#I ended it kinda abruptly but will to write more if people like it ^^

[pastelinsertfangirl]

Alastor x Lonely Reader

As the only single person left in my friend group, I'm in desperate need for Alastor to be real, so he can date me (ﾉ￣д￣)ﾉ

Super self indulgent and by someone who hasn't written in forever Super cringe, I just need to get this off my chest please

You were very self aware to not get into messy relationships or if anyone had any red flags, after all it was better to be single than in a toxic relationship. Lucky for you Alastor was a literal walking red billboard sign.

As soon as you got a text from your closest friend about them recently getting a boyfriend, the last one of your small friend group, you were feeling kinda off. The thing that was always in the back of your mind finally happened. You were the only single friend left from people you knew. You and your friend never had boyfriends before (not helping that you both have high expectations and relating to that) you always thought you two would be by each other's side till who knows when.

It also didn't help that most people at work were older and in relationships/married with kids living in their own little love filled world. You were only in your mid twenties, so you thought you had plenty of time, despite never having a boyfriend before. Alastor noticed the sudden change in your demeanor the last few days after that text you got, so he decided to pry a little into what was bothering you.

Alastor was someone who you could never figure out. He always seem to keep people at arms length unless he initiated it. However, whether you realize or not, he always seemed to have eyes on you without you noticing. He seemed to be interested in how sweet and caring you were in a world that was so filled with hatred and selfishness.

After the realization that you were the only single friend, you became more depressed and less happy-go lucky that you were known for in Alastor's eyes. It was something that he was surprised at when he first met you. You were reserved and quiet on the outside, but as others got to know you you were the sweetest thing and always willing to lend a hand to anyone. This troubled him because he always loved to see your smiling face and teasing you into different expressions.

After the news from your friend you started feeling a bit lonely. You decided to talk to some of your other friends, and all of them saying that relationships are work and it's not all sunshine and rainbows. It's also totally fine you were still single as they told you your person would be worth the wait and not to settle ever. Little did you know that Alastor's shadow was listening in on your little conversations with your friends, and from that realized what has gotten you so down.

He was surprised that you've never been in a relationship, how could someone so sweet and attentive not be chased across the worlds for. Until he realized that, just like him, he kept others at a distance, and so did you. You were very self aware to not get into messy relationships or if anyone had any red flags, after all it was better to be single than in a toxic relationship. Lucky for you Alastor was a literal walking red billboard sign.

Once Alastor set his sights on you, he was always around. Even though you might not realize, he was trying his best to court you in his own old-fashioned way. Alastor, having realized you have never had a boyfriend before, lit something in him. His was starting to grow possessive and wanting you all to himself, and treat you like a queen. Whether you realize or not you didn't want to admit it. He would always be there if you needed to talk, or if you just wanted some company. Total acts of service type of man, so if you ever needed something done whether you asked or not he was on it. Whether you acknowledge him or not is up to you, but if Alastor does become your first boyfriend, be ready for him to never let you go.

[gay-dorito-dust]

heyyy. I been binge reading some of your batboys works (i've really loved it all) and i was wondering if you could write something about going from friends to lovers with Dick and Jason. except the reader has some major abandonment issues and subconsciously starts drifting apart from them when she realizes she has catched feelings.

Thank you :)

I kinda rambled here

Dick

You knew of dick’s…commitment issues and failed romances and that was the moment you were fucked because you had soon found yourself falling for the man with the prettiest smile and charming personality.

And with that revelation being made when you were having a platonic movie night with Dick and he has his arm rested against your shoulder as his other hand rubbed your legs that were draped across his lap like it was something he did all time.

It felt perfect to spend your nights at Dick’s place, with Hayley cuddled up to your side and dick on you practically half on his lap, half on the couch, but then his phone goes off and suddenly you remembered that this man was going through a serious on and off relationship with some girl you couldn’t remember the name of, and neither could he from the looks of it as he texted back out of politeness.

Needless to say your best plummeted into your stomach as you suddenly stood up from the couch, startling both Dick and Hayley with your abruptness.

‘Hey are you okay?’ Dick said worriedly as he got up from the couch, hands outstretched to hold your shoulders but you were quick to step back to avoid his touch as though it were poison.

‘I just remembered that I’ve got something that I have to do.’ You blurted.

‘Right now? At 11pm at night?’ Dick asked, not fully convinced, finally managing to cupped your face in his hands as he rested his forehead against your own, forcing you to stare into his eyes full of concern that only made your heart clench painfully in your chest.

‘Yes, I’m sorry to cut movie night short but I have to go.’ You said, pulling away from him in fear of doing something stupid and quickly rushing towards the door with your jacket half on and your bag in hand, leaving dick to look at Hayley who was just as equally confused by what had just happened.

You didn’t wish for your heart to grow fond of Dick, but you couldn’t stop your heart from wanting more out of your friendship with him for Dick was perfect in every aspect, however you had been in situations where people have abruptly left your life inexplicably or when you stopped being their little pushover and began to push back when they push you first.

No longer the easily manipulated version of yourself that they wanted you to be as they left to find someone else to manipulate in your place.

You knew dick would never but you’ve been too far hurt before to be so certain that he wouldn’t end up abandoning you when you need him most. So you thought it was best to put distance between you two in hopes that he’d understand and move on without you, even if it did hurt but you weren’t about to put yourself back out their again after everything you’ve been through, it wasn’t worth the heartbreak that would untimely follow with unrequited love.

You’ll happily be his friend but nothing more when there were others out there who could fulfill him better than you ever could.

Jason

You knew you started to feel different towards Jason the moment you woke up and found him making breakfast for the both of you.

It was domestic and sweet that it made your mind wander to what else life with Jason could be like? Would he cuddle you as you slept? Would he let you borrow his jackets like he did now when you got cold? Thoughts like this and many more existed within your head all at the same time that you almost missed what Jason was saying.

‘Hey sleepy head, finally woken up have you?’ He teased as he moved over to you, kissing you on the forehead, something he has started doing recently without reason but it never failed to make your heart flutter.

‘Yeah.’ You chuckled as you felt your cheeks burn but also the fear fester within your chest.

‘I made breakfast for you chipmunk.’ Jason said as he smiled at you before pinching your cheek playfully. ‘So you better eat up before I eat it all myself.’ He adds and quickly you grabbed your plate and began to eat the food Jason made while swatting his hand away whenever it got too close for comfort.

After the brief but playful morning you were left to become worried about your blossoming feelings.

Sure Jason was sweet and loyal as a dog but you had been hurt by people who claimed to be loyal, who only ended up being selfish and as unfaithful as they come. So again while you knew that Jason was loyal, you couldn’t find it in yourself to believe that Jason would ever go for someone like you without getting bored and leaving you much like everyone else did.

So instead of comforting Jason and being upfront about what’s wrong with you, you decided to distance yourself from him and making excuses why you couldn’t hang out with him and Roy and or just ignored whenever he text or called. only to find that he tends to show up at your place when you didn’t answer his texts and calls with a worried look upon his face as he bombards you with questions as to why you were ignoring him.

Gotham isn’t a safe at all and so Jason tended to get protective of you and would want to keep tabs on where you were but not to the overbearing extent, but just enough to give himself a peace of mind of that you were okay. While it was sweet and all but still you found yourself wanting to distance yourself from him in order to guard your heart out of fear and anger towards how your heart practically melted whenever Jason came into view.

You knew better than to give your heart willingly to someone, having learnt it the hard way one too many times that you can only act as though unfazed when Jason did anything remotely sweet for you in general when in reality you were wondering what else he’d do if put in a romantic relationship.

However you could only make yourself satisfied with being his friend, nothing more if it means keeping yourself safe from all harm, whether it be by his hands or someone else’s. It wasn’t worth it and you weren’t exactly eager to trust someone with a heart so fragile it could break from even the slightest of grazes.

While you couldn’t shut yourself from Jason forever, you could however shut yourself off in other ways.

[skiiyoomin]

HII!! Idk if your taking requests rn but if you still do,can you please do Bakugou having a emo gf?? I honestly don't know if you still write mha stuffs, so ignore this if you don't!! 🙏🙏

ღBakugou having an emo gf

ʚCont: Swearing, fem! reader

⤑Back to navigation

a/n hi!! idk if you wanted it to be texts or a oneshots or wtv so i went with headcanons!! and yess i still write for mha, my inbox is open if you get creative ;)) also, my conception of emo might but kinda stereotypical so i apologize in advance!!

Bakugou had an emo phase in middle school and you can NAWTTT change my mind. Now that he´s older and more mature, he´s become closeted about this phase of his. But trust, if he hears any type of emo music, he knows deep down in his soul that he´s jamming to that shit.

That is why, in terms of how aggressive he is with people, emos are at the bottom of the list, including you.

Of course, when you first walked into class he was still the abrasive person he is. Nevertheless, it was clear to anyone who had known him long enough, that he treated you with just a little more respect than he did with others.

You never understood it, but you never questioned it either. What little bit of peace there was with the blonde was to remain untouched and unshattered. That is until Mina whispered ideas into your head that Bakugou had a thing for you. At first, you tried to convince yourself that it was just Mina gossiping as always. But that didn´t mean you weren´t just the slightest bit more aware of Bakugous mannerisms towards you.

During his infatuated phase, though he would rather die than call it that, he had walked past your room only to stop abruptly when the muffled music reached his ears. The rythm of Panic! At The Disco was heard through your speakers, your melodic voice humming the lyrics. He´d be lying if he said he didn´t know the songs by heart. He did.

And despite his embarrassment of people having this knowledge, his gut told him you wouldn´t judge. Hence why he found himself knocking on your door.

"Bakugou? Do you need something?" You ask, not having expected the sudden visit.

Why did he come here again? His throat suddenly felt dry and his tongue heavy.

"I heard your music down the hallway, it´s too damn loud" Smooth Bakugou smooth.

"Oh. Is it? I´ll turn it down"

Just as you turn back around, he abruptly speaks.

"I like it" Well that sounded dumb "The group I mean. It used to be my favorite"

If you weren´t surprised before you sure are now. Yet you didn´t dislike it.

"Really?....Wanna come in to listen?"

The friendship stage was blurry to say the least. Neither of you knew whether you were treading a line between friends or lovers. But it felt right.

The respect he held for you from the beginning grew the more he learned about you. Between all the dumbasses and extras he was surrounded with, you seemed to be the one with the most refreshing mind. Your passions and views about the world amaze him to no end and he finds himself learning from you.

Of course, everyone else could see the palpable tension between you. It was clear as day yet neither of you made a move. It was infuriating and your dear classmates could only take so much before they intervened. Luckily, a small push was all that was needed for things to go smoothly.

They went with the classic plan. Making plans with friends only to end up ditching you and leaving you all alone with your now crush. Bakugou caught on quicker than you did. And while he wanted to strangle the idiots, he knew it was now or never, he had to stop chickening out.

"What are we?" He asks out of the blue while walking back to the dorms. He could feel your eyes on him, but he didn´t turn his head, too scared to look.

"What do you want us to be?" You counterask, your heart inevitably thumping in your chest.

"If I tell you will you still stay?" You can only muster a nod.

"I want us to stop dancing around our feelings. I want to take you out. On a real date"

With a grin, you lean close and place a kiss to his blossoming cheek. "I´ve been waiting for you to ask"

The relationship wasn´t all that different. Rather, it was more like an upgrade. He still does the things he does but now under the claim of being your boyfriend. And yes, he came out of the emo closet, though it was pretty transparent. Don´t tell him that though.

[kaziwi]

one piece boys reaction to a f!reader who cries whenever she is angry (include whoever you want, but put Law, Zoro and Sanji please)

agagagaga i love requests like these <3 sorry it’s a bit long but i hope you enjoy!!

Character(s): Law, Zoro, Sanji

WC: 1,460

Reader Who Cries When Angry

Law

It was just a simple misunderstanding...why did you get so frustrated???

No. It wasn't your fault...it was HIS

Your boyfriend, Law, had asked that you accompany him on exploring the newest island, YOU, like only and specifically you

Of COURSE you thought this was a date kinda thing because it had been like 100000 years since Law had taken you out and omgomgomg you were so excited

You had put on a little bit extra makeup and did your hair nicer as you met Law on the docks

"You look nice," he commented. You screamed and did a little dance in your head but put on a calm smile for him

It seemed Law had made up his mind on where you two were going because instead of heading to town, you were both trudging up a hill in the middle of the woods

Maybe he was bringing you to a flower field....OR maybe he was going to give you a big old kiss under a cherry blossom tree

Ok maybe you were a bit ahead of yourself...but you couldn't help but wonder???

Then Law abruptly stopped in front of you and crouched down over a bush. You decided to repeat his actions to find out what he was staring at. There were small berries in the bush, all with different colors and sizes.

He opened his bag and pulled out a notebook and pen and handed it to you.

"Write as I talk," he commanded, and who were you to disobey your captain.

Law went on for what seemed like forever about these berries and described them all in detail. You wrote down as much as you could till your hand started to cramp, but thank god by then he was basically over.

He mumbled a small thank you as he took the notebook back, quickly revised the notes you had taken, and stood back up.

"Alright lets head back"

What...did he mean...head back...

WHERE WERE THE FLOWERS AND THE KISSES?????

"Law...." you asked calmly, "what are we doing out here?"

Law looked at you a little funny and said, "Well I read that these berries are only found on this island. I read about their different properties and wanted to see them for myself."

"And why did you choose me of all people to come out here with you..?"

"Well you have the neatest handwriting."

That had done it.

You wanted to scream and yell and make angry hand gestures at him....but all you could do was cry

It was like a dam broke and you just couldn't stop

Law looked more confused than he had ever looked in his life...then rushed over to you like the good boyfriend he SHOULD HAVE BEEN

Law continued to ask what was wrong...but all you could do was cry

When you FINALLY calmed down...you explained to him that you thought this was a date...and were ANGRY at him for not making it one

Lets just say this story ends with Law buying you icecream and giving you a million kisses mwah mwah

Zoro

In his defense he had no clue you were gonna start crying

He just wanted to give you a taste of your own medicine

You always LOVED to prank him along with Luffy and Usopp

None of those pranks were CRAZY...just little silly tricks like banana peals on the floor to slip on or throwing water balloons at him...but either way they annoyed him

SOMEHOW he thought of the genius idea to prank you back...

Though Zoro's definition of a prank IS NOT what you'd think it was.....

The crew had just arrived on a new island and everyone went their separate ways to explore

Zoro had insisted that you and him take a walk in the woods, and even though you were against it since he ALWAYS gets lost…you reluctantly followed along…

Zoro had the perfect plan in his head….he was going to walk ahead…hide behind some some trees..and then SCARE YOU (he’s not the most creative with these things)

He had suddenly ran ahead..saying that he spotted something and leaving you alone

He SWORE he only ran only a minute or two ahead, just enough where he could wait and hide…

But that was an hour ago…and Zoro was waiting FOREVER..till he heard you..

SOMEHOW in running 2 minutes ahead he got himself lost

So there you were frantically calling his name while the sun quickly set

You really REALLY didn’t wanna be out here in the dark looking for him… and the creepy forest sounds did not help

A small rustle caught you attention..so you walked closer to the sound…till ZORO in all his glory jumped out of the tree and yelled boo

You were so startled that you fell back and hit the forest floor..while Zoro started CACKLING

You were tired…scared…hungry…and PISSED

As much as you wanted to scream your head off at him and punch him 10000 times…all you could do was start to cry

He stopped laughing as soon as he heard your sobs and felt frozen when he saw you crying

He never cried when you pulled tricks on him..SO WHY WERE YOU??????

“WHY ARE YOU CRYING,” he yelled, meaning it to come off more comforting

“CAUSE YOU SCARED ME,” you yelled back while still crying

After some back and fourth yelling..Zoro admitted he was wrong..but SWORE he didn’t get lost..you did

And you were so gonna prank him back for this one

Sanji

Now Sanji RARELY ever made you mad

You always laughed when you heard people complaining about their partners because your boyfriend was just perfect

Though one thing did kinda piss you off….his flirting

Now don’t get it confused you LOVED when he flirted with you…but it was the flirting with every woman he saw that bugged you

Usually you brushed it off and reminded yourself that he loved you more…but this time was different

You were helping him pick supplies at an island you stopped at, a usual job between the two of you

Though your palette wasn't as refined as Sanji's, you still were good at picking what food was best for the crew

Sanji had spotted a stand in the market with fruits native to the island, which were apparently very rare

He looked like a kid in a candy store while talking to you about the fruits, and all was well UNTIL the shop vendor came over

Now this girl was GEORGOUS like looked like Boa Hancock your jaw dropped when you saw her....and so did Sanji's...

Immediately he showered her with compliments and praises, just the usual....but instead of turning him down like the usual girls do...she flirted back...

Whatever...who cares...I mean it was bound to happen soon...but surely Sanji wouldn't take it too far...

You honestly didn't care too much...only a little jealous...TILL SHE INVITED HIM TO HER HOUSE

The vendor basically had said that she would show Sanji some of her new recipes that she made with the fruit and would love to talk about technique....IN HER HOUSE

Why couldn't they just do that here??? and even better why don't they just end the conversation now!!

Deep down you BELIEVED in your boyfriend and knew he wouldn't accept the invitation....until he did

A quick kiss on your forehead and a quick goodbye he left with the vendor and started to walk to her house...

What. Just. Happened.

So first he leaves you to hangout with this RANDOM lady...AND THEN LEAVES YOU TO FINISH THE SHOPPPING

It was later in the evening when he came back to the Sunny...a new recipe book in tow

He was excited to show it off to you, and was happy to hear that you finished the shopping for him!!

Sanji found you in the kitchen, putting away the food in the pantry

"Y/N!! Look at this amazing new recipe book I got from that vendor, you'd love this one-"

He looked up from his rant to notice that you were crying...

Sanji dropped the book and ran to you, begging you to tell him what was wrong

You wanted to stay silent and angry at him, but the tears kept pouring out and you just wanted him to hold you

You told him how upset his flirting made you and how him leaving with the other woman made you furious

He immediately apologized and honestly didn't stop for the rest of the night

He swore to you that he would tune down the flirting and that he would bring all his attention to you

And he kept that promise well, minimalizing the complements towards other women, even dialing it down around Nami and Robin

He truly was sorry and vowed to himself to never make you cry again

[baldval]

I know know this might seem weird but can you maybe write a one shot or something where it’s vox trying to win the reader and he does the cheesy standing outside with a boombox or speaker or something playing a love song? I don’t know what it is but I can see him doing that. weirdly enough I feel like it’d also be funny because I imagine if it was at the hotel and imagine alastor ends up messing with the boombox or speaker and makes it play something embarrassing like baby shark or something saying he’s a loser and he gets all embarrassed and ends up destroying it and regrets it almost immediately

while Angel is making fun of Vox calling him a simp and he (and everyone except Charlie who is trying to hold it in or thinks it’s sweet and romantic)is dying from laughter on how bad it failed 🤣

and poor Vox gets so embarrassed he just zaps away to be made fun of by the other V’s without hearing a response from the reader

and call me a sucker but it ends up being funny and sweet to the reader

SAY ANYTHING!₊˚⊹♡

characters: vox x gn!reader

wc: 714

warnings: cursing, REALLY cheesy but i love it 😭

Vox paced nervously outside the grand hotel, a cascade of conflicting emotions churning within him.

