#I got more locked and loaded in the chamber

[insignificant457]

Cassius:

[tonixe]

Hiya babes hope you’re doing well I’ve had this idea for a young Coriolanus Snow where he’s fresh into his presidency and runs into a maid in his room putting his clothes away. He thinks it’s just some avox but it turns out to be and old classmate (she was in the grade a year younger than but he’d seen her passing in the halls and she came from quite a respectable lineage). He becomes infatuated by her and why she’s working for him and not living some life of luxury, it becomes months worth of cat and mouse where Coryo tries to buy her love with gifts and she tries to stay strong. But finally she gives in and they start an affair (he isn’t married it’s just he wouldn’t want to be caught dead having a relationship with a servant girl). Normal he just tells her he wants to see her and that night they do an assortment of nefarious things, but one night he asked her to say instead of kicking her out like he usually does. She thrown off by this and after a little hesitancy she agrees.

So that’s all I really have feel free to make the rest up, but also don’t feel obligated to write about this it’s just something that’s come to my mind. I didn’t mean for this to be so long sorry. Love you loads hope you have the best of days and I hope you’ll find inspiration from this prompt. Okay kisses and hugs this is me signing off.

— Dirty little secret

WARNING: Unprotected sex, implied mudpie, fingering, implied affair, groping.

PAIRING: President!Coriolanus Snow x maid!reader

WORD COUNTER: 1.8k

Days for Coriolanus seemed to tick on longer than he bargained after getting elected and inaugurated to the office of Panem. Being the President of Panem wasn't a joke, nor did it have any time to just sit around, he was a busy man with a country behind him and leading the future of his people and generations. It was tiring for him, sometimes he would just accidentally sleep in his office rather than go to his bedroom. After piles of documents and papers were placed on his desk, finding more time to complete them if he locked himself away in his office.

On top of that, he had to make speeches and host future events. He just didn't have any time for self-pleasure with all the work on his desk, but he was dutiful and a studious worker. He did his usual routine after finalizing some paperwork and handing it off to his secretary to press. Dragging his feet against the delicate and pleasant tiles, tiredness drowned his vision, as he opened the door of his chamber spotting a dainty maid in his room. Your eyes widen at the sight of the President in front of you, immediately bowing down, before lifting your head slightly up. "Mr. President, I was just delivering your clothes" You curtsy at him, Coriolanus originally thought you were just an avox until you spoke, but now a mere maid hired by his secretary but once he got a glimpse of your face, a flash of simple memory ran through his mind. You started taking steps away from him trying to get away from the brewing tension, "Stop" You turned your body to him, looking at him with your full attention.

The sounds of the heel of his shoes on the bedroom flooring, feeling his soft hands on your jaw, slowly lifting your head up, taking in the scene of you. You held your breath as he simply inspected you, feeling your heart pumping against your chest. His azure eyes stared into your own, for a moment..before he withdrew his hands away from you. "You may go" he finished, you watched as he turned his body away from you before you scurried out of the bedroom.

But Coriolanus couldn't help but look back at you as you ran away, the sense of familiarity when he saw you was haunting his head. He pondered about it, putting his hand underneath his chin as he thought about you. The passing days were just Coriolanus watching you as you worked around the manor, his eyes never leaving your form. He managed to gather some information on you, by looking through your files, after all, he is the President of Panem it's his job to know everything, right?

His hands flipped through the dainty white pages, your headshot on the first page as he read through the private information, finding out that you were from Capitol blood, and ended up in the depths of middle class maybe even lower instead of luxury. Curiosity filled his mind about you, questions flowing through his mind with no answer to them. "What really are you..Y/N" he whispered under his breath, examining the photo of you. Most of these days were now mostly spent with him staring at you doing chores around the household, hanging up laundry, washing clothes, and cleaning the floors.

He likes how you laugh and smile when talking to your co-workers while you work. Every time he sees your smile, it makes some of his problems melt away, if he is stressed, he completely forgets what he was stressed about. He would purposely order you to his room to clean or arrange something in his office. Over a few months passing, he would continue asking for you, so adding little gifts and necklaces. For you, it was a surprise, certainly. Who expects the President of Panem to gift a simple maid a luxurious, expensive necklace, priced at a high price, more than you get paid. So you would send them off, at first you were confused thinking it was a mistake he sent the luxurious package to you, then it was sent back to you, this time a different gift, more beautiful and elegant. So you sent it back again, he began to be more curious and furious why you didn't keep and accept the gifts he sent, were they too ugly, an eyesore or indifferent to you.

So he orders you to his room...

It was the middle of the night, being pulled out of the servant quarters by the headmistress, ordering you to serve Coriolanus, and you obeyed. Your body is still engulfed in your flimsy nightgown and your flats on the floor of the manor, as you walk down the hallways. You opened the door to Coriolanus still in his attire, leaning on the bedframe. His eyes darted at you. "Mr. President, you requested of me" You held your hands together, looking him in the eyes. You hear his footsteps inching closer to you, his hands on his hips, "Do you hate them?" he asked, his eyes never leaving your frame, cocking your eyebrow, confused about what he was asking you.

"Hate, what, Sir?" you questioned, "The gifts" he walked closer to you, "Do you hate them, Y/N?" he looked at you, his eyes attentively staring at your own e/c. You felt sweat pending up on the palm of your hand as you began to clear your throat, "No—I just thought you sent them by mistake, sir" You said, you looked away from him, feeling flustered at how close he was to you. 'Y/n, do you think I'm an idiot to send something three things to the same person?" He gently lifted up your chin, making direct eye contact with you. "N-no, sir!" You exclaimed, "Then why, my sweet dove?' he questioned, "What have I done to deserve them" You mumbled,

"Every time I saw you, you have been pulling the strings to my heart..." He whispered, his deep voice resonating through your body, sending chills down your spine, you were hesitant to respond to him. The few moments of silence were unbearable, it felt like his eyes were tracking your every move. "Would it, not be improper for you to date a servant woman like me?" You murmur, and he immediately takes your face into his hands, "I will trade all of Panem just to have you in my arms" You parted your lips, staring at him in shock. Before he took your lips, kissing you. His hands touched against your skin, making you whine, his fingers slowly taking off the strings of your sheer nightgown. Immediately the cold air hits your bare skin making you moan, his hand trailing against your sides. He withdrew from your lips, his eyes clouded with lust, his pupils dilated. "W-we can't", looking away from him in embarrassment, trying to cover yourself up from his gaze.

He picked you up by your thighs, immediately putting your arms around his neck. He carried you towards the bed, dropping you onto the mattress, you instantly tried to cover yourself until he ripped your hands away as he stared at you beneath him. He took off your panties, slowly, his eyes staring at your slick coating your panties off, making you flustered. He started taking off his belt, you watched as he took his trousers off along with his boxers. His length springs out, pre-cum leaking from the tip of his cock, feeling yourself getting wet underneath him. His eyes were heavy with lust, impatiently to have you, taste you, and fuck you.

He slowly inserts himself into you, a moan being ripped out of your throat, holding him by his biceps. "Itis' too big" you groaned. You tried to adjust yourself around his cock, you bit the bottom of your lip simmering the pain. Before he started moving, his pelvis smacked into your cunt as your breast bounced in impact.

You pushed your head back in pleasure as he forced himself into you, he groaned into your ear. "You're taking me so well, dove" he whispered, kissing your collarbone. The sound of wet skin clapping resonating around the bedroom, his hands moving around your body, rubbing the nipples of your breast, moaning in response. "Your so warm" he groaned, moving his hips against you, you felt yourself inching near your release.

He place your leg onto his shoulder, moving your body to the side as he thrusted inside, feeling his cock deeper inside you.

His hand groped your breast, abusing your nipples as he plunged into you deeper. Before feeling yourself coming undone, squeezing down on his cock. "Fuck" he groaned, pushing himself into you. His fingers trailing down onto your pelvis, he rubbed your clit, making you whine. Breathy moans echoed from your lips, and you looked through your lashes at him. Your walls massaging his cock, his thrust getting faster and into an animalistic pace.

His groans became frantic, as he fucked himself into you, before he pulled out and cummed onto your stomach, the white sticky load coating your body. Feeling your legs shaking, and your chest heaving. Staring at him, tiredness in your eyes.

"You did so good, dove," he said, kissing the corner of your neck.

Soon this moment happened time and time again, mostly during the nights when everyone was gone or sleeping away. He would call for you, knowing what would happen at the end of every night, you on his bed either coated with his cum or filled with it. Usually leaving before anyone can get suspicious of you and Coriolanus. Always wearing a nightgown, Coriolanus purchase for you. Looking into the mirror with the rich, satin fabric on your body, hugging your curves and bosom.

He would surprise you with special things mostly material things but you were grateful for them.

He would buy luxurious lingerie and jewelry for you. You were getting ready to meet Coriolanus as he called for you again, wearing the special red lingerie underneath nightgown, you obeyed. Walking down to his chambers, in the end, the precious lingerie was ripped and your nightgown on the floor stained with cum. His hands on your waist as he thrusted into you, he was close and you were already done and tired. His hands explored you, before he spilled himself into you. Pulling himself out of you, your legs were shaking, holding yourself up. Feeling him leaving a kiss on your cheek, he put himself into his pants.

You walked towards your discarded nightgown, taking ahold of the material, and slipping it on. There was a moment of silence between you and Coriolanus. Getting yourself busy, fixing the fabric of the nightgown, pulling it down carefully.

"Wait, Y/N" you turned around at him, "Yes, Corio" you responded, he loved it when you used that nickname with him, he walked forward to you, "Stay" he paused for a minute, "Stay with me for the night" He finishes, your eyes slightly widen. "What if, we were caught?" You whispered, "Nobody could come in without my permission, Y/N" he pushed a strand of your loose hair over your ear, "Just stay" he whispered, his hands trailing down to your waist, rubbing them in reassurance. You cleared your throat, putting your hands on his chest, and parting your lips.

"Alright—I will..."

[genshinwomenontop]

"Spoiled"

☆Prompt: How the genshin girls react to you spoiling them. (Hcs. This is how I think they would react)

☆Characters include: Lisa, Eula, Ningguang, Shenhe, Miko, Ei

____________________________________________

LISA

Spoiling Lisa with gifts is a hard thing to do. She's such an elegant woman, it'll be hard to buy things she'll like and wouldn't like but only because it's you (her cutie) she'll accept whatever you give to her.

"Oh my, is this the newest perfume collection that I've been hearing so much about? Oh cutie, you didn't have to do that, still, thank you." She'll reward you with kisses and cuddles ;)

The best thing to buy for Lisa is ancient antiques or scrolls. Since she's a librarian and have so much knowledge, she wouldn't mind adding a few more, plus, she's absolutely in love with the ancient history.

"Oh my! This scroll is over 500 years old! Thank you so much darling~" for special gifts like these, she'll reward you with something much more better than kisses and cuddles ;)

EULA

Eula came from a wealthy background so she has everything that she needs, except for love. So the best thing to spoil her with is affection and words of affirmation.

Every night when she comes home, you already have a hot plate of delicious food for her and a nice warm bath ready.

She'll try her hardest to deny that she's not hungry or doesn't need a bath, she'll end up accepting them anyways because it's your time and effort spent.

After she's done, open your arms for cuddles and she'll come crawling right into it, saying how she'll have vengeance for you treating her like a little kid, but before she could finish out her sentence,she's fast asleep on your chest.

NINGGUANG

Oh boy, you seriously cannot buy anything for Ningguang because she already has everything, but just like Eula, spoil and pamper her with affection and words of affirmation.

Bring her lunch and dinner, since she has you living in the Jade Chamber with her. Massage her shoulders while she does her paperwork, give her kisses from time to time and tell her what a good job she's doing.

You'll have this woman putty in your hands in no time.

SHENHE

Since Shenhe was raised in the mountains, she's not accustomed to having human things, like clothes or jewellery.

Give Shenhe medical herbs, cook food that she likes and give her cuddles and kisses. That is the best gift she could ever ask for.

Once in a while, she'll go around to her friends and ask for advice on what to buy since she wanted to do something nice for you after all you've done for her.

Expect to have loads of expensive things at your doorstep and if you ask her how she got the money, "I have my ways."

YAE

This sly, cunning woman could literally tease you for "being so in love with her" when you buy her nice things. She'll obviously love them but if she doesn't tease you, she's not Yae Miko.

Fried Tofu is the best thing to give to her and have her all lovey dovey towards you.

Perfumes are another thing. Since she's only accustomed to wearing her shrine clothing, she takes absolute care in how she smells, especially for you.

Although she knows alot about perfumes, she loves having you pick out her perfume because she loves she way you light up whenever she asks you to do so.

Miko has a "special" perfume she wears at night time, especially on "certain" nights ;)

EI

Poor baby has been locked away for 500 years. Of course clothes and jewellery won't do good for her. Buy her sweets. Lots of sweets. Give her cuddles. Tell her sweet things.

She'll absolutely melt in your arms. Have her lay her head on your lap while she eats Dango.

Ei has a sweet tooth, much like to a child and you find it absolutely adorable.

[goodnightmemes]

THE WALKING DEAD SEASON ONE SENTENCE STARTERS

❛ Sometimes I wonder if you even care about us at all. ❜

❛ Make sure you got a round in the chamber and your safety off. ❜

❛ Son of a bitch shot me. You believe that? ❜

❛ Look, I ask and you answer. It's common courtesy, right? ❜

❛ Get away from the windows. ❜

❛ Conserve your ammo. Goes faster than you think. Especially at target practice. ❜

❛ There are others. It's not just us. ❜

❛ Folks got no idea what they're getting into. ❜

❛ We are surviving here. We are day to day. ❜

❛ Listen, whoever you are, I don't mind telling you I'm a little concerned in here. ❜

❛ Have you been listening? You're running out of time. ❜

❛ Yeah, whatever. Yeehaw. You're still a dumbass. ❜

❛ You know what the key to scavenging is? Surviving! You know the key to surviving? Sneaking in and out, tiptoeing. Not shooting up the streets like it's the O.K. Corral. ❜

❛ You were chasing a hallucination, imagining things. It happens. ❜

❛ Hey! Y'all be more polite to a man with a gun! Only common sense. ❜

❛ We survive this by pulling together, not apart. ❜

❛ If bad ideas were an Olympic event, this would take the gold. ❜

❛ You can't leave me. You can't leave me here. Not like this. ❜

❛ At least somebody's having a good day. ❜

❛ Words can be meager things. Sometimes they fall short. ❜

❛ Nothing bit you? Nothing scratched you? ❜

❛ So that's it, huh? You're just gonna walk off? Just to hell with everybody else? ❜

❛ You're putting every single one of us at risk. Just know that. ❜

❛ The world ended. Didn't you get the memo? ❜

❛ Toughest asshole I ever met. Feed him a hammer, he'd crap out nails. ❜

❛ They're not gonna say it so I will. You're scaring people. ❜

❛ Even I think it's a bad idea and I don't even like you much. ❜

❛ There ain't nothing gonna stop him from getting back here to you, I promise you that. ❜

❛ One wrong move, you get an arrow in the ass. Just so you know. ❜

❛ You come back locked and loaded, we'll see which side spills more blood. ❜

❛ Them guns are worth more than gold. Gold won't protect your family or put food on the table. ❜

❛ What life I have I owe to him. ❜

❛ I don't think you fully appreciate the gravity of the situation. ❜

❛ You're the dumbest son of a bitch I ever met. We walked in there ready to kill every last one of you. ❜

❛ The people we've encountered since things fell apart, the worst kind… plunderers, the kind that take by force. ❜

❛ Guess the world changed. ❜

❛ The people here, they all look to me now. I don't even know why. ❜

❛ Hell with them people. Wouldn't piss on them if their heads were on fire. ❜

❛ Unless I've misread the signs, the world seems to have come to an end. At least hit a speed bump for a good long while. ❜

❛ Time…it's important to keep track, isn't it? The days at least. Don't you think? ❜

❛ Do not enter the city. It belongs to the dead now. ❜

❛ I know how the safety works. ❜

❛ We start down that road, where do we draw the line? ❜

❛ Someone needs to have some balls to take care of this damn problem! ❜

❛ We don't kill the living. ❜

❛ I'm sorry for not ever being there. I always thought there'd be more time. I'm here now. ❜

❛ These people need to know who the hell's in charge here, what the rules are. ❜

❛ There are no rules. ❜

❛ We need time to mourn and we need to bury our dead. It's what people do. ❜

❛ I won't leave again. I promise you that. Not for anything. ❜

❛ You save a grave for me? ❜

❛ It's not about what you want. That sound you hear, that's God laughing while you make plans. ❜

❛ We can't stay here. We both know that. ❜

❛ The most important thing here is we need to stay together. ❜

❛ You go on your own, you won't have anyone to watch your back. ❜

❛ Leave me here. I'm done. Just leave me. ❜

❛ The fever… You've been delirious more often than not. ❜

❛ We can't be here, this close to the city after dark. ❜

❛ You got stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once this door closes, it stays closed. ❜

❛ You know, it's over. There's nothing left. ❜

❛ You don't know what it's like out there. You may think you do, but you don't. ❜

❛ We don't have to be afraid anymore. We're safe here. ❜

❛ I lost somebody too. I know how devastating it is. ❜

❛ What's wrong with him? Seriously, is he nuts, medicated, what? ❜

❛ I did the best I could in the time that I had. I hope you'd be proud of that. ❜

❛ We always think there's gonna be more time. ❜

❛ You should've left well enough alone. It would've been so much easier. ❜

❛ I had to keep hope alive, didn't I? ❜

❛ There is no hope. There never was. ❜

❛ What part of "everything is gone" do you not understand? ❜

❛ There's your chance. Take it. ❜

[sakuraaachan]

Virtual Experience - Izuku M.

​Have you ever loved someone so much you created a fantasy virtual world to have sex with them? No?…..Okay.

Izuku Midoryia x Reader

Rating: mature, smut

Wanna submit a request? Click here

This is the full version of this story!

“Going stupid on that cock huh?”

You couldn’t speak, your body stuffed with Izuku’s cock. He relentlessly pounded into you while you held onto his shoulder for dear life.

He groans into your ear. ”Answer me baby.”

“Yes-yes- mhh!” You struggled to moan out, some drool coming out your mouth. Your nails start to poke into Izuku’s back. You're unable to see and only hold onto Izuku in hopes you won't get lost in the abyss of pleasure you were in.  

You can hear Izuku chuckle, “relax baby you're gonna make me cum too fast.”

You close your eyes, doing your best to breathe while relaxing your muscles.

“THE TIME IS CURRENTLY 6:00PM, NOW SHUTTING DOWN”

The word goes black as you're brought back to reality. You remove the headset from your face, wiping some sweat from your forehead. 

“How was that?” The intercom turns on, Mei Hatsumes voice speaking into it.

You look over at her through the glass doors, a smile on your face. “It felt so real Mei, your work is amazing.”

“Our work,” she corrects, pressing a button to release cold air into the chamber. “And of course it is a VR sexual experience you can actually feel, now that’s the future.”

The door makes a loud click as it unlocks. You grab a towel before exiting and heading up the stairs towards your shared office. 

