#I just can't help but feel like I don't really have a place on here anymore

[theminecraftbee]

the case of docm77 v zombiecleo: a very incomplete summary of events

i, of course, strongly recommend going to doc's video (or bdubs, cleo, joe, or skizz's, once they exist) and watching the whole thing for yourself i could NOT stop laughing. but for those of you who want a vague summary of some stuff that happens in the courtroom:

bdubs is insisting on being called "your highness" as opposed to "your honor".

we START with bdubs explaining he has set up a dramatic five-strike system; if either side gets five strikes (things that upset bdubs lol) he will "uh, not give them the death penalty, but--"

doc immediately tries to use this to take advantage of the system and get cleo strikes.

he instead accidentally immediately murders his own counsel.

it has been like One Minute.

"just in case anyone dies, there's a jury deliberation room under construction, there's a bed in there"

bdubs is paying everyone a diamond block for showing up if they listen to his judgement. help.

"thrust his sword into said swine" so skizz's opening speech is GREAT.

"wow, that was really good. but the camera is over here, so if you could do that again and look into the camera for me--"

"defense, first off, how do you plead?" (doc, grasping for his vague knowledge of american legal dramas) "i plead the fifth. i plead the fifth. uh. right?"

joe, in his opening speech: "this is esteemed around the world as a place where two adults who act like children can come to have their differences settled by you in the most entertaining manner."

HELP. "cleo is bringing to the court not an affair between two adults with an unsettled matter, but an adult and a large baby."

HELP IS JOE'S DEFENSE THAT DOC IS A LARGE BABY AND THEREFORE CAN'T BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS ACTIONS.

joe: "you know, cleo has a lot of communication problems." bdubs, with great feeling: "yikes."

cleo, under her breath: "i'm gonna kill him."

"just a minute i'm setting up my lawyer", ren says, carrying the armor stand he had in the stands with him to the bench and putting false's head on it,

ren: "i cannot recall." bdubs: "YOU CAN'T RECALL WHAT HAPPENED?" ren: "i cannot recall if i cannot recall."

why is skizz doing a foghorn leghorn accent now,

skizz, about doc: "this is proof this man likes to intimidate, that he gets off on it." no one comments on this phrasing.

sorry ren making an armor stand falsesymmetry as his lawyer and companion in the stands is so funny.

"this is more evidence cleo is a poor communicator. she can't control her man--"

joe is very clearly just trying to make everyone in the room mad and it's really funny.

HELP. BDUBS BUILT A HEADS AND TAILS MACHINE TO DECIDE IF THEY'RE GOING TO ALLOW OBJECTIONS.

anyway it rolls tails so it overrules skizz's objection.

skizz's accent and vocabulary just keeps getting more and more exaggerated i think he's going for approximately benoit blanc,

beef: "he forcefully approached us and said he's the guy who wants all the wood." cleo and doc, snorting and giggling at this as one,

i feel like i should note that bdubs has a fireworks crossbow that he's calling his "whip" and hitting people with when they do something he considers wrong.

this leads me to wonder if bdubs thinks whipping is normal in a courtroom...?

i think its really funny that skizz is actively doing like, correct types and moments to do an objection, and it almost sounds like good lawyering, and then IMMEDIATELY bdubs goes "it's time to HEADS AND TAILS!!!" and breaks that illusion completely.

"well, it's heads, objection sustained, strike that from the record." joe: "well then i guess you'll never know what my point was." beat of silence. bdubs: "never mind, let's just add a strike, and you can say it,"

"i don't know how the esophagus entered this situation at all?" "let's pray it didn't. geez." "i was not thinking of doc's esophagus when i built the giant fish for his hourglass." <- this only barely makes more sense in context,

"no further questions your honor." "seriously???"

every time joe calls doc either a baby or a manchild is SO FUNNY. why is this his argument. it's SO FUNNY.

"but he has not proven mens rhea, which you your highness are very familiar with but for the viewers at home is not a gendered form of diarrhea--"

cleo, to doc: "doc are you sure you want to win this one?" doc, in clear and obvious distress: "i'm not sure of anything anymore man i just, i don't know,"

bdubs then interrupts to do the sponsored segment of court.

"the tall claims court is brought to you by!" bdubs puts a disc in. 13 starts playing. "shoot that's the spooky record. that's the worst one." he continues with his bamboo shop sponsored segment spiel anyway, with 13 continuing to play,

"i'm not going to ask for money, i'm just asking for a simple injunction against doc. he won't be allowed to use diamonds for redstone anymore." "WHAT??? THERE'S LIMITS TO THIS, OKAY????" "calm down doc, we're not gonna--" "WHAT NO WHAT CALM DOWN???"

"cleo i have to say that's way better than anything skizz said. skizz was talking and all i heard was bla bla bla bla bla but that was real heartfelt. if you're thinking about paying him, maybe don't."

doc: "i want to make peace and love that's all i care about i'm just a humble boutiquer"

"i felt like as her friend i needed to teach her what it feels like to lose something" i love how deranged that is doc keep going

"but it happened and i think i'm insane, right," doc says, then nods at joe.

"yeah this is really good" cleo responds, perfectly happy with the idea of doc declaring himself insane for no good reason,

cleo: "doc is just completely unhinged when people mess with his redstone, and i feel like my punishment would take away that emotional bond."

joe: "objection your honor, my client is unhinged in every context."

i like how this is "make fun of doc" day.

bdubs: "i'm going to deliberate quickly then i'll come back with my judgement." (turns around for like five seconds.) "and i'm back!"

HELP DOC HAS BEEN BANISHED TO A SINGLE BLOCK IN THE SKY WITH A CHEST ON IT FOR TWO WEEKS

THREE IF HE TOUCHES THE GROUND

AIR JAIL...........

bdubs adjourns court. doc, immediately: "WHAT THE HELL JOE??" "i did my best, man :/"

"DO YOU KNOW THE VEINS ON MY NECK ARE ABOUT TO EXPLODE????"

jevin in the background of doc losing his shit just kinda murdering skizzleman for fun,

doc's main objection to the sky island is "BUT I HAVE THINGS TO DO :(((((("

doc ends the video standing here:

in conclusion: yeah this seems like a very fair trial with no ridiculous elements at all. very serious and befitting the sanctity of court. yes. you should watch it for a very serious hermitcraft experience,

[daenysx]

Hiiii,,,I have a request 😋

How about gym rat!james and gf reader going to the gym together for the first time? He’s like helping her out and teaching her how to use the machines,, basically acting as a coach hahahaha

Idk thought it was cute c:

thank you for requesting, this is so sweet!!! i'm being really honest right now, i have no idea about gym things, angels, so i'm really sorry if there's any mistake. i hope you enjoy <33333

james potter x fem!reader, fluff and a bit suggestive at the end (because james looks perfect when he works out and you're definitely turned on by watching him)

"james, i'm not strong enough for this."

james looks at you like you say the strangest thing ever. you only spent 10 minutes at the gym and you can feel your sore muscles getting tired.

"what?" he asks, holding a huge bottle of water. "of course you are strong. you just need some warm up before doing more strenuous stuff."

you huff, looking around. people here look so concentrated, just like james. it's been a long time since you've done any sport but you accepted james's offer to try some exercises to spent time with him at the gym. he loves being here, always says how good it feels to forget about anything when he's focused on working out and these days he needs to be here more, before the beginning of the new season with his team.

"you look really good in these clothes." you say to him cheekily. he's so tall and the top he wears makes his muscles more prominent than ever. what can you do, ignore the fact that he looks like a statue?

"you're not gonna get what you want this time, you little minx." james says, kissing your cheek. "come on, try again."

you try to warm up for a few minutes, doing exactly how he shows you. james counts down, sometimes he adjusts your legs or your waist to correct your posture. at the end of the first twenty minutes, you're sure you'll faint on him.

"i promise i'm not saying this because i don't like it-" you start. "but it's so hard, jamie!"

you pout, sitting on the floor. james gives you his bottle before sitting next to you. "you've done so well, angel. you just gotta give your body some time."

"i won't be able to leave the bed for three days."

"come on, you're being more dramatic than sirius." he laughs.

"no, it's true." you say, seriously. "you'll see that when you have to carry me everywhere."

"poor baby." he mocks, rubs a hand over your thighs. "do you wanna take a break? you can watch me if you want."

"yes!" you say, standing up happily. "i wanna watch you."

james holds your hand, leading you to the room where people use weightlifting stuff. he chats with a few guys, introduces you proudly. you smile, he looks so happy to have you with him here. you kiss his cheek before letting him go to do his thing.

watching james here feels so strange. he looks perfect, your legs shake with pride. he's doing it flawlessly, his skin shining with sweat as he keeps lifting. you smile, he makes a lot of noise. he breathes loudly when he finishes.

clapping your hands, you go next to him. "you're so good, jamie." you admire your boyfriend. he smiles. "i had a lovely audience this time."

he pulls you to his lap and you settle down on his thighs. the gym isn't so crowded, there are only a few people in the huge room you are in. you look around before kissing his lips.

"i need a shower." he says. "sweating."

"don't care." you say. "you look hot."

"stop being distracting." he says but you know he doesn't mean it. he kisses you so nicely. "i'm not done yet."

"it's been 45 minutes." you say. "aren't you tired?"

the truth is, you know james is not tired. he can keep going for at least an hour, he's used to this stuff. you just think you can't keep watching, it makes you wanna jump on him and this is a public place so it's not such a nice thought to have here.