Tonight marked the culmination of countless nights spent wrestling with his feelings for you, and he was determined to lay his heart bare.

He wasn't used to this chasing thing, of course he had flirted with other people before, but usually they all rapidly complied.

However, you deserved more.

You deserved a GRAND gesture.

A rom-com kinda gesture, something you would remember forever.

And there is nothing more romecomish than standing outside playing a love song from his speaker.

This wasn't his type of thing, he had to admit that.

But for you? He would do anything.

Unsure of how he felt, all his focus was on one thing:

"y/n is going to love this"

With a flourish, he raised the boombox high above his head, its speakers belting out a tender love ballad that echoed through the night air.

It was cheesy, he knew that.

But to him, all that mattered was you.

"The fuck is that sound?" Angel asks, looking over at Husk as he shrugs his shoulders.

Vaggie looked out the window. "It's the fucking tv."

Alastor appeared by her side, also looking out the window.

He turned to look at Vaggie, his smile turning even more sinister as he disappeared again.

"y/n this one's for you sweetie." Angel shouts, teasing.

"What is?" You walk down the stairs, towards the lobby.

"Look out the window." Angel stands up from the sofa and accompanies you.

Your heart swelled with affection as you watched Vox standing there, his determination etched into every line of his face.

His heart started pounding in his chest the minute he saw your face on the window, summoning the courage to shout out your name, to let you know just how much you meant to him.

But before he could utter a single word, the music abruptly changed, replaced by the unmistakable sounds of fucking Baby Shark.

A wave of mortification washed over Vox as he fumbled to silence the mocking tune, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. Alastor's laughter rang out from somewhere nearby, followed by Angel's teasing jibes.

"He's such a loser." Angel's laughter bubbled up as he walked away from the window, leaving you there.

You couldn't help but smile at the desastrous, but endearing attempt from Vox.

Vox's frustration boiled over as he struggled to shut off the boombox, his pride wounded by the unexpected turn of events. With a muttered curse, he finally succeeded, but the damage had been done.

As the laughter of the other demons echoed through the hotel, you knew you had to do something. Wrapping a coat around your shoulders, you hurried outside to find Vox, your heart pounding in your chest.

When you reached the spot where he had been standing, you found it empty, Vox having vanished into the night. But you refused to let him slip away without a word.

"Vox?" you called out softly, scanning the darkness for any sign of him.

A moment later, Vox materialized before you, his expression a mix of embarrassment and uncertainty. "I-I'm sorry, y/n. I didn't mean for it to go like that."

You stepped closer, a gentle smile playing on your lips. "It's okay, Vox. I thought it was sweet."

Vox's eyes widened in surprise, a flicker of hope igniting within them. "Really?"

You nodded, reaching out to take his hand in yours. "Really. I appreciate the effort you put into it."

A warm flush spread across Vox's cheeks as he returned your gaze, his heart swelling with joy. "I don't know if you got to hear the song, but what I'd meant for it to be was, kinda like a rom-com, I know you love those so-"

"I know what you meant Vox." Your hand lightly grazed his arm, stopping his rambling.

In that moment, the tension that had hung between you melted away, leaving only the undeniable bond that connected you. With a soft smile, Vox leaned in, his lips meeting yours in a tender kiss that spoke volumes of the love he felt for you.

As you melted into his embrace, the world faded away, leaving only the two of you, lost in the sweetness of the moment.

[bloggingboutburgers]

this past week my qpp of almost two years broke up with me. and i know for you, you said you wouldn't necessarily feel heartbroken if your qpr came to an end, but for me, it felt more heartbreaking than some of my past romantic breakups. this whole thing made me wonder if maybe im not queerplatonic or aro enough to be in a qpr, or if id ever want to be in a qpr again. but seeing you post about your qpr gives me hope that queerplatonic love is something that i can experience fully. so thank you for always sharing your story, because that's what's helping me heal right now <3

Aah, to be perfectly honest, as much as I sorta "downplay" it compared to what it must feel for people who experience romantic attraction... I've had a time where I almost felt like I couldn't go on with my QPP as well and the sheer thought of it was really hard to bear too, so my words here aren't necessarily being very fair to the reality of things.

It was during the travel ban of March 2020 to November 2021 where citizens of my country and others weren't allowed to enter the US unless we spent 15 days in a country that wasn't banned. It made it much harder than usual to visit my partner and as it was nearing 2 years with nobody aware it was going on anymore and US people more concerned about whether they'd be able to have turkey for Thanksgiving, my hope was running really thin. So for a few days in mid-October, as I was at rock bottom, I was starting to write in passing to my partner about how maybe going on wasn't worth it because the separation was too hard on us, it wasn't showing signs of stopping, and the whole thing maybe wasn't worth the pain if they could live their life happily and not have to worry about me who couldn't visit.

And then we videocalled at some point, and when they tearfully told me that even if it did end then and there, they wanted me to keep the promise ring they'd recently given me, I suddenly felt a quiet rage in me going like "No. Fuck this. Look at them. I love them. And I love this too much to allow some cruel governmental decision to end it. If it ever ends, it'll be because WE want it to end. Not because of shit like this."

...I'm making it sound super dramatic but yeah long story short this is also a big reason why we're planning to get married. So that when the US government decides to put a ban on countries including mine again, they can't stop us from vibing together this time.

I guess... I still don't wanna 100% assume we'll be together forever because I don't wanna trap them in a situation they may no longer feel happy in. We're doing great now, but I still have it in the back of my mind that maybe someday they'll get sick of me (they say they never will and that'd be dope if they never did, but never say never and all), or we'll both just want other things, and if it ends like that, then... Yeah, that'd be alright. Much more alright than the way it almost ended.

(...Oh, and for the record, if a friendship of mine ended abruptly, or if my brothers stopped being on good terms with me, I'm pretty sure I'd be just as heartbroken, to be fair. And it'd feel like my reality was collapsing a little. I guess anything ending, any human connection ending, has that effect to a degree, if it's important enough, after all.)

Though describing things like that does make it a bit harder to define what makes it "queerplatonic" as opposed to "romantic", I still... Just have that feeling in my gut that it isn't romance, y'know? It's kinda... A mix between being close friends and being an old married couple without ever having gone through the grandiose passion-honeymoon phase. Maybe that phase IS what defines romance per se. I don't know. Maybe someday I'll find more answers, but it's kinda hard to find answers when you have no idea how romance works to begin with I guess 🙈

In any case... Sorry if I caused any confusion or if I made you question your validity. The thing is pretty simple to be honest: if you feel you're aro, you're veeeeeery likely to BE aro. Because nobody can make that call but you and nobody can name the relationships you have but you. And if amongst everything you even FOUND the words "aro" or "queerplatonic" in a world where those identities and types of relationships are so aggressively hidden or erased, then it's gotta stand for something.

...I guess at the very least THIS I can be certain of TwT Sorry I'm a bit messy about all of this myself, I'm still also going on about it trying to figure it out day by day, but I owed it to you and everyone to be honest. These things are hard to define and I hope to keep finding better and better words to do so someday. TwT

[serendipityandbenevolence]

Arlecchino x GN Reader (SAGAU)

I kinda can’t believe that I’ve written 3 fanfics in 24 hours, after not writing for a year, but idk. I’m motivated and don’t have much else to do (except ignoring my bio homework) (send help, what the hell is osmosis?) I thought about writing for Pantalone next, but @nervouseaglelover requested Arlecchino and I am nothing if not a people pleaser. This may be ooc, but idk SAGAU is nothing if not ooc if we’re being honest. I’m starting this at 6'o clock my time, so hopefully it’ll be done by 9 or 10, if I’m being productive.

Contains - Arlecchino girlbossing, gaslighting and gatekeeping you, her being obsessed with you, mentions of death and murder, mentions of Dottore's head collection (don't ask, it came to me in a dream), tartaglia being beat up by Arlecchino for the second time in this series

Part one is here - the masterlist for the other endings is here

“Arlecchino?”

If you were being entirely honest, you expected a little more … decorum when you had called for Arlecchino. Not the veritable swarm of Harbingers that appeared in your doorway, the moment her name had left your mouth. All of the Harbingers, excluding the one whose name you had uttered. 

Tartaglia was at the front of the pack, to little surprise, with his eyes bright with curiosity and a liveliness you rarely saw through a screen. Tucked away to the side was Pantalone, who looked far more … weary than you had expected. His eyes, compared to Tartaglia’s, were bloodshot and dull, with an aura of tiredness radiating off him. You could faintly see the silhouettes of who you assumed to be Capitano and Pierro in the back, looming over the others, and Signora, who stood tall behind Tartaglia, eyes fixed coldly upon you.

You waited, expecting someone to explain why they were ominously standing in your doorway, eyes silently surveying you. But no explanation came and no more movements were made, they seemed almost fixed in your doorway, as though they were waiting for something from YOU. 

“Arlecchino?”

You repeated her name again, craning your neck to see if she was merely hidden behind one of her coworkers, concealed by her taller companions. But she did not appear, and you were beginning to wonder if she was not there at all.

Until a perfectly manicured hand reached through the flock of Harbingers and firmly gripped Tartaglia by his hair, dragging him away from the doorway as she stepped into his place.

“Tartaglia, it is awfully rude to be lingering in the doorway like that, not even bothering to greet Their Grace. Such impoliteness does not make a good first impression.”

Arlecchino’s sweetly poisoned words broke the silence, inspiring a string of curses from the 11th Harbinger and some muffled laughter from what sounded like the Balladeer, although you could not see him to confirm. But Arlecchino ignored them and turned to you, eyes soft and yet … hungry. Possessive. 

“You called for me, Your Grace? How may I be at your service?”

Her honeyed words and dark eyes had you entranced, almost unable to speak, to respond to her question.

“Oh, I was just wishing to speak to you…”

Arlecchino’s smile widened and she stepped into your room, spinning to address her fellow Harbingers.

“Well, you heard Their Grace. I will be … conversing with them, so please give us some privacy. I’m certain that you all can find something else to do with your time, rather than stand here awkwardly.”

The crack of her slamming the doors in the other Harbingers faces made you jump, but you barely had time to process it before Arlecchino started prowling towards you. Her smile was friendly, but the darkness in her eyes remained, making you nervous. At least, that’s what you assumed those feelings were.

“Oh, Your Grace, look at your hair! It must have gotten all matted while you were resting. Here, let me fix it for you.”

“Huh? My hair feels fi-”

Your words were abruptly cut off as Arlecchino sat down on the side of your bed, tugging you towards her as she wrapped her arms around your waist, pressing your back to her chest. One of her hands made its way to your head, but rather than attempting to fix any knots that may or may not exist, she just tucked your hair behind your ears. 

“Your Grace, I understand that you may be worried about those heretics who attempted to take your life. I would like to assure you that you are perfectly safe and that I am ensuring you will never have to worry about them ever again.” She whispered softly into your ear.

Still caught up with the whiplash of the hair, to the hugging, to the thinly veiled threats of murder, you found yourself rather unable to form a coherent response, instead choking out a rather unintelligent sounding ‘mhm’. But Arlecchino didn’t seem to mind, instead giggling softly at your lack of a response. 

“I’m glad to see that you are … unbothered by your attackers. My children are hard at work making sure you are kept safe, but knowing that you are already at ease makes me a little less concerned for you.”

“Your children? Do you mean the children of the House of the Hearth?” You finally managed to ask, only just now able to form meaningful sentences again.

“Indeed, you are very intelligent, Your Grace! My children are fetching the heads of your attackers as we speak, bless their hearts. My children are very devoted to you, I hardly even needed to make the suggestion to track down those pieces of scum. I have a great many heads already, if you wish to see them? I have made sure that they are well preserved, so you can gaze upon the mostly intact heads of your enemies without the fear of them beginning to smell.” 

“Oh! That’s … uhm … very kind of you? I don’t think I need to see any heads though?”

“Very well then, I will give them to Dottore to add to his collection. I’m sure he will find them a rather pleasant gift, although perhaps not as nice as being able to slay your enemies in person.”

While trying to cope with the second round of emotional whiplash in the last 5 minutes, mostly due to the unwanted knowledge of the fact that the Doctor has a HEAD COLLECTION, you turned to Arlecchino, hoping to inquire more about her ‘children’.

But instead, you found her staring at you with an uncharacteristically stern expression.

“Your Grace.”

“Arlecchino?”

She leaned in close to you, so your faces were only inches apart. You would have thought it was romantic if her eyes were not quite so severe.

“I am a Harbinger. But I am a devotee to you, first and foremost. So, should the need ever arise … Say the word and I will kill any of them.”

“Pardon?” You managed to choke out.

“You heard me, Your Grace. Say the word and I will kill any Harbinger, any Archon, any human or beast that you wish.” 

Arlecchino kept eye contact with you for only a moment longer, before smiling and releasing you from her grasp, standing as she did so.

“I believe I hear Pierro calling for me. Forgive me, Your Grace, I must leave you to rest now.”

“But I don’t hear anyone calling for you?”

“Oh? Maybe you were not listening hard enough?” She smiled sweetly and made her way to the door, her lingering words all that remained of her, despite your hurried pleas for her to stay.

“Sweet dreams, Your Grace.”

I actually wrote this in less then 2 hours, I’m lowkey impressed with myself. I know the ending is kinda rushed and vague, but i also totally see Arlecchino gaslighting you like that to get out of a convo. I had a really good time writing this, so I hope yall have a good time reading this! Probably Pantalone next? Idk, we’ll see. I’ve learned not to make promises about my writing anymore.

[formulateez]

mission failed (TEASER) | op81 + ln4

pairing: oscar piastri x fem!reader x lando norris

genre: filthy smut with a hell of a build up summary: the last time oscar and y/n had their fun, lando had to hear all of it. out of playful retaliation, he tries to fuck with them as a joke, but it backfires and he ends up literally fucking with them. word count: definitely something over 4-5k words, it's not exactly finished right now note: for the sake of the plot, oscar and lando share an apartment in monaco and y/n has been friends with the both of them for quite some time now :D

warnings: 100% nsfw, threesome, lots of making out, oral (m and f receiving), just barely any mxm but its not really the focus here, someone gets restrained for a moment, use of pet names, definitely more but i have yet to actually reach the smut part! i also haven't decided if i wanna make it a dp fic or not... :P requested?: no, but @/ay7ton's reblog gave me the inspo for this fic so i felt inclined to write it bc who wouldn't wanna get tag teamed by landoscar :D

extras: dividers and banners made with template from @/cafekitsune !! gif is from @/oqiwans !! // also!! if anyone would be interested in being in the taglist for whenever i get to posting this fic, feel free send me an ask or a dm!! <33

Oscar listens closely for the sound of the door locking, almost guaranteeing a few moments of privacy. You could feel Oscar almost tense up, looking over to your left to glance at Oscar. Before you could have a chance to speak, Oscar's lips already found themselves on yours.

Despite your eyes widening, you don’t hesitate to return the kiss. It’s gentle yet still heated, leaving shivers trailing down both of your spines. Almost as if neither can get enough, the kiss deepens, and Oscar moves to softly push you onto your back.

Oscar's hands roam your body with familiarity, while your hands find a slight grip in his hair. Your hearts nearly pound in unison as you both knew that Lando could walk into the living room at any moment. The both of you fought to keep your situationship a secret, but the adrenaline from the risk of getting caught brought too much excitement to pass up. You find yourself consistently peeking at the bathroom door, almost bracing for Lando to interrupt the moment.

Oscar's lips softly graze your cheek as he starts to trail kisses down your jaw, making their way to your neck. You lightly grip Oscar's hair, silently warning him to not leave any visible marks.

Oscar’s lips briefly tug into a smirk before he softly whispers, “Pretty girl, you know pulling on my hair like that is just going to make me wanna mark you even more.”

You rolle your eyes as you tug him down by his hair to connect your lips again. Both of you were momentarily distracted and didn’t notice that the shower had just shut off.

Panic flashes through Oscar as he hears the door unlock, and he abruptly breaks apart from you. You almost didn’t want that moment to end, and you found yourself wishing that Lando would occupy himself just a little longer. You couldn’t help but want to steal a few more kisses from Oscar. With the way Oscar's final glance towards you appeared, it seems as if he thought the same. The both of you quickly situate yourselves and return to whatever you both were previously doing on your phones.

Oscar debates in his head before opening his mouth to speak. “I had fun watching those two Transformers movies with you earlier. I used to think the movies were kinda corny but they’re fun to watch with you.” You felt a slight blush creep onto your cheeks as a soft smile tugs at your lips. 

“Yeah,” you contently sigh, “I had fun too, usually people don’t really enjoy my taste in movies.”

Oscar returns your smile before taking a step towards you, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear. Gently grabbing your waist, his voice drops to a low, intimate tone. “Speaking of which, I was thinking we could continue that fun in my room. Free from the worry of Lando wondering why we’re taking forever to clean up.”

[mrs-bucky-barnes106]

౨ৎ good morning ౨ৎ

summary: reader and bucky are very much in love and have their morning routine down to a tee. bucky manhandles the reader a lot but not in a weird way, just in an "i love you and can't live without you" kinda way.

warning: fluffffff (bucky and reader are EXTREMELY in love and love to show it)

wc: 1.8k

pairing: domestic!bucky x reader

a/n: I wrote this between the hours of 11PM-1AM when i was feeling especially psychotic. I am so sleep deprived I’m sorry. But I just came up with this sweet little scenario and had to write it down. This is why I shouldn’t be allowed to daydream.

playlist:

౨ৎ

You opened your eyes, groaning as soft sunlight filtered through your open blinds. You tried remembering the dream you had just abruptly woken up from. Something about a tall, muscular, brown-haired man. The man of your dreams. The man whose arms were now around you from behind, caging you to his warm chest.

You turned around to find Bucky gently stirring in the light of the sunrise. You reached your arms out around his shoulders as he slowly blinked his eyes open. You were both morning people and were glad for it because it meant the two of you were in sync. Neither of you got much sleep, what with Bucky being plagued by his nightmares and you by your insomnia. However, you were in it together, making hell sightly more endurable.

“Good morning, sunshine,” he mumbled with a sweet smile, burying his face in your chest. You squirmed slightly in his arms as his thick beard scratched your chest. You were coming to like his grown-out facial hair. It made him look like a soft teddy bear rather than a violently beautiful Greek god. Yes, you quite preferred this look to his freshly shaven one with his chiseled cheekbones and jawline of steel on full display. With his beard, he looked somewhat more approachable, more domestic, and more lovable than ferociously intimidating.

“Good morning, my moonlight,” you whispered. He was the moonlight to your sunshine, the darkness to your light. He complimented you so perfectly that it sometimes made you want to cry.