“So you're gonna tell me why you chose Deku as your male participant?”

You pause as you enter, looking at Mei with a shocked face. “You looked at the code didn’t you?” 

“Duh! Now tell me everything.”

You sigh in defeat as you slumped into your chair, “so maybe being able to feel him up everytime he rips his suit was kinda getting to my head.”

“So that’s why you wanted to make this,” Mei allows a smirk to come over her face. “Pervert!” She shouts playfully, pointing a finger at you.

Pouting as you let out a small whine, you cross your arms. “Haven’t you ever wanted something so bad, but it was just out of reach?”

“You two are pretty close, so why would he reject you?”

“Have you seen the curves on Uraraka-san? You should have seen them in UA, it was disgusting how obvious it was that she was crushing on him,” you stare at the framed photo of you and Izuku at graduation.

“Doesn’t mean he liked her,” Mei mutters, shrugging her shoulders before abruptly turning your chair to face her. “Use the VR again.”

You raise a brow, “huh? I just got off and it’s 6:30.”

“Just go!” She persists, pulling you out the seat and pushing you out the officer door. “I wanna try something so get going!” She gives you one last push before slamming the door, you huff before going back down the stairs.

“Mei, can’t this wait for tomorrow?”

“Is someone talking?” She blankly ignores you, opening the glass chamber to the VR testing room. 

“Mei!” You groan, reluctantly going into the room. “Whatever your testing, it better be worth it.”

She locks the door as you place the body pins on your chest, you take a deep breath before putting on the headset. The system loads you up before eventually you're placed in a different reality.

“Y/n? Are you okay?”

The system specs in your eyes, loading as you get used to your surroundings. “Oh! Yes, I’m fine,” you blink a few times as your vision clears. 

You're in a fancy restaurant, one that was illuminated by an orange light setting. Across from you is Izuku Midoriya, dressed in a fancy black suit. He smiles at you, a little bit of concern in his eyes. “Are you sure? Maybe you had too much wine?” 

You giggle at his caring nature, “It’s nothing Deku, I just spaced out a bit”

He places a hand over yours. “Please...just call me Izuku.” Your face heats up at the contact, and a smile melts onto your face.

The waiter comes up to the table, a few more behind him. “Here is your check Mr and Mrs, and a complimentary champagne on us,” the waitress places a tray down, smiling at the two of you.

They walk away and you reach for the check, but Izuku grabs it from you shaking his head slightly. “What type of man would I be if I let you pay?”

“Oh, it’s okay Izuku, you do so much for me already….let me pay you back at least.”

He places his card in the checkbook, placing it down by the edge of the table. “You can pay me back later, tonight.” His voice is deep, hotter than it was before. 

“O-oh” You flush.

“Y/n? Hatsume-san?” 

Mei slams her laptop shut as an uninvited guest enters the office. “Deku! What a surprise, come here for some more testing?” 

Izuku shakes his head with a small chuckle, “I’m here to see Y/n, she wasn’t answering her phone.”

Opportunity rushes into Mei's head and her grin widens. “Y/n is just testing our latest invention,” she points out the large window and Izuku walks over to look out.  

He arches a brow, “is there something wrong with her?”

You were a sight to see, sitting down on a couch with your legs spreaded. Neck craned back with your mouth opening from time to time.

“We're still working on the name but introducing Fantasy VR, this baby allows you to have sex with anyone of your choosing.” 

“Like..transportation?” Izuku asks.

“Illusions, nobody’s actually in there. Just Y/n’s subconscious, and the code of whoever she is doing it with. ” Mei explains, watching your trembling body. “I wonder who it is.”

“Me too,” He whispers.

Your heart rate spikes up, sounding an alarm on Mei’s closed computer. The girl grabs a nearby tablet before turning off your simulation. Izuku watches as you pull the headset off, brushing the sweaty hairs out of your face.

“This is literally the best thing ever Mei, we gotta make it portable.” You let out a laugh of amusement, “having sex with I-”

“You have a visitor!” She interrupts you, pressing the AC button. Confused you look at the window, the man that had just “fucked” you standing next to your best friend.

Shit.

The door clicks as it unlocks and you pull it open before exiting. It was like the walk of shame as you went up the stairs, with every step more embarrassment built within you. “Heyyy Deku…” You enter the office, grabbing the towel you left at your desk. “What brings you here?”

You try your best to act nonchalant, despite the blush that creeps up your cheeks. Izuku raises an eyebrow, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "I tried calling you, but you didn't pick up. I was just worried. Are you okay?"

“Fuck, it’s friday isn’t it.” You facepalm, groaning into your hand. “Shit, I’m sorry”

“It’s okay, it seems like you’ve been busy.” He jokes, chuckling slightly at your flustered state. 

You give him a sheepish smile, using the towel to wipe off the remaining sweat from your face. "Yeah, sorry about that. I was... testing out a new VR invention Mei and I have been working on.”

“Hey lovebirds calm it down a bit, I need to use Deku,” Mei interrupts the two of you, patting her plastic model of the VR headset. “I haven’t tried this baby on a male yet, since he’s here at perfect timing.”

You shake your head at her with a disapproving look, “no, it’s still just a prototype we don’t know what the after effects could be-.  

“Sure.”

You turn to Izuku shocked, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Deku, you don’t have to do this, it’s just a prototype, the effects-.” 

He shakes his head, “It’s fine, I owe it to you guys for always fixing my suit.” He glances out the window, “besides, I’ll be locked in a quirk-proof chamber, it’ll be fine.”

“Testroom 5” Mei tells Izuku as he exits.

“Are you insane?!” You whisper yell once the door shuts. 

“This is your chance to see who Deku wet dreams about” She says suggestively, typing quickly on her laptop.

“I don’t want to invade his personal privacy,”

“You already invaded it when you made a device to have virtual sex with him.” She continues to type, “I saw an opportunity and I took it, you’ll stay single forever if you don’t take chances.” 

“What if it fails, and he likes someone else…” Your voice drops, looking down to the floor.

“Then that’s it, at least you’d know” 

“Hey, you guys ready?” Deku's voice interrupts the two of you, Mei clicks the mic button before speaking. 

“Sending Y/n in to help you with the body pins”

“What is this fucked up romance going on in your head?” You question, crossing your arms at her. “Expect me to just confess my overlonging feelings for him as I help him with body pins?” You walk over to the office door, before mocking yourself “oh Deku, I’ve loved you since high school and I created a whole sexual fantasy land because of how badly I wanted to have sex with you, yeah that sounds fucking romantic.” 

Mei spins to face you, “it’ll be something like that.”

You scoff at her before exiting and marching down the steps. “Alright hot stuff you know the drill, shirt off.” Deku complies immediately, tugging his shirt off overhead and giving you a view of his abs. He throws the cloth onto the couch in the room and you walk over and smooth a hand over his chest before placing the clips.

“So how does this work?” He breaks the silence.

 You stick on the last pin “you can have sex with anyone of your choosing, just think of them while the VR loads your subconscious into the programmed reality.”

“Hey, I’m going to get some takeout,” Mei’s loud voice booms in the chamber, scaring the both of you. 

“Okay!” You shout back, grabbing the headset and handing it to Izuku. “You’ll be in there for 30 to 60 minutes, and nothing will happen to you here…besides the moaning and whatnot but, that’s why we have soundproof chambers.”

He places the VR above his eyes, and you help fit the strap to his head size. It was hard trying to keep his green curls out the velcro strap, you have to note to make an easier way to put the headset on. “Also, try not to get into stressful situations, the headset will kick you out if your heart rate goes up too high, don’t want you to have a heart attack.”

He nods. “You said it could be anyone right?”

“Mhm!” You finished tightening it, stepping back a bit with a victorious grin. “You could have sex with Dynamight if you wanted-...” Izuku doesn’t look amused at your joke. “Yeah…that sounded better in my head- okay! So enjoy and I’ll be up there keeping an eye on your vitals.”

He lets out a hum before sliding the headset down, a second passes before you leave. You tug at the handle, but it wouldn't budge. Did Mei lock you in before she left?

“Fuck-fuck, Mei! I’ll kill you for this!” You shout, still roughly trying to open the door which still wouldn’t budge. “Aww fuck me” You curse, walking over to the couch in defeat. Now you’ll have to listen to Izuku fuck who ever he wants. “I’m going to murder you Mei Hatsume!”

As you sit on the couch, frustration and embarrassment wash over you. You can't believe Mei locked you in the room, leaving you to listen to whatever is happening inside the virtual reality chamber. You look at Izuku, who stands in front of you still unaware of your presence in the room. You should wake him up, savor the little bit of his privacy you haven’t invaded.

But…you’ve never tested interrupting the fantasy while the VR was still active. It could have very dangerous effects. Shit.

A bead of sweat drops down Izuku’s chest, and his fist clenches. You watch through your lashes, staring at the bead as it slowly moves through the maze of Izuku’s chest. How lucky.

Eyes landed on a boner sitting in Izuku’s pants, gosh and he was packing. Your eyes widen and you place a hand over your mouth to stop yourself from gasping. 

“Puppy-” He groans out, his fist clenching again. 

You feel a spark in your pussy, as you clench around nothing. He groans again, making you moan at the feeling it brought to you. “Shit-” you curse, crossing your legs before chewing on your bottom lip.

His hips seemed to thrust every now and then and more sweat rolled down his chest. It was a heavenly sight to see and you had a front row seat, but the throbbing in your cunt was becoming unbearable.

You uncross your legs and hand drifts in between your legs, pressing at your clothed clit to try and relieve some of the pressure. You moan, clasping a hand over your mouth before looking over Izuku to see if he had heard you. 

He remained the same.

You hand teases the waistband of your sweat pants, and your eyes darted at the glass wall from time to time, making sure Mei wasn’t back at the office yet. 

“Y-your such a good girl- taking my cock like this- ah..fuck.” 

You unconsciously whine, allowing your fingers to do as they please as you listen to Izuku’s grunts and cries. It felt heavenly, the risk of getting caught adding more pleasure to it all.

“THE TIME IS CURRENTLY  8:30PM NOW SHUTTING DOWN”

Damn, you glared at the speaker. Taking your hand out your pants, still unsatisfied. Izuku should have taken off his headset by now, but he remained still. 

“Deku?” You squeak, afraid of the questions he might ask. 

The male remains unresponsive.

You arch a brow, swallowing your pride and getting up to take his headset off. “Hey, Deku…are you okay?”

You pull the VR above his eyes, and his dark green orbs immediately meet with yours. “Deku?” You ask again, but there still isn’t a response. 

You're cut off when Izuku slams you against the glass wall of the chamber, the sound of the VR headset crashing to the ground making you cringe. “Midoriya-?”

“I’ve always wondered why you never call me by my first name.”

His mouth traces over your ear as he whispers into it, a shiver goes down your spine leaving you at a loss for words. “I don’t think you understand what you do to me Y/n.”

He moves so his face is in front of yours. His eyes were filled with lust, so different from the way he’d always look at you. “Say it.”

“W-what?” You quiver, feeling tiny in between Izuku’s arms and the wall. “Say what?”

“My name!” You squeeze your eyes shut as he shouts. He mutters an apology, taking a second to breath. “Please. Say my name.”

“Deku?” 

“No.” He says in a faint whisper, “my first name.”

“I-izuku,” you hesitate, unable to figure out what could be the cause of Izuku’s sudden actions. It had to be a side effect from the headset, but what could you do? It didn’t seem like Izuku wanted to hurt you, so what..-Your lips never felt anything so warm and soft, your eyes widened as Izuku’s sudden kiss made your knees feel weak. 

He caught you before you could fall, slotting himself in between your legs. Hypnotized by the drunk feeling his scent gave you, slowly you parted your lips and allowed Izuku’s tongue to slip inside.

He pulls away, moving his face into the nape of your neck. You gasp for air as finally you're able to think, but your thoughts are stolen from you as Izuku presses his boner into your clothed pussy.

“Ah-! Izuku-” You squeak in surprise, holding onto his shoulders. 

“Who did you fuck?” He continues to rub himself against you, staring you directly in the eyes. “Come on puppy, tell me who you fucked with that damned machine.”

You can’t think, looking up at the ceiling as all the built up pressure from before was finally being let out. It felt wonderful, fantastic, so good you wanted to pull away from it.

“Who.” He stops humping you, grabbing your chin and forcing you to look down at him, “did you fuck?”

You hesitate, feeling embarrassed but Izuku wasn’t going to take silence for an answer. He presses himself up against you roughly, making you speak out. “You!” You shout, “I made the whole thing for you!”

He groaned in response, “gonna make you feel so good.”

Your back hits the soft couch in the room, Izuku’s body never straying too far from yours. He tugs at the ends of your sweatpants, and you lift your butt up to help him pull it off.

The garment is tossed to the side and his hands run up and down your thighs. He brings his face in between your legs, nudging his nose into your panties and taking a huge sniff. You let out a small gasp before he’s sliding your panties off.

He doesn’t wait before he starts to devour you. His tongue licked up the slit of your pussy as he pushed your thighs up against his shoulders.

“Oh shit-!” You squeak, propping yourself up onto your elbows to watch his green curls bounce as his head moves in between your legs. He sticks a finger inside of you before starting to suck on your clit making you drop your head back with a loud moan.

You drop onto your back, filled with helpless pleasure as your hands begin to reach for something to hold onto. Your hands find themselves in Izuku’s hair and you swear you can feel him smile into your pussy.

A feeling begins to coil in your stomach, you were close and Izuku wasn’t planning on stopping yet. You started to push his head down, moaning out desperately from him to make you cum. 

Your eyes roll to the back of your head as the feeling inside you finally comes undone, Izuku laps up your juices before tapping on your leg to let him go. Once he’s released, he crawls back over you with a sweet smile on his face, one that looks so innocent in contrast to his recent actions. You're both catching your breaths, chests heaving up and down in sync.

He kisses you, the taste of yourself still on his lips, but you're too spaced out to care, caught up in your own pleasure and excitement. Your hands begin to travel down his chest, starting to tug downwards at his pants.

He chuckles. “Can’t wait, can you?”

“Shut up and lose the pants.”

He pulls away slightly, pulling down his pants and taking his boxers with him. Your jaw slacks when you see his dick, it was bigger than how it looked on the VR. He takes pride in your reaction, a smirk reaching his lips as he crawls back on top of you.

“I never want to see you use that machine, ever again,” his mouth hovers over your ear, “when you want sex, you come to me, not some fucking piece of plastic.”

His hips move slightly before you feel the tip of his dick poking your entrance. His right hand comes up to lace fingers with yours, the two of you just staring at one another intently. Slowly his hips move forward and he starts to enter you. Your grip on his hand tightens and you hold onto his arm, pain seeping within your body as he ventures deeper inside.

He bottoms out inside you, staying completely still as you adjust to the size within you. His face is in the crook of your neck, distracting you with kissing and sweet nothings.

You gasp out the breath you hadn’t known you had been holding, a small string of curses coming out of your mouth. 

“God fuck,” he whispers. “Waited too damn long.”

The feeling of pain subsided into an uncomfortable sensation, and your legs wrapped around Izuku, forcing him to move further into you. You both moan from pleasure, and Izuku takes it as his sign to start moving, going slow in case you're still adjusting. 

You cry out for him, holding onto his arms as you pleaded for him to move faster, “please Izuku, god please.” He had you hypnotized, drunk off his kisses and intoxicated by his smell.

“Ah-mhmm, haaa-” You're unable to speak, your mouth hanging open as Izuku rocked in and out of you. He captures your mouth again, the kiss is messy which only adds more to your fantasy.

“Mm fuck” he curses as he pulls away from the kiss. You start to whine out broken praises, feeling the warmth of your upcoming orgasm starting to build up. You can’t think, not a single thought is able to process in your mind, tears begin to flow out your eyes and you cover your mouth with your hand.

Your voice threatens to scream out and the lack of oxygen makes you feel slightly light headed, the room spinning around you. He groans at your now muffled whimpers, his finger going down to your clit and starting playing with it.

It felt like time slowed down as your building up orgasm tumbled down, you stared Izuku in the eyes as your entire body just stopped functioning. He doesn’t stop though, but you can feel the long thick streams of cum spurt from his cock inside you, both of you sweaty messes.

A couple more thrusts for good measure before he collapsed on top of you. The world doesn’t come back to you yet, you basically been fucked dumb. You start to catch your breath, struggling with the heavy weight on top of your body.

“Izuku?” You whisper. No reply.

You move your head to look at him, the man was knocked out. A small groan escapes you as you start to wiggle, accidentally pushing Izuku off the couch and onto the floor when you attempt to lift him.

“Shit,” you curse. 

Looking around the room, you had almost forgotten where you were, what you were doing, and you totally just took advantage of your best friend as he was not in his right mind. He was under the influence of the side effects of the VR and you completely took advantage of that! 

Your hands begin to run through your hair as a million thoughts processed through your head at once. Holy shit, you actually just had sex with Izuku Midoryia, who is not only the number one hero, your best client, and your literal best friend.

Would he be disgusted? Mortified, maybe he would feel bad for you. “Fuck!” You curse again, hopping off the couch and searching for your clothes. Oh shit, Mei! Who knows how long you had been in here with him, what if she had seen you?!

You quickly put your clothes back on, before grabbing Izuku’s boxers and attempting to put them back on him. It was the least you could do, after you exploited him. You fold his pants up and place them neatly on the couch before walking over to the door and pulling at it again. It still wouldn’t budge!

Wait a minute…this was test chamber number 5 right?

Instead of pulling at the door, you give it a small push and it opens easily. “No…fucking-” you mutter under your breath.

You quickly exit the room, giving Izuku’s unconscious body one last look before you swiftly make your way to the exit. He’d be fine, those test chambers were one of the safest places in Musutafu.

“I’m sorry Izuku.” 

It had been a week, a whole week of you arriving to work stupidly early and leaving just before Izuku’s patrol schedule would give him enough time to stop by. A whole week of ignoring all the messages you’d been receiving on your phone, most of them from Izuku.

It was a Wednesday morning, Mei would be coming in quite late since she had to run some errands across town. You were currently on a small break, taking small bites of your oatmeal as you watched your favorite show on your laptop.

But you couldn’t focus. A million thoughts and each of them were about Izuku, the way he made your body feel, the sounds that came out of him, how his tongue felt in between your legs. 

There was no way you could ever look at Izuku the same again. How could you ever apologize for what you did, and to make matters worse, you just left him half-naked in that chamber.

What could he possibly have to say to you?

“Hey.”

You clicked the spacebar on your laptop, pausing the show and turning over to the door of your office. Izuku stood there dressed in his regular clothes with a bag strapped over his shoulder.

Your eyes widen but you're quick to mask your look of surprise with an awkward smile. “Hey.”

A moment of silence passes before you clear your throat. “It’s um, very early, what are you doing here?”

He doesn’t say anything, almost like he forgot himself. “Oh yeah…My suit, it’s um…ripped.”

You hate that Mei isn’t here so you can’t just throw this onto her. With a small sigh you get up from your chair, tossing your blanket aside and walking over to Izuku. “Come on, let’s get that fixed up.”