"do you wanna go home?" he asks. "i usually do a little more but if you're tired we can leave."

he's so gentle with you and you don't wanna interrupt his training for your not-so-subtle intentions. you give him a smile before leaving his lap. "i'm not tired. we can stay as long as you want."

somehow you manage to keep your thoughts to yourself and leave james do his thing. you walk inside the gym a bit, james showed you the equipments when you first walked in. even though you only spent like half an hour working out, you still feel good. your arms and legs feel sore a little but james says it's normal, you trust his word.

after another hour with you watching your boyfriend and him doing his usual exercises, james says you can leave. he takes a few minutes in the shower while you wait for him and then holds your hand. "thank you for coming with me." he says as you walk to the car.

"thank you for putting up with my dramatics." you say. "maybe i can come with you more. i'm not promising working out though, only for watching you."

"you liked watching me?" he asks, smirking.

"james, you gotta be kidding me." you say, being so so serious. "do you know how you look when you're lifting and making it look so easy? i was trying so hard to keep my hands to myself."

you don't think you've ever been this bold with your affections but james deserves it. he looks kinda shocked but he has no right to be, what did he think you'll say? now, you're the one who's smirking and he blushes a bit.

"you should've told me before, angel." he says, going back to his normal self a second later. "we could leave earlier for home if i had known."

he opens the door of the passenger side for you. "and then what?" you ask, pulling him closer as you sit. he holds the door with one hand, your cheek with another.

"i don't know." he shrugs. "you could show me what you were thinking of doing."

"i really could." you whisper. you don't know how the conversation turned into such a teasing thing but you like it anyway. "too bad my legs are hurting."

he kisses your lips before closing the door. "you won't have to use your legs for the things i'll do to you." he says. you swallow before buckling your seatbelt. the car feels too hot suddenly. james has to keep his hand on your thigh the entire way home.

[ienjoywritingfilth]

The night of the Concert

K I’m new here but I hope you like this even though it’s just filthy and horny and I like it like that. Maybe you will too.

pairing: dbf!Joel x fem!reader

trope Best Friend's Dad! Joel Miller

summary: your bf breaks your heart and you turn to the only person you can. It happens to be Joel Miller, your best friend Sarah's dad.

warnings: age gap (reader is late 20s, joel late 40s), dubcon, oral, infidelity, p in v, absolutely filthy talk, daddy mentioned, other shit but I've forgotten.

word count: 4.3k

The day is warm and the fan spinning next to you isn't doing much to help. You and Sarah are seated on her couch, you cross legged with her foot in your lap as you paint her toenails a vivid green. 

"I think he's gonna ask me to be his girlfriend," you say with a giggle as Sarah's eyes widen. 

"Really? Holy shit that's huge," Sarah says, watching as you swipe the green Polish onto her remaining nails. "He hasn't been serious about anyone since Mariana."

Mariana is your boyfriend Jeremy's ex girlfriend. A beautiful woman with high ambitions. You can't stand her and go to great lengths to avoid her when you see her on campus. 

Sarah is your best friend of several years, ever since your first day at college when you'd both been lost on your way to Chemistry. She's the reason you're with Jeremy in the first place. She's seen you through final exams, bad frat parties and your first college boyfriend. 

"You two will have the cutest babies!" Sarah says dramatically as you wave her off. 

"Gross. I'm only twenty-two, dude."

Sarah shrugs. 

"At least when you have kids you'll have a better reason to call him daddy."

The two of you bust out into braying laughter, so loud and for so long that when her dad comes in from the backyard he's grinning at the two of you. 

"What're you two gigglin' about for so long over there?"

Sarah's dad Joel Miller is about the nicest man you've ever met. Respectful, loving, patient and funny. You love being over at their house because you love seeing such a healthy familial dynamic at work. It's no wonder Sarah is so happy all the time. You envy that. 

"Nothing dad!" Sarah says, still wiping the tears from her eyes as the two of you continue to giggle.

"Yeah, nothing," you add, holding a pillow to your face to hide the laughter. 

"Okay, well the burgers are on the grill, jokesters. Can you get your mom? Think she's upstairs in the office."

Sarah nods, pushing off the couch and heading upstairs. 

"You staying for dinner, darlin'?" Joel asks you politely from the kitchen. 

"If you and Mrs Miller don't mind," you nod, coming to walk into the kitchen. 

You don't want to go home tonight. Your parents work long hours and the house is often empty. You're often here at the Millers place, eating dinner, studying, just hanging out. They always treat you well and always invite you to stay for meals. 

"We never mind," Joel insists as he mixes up the salad. "We only mind when you call us Mister and Mrs Miller. Makes us feel old."

"You're not old," you insist with an eye roll as you absently play with one of the edges of the decorative napkins. 

"Tell that to my knees." 

You laugh at that, turning to see Sarah and her mom Angela entering. Angela wraps you in a side hug and asks about school as the four of you gather around the dinner table. 

"I'll be glad when exams are over," you say with a roll of your eyes. "They stress me out so bad." 

"You say that and you always get top marks," Sarah says as she adds the tomato to her bun. "I bet you got an A+ on your last exam." 

"Yeah," you nod shyly as you add ketchup to your plate.  

"Your parents must be mighty proud," Joel offers before a sip of beer. Angela nods in agreement. 

"Yeah, your daddy must be so proud of you," Sarah drawls as she plates her salad, winking at you. 

The Miller parents look confusedly to one another when you and Sarah can't stop giggling.

----------

Date night with Jeremy! Dress with the stripes or the jeans? Where is he taking you? Ice cream and walk on the beach.   Sundress with the polka dots!!!!!  You're a genius Sarah Miller. I owe you big time Just pay me back by making me maid of honor at your wedding What are you up to tonight?   I'm taking my mom to see the Bangles for her birthday.  Awwww. Have fun! 

You toss your phone onto your daisy-patterned coverlet and stretch. It's a beautiful Sunday afternoon and you're in the best mood. 

You take a shower, slipping into the sundress Sarah recommended. As you do your hair and makeup in front of your mirror you fantasize about what awaits you this evening with your boyfriend Jeremy. 

You've been seeing him for three months now and he's always a gentleman, always taking you for thoughtful dates. Sarah introduced you as they're both in the same Philosophy class. Sexually he's just a little too eager, too quick. There's a lot to be improved, but you're happy to keep learning together. He's so handsome and smart. You love how he looks in his glasses when he's pouring over a textbook. 

A few hours later you’re showered, smelling delicious and wearing your shortest dress. You spin in front of your mirror before affixing a delicate lace bow to the back of your hair. You feel beautiful and you sigh dreamily.

Your phone beeps and you glance down to see Jeremy’s sent you a message. You smile to yourself, swiping up and reading the text.

Hey I'm sorry I don't think this is gonna work out. My ex and I have been messaging the last little bit and we're gonna give it another shot. I just wanted to be up front with you. 

You read the text over and over several times. It takes you that long to understand what’s happening. When you do you call Sarah, but it goes straight to voicemail. Over and over. You’re panicked, tears sliding down your face. You need to see her. You need comfort.

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

You arrive at the Miller home shortly after eight, pounding on the door as you sob. You’re surprised when Joel answers the door in jeans and a t-shirt, looking like he’s just woke up from a nap with bleary eyes and his hair mussed.

“Fuck, I’m sorry to wake you up Mr. Miller,” you sniff, wiping at your wet eyes. “Is Sarah here? It’s important?”

“Are you okay?”

He must see the frantic way you’re looking around or the tears that stain your cheeks.

“Jeremy broke up with me,” you tell him without hesitation.

"I'm so sorry," Joel grimaces, rubbing at the back of his neck and the clear display of discomfort. "Fuck I wish Sarah was here for you, or even Angela. But they’re at that concert tonight."

That's right, the Bangles. 

"Fuck I'm so sorry I forgot," you say shaking your head. "I'll leave-"

"Hold on now, I'm not sure it's a great idea for you to be driving right now," Joel insists. "Why don't you come in for a glass a water and a chance to calm down a bit?"

Under normal circumstances, you would be embarrassed at taking up his time. But considering how emotionally wrung out you are right now, you simply nod and follow after him like a sad puppy. 

He sits you on the couch and joins you moments later, passing you a glass of water. You drink it shakily as Joel smooths hair hair, watching you all the while.

“I feel so embarrassed,” you tell him once the glass is drained. “Acting crazy.”

“I know what heartbreak feels like,” Joel confesses. “It can make you crazy.”

You smile shallowly and nod at him before looking at your lap. “I’m a fucking idiot for thinking he was into me.”

"That's nonsense," Joel insists, taking your chin in between his thumb and index finger. 

"It's true," you say with your voice wobbling. "I thought he loved me," 

You whimper, tears falling down your cheeks. You're surprised when Joel pulls you into his sturdy arms. 

"Aw honey," Joel says holding you and rocking you gently.

One large hand goes to cradle the back of your skull, the other around your waist. You dissolve into tears as you say the last word and Joel holds you tighter. You bring your arms up around his neck, holding him as you cry, feeling safe and protected in his muscled grip. 

"It's gonna be okay." 

"Why do people always say that? It's not going to be okay!"

You pull away from Joel sharply, burying your face in your hands. You feel as Joel's body comes to shuffle next to yours, the cushions dipping as he moves until you're thighs touch. 

"Honey---"

"Nothing is going to be okay again," you whimper, turning to face your friend’s father. Joel looks so anguished for you, his hand coming to cup your cheek gently. 

"I know it seems like that now but I promise you there's lots of men out there."

"None like Jeremy." Your face crumbles. "None that will love me like him."

Now it's you who throws yourself into Joel's arms, burying your face in his shoulder as you cry. He rocks you slowly, petting your hair as you tears soak his flannel. 

