back.

Jean offered his hand to pull Reiner up. He took it gratefully. The blonde hadn’t expected the wave of dizziness that followed.

Reiner leaned against Jean to steady himself. The other man wrapped his arm around Reiner’s shoulder and held him close. He still held his other hand, and Jean kept their hands to his chest.

Reiner sat down in the driver’s seat once they made it to the car. He looked over the different gauges with a sigh. If only they had gotten a horse instead.

After too long of the three of them pressing random buttons and turning the key in hopes of the car starting, they had finally made it on the road again.

Reiner was sitting in the passenger seat, his head leaning against the door frame. Wind rushed through his hair as they continued traveling.

“How you feeling?” Connie asked from behind him. He leaned forward to wear he was practically sitting in between Reiner and Jean.

“Tired,” Reiner grumbled, not bothering to look at the shorter man. He shut his eyes and tried to sleep.

He was met with the image of a giant glowing tree in a desert. He opened his eyes quickly and condemned himself to staring out the window mindlessly.

“Take some water,” Connie said, holding a small canteen out for him. He had almost sounded like he was giving an order, if not for the evident concern in his voice.

“I’m fine, Connie,” Reiner promised. He took the water anyway, drinking about a quarter of what was left.

He let out a sigh as he slunk down further into the seat. He caught Jean glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, then turned further towards the window.

The two had explained all that had happened when Reiner had been out. He was honestly horrified at knowing that he lost control of his titan.

He could have easily killed Jean and Connie if he had really wanted to. If he hadn’t been focused on the other titans, he probably would have.

Imagine that, he murdered his best friends after risking everything to save them. He had only been able to turn into a titan because he wanted to save them. Maybe that was why he didn’t go all the way and kill them.

Now the three of them were on the road, trying to outrun the titans that would likely move further inland after destroying all of Liberio.

He wondered how many people had turned into titans. How many people were perfectly fine one minute, then cannibalistic monsters the next?

Reiner watched the barren terrain fly by. There were puddles filling up many of the giant footprints. He wondered how many more would scar the earth with the titan’s return.

He glanced down at his ankle. It was still twisted strangely, but steam slowly wafted off of it. It would need to be set for it to heal completely. He was dreading when the others finally realized it too.

A wave of discomfort in his stomach took his attention. He glanced towards the others, then to the small pack they had managed to grab. He doubted they had much food.

There was at least one town on the way to where Levi and the kids were. They would be able to stop there and stock up on supplies. Hopefully they would be able to warn the people too.

There was a bump in the road, and the car lurched. They were getting to the edge of where the clean up had left off. Soon enough the road would be cut off by more giant footsteps.

They would have to move on foot soon. Reiner would slow them down drastically. He could turn into a titan and carry the other two, but he didn’t want to risk that. He still didn’t think he had the energy anyway.

Reiner’s eyes wandered to the front of the road. He looked into the distance, there was a small hill ahead of them.

Reiner gazed up at the sky above the hill. His eyes narrowed as he noticed a plume of smoke.

“You see that?” He asked, pointing lazily towards the smoke.

“Yeah,” Jean answered, “should be around where the next town is.”

Worry settled in his gut at that. He pressed his lips together nervously as he continued to peer forward.

Once they made it to the top of the hill, Jean cut the car off. He jumped out of the driver’s seat and ran forward.

Reiner and Connie exchanged a glance before the shorter man helped him to catch up. He hopped precariously on one foot as Connie moved to wrap Reiner’s arm around his shoulder.

The three of them looked over the town. Buildings were smashed and small fires were scattered around.

“Shit,” Jean muttered. Reiner grunted in agreement.

“I don’t see any titans,” Connie said as they surveyed the town.

“They must have moved on to somewhere,” Jean said, “wouldn’t they look for the closest, most populated area?” He added.

“Yeah,” Reiner answered, “it’s probably safe enough to look around.” He didn’t necessarily want to risk it, but they needed supplies.

“How are your injuries?” Jean turned to him. Reiner frowned as he looked down to his foot.

“We need to set the bone,” he said, nodding down to his twisted ankle, “then it’ll heal.”

“Okay,” Jean said. He helped Connie to set Reiner down on the grass. “This’ll hurt.” He warned as he moved over to Reiner’s foot.

“Yeah,” Reiner muttered miserably.

End Notes: I would like to inform everything that i have no idea where i'm going with this words are just happening every once in a while and they're starting to make some sort of cohesive plot anyways. have a good day

[shino-mina-324]

The Thunder Hashira

Chapter 7

Warnings: descriptive gore, blood, hand demon, near death

1.2k word count

Third Pov

Sabito's vision went black as his ears started to ring. He felt a throbbing at the side of his head causing his mind to go fuzzy. What happened? He thought back to what had happened. His eyes shot open again in realisation. Himiko. He stood back up , having not realised that he fell to the ground, and looked over. He paled at what he found.