No matter what happens between you and Izuku, you still would never want him to go somewhere else to fix his suit. It’s like cheating on your hairdresser. 

It was unbearably silent between you two. Your plan was to act like Friday never happened but it was easier said than done, just seeing Izuku made you want to clench your legs together. 

“You haven’t been answering my messages, or calls.”

There it was, the elephant in the room. How were you supposed to act like nothing happened between you two, when you’ve been ignoring him for the whole week!

“My phone has been acting weird, I think it might be broken,” you mutter out a lame excuse as you take Izuku’s suit out the bag and lay it out on the table.  Like hell he would believe that. Your best friend could make a whole new brand of phone that would be 100 times better than any phone you could buy now.

He only clicks his tongue and nods and you begin to look over the suit for the damage. “It’s over here,” you almost squeak as you feel a chest press up behind you, Izuku leaning over you to point at where the rips were.

“Thanks,” you mutter out breathlessly, his actions not helping to the throbbing in between your legs. The way his abs felt pressed against your back reminded you of how he held you up against that wall, humping himself in between your legs to pleasure himself and you. 

You stop yourself before you lean back into Izuku, moving away from his arms and over to the waist of the suit. If you didn’t know any better, you could say the marks looked intentional. Just too clean to be from a battle, and too straight to not have been done on purpose.

Should you say something? Why would Izuku cut his suit on purpose? No, no, just fix the suit and get him out of here.

You walk over to the nearby computer, typing in a few codes before the table you had set the suit on begins to move, it descended into the floor before it was covered by a glass panel. Some robot hands appeared out from the side before beginning to work on the repairs.

You finish typing on the computer, “alright, should be about 5 minutes.”

“Can we talk?”

A strong smell of bleach enters your nose, the process of repairing is almost done, and is now on the cleaning cycle. The smell is so strong you can’t find yourself to reply to Izuku. “Is it just me, or does that bleach smell really strong?”

“No-”

The smell irritates your mind, it doesn’t help that your heart is racing too. “Geez, that smell is strong,” you breathe out, stumbling out of the cleaning room for some fresh air. Izuku follows behind and though you’ve left the heavily scented room your mind is beginning to spiral. 

“Y/n, please, I just wanna talk-” he pleads, but you couldn’t listen if you wanted to run down by fatigue. 

“Yesh, yeah, we can talk, just wait here” you put your hand up to stop him. “I’m gonna go get some water.”

He stands still as you make your way to the cafeteria in the building. The cleaning room was quite a ways away now but the annoying smell of lemon bleach clouded your nostrils. You don’t even make it to the cafeteria before you sprint into a nearby bathroom and start to puke your guts out. You attempted to keep your hair from falling into the toilet bowl, but it was quite difficult as you emptied your stomach into the toilet.

You weren’t used to throwing up, you never really drank to that point, and your stomach was normally quite strong when it came to bad food. You stop puking, and rest your face onto the side of the toilet as you catch your breath.

You rub your stomach, it was strange for you to just become sick all of a sudden. Weakly your hand comes up to flush the toilet, and you carefully lift yourself up off the floor. You trudge out the bathroom, leaning against the wall as you take a second to catch your breath.

 A weird smell hits your nose, making you want to vomit all over again, and it was coming from outside the bathroom. You walk over to the door and open it, catching one of the building  workers who was carrying a plate of food off guard. “Ma’am?” She asks.

“What is that? It smells terrible.” 

She brings the plate in front of you, before taking off the cover to show a very beautifully plated breakfast. It looked absolutely delicious, but the sight and smell of it was going to make you throw up again.

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” you quickly run back into the bathroom as your mouth waters, starting to vomit into the toilet again. The worker follows, placing her tray of food onto the bathroom counter before walking over to help.

She grabs your hair and holds it up, a smooth hand running up and down your back. She lets out a small chuckle, “I was the same way when I first got pregnant.”

Pregnant? 

“But--” You try to speak in between breaths, “I’m not pregnant?”

The worker only shushes you, continuing to rub your back. Her words still don’t leave your mind, and now that you think about it, you and Izuku definitely didn’t use a condom, and he was too out of his mind to pull out.

It’s way too early for you to be showing signs this heavily though right?

Right?

The vomiting stops and you sit there and take a moment to catch your breath. The worker stands up, “I’m going to get you some soup, my mother used to make it when I was pregnant, it doesn’t have any strong smells so you’ll be able to eat peacefully.”

She opens one of the cabinets in the bathroom and grabs you a few small white towels, placing them next to you before exiting. You flush the toilet again before slowly standing up, grabbing one of the towels and running some warm water on it. 

You drag the cloth over your mouth, wiping away any residue that might be left from your previous puking session.

Pregnant? This couldn’t be real, the universe had to be just toying with you, punishing you for taking advantage of Izuku.

As you stand there, the weight of the possibility settling in, you can't help but feel overwhelmed. Thoughts race through your mind as you try to process the implications of the situation. The worker returns with a bowl of soup, and you gratefully accept it, hoping it will help settle your stomach.

The take out bowl, lifting the lid she had put on it to glance at the soup. She was right, it was odorless, and looked delicious. "Thank you," you manage to say, your voice still shaky.

She gives you a kind smile. "You're welcome, dear. Take your time and eat slowly. It'll help you feel better."

You leave the bathroom with the soup in hand, avoiding the cleaning room where you had left Izuku and entering your office. 

 Mei turned to you, her laptop was still closed which meant she probably just got here. “Whoa you look like shit.”

“Thanks,” you say swifty, grabbing your bag from a nearby couch. “I’m not feeling well so I’m gonna go home, I have a really bad stomach bug.”

Mei eyes you suspiciously, she had gotten into the habit of doing that after your refusal to tell her what happened last week. With the damages to the VR set, and your constant avoidance of Izuku, it was hard to say nothing happened.

“And this has nothing to do with Deku, who’s currently coming up to the office now.”

Shit. “Nope, nothing! Okay bye!” You burst out of the office and hurried to the elevators, spamming the button so you could get down to the garage floor. 

As you anxiously wait for the elevator, your mind races with thoughts of how to handle the situation. You can't face Izuku right now, not when you're still processing the possibility of being pregnant. The elevator doors finally open, and you step inside, relieved to have a momentary escape.

Once you reach the ground floor, you rush to your car in the garage, hoping to make a quick getaway. You start the engine and speed out of the parking lot, the weight of the situation weighing heavily on your shoulders.

Driving aimlessly until you find yourself on a quiet street, parked by the side of the road. Tears well up in your eyes as you struggle to come to terms with everything. You feel mixed emotions. What will this mean for your relationship with Izuku? And if you are pregnant, what choices will you have to make?

You take a deep breath, trying to steady your emotions. It's clear that you can't continue avoiding Izuku or the situation at hand. Things had just gotten very serious and it was time to face the truth and have an honest conversation with him. You reach for your phone, intending to call him but stop when it rings. He was calling you.

You hesitate. Maybe you should wait. Just until you have some more information. The uncertainty of the situation weighs heavily on your decision-making process. Once Izuku’s call ends you quickly grab your phone, opening your search browser and searching up how early signs can show, and what the symptoms were.

The internet seemed to make it worse, listing each of your symptoms in many different articles. Before you know it you’re starting to cry, small sobs leaving your mouth.

You stared at one of the articles, a huge text practically mocking you. ‘It’s going to be okay!’ But it wasn’t,  it was not going to be okay.

Was buying a pregnancy test always so awkward? 

The long line on the one register that was open, the simple music they play to drown out the silence in the store. 

Standing with a hoodie pulled over your head and a stack of pregnancy tests in your arms, each a different brand, you can't help but feel self-conscious. The aisle you found yourself in seemed so distant from your usual shopping routine, and the music playing in the store only amplifies the awkwardness of the moment.

The weight of your situation hangs heavily on your shoulders while you wait for your turn to make the purchase. You glance around, hoping that no one you know sees you here. The line seems to move at a snail's pace, prolonging your discomfort. Each passing second feels like an eternity as you become acutely aware of the cashier's gaze and the potential judgment of other customers.

You were next in line, but the grandma that was in front of you just decided she wanted to take her sweet time. Pulling out her phone in request that the cashier explain the store’s mobile app to her. You let out a small groan of frustration, starting to tap your foot on the ground.

“Y/n?”

You freeze. Hoping that maybe whoever called your name would figure it wasn’t you.

You almost jump at the small tap of your shoulder, slowly turning around to meet the face of Uraraka. 

“Ohhh heyyy Uraraka,” you extended out the words, trying to act surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh I was just patrolling around and wanted to grab a snack,” she says with a sweet smile. “What are you-“ she glances down at the unmistakable items in your hands.

You drop all the pregnancy tests onto the conveyor belt, “I’m  just grabbing some items for a friend!” The transaction feels like it takes forever as you fumble for your wallet, your fingers seemingly incapable of functioning properly. 

“You know, Deku has been asking about you.” Her voice turns into one of worry, “he says you haven’t been answering his calls.” 

You feel a mix of relief and anxiety as Uraraka believes your hurried explanation and doesn't press further about the pregnancy tests. However, her mention of Izuku only adds to your growing unease.

"Yeah, I've just been really busy lately," you reply, attempting to sound nonchalant as you finally locate your wallet and pay for the items. "Lots of stuff going on, you know?"

Uraraka studies your face for a moment, her concern evident in her eyes. She reaches out and gently touches your arm.

"Y/n, if something's bothering you, you can always talk to me," she offers, her voice filled with sincerity.

 “Well, I really have to go.” You tell the cashier to keep the change, grabbing your plastic bag. “Bye Uraraka,” you say quickly before walking out the store. 

The one thing that could have gone wrong, went really fucking wrong. Uraraka would definitely tell Izuku that she saw you here. You purposely came out into the store when you knew Izuku would be across town patrolling so you wouldn’t have to run into him.

You look at the tests in your bag, it felt like the word ‘pregnancy’ that’s printed on the box was just mocking you. You throw the bag into the passenger seat of your car before getting in, leaning your head on the top of the steering wheel.

“Fuck��fuck!”

You contemplate your options, the right thing to do here was to stop being such a coward and tell Izuku straight up. But you weren’t going to do that, not yet. So you decided on locking yourself in your home until you gained the courage.

While navigating through the street you mind seems to torture you with all types of different sinarios , each of them ending with Izuku finding out and hating you forever.

You step out of the car, once you arrive home, and retrieve the bag of pregnancy tests from the passenger seat. As you enter your apartment, you close the door behind you, creating a barrier between yourself and the outside world. The familiar surroundings offer a temporary sanctuary, shielding you from the uncertainties that have been plaguing your mind.

You toss the bag onto the table, walking over to your fridge and taking out a gallon of water. You were going to need a lot of pee. As you chug down glass after glass, you find yourself pacing back and forth, your thoughts consumed. It is important that you stay honest with Izuku here, but fear grips you tightly.

Sitting down at the table, you reach for the bag of pregnancy tests and carefully examine them. Each test represents a potential answer to the question that has been haunting you. The longer you keep this secret, the harder it will be to face the consequences and find a resolution.

You take the bag and head to the bathroom. Filled with anxiety and hope, you follow the instructions carefully and lay out the multitude of tests you had on the counter. 

You sat on the edge of your bathtub, biting down onto your knuckles as you awaited for some form of answer, but your wait was swiftly interrupted by a knock on your door.

Startled by the knock on the door, you quickly stand up, leaving the pregnancy tests on the counter. Your heart races, wondering who could be at your door at a time like this. The interruption adds another layer of tension to an already overwhelming situation.

Your heart almost stops as you peek through the peephole, it’s Deku and he’s holding many brown bags. You want to ignore his knocks, pretend like you weren’t home. But he calls out for you.

“I know you in there. Just open up please.”

Despite the fear inside you demanding you to say no, you opened the door to your friend. “Hey.”

"Hey, Izuku," you reply, trying to keep your voice steady. "What brings you here?"

Izuku shifts nervously, his gaze flickering from your face to the ground and back again. "I've been trying to reach you, but you haven't been answering my calls or messages," he says, his voice filled with genuine worry. "I was really concerned. Are you okay?"

You swallow hard, the weight of your secret pressing heavily upon you. You're not ready to face the potential consequences and the impact it may have on your relationship with him.

"I... I've just been dealing with some personal stuff," you manage to say, though your voice quivers slightly. "I needed some time alone."

Izuku's concern deepens, and he steps closer, his eyes searching yours for answers. "Y/n, you know you can always talk to me, right? I'm here for you."

His words are filled with sincerity, and a part of you longs to open up and let him in. But the fear of his reaction and the uncertain future holds you back. You can't bear to lose his friendship, especially not now. You change the subject.

“What cha got there?” You point to the brown bags in his hands. 

“Oh- these, some grocery, figured we could make some dinner together.” He says sweetly, walking inside and placing the bags onto the countertop. “I got all the ingredients to make your favorite.”

A small smile tugs at the corners of your lips as you step closer to inspect the contents of the bags. Izuku's gesture brings a sense of comfort and normalcy to the moment.

As you unpack the groceries together, a sense of ease settles over the room. Throughout the cooking process, conversation flows easily between you. You discuss everyday topics, while he shares villain stories, and engage in laughter that momentarily lifts the weight from your heart.

“You should have seen Mei’s face, she looked more pissed than Bakugou” you chuckle as you chop the carrots. Izuku's laughter is warm, his peace bringing the same butterflies you felt in highschool to your stomach. 

 "She does have that fiery temper, doesn't she? It must have been quite a sight." He says, standing over by the large pot. You glance over at him, he looks silly with the apron you forced him to wear, but you couldn’t love him any less. It's in these moments that you realize how much you cherish his presence and the connection you share. But there is something important hanging in the air between you.

But for now, you choose to enjoy the simplicity of the present, relishing in the familiar banter that has always made your friendship special. Until a sharp pain shoots through your finger as your hand slips and the knife almost chops your thumb off.

“Shit!” You curse at the pain, holding your hand up and seeing the crimson blood flow out the wound. 

“What happened?” Izuku turns around immediately, grabbing a paper towel to help you with the bleeding. “Where’s your first aid kit?”

“The bathroom,” you say, putting pressure on the wound as he leaves the kitchen and walks down the hallway. The pain throbs through your finger, causing you to wince, but none of that matters when you remember what you had laid out in the bathroom.

The pregnancy test!

You follow Izuku's hurried footsteps with your eyes, cursing him in your mind for his quickness. The pain in your injured finger momentarily fades into the background as your thoughts are consumed by the pregnancy tests laid out in the bathroom. But it’s too late. 

He’d paused in the bathroom doorway, eyes set on the multiple pregnancy tests on the bathroom counter. You peaked over his broad shoulder, they still had yet to show results. 

Izuku turns his head slightly, glancing at you with surprise, concern, and a hint of fear in his eyes. He opens his mouth to say something, but the words seem to escape him, lost in the moment. His brows furrowed in confusion, searching for an explanation that you have yet to give.

He finally summons the courage to speak. “You’re pregnant?” 

“I-I don’t know yet,” you mutter.

He’s fully turned around now, looking at you with an intense eye. “Is this why you’ve been avoiding me? If you thought I wouldn’t take responsibility-”

“Wait- you remember that night?” The words escape your lips before you can stop yourself.

Izuku's expression softens. "Yes, I remember," he replies, his voice laced with vulnerability. "I've been trying to reach out to you, to talk about it, but you've been avoiding me."

Guilt gnaws at you, and you lower your gaze, unable to meet his eye. "I didn't know how to face you, Izuku. I was scared and confused. I took advantage of you…."

“Took advantage?” He repeats humorously. “Y/n…I was well aware of what I was doing. If anything, I took advantage of you.”

Now you were at a loss for words. You stutter as the guilt and self-blame that had been weighing heavily on you start to dissipate. “No, no, it was a side effect, from the VR.”

“Well, maybe it influenced me,” he shakes his head. “But it was you I had in that simulation, and when I saw you in the room with me, I couldn’t help myself.”

You stand there, stunned by Izuku's words. "Izuku," you say. "I didn't know. I thought I had crossed a line, that I had taken advantage of you."

He reaches out, gently wiping away a tear from your cheek. A wave of warmth spreads through your chest. The barriers that had kept you apart crumble, and a renewed sense of closeness envelops you both.

But the moment is interrupted by a loud beep from one of the electronic tests you had bought. With a quick glance at each other, you both swiftly made your way back into the bathroom, each test fading in a result. 

Not Pregnant. 

You could almost pass out from the relief you felt, another tear slipping out your eye. You begin to laugh at yourself, a self-deprecating laugh.

Izuku puts his hand on your shoulder, pulling you close. “What’s so funny?”

“I was so stressed out for nothing,” you say with a sigh. “I literally thought my life was over.”

He pouts, “and what’s so life ruining about being pregnant with my kid?”

You can't help but chuckle at Izuku's playful response, his words easing the tension that had built up inside you. You lean into his embrace, feeling a sense of warmth and comfort enveloping you.

"You're right," you reply, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips. "Being pregnant with your child doesn't sound so bad after all."

“Great.” He says, lifting you up easily into his arms. “Then you won’t mind trying again.” 

©LuvloveUni

[arabaka]

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ link x fem (lady-in-waiting)!reader. CONTENT WARNINGS: 18+ !!! based loosely off botw/totk universe. full nelson. public sex. unprotected sex. creampie.

╭──────────────────────────.★..─╮

i prolly shouldn't post this rn but fuck it we do whateva

╰─..★.──────────────────────────╯

Being the lady-in-waiting to Princess Zelda, the opportunities to fraternize with Link were plentiful. Awkward to be sure at first– the knight seemed to have a special relationship with the Princess that didn’t seem to extend to others in the vicinity, you quickly found as the duties you accomplished together were always done over long stretches of silence. Not that he was ever rude to you or made you insecure about your working relationship, but it was clear he was an objective-first type of person and that was understandable, as you were both servants to the royal family.

But in a moment of coincidence, of weakness, all of that came to an end.

You tripped and he had tried to catch you before you fell. The reason suddenly no longer mattered as you locked on the solitary knight’s piercing blues, all too aware of how his body was lumbering so close to yours, somehow having tumbled above you in the scuffle. 

He should get up. He needs to get up but his arms caged by your sides lock in place. He can’t move because he doesn’t want to move.

You end up kissing him, the impulse like a jolt to your system. His lips are stiff at first, innocent but he soon relents, learning with you. He learns from you.

So it sure is convenient the two of you interact so often.

It makes it easy for you to get away with moments like this, where you’re pressed deep into the corner of one of the castle’s many chambers by none other than the knight himself. When he should be tending to his duties, he’s with you, making you bend over obscenely for him as he milks your pussy of every drop it’s got. 

You tremble, calves twitching as your cunt takes another load. You shiver, hiss escaping your barely parted lips as you feel a particularly thick glob slide down your leg. Your pussy feels feather light, your nerves twitching with sparks as you force your excited body to swiftly return to normal, lest anyone catch on to your little rendezvous with the knight.