"He ain't the only guy in the world." 

"He was special. He thought I was beautiful."

"You are," Joel insists at your jaw, still rocking you gently. "You're so fucking beautiful and don't you forget it." 

His words rumble through his chest and you can't help but feel your body soften at them. You didn't realize how much you needed to hear them until right this moment. 

"Thank you Joel," you sniffle, kissing his cheek gently without thinking. 

You feel him stiffen a moment, registering what's just happened. But he doesn't pull away. He keeps holding you, arms tight. 

And the sting of Jeremy's rejection seems to dim. With Joel's arms wrapped around you it's almost like he's shielding you from all that. It makes you feel grateful, and it's not long before you’re overtaken with emotion. 

"Thank you for everything," you breathe against his jaw. "You're so understanding."

"Not a problem," Joel says in a thick voice. 

And suddenly something in the air changes as Joel loosens you in his grip. A quiet hum, a vibration, starting between the two of you. Your hand is on his hip now, mouth tilting towards his face. You see his dark eyes dart from your eyes to your mouth and back again. 

"You're always so kind to me," you whisper, not breaking his gaze. Joel's breathing deepens and you feel all resolve leave you. 

Your mouth goes to his, tentative and gentle and you attempt to kiss him. He immediately pulls back from you, eyes wide. 

"Hey whoa," he says, pushing you gently back by the shoulder. "What're you doin'?"

You don't answer. Instead your hands trail down his stomach, tripping over his belt and coming to slide over the growing bulge between his legs. 

"Something that we both want, I think." 

He hisses at the contact, trying to jerk out of your touch. 

"I don't," Joel says quickly. But he doesn't pull your hand off of where they rest over his jeans. 

You don't know if it's the rejection from Jeremy or because you're doing something so wrong, but you can't stop wanting to touch Joel. There's something intense about this grown man getting red in the face, his breathing quickening as he allows you hand to gently massage him through his pants. 

"You deserve to feel good, Joel," you whisper as your hand goes to his zipper. "Let me make you feel good."

Joel makes a murmur of protest as he watches your fingers dragging the zipper down. He seems shocked, as if his body won't obey his brain. He makes a noise of protest when you slide your hand underneath his boxers, feeling his cock twitch. 

Joel flinches when your fingertips slip under the band of his boxers and graze his bare cock. He knows it's wrong when you wrap those same fingers around his shaft, but he's so fucking hard. He can't remember the last time he was this hard.

"You gotta---" he starts, but the rest of his sentence becomes a tight hiss as you you take him out of his pants. You marvel at the size of him, your fingers unable to meet at the base when you pull him free of his boxers.

"So big."

Joel watches you gaze at his cock, muffling a groan as you tilt forward and let a bead of if saliva drop from your mouth onto the head of his twitching cock. When you give a short stroke down, coating him in your saliva he feels he has to say something. 

"I'm married," he says weakly.

"Shhh," you murmur against his bearded cheek. "Let me do this for you."

You make a whimpering groan at the sight of him, thick and the weeping. 

"Honey, I---" He's leaning back into the couch almost like he's trying to stop what's happening. 

"Shhhh," you soothe against his jaw once more. "Just enjoy it."

Your hand begins to stroke up his shaft, using his copious pre-cum to glide. He growls lowly, hips sliding back and forth. 

"Such a big cock," you murmur, watching your hand slide up his girthy length. Joel makes a strangled noise before breathing deeply. His gaze is locked on your hand watching it delicately slide along his straining cock.

Use your mouth. Use your fucking mouth. 

He hates that this thought comes to him as he watches his daughters college friend jerk him off. Hates that this will be played on loop in his mind for years to come. Hates that his marriage of twenty three years is about to be flushed away for twenty minutes of pleasure. 

But he doesn't hate it enough to stop. 

"This...Mmmm... Shouldn't be doing this," Joel groans. You squeeze the tip and his head falls back against the sofa. "Fuck, you gotta stop-"

But even as he says this, Joel's hips are jutting forward, urging your palm to slide over his length over and over. 

"You're such a good man, Joel. You deserve this," you murmur against his ear, tongue coming to gently trace the lobe. "You deserve to feel good." 

Joel watches your thumb circle the rosy head of his cock and he shudders. Pre-cum starts at the tip, beading there enticingly. 

"You deserve to come," your warm breath fans against his neck. "Don't you?"

His head jerks back against the couch, eyes slamming shut as his cock twitches in your hand. You can see him relenting, his body twitching. 

"I shouldn't be doing this," Joel pants, thrusting his cock between your fingers. 

"You should.” Your mouth begins sponging kisses to the underside of his jaw. "Keep going. Lemme make you come." 

Your wrist snaps as you jerk him off faster, the wet sounds of his flesh turning you on even more. You wonder if he'll fuck you if you try to mount him. 

"This is so fuckin' wrong," Joel pants, his hips thrusting harshly against your palm. He's grunting, his hips off the couch as he fucks into your hands. 

He's just saying words, no thought behind them. It's wrong but he doesn't fucking care. All he cares about is the steadily building orgasm that you're bringing forth with every twist of your wrist. 

Your eyes are fixed on his face, watching as Joel's mouth goes slack and his eyes crack open, trained on your hand around his cock. 

"Want more, Joel?" You purr against his jaw. "My mouth?" 

Joel breathes shallowly, eyes going from his cock to your mouth over and over. 

Your hand slides quicker and Joel gives a strangled groan when your head lowers. You tilt your face, meeting his gaze as your tongue comes out to lick the head of his cock long and slow. Joel nearly jumps out of his skin. 

"Fuck," Joel grunts, his cock twitching. He breathes shakily before his eyes seem to darken. "Do it again."

You flick your tongue against the mushroom head before suckling gently at the tip. Joel's eyes roll back as you do this, tasting the sweet tang of his precum.  

You pull off, lower lip grazing the head of his bobbing length. You watch as he grits his teeth and his eyes find yours. 

"You wanna fuck my mouth, Joel?"

It's like he remembers who you are and what this is because you see regret cross his features. 

"N-no," Joel grits out with a wild flail of his head. "Gone far enough. This is---"

He's denying it, trying so hard to move back from you but you know he's close, the head of his cock is mauve and it twitches in your grip.  

"Would feel so good," you croon, tongue starting to circle the bulbous head once more. Joel is groaning, his hands in tight fists at his side. "I know you wanna fuck my mouth."

Joel is trying so hard not to give in. He tries to remind himself that you're his daughter’s friend, that he's happily married, that he isn't this kind of guy. But you’re so fucking sexy right now, desperate for his cock in a way his wife hasn't been for years. 

You swallow the first inch of him and he groans low and loud, his hips twitching. You pull him out slowly before you glance up at him, the throbbing head of his cock slick against your wet lower lip. 

"When's the last time you fucked someone's mouth, Joel?" You tease, and he sees the mirth in your eyes when he all but whimpers in reply. 

Joel's head is thrown back, a ragged sigh escaping him. He shouldn't want this, he shouldn't let you keep going.  

But then you take the length of him in your mouth, almost gagging at the thickness of him, and all coherent thought leaves him. 

You bob up and down on his length, eyes closing in bliss. Joel is carding his hands through your hair as you suck him off. 

"Fuck, take it deeper," he rumbles, and you feel his large palm on the back of your head, pushing. "Swallow it." 

"Yeash shur," you manage through a mouthful of cock.  

Joel can't hold back, he starts to thrust up into your throat, grunting as he fucks it. You hold onto his thighs, eyes watering as the bulbous head slips further and further. 

When you sputter you feel Joel come back to himself, gripping you by the back of your heck and pulling you off of him. You whine in protest as you sit back up, the sight of Joel's hard cock, still glossy with your saliva between you. 

“You need to stop.”

Joel watches transfixed as go to a stand beside the couch between his parted legs. He makes a sound almost pained as he watches you slide your fingers under your dress, tugging down and stepping out of your lace panties.

He just stays rigid when you crawl into his lap. You slide your wet slit along his cock, feeling as sharp huffs of air escape him. You feel heavy with power, your mouth going to his ear. 

"When's the last time you fucked college pussy, Joel?"

You smile when you hear the strangled sound escape him. You can see he's soaked with pre-cum, a shiny sticky collection wetting the coarse hairs at the base of his shaft. His eyes are stuck on the seam of your pussy teasing the head of his cock.

"It's okay to like it," you promise him. "It's okay to want this."

"I wanna put it in," Joel grunts. 

Your mouth is at his ear, warm and husky.

“Put it in.”

Joel groans and you feel his thick fingers start to squeeze your hips. He's not inside you yet, but he's so thick and warm against your pussy lips. He’s hypnotized, urging your pussy down, desperate to feed his cock into you.

“I need it," he whispers in a daze.

"You can have it," you encourage, breathlessly as you watch him grip his cock and guide it to your waiting hole.

"This is so fucking bad," Joel groans, half aroused, half disgusted with himself as he begins to feed his cock into your twitching pussy.  

You grin, fingers digging into his shoulders when the bulbous head breeches your entrance.

“Tell me to stop,” he almost begs but you shake your head.

“You deserve this,” you say. “Deserve to fuck my tight pussy.”

You’re married. You have a kid. This is fucking wrong.

All those worries are gone the second the head of his cock feels the velvet clench of your cunt. He can’t look away from where you’re both connected. Without warning he sheaths himself deeply, watching your brows crumple as you take him to the hilt. Joel watches your pussy swallowing his cock, knowing how fucking wrong it is and hating how he has no intention of stopping.