Himiko was dangling upside down in mid air. The only thing holding her up was the green hand of the demon that encased her leg. She had a pained and dazed look on her face while her entire body was limp. That's when he finally remembered. He was about to get killed, his head crushed, when he saw her out of the corner of his eye running toward him. And then...she...she then...she kicked him. She saved him. But now her leg was most likely crushed. Her body then started to move. No... the hand holding her was moving, back toward the demon. Sabito's eyes widened when he heard the demon giggle and open its mouth about to drop her in.

Red hot anger filled Sabito's veins as he quickly ran forward, against his instincts and aching muscles. He jumped up and used what was left of his bade to cut the arm, he then caught her bridal style and jumped back onto the ground. He laid her on the ground gently then looked at her leg and the sight of it filled him with horror, disgust, and even more rage.

The skin was twisted and looked mutated, already turning purple from the injury. There were bumps and jabs from her broken bones on the inside of the leg. Sabito was filled such anger and horror at the sight of it. He looked at her face, it was contorted in pain and her eyes were dazed. Probably about to pass out from the pain. He then heard rustling and looked up, it was one of the kids from the group.

"Take her." He said quickly. The boy was frozen staring at the demon behind Sabito. Sabito quickly got up and took Himiko's sword and cut up the hands shooting towards them. "Take her and run. Get to the end of the forest. Get out. Take her, now!" He yelled at the boy. That snapped him out of his thoughts and he quickly ran toward Himiko whose mind was just starting to clear.

Himiko POV

I blinked my eyes a few times finally adjusting to what was happening. My ears had been ringing and I felt a dull ache in my leg. I blinked my eyes open and looked around. Sabito was fighting the hand demon. Sabito was alive. Good.... Oh thank god. I breathe a sigh of relief and look to my other side. That's when I notice, there was a boy picking me up. After a second I realize who it was, Murata.

"S-stop..." He immediately stopped and looked at me shocked.

"Y-your awake. We need to get you out of here. Don't worry, Giyuu is fine. He's with the others, I heard a scream and got worried so I had to come check on you guys."

"No." I pushed myself off of him and looked around. I was relieved to hear Giyuu was ok but I had to get up. I found a few large sturdy branch like sticks and grabbed them. I took off and ripped up my haori into few pieces. I then began to make a makeshift cast out of the branches and clothe. I grit my teeth in pain while doing this, I remember how I would use to do this and other things when my siblings got injured back home so it wasn't unfamiliar territory for me. Mom actually would teach me about first aid and other things like this. "Give me your sword." I said starting to stand. I yelled out in pain but grit my teeth again and a took a few breathes. It should sustain for a while.

"Wha- you can't be serious? Your not about go and fight again are you?" Murata looked shocked. "You can barely stand."

"I'll be fine." I then thought to myself, Sabito won't go easy so I'll have to think of something to make him leave. After a few seconds I figured out what. "I'm going to do something. When it's done, grab Sabito and run."

"B-but—!"

"Grab him. And run." I gave him a hard stare and he nodded after a second.

"Just... be careful?"

"I will." I took a few experimental steps and after adjusting to the pain I started to run as fast as I can toward the demon and Sabito.

"Huh? What the hell Himiko!" Sabito yelled when he spotted me. "Get out of here!"

"No. I'll distract the demon, just run."

"No, I'm not leaving you!"

"Yes you are. Now go."

"No. I said I'm not leaving you."

"Dammit Sabito.."

"Himiko, I'm not—!" He was interrupted when he felt a sharp jab at the back of his neck. His eyes rolled back and he passed out. Himiko shoved him toward Murata.

"RUN!" Murata looked shocked and frozen for a few seconds but quickly picked up Sabito and began to run. But he stopped after a few feet.

"Hi-Himiko—!"

"Run." Her eyes were chilly when she glared at him and as much as he wanted to tell her, he knew he had to go. So he did. He just hoped he'd be able to tell her later.

I kept slashing at and dodging the hands, occasionally jumping up to avoid the ones in the ground. Eventually I saw an opening to dash away, but it was in the opposite direction.... away from the the group and where they were supposed to end. I shook my head, that doesn't matter. All the matters is surviving. I ran toward the opening and once through kept running. I could hear and feel the demon following me but I just kept running.

I eventually found a clearing, with clear specs of sunlight. I immediately jumped for it and sat down. The demon stopped, not stupid enough to go into the sun.

"You can't stay there forever and the sun goes down eventually." I took heavy breaths and finally calmed down, ignoring the demon. I was about to take out my med kit when I remember I left it with the group. Shit. I looked down at my leg and winced at the sight. Thanks to the adrenaline I can't feel the pain that much but the sight was horrific, it didn't help how the clothe of my pants stuck to the skin also twisted and torn.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart a bit more. I have to move before the adrenaline runs off and I feel the pain again. I have to check if the group left any of my belongings in their panic to leave. Probably not but still, it's worth checking. I reached up to move my hair out of my face when I touched something hard. I took it off and looked down at it. My eyes went wide. Right... Sabito's mask... I clutched it tightly. Don't worry Sabito, I'll get it back to you... somehow. For now I brought it up to my face and put it on properly, covering my face. I tied the rope on the back of my head tightly then thought to myself.

'But first..' I stared straight at the hand demon. 'I need to lose the demon'.