You meet him another time in the barracks, intending only to deliver a message on behalf of the Princess but instead you’re being hoisted high up, his toned muscles flexing so tersely as he forces you into a full nelson position, your legs dangling helplessly as he stuffs you with inches of his swollen cock. You whimper, pussy never tiring of the man shoving it all inside you until your insides feel like mush. Until your insides start to crave him. 

He doesn’t talk much and he does when he’s with you, only it’s with his mouth moving against your ears as he whispers your name. Whispers that you’re so tight as his hips swing in an upward jerking motion, stretching your hole wide with the thickness of his girth. Grunts once, twice, all the way until he’s done flooding your gummy walls with his opaque cum. 

So yes, you’re close to all servants of the royal family. Some more than others.

[atomic--peach]

Her Grace's Handmaiden

Imagine being Cersei's favorite handmaid.

Cersei Lannister x Fem Reader

(Is it Not SFW, or do you just have a dirty mind?)

AO3 VERSION: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48276340

"Y/N, where are you?"

The Queen tone was bordering on annoyance, a dangerous position to be in especially for you.

"Coming Your Grace," You hustled through the bed chamber door toting a heavy pitcher of Arbor Gold. "I've fetched your favorite, Your Grace."

"Hm" Cersei sniffed, leaning back on her chaise and kicking off her silken slippers. She had spent hours tending to the court, hearing complaints and requests in her drunken husband's stead while Jon Arryn kept busy with the small council.

She outstretched her chalice and watched as you filled it to the perfect level, as you had a million times before.

"Leave the pitcher" she grumbled. "Come around here and let me look at you."

You set the pitcher down and moved to kneel before your queen, if she was feeling generous the queen might have thrown a pillow down to rest your knees on, but this was not one of those days. You knew what she was looking for. She wanted to make sure you were clean and well kept.

It was a privilege to be allowed to serve the queen so closely, and you had to maintain a certain standard to earn that privilege.

"Chin up"

You obeyed, skin prickling as the queen looked you over with sharp green eyes. Her face was stony as the great wall in the North, and just as icy. Her eyes tracked from your knees, up your body over your neck and face, sipping slowly as she took all of you in.

"Go drawl my bath, then come back to help me undress." The queen broke her gaze, leaning back on the chaise once more.

You moved as quickly as your feet could take you. Sharply you ordered hot water to be brought by the bucket full before carefully setting out the queen's scented oils and soaps. Everything needed to be perfect. Absolutely nothing could be out of place.

Cersei was still lounging when you came back, watching you carefully as you stood with your eyes down cast, waiting.

"Everything is in order?"

"Yes, Your Grace."

"The water is being drawn?"

"Yes, Your Grace."

"And the fire has been lit?"

"Yes, Your Grace."

Cersei's lips pulled back in satisfied smirk, rising slowly before approaching you. She got so close, your breath caught in your throat. You could smell her perfume, the scent of incense from the sept, and the aroma of wine wafting off of her, intoxicating your senses.

The queen turned her back to you, her golden hair almost tickling your nose.

"Undress me"

Your face flushed involuntarily as you began to carefully unfasted every tie and button of her gown, peeling off each layer with care until the queen was bare and her skin prickled in the night air.

"Your robe, Your Grace" You moved to close the silked garment over her body, but instead Cersei brushed you aside and moved to the large tub of hammered copper which had been filled with water and kept warm by a small fire.

You followed behind her dutifully, taking her hand to assist her in and then standing aside until you were needed.

The Queen groaned lowly as the hot water ebbed the tension from her muscles.

"The brush" She ordered lazily, leaning back as you scooped up an ivory handled brush and sat behind her to carefully brush the queen's golden locks until they shone in the firelight.

"You have such tender hands" The queen sighed, the sensation of her brush stroking her from scalp to tip soothing her into relaxation.

"Thank you, Your Grace."

"How long have you been here now? Not very long"

"A few months, You Grace" you confirmed.

"That's right" she nodded. "How are you finding service in the castle then?"

"Very well, Your Grace" you swallowed, feeling that the question was loaded in some way. "I am very grateful for the privilege."

"I'm sure" the queen agreed. "Come around here, my legs ache."

You set the brush aside and stifled a gasp as Cersei raised a leg from the tub, slick with water and scented oils.

"Rub them for me"

You nodded, holding your breath as the queen draped the leg over your shoulder and allowed you to knead and rub her muscles into submission.

"Do you feel worthy?" Cersei watched you carefully "Of the privilege you've been given?"

You swallowed hard, "Not remotely, Your Grace"

"I disagree" Cersei grabbed her wine glass and took another long drink. "Do you dare to disagree with your queen?"

"N-no, Your Grace, never" You shook your head. "I suppose I have a limited view of the situation. Surely your grace knows better than I."

"Well said" Cersei looked almost impressed, stifling a groan as you found a particularly tight muscle in her calf.

Once she finished her first glass, and then a second, Cersei sighed and pulled herself from the water.

"My robe, Y/n"

"Yes, Your Grace"

You wrapped the robe around your queen carefully, blushing as the thing fabric clung to her wet body.

"Many Targaryen queens had a habit of keeping their handmaids close by." Cersei spoke firmly, in a tone that told you what she was about to say was very important. "You will not be sleeping in the servant's quarters anymore. Instead, I will have a cot brought so you will sleep in here."

Your blush widened across your face and your heart fluttered. "O-Of course, Your Grace. Thank you, I am most grateful."

"I would also have you come with me to The North." Cersei pulled a disgusted face, "The King has decreed we are all to go, to visit the Warden of The North. I will depend upon you to keep the journey bearable."

You were overtaken with emotion, dropping into a low curtsey.

"I am most honored in your trust in me, Your Grace. I will not let you down."

"Good Girl" Cersei grinned with a flash of her cat-like eyes. "Now, turn down my bed, I am tired."

[shhh-secret-time]

Yeah so this is in fact going to be a two part fic! This request came from AO3 and we were able to hash out more on this fic! I pitched the idea of making it a cowboy AU and they seemed to really like that idea! So here we are! Please enjoy and look forward to part 2!

Warning: Strong-Language, Gun Violence, Blood (Minor), Writer doesn't know how guns work!

Pairing: Gunslinger!Kyle x Fem!Reader

Colorado was an untamed lawless wasteland, at least that's what most people out East would tell you. Between talks of untapped land and the rumors of gold mines out that way, people were scrambling to find out there. But not all men had fortune and discovery in their hearts. Some had things to hide, pasts they intend to bury deep in the desert sands.

You were one of those people. As an heir to your family's printing press, it was only natural that from the time you were born a target would be painted on your back. Distant family members, friends of the family, hell even the butler once thought if they got their hands on you, they could use you as leverage. Kidnapping, attempted murder, blackmail, and threats all before the age of sixteen. You'd seen and heard it all. And every time it got harder and harder to want to stick around.

Now here you were twenty something and unwed. Parents long buried having left you everything as they always said they would. You were alone with all the money one person could ever need, and it was so incredibly lonely.

After a while you just kind of became desensitized to the attempt at your life. But no one really gets used to being so alone. How were you supposed to make a connection with people, when all that ever came up was the talk of marriage or your money.

Truly you were grateful for your parents, and you did love them! After all they were good to you, they protected and loved you. That protection morphed and twisted into an overbearing relationship. Up until now you weren't allowed to go out on your own, they decided who you interacted with. Your tutor you had known for years had to go through a background check by the Pinkertons every few months just to remain employed.

So, again, when they passed it was like being thrown out into the ocean and told to swim. If the business was to stay afloat you would have to learn to be sociable and professional. Learn to swim in the shark infested waters of a male dominated field.

Or you could sell the company to the highest bidder and bounce. Which is what you decided to do. Auction out your family’s printing company and try to retire in the lap of luxury. Maybe start your own book using all that tutoring your parents got you.

But it could never be that easy, could it? Once word got out about your plans to sell it all, certain people started plotting against you. It all came ahead one night when you were getting ready for bed. You blew out the candles that kept your bedroom lit, closed your windows, and locked your doors. Double checked them a few times before finally deciding to lay your head down for the night.

A lot of good that did. As soon as you close your eyes, a gloved hand cups your mouth. Another pair goes for your arms and legs, you feel the coarse hemp rope across your skin. Another night, another attempt at your life.

Your attackers must've not heard that the heir to the printing press was no damsel in distress. Quick as they came, your hands shot under the pillow next to you, the side of your bed that lay bare. Except for the .38 derringer that you slept with; two shots loaded in the chamber. Two intruders and still two shots were all you needed.

Click. Bang.

You stand there watching the sheriff and his posse drag the intruders off in their wagon, a blanket thrown over your shoulders by said sheriff. He sits next to you with his badge gleaning off the dull light from the city’s lampposts, a cigar tucked in between his teeth.

"You know this is the third attempted break in this month." He says puffing on the brown tobacco.

"I know." You mumble, bringing the blanket closer to your form.

"And the third time my men had to take in men with bullets in their chests. You're lucky you're a fine shot or I'd have to take you in for murder." He doesn't look at you, but you can hear the danger in his voice. See the way he inspects the cigar, holding it between his fingers.

"Sheriff?" You look up at him with furrowed brows.

A chill runs down your spine when he finally meets your eyes. The smirk that slowly creeps up his lips says it all.

"Now that's not to say I don't believe you. From what I've heard you got quite the record when it comes to things like this." He gestures vaguely with the tip of the cigar before continuing, "just find it kinda odd it keeps happening to you."

"You think I ask for this?" You ask back with a little more frustration in your voice than you should. Could you really be blamed for it though? The sheriff who was supposed to protect you, keep you safe from things like this, was sitting here blaming for the actions of stupid men.

"I don't think you do anything to prevent it. Just strange that a lady in her prime lives alone and isn't going about means of protection besides what...a gun under her pillow?" He blows out smoke that illuminates under the same light that touches his badge, the heavy white smoke lifts from his lips towards the night sky.

You honestly couldn't believe what you were hearing. That shiver that went down your spine spread throughout your body, making your blood run cold. Men breaking into your home you could handle, but a person with actual power? This was a battle you couldn't fight, not alone anyway.

"I'm sorry sheriff." You bite your tongue until you taste blood. "You're right. I should do something about this."

That was the best advice that asshole could have given you. To find someone in your corner. To find someone who can smuggle you out of the state and across the country. Finding someone who you could trust to not immediately shoot you in the back or run off with your money.

After searching around and pushing the word out there as subtly as you could, you finally catch wind of someone who fits the bill. You'd have to push a few dollar bills into the right hands, greasy palms, and all that, but you eventually get a name.

Kyle Broflovski.

That name carried weight, made your tongue feel heavy when you said it. The kind of reputation that he had wasn't one to take lightly. Over thirty bounties turned in alive and done by hand. While the number of bounties he brought in may not have been the largest out there, it was the fact he took down only the worst of the worst. The number on the bounty poster meant nothing to him, it was all about what the target had done. He was exactly what you were looking for, a man who could see past the money.

Now it all came down to arranging a meeting with him. Even a shut in like yourself knew the best place to find what you were looking for was the local saloon. The only thing left to do was dress down and try to convince the famous gunslinger that you desperately needed his help.

The smell of cigarettes and cheap booze was the first to greet you and you hadn't even opened the door yet. You could see boot prints made in the sawdust scattering across the floor. The cheery show tunes being played behind the door almost drowned out the sound of laughter. Before you could push open the door, a man came flying out being thrown by another gentleman. He hits the stairs and slumps down next to your foot. The poor man hit his head pretty hard, enough for it to put him to sleep.

With a little gulp you ignore the shaky feeling in your legs and push the dark wooden doors open. Maybe the thick brown cloak thrown over your form wasn't doing the best job at helping you blend it, but on the other hand most of the people here seemed to be enthralled by the women playing upstage to even care that you walked in. The girls dressed in flashy clothing were dolled up in the brightest makeup you've ever seen. They were gorgeous and the performance they put on brought life to this place, it was no wonder why people could lose themselves.

Your eyes scan the room as you scurry away from the door. People coming in and out, pushing past you like you weren't even there. The entire situation made your anxiety spike, being in such an unfamiliar place.

Somehow your legs carry you over to the bar. Taking a seat at the scuffed wooden counter, you note just how many empty shot glasses are covering the surface. Empty plates that looked like they were dipped in grease. Stained glasses that had thick amber liquid, the kind that burned your throat just looking at it. You tried not to look at the bar too much when you caught sight of faded red stains.

You take a deep breath and steady yourself before trying to flag down the bartender’s attention. A woman with tan skin and dark red hair. The bags under her eyes are so dark you don't think she understands the concept of sleep. Two cross tattoos just under her amber looking eyes lead your own down to her outfit. The light blue vest she's wearing makes her skin pop, somehow her nail polish isn't chipped or scratched in anyway. You watch as she takes a bottle of liquor by slotting it between her index finger and her middle finger.

She must have sensed your eyes on her because she side eyes you for a moment. The woman flips the bottle over and pours a clear liquid into a small shot glass. Once the drink is poured, she slides it down the bar and it lands in the hand of another patron. It takes her but a second to put the bottle down, wipe her hands off, and then approach you with a cigarette dangling from her lips.

"You're new here, aren't you?" She asks like she already knows the answer to that question.

"I... I am. I was just...looking for a drink." Not a complete lie, at this point a drink would help calm your nerves.

"Is that so?" Her brow shoots up. The bartender takes the cigarette from her lips and blows out a thin wisp of smoke. She crosses her arm under her chest and gestures for you to continue.

You look up towards the various brown and orange glass bottles behind her. Brands and names you've never heard of before lined the shelf. It isn't until you get to the higher up shelves that you find something you recognize. A bourbon, darker than most. Something your father used to have from time to time.

You lift your finger and gesture to the bottle. She follows it and lets out a little hum.

"The bourbon? Hm. Color me shocked. Alright."

"Two shots...please."

She stops and looks back at you with the bottle in her hand. A small smirk plays on her lips. "See that's how I know you're not from around here. Most people don't say please. Much less recognize a good brand. Most of these assholes just drink rotgut like it's the end of the world."

"I am a bit out of my element." You run your fingers over the wood, brushing your fingertips over the carvings. Wondering what the story was behind each little chip and groove.

Like before she takes two shot glasses between her fingers and places them down on the bar. The bottle is uncorked with a satisfying thoonk. You watch as the liquid catches the bright lights of the bar, making the amber shimmer with the candlelight.

"No kidding. What brings you here?" Once she's finished pouring your drinks she puts the bottle back under the counter. Her hands make themselves busy by collecting the dirty glasses, putting them off to the side.

"I'm looking for someone. Someone said I could find him here."

Like something straight out of one of your penny and dime novels, she begins cleaning the inside of the glass with a rag. When she doesn't say anything, it makes you shift nervously in your seat, but she eventually nods expecting you to continue.

"He's a gunslinger. Tall from what I've heard. Bright red hair?" You do your best to describe a man you've never met. You make a gesture with your hands by your head of his rumored fluffy red hair.

Before you could continue the woman stops cleaning the crystal-clear glass. She puts it down with a loud thud making the men next to you jump and look away. You hadn't even noticed your conversation was garnering attention. She lets out a sigh and pinches the bridge of her nose.

"Yeah, you really aren't from around here. Let me give you a little advice. The man you're describing has a bit of a reputation around here. Only comes around when he's intending to collect."

You blink up at her.

"Bounties sweetheart." She snuffs out the cigarette with a little chuckle. You must have looked like a newborn dear the way you looked at her. Blushing a bit at the thought, you try to push it down. Suddenly the little glass of alcohol in front of you looks far more interesting.

"But my contact said he'd he here."

"Your contact isn't wrong." She pauses for a moment. "Man at your six- don't look." She hisses as you go to turn your head.

"Sorry." You squeak out, snapping your head back towards her.

"Man at your six is wanted in four different states. Highway robbing, harassment, nasty attitude...a perfect blend of asshole."

"Oh..."

"Men like that bring the gunslinger. Now I don't know what you want with someone like him, and I don't want to know. But if you want his attention, when he gets here you had better work fast." She looks down at you as she rubs her neck.

"Wh... why?"

"Because he'll drag that idiot out to the streets and probably duel him. Win. Tie him up and take him into the sheriff's office. Collect his bounty and move on."

"You talk like you know him." It was time for that liquid courage. You knock back the drink and grimace at the taste. It burns and claws its way down your throat.

The bartender lets out a little laugh at your reaction, or maybe it's your question. "I've been around for a while."

"She's also full of shit. She talks like I'm a gun lovin' nut." The low whispering voice next to you makes you turn in your seat.

He's a bit shorter than described but still pretty tall. His hair is exactly as you imagined it to be, curls sticking out from under his usual green cowboy hat. The way his emerald, green eyes peer down at you makes you shrink in your seat. They widen a bit as you squirm away, so he decides to move his head up towards the bartender who's got a smirk on her face.

"You gonna tell me I'm wrong?" she asks, tilting her head to the side.

"No, no just that you make me sound much more dangerous than I am. Just a simple man tryin' to earn enough to eat." He says with a chuckle.

And when he smiles at her, lips curled up so softly. Every part of this man looks so gentle. Even the green tattered sarape around his body looks warm and inviting. It was hard to believe someone so soft looking had a reputation. On the other hand, it made it easier to approach him, maybe this wouldn't be so hard.

The drink you bought for him would probably help too. You recall all the times your father would pour his business partners a drink before pitching a new idea. So, you take the shot glass and scoot it towards him. He blinks down at it before letting out a little chuckle.

"You've got this backwards ma'am. S'pose to be the other way 'round. Man's supposed to buy a pretty woman a drink." Despite it all he takes the shot, and in his hands, it looks too small. He holds it up to you and downs it without blinking. The corners of his lips twitch and his hooked nose wrinkles a bit, looks like he wasn't expecting the stronger stuff.

His compliment makes your cheeks burn; you twist the material of your cloak in your hands. "Well...nothing says a lady can't buy a gentleman a drink, does it?"

"I reckon not. Just ain't used to it s'all." He puts the glass down with a gentle tap. "But you're sittin' in this here bar all by your lonesome askin' for me. So... here I am. Somethin' I can help ya with?"

How much of your conversation with the bartender had he heard? Enough to make you nervous that other people were listening in. Your hands lowered to the derringer strapped to your thigh, under the long skirt no one knew it was there. You palmed the handle and took a deep breath. There was no real plan to use it, but it brought you a little comfort. Just a reminder that it was there.

"Yes I-"

You're cut off by the sound of screams. From a few of the waitresses and working ladies to be exact. You look over your shoulder, it's coming from your six. Where the bartender told you not to look.

 A burly man stands up and when he does, he looms over most of the men in this establishment. Slicked back short black hair tucked inside a crumpled up old bowler. For all the grime and dirt on the man the one thing you could give was that his handlebar mustache looked nice. The rest of him, not so much.

His voice bellows out, bringing an end to upbeat show tunes. "Broflovski! Yous here fer my head ain't ya!"

The man grins like he's proud of the fact that he's garnered such attention. The way he carries himself almost has you fooled if it wasn't for the bead of sweat trailing down the side of his face.

"Not at the moment, no. I was in the middle of havin' a conversation. Rather rude to interrupt a lady Knucklehead." You don't know if Kyle is calling the man a knucklehead or that's just some stupid bandit name.