"I fuckin’ deserve this," he pants out, watching your tits bounce as you slide along his length. You ride him well, experienced, full of energy. He can’t remember the last time Angela rode him like this, like his cock was everything.

“Yes you fucking do,” you groan out, bouncing in his lap. He grips you tightly, fucking into you like you’re a human flesh-light.

He does deserve this. He works hard, he’s a good father, a loving husband. He’s never done anything like this before. Would never dream of fucking a girl who’s been over at his house for months, who’s never appealed to him like this until this very moment. A girl who’s tits jump with every thrust of his cock, whose wet mouth forms a lurid ‘O’ when he hits a particularly good spot. He deserves to have you ride him here in his house, a desperate, needy fuck.

Joel feels everything in him tightening as he watches you peel the dress off your body, tossing it over your shoulder and he sees you’ve forgone a bra this evening, letting the rhythmic slap of his cock up into you make them jiggle enticingly. You sit there naked, riding his cock with no shame or hesitation.

“You feel so good,” you tell him through a groan, your eyes falling shut.

He feels his balls contract when you start to cup your breasts, pinching the nipples as your head falls back. Joel can’t help but dart forward, latching onto your breast and laving at the taut nipple. You moan as he continues to fuck you, pausing when he grips your wrist.

“Make yourself cum,” He orders, forcing your hand between your legs. “Soak me.”

You nod doing as he says, rubbing your swollen clit for barely any time at all before you shuddering.

“Gonna cum,” you moan, head tilting back once more.

Your hands fly behind you, gripping onto his knees. Joel can see everything, see’s how your clit rubs against his shaft and your thighs shake.

"Fuckin' do it sweetheart," he croaks. "Fuckin' soak my cock."

He holds your hips again, entranced at how you slide up and down him, your arousal seeping down into the curled hairs at the base of his cock as you cum. He watches all of this in amazement, his breathing shallow and rapid.

You pull yourself back, your pussy fucking drenched as you slowly continue to pump yourself up and down on him. He’s still so hard, aching and desperate for release. He casts a feral smile at you.

“Keep fuckin’ yourself on it,” he tells you.

 You nod and he watches your plump mouth curl into a smile.

"You wanna fuck me full of your cum, daddy?"  

Without warning Joel suddenly goes rigid.

You think he's going to come but instead he's red-faced and gripping your waist. He pulls you off of him, his cock still hard and throbbing, slick from your earlier release. He shakes his head, panting.

"Fuck. No. We gotta stop."

"But---"

"This ain't right," Joel insists, tucking himself still hard back into his jeans with shaking fingers as you arch up. 

"But I want to."

"And if you keep going I'm not gonna be able to stop you," Joel lets out a shaky laugh, unsmiling as he tilts down to grab your dress. He passes it to you politely averting his eyes; as if this belated gesture means anything after all he’s done and seen. You frown.  

"Joel."

"I'm married and you're Sarah's friend. If that wasn't enough, I'm also two decades older than you."

"I like older men," you insist, trying to swing your thigh over his. Joel stops you, hand pressing you back gently. 

"You're too young to know what you want," Joel says sharply. 

"That's not true."

Joel surveys your face for a moment, concern softening the edges of his expression. 

"You just got dumped by the boy you love. You’re not thinking properly."

"No," you shake your head. "That's not it."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," you say, hands reaching for his zipper again. "I just want this."

Joel shakes his head gently, fingers gripping your wrist and pulling you off of him firmly. 

"Honey you gotta stop," he says, taking your hand and placing it back in your lap. "This ain't you." 

You don't like how Joel is looking at you, like he's peeling your skin from your body, peering in to see what he shouldn't. 

"I could make you feel so good," you promise him, hand coming to palm him through his jeans once more. "Our little secret."

You see his resolve waver before his hand grabs your wrist, pulling you off of him.  He's looking at you with concern, with compassion. With pity. It makes the sting of his rejection more potent. You pull on your dress now, feeling the first pangs of humiliation starting.

"You need to go, honey. Right now." 

Now that the moment is sobering you feel a flash of panic.

"Are you gonna tell Sarah?"

"No." Joel shakes his head. "I'm not gonna tell anyone. But I think maybe you shouldn't come around here for the next little bit." 

"I understand," you say staggering to a stand. He walks you to the door in awkward silence. He opens the door and then he finally speaks.

"You are a beautiful, smart woman. Don't let one idiot make you forget." 

You eyes grow misty and you give a shallow nod before turning. 

"Thank you, Joel."

[coffeeghoulie]

If you're comfortable doing so, maybe something that delves into Phantom/Aeons time in the pit and how his bad experiences there impact him now that he's topside

hey? hey anon? how did you know I've been wanting to talk about Aeon's parents for six months?

Contains child abuse and discussion of child abandonment, eye injury, and nightmares. Aeon uses they/them for themself, but their parents don't know that and use he/him for them.

(this does expand on lore I wrote for Eternal Heatstroke, but you don't need to read that to read this)

divider by @wrathofrats

"The kit's not getting any bigger, Oasis."

Aeon's left ear twitches at the sound of Caldera's voice, rough and crackling like her fire. They come to awareness, but don't dare open their eyes. They don't want their guardians to know they're awake yet, the sinking feeling in their gut telling them that they are not supposed to be witnessing this conversation. The ground is rough underneath their side, and the campfire crackles in flashes of orange even through their eyelids. The three of them have been settled here for a little over a week, about time to pack up and move through the older ghouls' territory, finding somewhere else to bed down.

"How many times have I told you that quint kits are called pups, Cal," Oasis sighs. There's the sound of a hand running over a face. Both of them have been doing that a lot more recently, and Aeon can't tell who it is without opening their eyes. The air is thick with sulfur and smoke, and it stings at their nose.

"Frankly, I don't fucking care what they're called," she says. "We've been raising him for Lucifer knows how long because we thought he'd be strong enough to help us defend our territory. And he's at the point he should have grown. He's still so small."

There's disdain in her voice, one of her paws tapping at the ground in irritation. Aeon's brow furrows. They're not small. They might be skinny, but they're a full head taller than Caldera is, just above eye level with Oasis. They do know that Cal's small for a fire ghoulette, has encountered other fire ghouls who've tried to claim what their guardians have staked as their own.

"Cal, you've gotta have patience-" Oasis tries to reason, but he's never been able to stop her. When Caldera sets her mind to something, Aeon knows she stops at nothing to get her way.

"How long have we been going hungry to keep him around?" she growls, and Aeon can almost hear the sparks from her tongue. "Years and years of our lives, I'm so fucking tired of waiting. The kit can hardly even use his magick and he's practically an adult."

"What do we even know about quintessence ghouls, Cal?" Oasis keeps trying to reason. "We can't teach him magick we don't even understand."

"I don't fucking care," Caldera snarls at her mate. "I'm done. Keeping him was your idea in the first place. You want to keep the kit around? That'll be on you then. But then I'm out."

There's a commotion, someone getting to their feet rapidly. "That's just fucking like you, Cal. You'd really give up on how long we've been mated over our son?"

Caldera laughs, loud enough that Aeon thinks they have a solid excuse to wake up. They keep feigning sleep though. "Our son? Oasis, are you insane? You were the one who thought a quintessence ghoul be a good investment for the pack."

Aeon's heart falls through their stomach, trying desperately to process what they're hearing. Investment. Oasis had always told them that he'd found them, small and abandoned, so young that their eyes hadn't even opened yet. That the two of them wanted a kit to take care of. They feel like the rug's been yanked out from under them.

They don't have much time to process it though, because Oasis sighs, tossing something back and forth between his hands. Aeon doesn't need to open their eyes to know it's a pebble, something that had caught his eye at some point. "Fine, Cal. But you tell him."

Aeon tenses as rapid footsteps approach their sleeping form, trying hard to not curl up into a ball preemptively. A hot hand grabs their shoulder, the threatening bite of sharp claws even through their threadbare shirt.

"Wake up," Caldera says, low and dangerous as she shakes their shoulder. Even though they had some warning, they still yelp, tail tucked between their legs. Their eyes go wide at the fury in Caldera's expression, her growl as she hauls them to their feet.

"Cal-" Aeon stammers, trying not to struggle against her grip. Knows it's easier to let her put them where she wants than to fight it.

"None of that, runt," she snaps, and both of their violet eyes go wide. She's never- They've never- "You're grown, now. It's time for you to find your own place."

"Right now?" Aeon says, tipping their head back and baring their throat, trying to appease her. All the while, Oasis stands by the fire, watching distantly. "Oasis, please tell her I can't."

"He's not going to help you, runt. We're both ready for you to go," Cal says. There's a fire in her yellow eyes, red and orange flickering in her irises.

They stammer, glancing back and forth between their guardians. "That's not true, I heard you talking-" Aeon freezes and cuts themself off as Caldera's expression morphs, grip curling tighter into the collar of Aeon's shirt, claws punching through the threadbare fabric. They can feel the keratin against their skin, and they swallow hard.

"Oh? So you were eavesdropping?"

"No- I couldn't help it!"

She growls, pulling hard and shoving them towards the campfire. They stumble, paw catching on the brimstone, and they fall hard, twisting onto their back to look up at her. "I'm not going to say it again," she snarls, looming above them. The firelight makes her features sharper, fangs shining. "Get the fuck out."

They slowly push themself up to standing. Aeon finds the courage in their gut to growl back at her, ears pinned back against their head, tail lashing behind them as they bare their fangs and get in her face. "I'm not fucking going anywhere, this is my pack too!"

Aeon knows it's a mistake the moment the words leave their mouth.

Caldera screams in frustration and rage. The last thing Aeon sees out of their left eye is her claws glinting dark in the firelight.