Bucky interrupted your thoughts by pulling your body on top of his. “Mmh, I love you so much,” his voice was slightly muffled as his face was still smushed against your chest, and he wrapped his thick arms around your back, securing you in place on top of him.

“I love you too, baby boy,” you combed your fingers through his hair. It was much shorter than it used to be, but it was starting to grow out like his beard. You were not complaining, however. The long summer days the two of you spent swimming in the pool caused his hair to curl at the ends, and it was a lighter shade of brown now than it was during the colder months.

“Wanna stay here with you forever,” Bucky mumbled into your chest, peppering sweet kisses to your neck and jawline before lazily moving his lips all over your face.

“C’mon, Bucky, you say this every morning,” you giggled. “We gotta get up soon, bubs. We have things to do and people to see.” You pushed his face away, scrunching your nose when you caught a whiff of his morning breath.

“They can wait,” he muttered, half-heartedly batting his arm at the air like a petulant child. You almost giggled but caught yourself. You couldn’t encourage him on like this. You actually did have a lot of errands to run later in the day and a long to-do list to accomplish. While you wanted nothing more than to indulge Bucky (because, duh, why would you want to do anything but lay here in your soft bed, basking in the morning light with the man you loved), you knew you needed to be an adult and put your responsibilities first if you wanted to prevent your life from falling apart. You decided to give him ten more minutes. After that, you would force yourself to get up.

You almost fell back asleep, tangled up in his arms. In fact, you probably would have if it hadn’t been for your grumbling stomach. You were past the point in your relationship where this embarrassed you. In fact, you were grateful to your stomach for choosing to be so loud because otherwise, you might not have gotten out of bed all day.

But before you could leap out of bed and berate Bucky for almost making you fall asleep again, he leaped up, carrying you like a child. Of course, he would get up when you were in danger of being hungry. “Can’t let my pretty doll starve, now can I?” he smirked down at you.

“Barnes, you have five seconds to put me down!”

“Five, four, three, two…,” Bucky ran into your shared bathroom, clutching you in his arms like you were a football. “…one! Touchdown!” he plopped you down on the toilet’s closed lid, holding onto your shoulders for balance as he let out a belly laugh.

“I hate you,” but you were smiling a mile wide even as you said it.

“Aw, that’s too bad, doll,” Bucky fake-pouted at you, backing away out of the bathroom. “Because I lava you very very much.” He said the last part in his silliest baby voice, scrunching up his face to give you air kisses as he turned to leave.

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help grinning like you had won the lottery. Truthfully, you had won the lottery because if wealth was measured in happiness, you were ecstatic, floating above everyone else. It was the same silly routine every morning, with Bucky forcing you to cuddle him in bed for at least a half hour and then bolting up with you in his arms whenever your stomach grumbled. He knew you were grumpy when you didn’t have any food in you, so he started on breakfast when you got ready in the bathroom. When you offered to switch roles, he said this was optimal since you liked to brush your teeth before breakfast, and he brushed his teeth after. Your heart melted at the memory. Your boyfriend got your breakfast ready for you when you came downstairs. Every single morning, without fail. It was the little things that made you fall in love over and over.

You finished your skincare routine and headed downstairs to find the same scene as every morning: Bucky with a kitchen towel over one shoulder, plating whatever he made for breakfast. Today, he had made a fluffy stack of pancakes and scrambled eggs. He had even gone the extra mile to put spinach and chopped tomatoes in the eggs and had added fresh berries and banana slices on top of the pancakes. The sight of the sticky sweet syrup oozing down the sides of them was enough to make your mouth water.

You snuck up behind him and snaked your arms around his torso. “I love you, I love you, I love you,” you punctuated each one with a kiss to his shoulder blades and neck. “Did I tell you how grateful I am to have you in my life?”

“Only about a HUNDRED TIMES A DAY,” he turned around quickly in your arms, grabbing you under the thighs to lift you up. He clasped his arms together, forming a sort of seat in midair. You threw your arms around his shoulders and crashed your lips onto his, melting into him, his pillowy lips warm on yours.

You barely noticed that he had backed into the fridge until you felt the cool metal against your back through Bucky’s thin cotton T-shirt. You continued kissing him voraciously and suddenly remembered Tony scarfing down a Burger King cheeseburger when he had returned from his brief kidnapping in the desert.

You broke away laughing at the mental comparison you made of yourself kissing Bucky to Tony when he was starving after being in the desert.

“Whatcha laughin’ at doll?” Bucky panted, a slight smile creeping onto his lips.

“Oh, nothing,” you panted back. “Just shut up and kiss me.” You were back to business, your lips back on his, feeling like a dog deprived of its bone. Bucky opened the refrigerator door, never once breaking the kiss. You kept your eyes closed, one hand still raking through his soft hair as you used the other to grab the milk carton from the door. You secured it in your hand without faltering, then brought your hand back to rest against his shoulder blade as Bucky shut the door and walked you back over to the counter. Once you safely sat down, you pulled away, gasping for air, desperate as a fish out of water for more of him. His hands were on your hips, his name was on your lips, over and over again like your only prayer.

Bucky grabbed his mug of coffee from where he had left it in the coffee machine and brought it to where you sat, a bright smile adorning his face. You returned the grin and poured a smidge of milk into his cup. When you had first started living together, you were aghast to find that Bucky drank his coffee black without a single drop of milk or spoon of sugar. It had taken some convincing, but you were thrilled when he finally agreed to stop torturing himself and drink his coffee with milk like a normal human being. Although he still used less than a tablespoon of milk and no sugar or creamer, it was a start.

You, on the other hand, were the exact opposite, preferring matcha as your morning drink of choice, which required your mug to be 95% full of milk with the other 5% being, of course, the matcha powder, ice cubes, and copious amounts of honey to satisfy your sweet tooth.

“Oh, I heated up some water and mixed in the matcha powder for you already,” Bucky pointed at the mug beside you, his other hand still warm on your thigh.

“Thank you, bubs,” you leaned down to press a chaste kiss to his lips. His cheeks pinked at the suddenness of it, and he ducked his head, shying away from your gaze.

“Aw, it’s nothin’,” he smiled up at you, eyes sparkling beneath his thick lashes. “Here, lemme get you some ice.”

The momentary loss of his hands on your thighs made you whine slightly, but he was back as soon as he left, ice tray in hand.

“Here you are, babycakes.”

You took the tray, beaming at him, then plunked precisely three heart-shaped ice cubes into your cup. You handed the tray back to Bucky, and he left to return it to the freezer before returning to stand between your thighs from where you sat on the countertop. You poured a generous amount of milk into your cup and reached for the honey to drizzle some in. Stirring your drink, you clinked your mug with his before taking your first sip.

You sighed reveling in the mild sweetness of your drink. It was just the way you liked it.

"Alright, doll, let's get some breakfast in you before we run today. We doing intervals or easy?"

"I actually wanted to go for a long run, Buck," you held his gaze from behind your mug.

"Cold plunge after?" he smiled already knowing your answer.

"Yes," you nodded your head vigorously, giddy at the prospect.

౨ৎ

[bluebeary-jay]

scattered thoughts / sharp focus

Joel Miller x f!Reader

Summary: Joel is taken away from you and upon finding him almost-dead... something in you snaps ((kinda part 2 to clouded judgment / clear mind, but you don't necessarily need to read that one))

Tags: ANGST, angst with happy ending, near death experiences, Joel has surprisingly little screen time but you'll see he was there in spirit

Warnings: REALLY graphic descriptions of violence, small panic attacks, KINDA torture(?) 😳, choking, lemme know if i missed something

Word count: 7.5K

A/N: i can't believe i've finally finished it! i aimed for a worthy successor to cj/cm aaand i hope i managed but jeez was it hard. also i told myself i won't be writing sth like that again but i kinda have an idea for the final part (would be hurt/comfort 🤭) so let me know if it's sth you'd like to read. anyway as always happy reading!! 💕🥰 comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated, i absolutely love seeing what you think of my fics!

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

You swallowed your tears and rested the chin on your hands, trying to push back the wave of panic threatening to drown you.

“Tell me again.”

Tommy sighed, his own eyes empty and worried.

“I don’t know who those guys were, but they obviously knew Joel. There was a dark man leadin’ them, and I think he had somethin’ wrong with his lip, but it was too far for me to take a good look. The group consisted of five, maybe six people? And I shot one of them, but he appeared to still be alive when they were leavin’.”

You were silent for a couple of seconds, trying to make sense of it all.

“And where did they take him?”

“I reckon to the old ski resort on the top of the mountain. We ventured pretty far from here to investigate these tracks.”

You nodded and steeled yourself, taking a deep, trembling breath and quickly drying your tears.

“Okay. I’m going.”

“You’re not.” Maria leaned over the table, her expression unyielding. “The decision is final.”

“I am going,” you repeated fiercely, slamming the flat of your hand against the tabletop, but Tommy gave you a stern look, which made you bite your tongue. “Look, I get that you don’t want to lose even more people in a rescue mission–”

“This is not what it’s about,” Maria retorted, almost looking hurt by your words. “Believe me, if I wasn’t carrying another human being inside me, I’d already be going after them. But you have to take other things into consideration.”

“She’s right,” Tommy spoke up quietly, though equally irritably, and you turned sharply to look at him in disbelief. “The route to the resort is very advantageous to fall into an ambush. They could shoot us off like ducks and we’d have nowhere to hide.”

“I don’t care,” you ground out, looking from one to the other. “We can’t leave Joel. He’s your family, for goddamn–”

“You think I don’t know that?!” shouted Tommy abruptly, bringing his hand down onto the table, too. “He’s my fucking brother and was family way before you were even born!”

“Tommy.” Maria kicked him under the table, keeping one hand on her belly. Her husband flared his nostrils, clearly agitated by your words, but you were too angry yourself to care right now. You two glared at each other for some time before Tommy clenched his fists and turned around.

“M’goin’ to get some air,” he said gloomily over his shoulder, already at the door leading outside. Maria sighed and looked at you again.

“Please. Don’t do anything stupid, and I swear I’ll send a group out as soon as this blizzard ends.”

“He can be long dead by then,” you answered gravely, really set off by Tommy’s reaction and his words. You tried to will your tear ducts to hold any signs of stress and worry, not wanting to show your friend how broken and helpless you felt inside. “If it was me, he’d already be halfway there to save me, Maria.”

“I know. But just think about it. If something happens to you…” She shook her head. “How do you think I’d be able to look Joel in the eyes and explain why… how…”

She genuinely seemed at a loss of words, and you sighed, rubbing your eyes tiredly.

“I understand where you’re coming from, I really do. But I need to get him home, Maria. I have to.”

With that, you stood up, feeling like you were going to suffocate if you stayed in the room any longer. You didn’t look back even when you heard Maria calling your name softly.

There wasn’t any sense in discussing the matter with any of them – you made up your mind to go and save Joel and there was no way anyone would make you stay. He wouldn’t hesitate to go and get you if anyone dared to lay a hand on you.

You remembered that one time when he killed a group of men who wanted to use you as a bargaining chip to gain entry to Jackson. And how afterward you told him you’d do the same for him, unable to bear the painful and guilty expression on his face.

Now you planned on doing just that.

You were scared – of course you were, you weren’t stupid – and the nerves were practically eating you alive, gnawing at your bones and hurting your muscles from the inside out.

But the worst was the fear of never seeing Joel again. Of something happening to him. And you couldn’t live with yourself if you didn’t at least try…

“I’m coming with you.”

Your head snapped to the side. There stood Ellie – dressed in a warm jacket and a hat that didn’t cover her ears. Her eyes were full of fire, and you recognized the anger and determination in her expression as the same which were almost suffocating you.

Of course she was eavesdropping on the conversation. It was Joel that it was about, after all, her dad in all but one sense.

And suddenly you understood what Maria meant by not being able to look Joel in the eyes if something happened to you.

“No,” you said curtly, walking past her and out onto the street in the direction of your house.

“I’m not asking for permission.” Ellie was right behind you, and the force of her steps showed just how angry and frustrated she was – just like you felt. “I know you’re gonna go after those guys, and I’m coming with you.”

“You’re not,” you repeated more sternly, not turning around to face her. You reached your house and fumbled to open the door. “You’re staying and that’s fina–”

You stopped yourself and sighed, pressing your forehead against the wooden surface.

It was unfair. You were unfair. If those exact words spoken by Maria have set you off so much, you wouldn’t be surprised if Ellie…

“You’re not my fucking mom, remember?” the girl barked angrily, and you let out a shuddering breath, stressed to your limits with everything that happened in the last few hours. “You can’t tell me what I can and can’t do just because you’re older!”

It’s okay. It’s gonna be fine. Everything is gonna be okay.

“I know,” you whispered after a couple of seconds of silence, still not turning around. “I’m sorry.”

Ellie didn’t answer. You repeated your quiet mantra and glanced over your shoulder at her. “But Ellie, I… I can’t let you go. Joel would never forgive me if something happened to you.”

Jesus. Exactly like Maria.

Ellie still looked pissed at your earlier words, and she crossed her arms over her chest.

“Well, you’re not the only one who cares about him, you know?”

“Yeah, I know. But you’re the one he cares about the most.”

Ellie opened her mouth. Closed it and furrowed her eyebrows, but the irritation in her eyes dimmed. You gave her a small, apologetic smile, trying not to burst into tears.

“He’s gonna be fine, you know,” you lied smoothly, opening the door. “And Maria said she’ll send a group to retrieve him as soon as the storm eases up a bit.”

You didn’t even need to look to know that she didn’t believe you. To be honest, you wouldn’t believe yourself either in this situation.

You waited several seconds to see if the girl wanted to say something else, but after a few moments she spun on her heel and went back, not saying anything. You stared after her, but when the thick snow made her figure just a fuzzy shape, you gently closed the door and pressed the heels of your hands to your eyes.

It’s going to be fine. You’ll get Joel back and all will be okay.

You took a couple of deep – albeit shaky – breaths to pull yourself together, and when you were pretty sure you weren’t about to start crying, you made your way into the kitchen. And stopped short.

At your table sat Tommy, fiddling with his thumbs.

“Fuck, Tommy,” you mumbled, trying to calm down your pounding heart. “You scared the crap out of me.”

The younger Miller looked up, but stayed silent. You looked at each other for a few tense moments, but ultimately you sighed and left him in the kitchen, going to your room to get a backpack and another, more fitting, set of clothes.

He was still there when you returned to the kitchen with your stuff, but you didn’t even pretend you weren’t preparing to head out. The man watched silently as you put the backpack down by the door, went to retrieve and reload your gun, and gathered some essentials on the table, not once glancing in his direction.

You were persistent in ignoring Tommy’s presence, but then he finally spoke up.

“We can go before dawn. I’ll get the horses ready and we will take the fourth gate.”

You froze and stopped what you were doing, then turned around and placed your hand on your hip.

“We can’t take horses up there. Not in this weather.”

“We’ll leave them at the fifteenth checkmark. That place in the East where there are so many swallows durin’ spring.”

You nodded, and your gaze softened when you looked him over. Tommy was just as worried about Joel as you were, you knew it. He was just better at hiding it.

“I’m sorry for what I said,” you murmured, feeling terrible that in such a short amount of time, it was a second person you were apologizing to. “But you know I have to go after him. You know that.”

“Fuck,” he swore quietly, sighing. “Yeah, I know. There’s no way I ain’t goin’ either. Just… I just hate doing somethin’ behind Maria’s back.”

You didn’t answer – because what could you say? That he didn’t have to go with you? As much as you wanted to save Joel, pretending not to care about the dangers or anyone’s opinion, you knew you’d probably die if you went alone. But it didn’t mean you were going to ignore all that Tommy was risking by coming along with you.

“You don’t have to, Tommy,” you whispered. “You have your wife to think about, after all. And your–”

“I know,” he interrupted glumly. “Don’t worry. All of us will come back.”

You nodded. You really hoped he was right.

*****

At first, everything was going according to plan.

At least, until Ellie decided to show up.

She surprised both you and Tommy a couple of miles outside of Jackson, probably thinking that it was far enough that you won’t try to send her away.

You tried anyway. You were understandably furious, not only because she didn’t listen to you, but also that she trailed after you both for so long in this weather. Her reveal caused a short screaming match and a couple of nervous tears shed by you, but eventually you and Tommy decided it’d be more dangerous to make Ellie go back to Jackson alone. So she continued with you to the house where you left your horses, then past it and in the direction of the ski resort.

You didn’t know how many people were at the resort, and there were only the two of you – well, three, counting Ellie, but no matter her stubbornness, you weren’t going to let her go in – and an attack was too risky in this situation.

So you decided to sneak in. To distract and draw the kidnappers’ attention long enough for you to get Joel out.  It was still stupidly risky, but it wasn’t like there were much more options that wouldn’t end in those guys killing all of you. The plan was that Tommy would find a vantage point and be on guard to take down any threats with his sniper rifle if you were noticed, while you go get Joel.

Ellie… Ellie didn’t take no for an answer. And as much as you hated that she tagged along on this dangerous rescue mission, you had to admit that she came prepared. Apparently some time ago Joel taught her how to make trap mines and she pitched the idea of planting some up the mountain to create an avalanche.

Well, you and Tommy were both very much against setting off a full-blown avalanche, but it wasn’t a bad idea per se. So it was agreed that Tommy will help her set the bombs in some strategic places while you wait for a signal to go in.

The sneaking in part was surprisingly easy. The people staying there didn’t leave any guards outside, probably because they didn’t expect that someone would actually look for them in this weather, and it seemed that there weren’t that many of them inside like you feared. You had a vague idea where Joel might be, based on the positioning of the people present, so you reckoned it’ll be the wisest to wait nearby.

It took about an hour of hiding in one of the empty rooms (you had to change your hiding spot once, because someone decided to randomly sweep the perimeter) before you heard distant explosions and panicked, angry yells, and then a rumble of the mountain. You suspected a fair amount of snow was falling down the slope, and you prayed that Ellie and Tommy were in a safe place when that happened.

You heard the sound of footsteps getting further away. Then more of it. It was eerily silent, and you counted to ten in your head, before slowly exiting your hiding spot.

Just as you suspected, Joel was held in the lobby, tied to one of the decorative columns, and even though his back was to you, you’d recognize him anywhere, even by hands or the back of his head alone. A quick glance around the room confirmed that there was no one around, but still you preferred to stay on guard. You silently tip-toed to where he was sitting on the floor, mindful of all the debris scattered on the floor and keeping your head low, and breathed a sigh of relief when you finally reached him.

“Don’t move,” you whispered, barely moving your lips. Your fingers touched his wrist and he budged slightly. You angled your face closer to the left side of his head, hoping he’ll hear you better this way. “It’s me, Joel. I’m gonna get these off you, okay?”

Not waiting for the reply, you took out your knife and started to cut the thick, coarse rope binding Joel’s wrists. You winced at the burns underneath, but you managed not to cut him, which was a feat with how tight the ropes were. He was very still, probably not wanting to handicap you.