Either way he sneers and with a flick of his wrist he tosses the gamblers table to the side. Chips and cards go flying up in the air, the poor dealer scrambles to get out of the way.

"I don't care if you was havin' breakfast with the fuckin' Queen of England! You shoulda know better than ta come in 'ere without a lil' backup. See I ain't one fer duelin' so we're gonna have ta do this the ol' fashion way. With yous layin' face down in the dirt bleedin' out ta death!" He whistles and a few more men sitting at other tables stand up.

Couldn't have been more than five or six, every single one of them equipped with some kind of weapon. Rusty nails pushed into wooden boards. Chains being spun around so fast it creates a little breeze. The sounds of their spurs jangling as they start to step closer.

Kyle puts his hands up defensively, the laid-back smile he had on his face falls when they get closer. "Now come on, can't we talk this out. Like I said, I ain't finished my conversation. It'd do you well to learn some manners. Call your men off."

He's not asking. The way he narrows that dark greens at the man makes the room feel cold. For a minute you think you see a spark in those eyes, a glint of something dangerous.

"God damn it..." You almost don't catch the bartender behind you mumbling, but you do hear the rack of a gun clear as day.

It's quiet all except for the way Knucklehead growls, deep and low in his chest. Despite having all these men, he still somehow looks like an animal backed into a corner. The bead of sweat trailing down his face travels lower. Down his cheek, towards his jawline where it hangs. Then...it falls. Drips onto the sawdust covered floor.

Plip

Click. Bang.

You squeeze your eyes shut, feeling someone's hands on your shoulder. You're hoisted in the air and thrown over the bar, you can hear the way glass shatters. Another collection of screams, and then nothing but groaning. When you open your eyes, you're in the arms of the bartender, the woman has the both of you pulled down and tucked behind the bar. Safe certainly isn't the word you'd use here, but it was better than being in the crossfire.

She's got another cigarette lit in her mouth; a shot gun pointed up towards the ceiling. You strain your ears, but you think you can hear her counting in Spanish. You can smell the gunpowder in the air, it's almost as thick as the tension. Then there's a different sound. A grunt of pain and the sound of a chair being broken.

"Thought you could really take us all on?! You're fucking daft!"

The gunslinger lets out a strained laugh, wiping the blood off the corner of his mouth. Splinters of the wooden chair catch in his curls. The man took a hit from the gorilla and is still standing. Well, more like leaning over the side of the bar for support, but nevertheless his eyes are still open.

"Daft is a big word for you Knucklehead. Gotta give it to you!" His voice sounds strained and broken. You catch the way he's struggling to breathe yet still has it in him to snap back.

Without thinking you take the shotgun from the bartender and before she can protest you lower the barrel towards the man. He seems surprised to see you jump up from behind the bar, he must have really not cared that you were there. But a loaded gun that can shoot slugs the size of an acorn sings a different tune.

"Now missy...this ain't got nothin' ta do with you. Yous don't wanna get yourself wrapped up in somethin' I don't think you can handle." Knucklehead's eyes lower to the gun in your hand, the gravity of the situation sinks in. Not enough for him to let the gunslinger’s throat go, but enough to where he's contemplating backing away.

"Let him go. Let him go and back away." You keep your voice steady, that nervous air about you slips away and a different mask comes on.

That mask you've had to wear every time you look danger in the eyes. You don't see a man choking a bounty hunter to death, you see a large target. A light you could snuff out with a twitch of your index finger. You can see it in his eyes, the way he looks down at Kyle, whose smirk has returned. Then back up at you, staring down the barrel of the shot gun. It's cold double barrel unblinking eyes.

"Whattya say Knucklehead... feelin' lucky?" Kyle is able to put a little distance between Knucklehead's hands and his throat. Enough to take another gasp of air and spout some cocky one-liner.

It must have pushed the brute over the edge because he went to move again. If you had to guess it would be to lift Kyle up and use him as a shield. But he doesn't get that far. Doesn't even make it past a muscle twitch because your trigger finger is faster. For the second time that night shots ring out, but this time it's only the bandits scream that fill the air. He goes flying back letting the red head go.

If it wasn't for the bartender, you would have gone flying back as well. The force of a shotgun wasn't something you were used to. Compared to your derringer’s little kicks, the shot gun was in a league all on its own. Her hands keep your body steady, holding you by the waist. She lets out a puff of smoke and sighs.

"Nice shot." Once she realizes you're okay to stand on your own, she breaks the silence with praise and lets you go.

"O-oh...um thanks." It makes your face flare up; the fact the entire bar’s attention is now on you. The wondering eyes make you squirm and want to shrink back down behind the bar.

"Shoot a man dead in his chest and ya get a little flustered over a compliment." Kyle laughs in between trying to catch his breath, his coughs sound painful.

You avert your eyes from him, like it will do your blushing face any favors. Trying to ignore the way his laugh makes your body burn. Something about it makes you feel a bit tingly. It's either that or the adrenaline coursing through your veins. They land on the man bleeding out on the floor. He's clutching his sides spouting so much profanity you feel like you need to confess at the church just hearing it.

Just as Kyle finally gets the ability to breath properly again, the sheriff and his men come bursting through the door. The same sheriff who you had a problem with. The same one who put you on this crazy path. Once again, things could never just be simple. Every little fucking thing had to get in your way.

His eyes fall on the man first, then on you. Then on the gun in your hands and you immediately groan. Of course, he had to come in just as you slugged a man. With a scoff, he gestures to his men to round up the other bleeding bandits. Kyle was able to take down the other group by himself. Their leader using the men as bait so he could close the distance.

You push the shotgun back into the bartenders’ hand and sigh. Kyle watches as you lift your skirt and put your foot on the counter. Without a second thought he offers you his hand and helps you down off the bar. You take it and allow yourself a quick smile. One the sheriff is quick to wipe away.

"It's always you. I guess I didn't make myself very clear." He says with a sneer. "I thought you were smarter than this, seems I was the one mistaken."

You shoot him a look, brows furrowed in confusion. "Sheriff, I didn't start this! I was just defending my um..."

Friend? Soon to be employee? Guy I just bought a drink for. Shot another man for?

"I wasn't talking to you woman!" He snaps, eyes flickering between yours and Kyle's. When they land on the man his eyes narrow. "Was talkin' about this one! Coming into my town, causing trouble! Think just because your daddy was a lawyer you're above the law!"

The look the red head gives him would be enough to kill. Death himself would answer that call. You watch a vein pop out from the side of his temple, his hat and hair barely covering it. Kyle didn't even show that much anger towards the man who threatened his life and interrupted his conversation.

"Sheriff Cartman I wouldn't have to come to this town and clean up your mess if you and your men did your fucking job!" Kyle hisses through gritted teeth, emphasizing the word this like he's reminding the sheriff the town doesn't belong to him.

"I should've known better than to think you could be anything but trouble! I should haul you in with the rest of 'em!" Cartman's voice is dangerous, completely immune to the looks he's getting from Kyle.

"On what grounds?!"

"On the grounds that I'm the fucking sheriff and I'm sick and tired of your bullshit!"

"That ain't enough to bring me in you fat son of a bitch!"

"Let's go ahead and tack on threatenin’ a man of the law to that too! Wanna keep going Kyle?!"

Cartman uses his first name so casually. The air grows heavy again as the two men get into each other space. Neither go for their weapons instead fingers curl around the collar of each other's shirt. Kyle looks like a lit fuse ready to blow and Cartman is just adding fuel to an already dangerous fire.

"A-Actually Sheriff! If I may!" You don't know what compelled you to put yourself in between the two bickering men. Guess there was a little left in the old adrenaline tank, taking down a man twice your size will do that to you.

"What?! Get in my way and I'll make sure to slap you with a fine as well! Helping a criminal won't look good on your record!"

"Criminal!?"

"Gentleman! I believe the lady is trying to talk! Now you either let her talk, or you take this shit outside!" The bartender cuts them both off by slamming her hands on her bar. Her voice isn't loud but it's enough to make both men stop.

The sheriff mumbles something under his breath that makes the bartender narrow her eyes. He turns to you giving you the floor.

"Sheriff just...please hear me out." You've dealt with men like the sheriff before. Men who think they're the smartest man in the room, so it's best to just make them think they're right.

"Fine. Go ahead."

"Thank you. Y-you see...I was just following your advice! You told me to find some help and that's what I did!" As you explain yourself Kyle's brows furrow in confusion. "I was looking to hire Mr. Broflovski here."

"Didn't realize you were selling yourself out now Kyle. Bounty hunting too hard for you?" The sound Kyle's teeth makes as they grind together makes your breath hitch.

"If Mr. Broflovski here agrees, I'd like for him to take me out west. If you think about it this is the best outcome. You wouldn't have to deal with me anymore and I'd be taking him with me."

"Now hold on-"

Cartman cuts him off like he's not even there, at this point Kyle's face matches his hair. "You're leaving? Jesus christ why didn't you lead with that!"

"Yeah..." You smile and let out a little sigh, the whole situation would be a lot funnier if it wasn’t you.

"I tell you what...you leave tonight. You and that ginger fuck get out of my town, my state, my side of the country! I'll give you an hour and if you're not out of here. I'll run you down like dogs!" Sheriff Cartman looks pleased with himself and the whole idea, but the more he speaks the more it comes through gritted teeth.

"Two hours."

"One and a half, only because I'm in a good mood." He clicks his tongue and turns on his heel. "Plus, however long it takes for my useless deputy to book these assholes." Cartman turns his back on both of you and walks towards his posse.

Great. You had an hour and a half to get out of town and you hadn't even asked the famous gunslinger if he was even willing to do this.

"Well, I reckon we outta be on our way." Kyle breaks your thoughts with the sound of his voice.

You look up at him with your eyes widened. He smiles down at you and flicks up his hat, moving the brim out of his face.

"No need to look at me like that. You told the Sheriff we'd be outta here so let's get a move on." He speaks.

Kyle makes his way towards the double doors without so much as a goodbye. You go to follow him but stop, turning back towards the woman behind the bar who is just picking up the broken glass scattered around the bar.

"Um...ma'am." When you call out for her, she turns and looks in your direction.

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

".... You’re welcome, now get outta here. You wouldn't last a day behind bars, so go on. Get."

A soft smile plays on your lips. She was right, you had a long road ahead of you.

The bartender looks back over her shoulder when she hears the double doors close again. She let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. As she stands up with the metal pan filled with broken glass, her head lulls to the side.

"What I wouldn't give to be a tumbleweed following them. Ya got your work cut out for you Broflovski." A smirk plays on her lips.

Kyle leads you out towards the stables where he kept his horse. She was a pretty horse, a blend of brown and whites painting down her back. She doesn't stir much until Kyle gets closer, when he's within reach she bends down and presses her head against his hand.

He smiles and touches the side of her face, petting the sides gently. There was that soft and warm feeling you got when he first sat down next to you. Even after the bar fight and the whirlwind of events that happened, he found a way to go back to being so gentle. When he turns to look back at you, you quickly find something else to look at. Suddenly the saddle on the back of his horse looks so very interesting.

"I don't s'pose you got your own horse, do ya?" he asks as he unhitches his horse from the post.

"No, I don't. I... wouldn’t even know how to go about riding one." That seems to catch him off guard.

"Hm... We’ll have plenty of time to fix that. For now." Kyle walks over to you and whispers a, ‘pardon me'. His gloved hands cup your hips and lift you up. He lifts you like a child would their doll, like you weigh nothing. He sets you down on the back of his horse, guiding your legs over the side of the large creature.

It feels so strange, the way something so powerful just stands there letting him do it. You cling to the saddle for dear life as it takes a few steps forward and then back. If you had to guess she was just as surprised as you were.

Kyle swings himself up onto the horse shortly after. He puts his arms around your waist, being oh so careful on where he lets his arms rest. His hands find the reigns and it forces him to get closer. Close enough to where you can feel his chest against your back.

You can feel his heart beating against his chest, it makes you feel a little better knowing he seems to be just as nervous as you. At the very least that's what you're telling yourself. You can't see his face, unable to move any part of your body out of fear of falling off.

No, you can't see the blush that’s creeping across his freckled face. Can't see the way it trails down his neck, disappearing behind the layers of his clothes. You would never know how much he's mentally screaming at himself to get a grip.

"Gonna be a little uncomfortable at first. Just bear with me for a while. As soon as we hit the next town, we'll see what we can do about gettin' you your own horse." With that he clicks his tongue and snaps the reigns.

You let out the smallest squeak as the horse goes from a gentle little trot to a full-on sprint. Your hands fly out to grab onto Kyle's arms using the cowboy to steady yourself. A part of you thinks about asking him to just go ahead and drop you off at the holding cell. At least then you could die behind bars and never make such embarrassing noises again. The other part of you felt a twinge of excitement when you heard him chuckle. Feeling the way it made his chest vibrate low. It kept you warm against the cold wind that rushed past you.

It doesn't take long before Kyle feels your body go slack. He peers down at you and feels his heart leap up in his throat. You were tucked up against his chest, arms wrapped around your frame fast asleep. He only wishes that he could slow down so he can take off his sarape and bundle you up in it. Instead, he settles for pulling you closer, caging you in his arms. He'd do everything in his power to make sure the ride was at least a smooth one and by the time you'd wake up, hopefully, he'd have you out of town. And hopefully then he can get more details about this job he blindly accepted from you.

For now, he'd let you sleep as he rode out towards the moon. Nothing but the wind at his back and the large pale light to his front.

Next Chapter ->

[catierambles]

follow up to this

She was quiet as she lay in bed, her thigh open to the air so it could dry. The wound was ugly, dark furrows and pock marks where the holy water had eaten away at her flesh, the area around it deep red and angry, already shiny with plasma. She tensed every so often as the angry nerves acted up and hissed as it jostled the wound.

Taking the gun from his waistband, he checked the safety before popping the magazine, ejecting the round from the chamber and putting the bullet back into the magazine before sliding it back into the gun. He didn't chamber a round again, keeping it empty as he double checked the safety, putting it back into the holster behind the headboard. Never have a round chambered unless you're planning on shooting it in the near future, always treat a gun like it's loaded even if you know it isn't, never leave the safety off if you're not actively handling the weapon. Old habits from the service, but good ones to maintain.

He hadn't said anything as he worked, but he could feel her eyes on him. Once the pistol was secured, he sat down on the edge of the bed with a sigh, running a hand over his scalp. His hair was starting to get a bit long, might need to buzz it down again soon. Another old habit, but it was easier to take care of like this.

"Three years." He said, "Three fuckin' years, Annalisa, we've been together and you never thought to tell me?"

"I thought about it everyday when we started getting serious, when you started keeping some of your things here."

"Why didn't you?"

"I was scared."

"Of me?"

"Of how you would react." She said and he sighed again, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

"Have I ever given you the feelin' I would hurt you? Ever? About anythin'?"

"Never."

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"I was going to."

"When?" He asked, "When it started gettin' impossible to hide? When I was old and gray and you were...exactly how you are now? Fuck, Annie."

"I'm sorry." She said and he got up, grabbing his T-shirt from the floor and putting it on, stepping into his boots without his socks and pulling the laces tight. "Where--where are you going?"

"Out for a drive." He said, "Clear my head."

"I love you." He stopped at the bedroom door but didn't say anything, leaving and closing the door behind him.

He sat in his truck for a long while, his key in the ignition but the engine quiet. He wanted to drive away, but he didn't want to take the chance of the wannabe Winchester's coming back while he wasn't there and she was injured. The sun started to rise, casting the sky in red and oranges and still he sat there. He's seen her out in the sun, he knew she had a reflection. The crucifix that had been shoved in her face hadn't seemed to do anything, but the holy water had severely burned her.

With a sigh, he got out of his truck, locking the doors and heading back into the house. He kicked off his boots in the entryway, pulling off his shirt as he walked up the stairs. His jeans were off by the time he got to the bedroom, left on the floor of the bathroom. She was laying on her side, her thigh wrapped in an ace bandage, but he could see the padding of gauze underneath. She had treated her injury herself, something he should have done for her, but he wasn't here.

Three years. He loved her, more than he's ever loved any woman he's been with. She loved him better than he's ever been loved and she was it for him. His endgame. He was even thinking about calling up his ma and asking her to send him his grandmas ring.

Sliding onto the bed, he scooted close to her and wrapped his arm around her waist, hearing her wake with a gasp.

"Shh, baby." He whispered, "It's me."

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

"I love you."

"I love you, too." Sy said, "Go back to sleep, I'll be here when you wake up. I'm not goin' anywhere."

[ohtobeleah]

you should do a strictly scandalous where someone from top gun is a stripper or something

Eeeep—brain go brrrrr. Message received! 🫡

***~***~***~

"Hey, Iris! Rooster beamed at you bright and early Sunday morning. The sound of your locker shutting rattled through your brain like a live wire. “How was the hen's party?” You’d had a lot to drink—which would explain the darkened glasses you still wore in the locker room—the fluorescent lights shining down were way too bright on the eyes. 

“It was great Bradshaw, clearly—now if you’ll excuse me I have a date with the dunny.” Pushing past Rooster you made your way over to the cubicle in search of a free toilet to empty the content of your stomach into. Who’s bright idea was it to schedule training on a goddamn Sunday, and who’s even brighter idea was it to leave you unattended at a hen's night. It’s where you got your call sign from— IRIS, being an acronym for 'I Require Intense Supervision.' 

“Hey Hangman—you look fucking awful.” You froze as you dropped to your knees. Head in the toilet as you blew your first load into the ceramic chamber. Coughing as the burning sensation of alcohol coming up hitting your throat. 

“Thanks Coyote, be sure to tell your mum I said thanks for the coffee this morning.” He winked as he walked over to his locker. “What’s that smell?” 

“It’s Iris—she’s spewing, had a hens party last night and no one was there to supervise.” Bradley explained as he stepped into his flight suit. “Don’t think she’ll be right to fly.” 

Jake froze when he remembered you’d been at the hens party he offered to help out at. A mutual friend of yours had begged him to step in as a male stripper when the guys she’d already put a deposit down on caught covid and couldn’t make it. Everyone else had been booked for months and she was desperate. Jake just smiled and said he’d do it for a case of beer and a crispy fifty. 

He didn’t think for a second he'd be standing in front of you stripping off his clothes to oh nah by Ty Dolla Sign. Grinding his gear on all the ladies who sat around with the bride to be. He thought it would have been even weirder to not interact with you. So he went all out, repressing whatever insecurities he had about lap dancing on one of his coworkers and really getting to work. 

“Didn’t know you had a side hustle.” You teased with a wicked grin as you placed a fake dollar bill into the black male stripper thong Jake was wearing as he stood before you—his junk in your face as you looked up at him with lust filled eyes. “Gonna start calling you Adonis.” 

“Eat your heart out Iris, there’s always plenty more where this came from.” Jake winked before turning his attention to the bride to be—leaving you feeling hot and flustered to the point you could feel yourself dripping with desire. What the fuck was going on. 