There's a shriek. Aeon wonders why their throat hurts until they realize it's them shrieking. The world spins, blinding hot pain radiating from their face and scalp, and they can feel their heartbeat in the marrow of their left horn. They can't see.

They can't see.

There's something hot and sticky running down their face, and they cup their hand over their eye, cringing at the wetness.

Caldera doesn't even flinch as Aeon's blood drips in rivulets from her claws. "You fucking heard me, you ungrateful brat. We've fed and taken care of you your entire life. You can pay us back by fucking leaving."

She lunges, and Aeon's feet act on instinct, scrambling away from her. They clutch their face, hearing the blood spatter, their shirt sticking to their chest, heavy and wet. Aeon's head spins, and Caldera's behind them, chasing, and Aeon's seen her hunt.

There's no chance of outrunning her, even as their legs scramble underneath them. They run, lungs aching and head spinning, and there's two pounding sets of footfalls behind them.

Aeon sobs, chest heaving with exertion. Their ankle twists in the brimstone, and they stumble into the ground. Blood and tears stream down their cheeks in equal measure. It's over. They're de-

There's a hand on their shoulder.

Aeon jolts awake with a yelp, scrambling backwards into the corner of the couch out from under a big piece of white fabric that was covering them. It takes a moment to recognize their surroundings, fluorescent lights, a big desk in the opposite corner, an empty office chair, slightly rotating like someone stood up in a hurry. A large shape backlit looms over them, making a strange, familiar sound.

Aeon snarls before the sound registers, their entire body slumping as Aether chuffs at them. "Hey, you're alright, pup, you're safe," he breathes, his big hand hovering over their shoulder, his silver bracelet glinting in the light. "You were dreaming."

They nod, reaching up to touch at the scars running through though their left eye and biting back a sob. Aether nods back, cautiously sitting next to the younger quintessence ghoul and pulling them close, chuffing all the while.

"My shift just ended," Aether whispers, shifting them until Aeon's practically in his lap. "Do you want to go back to the den?"

Aeon nods quietly. Aether gently wipes away a tear from the silvery track across their cheek with a big thumb. They've been shadowing him to learn about infirmary work, a few months away from actually working on their own. "You want a hug, pup?"

"Please," they whisper, shoving Aether's white coat off of their legs. They'd been using it as a blanket while they napped on the couch in his office. The bigger ghoul draws them in, chuffing and nosing at their hair.

Aeon settles, eventually, and they stand hand in hand. "Can we go home?" Aeon asks, and Aether smiles, flashing a gold capped fang at them.

"Of course, pup, let's go home to our pack."

[measuredingold]

more best friend!noah because you guys seemed to love it (and i did too🤭) part one here !

mdni 18+ nsfw below cut

the rest of the night was a blur. you tried to act like nothing happened, and really the only person who seemed suspicious was jolly. he'd cast you glances every so often, eyes narrowing between you and noah. oh, and speaking of your best friend, he's planted right beside you, leg pressed against your own. halfway through he's got a hand on you, nails digging into the inner part of your thigh.

it was so fucking hard to focus, but you tried. you really did but it was so hard to not focus on the way his hand practically engulfed your thigh, fingers dancing along your skin. you almost missed one of your turns, one of your friends calling you out. you blink, then your face flushes. you feel like you're on fire when you rush out a "sorry", finally taking your turn. you feel noah shift beside you and then you feel his lips next to your ear. you shiver.

"having trouble focusing?"

"fuck you."

"i'm sure you'd like that."

your eyes widen and you whip your head around to stare at noah, gasping at just how close he was. your noses were almost touching, and his brown eyes were staring so deeply into yours that you felt yourself freeze. locked into place. what the fuck was in that drink? you've never felt this way about noah before (yes you have, but you denydenydeny) and for whatever reason tonight you're seeing your best friend in a new light.

his eyes flicker from your own down to your lips like he had done in the kitchen, then they drag back up. you swallow down the lump in your throat, captivated by him and his stare. the corner of his lips turned up into a grin.

"you would, wouldn't you?"

you don't say anything.

"oh for fuck sakes." jolly's voice breaks you out of whatever trance you were in and you blink over at him, but you feel noah's eyes still on you. "can you guys stop flirting for two seconds and pay attention to this damn game?"

everyone's looking at you, then at noah, and now they're finally catching up to... whatever is happening. the closeness between you two, noah's grip on your thigh, the flush of your cheeks and. alright. this is too much. you excuse yourself, apologizing for interrupting the game and let jolly know he can take your turn if he'd like before rushing upstairs.

that was so fucking embarrassing. everyone had to see that, right? everyone knows that there's... something going on, right? how could you ever explain this? noah was your best friend. that's what he's always been. sure there were times that you guys would flirt with each other, all friends do that (no they don't) but not once had it ever been... this. you go to the closest room and shut the door behind you, leaning back against it before looking around.

you're in noah's room. great. you take a deep breath and count to ten, try to ease your rapidly beating heart. you run a hand down your face and groan before walking over to his bed and flopping onto your back, staring at the ceiling. what the literal fuck was this night.

you don't move when you hear a knock at the door, already knowing it's probably either noah or maybe even jolly coming to apologize (he will in the morning). you pick your head up to see noah peeking in, eyeing you in his bed with a smirk.

"if this is all i had to do to get you in my bed, i would've done this a lot sooner."

you sit up, face flushing and you can't help but glare at him. you're tired of being teased by everyone - it was embarrassing. "fuck off."

his gaze softens as he finally comes into the room, shutting the door behind him before leaning against it. "...i'm sorry if that made you uncomfortable. or if i went too far with..."

your mind goes back to the kitchen. your lips moving against his, his hands gripping your hips and rocking you into his thigh that's rooted between your legs and... whew. your face is hot when you finally look at noah, shaking your head.

"it's fine." there might be some alcohol still flowing through your veins giving you some type of liquid courage because your mouth is opening again to say, "i liked it."

noah stills. "...you liked it?"

oh. well shit. you said that. you definitely said that. alright. you nod instead of answering.

"i liked it, too." his eyes darken again like they had in the kitchen and you suck in a breath when you watch him walk over to you. you're still sitting on the bed so you really have to look up at him, watching him stop just right in front of you. "a lot more than i probably should have."

"same." you say it so quietly it's almost like a whisper and your fucking hands shake when he reaches down, hand sliding under your chin like he had done before, tilting your head up more. he was looking directly at you, deep brown eyes so captivating you could barely look away and the only thing running through your mind was how much you wanted to kiss him. again.

he must be thinking the same thing because his eyes drop to your mouth, thumb dragging across your bottom lip, "i think i'd like to do it again. if that's okay with you."

your heart is pounding so hard against your chest you're sure he can fucking hear it. "i um. i think." you stutter out. he sits down next to you, hand still against your face.

"we don't have to. you can tell me no and i'll leave you alone. you can take the room and i'll sleep on the couch. we'll act like this never happened." he takes a moment to drag his thumb against your bottom lip again and your lips part almost subconsciously, eyes flickering back to yours. “unless…”

"...i don't want that." you finally say. he raises a brow. "i... don't want to act like this never happened. i want you to kiss me. please."

and that's all he needed before he's surging forward, hand cupping your cheek as his lips pressed against yours for the second time that night. it's messier, needier, and you find yourself with your back pressed against noah's bed, and said man is settling himself between your legs, lips moving against yours. you feel him press his hips down against your own and you don't hold back, arching up into him as you whimper. your skirt had rode up at some point, so the only thing between you two where his jeans and your underwear, and you felt fucking everything.

his touch was electrifying, long fingers hooking into your waistband. he pulls back briefly to stare at you, the unspoken words lingering in the air. is this okay? you nod before pulling his lips back down to yours, lifting your hips off the bed to make it easier for him to remove. his lips eventually leave yours again, much to your dismay, but they trail down your body and before you know it he's... the first swipe of his tongue has your eyes springing open, hands flying down to curl in his hair. "oh fuck-" you choke on your words at another swipe, and then his lips are circling around your clit, and you feel a finger prodding at your entrance.

you've heard the stories. from other people. from noah himself. you can't lie and say you never thought about it because you never thought this would be happening. you lift your head for just a moment, looking down at him to make sure that yep. this was real. noah's face was buried between your thighs and at that exact moment his gaze flicked to yours, eyes locking. your mouth drops, lewd noises escaping you as your head fell back again as he slid another finger in.

the stories were definitely fucking true.

"fuck, noah-"

"so fucking good." you hear him groan, turning his head to press a few open mouthed kisses against your inner thigh. "so fucking... god, why haven't we done this before?" you laugh, loud and breathless before it turns into a moan, feeling him nip at your inner thigh as he worked you with his fingers. "you gonna come?"

you nod, fingers tightening in his hair, the heat in the pit of your stomach rising as you whine out, "yeah." he dives back in after that, mouth on you like a fucking starved man. it doesn't take long until you're pushed over the edge, gripping his hair and gasping out his name. your body shakes at the feeling of him groaning against you, fingers working you through your high, and when it becomes too much you do your best to push him away. he chuckles, turning his head to kiss your thigh again before pulling away completely.

he sits up between your still shaking legs and you watch him with hooded eyes - face wet and a proud grin. you don't know what comes over you, whether it was still the alcohol (you haven't had a single drink in almost two hours) mixed with the endorphins of your high, but you're grasping at him, pulling him back down to you to smash your lips together. then it's a belt buckle coming undone, your shirt being thrown across the room, his hoodie being tossed next to you. you're both so eager that he barely gets his jeans and boxers down his thighs, just enough to pull his cock out, give himself a few pumps, and then.

you've completely forgotten that you weren't the only people in this house, gasping out his name as he slowly slides in. it burned but fuck, did it burn so good. the stretch. the fucking drag of his cock had you feeling dizzy, and you think it did the same to him because he pressed his face against your neck, whimpering out, "oh fuck."

it was quick after that. you were already sensitive, overstimulated by the drag of his cock and he was... so fucking worked up, he swore he could've came right then and there the second he slipped in. skin smacking against skin, loud desperate noises shared between the two of you, it wasn't a surprise that it didn't last long, especially when he sits up just enough to slide a hand between your bodies, those skilled fingers of his pressing against your sensitive clit and then.