“Okay,” you whispered when the last of the thick strands were cut through, and you carefully slid the remnants of the rope from his wrists. “Now follow me, Tommy is…”

Your voice died down when Joel’s arms loosely slumped down, along with his head, and a second later his torso started tilting to the side before heavily hitting the ground.

Your heart stopped in your chest.

“No.” The whispered word escaped you when you hurried around him, now not caring about staying hidden. “No, no, no, please…”

You rolled Joel onto his back and only now saw the damage done to him – his nose broken, face covered in blood, a gash under his left ear, and a still bleeding gunshot wound in his arm. He didn’t look dead, didn’t have that lifeless emptiness around him, but his eyes were closed and his chest was still. You put your ear to his mouth, desperate to feel his breath on your skin, but…

No, it can’t be, it can’t…

You couldn’t feel anything.

“Joel,” you said quietly, taking his face between your hands, but tears were blurring your vision. “Come on, please open your eyes.” A choked sob broke out of your throat and you shook your head when he still didn’t even as much as stir. “Love, please…”

That’s when your eyes landed on a small, glass vial lying discarded some feet away. You looked from it to Joel, tears clouding your vision, and scrambled forward to check it out.

As you suspected, the syringe – because that’s what it turned out to be – had the traces of a thick, translucent liquid in it left. There wasn’t any writing on it, but the glass was clean, unlike various other bottles and wrappings scattered throughout the facility. You stared at it for a couple of seconds, then fixed your gaze on Joel again.

Just as the sound of footsteps started to echo down the hall.

You froze and strained your ears to make sure you didn’t imagine it, then took a look around the room. The doors were slightly ajar, but whoever was coming here, they couldn’t see you just yet. Panic seized your insides and you turned to Joel again.

“Sweetheart, please wake up,” you whispered pleadingly, shaking his shoulders and slapping his cheek lightly. “Come on, look at me, open your eyes…"

The steps were getting louder by the second. You tore the glove off your hand with your teeth and tried to very quickly check Joel’s pulse, but either in your panic you couldn’t find it, or the heartbeat was too slow for you to pick up.

You didn’t consider any other option.

There wasn’t much time left, so finally you left him and quietly went to hide behind the door, waiting for the incomer to walk in. Your hand reached for the gun on your belt.

And paused.

There couldn’t be any other option… right? Joel was alive, you just failed to find his pulse. He…

He was lying, still in the place you left him, and you couldn’t see his chest moving. The blood was flowing from the wound in his arm, staining his jacket and the floor… Your hand, the one holding the pistol, was covered in it, too…

Then you did something you never expected of yourself.

The gun stayed in its holster, and you went to grab from the ground one of the heavier pieces of debris you noticed before, a long metal pipe. Your hands tightened on the metal, and your eyes stayed on Joel’s lifeless form. You took a stifled, nervous breath. Then a deep, steadying one.

The person in the hall was really close now. Joel still didn’t appear to be moving or breathing, and it made your own chest feel tight and painful.

He couldn’t be dead. He couldn’t.

But if they did this, if… if he won’t ever open his beautiful brown eyes again, say your name in that entricing raspy drawl…

The doors to your right opened and your face twisted in rage and resentment. Your muscles tensed and focus sharpened.

The man who walked through the door made a noise of surprise at the sight of Joel lying on the floor – and that inhaling sound, that maddening noise seemed to taunt you, because how dared he breathe when Joel’s own breath was stolen from him, when you weren’t sure if it was still there – right before you stepped forward and swung the pipe with all your might.

The man – dark skin, with short hair – fell down with a loud cry when the harsh metal hit him right in the temple. Your eyes scanned his figure for a weapon, and you hit him again, this time somewhere near his stomach, when he made a move to reach for his knife.

“What did you give him?!” you asked with malice and venom that were so alien to you, you almost didn’t recognize your voice. The man’s eyes focused on you for the first time when you kicked his blade away, and his confusion turned to anger.

“Crazy bitch!” he spat, heaving for air, and lunged at you, but the open wound in his skull must’ve slowed him down, because without any problem you managed to raise your makeshift weapon before he could grab you.

Since you met him so many years ago, you always had Joel to watch your back. Now you were alone, but somehow that thought didn’t scare you. It exhilarated you.

An unpleasant, hair-rising crack echoed in the room, followed by the stranger’s scream, when the heavy metal smashed the bones in the forearm.

“I asked… a simple, fucking, question!” you snarled at the man, bringing the pipe down again, aiming for his hand this time. He moved it away at the last second, which enraged you even more, so with a mad, frustrated scream, you smashed his knee, using the pipe’s momentum when it bounced off the floor. “What the fuck did you do to him?!!”

He screamed, loudly and terribly, cursing at you with every shaky breath he took, and–

You felt so unlike you, so… out of your skin, somehow… but you wanted to make him suffer. You wanted to know this inhuman cry of pain that was reverberating through the walls of the resort was your doing and your power over this bastard. Because of what they did to Joel.

Then a loud bang rang out in the air, and you instinctively ducked your head when a part of the door to your side was shot off. You dropped the pipe – no use for it now – and drew your gun, noticing with surprise that your heart was steady and your breath even, as if you didn’t almost get shot just now.

Another bullet was sent in your direction, and a woman’s voice yelled something inaudible, while you stood still and counted the seconds.

Three, two…

In a rapid movement, you came out of cover and aimed at the person standing in the hall, firing twice. The first bullet hit the woman in the arm while the second seemed to burrow itself in her stomach. She fell backwards with a curt cry, and the man lying at your feet roared with rage.

“No! You fucking bitch, leave her alone!!”

Your motions were almost automatic as you put your gun away and picked up the metal pipe again, its end splattered with blood. The man in front of you had to see something in your eyes – despair? emptiness? hatred? – because his face fell and he started quietly begging for you to stop and let him go. At least that’s what you assumed he was saying, because you didn’t listen to him one bit.

“Do not…” you started, unexpectedly calmly, bringing the end of the blunt weapon down. The impact caused his shinbone to break, and you lingered for just a moment to hear the bitter cracks of the shattered bones, “fucking… go anywhere. Don’t you dare move, hear me?”

The man didn’t answer, just cursed and wept in pain. The sound was horrible, but you almost didn’t notice it – or more accurately, didn’t care. Which would be even more concerning if you weren’t aware of the woman lying injured in the hall behind the door, and Joel, still unmoving and cold to the touch on the other side of the room.

Slowly, not hearing the black man’s cries or distant gunshots from where Tommy probably was taking down the enemies, and not caring about the blood of a stranger covering your jacket and pants, you dropped the pipe and took out your gun again. Then you made your way down the corridor, your eyes locked on the woman who shot at you.

She was groaning in pain, clutching at her stomach. When she noticed you, her hand reached for the pistol which lay discarded next to her, but you quickly lifted your own and aimed at her before she touched it.

“Don’t move,” you murmured, which would sound almost soft if it weren’t for the empty look in your eyes. The woman scanned you up and down, and slowly lifted her hands.

“Who are you?”

“What did you give him?” you asked like you didn’t hear her, coming closer to kick away her gun to the far end of the hall. The woman’s eyes followed the weapon, then shifted to you.

“Do you even know what that man did? What is he guilty of?”

“I know. Now answer the damn question. What did you give–”

The door on your left slammed open and you only had time to turn your head before a heavy body collided with you, pushing you to the wall. Your head hit the bricks with an echoing crack, knocking the breath out of you. A man who surprised you grabbed the material of your jacket and slammed you into the wall again, but you managed to grab his hair and yank it hard, which allowed you to step to the side and away from the point of disadvantage that being trapped against the wall was.

The man – taller than you, with a black eye and without one of the front teeth – was quick to recover, however, and catched the wrist of your hand that held the gun, pushing it to the side when you pulled the trigger. From the corner of your eye you could see the woman you shot curling up and covering her head, then trying to scamper away, but the wound in her stomach was a significant impediment.

You fired again, trying to wrestle the gun from the man, but his grip was strong and after a few seconds of struggle he managed to knock the weapon out of your grasp, sending it flying to where you kicked off the woman’s one earlier.

Not sooner than your hands were empty, his elbow collided with your face, hard, and you cried when a gush of blood started pouring from the broken nose and a cut on your lip. Fear washed over you, and sheer luck caused you to duck to the side in time, avoiding a fist to the temple.

You stumbled backwards a few unstable steps, breathing heavily. The guy was smirking, acting like he already won – but you weren’t about to die in this sleazy, stinky place, leaving Ellie all alone and never knowing why they abducted Joel in the first place.

Joel…

“You’ve made a huge mistake,” said the man quietly, taking one, then two steps forward and swinging again. You backed away a second time, feeling your heart pounding in panic and knowing you didn’t stand a chance against a man of his stature.

Finally your luck ran out, and the man managed to hit you in the jaw, making you taste blood on your tongue. Before you could recover, one of his hands shot forward and grabbed you by the throat, and then, still keeping his big hand on your neck, he brought your entire torso down, slamming you to the ground. You hit your head hard and the glass shards on the floor embedded themselves in your skin, but in the next moment the sound of your painful scream was cut short. The grip the man had on your throat tightened, and you started to have difficulty breathing.

Your eyes budged in fear as realization of what was happening dawned on you, and you started to kick and struggle wildly, reaching for your attacker’s face, but he moved out of reach, still putting his whole weight down on you.

Your fists were hitting his forearms, your nails scratching his cheeks, whatever to make him let go. But he didn’t, his hands still squeezing your throat so strongly and crushing your esophagus.

“After I kill you, I’ll go kill your friend,” your attacker snickered, smiling viciously as he watched ice-cold panic enveloping you. “He’s not worthy of keeping him alive that long, anyway.”

Something ignited inside you at his words.

Joel.

You suddenly remembered the many self-defense lessons Joel had given you, so that whenever he wasn’t there to protect you, you could do it yourself. He was always so afraid for your life…

Slowly and with great effort, your fingers crept down, searching for the handle of your hunting knife, while dark spots started to appear before your vision, partially covering the sneering face of the man crushing your windpipe. He said something else – something you didn’t even hear because of the ringing in your ears…

And then with the last bit of your strength, you yanked the knife out of its sheath and buried the blade in the side of his neck.

Several things happened simultaneously: the man cried in surprise and let you go, the woman shouted a warning – too late – and you swung your leg over him, straddling and stabbing the man over and over again. His neck, his chest, his face, you didn’t even see what you were hitting. Screaming your lungs out and burying the blade in him again, and again, and again.

And again.

With an outraged, desperate cry, the woman lunged at you, but the adrenaline coursing through your system made you not even register something cutting deeply the skin of your arm, your veins and muscles giving way. You spun around, tumbling with her to the ground, but quickly managed to pin her down, blocking her arms in place with your knees, and pressing the tip of your knife to her chest.

She immediately stopped moving.

“Last fucking chance,” you croaked with difficulty, your neck bruised and swollen. “What… did you give him?”

You didn’t know if it was the sight of you, bloodied and wounded, the fact that you just violently killed her friend, or something else entirely – but now the woman looked scared.

“Okay,” she whispered, trying not to breathe too deeply, and glanced nervously at the blade pressed against her skin. “Okay, I’ll tell you, just don’t… It was a tranquilizer. Nothing dangerous, we just put him to sleep for a couple of hours. He was putting up quite a fight and the guys were getting antsy that he’ll pull something off before–”

“He’s not breathing,” you rasped viciously, sputtering blood onto her face. The woman flinched and took a shaky breath.

“His heart rate is slowed down, but it doesn’t– it shouldn’t kill him.”

You clenched your teeth, then exhaled. Inhaled.

You have to take a grip of yourself. He is alive. He has to be…

Should be.

The weight with which you had pinned her to the ground became lighter, and the woman sighed with relief when you removed the sharp end from her chest.

“It shouldn’t… kill him?” you repeated emptily, trying to dismiss the pain in your throat when you were speaking.

“No.”

Your head was still buzzing, but you tried to push it to the side, to focus on what was important right now.

“Why… did you take him?”

And just with that one, quiet question, the woman’s expression changed. You were considering letting her go, since you already hurt her pretty badly, but the sudden shift in her behavior set off alarm bells in your head once more.

“He’s a murderer,” the woman said, as if it was the most obvious answer. “A monster that would do everyone a favor if he got put down.”

White, blinding fury flooded your veins and it felt almost as if electricity was cracking above your skin. Your hand held the knife tighter.

‘Put down’, like… like an animal. She was talking about the man you loved–

You weren’t able to stop the hatred and rage flowing out of every pore of your skin. In one swift motion you plunged the knife into the woman’s chest, making her choke and gasp in surprise.

“You cannot call him that,” you spluttered, barely able to speak from the pain. “You…”

And then your hand forced its way lower down, still holding the handle of your weapon. Cutting through the woman’s – now struggling and screaming in agony – abdomen and guts.

They went so far as to abduct Joel, they took him from you, hurt and shot him, wanted to torture him, to make him suffer before they ultimately kill him…

But they didn’t, he can’t be dead, he can’t–

The woman was conscious the entire time as you were ripping her insides apart, and her screams died down only after you reached the navel.

Your vision was blurry and faltering when you stood up, but your heart was still beating steadily. There was an echo of a scream in your ears, though you couldn’t tell if it was your or the dead woman’s voice.

There wasn’t anyone else in the hallway. In the back of your mind you hoped that Tommy took care of any remaining enemies, because if they’d come running here, you didn’t think you’d be able to hear them in time.

Clutching your injured arm, you slowly made your way to the room where you left Joel and the man who attacked you first. Your gun was lying near the entrance and you picked it up before pushing the door open and staggering inside.

The man wasn’t where you left him. Instead there was a big pool of blood, forming into a wide, smeared path leading further into the lobby. At the end of it you saw him, groaning and crawling to the exit.

You reloaded the gun and walked closer. At the sound, the man turned his head and his eyes widened when he saw you.

“You fucking psycho!” he spat, bracing himself on the elbow of his left arm – the only one still working. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?! When she sees it, they’ll come for you, and they’ll make sure that the two of you will fucking pay for it!”

His words were flowing through you as you struggled to keep your vision focused. You felt weird – almost like waking up way too early and finding your body not listening to you entirely.

Then you realized. The hungry, burning anger was gone, the embers of hatred slowly dying out. There was only smoke and emptiness left inside you.

“I don’t care,” you mumbled, not loud enough for the man to hear you, but that didn’t matter – two seconds later he was dead, his brain splattered all over the floor behind him.

Your hand was shaking. Cold crept up your limbs, embracing and almost choking you as you breathed in, out, faster and faster as you finally comprehended what you did.

Your eyes moved down to the man’s indented knee, completely smashed into a bloody mess. The other limb was all wrong, his foot sticking in the opposite direction and no wonder he had to crawl to get away from you, you destroyed his legs, you…

You staggered backwards, your pupils darting to the hallway just for a second before returning to the battered corpse in front of you. The back of his skull was gone now, but how did he stay conscious for so long after you smashed his head with a metal pipe? There was so much blood on it… How much pain he must have felt after you left him?

And that woman… He begged you to leave her alone, and you… you ripped her open…

You moved back, back and further away, before tripping and falling to the floor. Your breaths were fast and shallow, and you reached for your neck, sore and swollen from almost being strangled, trying to will your lungs to work.

They were bad people. They took and hurt Joel, and planned to kill him. You had to kill them, they’d kill you in a heartbeat, they…

It wasn’t like you’ve never taken a life before, but it was the first time that you inflicted pain on somebody on purpose – not in self-defense, but because you wanted to retaliate. It was done in revenge.

You didn’t know for how long you had sat there when you heard someone saying your name. It sounded like… No, it couldn’t have been his voice, he was unconscious, he wasn’t breathing…

Suddenly, Tommy’s face appeared in your blurry field of vision – of course it was him, their voices were so similar, after all – and there was a deep crease between his brows. He looked worried and fearful, and–

“Snap out of it,” he said firmly, shaking your shoulders harder than he should have. Your name fell from his lips when you didn’t answer, and his eyes followed yours to a battered body on the floor. “Look at me. Look at me.” Tommy forcefully turned your chin in his direction, and his eyes were full of sorrow and pain. “You did what you had to do.”

You shook your head, swallowing the tears that streamed down your face. He didn’t know what you did. He didn’t understand what happened here, what happened with you… You yourself didn’t know what happened to you.

Tommy brought you closer to his chest, enveloping you in his strong embrace and the smell of leather and gunpowder. You choked on air, unable to stop the sobs racking your body, and deaf to his words, for the only thing you could hear were cracks of bones, screams of pain, and your own vengeful cries.

It was so loud in your mind that you almost missed a quiet grunt coming from behind you.

*****

Joel slowly opened his eye, then groaned and closed it again. He felt like shit and it was so hard to breathe, but he pushed through the pain and discomfort from the wound in his side, and tried again.

The first thing he saw was the greenish curtain, hiding the rest of the room from him, but judging by the fact that he was lying in bed, alive, with apparently all his wounds dressed, he figured it wasn’t the same place that group of angry youngsters took him to.

Lifting his head and turning it to the other side was a tremendous task, but it was so worth it – because there was you. Sitting in a chair next to him, asleep and with your head lying on folded arms on his bed. Joel smiled softly, but then furrowed his brows as a pang of anxiety shot right through him.

Your face was a mess, with cuts and bruises healing, your brow was split, and one of your forearms had a bandage wrapped around it, now a little dirty around the edges. Joel couldn’t see clearly, but your neck seemed… dark, as if the skin was bruised there, too.

What the hell happened?

He lifted his arm – the tingles and needles pierced his stiff limb – and brushed your cheek lightly, trying to wake you.

“Darlin’...” he murmured, and you stirred. He tried to say it again, louder this time, but his throat was scratchy and he winced at the feeling. There was no need for it, however, because in the next moment your eyes fluttered open and then widened when you took in the sight of him, realizing he’s awake.

“Joel!” Your hands – God, he missed the feeling of them – cupped his face gently, and your eyes filled with tears in the matter of seconds. “Oh my god, baby…”

“Hey, hey, I’m fine,” he breathed out quickly, not wanting to see you cry. “It’s okay, darlin’... I’m here.”

You sobbed with a dazzling smile, your beautiful eyes dancing across his features before you darted forward and pressed your lips to his firmly. Joel could almost taste the desperation and worry in your shaky breaths and tears that fell from your eyes and onto his tongue. He wanted to tangle his fingers in your hair and bring you in closer, but a sudden, sharp pain pierced his arm when he tried to move it, and he hissed into your mouth.

“Sorry,” you whispered and moved away quickly, letting out a broken laugh and brushing the unruly strands of hair away from his forehead. “I’m just so happy you’re okay.”

Joel wanted to ask what exactly had happened while he was out, but before he got a chance, you leaned in again and started softly peppering his face in kisses – first his cheek, then his forehead, then the tip of his nose and his chin. And Joel didn’t have the heart to stop you.

And that’s how Ellie found you both. She gagged when she saw the display of affection, but there was a grin on her face when he looked over at her.

“Gross,” she scrunched her nose. “But I’m glad to see you awake.”