“Come on handsome!” One of the bridesmaids bellowed. “Get your gear off love!” The entire living room went wild as Jake smirked and blushed a bashful red tinge across his cheeks. Sending you a cheeky wink before he dropped his gear. “oh he’s packing, hey Y/n! Give you twenty bucks if you touch the sarges co-pilot.” Jake froze in anticipation—he wasn’t shy nor was he opposed to the idea of your hand wrapping around his length. 

“I’d do it for free ladies—and it’s Lieutenant actually.” You downed the rest of your drink before standing to grab another. The rest of your group just clapped and thanked Jake for his service. Bringing his ever-so-promiscuous dance to a close. 

But that didn’t mean that the night had ended for you and Jake, no. Because the second he saw you in the kitchen and you saw him standing now fully clothed? Something flicked inside the both of you—and you were racing to the nearest bathroom that had a lock. 

“What the fuck are you doing here!?” You hissed as Jake sunk his teeth into the pulse point of your neck as he hoisted you up onto the vanity. Your dress up around your waist. 

“I’m just helping a friend out—“ It was a short excuse but neither of you really cared. Jake was quick to unzip his jeans and fish himself from the confines of the tight denim before reality kicked in. He was about to fuck you. And fuck you he did. 

“Jake!!” You moaned as he slowly pushed himself between your folds, holding your panties to the side as he buried himself to the hilt. Stilling for a few moments so you could adjust. “Oh my god move—move!” 

“Can’t say I haven’t thought about this before.” Jake groaned as he pulled out half way before slamming back in. “Fuck you feel amazing, so slick all for me.” 

“God I hate you.” You cried out as Jake got faster, his hands cupping around your neck as he bit his bottom lip. 

“Likewise—“ He agreed. But it didn’t stop him from fucking your senseless at your best friends Hens party in the bathroom. 

“Jesus and Coyote thinks I look like shit?” Jake chuckled as he came to rub your back. Holding your hair for you as you went another round in the toilet bowl. Splattering to no end. “Do you remember anything from last night?” He asked just shy of a whisper as you wiped your mouth on your sleeve. 

“Easy up Adonis, it was a one time thing.” Jake just beamed as he listened to you groan and go again. He knew it wasn’t gonna be a one time thing. There was still so much to explore. 

“Sure Iris, sure."

***~***~***~***~***~***~****~***~***~***~***~***

#Strictlyscandalous Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin

[boygiwrites]

Harley D. Dixon 22

An amazing edit inspired by this story! (Cred to Cora_Line99) Harley D. Dixon's Pinterest Board! Harley D. Dixon's Playlist!

📖Chapter List.

Author's Note.

Okay, last time, I swear! Next chapter will be longer and more productive.

Enjoy! 😊

Next to me in the backseat of Rick's car, Carl prattles on and on about all the new wilderness facts I taught him.

"And there's these mushrooms called Morels. You can find them growing on trees and they're edible, too. They taste kinda nutty."

Rick answers him with another half-assed, wow, like he's been doin' the entire drive, making me giggle when I catch his amused expression in the rear-view mirror. In the car behind us is Maggie, Glenn, Jacqui, and Jimmy, who were all pretty keen on joinin' our shooting lessons after all the commotion of the past couple days. We didn't bother Carol with an invitation, though. She seems to wanna stay locked in the RV all day, not talkin' to nobody. I feel real bad for her. We all do. Dad once said that having a child changes your life, but I suppose losing one changes it all over again, too. People die, people mourn. Life moves on. The only reason I'm here is 'cause I'm pretending I'm that strong.

"Oh, and when you're skinning an animal, you gotta make sure you don't press too hard, otherwise you'll pierce the poop tube."

Rick lets out a disgusted chuckle. "What the Hell's a poop tube?"

"You know. It's where the poop goes down before it, uh...."

"God," He shakes his head, peeling off the road and driving us into a small, green field. "Don't go tellin' your mother that one."

Once he brings the car to a stop underneath the shade of a big tree, Carl and I unbuckle and hop out, Maggie pulling in beside us soon after. He opens the trunk, unzippers the duffel bag, and I wait patiently beside Carl as Rick hands out pistols and ammo to the other adults first.

"Okay. First thing's first, these are semi-automatic handguns." He professionally explains. "One bullet per squeeze of the trigger."

Carl grabs for one, grumbling annoyedly when it goes to Glenn instead, who easily loads a clip into the chamber.

Maggie copies his fluid movements, getting familiar with the weapon. "Where'd you come across so much firepower, Grimes?"

"Long story." He shares a funny glance with Glenn as he passes the next gun to Jacqui. "Give ya the short version, we went through a Hell of a lotta trouble to get our hands on a bag from my old station, kept it ever since." The last two go to me and Carl. "Remember. These ain't toys."

We both give understanding nods. I know they ain't toys. I got that drilled into my head since I first laid eyes on my family's supply.

"Alright, let's go line up in front of that fence over there, see if we can't hit some targets. I'll give y'all the rundown on how to do it."

As we move to the centre of the field, Rick walks the fence line, carrying the bag of empty tins and bottles he brought with him, placing each one a fair distance apart. After that, he tweaks everybody's stances and grips. Maggie's is near perfect. Glenn's is perfect. He gives us a little look that says, uh-huh, that's right, making Carl roll his eyes and Jacqui smack his shoulder. He goes pink when Maggie laughs. They begin shooting as soon as they get the green-light, and after Rick checks over Jacqui and Jimmy, he does the same with me and Carl.

"Got it down pretty good." He hums. All he needs to do is square Carl's shoulders. "Guess your little woodland fieldtrip went well, huh?"

His tongue stuck out, Carl takes a slightly-off shot at one of the tins before saying, "Yeah, it did. Harley taught me."

"Well, if y'all managed to hit a rabbit, you'll breeze through this no problem."

Line up the sights, breathe in, breathe out, squeeze. My heart leaps as the bottle I was aiming for explodes, but I keep a straight face.

Much easier than hittin' a rabbit. Also much easier than hitting a group of walkers in the middle of the woods.

Rick smiles. "Nice work, Harley. How's the hearing?" 

At another bang from down the line, the ringing in my ear turns up a notch. I cringe, "It's ringin' again."

"Too bad we don't have earmuffs." He mutters to himself, before getting an idea. "Here." Stepping behind me, he cups both his hands over my ears. Ooh. That's much better. All the sounds are muffled now. It makes the splitting of metal and the shattering of glass a little more bearable. When I realize he's asking me something, I pull his wrist away and look up at him, curious. He chuckles. "I said, 'Is that better?'"

The corner of my mouth twitches upwards. Embarrased, I answer, "Yeah."

"Lemme know if you need a break or I'm squeezin' too hard." He says kindly before covering me again. "Here we go. Start shootin', missy."

For the next five minutes, I focus on pointing, breathing, and shooting, managing to hit my target once every three tries, and then once every two, and then I ain't missin' at all, anymore. Even though I can't hear 'em all too well, I see the others cheering me on every now and then.

After my last target goes flying off the fencepost, I lower the gun, tapping Rick on the arm to let him know to pull away.

"Doin' really well," He praises. "Especially with your reloadin', you got that down to an art. You need that break, now?"

I hate to admit it, but, "Yeah, I think so."

He understands. "Alright, go grab some water and sit in the shade for a bit. No harm done."

"Maybe when you come back," Carl adds cheekily, "I'll be able to hit even more targets than you."

I don't bother responding. I take myself back over to the cars, snatching up my water bottle from the pile on the ground before climbing onto the hood and taking a long sip. I spend some time just watching the others, doing my best to ignore the cruel headache crushing down on my skull but it's near impossible. I wish I could just reach inside my ear, rip out that ringing noise, and crush it like a bug beneath my boot.

At some point Glenn taps out as well, breaking away from the group and approaching me with a half-smile.

"Hey, Harley." He says, grabbing his water and a small snack. "You okay?"

"No. My stupid ear, it's hurtin' still." I complain, groaning wearily as he leans next to me on the car. "As if it bein' butt-ugly weren't enough."

"Hey, it's not ugly." He nudges me gently. "It's cool. Just like Rick's hat or your Dad's crossbow, it just makes you more interesting."

I don't get how people see badass or interesting when they look at my mangled ear-nub. Dad even called me beautiful. I'on get it.

When I don't respond, he hesitantly offers, "You wanna talk about it?"

"Not really." I mumble. Ain't much to talk about. Some things are better buried, like bodies in graves. "What 'boutchu? Why you over here?"

"I— I don't know." He shrugs. "Couldn't concentrate, I guess. I kept missing my shots, so I thought I'd quit while I was ahead."

I raise a brow. He must have something on his mind to be messin' up his aim like that. "You got sum' you wanna talk about?"

Chewing his lip nervously, he gazes out at Maggie as she reloads another clip into her gun's chamber, Rick as he jokes with Carl. Then with no warning, he awkwardly confesses, "Lori's pregnant. Rick doesn't know. And Maggie said she loves me but I didn't say it back."

Woah, uh... I don't know what to say. Lori and Rick are havin' a baby? Maggie and Glenn love each other, like boyfriend-girlfriend? Dang. No wonder his aim was shit. Those are some hefty secrets. I had enough trouble keepin' my one secret, but keepin' two?

Once I've swallowed down my surprise, I ask him incredulously, "Why you ain't tell nobody? Why you ain't tell Rick?"

I'm not too sure what happens when people find out they're having a baby, but don't they gotta, well, find out?

"Because Lori said she'd throw me back down the well if I said anything to him... I already spilled to Dale, though, and now you." Guilt crinkles expression. "Ugh, I'm so bad at secrets. I got her that test the other day, but now she doesn't even know if she wants to keep it."

Oh, that's right. The lady products. I didn't know you could decide if you want a baby or not once you got it. "How ya mean?"

He shakes his head. "Never mind. Just don't tell anyone else, please."

"Well, ya gotta tell him at some point, right?"

"I'm kinda just waiting to see what Lori does. It's her choice to make."

"And you and Maggie?" I prompt as he snaps off half his granola cookie and hands it to me. I take a bite. "She loves you?"

"Well, she said she did." He spends a long time chewing, thinking, staring at her. "I don't think she meant it. She's confused or something."

"I'on think Maggie's the type to get too confused 'bout things." I quip, doubtful. "She must'a meant it in some way, at least."

Lori guessed they was sweet on one another. I don't know too much about this sorta stuff. I never liked movies with princes and princesses in 'em, or books where the boy and girl kiss at the end. Real life ain't like that. There's things like suicide and custody. No, instead I liked the ones with adventure, like the Fox and the Hound and Alice in Wonderland. I liked pretending I was in some other, better world.

I know about Glenn, though, and I know I want him to be happy. If a strong, pretty girl like Maggie can do that for him, then I'm happy too.

"It's just, I didn't say it back." He sighs. "I was still too shaken up from this morning. Got scared, I guess. I mean, we barely know each other."

"Don't gotta. I loved Tank the second I saw him," I shrug, "I ain't know a thing about him."

"That was your guys' dog, right?" He smiles when I give a nod. I think he likes how simple my answers are. "So, you think I should talk to her?"

"If you don't, you'd be an idiot." I tell him. "Seen so much death by now that if a girl said she loved me, I'd count my dang lucky stars."

He chuckles at that. "You're not planning on stealing her from me, are you?"

"Might just."

"Whatever. Gimme that." He steals back the remainder of the cookie from my hand, making me squeal in protest. "I don't share with traitors."

"Hey!" He pops it in his mouth before I can swipe it back, whining, "Glenn!"

As he laughs around his mouthful, Rick comes up to us with a fond look on his face. "I gotta break somethin' up, here?"

I scoff. "He stole my damn food."

"Well, it was mine to begin with."

"Hey, no fighting while class is in session." He takes another cookie from the tupperware container and hands it to me. "Try pickin' on someone your own size next time." Taking a bite, I echo, yeah, somebody your own size. Then he asks me, "How's the ear doing?"

"Oh," I haven't even been paying attention to it until now, just Glenn. It's actually stopped ringing. "It ain't so bad anymore."

"That's good." He hums. "I reckon we'll be headed back soon, anyway, so just take it easy 'till then."

Glenn asks, "It's the sound of the gunshots, right?"

"Yeah. Definitely ain't doin' you any favors, huh?"

No shit. "I just wanna be able to shoot like you guys."

"Hey, you're pretty damn close already. You just need to start thinkin' about relying on quieter weapons, that's all. Like that knife of yours."

It's hard not to get angry when one mistake ruins a whole bunch other things. Lost an ear, gained tin-eye-dus, and now I can't even shoot no more. I was just startin' to get good, too. Ain't no use sulking, though, so I suck it up like a big girl and listen to Rick's advice.

"Knives are better, anyway." I say off-handedly, trying to convince myself of my own words. "Can't skin no rabbit with a gun."

He smiles and gives my shoulder a pat. "Exactly."

The three of us finish off a couple more cookies and talk about random stuff, like Rick's first day at his cop academy's shooting range and who we think is the best shot outta everyone still practicing. We don't talk about the baby in Lori's tummy, though. I feel a little giddy looking at Rick and knowin' something so exciting about him that he don't. It's like tryna hide a surprise party from someone. I just wanna tell him!

Wow, a baby. I ain't never been around one of those before. For once in my life, I won't be the youngest.

That might'a made me sad a couple days ago, but I think I'm ready to be growing up now.

Besides, I'll always be my Dad's baby no matter how old I am.

On the way home, Carl takes to rambling about how much he loved shooting, and how he can't wait to go again sometime. 

Author's Note.

Harley's so lucky to have such a supportive group of people looking after her. I'm jealous!!

Thanks for reading, everyone! 💙

[sun-aries]

Sweet Dreams

Moonlight streamed in from the window, saturating the royal chambers in a soft blue hue. It was peaceful and silent, save for the rustle of the comforter and the sleepy groan as the hero turned in his sleep.

Drowsily, Link reached out to embrace his wife only to find his hand landing squarely on the mattress. He patted around a bit before opening his eyes and realizing her space was empty. In an instant, he sat up, gave a sweep of the room and quickly realized Zelda wasn't there at all.

His heart dropped to his stomach. Perhaps it was a bit of an overreaction, but given their history, it tended to be a bit alarming whenever she went missing without explanation. It didn't take half a moment before Link shot out of bed and went searching for her, checking the adjacent rooms before leaving the chambers all together.

Once he stepped into the corridor, he was posed to run but halted mid-step when he caught glimpse of a warm light emitting from a half-opened door. Swiftly, he approached their newly furnished nursery and peeked in through the sliver between the door and the doorframe.

When his eyes found Zelda, swaying in the rocking chair with her hands resting over the growing baby bump, his heartbeat settled. A few logs were splintering in the hearth, casting a golden glow over her creamy skin, and he realized that she must've been there for sometime. But she was still donned in her nightgown, partially cloaked by the old threadbare blanket that she loved, and her hair was simply tied in a loose knot. He leaned against the doorframe, his face softening with a smile.

"…but she told me not to fret, for she'd go searching for a hero," his wife continued, just loud enough to hear. "You can only imagine my surprise when the princess brought a wolf into my tower." His lips curled with amusement when he realized what she was talking about. "I wasn't afraid though. Even then, your father was too sweet to be scary."

"Hey," he protested, inadvertently making his presence known, "I was scary!" Her lips pursed in suppression of a smile that told him she knew he was there - that she was teasing him. There was a twinkle in her eyes when they met his and he half-heartedly grumbled, "Everyone in town was scared of me."

Zelda smiled as he approached her and drew him in for a chaste kiss. "You're fierce; I'll give you that," she murmured when they parted, earning a bashful chuckle from her husband.

He then crouched by her side and folded his arms over her lap, and her hand adjusted, lazily combing through the unkempt locks of his blond hair. With a lax sigh, his head lolled into her hand. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Your child won't let me," she joked. But her dulcet voice was watered down with sleepiness and he knew she wasn't completely kidding. "It seems they're particularly restless tonight."

"I'm sorry. You've been working late enough as it is."

It was at times like this that he wished he could do something more to help her. For their part, the council made an honest effort to lessen her load and allow the queen more time to rest. But even then, her workload was so heavy that it ended up taking quite some time to finish.

What with all the new treaties to be written, minor repairs around town to oversee, and finances to budget, it was a wonder she got to bed at all. At least he'd be able to help with the workload once he became king, but it'd be a while before his coronation.

Zelda simply shook her head and lovingly looked down at her bump. "That's all right. We've been having a nice conversation."

"You have?"

"Yes, it seems they really enjoy hearing about our adventures. We tried to speak of news and politics, but it only served to agitate them more."

He snorted. "Sounds about right."

The corners of her lips twitched in amusement. "Would you like to continue the story? Perhaps they'd enjoy hearing your voice as well."

"Really?"

"Of course."

A little hesitantly, he lowered his gaze to her belly. Perhaps he was shy or nervous, but either way it was endearing, the way he carefully reached out to the bump and placed his hand over hers. The restless movements in her belly spurred him to speak.

"The first time I saw your mama, I thought she was the prettiest lady I ever saw." She laughed and shook her head again, but Link's eyes flashed up to hers and the look of them was serious. "I really did...I still do."

"You never told me that."

"Well, I was a wolf."

"I meant since then."

His face began to redden, starting with his cheeks and spreading to the tips of his ears, and his eyes darted away. "Oh. I thought you knew. I mean I couldn't not look at you. And I didn't want you to think that I only thought you were pretty because you're more than just pretty but-" He caught his breath and met her gaze again. "Yeah, I always thought you were really pretty."

It was strange being embarrassed about it now - for heaven's sake, they were wed and expecting. But he still remembered how awe-struck he was the first time he saw Zelda, the way it made his heart speed up and the world slow down at the same time. He just never thought he'd admit it to her.

Her eyes softened, half-lidded, as her fingers curled in his hair. "For what it's worth," she said, pulling him back to the present, "I thought you were very handsome as well. When you were human, of course." His blush darkened and he leaned further against her knee in an effort to hide it.

Hours were spent just getting lost in memory. Though they were still telling the stories to their unborn child, they ended up discussing it between themselves as well, finding little things about their respective journeys that had yet to be shared. It was incredible that there were still things they hadn't mentioned after so much time had passed, but their adventures were so monumental that it was easy to forget the tidbits.

When they were too tired for words, Zelda hummed her lullaby and eventually, finally, their child settled down. The couple had soon followed suit and by the early hours, they drifted to sleep right there in the nursery.

At dawn, when the maids couldn't find the queen in the royal chambers, there was a bout of frenzied chatter as they went scavenging. Like Link had, they all got quite ruffled at the thought of what could've caused the queen and prince's disappearance.

But when one maid checked the nursery, she waved the others over with a shush and a finger to her lips. The group of maids piled up in the doorway to find the couple nestled in the nursery, Zelda still in the rocking chair, Link leaning on her lap, and their hands interlaced over her baby bump. They exchanged amused and adoring looks before tip-toeing out quietly, unanimously deciding to wait a bit before waking them up.

[queen-of-the-avengers]

The Avengers: Part Two

Pairing: Loki x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2.1k

Warnings: canon violence and angst

Author’s Note: any and all comments are appreciated <3

x

"Sir, please put down the spear!" Fury shouts.