"noahnoahnoah-" you chant his name like a fucking prayer, squeezing your eyes shut as you clench around him, your second orgasm hitting you like a fucking train. he's following soon after, pulling out just in time and wrapping a hand around himself and giving a few pumps until he's spilling over your stomach.

it's quiet after that, only sound was your shared heavy panted breaths. it takes you a moment to come back to, eyes fluttering open to find him staring at you, a soft smile gracing his lips. you find yourself smiling back, cheeks flushing with color when he dips down, brushing his lips against yours before mumbling about how he'll get something to clean up, and some new clothes.

and when he slips out of his room to the bathroom across the hall, you stare at the ceiling with wide eyes and a new sense of clarity.

what the hell did you just do?

[heywardsdoll]

pope hates bringing you with him on a pogue mission. but usually you cry your way into it, fat tears welling in your eyes as you tugged on his shirt. and all he needs to cave in is seeing your pretty pout, and the way your eyes shine with sadness.

"i don't want to be left out. i really don't pope," you whisper, folding your arms as you hope he understands. pope raises his eyebrows before you tug on his t-shirt again.

it's here that he looks away from you, "shit, you can't do that to me. seriously, you can't just do that!" then you sniffle, a sorry sound and he seems to sigh, shoulders caving in as he tries to look anywhere but you. "fine, fine. grab your coat on the way out, it's kinda chilly outside."

that's pope. no matter what, even if he was mad at you, he was taking care of you. he's glare, even scowl as he saw you get what you want—but then soon after he'd be tucking your shirt in, or getting you some water because hydration is important, it's even worse with the pogues because you look like a baby. it makes it seem like you couldn't take care of yourself, but you couldn't help but flush every single time he holds you in your arms, or places a careful kiss on your forehead.

he's thoughtful, and it's horrible when he corners you to secretly kiss you when you're on the way to find the cross. theres something so intimate about him whispering about purpose, and how he's finally got what his ancestors wanted him. it's that feverish emotion that makes you want to be there for him.

but there are too many close calls, from the time pope got stung by bees, to rafe following you a few too many times.

sometimes you work at the grocery store, checking in people's stuff, telling the old lady where she can find cornstarch, and then helping the little boy who cried about his red lolly getting lost under the shelves, (his brother had kicked it under there.) pope would always come to find you, all sweaty and tired before you hung your hands over his head and then kissed him softly.

but one time he came a bit too late, and rafe had been your last customer. there was a shit-eating smile on his face, as he smirked before placing a pack of mint gum on the counter.

"is that all?" you muttered, trying not to look him in the eye. pope had told you about the type of person rafe cameron was, and for all you knew he could do what he wanted to do, and could get away with it, a hundred times. no one in the store except him, and it was almost six o'clock.

"yeah, uh," he drawled pulling out his couple of bucks, "keep the change."

you nodded putting the money into the cash register, the small ding of the register calming as you touched your necklace protectively. it's stupid, you know, but the pink taser gun that pope had jokingly bedazzled sticks to your side as a reminder as you could feel his eyes on you. rafe dark eyes followed you as you shut the cash register, giving him a cold smile. your hands are sticky with sweat.

suddenly he's almost out of the door, and you let out a sigh of relief before you here his almost-bored voice drone out. theres snark in his comment.

"tell your boy we're watching him. shit, uh–and," rafe laughed, a boisterous sound before winking, "tell him to stay on the low. it's dangerous out here and you don't wanna get caught with anything, you know?" then he grins, before popping a piece of gum in his mouth, teeth shining bright and you couldn't help but shiver.

later that night, you were hyperventilating so hard, pope had to put his arms over you and kiss you repeatedly, soft and soothing. you have to keep reaching for him to tell yourself pope was fine, and that rafe was just threatening for no reason, and that you were being overbearing.

"he's sick, and he's twisted pope! i want to keep you safe. please, please stay safe," you choked out, your hands to your side as you walked in circles. you kept taking sharp breaths as pope tried to calm you down.

pope had sighed, "doll, i will stay safe, but i don't like that he's talking about this stuff to you. i want to keep you away from it, i mean when i met your mom—" then he cocks an eyebrow in your direction, but then stops right there. it's almost condescending, knowing where this is going to go. he's telling you not to come, but you have to go with him because you have to keep him safe. you can't lose him, you just can't.

"are you saying i shouldn't come with you guys anymore?" you whisper out, a sharp warning in your voice as you bit your lip. he had looked away from you, and then raised his hands in defeat and the conversation was over.

but here you were, laying in his lap in the twinkie. you were completely wiped out as pope ran a hand over your face. you murmur something under your breath before snuggling closer to him. jj lets out a low whistle, wiggling his eyebrows, only to get a disapproving look from pope.

"she got you under her paws, doesn't she?" jj crowed, and you stir as pope rolls his eyes, looking at john b for support. john b just smiles, giving pope a pointed look. it was true, pope would do practically anything for you.

then comes the serious sigh. pope's eyebrows are creased, as he absentmindedly rubs circles on your shoulder. you smile softly in your sleep, warm as ever.

quickly enough jj snaps his fingers in pope's face, "hey man, what the hell was that sigh about? all wistful and shit." jj muttered, a confused look on his face before shaking pope.

"i-," pope started, before shaking his head, "nah, it's stupid." he's still got his hands on you, playing with the string bracelet that you gave him. it was a old thing, practically falling apart, and jj made fun of it.

now it's jj's turn to snort, shoving pope with an indignant expression "you stupid? c'mon what's got your pretty head in a ditzy?"

"i don't know. john b back me up on this but, i don't like seeing my girl around this stuff. it kills me, to see her racing after the same danger as us," pope muttered, groaning as he looked away from your face, "and the other day rafe cornered her and she was scared shitless."

then he shakes his head, "and you know what, i should be protecting her from that sort of stuff, but no, no!" he grins but it's full of resentment, "no, i'm introducing her to it."

now this has the boys attention. jj gave pope a sympathetic look, patting him on the back as john b nodded. the playful demeanour of the conversation stirred into something else.

"i get it, man. we all want to keep her safe," john b said, his voice calm and reassuring. "but she's tough. she's stronger than you think."

"yeah, but it's not just about being tough," pope replied, face screwed up with frustration, toying with a lock of your hair. "i know she's tough! tougher than me sometimes. but it's about not wanting her to be exposed to this shit at all. she deserves better."

quickly john b sighed, hand on the wheel and it was almost as if his dark circles were more evident than ever.

"you think i don't worry about sarah?" john b countered, his tone soft but firm. "i worry about her all the time, but she made her choice to be with us, to face whatever comes our way. it's the same with your girl. she chose to be with you, to stand by your side, no matter the danger."

pope sighed again, his hand still gently caressing your shoulder. "i know, i just... i don't want to be the reason something happens to her."

"then keep doing what you're doing," jj interjected, his voice surprisingly gentle. "protect her, look out for her. but don't push her away. she's here because she loves you, man. she wants to be with you, even if it means facing danger."

pope nodded, his gaze softening as he looked down at your peaceful face. "yeah, i know. it's just hard sometimes."

"it's hard because you care," john b said, offering a reassuring smile. "and that's a good thing. just don't forget to trust her, too. she can handle more than you think."

the conversation lulled as the twinkie rolled on through the night, the familiar hum of the engine a comforting background noise. pope could hear the birds chirp, and he settled his head on the window before getting up with a confused expression.

"shit, when did you guys get so smart?" pope groaned, "it was easier when i was surrounded by idiots,"

jj laughed, resting a hand on pope's shoulder. "took a page out of your book, maybe it's time you take a page out ours," he winked, nudging pope gently.

pope finally looked down at you, a soft sigh leaving his mouth as you stirred slightly, mumbling something in your sleep. and for what it was worth—pope smiled, leaning down to kiss your forehead gently.

[terminallydiseased]

content warning — nsfw (lewd), porn with plot, forcas x fallen angel reader, dom forcas sub reader, on the wall sex, breeding, cumming untouched, kind of clothed sex?

author's note — cutie patootie,,,, i should breed hi- sorry. also holy shit i have like over a hundred followers now? thank you...??.???? i appreciate it really but all i do is die

summary — forcas had to go down to the church to protect the souls, but was then distracted because of you

"..(reader)." forcas growled, his eye twitches in annoyance at the sight of your appearance, you were here to bother him again, as always. you would always manifest within the church, your tail and wings twitches minutely as you look up at your favorite guardian angel.