“Yeah, well, I still feel pretty shitty,” he grunted, scanning the kid for any injuries, but she didn’t look any worse for the wear. His eyes strayed to your neck again, and the concern came back double-barreled. “What happened to you, sweetheart? Where–”

“I’ll… go get the doctor.” You stood up abruptly before he could finish, and looked over at Ellie. “Will you stay with him?”

“Yeah. Sure.” The teen shrugged, but now was avoiding Joel’s eyes, and he felt more uneasy and agitated by the second.

“Okay. Be right back, love. Gonna grab you some water, too.” You squeezed his hand and smiled. Joel’s eyes escorted you, and when he made sure you were out of the earshot, he turned to Ellie.

“What happened?”

“Well.” The teen blew out her cheeks and went to take a seat you previously occupied. “You were attacked during the patrol…”

“Yeah, no, that I remember,” Joel interrupted quietly. “They shot me, took me to that ski resort. But how am I here? Did she…”

He trailed off. Ellie looked at the curtain you disappeared behind, then back at Joel. “Listen, I wasn’t there, so m’not sure,” she mumbled quietly. “But after she and Tommy got you out, she was sorta… different.”

“Different how?” he asked sharply. Ellie bit the inside of her cheek, looking away. “Ellie.”

“I don’t know, okay?” she answered in a sudden burst. “She looked like hell. You saw her neck, I think someone tried to choke her, and she had an ugly cut on her leg, a fuckton of cuts and bruises… And the doctor spent hours getting all the glass shards out of her.”

Joel got up as much as he could, feeling a pit of anxiety rising in his chest. Ellie was silent for a while before she spoke again, this time surprisingly softly.

“Remember when you beat the shit out of that soldier when we were escaping QZ in Boston?” Joel nodded slightly – she did, too. “Yeah. She had a similar… kind of look on her face, and it looked… not exactly scary, but alien.” The teen looked up. “My guess is she did some fucked up shit to get to you. Tommy said she’s been having real bad nightmares since then, but he doesn’t want to tell me–”

Ellie snapped her mouth shut at the sound of footsteps, and a few seconds later you emerged from behind the curtain. You had a tall glass of water in your hand and a small, hopeful smile that grew when your eyes fell on Joel’s face.

“I know you’d probably prefer something stronger, but water will do you good,” you said, seemingly oblivious to the fact that they were just talking about you. Joel watched as you carefully sat down at the edge of his bed and put down the glass onto the table to his side. “One of the nurses will come here in a couple of minutes. You were unconscious for a couple of days so they want to make sure everything is okay.”

“I told you I’m fine, darlin’...”

“Please.” You gently took his hand in both of yours, staring at him with concern. “For me?”

Joel looked you over, his eyes lingering on your bruised neck and the bandage around your thigh which he didn’t notice before. Then he glanced at Ellie with worry, not knowing how to approach this problem or ask what exactly happened to you.

Your eyes were a little red and puffy, and he briefly thought about what the kid said: that you have had terrible nightmares, that apparently you went through some sort of hell to save him. It seemed that whatever you had done, it took its heavy toll on you. And he couldn’t bear it.

Joel hated the thought of you risking your life for him, of the experience branding you so deeply that you lost sleep because of it.

Because of him.

The only thing he could do right now was to be there for you. And maybe – just maybe, if he tried hard enough – to do something about those of your scars that he couldn’t see.

He lifted your hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to it, keeping his eyes on yours the entire time.

“Okay,” came his soft answer, to which you smiled with relief. “Whatever you wish, darlin’.”

No snarky remark, no groaning or muttering could be heard from Ellie, and that worried Joel much more than he’d ever admit. He exchanged a worried look with her while you were distracted, drawing patterns on the back of his hand with tender fingers.

“It’s gonna be okay,” he heard you say quietly, though it was unclear whether you were talking to him or yourself.

Either way, Joel squeezed your hand tighter, now feeling oddly afraid of letting go.

“Yes, darlin’,” he confirmed in a soothing manner. “Everything’s gonna be okay.”

[justmeinadaze]

Little Girl Gone Part 8 (Steddie X You)

A/N: Enjoy this final chapter. I have a couple more ideas I can write out later down the line but :)

Enjoy!

Warnings: Dom Officer Steve Harrington/Gangster Eddie Munson & Doctor Sub Fem Reader, SMUT, overstimulation (slight), DP, use of "Yellow" stop light system (nothing dramatic; just the reader feeling like Steve isn't present), FLUFF, they all love each other <3

ANGST, if you read the last chapter you know what to prepare for, Steve is undercover with Allen's side of the Munson gang, Eddie does punch someone and Steve shoots someone, Mentions of reader worried about both boys (Eddie is losing people he thought he could trust and Steve struggles with his dark persona).

There is standoff near the end and someone gets hurt. Allen is a dick and constantly takes about his hatred for his son.

Word Count: 5656

Series here/ Donate to Me <3

“Ok, um, so what do you think? Does it look real?”, you ask as you step out of the bathroom in Eddie’s loft. 

Being a doctor, you knew what a knife wound would look like but you didn’t exactly have the toolkit to make it look too real. Steve glanced your way as he finished pouring the fake blood Wayne got for them online on the floor in the living room. 

“It, um, looks good. Almost too real.”

Softly smiling, you cup his face in your hands and kiss the officer’s lips.

“Hopefully the polaroid aesthetic will help sell more of the illusion so he won’t look too deeply at the image. Also…he’s a cocky idiot so…”, Eddie sighs as he comes over to kiss your forehead. “Alright, baby, lay down.”

Guiding you to the floor, you position your body as best you can with Steve, seeing many dead bodies himself, comes in to assist.

“Ok, honey, turn your head just like that and, um, keep your eyes open but kinda off…don’t focus on anything…there you go.”

As soon as he steps out of the way, Eddie takes a few pictures quickly before showing them to his boyfriend. 

“Yeah, that will be good.”

“Are you both sure you want to do this? I hate that you’re risking your lives for me.”

“No, baby. We’re risking our lives for each other so we can be happy.”, you gently smile as you rise to your feet and kiss his cheek. 

***

Steve stands off to the side with his arms folded as he listens to one of Allen’s subordinates nervously explain that more of his men had been killed by his son.

“I-I-It seems, Mr. Munson, sir, that he found Dr. Simon and got him to turn over the addresses of the m-men, sir, that he had helped take care of on our team.”

Allen chuckles before angerly slamming his fist against the glass partition between them. 

“Should have killed that little shit when I had the chance. Alright, thank you, Stuart. Let me talk to Steve here and then he’ll give you a ride back home so we know you got their safe.

After the man collects his things and runs out of the room, the officer takes his place with an annoyed glare painting his face. 

“Seems Eddie has gotten bolder.”

“Aren’t you his best fucking friend!? Advise him to stop.”

“Or what? You’re the reason Y/N is dead and now he feels like he has nothing to lose.”

“No, Y/N, is dead because she fell in love with my son. If she had chosen you or literally anyone else she’d still be here today. Fuck!”

“What do we do? Are you going to try and send another idiot after him?”

“Maybe…I do know this one hitman. He’s expensive but worth it if he can take that little fucker out.”

“What about Wayne?”

“What about Wayne?”, Allen asked with a sneer as if the name left a bad taste in his mouth. 

“If you kill Ed, he’s not going to stop until he’s made sure you pay for it.”

“I’m not afraid of Wayne Munson. If he wants to do something about it he can but I can’t have Edward continue what he’s doing.”, the criminal sighs before gesturing towards the man who had left. “Kill Stuart and then go back to my son’s place. Keep an eye on him and when I have something I’ll let you know.”

After nodding, he starts to leave before abruptly feeling someone at his side. 

“Can I help you, Mason?”, Steve growls hoping to intimidate him enough to make the guard go away. 

“I’m supposed to come with you. Allen wants me there just in case you need a hand.”

“I think I can handle one asshole.”

“Mhmm. You could barely handle a little girl, Harrington. I wonder why Y/N chose him over you. Personally, it’s because I think you’re twofaced.”

 “What the fuck does that mean?”

“I don’t think you’re as dirty as you want Allen to believe you are. I think you’re still on Eddie’s side.”

“If I was on his side, why would I kill Y/N?”

“Hm, that I haven’t figured out. I did find the death record and there have been no signs of her at her clinic—”

“Wow. Now I know why you became a guard…because you’re so fucking smart.”, Steve rolls his eyes. 

“I’ll figure out what you’re up to, Steven. Sooner or later.”

##################

You figured you’d have gotten use to this by now; the sound of Eddie punching and torturing people to get more information. You’d been hiding for almost two weeks in his loft while he and Steve were doing their part in your plan. 

The gangster had made a good dent in his father’s crew, taking out many of his loyal followers. Lately it had gotten hard for him because with every other man that was bound to his chair, a person he believed to be a friend would follow. 

“You know, Randall, this would go a lot smoother if you just told me what I wanted to know.”, Eddie sighed as he inhaled a puff of the cigarette between his fingers.

“Aw…what’s the…matter, Munson? Exhausted?”, the man sassed. 

“Of this back and forth, yeah, especially since I trusted you. I helped you get your fucking house so you and your family would have a safe place to be.”

“See, that’s part of the problem. You were to trusting and lenient.”

“I’m realizing that.”, he growls as his hurt eyes glance towards where you were sitting on the staircase. You offer him a soft smile that he returns with a small flicker on his lips before his gaze hardens again and he punches the man across his face. “Now, I already know about Craig and Lina. I just need to know what they’re planning.”

At that moment, Eddie’s door burst open and slams shut as Steve flies through with anger radiating from him. 

“He’s planning to hire Corleone to kill you.”

“Oh shit.”, Randall laughs. “You’re fucking screwed.”

Without warning, the officer pulls his gun and fires a bullet into the man in the chair startling you and the gangster as you cover your ears. 

“Jesus Christ, Steven. Was that fucking necessary?”

“Did you hear what I fucking said?! We need to leave NOW.”

Taking his face in his palms, Eddie tries to calm him but Steve just pushes him haphazardly to the side and runs past you up the stairs. 

“Whose Corleone?”, you ask as you watch him throw a bag on the bed and start throwing some clothes inside.

“He’s a contract killer my dad uses while behind bars. My understanding is he’s been in relative retirement for a few of years.”, Eddie sighs. “He’s so good and kept well-hidden that the only people who know who he is are his victims who are dead.”

“Even you don’t know who he is?”

“No. I did try and research into it when I took over but I never found anything. The only commonality between victims were that they crossed my father while he was in jail. I assumed it was a friend but nothing ever materialized.”

Your eyebrows scrunch in thought as you absorb what he’s telling you. 

“What are you thinking, sweetheart?”

“Is Wayne free?”

“Um, I can message him and ask. What’s running through your mind—”

“It doesn’t matter.”, Steve scolds sharply. “Because we are leaving. Here Y/N, put your things in this bag here. Not a lot though so we can move quick.”

“Baby, we have a plan—”

“The plan is done, Y/N! I don’t think you understand how serious this is. Even my department hasn’t found anything on this person but all we do know is he has a 100% success rate. And, what, you’re just going to figure out who it is with a hunch and a phone call?! No ma’am. Allen is done to the point that he wants to take out Eddie AND Wayne.”

“Excuse me?”, the gangster growled. 

“Ok, let’s all just take a breath.”

Roughly, the officer pushed his palm against your chest and shoved you towards the nearby wall. 

“Y/N, I’m done arguing. I’m done pretending your dead and that I hate the man I love. I’m done killing people and I’m fucking done being questioned by EVERYONE around me. I’m. FUCKING. Done! I will not come home to you both actually dead on the fucking floor. I can’t…I can’t handle that.”, his voice cracks before shaking his head and hardening his stance once more.

“Now… grab your shit because we’re going.”

As he tries to turn around, you run forward and wrap your arms around his waist as you press your head into his chest. 

“We appreciate everything you’re doing, Steve. I can’t imagine how hard this has been for you both. You having to go into a headspace that isn’t you can be exhausting and I see how much it hurts Eddie with every ‘friend’ he loses. Even before I met you, Ed, I appreciated your ethics on the street than your father’s. Less people got hurt or worse… Sitting here day after day watching everything unfold… it seems like there were always two sides to that coin.”

That night you took care of them.

After Eddie and his team removed the body downstairs, you made a warm bath and massaged their shoulders as they calmly relayed the days information to each other. While making dinner, they both passed out in each other’s arms on the sofa reminding you of that first night they slept at your place. As quietly as possible, you made a call to Wayne who immediately got to work looking into your theory in regard to the hitman Allen was going to send. 

Once their bellies were full, they didn’t even wait for the table to be cleared before they were on you. You allowed them to use you as they maneuvered around the open downstairs area. Giving you time to catch your breath, you watched with heavy eyes from your spot on the floor as Steve placed Eddie beside you on his back and placed one of his legs over his shoulder as he guided his cock into the gangster beneath him. 

“F-Fuck, Steve.”

The officer didn’t waste a second, rolling his hips and pumping his length deep inside him. His humid breaths warmed Eddie’s face as he pressed his forehead against his own.

“God, baby, you’re so fucking deep.”, the long-haired boy whimpers as his palms run down the other man’s sides to his lower back. “I love you, Steve, so fucking much.”

“I love—mmm—I love you to.”

Chocolate eyes meet your own as Eddie turns his head and softly smiles. Your lips kiss his before gently trailing down his chin to his chest and along his tummy. With every scar you pass, you linger, giving it extra attention as you taste his skin. Allowing you space, Steve pushes up on his knees and watches you with lust fueled eyes as you tilt over one of Eddie’s legs to allow a long line of spit to drip onto his cock, lubricated him more as he thrusts his hips at a fast rhythm. The gangsters mewls turn to loud groans as your mouth wraps around his hard, leaking length and his fingers thread through your hair as your head starts to bob. 

 “Fuck, fuck, fuck. I can’t… m’gonna fucking cum.”

Your eyes squeeze shut as you practice what they taught you as you allow Eddie to hold you still and your throat constricts around him. While his release spills down your throat, Steve grunts above you and you feel his body sputter as he cums. 

“Goddamn, I need…I need a second.”, Eddie pants. 

Without even pausing or taking a moment to collect himself, Steve crawled over his partner and roughly gripped your thighs in his hands as he opened your legs wide. 

“S-Steve, baby, you just came.”, you giggle. “You’re not even fully hard. Take a break.”

Shaking his head, he spit into his palm and stroked himself as his eyes remained focused on your naked form. 

“Don’t need one.”

“Steve…” Ignoring your worried tone, he placed himself on top of you and his eyebrows furrowed as he grinded his cock between your dripping lips. “Steve, wait. Steve…YELLOW, STEVEN!”, you shouted when your normal pleas weren’t getting through. 

At the “slow down” trigger, he froze in place as Eddie rolled to face you both to make sure everything was ok. 

“What’s going on, baby? Tell me.”, you coo.

As soon as everything stopped and he allowed his mind to move, his eyes became incredibly glassy as his bottom lip trembled. 

“I’m scared.”, he whispered. “I’ve been tough and an asshole my entire life but…I’ve never cared about anyone the way I care about you two… and I’m scared I’m going to lose you…or myself.”

Your lips tenderly kiss his as the gangster reaches over to pet the man’s head. 

“I’m so sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to scare you or hurt you—”

“No, no, Steve, you didn’t. We just need you here with us. We’re not going anywhere, right Eddie?”

“That’s right, sweetheart.”

Smirking, he kisses your lips and falls to your opposite side. 

“I think you’re right, sweetie. I think I need a break. Ed, why do you make her come undone.”

“You have to catch me first.”, you tease with a devious smile of your own as you turn around and run up the stairs. 

As soon as your feet touch the top floor, you’re lifted into the air by your waist by a strong, tattooed covered arm and you giggle as he playfully tosses you onto his bed. 

“You weren’t even trying were you?”, Eddie grins as his lips attach to your neck. 

“Nope.”

Biting your lip, you run your nails down his back as he picks up where his partner left off and subtly rolled his hips between your legs making you moan every time the tip of his cock grazed your clit. 

“Mmm—fuck—I love you, Eddie. E-Everything’s going to be ok. You don’t have to be scared either.”

As he tilts his head to kiss your forehead, Steve lays his body gently beside you both with his palm casually stroking himself as he watched your faces. 

“Are you ready for me, Y/N?”

“Y-Yes, baby, I’m ready.”

Clinging to his shoulders, his mouth fell open as he gradually slides his dick into your core. 

“Shit, you feel so fucking tight. I love you to, sweetheart. You’re always—fuck—always safe with us.”

As Eddie thrust his cock deeper into you at a steady rhythm, you listened as the man beside you tried to match his pace with his palm. 

“Fuck, I can feel you fucking clenching around me. Do…do you think you can take us b-both, pretty girl?”

After smiling down at you as you emphatically nodding, the gangster circles his arms around you and tilts you both onto your sides, lifting one of your legs higher up his hip. Steve grasped the meat of your cheeks in one of his hands and guided his length into your ass as your eyes rolled back in pleasure. As they pumped into you, they held you tightly in their embrace as they leaned over you to passionately kiss the others lips before finding purchase against your own. 

“I’m…harder, please. I’m gonna…”

Their fingertips dug into your skin, sure to leave bruises as they did what you asked. Your own digits tangled into Steve’s hair behind you as your other arm pulled Eddie into a tight hug as you screamed and groaned into his shoulder till they felt you cum between them. 

The gangster soon followed painting you walls before Steve did the same with a continuation of heavy pants against your skin.  

After hastily cleaning you and getting you into clean pajamas, they held you to them as you slowly began to drift. 

“We can still leave, sweetheart. We can follow Steve’s plan and run.”, Eddie whispered as he caressed your cheek with his fingers. 

“People still need you here.”

“If this whole experience has taught me anything, it’s that I need you both more than anything. I spent a lot of my life alone especially after my mom died. When I took over, I thought ‘I finally have a family.’ Not that I don’t appreciate, Wayne—”

“I know, baby. I know.”

“Do you remember that story I told about my dad catching me smoking one of his cigarettes? He said if I told the truth everything would be ok.” When you softly nod, he continues. “That’s how I feel right now with all this. I thought if I was honest and ran my business with respect instead of fear I’d be ok. Turns out I’m still getting my ass beat for being myself.”

“Eddie…”, you exhale sullenly as you pet his head and Steve’s arm slides over your hips pulling him closer. 

“But not with you two. You two are my family and like my Paladin said I don’t want anything to happen to either of you, princess.”

“I’m not afraid and I have a feeling tomorrow is going to go in our favor.”

On his bedside table, Eddie’s phone comes to life as his uncle’s display name flashes onto the screen.

######################

The building Steve had been pacing in for over 2hrs had long ago been abandoned which is why he assumed Mason and one of Allen’s other lackies were supposed to meet him here. He was growing impatient as he constantly checked his watch.

A black van suddenly sped around the corner, tires squealing as it came to a stop. 

“Geez, Harrington. You look pissed off.”, the prison guard sassed as he jumped out of the driver’s seat. 