Loki looks at his scepter and suddenly points it at the spot where You, Fury, and Clint are standing. Clint tackles Fury out of the way while you jump to avoid Loki's fired shot. All agents in the room start firing at Loki with their guns whole he counterattacks with his scepter. He takes out the many knives he always has hidden on him and throws them at a few guards to eliminate the number of people shooting at him. Clint grabs his gun and points it at Loki, but the God grabs his hand to prevent him from shooting. There is something in Clint's eyes that Loki likes which is why he doesn't kill him.

"You have heart."

Loki points the head of his spear at Barton's chest, and his eyes suddenly glow black. Loki must have the power to control people's minds with the staff because Clint puts his gun away since his boss is now Loki. He's going to need more agents on his side if he plans to get out of here alive, so while he is controlling the minds of a few more people, Fury grabs the Tesseract and places it back into its case. You lock eyes with Fury and he motions for you to follow him the hell out of there.

"Please don't. I still need that," Loki comments when he sees you two trying to get away.

"This doesn't have to get any messier," Fury says.

"Of course, it does. I've come too far for anything else. I am Loki of Asgard, and I am burdened with glorious purpose," he grins evilly.

"We have no quarrel with your people."

"An ant has no quarrel with a boot."

"You planning to step on us?"

"I come with glad tidings, of a world made free."

"Free from what?" you ask.

"Freedom. Freedom is life's great lie. Once you accept that, in your heart," Loki swiftly turns to Erik and places the sharp end of the spear to his chest to control his mind, much like what he did with Clint, "you will know peace."

"Yeah, you say peace but I kind of think you mean the other thing," Fury glares.

From the vacuum chamber ceiling, the Tesseract's energy cloud rapidly builds into what may be an implosion. A bunch of space energy is crowding above the portal in which Loki came through. If you don't get out of here now, the entire building is going to come crashing down.

"Sir, Director Fury is stalling," Clint informs Loki. "This place is about to blow and drop a hundred feet of rock on us. He means to bury us."

"Like The Pharaohs of Odin," Fury nods.

"He's right," Erik adds. "The portal is collapsing in on itself. You have maybe two minutes before this goes critical."

"In that case..."

Loki looks at Clint who raises his gun at Fury. He's the one holding the case, after all. You jump in front of Fury just as Clint shoots at him. The bullet goes right through your arm and into Fury's shoulder. Both of you go crumbling to the ground, and the case containing the Tesseract slides several feet away from you. Clint walks over to it and picks it up before handing it to the doctor, and Team Loki leaves the room.

"Are you okay?" you gasp in pain from your wound.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Stop them!"

"Right."

You push yourself to your feet and run in the direction Loki went. Maria is in the parking garage loading some of the cars when Clint, Erik, and Loki arrive. She is suspicious about this whole ordeal but doesn't say anything because maybe it's normal for them to be leaving. She is about to let it go when Fury's voice comes over her radio.

"Barton's turned! He's got the Tesseract!"

Maris jumps behind a pillar just as the shooting starts, but it doesn't last long because Clint is already driving out of the parking garage with Loki sitting in the bed of the truck. You run into the room and see her hiding with her gun out.

"Get in the car! Follow me!"

You take off using your air powers just as Maria gets into a car to follow behind you. You catch up with Loki easily, and your heart breaks at how broken he looks. He looks worse than he did when you last saw him. Where the hell has he been and who has he been with? He looks like he was emotionally and mentally tortured for years before finally breaking free. 

That kind of broken can't be hidden, you'd know.

Two more SHIELD agents race to catch up to you and Maria to help with the fight. Loki stands up and shoots one of the cars with his scepter, causing the truck to flip over onto the roof. The second car swerves to avoid it but ends up crashing into the side of the underground tunnel. Loki turns his scepter to you and fires, hitting you square in the chest. You go flying into Maria's windshield that cracks under your weight.

"Whoa!" she gasps and swerves a bit.

"I'm okay!"

You use your air powers on Loki's scepter which makes it fly out of his hands. You shoot out toward the truck and land on the bed of the truck so that you're face-to-face with Loki. You kick him on his knees but he doesn't go down as easily as you thought. He sends a blow to your jaw and grabs your throat tightly. He pulls you close so you can see his pain up close. This isn't the man you know.

"Loki, please remember us," you choke out.

As if you're a ragdoll, he tosses you to the side and into the dirt wall of the tunnel. You gain control of yourself before you can hit it and go flying after him again. Instead of shooting at you or Maria, Loki uses his scepter to destroy the tunnel walls. Clint drives faster to avoid being shut in but Maria isn't as lucky. Like an ocean wave, blinding crumbles of rock fall onto Maria's car that doesn't injure her.

"Maria! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

You help her out of the Jeep as she grabs the radio to communicate with the rest of the facility.

"Director? Director Fury, do you copy?" Phil's voice comes over the radio.

"The Tesseract is with the hostile force. I have men down. Hill?"

"A lot of men still under. I don't know how many survivors."

"Sound the general call. I want every living soul not working rescue looking for that briefcase."

"Roger that."

"Coulson, get back to base. This is a Level Seven. As of right now, we are at war."

"What do we do?" Phil asks.

"The only thing we can do. Hill, is Y/N with you?"

"Right here, Nick," you say when you take the radio from her.

"Can you get outside?"

"Yeah. I'll find you." You hand the radio back to her and back her away from the wreckage. "Get ready to see something cool."

You place your hands out in front of you and let your eyes glow forest green. The rocks begin to move on your command to clear a path so that you and Maria can get out. Thankfully, her truck still runs even though the hood is damaged, so you two take that and leave the tunnel. Nick is by the wreckage of the helicopter he used to escape but he is unharmed.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"So far. Remember how I told you I was working on recruiting someone else, and you were on a need-to-know for it?"

"Yeah. You want to tell me who it is?"

"Do you remember a man named Steve Rogers?"

Memories of you and Steve immediately come forth. Memories you tried so hard to push down to avoid facing it. Your past is very haunting and painful, so it's best if you pretend to forget it.

"What the hell are you?"

"I'm really sorry you had to find out this way. I never meant to keep it from you for this long. I didn't know how to tell you, and Bucky told me it's best if you didn't know."

"Bucky knew about all this?"

This is where you come clean and tell Steve everything there is to know about you. He's having a much harder time believing it than Bucky did, but you know he'll come around.

"Steve, I never meant to hurt you. I promise I always had your best interest at heart. I'm still your best friend. I'm still Bucky's girlfriend. This doesn't change because you found out what I am."

There is something bigger at stake here, and if he's going to win this war, he's going to need allies. The past eight years you've known him have been some of the best, and knowing what you are doesn't change those memories. He trusts you, and if you say you're no threat, then he believes you.

"I just wish you would have told me sooner."

"Would you have believed me?"

"Probably not," he chuckles.

The plane crashes into the ice below, cutting off all contact between you two and Peggy. The plane was too fast to hit the water so it hit the ice instead. Both you and Steve are thrown from your places at the front to somewhere else. The back of the plane is ripped off on impact, and you're ejected from the wreckage.

You hit the icy cold waters with a gasp while Steve sinks into the ice below. Everything is so peaceful below the surface of the water. You could be here forever just to escape your life. No one would ever know where you are.

No, you can't do that to Steve.

You gasp awake and allow your air powers to create a pocket around your head so you can breathe underwater. You breach the surface in the middle of the wreckage with no sign of Steve anywhere.

"Steve!" you yell and haul yourself out of the water.

Your pyrokinesis allows you to stay warm so you don't get hypothermia--not that you could if you tried.

"Steve!" you yell again.

Steve is either in pieces, dead, or just missing. He could have sunk deep into the water which would take weeks or months to try and find him. He could have gotten stuck in the ice, but if you were to melt all the ice, then you'd create tsunamis across the world from the rising sea levels.

First Bucky and now Steve. When is this heartbreak going to end? No one is around to hear you scream, but you let out the most heartbreaking wail for your best friend and the love of your life. Earth was supposed to be a new start for you, and for the first nine hundred years, it was.

Now, it's a painful reminder of what you've lost.

When you come back to the present, you have tears streaming down your face. Thinking of Steve brings memories of Bucky back in your head. Memories of him make you think of Loki. You were and are in love with both men as deeply as you can. If both of them were in front of you now, you don't think you could ever choose between them. They're both so different but it's like you need both of them to survive.

"Did you find him?" you whisper emotionally.

"Come with me."

There are more helicopters available that haven't been damaged by the Tesseract. Maria stays behind to help with the evacuation and assess the damage with Phil while you and Nick take a trip back into the city where you departed from. There is a room in the back of his office that you've never paid attention to, and he's leading you right to it. He stops outside of it and motions for you to open the door.

You do and you see someone with their back turned to you packing something in a bag. He doesn't have to turn around for you to know who it is. You'd recognize him in a crowd of people.

"Steve?" you ask.

Your best friend turns and his eyes widen from seeing you after so long.

"Y/N?"

You can't contain yourself and run at him, flinging yourself in his arms. He catches you easily as you wrap yourself around his body. After so long of roaming Earth and trying to find your place in it, you finally find something familiar and comforting. You kiss his cheek, drop to your feet, and stare up at Steve with tears in your eyes.

"I can't believe you're here right now. I can't believe you're alive. I searched for you but could never find you."

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around it as well. Fury explained it to me but it still doesn't seem real."

"I'll let you two catch up. Don't leave New York. I'll be in touch," Fury says from the door.

"Do you have a place? I can get something for us if it's easier."

"Fury got me a place to stay. I don't like to stay in it. It's too quiet. I've been staying here as much as I can."

"Now your place won't be so lonely. Can I stay with you? We can be roommates."

"Yeah, that sounds amazing, actually."

"Great! We have a lot of catching up to do. Where do I even start?" you chuckle.

x

Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​​​​​​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

[etherealvoidechoes]

Dinner Offer: Coasting Gigs - Pt. 1 of ???

Goro eventually takes Varsha up on her dinner offer sometime after the warehouse infiltration. After having the twins help decipher and clear up his misinterpretation of her texts from that night.

Well, I've been sitting on this for a bit and finally feel like I can post it. Maybe a 3 to 4 parter, not sure yet with how chapter 3 is slowly coming together. Hopefully, the characterization isn't too far off. Need to give the game another go for the other lifepaths.

Ao3 || Fic Wiki Hub

1(You are here)||2||3||

Appox. 4.6k

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Goro’s brows furrowed, knitting tightly together as he scrolled through his phone, searching for the “note” app to double-check some information for future endeavors. “››Infernal device…‹‹” He cursed under his breath for the fifth time as his quick fingers accidentally activated another app he did not want. How he missed the phone and the familiar interfaces he once used. With a mere thought, he would have what he wanted instead of aimlessly searching like a toddler. 

“Hm?” He felt and heard that familiar ping of an established hidden connection in his modified Internal Agent before seeing an equally familiar icon take over the screen before a button press would transfer it to his internal hud. A portrait of Vargus’ face — the right side obscured by stylistic smoke billowing from an elegant cigarette holder held by two fingers. Goro’s cyber eyes lit up orange as he looked up and out from his windmill perch. “More targets incoming, I assume?”

It had been a few days since Goro and his unlikely former Corpo compatriots had infiltrated the warehouse where the Arasaka parade floats were being stored and infected the target float with the malware. 

Today, he was assisting the twins in a gig they got from Fixer Dakota. More or so, the twins roped him into joining them when they overheard him mumbling about needing more cash so he could procure some more gear before the parade happened after a quick meet-up. 

At first, he declined, partially him still being cautious with his fugitive status and then he didn’t want to get roped into the possible shenanigans they would be getting into in the Badlands. But the cut they offered — half paper, half digital — made his judgment wain just enough. And it wasn’t the first time they had managed to do so.

“Heh, yes’em!” Vargus softly laughed. “Eyes up, Goro. More Wraiths coming in hot. More to dust.”

Goro set his phone down on the grating before lifting the Techtronika SPT32 Grad sniper rifle, one the twins let him borrow, from his lap. Military training kicked. Good habits to always have. Magazine check first. Still a fresh one he had swapped to once the first round of their business was done. Black-tipped armor-piercing rounds greeted his eyes. Then the chamber. Loaded, locked, and ready to fire. Repositioning himself, raising his left knee higher than the other before placing his left arm on top of it and nestling the rifle in the crook of his elbow. Lowering his head and raising the scope to his face, he scanned that parched landscape around the Wraith camp they had wiped out 15 minutes earlier.

Towards the southeast, he spotted a massive dust cloud rapidly charging their way. 

“Hm.” How many this time? His finger gently turned the dial, feeling each subtle click until it reached the infrared vision. “A convoy of ten vehicles from the southeast. Rapidly closing in on our location.” He relayed to Vargus.

“Got four more coming from the west.” Vargus said. “Oh ho! They ain’t happy about losing this catch. Time to zero these fools.”

Shots rang out. An explosion followed by the sound of metal grinding and twisting in the distance.

“Mhm.” He nodded. He steadied his aim on the lead car. Lining up those crosshairs to the driver’s head. “How much time does Višnja still have?”

Another familiar ping rang in Goro’s head. This time, he saw the ID appear in the corner of his vision. A sleepy cartoon bat with massive ears and connection cables crisscrossing over it like a spider’s web. That portrait was quickly replaced with Višnja’s and that concentrated hacker face — scrunched brows and bitten lip — he had come to learn. 

“Secured the important data slates and caches, but still digging through this ICE of these kleptoid deckheads.” A second caller window opened, showing the inside of the garage she was currently in. It was a pig’s sty. Various boxes and containers were strung about, as well as half-eaten, near rotting food. Fresh and dried-up blood stains were splattered across almost every surface. The people of interest were in a nearby bath — with barely a hint of ice floating — with a mass of cables weaving back and forth between them and the nearby servers.

Višnja’s fingers rapidly tapped away at a console as her eyes glanced back and forth between the two net runners and the monitor. A low rumble of a growl entered her voice. “Gonks really had to make their rescue harder with some of these daemons they have set up.” 

“Hm.” Goro pulled the trigger twice in quick succession. Two shots rang out. One for the driver, another for the engine block. Seconds later, that silhouette of the driver slumped over the steering wheel. The car took a hard left, careening into another vehicle before the two crashed into a boulder. “Is the option of ‘delta-ing’, to leave these two overzealous fools to their fate still available?”

“Yeah.” Višnja answered. “But…”

“But?” 

“We get more eddies if we bring ‘em back alive.” And extra money was always nice. A second later, she cursed. “Oh, for fuck’s sake! What do you mean there’s another layer!?”

“Told ya, ya should’ve asked Varsh to lend over Chroma, batsy.” Her brother butted in. “That spunky AI would be done lickity split compared to you, slowpoke.”

“Can it, Varg or I’ll shut your brain off for a week!”

“Nuh uh, feedback will knock you out, too.”

Their squabbling continued into more name-calling. Like most siblings would do.  

A soft chuckle left Goro’s lips. Though he could find the young ones’ conversations grating at times, he did enjoy the sibling squabbles they would get into from time to time. Something refreshing for the pressing times. It reminded him of childhood friends. And to think he was slowly considering the two to be entering that territory. 

“Think you two kids can save your sibling ‘love’ for ‘nother time?” Johnny’s voice joined the call. “Gonna get flatlined with all the distractions.”

The twins; squabbling stopped like a bullet drop. “Shut it, Johnny.” They spoke in unison.

A snort slipped from Goro’s lips. How that construct could make everyone laser focus to shut him up. It was strange hearing the voice of that dead man when they linked their Agents like this. 

It was strangely alluring, as a few times he couldn’t help but pick at the “samurai’s” brain when they all would meet to discuss future plants. More often, Goro would make disparaging comments due to the terrorist’s vexing, often vulgar comments. Loose lips and barely a filter Silverhand had. But it was also a constant reminder of that every pressing time limit. Varsha’s mind would be overwritten by the construct’s or outright killed from the information they receiving from Hellman. Then the potential brain-damaging feedback the twins were receiving the longer they had their neural oscillation synchronizer linked to Varsha’s systems. 

Each Relic malfunction was bringing all of them closer to the grave.

Goro fired several more shots, causing four more cars to crash, but the others, looked like they had reinforced windshields and hoods. “Hm.” He grumbled, tugging on his collar. He would have to deal with them once they arrived. His free hand went down and unbuttoned the first three buttons of his sweat-soaked shirt. 

“››Blasted heat.‹‹” Muttering, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Update on our situation. Four vehicles are closing in on your position, Višnja. Mere seconds away. The other vehicles are disabled, but some of their occupants still live. Those that can walk and wield weapons are making their way here on foot.”

“I’ll engage them.” Vargus said. “Deal with the others and want to see what my new spine can do. Doc Roth let’s see how good your daughter’s work is.”

“Hey, didn’ V tell you to be careful with that new Sandy of yours with the whole ‘potentially catastrophic’ feedback from you and ya sis’ synchro horn things?” Johnny interjected. Though he usually sounded dismissive, this time he sounded genuinely concerned.

 “Doc Roth, Mithra, Višnja, and I fixed up some limiters and warnings. We good.” Vargus said, confidently. “Goro, you can provide me support, but focus on those stragglers.”

“Affirmative.” Goro responded. Pulling away from his rifle for a moment, his eyes darted over to the windmill Vargus had made his perch. 

Eyes zooming in, he saw him holstering his rifle on his back before pulling out a knife and revolver. The next second, he jumped over the railing and landed on the ground below with a hard thud. The fabric of his pants flared out, most likely in response to the sections of his cyber legs flaring out in response to the impact. Raising himself up, he broke out into a blur of a sprint towards their enemies. 

Goro shook his head. “Insane.” A bold move to only use those weapons against dangerous odds.

Goro shifted his focus back to the vehicles he had disabled earlier and made quick work of the ones pulling themselves out of the wreckage and the others moving on foot towards the camp. 

“Hot damn! They don’t know what hit ‘em!” Johnny exclaimed.

With them taken care of, Goro shifted his focus over to where Vargus was once he heard Silverhand’s excitement. The construct was right. He barely had to provide support for the cocky edgerunner. Even with partially reactivated(jailbroken) cyberware, his mind could barely process the speeds Vargus was moving at. Strategically activating his Sandevistan in short bursts, Vargus was a blur dancing across the battleground. One second he was plunging his blade handle deep into the neck of a startled Wraith. 

Next, like a flickering flame, he appeared behind each individual in another group, placing the barrel of his revolver to their heads mouthing “bang” as he pulled the trigger. Nothing happened, as he quickly moved on to sink his blade into the gut of one with a machete that tried to sneak up on him. 

BANG BANG BANG BANG

Goro heard the delayed shots. Blood, brain, and bones flew. The bodies dropped. Vargus was wearing a cheshire grin that grew wider as he repeated the cycle of violence against the rest.

The engagement barely lasted for a few more minutes before the desert grew quiet once more.

“Whoo! Mithra’s got miracle hands. That is ex-hil-arating.” Vargus was pulling his knife free from the last Wraith, having to give it a firm pull with how deep he buried it in their skull. Blade free, he wiped the blood and brain matter against the dead’s shirt before gently sliding the blade against his black fingernails. A few ribbons of the polish rolled up against the wicked sharp edge. “Hun’dred miles better than my old chrome spine.”