"eugh, forcas, dear, don't frown like that, it'll give you more wrinkles." you purr, flashing a smug smile and winking at him. forcas' eyebrow arched at your comment, he couldn't help but let out a hum, crossing his arms.

he knew you loved to push his buttons, but he also couldn't deny how captivating your smile is, his wings flutter in agitation, eyeing you. "and i thought you were supposed to be in hell, (reader)." he says, trying to hide the flustered tone in his voice. "what are you doing here anyway, looking for souls to corrupt?"

your tail swung side to side, smiling widely at forcas, your fangs visible. "eeeh, something like that, i think you know why i'm here, i want a vessel, you know..." you lean close to him, you were too close. "besides, that means i could see you more often..."

there was also another reason why you're here again, but you couldn't tell forcas. you're always at this specific church to see forcas himself, you couldn't help but be head over heels with him, even before you turned into a fallen.

forcas' eye widen from your closeness and words, his face flushing, he could feel his body slightly trembling, he had to remind himself that you're an enemy now, a fallen who sought to corrupt the innocent.

"a vessel?" he repeated, trying to sound uninterested. "well, I hope you don't have your eyes set on anyone here, they're all under my protection." he crossed his arms again, trying to seem imposing.

however, the way you smirked, you know that it has some sort of effect on forcas, making him clench his fists. "you.. you can't just come here, and take someone you like." he snarls, trying to regain his composure, his eye narrowing.

"i'll protect them, even if it means i have to fight you."

your grin widens at his words, tilting your head oh-so innocently. "would you really do that, now?" you ask, giving him a playful pout, like you're guilt tripping him.

forcas could feel his chest tightening up at your actions, you were playing with his weak spot, he knows it. but he still couldn't help but feel slightly saddened about it. he had sworn to protect these people, and he has grown fond of them.

he can't let you see his vulnerability, though. his lips tightened, staring straight ahead, daring to not meet your gaze. "i'm not the one to back down from my duty, (reader)..."

"oh, come on... why are you even guarding this church? is big boss getting tired of angels running around in his place or something?" you quirk an eyebrow at him, grinning, your canines visible.

forcas' wings twitched in irritation, you were pushing his buttons, and it was infuriating. "i'm not here because of 'big boss upstairs'." he snapped at you, voice rising as you look at him in amusement.

he takes a deep breath, calming himself. "i'm here because i care about these people, and i'll do everything in my power to protect them from demons like you." his eyes narrowed, voice softening. "perhaps you can find another church to plague, one that doesn't have a guardian angel to interfere with your plans..."

your eye twitched at that, you went here specifically for a reason, you wanted to see forcas again. you loved him, and still do, you'd do anything to see his pretty face again. he's just so adorable that it irritates you.

"come on..." you walk closer to him, placing a hand on his chest. "i'm already here, your suggestion's a waste of time." you croon, eyes softening while you look at forcas, admiring the guardian angel's beauty.

"you're not helping your case." he mutters, god, you were too close, the heat from your touch intoxicating, he swallows thickly, trying to ignore the warmth spreading throughout his body. he glanced at your hand placed on his chest, he wanted nothing more but to press his lips against yours in that very moment.

his wings twitches at his thoughts, wanting to push them away and bury them. "just.. go. leave these people alone, or I'll make sure you regret it." he threatens you, scowling, his tone was steady but thick with unspoken desire. he was torn between his duty to protect and the undeniable pull towards you, the only one who seemed to understand the depths of his feelings.

"..fooorcaaaas...~" you coo, your other hand going to his jaw, caressing it lightly, you could feel forcas melting into your touch almost immediately, it was amusing... his eye met yours, and he could hardly breathe, your touch was just electrifying, sending shivers down his spine.

"i won't let you hurt them..." his voice trembles, the scent of your sinful aura wafted around you two, mingling with the sweet scent of incense from the church. it was a potent combination that left him feeling lightheaded.

forcas knew he shouldn't, but in that moment, he couldn't resist the allure of you. he closed his eyes, allowing himself to be captivated by the fallen angel's touch. "but... if you're going to stick around," he murmured, the words barely escaping his lips, "i guess I'll have to make sure you won't get bored."

"atta boy..." you giggle before pausing, thinking for a moment. "fine, here's the deal, I don't use anyone as a vessel, but I stay here, and you entertain me, hm?"

forcas' heart raced, feeling a mix of excitement and dread. he gulped, his mind racing with possibilities. "you... you promise not to corrupt anyone?" he asked, his voice still shaky. a part of him worried for the people under his protection, but another part of him couldn't help but be tempted by the idea of spending more time with you. he thought for another moment, before nodding.

"if you keep your word, we have a deal."

and there you are, pinned against the church's wall, getting absolutely wrecked by your beloved angel, your legs locked with forcas' waist as you yelp, your wings stretching out, feeling forcas' dick explore the deepest parts of you. "i really.. didn't expect- this kind of entertainment..! hhaah..."

"well, it is distracting you, right?" forcas muttered against your ear with a smirk on his face, but you couldn't say a word, your own cock leaking with precum and smearing your abdomen with it. "you're leaking already, is this a demon thing?" you scoff at that question, what the hell did he even mean by that?

you let out a gasp, throwing your head back as forcas finally found that one specific spot that'll have you screaming. "found it..?" he grunts, before quickening his pace, your hands on his back starts digging its fingernails on his clothes (technically, it's his skin...).

you chanted his name like a prayer, as ironic as it sounds, you could feel yourself getting closer, the heat in your abdomen worsening. forcas, on the other hand, was close too, but it wasn't guaranteed he'll climax with you.

"i'm so fucking close- holy shit, f-forcas..!" you managed to let out those words, clawing on his back as your shaft shoots ropes of cum all over yourself and forcas. forcas didn't stop though, trying to chase his own release.

the overstimulation was too much, your eyes threatening to spill tears, your toes curling inside your footwear, you were a moaning and drooling mess, and it was all because of forcas, and shit, was this hot.

the sound of skin slapping against skin echoed throughout the church, forcas' grunts and groans grew louder as one of his hands let go of your hips, going to your dick, stroking it back to life. your breath hitches, moans turning into sobs and cries, hiccuping, it was too much, yet you loved it, you loved how intense it is.

you felt forcas slam inside you one last time, cumming inside you and painting your insides white, sealing the deal for you, you came once again, squirting your cum all over yourself and the guardian angel again while panting.

"fuck... i didn't expect you to be.. rough with me." you let out a weak chuckle as he smirks, placing a kiss on your lips. "sorry.. couldn't help it."

"well, hey, since we have a deal now, we should do this every time."

divider, banner

[xothatnerdykid]

i despise my rotten mind (and how hard it fell for you)

Everyone in the LOV and PLF knows you're Dabi's girlfriend. But it seems a certain little bird can't help but want what he can't have. Keigo Takami/Hawks x gn!reader. Set between S5 & S6. SFW. 2k words.

"Hey pretty bird, whatcha doing out here all alone?” 

Keigo’s face breaks out into an easy grin when he sees you on the rooftop, legs dangling over the edge, lperched on the edge of the rooftop, a solitary figure amidst the sprawling cityscape below.

“Oh, you know, just…” You gesture vaguely. “Enjoying the view.”

“But I only just got here,” He smirks, sitting down beside you. 

"It's a good thing I'm here then," he smirks, sitting down beside you. 

You shake your head in wry amusement at his usual attempt at flirting.

“So, where’s that good-for-nothing boyfriend of yours?” 

You snort, putting out your cigarette. Even though he’s the one who approached you, you know Keigo doesn’t smoke, and you don’t want him inhaling any of that acrid stench you love so much.

“Dunno,” you shrug, rubbing the butt of your cigarrette down into the concrete. “Out on an important mission, I guess.”

“You guess?” He rests his arm up on one knee and leans against his hand to look at you, that same old dopey look on his face. “Doesn’t he tell you what he’s up to?”

You shake your head. “I’d rather not know, actually. Helps me keep some peace of mind.”

He nods, seemingly understanding. 

There’s been so many times knowing too much about Dabi has left you on the precipice of despair. He was complicated and intense, but also strangely intoxicating. And no matter how hard you tried — and god knows you’ve tried — you just can’t seem to quit him, not unlike the filthy habit you’re holding between your fingers.

But Keigo...Keigo’s a different kind of dangerous. 

You met him by chance at a Liberation Front meeting, the last place you expected to run into the Number 2 Pro Hero. He introduced himself to you with confidence and ease, and you remember thinking you'd never met anyone quite as bold and abrasively charming before. He was playful, flirtatious, and easy to talk to. 

And you're not proud of it, but you discovered that night that he could make your heart skip a beat with just a smile and a teasing tone. He had a way of making you feel like the center of the universe, showering you with attention and adoration.

Where Dabi was icy cold, he was warm and inviting, his effortless charisma a stark contrast to your boyfriend’s brooding darkness. As the weeks into months and your relationship with Dabi deepened, so did your connection with Keigo. The chemistry between you was undeniable, a force that pulsed with intensity. His presence in your life threatens to unravel all your carefully constructed boundaries more and more with each passing day.

Now here you are, alone with him when your boyfriend was away, the warmth of Keigo's attention a momentary respite from the shadows that chase you. A fleeting taste of something simpler and brighter amidst the chaos.

“Besides,” you smile. “I've got enough excitement in my life as it is.”

Keigo chuckles, his golden eyes sparkling with mischief. "But wouldn't it be nice to take a break from all that and let me fly off into the sunset with me?”

You snort at that, rolling your eyes. "You really do have a hero complex, don't you?"

He grins, leaning in a little closer. “Guilty as charged. But there's nothing I'd love more than to see that beautiful smile of yours, pretty bird.”

You feel the warmth of his breath, and your heart races a little. Your own voice sounds shaky and small even as you try to tell him, "You know I'm with Dabi."

"I know," he says but he doesn't pull away, the smile slowly slipping from his face. "But you deserve so much better than him. Better than what he can give you.”