“You were supposed to be here at 11.”, he grumbled. 

“Yeah, well, we had to stop by and pick up something.”

After opening the side door, the officer’s eyes widened as you were roughly pulled out of the vehicle with your hands tied behind your back. 

“Y/N!”

“Ah, ah.”, Mason tuts as he points his gun towards Steve. “You move like that again and she dies. It’s so funny because I was pretty sure you told us she was dead already.”, he sasses before shaking his head. “I knew you were a fucking liar. Now drop your gun and kick it over to me.”

After doing as he asked, the officer raised his hands in the air as he watched your eyes flick towards the van. When Allen stepped out, his jaw tightened as he straightened to his full height. 

“Interesting. You’re not surprised?”

“I’ve seen a lot as a cop in this town.”

“Hm.”, he sighed. “Where’s my son?”

“Let her go first and I’ll tell you.”

You jump at the sound of gunfire before seeing the officer grab his shoulder and fall to the ground. 

“Steve!”, you scream as you jerk forward before a rough hand pulls you back. 

“I’m done playing games. Now where is he?”

“I’m right here.”, Eddie bellows with his hands raised to show he’s unarmed. His anger fueled eyes assess the situation before him as he comes up to place himself beside his partner. 

“Well, you healed up nicely. That’s to be expected I guess when you’re fucking a doctor. I bet she’ll be able to get that piece of shit up and running in no time.”, Allen responds with sarcasm as he gestures towards Steve. “You let me down, son.”

“Story of my life. And I’m not your son. Wayne raised me.”

“Hm. Good to know. That will make this easier on me.” Roughly, he reaches for you and unties your binds before pushing you forward. “This is your last chance, Edward. Kill her and I’ll let you and your friend walk out of here.”

“Why? Why can’t you just leave us alone?”

“I have a sentimental weakness for my children and I spoil them…they talk when they should listen.” Eddie rolls his eyes as his father quotes The Godfather. “I guess there’s still some weak part of me like your mother that wants you to succeed and you can’t do that with her by your side. I became stronger after she died.”

“You became weaker, Allen. Mom kept you in check and helped hide a lot of the terrible things you did. She wasn’t even dead for whole year before you were arrested the first time. You thought you were an untouchable God but she reminded you that you were just a pathetic little man.”

Eddie’s father laughed under his breath, shaking his head before stepping forward and punching his son before tossing a gun on the ground beside him. 

“It has one round in it. Either you kill her or she kills you.”

“What?”, you ask with a shake to your voice as you try to help the gangster to his feet.

“Save your own life, Y/N, and kill him.”

“Fuck you!”

“If you don’t, I kill all three of you and be on my way. No matter what I win but at least with the outcomes I’m offering two of you can walk out of here.”

“How do I know that?”, Eddie asked as he spit some of the blood in his mouth towards his father. “How do we know she can trust you?”

“Eddie, no.”, you plead as you try to take his hand but he pushes you back.

“You don’t but no matter what I want you to believe that I can kill you, her, and that cop and not think twice about it.”

As they starred each other down, your brain went into overdrive as you continued to try and talk him out of this. 

“Eddie Munson, no! I can’t hurt you—”

“If you don’t then you’ll both die and I’m not allowing that. I told you, baby, you’re safe with me.”, he growls as he shoves the gun into your hand and takes a few steps back. “Please let them both leave here safely and you stay away from her. Tell this Corleone guy not to touch her or Wayne.”

“Oh don’t worry, son, I’ll make sure of it.”

At the term Eddie scrunches his nose before softening his eyes as he faces you again and stands up straighter. 

“I love you both so much and everything’s going to be ok, alright?”

“Eddie, please…”

“Y/N, I’m not fucking asking! Now you do what I say, little girl! Do you understand me!?”, he shouts as he opens his arms wide giving you an open shot to his chest. His eyelids suddenly flutter and you glance down to see Steve gripping the end of the gangster’s jeans. “My Paladin and my Princess…”, he chuckles as the tears begin to fall. “Remember… that first night when you saved our lives? It’s time to save yours, Y/N.”

“I love you.”, you whimper. 

As he gives you one final nod your way, you cock the gun and pull the trigger. 

################

“Well, shit. I’m not going to lie, princess. I didn’t think you had it in you.”, Allen snickered as he stepped forward, stopping when you pointed the gun his way. 

“Don’t call me that, you FUCKING ASSHOLE!” The man’s head tilted to the side as his face hardened. “Are you happy?! You got what you wanted! Now what?!”

“Now I continue to run my gang exactly the way I have been without anyone in the fucking way. I’ll make an example of him so people know what happens when you cross me.”

“What about Corleone? You promised him Wayne and I would be safe.” 

As he takes another step forward, you point the weapon his way and without hesitation Allen grabs your wrist, bending it till it falls loudly to the ground. Shoving you against Steve’s cruiser, he leans in till his face is hovering above your own. 

“Stupid, little girl. I’m Corleone.”, he grins as your eyes widen. “Come on. No one would suspect it being me since I’m stuck in prison. Since I met Mason, he’s helped me get out when I need to so I only save that for emergencies. Plus, people tend to listen when there’s a boogyman they can’t identify. Now…”

You watch him with disgust as he bends down to grab the empty gun off the floor. 

“…I’m going to keep this as insurance. I imagine you and your little cop friend there won’t be making any more trouble for me but I have to be prepared.”

As the men turn and start to head back towards the van, sirens wail loudly as multiple police cars and SWAT members appear with guns trained on them screaming forcefully for them to get down. 

“Sorry, Allen. I had to make a little bit more trouble for you.”, you sass as he glares up at you. 

“Doesn’t fucking matter. Eddie’s gone and—”

As if on cue, Wayne pushes through the little crowd of officers to get to his nephew.

“Are you alright, son?”

“OOOOWW… that fucking hurt way more than I thought it would.”, Eddie groans as you both help him to his feet. Opening his jacket and tearing at the hole in his shirt, he reveals the bulletproof vest underneath that Steve had provided him with. “Are you ok, sweetheart? You did so good.”, he praised as he cupped your face and kissed your lips.

“Excuse me. Officer down here.”, Steve teased as he winced, taking Wayne’s hand and rising to his feet. Desperately wanting to smash your lips to his, you refrained as you hastily checked him over. 

“You’re going to need surgery but you should be ok, Officer Harrington.” 

“You’re still weak, Edward! No matter where I am people are loyal to me and will do exactly what I tell them!”, Allen shouted as they started to push him towards a vehicle. 

Eddie’s fury filled eyes glare his way as he takes his place in front of him. 

“You know, I think I only have one good memory with you growing up and that’s watching those Godfather movies. When you abandoned me with Wayne, I could rarely if ever bring myself to watch them again. That’s why I never made the connection but her…as soon as she heard the name she knew something was off. Your mistake was hubris. You were so selfish and cocky you named your alter ego after your favorite fucking character in your favorite fucking movie.”, the gangster shakes his head in disgust. “After that we figured you were such a showman that we knew you would ask either Steve or Y/N to kill me.”

Eddie’s voice lowered as he stepped towards his father so only he could hear him. 

“Now Mason shooting the man I’m in love with as well was completely unexpected but don’t worry…we’ll make his punishment fit the crime. I have some friends to on the inside, old man. Enjoy solitary. You won’t be making any commands for a long time.”

As his father tries to attack him, the officer’s pull him away and shove him into a SWAT van.

“Good job, Dr. Y/L/N. We’ll get the wire from Steve at the hospital after his debrief.”, Detective Hopper congratulates as he shakes your hand and then Eddie’s. “You know it was really stupid of you and him to set this up by yourselves.”

“Y/N and I knew my dad was up to something and since Officer Harrington has been building a case against the Munson crew I thought this would be a good win for him.”

“Mhmm…”, the detective nods as his eyes scan him up and down. “With your dad’s confession, we can put a lot of unsolved cases to rest including a few you were a prime suspect in.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t know why since I’m a businessman. I’m seriously surprised you’re a detective.”

Rolling his eyes, Hopper walks away from you two as you turn and beam up at the man you love. 

“Come on, let’s head to the hospital to get you looked at and once everyone leaves we can check on Steve.”, Eddie softly smiles as he pulls you to his side and kisses your forehead. 

#################

One Month Later

“Oh, oh I know, baby. I know it hurts but you’re doing so well.”, you praise as you help Steve with his physical therapy stretches.

“Jesus, that’s a lot harder than I thought it would be.”, he huffed as his palm reaches up to massage his shoulder. 

“Some of the things you could normally do seamlessly may be a bit harder from now on but it could have been so much worse.”

As your eyes drift and the officer watches you fall into the memory of that night, he softly smiles before lifting you in his arms and spinning you around before placing a tender kiss on your lips. 

“Hey, I can still sweep you off your feet so that’s all I care about.” After giggling at his antics, you turn around to grab his chart you had brought home with you from the clinic and began making some notes within. “When do you think I can go back out into the field?”

“At this rate, maybe a couple of weeks. Did they finish their investigation already?”

“Yeah. To be fair, the captain was more excited we were able to catch ‘Corleone’ to look too deeply into my connection with Eddie. He pretty much accepted the narrative that you and he came to me with information so I went undercover those two weeks. Hopper wasn’t happy but…”, he shrugs.

The loft door as Eddie comes through with a wide smile you hadn’t seen on him in so long. 

“Princess.”, he coos as he leans down to kiss your lips. “Paladin…oh shit!”, the gangster shouts as Steve grabs his collar and tugs him onto the couch beside you both. 

“Have a good day?”

“Yes ma’am. My father wanted to make an example of me but turns out he made an example of himself. Other gangs in the area have distanced themselves including the Carvers but Jason seems to have more respect for me now.”

“So does his father. George put more of an investment into my clinic and offered to help me expand to a bigger building.”

“How odd…because I have a surprise for you, sweetheart.”

Your eyes narrow when both men exchange a knowing look. 

“You’ve already done enough for me.”

“Uh huh. Close your eyes.” He only gives you a split-second warning before lifting you off the sofa and heading towards the front door.

When he places you down again, your toes curl at the feeling of tile beneath your feet and after seeing you shiver, Eddie takes off his jacket and wraps it around your arms. 

“Ok, open ‘em.”

Your cautious hues land on them first in front of you before taking in the environment around you. It looked like your clinic but bigger and cleaner. 

“There’s an upstairs so I thought maybe that could be for your regulars like Kylie and Gareth. He swears by you now since you saved his life and all.”, Eddie chuckles nervously as he continues to try and gage your reaction. 

“Plus, you’d be right next Munson’s building so he can come and check on you…make sure you’re safe. Of course, I’m never that far so you can always just call and I’ll be right here.”

As Steve gestures out one of the nearby windows, you look outside to find you are just across the street. 

“You bought me a building?”

“We’d buy you the world if you let us.”, the gangster replied without hesitation causing a little hiccup to leave your lips as the tears started to fall. “Sweetheart, you not only saved our lives but you saved our careers. You put my father in solitary so now he’s away from everyone and can’t dictate or hurt anyone for a long, LONG time.”

“You helped us not only take down a notorious hidden hitman but you got Jason Carver under control. You think you only help people by being a doctor but, honey, you just saved half of Hawkins. That deserves to be rewarded… You deserve so much more but—”

You interrupt the officer mid-sentence as you tackle your body into his and hug him tightly to you. 

“Ow, ow. Ok, not fully together yet.”, Steve chuckles as he lightly tugs your hair to tilt your head and kiss your lips. 

As you turn to do the same with Eddie, he hisses as his face scrunches. 

“Sorry, baby. I just…I had one more surprise.” Lifting up his shirt, he displayed his chest that now had fresh saranwrap around the tattoo he had on his chest. You had seen it so many times, the symbol of his gang with Steve’s initials nestled within but now your initials were right next to his. “It only took like five minutes but damn does it hurt.”

“You say that every time you get a tattoo yet you get another.”, Steve laughs. 

“Fuck, yeah I do—”

Cupping his cheeks in your hands, you kiss him and his smiles against your lips. 

“I love you both. You didn’t have to do this.”

“We know but we kinda love you to so—ow.”, Eddie laughs playfully when you lightly punch his arm. “Do you like it?”

“I do. Thank you so much.”

“Of course, baby. Now, it’s fucking freezing in here, I don’t have a shirt and you don’t have shoes. Let’s head back to the apartment and make Munson make us some Italian food.”

“I’m not that kind of gangster!”, Eddie yells after you two, rolling his eyes as Steve lifts you into his arms and carries you towards the door. 

#################

@5tud10-54r4h @munsonzgf @eddiesguitarskills @supraveng

@lilaclazer @ima1986 @micheledawn1975 @foreverminliv @corkadymu

@lemme-slytherin-that-dick @joannamuns9n @dashingdeb16 @sashaphantomhive @corrodedcoffincumslut @aactuaaltraash @nailbatanddungeon  @utterlyinsanity @misscaller06

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What Do We Call This? - 11

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Pairing: Trafalgar Law x fem!reader

Summary: On a quest to find what you've been looking for, you acquire the help of the Straw Hat pirates, who've agreed to let you temporarily join them. There are however many challenges that come along with your temporary recruitment - an alliance with a certain Trafalgar Law being one of them.

Word Count: 2.9K

Warnings: fluff, angst, kinda slow burn, swearing, the occasional OP spoiler, unwarranted sexual advances (from unnamed character), but nothing explicit

A/N: Okay so this is pretty terrible •_•, and will probably feel terribly rushed but I was struggling to write and then I had like one moment where everything just came out and I didn't want to think about it anymore. I'm just glad I managed to even write this part. Anyway, I hope you like it!

—⁠☆✿☆—⁠

You heaved a sigh as you untied the apron from around your waist. Yet another day of getting absolutely no information from Orochi's people. It had been this way since you got here, and the job was slowly starting to eat at you. While you had definitely done far worse than serve a bunch of rude customers, the discriminatory and sexual remarks were starting to get to you. Fortunately, the week was over, and you could go back to report to Kin'emon.

As you packed up your belongings and made your way to the back entrance, a strange yet familiar sensation washed over you. A blue orb surrounded you, pulling you abruptly from your surroundings.

"What the-"

The sudden shift in the room had you momentarily dizzy until your surroundings came into focus and you regained your balance. A glare took over your expression, but quickly softened as you realized it was Bepo who stood in front of you.

"Where is he?" you spoke through gritted teeth, anger simmering just below the surface. Right on cue, Law entered the room, his expression one of annoyance.

You're late," he stated flatly.

You crossed your arms, your irritation evident. "I was finishing my shift. You can't just teleport me like that! What if someone saw?" you snapped, your anger slowly bubbling over.

"You hadn't returned at the agreed time," Law said, his tone sharp and unyielding. "I had to make sure you were safe."

"I can handle myself, Law! You didn’t have to do that!" you retorted, your voice rising in frustration. Your irritation with him had been building since your arrival at Wano, and to Law's disappointment, you had yet again taken to ignoring him, only making him all the more agitated. But for you, having him be overprotective of you all over again only added fuel to your already burning rage.

Law's eyes narrowed, and his jaw clenched in frustration, but he took a deep breath, attempting to keep his temper in check. "I did what I had to do to ensure your safety. One wrong move and the entire mission is ruined."

"Don't you think I know that? But this—this overprotectiveness is suffocating, Law. I’m not some fragile thing that needs constant guarding! It's like you don't trust me!" you yelled, your patience snapping under the pressure of his constant supervision.

Law's expression hardened, his eyes flashing with anger and something else—hurt, perhaps. "I'm only looking out for you. For the mission," he said, his voice quieter but no less intense.

"Just leave me alone Law. I can take care of myself," you replied coldly, turning away to find Kin'emon.

"(Y/N)-ya," Law called after you, but without another word you stormed out of the room. You knew this wasn't the end of your disagreements, but for now, you needed space - space to breathe, and to think.

_____________________________________________

Another week passed in a similar fashion. Each day, you would end up in the same back room, heaving a sigh as you felt the weight of the day's frustration lift slightly as your shift ended. Serving Orochi's people had become increasingly unbearable, yet you remained vigilant, hoping for a breakthrough.

As you packed up your things and made your way to the back alley of the restaurant, you couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched. It wasn't unusual, you had felt for sometime now that there was always someone watching you, and you had done well to not act suspicious, but this time it felt different. Your grip tightened on the hidden knife at your side, and you readied your hands to use your powers if necessary.

"Hey, you," a voice called out, breaking the silence. You turned around and against the dim lights of the alley saw a middle-aged man, leaning on the wall, glazed eyes and crooked smile suggesting he was drunk. You had heard from Kin'emon that there was a banquet at the palace today, but in a country where alcohol was banned, it was odd to see one of Orochi's men so openly intoxicated.

"You're not from here are you? Looking for information on Orochi, I'm guessing?"

You masked your surprise with a smile, taking a step back as you readied your knife, "What makes you think that?"

"No need to hide it. I'll give you what you want, but it'll cost you." You tried to hide your disgust as he stumbled towards you and reached out, his hand brushing against your arm, lingering a bit too long for your comfort.

"Sure, we can work something," you replied, taking another step back. But despite his inebriated state, he managed to swiftly grab onto you, grip tightening around your arm.

"Well I'm sure you can give me just what I want," he said, his voice low and slurred, eyes roaming over you suggestively. You felt a wave of revulsion, but you also couldn't shake the feeling of worry. You subtly tried to pry your arm free, but to no avail, his grip only tightening. Fortunately, your other hand was still free, and you began to focus on using your powers to take control of one of his muscles. But a flash of movement caught your attention, distracting you before you could lay your attack. In an instant the man was yanked off you.

"Get your hands off her," a familiar voice growled. You looked up to see Law, eyes blazing with fury as he threw the man against the wall.

The man scrambled to his feet, eyes wide with anger. "Who the hell are you?" he spat, drawing a knife.

In a swift movement, Law pulled out Kikoku, and the man found himself staring down the blade. But before Law could strike, you noticed a group of men emerging from the shadows, surrounding the two of you.

"Looks like we’ve got company," you muttered, slipping into a defensive stance.

"Shit," Law muttered under his breath, glancing around. He looked from you back to the group, considering his next move.

"You take those three, I'll take-" you began, but before you could finish, a blue orb enveloped you, and instantly you felt your blood begin to boil.

"Law-," you tried to yell at him, but he had already transported you to the hideout.

"Fuck!" you yelled, kicking at the wall in frustration.

"Y/N? What's wrong?" You turned to find Bepo, Sachi and Penguin looking at you concerned.

"Law's what's wrong! Your stupid captain got us into a fight and then transported me here!" you shouted, pacing back and forth, reeling in your anger. The three men remained silent, letting you rant as you tried to calm yourself.

When Law finally returned you turned to him with an evident glare. "What the hell were you thinking!?" you snapped, frustration and adrenaline making your voice sharp. Bepo, Sachi and Penguin immediately took that as their cue to leave.

"You blew my cover! God I thought I would at least last longer than Zoro!" you continued, your voice rising with each word.