“Don’ let it get to your head, kid.” Johnny said.

Feeling an unexpected “heavyweight” dig into his back shoulder blade, Vargus lurched forward. Gritting his teeth, his head snapped around, eyes nearly closed tight in a glare. No one was there. To the visible eye, that was. “Oh? Gonna be a killjoy now? Thought you liked being gung ho? A little reckless?” 

“The construct is right.” Goro said, agreeing with Silverhand. That made Johnny laugh with surprise. “One should not lose oneself to the dangers of bloodlust in the heat of battle. Keep your senses sharp.”

“The ronin and terrorist agreeing? Hell’s getting colder…” Vargus grumbled. 

There was probably a smirk on Johnny’s face, even more so with Goro agreeing with him. “Kinda am in a kill joy mood ’n’ making sure you ain’t going cyberpsycho.” 

“I ain’t hexed. Ain’t that chromed.” He rolled his eyes. He took a step forward, letting Johnny “fall” before rolling his shoulder. “No plans to be, ever.”

Johnny made a halfhearted “aaaaaah” and “oof”.

Goro continued to scan the landscape. 

The desert was still clear. No reinforcements in sight.

An excited exclamation from Višnja. “Finally!” She was beaming from ear to ear. “Cracked the ICE. Both are free. Applying the coolant since their temps are high. Get the truck, bro!”

“On it.” Vargus replied. He was off.

Hearing that, Goro began to gather all his gear before leaving his windmill perch. “Coming to assist.”

Once Vargus brought the truck around, they tossed the unconscious netrunners in the back, along with the other items they had come for. Before leaving, they made their way around camp to gather whatever weapons and gear were salvageable from the Wraiths. Just another way to secure some quick eddies unless there was something they wanted to keep for themselves.

The trip to the rendezvous was uneventful. Goro stayed in the truck (though he didn’t need to) as Višnja and Vargus did the handoff. The netrunners and items were handed over. In return, they got their eddies and some extra goodies for a job well done.

“Aaaaand your cut, choom.” Višnja sang as she entered the passenger seat. Reaching towards the back, she placed three stacks of 10,000 €$ on the middle seat. Then, her eyes glowed blue as well as the lines in her neural oscillation synchronizer implant — the horn — on the right side of her head.

Goro glanced at his phone first. A smile crossed his face as he saw those numbers in his account rise. He then picked up the stacks. Old and new bills glided against his fingers. After a few flicks, the amount matched the band. And it was more than enough for what he needed to buy. 

“Thank you two, again for allowing me to join your… gig.” His mind still had some trouble comprehending some of the slang of the city.

“No, probs. We have a few more lined up and ain’t hurtn’ for the cash.” She said.

“Actually, have another gig we’re about to hit next if you’d like the join?” Vargus offered. “Deals with an annoying Maelstrom branch. They got their hands on something they shouldn’t have and the owner wants it back and doesn’t really care if half the block hears us. Says it’ll get a point across or sum’n’.”

Višnja tilted her head back and forth as she giggled. She leaned forward towards Goro, placing the side of her hand to her mouth. “That’s code for zero ‘em fools to send a message.”

“Hm.” Another gig? Goro wasn’t so sure about that. He had his money now and had some final planning he needed to do before the big day. Besides, he felt like he had been out long enough, though nobody had seen him. And the possibility of this next contract could be quite loud and bloody.

“We’ll give you a fair cut agaaaaaiiin.” Višnja playfully sang. Her wide smile soon turned into a sour sneer as her eyes focused on the empty seat next to Goro. “Oh shut it, Johnny! He deserves the cash and a bit of a break from being on the run.”  

Goro stifled a chuckle. He wondered what Silverhand had said this time. 

He tapped his fingers together. Another fair cut? More eddies were always nice. Maybe he could use the extra money to buy some new clothes? 

“Where too?”

———————————

The trio’s next gig went on into the long night. But was another successful venture, even if they ended up more banged up due to close-quarters combat.

“››Will need to buy some new clothes. Or mend these.‹‹” Goro muttered to himself as he used his sleeve to wipe the blood dripping from his nose. 

His shirt was littered with tears and holes as well as blood, synthetic blood, and other questionable viscera painted it. Feeling stray hairs tickling the sides of his face, he took a moment to fix his equally disheveled hair. A hiss slipped from his lips. Something felt off with the joints of his fingers and knuckles as they ran through his hair. There was one metalhead that snuck up on him and Višnja that he had to punch dead in their borged-up face. 

Hair slightly neater, he took a look at the offending hand. At a glance, it looked fine, but moving his fingers slightly, there was an odd bend in the digits and the gaps between the knuckles were slightly off.

“››Out of joint.‹‹” A hiss shifted into grunts as he popped his dislocated knuckles back into place before flexing his fingers several times. “Ah… and may need to pay Viktor a visit to make sure there is no damage. Or maybe Dr. Rothschild, if he has an opening.” 

He was waiting for the twins. Vargus was gathering up weapons and gear to strip or sell, and Višnja was turning in the gig. Feeling his phone buzz, he brought it out. Another hefty deposit of eddies in his account. Good. Since he didn’t know how long he would have to wait, he tried locating that “note” app once again. There were a few fumbles before he finally found it.

Eventually, the twins made it back. Vargus got their spoils of war loaded into the truck before he and his sister started discussing their plans for the night. Višnja gave Goro the other half of his payment. 

“Yo, Goro, where do ya need us to drop you off for the night?” Vargus asked, rolling his jaw a few times. The segments to the armor plating that lined his cybernetic jaw and part of his neck flexed open and closed.

“Hm?” He glanced up from his phone. “The same place you picked me up from for the first gig.”

“Alright.”

“Unless ya wanna grab a drink and bite with us?” Višnja said. “It’s a low-key joint. Pretty preem soul-food style grub and breakfast. Waffles and fruit sound real good right now.”

Goro raised a brow, inadvertently wrinkling his nose. He had still yet to find anything in Night City that his palette found remotely palatable. Though there were a few places he was growing a soft spot for. Tom’s Dinner. 

“I think, as you two say, ‘I’ll pass on that shit.’” Though he would never admit it, around the twins he let that air of sophistication wain and let their “city lingo” infiltrate his speech. “I have preparations I need to make.” His eyes winced as his body tensed. A hand went to his stomach. There was an audible rumble coming from his stomach.

“Sure about that, choom?” She grinned. He only glared in return.

“Don’t needle the old man.” Vargus nudged his sister’s arm a few times before roughly tussling her hair, which made her threaten that she’d hack his brain.

The three hopped into the vehicle and started their drive.

Goro fiddled with his phone. The talk about food brought a text conversation from the night they infiltrated the warehouse. A few taps, and he found his conversation with Varsha. 

He quickly scrolled up to find their discussion from that night. A dinner offer for real food. A private dinner offer. At her place. The viper’s den. And perhaps sex? The stressful circumstances made it tempting and his mind could only imagine what she looked like under that dark emerald dress she often wore. Quite pleasing to the eye. But Varsha didn’t seem like that kind of woman. 

From his observations, she was the complete opposite, especially when that one ‘associate’ of hers attempted to court her at every interaction whenever they crossed paths. She ignored every gesture, every word uttered by that silver tongue. Everything was strictly business to her. But there was always the possibility his assumptions were wrong. She was harder to read than most of the Corpos he dealt with during his service to Arasaka. 

“Višnja. Vargus.” He said as he leaned forward and perched himself between the gap between the driver and passenger seat. “Can you help me decipher this message from Varsha.” He moved his phone into their view. “I am not sure I understood her offer.”

“Driving.” Vargus said.

“I got it.” Višnja was about to pluck the phone from his hand but noticed those fingers tightened. Right, trust is still tentative. She read the text.

“Let’s see, let’s see.” She read it over a few times before mumbling Varsha’s portion of the text history. 

[Varsha]: What would you say to a little dinner together? Real food. I know some places that may fit your refined palette and the owners can ‘look the other way’ for you. If that doesn’t work for you, how about my place? I can order some food or cook it myself. Think you could use the company for one night. Perhaps we can get off on a better foot? 

It read like Varsha. She was always generous to those she considered friends, or those who stayed on her good side.

She then read Goro’s response and Varsha’s response to that and held in a snort the best she could. Where was this old man’s brain going to misinterpret her offer for food like that?

“What’s so funny?” Vargus shot her a few glances.

“››Think the old man thought V was offering sex in exchange for dinner besides not wanting her to go through the trouble of hiding his identity and he has ‘no appropriate wear’.‹‹“ Višnja slipped over to that machine language she, her brother, and Varsha liked to converse in if they didn’t want people listening.

The car jittered for a second. Vargus’ grip tightened on the steering wheel to steady it. He bit his tongue to stifle snickers breaking through.

Goro narrowed his eyes, even more so noticing those horns of theirs pulsing softly with color. He had his suspicions about what was shared between the two, but wouldn’t press. “So, what do you think?” 

“She offered you dinner.” Višnja said, pushing his phone back to him.

“And?”

“Just dinner. Nothing else, mate.”

“Are you sure?” He reread the texts again, especially his response. “Was she not offering…sex?” He almost didn’t want to say it.

“Sex? Hell no!” Vargus laughed. He slapped the steering shelf with each laugh. “Geez mate, and you said we could be fools, ya gonk.”

“Are you sure?” He just had to ask again.

“V wasn’t doing some tit for tat for dinner and sex, Goro.” Višnja shook her head, doing her best to keep her laughs at a minimum. “She’s not like that.” 

He looked at the two before closing his eyes. Shaking his head, those shoulders dropped. He sighed. So he had misinterpreted her message. He felt like such an idiot.

“No hard feelings, Goro.” Višnja said. “I can somewhat see how you read it like that. V still needs to work on her people skills.”

“Really, don’t think Varsh is even interested in sex. Hell, don’t think she’s wired for it.” Vargus said. “Don’t think we’ve ever seen her with somebody since we’ve known her. Minus anything for an Op.”

“She’s not. Remember the dollhouse story she told us?” Višnja said, corners of her mouth lifting with a little sticker. 

Her brother, in turn, lost his composure, breaking out into a deep laugh as he threw his head back. He was laughing so hard that his eyes glued shut; he had to pull over and wipe the tears from his eyes.

“H-her co-workers, her nosy coworkers wanted to learn about her sex life and instead witnessed a therapy season!” His fist pounded against the steering wheel.

Goro slowly tuned the twins out. He didn’t feel like he should be privy to that information. Besides, there were more important matters he needed to handle. How to apologize to Varsha for misinterpreting her offer? Perhaps he should accept it? As an apology? He was unsure. Hearing the sound of snapping fingers in front of his face brought him out of his brooding thoughts.

“Yo, Goro.” It was Vargus. Composure regained, he then motioned his thumb to the center seat. “Before I forget, check the cooler next to you. Center seat. Varsh’s got a gift for ya.”

“Shoot, I forgot about that.” Višnja said.

Goro raised a brow. He put away his phone and went to open the cooler. “A gift? Why?” 

“Just open it, you’ll figure it out.”

With the cooler open, Goro spotted several things. A few drinks, a backup handgun, an assortment of boosters, and then a few turquoise bento boxes.

“Those bento boxes are for you.” Višnja said.

“Really?” He asked as he picked them up. They had some heft to them. He closed the cooler and placed them on his lap. “Why?”

“Even though you turned down V’s offer, she’s been feeling sorry for you and your refined palette. Made ya some food. Home cooked and ordered something from a friend’s restaurant.” She said.

“Her cooking is the best. Real preem, you’ll love it.” Vargus said.

“Hm…”

Goro cautiously opened the first box. What greeted his eyes was a blanket of white rice, an assortment of vegetables elegantly cut and folded into shapes, and what he could tell was a few small cuts of raw fish with vibrant red meat. Fish. Real or fake? Raising the box to his face, he took in several sniffs. He prepared himself for a questionable, if not repugnant, smell. Eyebrows raised, his eyes lit up. There was nothing but a faint oceanic smell. Perhaps it was real? His stomach growled again. He bit the inside of his cheek.

“Yoooooouuuuuu’ll looooove iiiiiiiiiit.” Višnja sang again, dragging out every word to a nearly obnoxious degree.

Goro rolled his eyes. He opened the second box. His nose wrinkled not out of disgust but from the strong spices emanating from the second meal. It was nearly overpowering to his senses. There was more rice and next to it looked like reddish-brow curry and what he assumed was chicken or coconut chunks in it. His fingers found the silverware in the lid. Perhaps a taste test wouldn’t hurt? And it would silence his stomach for some time. He’d save the fish for later.

With the spoon, he carefully grabbed a portion of each piece of the meal, he finally took a bite of it. His eyes lit up, glimmering with surprise. It was all so flavorful. And the textures all felt right. The rice was light and fluffy. The chicken was firm and juicy, with the coconut only enriching its flavor. And the curry, his mind couldn’t describe it, but it was good. Nothing tasted like sawdust and plastic, and the meat wasn’t a chalky, stringy mess. He was already going for the second bite.

“The ronin likes it.” Višnja said.

“The ronin likes it.” Vargus agreed with a laugh.

Despite their Agents being disconnected, he felt a faint tickle in his ear like he could hear Silverhand joining in on their teasing. He ignored them. Best not to fall to their level. It would be foolish. He ate about half of his meal.

———————————

The rest of the ride was uneventful. The two dropped him off where they had picked him up earlier that day. 

Slipping through the shadows, Goro made his way back to his safe house, not before stopping to buy some replacement clothes and ammunition. Back home, he meticulously laid out his gear and went over his plans. As he did so, he snacked on what was left of the curry meal and took a few bites of the other and was pleasantly surprised it was real fish. Salmon from what he could tell.

As he was winding down for the night, his mind drifted back to the meals and that text conversation with Varsha. He shook his head and sighed.

“I need to apologize for my swift assumptions… and thank her for her generosity, this kindness. I do not deserve it, as I have been more judgmental towards her than the twins.” He mumbled his thoughts as his hand reached for his phone. “She deeply cares for those two. How she became complicit in this foolish chaos.”

For another hour, before sleep would finally take him, he made several drafts of the potential text he would send her in the morning.

[tobiasdrake]

Got so caught up trying to figure out the exit strategy that I forgot the most important piece of investigation.

Which is self-evident but it's nice of Shinigami to confirm.

The barrel's still smoking, too. He recently fired a bullet, that's for sure. Given that we only heard one gunshot, that gives strong odds that he shot himself.

That wouldn't explain the blood spray, though.

Yep. Custom-made to be extremely powerful, packing even more punch than a standard revolver.

Six bullets are loaded in the chamber but one shell casing is empty. That matches with the smoking cylinder we saw earlier. The gunshot we heard on our way up the stairs must have come from Shachi's revolver.

Whoever he was shooting at may have been too far away for us to hear their gunshot. But. No, that's probably not likely. If he was in a firefight, it'd be difficult for the opposing bullet to enter through the side of his head.

...maybe that kaboom we heard after getting up to the roof came from Shachi's ultra-powerful revolver's bullet hitting something in the distance.

It's custom-made. Flipping it like that implies that Shachi's left-handed, which would raise some questions about why he's gripping his gun with his right hand. It's likely that the gun was used to kill him, then planted on him to make it look like a suicide.

If so, then the killer had to have shot him from this rooftop. Somehow. They'd need to be up here in person in order to rearrange the body.

But such a rearranging would explain why he seemingly crumpled in the wrong direction. The gun in the wrong hand and the body laying way over here instead of by the blood spray strongly imply tampering.

...my crackpot theory that we murdered (or attempted murdered) Yuma Kokohead and swiped his pants seems a lot less crackpot when you say shit like that, Yuma.

Yo, was that wall exploded out earlier? I do not remember that wall being exploded out earlier. Was that the kaboom!? Did either Shachi or his killer detonate a bomb in the Resistance command center?

If there was a river on any of these sides, Merman Icardi could probably do a swan dive. But we're surrounded by concrete in every direction.

Yeah, someone set off a bomb to take out a chunk of the building we're in. Bet you the command center is wiped out.

We know they didn't use them to exit, because we were on the stairs when the gunshot rang out. But if they used them to enter, there could be cam footage of them climbing up here.

Of course, if the bomb blew out the command center, then that's unlikely.

So, that's everything on the roof. We have here an open-air locked room mystery. There are two major possibilities here and neither works.

1 - Iruka sniped Shachi from the nearby roof. Pros: No need to explain method of escape. Cons: Bullet trajectory and direction of fall don't make sense for a firefight. Gun is in wrong hand too. Only one gunshot heard.

2 - Someone shot him from the rooftop, then moved his body and planted the gun on him. Pros: Explains mysteries surrounding the clear tampering of the body. Only one gunshot necessary. Cons: No clear method of escape. Rooftop seems inescapable.

We're going to need more evidence to crack this.

[thinkatoryprocess]

Okay and idea for an eventual Ruby Chambers interaction with the Gemstones after they find out Ruby’s parents are “old as fuck”. Judy: Well then it’s not that sad right, if he dies? I’d he’s super old.

Ruby: Your dad’s pretty old. Want me to shoot him in the head in front of you. See if you cry?

Judy: Holy fucking fuck.

Jesse:…..(laughing): Man I like your girlfriend Gideon. Come on let’s get something to eat.

Gideon: She’s not really my…I mean we just met earlier today. It’s too soon for labels…

Judy: She is a psychopath! She just threatened to shoot Daddy in the head!

Jesse: Okay now be fair that was really more of a hypothetical that you pushed her into. Saying she wouldn’t be sad about her daddy dying just cuz he’s old. That’s some cold shit sis. Plus you threaten to shoot people in the head all the time. You put a gun to Kelvin’s temple the other day for eating the last of the cobbler.

Judy: A) I called dibs and B) it wasn’t loaded so who gives a shit.

Amber: I’m just gonna go inside if anyone wants to join me. Honey imma let you and Judy finish up this little…let’s call it a discussion. Ruby it’s a pleasure to meet you but maybe leave the murder threats out her and not bring them inside to Sunday lunch.

Ruby: Yes ma’am. Sorry ma’am. (Gideon and Ruby head inside).

Jesse: Look at her calling you ma’am. Someone was raised with manners not like Pontius’ bitch ex.

Amber: Yeah she seems real sweet and gotta say I love that hair.

Judy: You’re only saying that cause your hair’s red you narcissist!

Jesse (fully ignoring Judy): Yeah we gotta help him lock this down. I love that boy but he’s got no game. His last ex fucking blackmailed us and left us tied up overnight. What was his name again? Scooter?

Amber: Skeeter I think.

Jesse: Either way he sucked balls and I’m glad he’s dead. Ruby is a definite step up. And I’m not just saying that because she’s a woman. If she were a beautiful red headed man putting Judy in her place I would feel the same.

BJ: Well we can’t assume Ruby identifies as a woman. They could be male identified or non binary.

Jesse: Okay I have had to piss for like twenty minutes now. I’m going inside.

No notes just LMAO, everyone intrigued by this arc should see this.