Law's eyes flashed with anger, his jaw clenched, "I was thinking about your safety. He could have taken advantage of you!" he retorted, his voice equally heated.

"I could’ve handled it," you shot back, stepping closer to him. "Now we’ve lost a valuable lead because you couldn’t stop yourself from interfering."

"You've been there for weeks and I've not seen anyone come in there and just give you information! That guy was just there for you!" Law's frustration was evident, his voice rising to match yours. He couldn't understand why you were more focused on the mission than what could have almost happened to you.

His words echoed in your mind, and you suddenly recalled the feeling of constantly being watched. Something finally clicked. "You've been spying on me!? What the fuck Law!?" you exclaimed, disbelief mingling with your anger.

Law’s expression hardened, his frustration clear. "I’m not going to apologize for protecting you."

"This isn’t just about me! We’re on a mission, and you keep treating me like I’m incapable of doing my job," you snapped, your voice rising even more.

"You don't understand how dangerous this is," he countered, his voice low but intense. "If something happened to you—"

"Stop," you interrupted, shaking your head. "I don’t need your protection, Law. I need you to trust me to do my part."

Without waiting for a response, you turned and walked away, your heart pounding with frustration and hurt. You could feel Law's eyes on your back, but you refused to look back. From that moment on, you resolved to keep your distance from him, determined to prove that you could handle things on your own.

_____________________________________________

The days that followed before the raid on Onigashima were relatively quiet. Due to Law's actions, you were now both wanted criminals in Wano, and you were forced to stay within the confines of Oden's castle. However, you did what you could to be of help.

Law had also chosen to give you your space. Although you could tell by the way Bepo never seemed to leave your side that he was instructed by his captain to follow you around. It would have bothered you if not for how much you actually enjoyed the Mink's company. While he did try to help you out with every little thing, he at least didn't try to stop you from doing them which was far more tolerable than what Law did. Plus, he was fun to be around, his clumsiness always finding a way to make you laugh.

One evening, as you were sorting through a pile of supplies for the raid, Bepo approached you with a hesitant look.

"(Y/N), can we talk?" he asked, his voice gentle but concerned.

"Of course, Bepo. What's on your mind?" you replied, setting aside a box.

"I know you're upset with Captain," he began, shifting uncomfortably. "But he's only trying to protect you. He's worried about you, more than he lets on."

You sighed, running a hand through your hair. "I know, Bepo. But it's hard to do my job when he keeps intervening. I need him to trust me, to believe that I can handle myself."

Bepo nodded slowly. "Maybe you should talk to him about it. Clear the air before our journey continues."

"What do you mean?" you asked, confused by the phrasing of his words. Bepo's eyes immediately widened as if he had said something he shouldn't have, and he shook his head furiously, "Nothing. I just mean that maybe it would be better to resolve things before the raid."

You considered his words. Despite your anger, you knew Bepo was right, but you had already made up your mind, you were not going to be the one to compromise. "Believe me Bepo I've tried countless time to get Law to see things from my perspective, and as much as I'd like to mend things between the two of us, I'm going to need some more time."

The Mink nodded his head in understanding, a little disappointed with your reply, but he hid it away, choosing to help you instead.

_____________________________________________

During the battle of Onigashima, you fought alongside the samurai of Wano and the members of the alliance. It had seemed that everyone was caught up in the battle, each one doing their best to win the fight against Kaido and Big Mom, and yet even in the thick of battle, you could sense Law's presence. Despite having to deal with his own battles, he still managed to keep an eye on you.

Your main task had been to keep the enemies away from Chopper as he tried to work on a cure, and you had been doing well so far. At one point, you found yourself surrounded by a group of formidable Beast Pirates. You readied your powers, preparing for a fight you knew would be challenging. As you engaged the enemies, you felt a sudden shift in the air. A blue orb appeared beside you, Law materializing in its place a second later, his nodachi slashing through the air to take down a pirate who had been aiming for your blind spot.

"I thought you were fighting Big Mom?" Despite being annoyed with his interference, you gave him a nod of acknowledgement before your attention shifted back onto the enemies.

Law sensing your displeasure with his appearance, heaved a sigh as he deflected a blow aimed at you. "I'm not here to undermine you," he replied curtly. "Just stay alive."

You gritted your teeth while you took control of the next pirate that had tried to lay an attack on you. Despite your best efforts to ignore him, Law continued to fight alongside you, a silent protector in the chaos. His actions were a paradox both frustrating and reassuring. Every time you thought you were about to be overwhelmed, he was there - helping you get back on your feet, but also proving that you needed his help.

The battle raged on, and you were separated from Law several times, each of you battling your own foes. Yet, no matter how far apart you were, he always seemed to find you, ensuring you were safe before moving on. His determination to protect you was unwavering, even if it irritated you to no end.

Finally, as the battle came to an end, you found yourself standing amidst the wreckage, exhausted and worn out. You could feel your legs start to buckle, the after math of using your powers starting to take its effect. As if he had a sixth sense, Law appeared beside you, his expression one of worry.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice a mix of concern and weariness as he helped you settle on the ground before you could fully collapse.

You nodded curtly, refusing to meet his gaze. "I'm fine."

Law hesitated, as if wanting to say more, but held himself back, instead scanning the area around you. "I'll get Bepo to help you."

_____________________________________________

The people of Wano were celebrating their freedom from the tyranny of Orochi and Kaido. The country was once again under the safe ruling of the Kozuki family. To celebrate their victory, a grand banquet was held throughout the country - lanterns lining the street and various different stalls everywhere you went.

You had taken to the streets with Chopper, Tama, and Nami, relishing in the music, laughter and food. And when that had become too much for you, you stood a little away, nursing a drink as you silently watched them excitedly make their way from one game stall to the next.

However, despite the celebratory atmosphere, you couldn't shake the lingering tension between you and Law. He had tried to approach you several times, but you always found a reason to move away, to avoid talking to him.

Law, however, was not one to give up easily. As the night wore on, he finally cornered you at one of the stalls, his expression serious.

"We need to talk," he said, his voice low to avoid drawing attention, as he gently pulled you along to a quieter part of the festival where the sounds of laughter and music were a distant hum.

You sighed, setting down your drink on a nearby barrel. "There's nothing to talk about, Law," you replied, your voice carrying a note of finality.

"Yes, there is," he insisted, stepping closer, his eyes searching yours. "We can't keep going like this."

You crossed your arms, your gaze fixed on a point beyond his shoulder, not wanting to meet his eyes. "You're right, we can't."

You contemplated your next words, you knew they would hurt, but you had come to the conclusion that your decision was for the best, even if you were still unsure of whether or not it was what you truly wanted. "Your alliance with the Straw Hats is over. That means you won't be sailing with them any longer." You paused to take a breath, hesitant to continue. "And since I'm onboard their ship that means we won't be sailing together any longer."

You kept your eyes averted from his, feeling the intensity of Law's gaze on you. His expression was a mix of disbelief and pain, and you knew looking at him would make you doubt your decision. While he hadn't directly asked you to join him, it had been something you thought would inevitably happen. You had spent almost as much time with him as you had with the Straw Hats, and to say that you hadn't grown fond of each other's company despite the arguments, would be a lie.

"It works out," you continued, trying to sound firm. "This way, you don't need to protect me, and I don't get frustrated with your overprotectiveness."

Law's eyes narrowed, his face a mixture of worry and hurt. "(Y/N)-ya that's- that's not what I meant," Law started, desperation creeping into his voice.

"It's for the best Law. This way, I can continue looking for my island, and you can continue with your mission. Neither of us will come in each other's way." You could see the reflection of festival lights in his eyes, now dulled by the sadness you had inflicted. You noticed his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides, a sign of his internal struggle. His usually stoic demeanor was shattered, replaced by a vulnerability that tugged at your heart.

"But (Y/N)-ya-" he tried to interject, his voice laced with urgency.

"I'll see you later, Law," you said quickly, cutting him off before he could say more and change your mind. "Maybe if we get the chance, we'll see each other in the future." Without giving him a chance to respond, you turned and walked away, your heart heavy with the weight of your decision. You knew it was the best choice given how things were between the two of you, but that didn't make it any easier.

_____________________________________________

A/N: this might actually come as a surprise, but the next part will probably be the last part. I've written the ending, and kinda just need to add one or two parts before that. But if it ends up being too long then maybe I'll split it into two parts. Who knows, we'll see how it goes ┐⁠(⁠ ⁠˘⁠_⁠˘⁠)⁠┌.

taglist: @trafalgardaria @deathsmajestysworld @cottoncandyloverrrr @magnificenttaledreamland @kitsunechan707

[a-simple-imagine]

Help! My Girlfriend just Fell Down The Alt - Right Supe Supremist Pipeline pt.2

Requested by anonymous: “could you write a cate hurt/comfort where unlike andre's coward ass u actually fix her 🫶 pls and tyy”

Pairing: Cate Dunlap x fem!reader

Words: 1.3k+

A/N - turned this request into part 2 of my other cate story because i'm obsessed with the idea of cate dating an empath. you don’t have to read the first part

WARNINGS - mention of murder, death and blood

PREV //

it's a bright sunny day but the air is polluted with the rich taste of fear; a chaotic blend of fear and anger. you don't know what to do. where to go. you thought you left this behind when you ran. your head aches. heart hammering in your chest. all around you students and faculty scramble in search of safety. Bodies litter the ground. blood drowns the lush green grass. and you are powerless to stop it. useless. this school housed so many heroes but your powers were far from useful. you're almost frozen in time. this very spot on the godu campus, your newfound home. waiting. waiting for the inevitable moment someone notices and you end up just another casualty.

it's so hard to focus with the swirling emotions that invade your head. every inch of your body burned with other people's pain. everyone was feeling so much; too much. it hurt. it felt like your brain might explode. you kinda wish it would. but despite it all your eyes settle on familiar blonde hair. beautiful blue eyes stained deep red. Cate. you had left so abruptly. perhaps you should be more apprehensive right now. but you feel no ill intentions.

"h-hey," it's a pathetic murmur restrained by the pounding in your head. She was your girlfriend and you could hardly say a word. You're not even sure what you could say to rectify this. murdering dean Shetty was one thing. a sad attempt at vengeance. it was hard enough to ignore but this? this came across as insane. this was too much. you had told the others you would deal with Cate not because you actually thought you could help but because you were scared of what they would do. Cate was public enemy one on the campus today.

"I've been looking for you," there's a tenderness to her voice. a softness she reserved for you; especially right now. her emotions are hard to shift through when mixed with so many others. too many others. but a deep anger settles over you. you know it's not directed at you. it's fighting with a desire to have you understand her point of view.

"you have to stop this cate," if only it was that straightforward. if words were enough this wouldn't have happened. you wouldn't have to beg your girlfriend to stop her lethal rampage. even if she physically was not the one killing. it's a weird position to be in. one that fills your stomach with a bottomless darkness pit... or maybe that was just the scene before you. either way, you felt nauseated.

"we're actually getting somewhere," there was an overwhelming weariness to her voice. She was clearly exhausted; struggling to stand straight as she clarified her frustration. you knew well the toll her powers took. that pang of fear every time you've watched her overdo it. you wonder how many people she has pushed into doing her bidding. how much her brain must hurt. how much she needs to rest. even how many people are dying under her authority. "people need to know what was going on here. We aren't just lab rats for Vought- we deserve respect."

"I agree," a flicker of surprise almost sends the blonde tumbling to the ground. "we deserve respect but this isn't how to get it. just stop and we can- we can figure this out." it takes everything in you to risk a step closer. pinpointing her feelings amongst the rest. it was a hazy feeling; tingly almost. you couldn't quite decipher what belonged to who still.

"Why can't you see that this is the only way," she implores. "it's the only way they'll listen."

"it's not worth it Cate," you express. "you're hurting innocent people-"

"they're not innocent." she snarls. Red-hot anger bursts through your veins. your jaw tenses. fist clenched. "you heard what Shetty said. they think we're freaks. they hate us-" You don't want to think about Shetty; you couldn't. it was too much. too taxing. the blood. so much blood. so much bitterness. an unsteady breath pushes its way past your lips.

"you're hurting me, Cate," you bark; fuelled by Cate's fear. her emotions were taking over. driving you forward. "all these emotions- all this fear. my head is on fire. it's too much. I can't- I can't handle it."

"I'm sorry," she sighed, dragging her eyes away. almost like she was unable to bear looking at the suffering she was causing. "I know this is hard for you, I wish it didn't have to be but this is the only way. I'm protecting us. I'm protecting you." you didn't need to be a mind reader to know Cate's intentions. her misguided desire for retribution. more fuelled by revenge for how she has been treated than a will to help people. she's explained it all already.

"Cate..." her name slips tenderly from your lips; biting back her fire that's burning inside. "I don't need protecting. I just- I need you." your desperate now. desperate for the pain to stop. for Cate to give up this crazy crusade. you wanted to go back to how things were. you wanted to hold her hand as you walked across campus to class each morning. wanted to surprise her with a cupcake after a hard day. cuddle up in bed while you watch the cheesiest movie known to man just because she enjoyed it. you wanted normal. you deserved that. you all did. "we can figure this out. I promise we can- just give me a chance." you continue. "I don't wanna lose you." you know she's hesitant by the way her eyes flicker to you and then away again. searching for a reason to deny you. to push you away further. her anger was no longer a raging fire but a muted flame as your words settled over her. "please," expressed softly. "we can get through this together." she could read your mind. She must know you are being genuine.

"Okay," the blonde mumbles, finally meeting your gaze. such pretty eyes even stained with abuse of power. "yeah," she nods a little; holding out her hand. you pause. it would mark a sign of trust. She didn't have her glove which meant that there was a possibility this was just a trick. if you take her hand she could make you do whatever she wanted. she could push you into believing her philosophy. She could kill you if she wanted. surely she wouldn't though? your girlfriend had never used her powers on you. She used to be all about consent. but you also thought she wasn't capable of murder and look at how that turned out. she was probably in your head listening. could hear your doubt. you watch a sadness wash over her face as she retracts her peace offering and in a panic, you roughly grab her hand. it's unexpected even by you. but you couldn't give up on her. you loved Cate, you wanted to trust her. you needed to trust that she was still good.

"I trust you" blurted out loudly. drowning in her anger. in her pain and fear. it's all so much. your legs buckle and it takes significant effort to stay upright. there is a glimpse of something unexplained in her eyes. Cate was the most important person to you. you struggle to watch your paths diverge before you have a chance to tell her your feelings. She probably knew. there was no hiding with Cate. not anymore. but she couldn't hide from you either. you can feel everything. our emotions expose true intentions. and even amongst all the dread, there was a warmth radiating through now like the sun breaking through dark clouds. She held bright feelings for you. you could feel her passion radiating.

"you... trust me?" Cate asks. her voice quiet. unsure.

"I trust you," you give her hand a gentle squeeze. "I just wanna help you- let me help you."

her eyes search yours for a moment before arms are wrapped around your shoulders and Cate falls against you. you stumble back under the weight of her body; the weight of her emotions. but you still hold on tight. chasing that beautifully warm feeling. "just me and you."

"Always," whispered softly.

[kickis-conan-king]

I like to think that in a modern au, if Keith had any kind of social media, it would be a little bit like one of those accounts where you go “is this guy just really committed to the bit or is he just Like That?” Like his instagram account would be full of nothing but reels where he sets the phone camera down after staring silently into it, walks far enough away that his whole body is in shot and does like, ten backflips before the video just abruptly ends with him still in motion. Another video where he walks around town with a ton of little throwing knives and it’s just a montage of footage of him lodging them into billboards and signs and other random hard to reach places. A lot of his videos are taken in the dark at indiscernible locations with nothing but the flash too bright and distorting his face, his eyes flashing like a raccoons in the brightness, and those videos are the rare times he speaks in his vids but it’s always something like “if life has to include suffering then how come it’s minor shit. I’d rather be miserable in a big way that is kinda badass then go through one more awkward conversation with a barista.” His most normal videos are of his dog just zooming around (no commentary or caption) and just. Footage of his legs dangling from absurdly high places with beautiful views.

Lance just randomly comes across his account while scrolling through his Instagrams suggested reels and immediately becomes OBSESSED with xxjustkeith.xx4510fu. At first Lance thinks it’s a meme account, some kind of bit but then the more he watches the less sure he is. He kinda can’t believe someone That good looking would make anything other then thirst content. He spends hours scrolling the account. He starts to wonder if maybe this guy is a serial killer or something. Then he notices in one of the videos that…hang on…he recognizes that place. And that too. And holY SHIT they totally live in the same town!!! So under one of the videos he comments something obscure but that is undeniably From Their Town, basically calling this guy out on where he lives without doxxing him.

Keith immediately dms him like. Who the fuck are you and what do you want. Lance is like teehee hi uh. I think you’re insane 🥰🤪😉. And Keith is like meet me at x spot at x time for a fistfight. And Lance is like hell yeah brother, writes his last will and testament (a text to hunk) and goes to meet this unhinged hottie who literally said they were going to fight. So they meet up and like. Keith is how he is, kind of mostly just awkward and shy with an inclination for feral hobbies and knuckle first thinking and Lance is how he is all chatter and bravado and challenges and charm and so. The do spar a little bit but once they’re both breathless they just go get coffee and talk.

And after that in all of Keith’s videos there are snippets of someone chattering in the background, tan legs dangling just out of frame, a dude who does backflips with him, someone cheering or whining saying “let me try 😞 Keith hey. Let me try.” When he walks around throwing knives. A dude who is otherwise not mentioned anywhere or tagged in anything.

All the people who are fans of Keith account for its adventurous and surreal humor start speculating in the comments. Eventually Keith gets fed up and posts a video reply to the comments.

It’s in selfie mode. It a beautiful day, and him and Lance are side by side. Wherever they’re sitting it’s up high. A breeze ruffles their hair. Keith looks straight into the camera and says completely monotone. “This is Lance. He’s my boyfriend.” Lances silent shock gets cut off by the video ending (he did not know they were dating.)

[chadillacboseman]

Hiii :)))

I saw your Makarov posts and I am obsessed with how you write him! I was wondering if I could request a writing? Could you write a oneshot where the reader is completely unaware of just WHO Makarov is and thinks he's a regular guy (established relationship) but she somehow finds out what he does/ has done and he lowkey kinda panics bc how tf did she figured that out??? And is she gonna leave??? But he explains how much he's doing to make sure she never is exposed to his work and he becomes more desperate to make sure she stays? Idk i like him lowkey kinda OOC 😌

If not that's totally ok! Have a good day!!

HELLO GREAT IDEA I LOVE YOU.

ALSO- Jason Isbell has a song called "Live Oak" that I feel fits really well:

There's a man who walks beside me

He is who I used to be

And I wonder if she sees him and confuses him with me

And I wonder who she's pinin' for

On nights I'm not around

Could it be the man who did the things

I'm living down?

Makarov had worked very hard to keep his "work" away from you. He crafted believable stories, spun from whole cloth, to explain his extended absences and late nights spent away from home. When his men kept an eye on the house, he made them do it in secret, hoping, no- praying that you wouldn't notice the familiar cars that parked on the street every night.

As they say, though, even the best laid plans can go awry.

Makarov's phone rang in the middle of the night, the soft thrum of the vibration just enough to wake him, but not you. He scrambled from the bed, quickly swiping to answer the call while making his way into the hallway.

"What is it?" he asked, sleep still clinging to his voice as he paced in the small space.

An errant creak in the floorboards made him curse in Russian, glancing over his shoulder to make sure it hadn't awoken you.

In the bedroom, you stirred, reaching a hand over to his side of the bed and blinking awake when you found it empty.

"V?" you croaked out into the darkness.

No answer.

You could hear the soft sound of his voice coming from the hallway, words muffled by the distance between you. You rose to your feet quietly, trying to shake the tiredness from your mind.

Makarov had his back to you, his phone pressed against his ear; he was whispering, but you could hear the angry hiss in his voice.

"I told you to tie up the loose ends!" he paused to listen to the man's response and scoffed quietly, "Make sure he's dead before morning, or I'll put a bullet between your eyes myself."

Your heart hammered out an erratic rythm in your chest, so loud that you were sure he could hear it. Had you misheard him?

Makarov ended the call and immediately swiped his thumb across the numbers, dialing a contact you didn't recognize.

"Ivan just called me," he hissed into the phone when the person picked up, "After that stunt at the train station in London-"

His next words were lost to the ringing in your ears.

Train station? Your memory flashes to the news articles, the tv coverage- dozens dead, and hundreds more injured in a blast that NCA and Interpol were still investigating.

Before you could stop it, a small gasp fell from your mouth, impossibly loud in the quiet space. At the sound of it, Makarov's shoulders stiffened, his broad frame becoming rigid in the darkness.

He ended the call abruptly and tried to swallow his heart down out of his throat. His mind was on fire, racing with what to do- what to say-

When he finally turned to face you, his face was pale and his eyes were full of desperation.

The two of you stood in silence, neither willing to break it and confront what had just happened. You'd shared your life with him for the last four years- had laid in bed next to a killer. How many plots had he orchestrated? How many people had died at his behest?

Makarov finally broke the silence with a whisper of your name, "Please- let me explain."

You looked so afraid, wild-eyed like a doe that hears the errant crack of a twig in the forest. His heart was in his stomach now; he felt as if his entire world was about to fall down around him.

Part of you wanted to leave. To pack a bag and find a cheap hotel to put some distance between the two of you. But another part of you, a bigger part, wanted a fucking explanation.

But what could he possibly say?

Makarov closed the distance between the two of you, one of his hands coming up to cup your face. You flinched at the movement, and he felt his heart break.

"I did everything I could to keep you safe," he murmured, his dark eyes never wavering from yours, "I didn't-" he paused for a moment, searching for the words, "I didn't want you to know who I am- what I am."

"You'll never have to find that out. I promise."

"And what are you?" You whispered. You felt as if your life had been upended entirely, pieces of your broken image of him scattered like a shattered piece of china.

"And what if the enemies you've made come for me?" You asked, defiantly, pulling your face from his grip.

A possibility he'd considered thousands of times. That you pulled away from his touch while you asked it pierced his chest like a knife.

How could he begin to explain the details his men kept on the house? The late nights he spent awake when a noise roused him from his sleep, ears strained in the darkness and a grip on his pistol?

"My men watch the house when I'm gone," Makarov searched your face for any sign of relief, "I will always keep you safe, Любимая."

There was so much more he wanted to say-

Don't leave me.

You're the closest thing to normal I have.

I love you.

"No one will ever lay a hand on you," he brought his hand to your face once more and you let him, closing your eyes as his thumb swept across your cheek gently, "Please, give me a chance."

You wondered, now, how many sleepless nights he had spent making sure you were safe. How many times he'd been away, nerves on edge with worry of your safety.

Could you still see him as the same "V"?

"Promise me something?" You stared up into his eyes, sparkling in the dark hallway.

"Anything," he breathed, bringing his face closer to yours, the tip of his nose brushing against yours as he spoke.

"I want things to stay like they were. I don't...I don't want to know about what you do."

You weren't even sure that was possible. But you had to try.

Makarov brought his lips to yours, his stubbled chin grating gently against your skin as he kissed you. For a moment, everything felt right again as he pulled you tight against him, the warmth of his body such a familiar comfort you could almost forget what you'd heard. When he broke the kiss, he was breathing heavily, his eyes flitting to yours once more.

"I promise."

[madame-fear]

Hi Ami :D i kinda had an idea, you could like write a lucerys x reader story or mini series (depends on if you want or not) where the reader is in love with him but he gets betrothed to Rhaena. They have an argument and the rest is your decision on what happens next. And with that i though of much angst and a happy ending. (cause i don't want to cry)

Much Love and kisses ❤️❤️

*ೃ༄ 𝐉𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐘, 𝐉𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐘 .ೃ࿐

★ amira speaks! : hello love! okay so i remember that a short while after this, you had sent me this exact request again but a little bit more specific, and i unfortunately can’t find it now! so i added what i vaguely remember from it. 😅 I hope you enjoy it! 💕 — summary : [ — ✧ request. ] — word count : 5.4k

— genre : angst to fluff, maybe hurt/comfort. — pairing : lucerys velaryon x jealous!reader.

The cool breeze inncesantly blew into your face, smoothly swaying your hair along the wind as you sat in the vast beach of Dragonstone.

The seawaves gently moved in a fluent manner along the breeze, being soothe by the sound of how the waves reached the beachshore, and clashed against the small rocks, shells, and pebbles that there were sprayed all along the sand. Your legs were pressed against your chest, and your arms were wrapped around them, tightly against your body.

You were conflicted on the inside, as much as you wished to deny it.

You had long been the best friend of the future Lord of Driftmark, Prince Lucerys Velaryon. You both shared a loving bond together ever since you were little children, and nothing was able to change how much you cared for one another. It was the type of sweet innocent friendship where you would sneak together out of your chambers late at night to simply read books together or talk, gossip and snicker at other people, defend one another to no end, and share all the thoughts that crossed your mind.

The problem was, you were too frightened to even admit to yourself that you had an increasing crush on the young Velaryon Prince, not wanting that to ruin the unequalled relationship both of you had since you can remember. There was something special about him... Perhaps it was the way he stole glances at you? Or perhaps, the way Luke was so gentle, soft-spoken, and caring around you, to the point you had to hold back some flustered giggles when he had a sweet action — like kissing your hand, or offering his arm for you to grab when walking together — around you.

Of course, you held youself back from mentioning about how you felt at all, swallowing your own feelings shamelessly. But, deep inside of you, in a way, you regretted not being able to speak it out with him. Especially, when you accompanied his family back to King’s Landing to support his birthright to inherit Driftmark when his uncle accussed him of being a bastard, only to come back to Dragonstone with both him and his elder brother, Jacaerys, betrothed to their cousins.

The news of them being abruptly betrothed seemed to push down a huge burden on your entire body. It felt as if nothing else mattered to you, and it did manage to lower your usually positive spirits down. You, of course, preferred to remain in silence about how both salty and jealous you felt — but the way you behaved the following days after the betrothal news was something too obvious to not notice. Especially for Lucerys, whom noticed immediatly how you avoided him, and how you seemed rather wistful.

There was no hesitation from his part to approach you, a bit timidly with hopes of knowing what was wrong, and if he had done or said anything to upset you. It wasn’t his fault, really, but you still felt frustrated about the outcome of the situation.

Soft footsteps were heard from behind of you, accompanied by the cries of the seagulls flying above you, and the seawaves clashing against the beachshore. You craned your head curiously to peek who was the one approaching you, only to spot the young Velaryon Prince, with both his arms behind his back.

“Luke,” you whispered. “I had thought you were in classes with the maester.” with gentle movements, Lucerys sat by your side. His hair slightly covered his green eyes, as the wind made strands of hia hair sway along it, much like your own. “I’m already finished with my duties.” he replied, fixing his gaze on you. You noticed, there was a hint of concern. “I simply wished to see you.”

You scoffed, turning back to stare at the seawaves. The sun was already leisurely disappearing, reflecting it’s shine upon the tides, leaving beauteous traces of rich oranges mixed with rosy pigments and a lavender hue all smeared over the sky. “That’s sweet.” you retorted, feeling his stare weighing on you. He had no saying in his betrothal, but you still felt as if you couldn’t easily stare at him without feeling a knot heavily form in your stomach.

Lucerys tilted his head slightly to his side, frowning in disappointment at your notorious coldness towards him, as silence awkwardly loomed in the atmosphere. He cleared his throat, “I came to see you, because...” a small fluster crept on his cheeks, not knowing how to explain himself properly. “I-I was afraid that I might have done or said something to upset you, (y/n)?”

Rapidly, you turned your head to stare at him; your brows knitting in confusion. But you weren’t surprised at all, in fact, you had imagined he could already sense you had been off ever since his betrothal. “No, Luke. Why do you say that?” you inquired back, seeing him gulp timidly. “Out of all the people, you overall could never say, or do, anything to upset me.” you could notice Lucerys sighing discreetly, as if he felt relieved of hearing that. But either way, you still seemed a bit out of yourself.

Fidgeting with his fingers, for a brief moment, his eyes lingered on his hands and lap before returning to stare at you. “It... I-I just...” eagerly, you awaited to hear the rest of whatever he had to say. “I just noticed you a bit upset... A-And avoiding me as well, I suppose.” a huff spurred from your lips, craning your head back to wander your gaze off to the sea.

“Trust me, it’s nothing, Luke.” you shook your head, giving him a cold, monotone response. You knew Lucerys was genuinely preoccupied, he always was when he noticed something was wrong with you — but you preferred not even daring to think about the topic. “I am perfectly fine. You shouldn’t worry enough.”

And there it was again, that familiar knot dreadfully forming on your stomach as you were forced to remember all that had happened. You knew she as well had nothig to do, but you had grown to despise Rhaena Targaryen these last days. Lucky one, she was.

Unbeknownst to you, the future Velaryon Lord was head over heels for you. Much like yourself, the beteothal was a bit of a disappointment to him, but understood it was for a mere political convenience. Luke didn’t want to fool himself into believing that the reason of your anger was because he was to marry his cousin Rhaena... Initially. Because as the days passed by, you seemed to unconsciously agree with him that he had all the reasons to believe his betrothal was the cause of your frustration.

Frowning, he gulped once again. His heart pounded quickly against his chest as his hands anxiously trembled. The young Prince was reluctanct to ask you so very bluntly, but to remove the weigh on his conscience, he forced himself to do so.

“(y/n),” luke spoke again, scooting closer to you. He noticed you did seem prettier than usual, even when upset, making a scarlet hue form on his features. “We have known each other since we were children. I can tell you are not perfectly fine.” timidly and gently, his hand was placed on your shoulder. You slightly jumped at the abrupt contact, but the feeling of his warm hand soothed you, in a way. It was dreadfully angsty.

“Please, do tell me honestly.” he insisted. His next words came out hesitated, “Is... Is it because of my betrothal?” and with that, you finally dared to look back at him. The way you glanced at him shouted jealousy, and a bit of disappointment as well. In a way, you had to admit you did feel embarrassed of reacting salty towards it, but what could you do about it?

You huffed, staring at him in silence for a few seconds, trying to think of a proper answer. “I don’t know. Do you?” you replied, nearly spatting it. His rosy lips were partly open to speak, mumbling your name vaguely, but you kept talking. “It might just be so, Lucerys.” suddenly, you stood up, rapidly shaking off the grains of sand that remained on your dress, losing the warmth of his hand on your shoulder.

“You have no idea of how it made me feel.” you began speaking, feeling too overwhelmed to stare at him. “For years, I have been by your side. I supported you, I stood by you, I told you things that I could possibly tell no other and I always held an all encompassing adoration for you — just for you to end up marrying another girl!” perhaps your emotions were getting the best of you, making you forget that the betrothal had never been his personal decision.

Your voice broke as you shouted at him, with your voice echoing through the tranquil beach. A lump on your throat burdened you, feeling some tears nearly being spilled from your eyes. “I love you, Lucerys. But it truly is overwhelming to not be able to say anything just to maintain our friendship as it always has been, with you so oblivious!” Lucerys rapidly stood up, approaching you as his heart shattered slowly at the sight of tears leaving their hot trails on your soft cheeks.

Luke was a bit amused at your sudden confession, having fancied you ever since he first laid his eyes on you as young little boy. Seven Hells, you were the one oblivious to the fact that everyone in his family, and even your own, teased him for always swooning over you, staring at you, and never shutting up about you and all the marvellous things you did with him.

“I had no saying in that at all, (y/n)!” he retorted back, raising slightly his voice. “Our betrothals are always political conveniences! Does it seem like we have any free will to marry whomever we fancy?” you scoffed, turning around so your back faced him, beginning to walk away. Lazily, you wiped away your tears with the sleeve of your dress, sniffing as you heard him try to approach you, but you walked away faster. “Oh, but I can see the way you look at her!”

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Obviously, he had been particularly polite towards his cousin after the announcement of their betrothal, but that meant nothing for him. “I wish you could just understand how I feel, but I doubt you will.” your voice was breaking, trying to drown back some sobs from escaping. His fingers fidgeted nervously with each other again, trying to reach you to comfort you and tell you just how much he genuinely adored you more than anyone.

“(y/n), please,” you heard his voice lower its tone leisurely, sounding a bit more saddened at your jealous reaction, hearing the sound of your sobs fade the more you walked away from the situation. How could he make you understand that he had no chance to protest against his betrothal? But of course, in your place, Luke knew he would be as frustrated and jealous as you currently were.

As much as Lucerys craved to catch up to you and hug you from behind tightly against his own body, showering you with his love; he knew he had to give you your space. But either way, he felt the burden of your sadness weigh on him because of an unwanted political situation.

Time had passed since you last saw Lucerys on the beach of Dragonstone, and had a small argument with him.

You sat at the edge of your window in your chambers, still having the ghostly salty taste of your own hot spilled tears in your lips. Occasionally you sniffed quietly to yourself, fixing your gaze on the dark blue sky, being filled with bright stars.

An awkward feeling lingered on you after the small argument you had with Lucerys. Giving it a deep thought, Luke obviously was right when he said he had no saying on his betrothal as it was all for the conveniences of the Houses amidst an imminent war — but, you still couldn’t help but feel a poisonous jealousy, and a bit of embarrassment at your sudden outburst of emotions in fromt of him.

It was too late to take all the things said back, or so you thought. A soft huff escaped from your lips, as you heard a faint knock against the door of your private quarters. The least you wanted to do, was talk or see anyone.

“(y/n), may I come in?” a familiar voice was heard from behind the voice, making a small lump form on your throat again. It was whom you had expected to be, and that was, none other than Lucerys. You stood silent, not having enough will to respond anything. “I’m not angry at you, I promise.” he sounded alluring enough for you to let him in, noticing he seemed genuinely concerned. But you had enough from embarrassing yourself in front of him.

“No.” you replied, in a weak tone, but enough for him to hear, not wanting him to enter.

The Velaryon Prince sighed. He adored you more than anything, and seeing you in such state was harrowing for him. Without asking twice, your door was unexpectedly opened, making you move your gaze towards it with widened eyes. Your heart was beating at a fast speed, swallowing awkwardly as you watched him close the door behind of him.

“Luke,” you whispered faintly. A rosy hue formed on your cheeks, still feeling uneasy about the previous situation. “I-I’m so sorry, for what happened earl–” as you stuttered, Luke interrupted you spontaneously. He approached you with gentle footsteps, both his arms hidden behind his back.

“You call me oblivious, but you are worse. Aren’t you?” immediatly, your eyebrows knitted in confusion. Your body leisurely became less stiff, awaiting for Lucerys to continue speaking. “What... What do you mean?” you inquired, placing your feet on the ground as you sat by the edge of your window. For some reason, you just came to realisation on how taller he had grown, having to keep your sight raised to make eye contact.

A small scoff escaped from his rosy lips. It was unbelievable how you never realised the way he was swooning over you like a little boy with a crush, and his love for you had never changed. “I previously said that my betrothal was a political convenience, and I had no saying in it...” he began speaking. And very gently, one of his warm hands cupped your heated, flustered cheek, and the other one brushed a strand of your hair off your beauteous features. His fingertip grasped softly against your skin, making you shiver.

You muttered no response, merely allowing him to continue. But instead of speaking, Lucerys cupped your other cheek, and leaned closer to you. Delicately, his plushy lips grasped against your own very warmly, before placing them on the corner of your lips. He so eagerly craved to be able to kiss those precious lips of yours, but he preferred to take things slowly until you both could get used to being more physically affectionate.

Your eyes remained wide in surprise, trying to fight back a dumbfounded smile at how tender he pressed several pecks on the corner of your lips, dangerously close to them. Quietly, you sighed; fluttering your eyes shut briefly, and nearly melting into his touch.

Reluctanctly, Luke pulled apart from you, but remained with his face inches away from your own. “... But if I had free will to marry whomever I fancy, I would’ve chosen to marry you without thinking it twice.” a sheepish grin tugged upwards on his lips, noticing how dumbfounded and heavily flustered you seemed after nearly kissing your mouth. You were so delicately pretty and beautiful, it took all the effort in the world to hold himself back from tightly cuddling you against his chest.

“O-Oh,” you mumbled awkwardly, allowing some giggles to escape from you. “D-Do you really mean it, Luke?” both his arms descended to make their way towards your waist, wrapping themselves around it, and pulling you closer. “Of course I do mean it. I never had eyes for another woman, only for you.” one of his hands went to the back of your head, interwining his fingers in between strands of your hair. “You mean the absolute world to me. I adore you, (y/n), and no one could possibly make me feel the way you do.”

Shyly, but keenly, his lips were pressed against your forehead. The hand on the back of your head pressed you against his chest, allowing you to rest against his body. Your arms were wrapped around his waist, just like he had previously done with you, and you closed your eyes slowly whilst you discreetly inhaled his sweet, comforting scent. “I could say the same to you...” you muttered, being lovesick by the way he gently treated you.

His kisses were tender, and genuinely affectionate. Lucerys could shower you with all the love just for you that had remained inside of him for many years, but he was the one to take baby steps with you, until he knew you were comfortable enough. With a soft sigh, Luke placed his cheek on top of your head, playing carefully with strands of your hair, and twirling them around his fingers.

The warmth emanating from your body was endearing enough for him, feeling relieved to finally be able to show how much he was profoundly over the clouds for you. Much like you felt, Luke could just melt with having you clinging to his body. A wide smile appeared slowly on his rosy lips, as he stroked your back up-and-down. And you thought, he was the one to be oblivious to how you truly felt.

Teasingly, he pressed you closer against his chest, deciding to gaze down at you with his bright green hazel eyes, and a dumbfounded cheeky grin — feeling slightly shy around you, but enough enamoured to let his timidness fade away.

“Who was the oblivious one, now?”

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