His words hang in the air, swirling around you like lingering smoke, thick with unspoken implications. The tension between you is palpable, in the pounding of your heart and the blood rushing in your ears at his growing proximity, his hesitant touch.

You know you’re playing with fire, teetering on the precipice of something with Keigo. But even as you dance closer towards the edge, your heart still aches for Touya. Your relationship with him casts an inescapable shadow, one that not even Keigo’s eyes, though brilliant and golden as the sun, can extinguish.

“Touya...” you put your hand on Keigo’s chest, fingers curling into a fist but unable to muster much strength to push him away. “Touya loves me. Or at least, he tries his best to.”

Keigo laughs again, but this time it’s bitter and humorless. “You sure about that?”

“Don’t be a jerk,” you frown up at him. “It doesn’t suit you.”

His lips curl into a sarcastic smile. “Yeah? Does it suit Touya?”

“Fuck off.” You finally shove him away. His words sting, his bitter laugh like a poisoned arrow. But you’re determined not to let it pierce your heart. You make a point to light another cigarette  and blow the smoke right in his face. “And here I thought he was your friend.”

The moment abruptly broken, Keigo slumps again against the leg he's propped up on and gives a non-committal shrug. “I don’t hate him, that’s all. Actually, I’ve come to understand him a little bit better the more I get to know him, and I even feel a little sympathy for the guy. But he’s a dangerous person to get close to.”

You twirl the cigarette in your fingers. “You should take your own advice then.”

“Fair point,” it’s his turn to snort at you. “But I'm serious. Dabi…he's like a wildfire. Unpredictable and chaotic. He could consume everything, including you.”

“He has a different side, Keigo. You've seen it, too.”

A faint shadow passes over his features. “I have. But I've also seen the destruction he leaves in his wake. I don't want you to get hurt.”

“I don’t need you to save me.”

“It’s not that. I know you care about him, but…” He swallows, and you ignore the fluttering in your chest. “I care about you too, pretty bird. More than you realize.”

You shouldn’t be with him. You should be with me.

You know what he means, what he’s not saying. The question lingers in the air, unasked but ever-present. It's a question you've been avoiding, one that could change everything. You know what he's telling you, but you’re still unsure of whether or not you should pretend not to. 

The silence that drags on between the two of you feels like charged electricity. You’ve never known what to do with it, nor what to make of all the barely concealed flirting behind his playful banter. It's not like you haven't noticed the stolen glances and secret smiles he's given you over the past few months. It's just that it never seemed serious.

Until now.

You shouldn’t be with him. You should be with me.

Do you want to be with me?

You don’t have an answer.

You laugh instead, a wry and sharp sound. “Yeah? You wanna save me, hero? You think I’m better off with someone living a secret double life, working for some very morally questionable people?”

He doesn't flinch at your words like some small part of you hopes. Instead, his expression softens, eyes flickering with something like somber regret. You've never seen him look like that before. 

"You’re right. I'm not the hero everyone makes me out to be, the one you see on TV and in magazines. Sometimes I do things that keep me up at night." 

He smiles ruefully, gazing at you with an intensity that's impossible to ignore. 

"Like letting myself think about you."

The weight of his words settles over you, heavy and inescapable. He’s offering you something maybe Dabi never could — a chance at something real. But you know it’s not that simple. Your heart is entangled in a mess of loyalties and affections, and the thought of untangling it is terrifying.

“Keigo...” you whisper, carrying with it a depth of emotion you hadn’t realized you were holding back. It feels like an admission, a plea, and a confession all at once.

“Maybe I do live a double life,” he continues, “but at least it’s a life where I’m trying to make things right. A life where I can be honest about who I am and what I feel.”

He takes a step closer, the space between you dwindling to almost nothing. He lifts a hand and gently tucks a stray lock of hair behind your ear, his touch lingering just a moment longer than necessary. The warmth of his fingers sends a shiver down your spine.

“I care about you, too,” you admit, the words spilling out before you can stop them. “But I don’t know if that’s enough.”

“All I know is I can’t keep pretending,” he murmurs, his voice low and laced with an urgency that makes your heart race. “I can’t keep pretending that I don’t want you. Every time I see you with him, it kills me a little inside.”

“But… Dabi…” you start, your voice faltering as you struggle to find the right words. “He needs me. And I—”

“He doesn’t deserve you,” Keigo interrupts, his tone firm but not unkind. "He can't make you happy the way I can."

Before you can overthink it, you find yourself leaning in, drawn towards him like a moth to a flame. His eyes widen slightly, as if he hadn’t dared to hope that you’d close the distance between you. But as your lips hover inches from his, there’s a breathless pause.

“Are you sure about this?” you ask softly. “Because once we cross this line, there’s no going back.”

Keigo’s gaze softens, his hand cradling your cheek as if you were something precious. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

You close the remaining distance, your lips meeting his in a searing, almost frantic kiss. Keigo responds with a hunger that matches your own, his arms wrapping around you, pulling you closer until there’s no space left between your bodies. His lips are soft and warm, and the taste of him is intoxicating.

The kiss deepens, growing more urgent and messy, as if all the unspoken words and repressed feelings of the past months are pouring out through this single, electrifying connection. His hands move to your waist, fingers splaying across your back. There’s a raw intensity in the way he kisses you, a desperate need to convey everything he’s felt but never had the chance to say.

You respond in kind, your hands sliding up to tangle in his hair, pulling him even closer. The world outside ceases to exist; there’s only the press of his lips against yours, the sensation of his breath mingling with yours, the feel of his heart beating in time with your own.

When you finally break apart, both of you are breathless, chests heaving. Keigo rests his forehead against yours, fingers cupping your jaw gently. 

“You have no idea how much I’ve thought about this, about you," he murmurs, his voice thick with emotion.

You smile, a small, shy smile that feels like a secret shared just between the two of you. “I think I have some idea,” you reply, your voice trembling with a mix of exhilaration and relief."

Keigo's eyes search yours, as if looking for confirmation, for reassurance that this is real. “So, what now?” he asks softly, his thumb brushing against your cheek in a tender, almost reverent gesture.

“Now… we figure it out,” you say, your voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside you. “Together.”

Keigo’s eyes light up with a mixture of hope and determination. He leans in for another kiss, this one softer, more lingering, as if savoring the moment. When he pulls back, his smile is as radiant as it is playful.

[speedybeta]

Agent00 x reader — insomnia

MASTERLIST , REQUEST

Insomnia — not being able to sleep caused by a specific reason.

warnings — FLUFF! not proof read! If mistakes, just point it out in the comments or something. but also I'm not sure who the hell stays at the amp house besides the actual members, so I made some things up if it's not accurate just please pretend it is. Not long or not that short, just a little fic. Also, the way I described his room kinda made 0 sense u have to watch his room tour to actually understand what I meant but enjoy this little fic

You, being in amp, were basically like a little sister to the others. Well, besides agent. Despite your playful banter and bickering in the gaming streams, you and Agent had always been just friends. But the viewers, ever-attuned to any hint of romantic chemistry, couldn't help but point out the palpable tension that sparked whenever you and Agent were together on camera. Agent's knack for delivering insults always seemed to be directed at you, leaving the audience divided between enjoying your reactions and secretly shipping the two of you together.

Tonight, the amp house was eerily silent. Kai was away in Taiwan for Ray's graduation, leaving the house blissfully without his usual boisterous presence. Duke was nowhere to be found, preferring to stream in the comfort of his separate house these days. Davis was rarely around, spending most of his time at his girlfriend's place. Even Chris, who normally slept at the amp house, was absent. It was just you and Agent the only ones in the house, but it didn't really mean anything to either of you.

—

At 1 am, Agent had finally finished a six-hour stream. Exhaustion and fatigue weighed heavily on his frame as he gently removed his headset, then his hat, shaking his signature dreads. His gaze lingered on the now darkened monitors, a sense of weariness etched across his face. With a weary sigh, he reached forward and began shutting everything off, the room plunging into a temporary state of silence.

Suddenly, his door opened, agent stood up from his chair, not looking towards his door, obviously knowing it was you. But then felt a wave of confusion hit. It was 1 am, why the hell would you be in his room late at night? He heard your footsteps approaching him, but didn't turn around yet. He couldn't help but let out a small sigh and an eye roll, assuming your intentions were to bother him.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" he asked a bit bluntly, his tiredness was noticeable in his tone of voice. He waited for a response, still not turning to look at you. His gaze lingered on the monitors in front of him, making sure everything was off before he called it a night.

"I can't sleep." the gentle tone of your voice made agent turn around to finally face you, his expression softened upon seeing you look at him with those tired eyes. He was a bit surprised. Hearing your soft, quiet voice was unusual and even surprising. Usually, you don't speak in such a soft tone, but the tiredness in your voice made him realize that you were extremely sleep deprived.

"Damn...Are you okay? You look tired as hell." he couldn't help but feel a wave of concern at the thought of you not getting a healthy amount of rest.

"hmhm" hearing your soft reply only made him feel more concerned. He stared at you from his desk, looking at you with a gentle gaze. "um" he heard you pause, his gaze lingering on your tired figure. "Can I sleep in here with you?"

Upon hearing you ask that, his expression changed to a surprised look. He was shocked to hear you say that. sleep in his room? with him? he felt flustered. his heart skipped a beat, looking at your tired figure. he couldn't say no. especially if you looked exhausted. he sighed, nodding his head as he looked at you.

"Yeah- you can sleep in here with me for tonight." he responded back to your question, before turning back to his monitors, watching as they finished shutting down. He glanced back at you, walking to his door that led to his other rooms.

"come on" He walked inside the other room, which was connected to his gaming room. His bathroom was dimly lit, and his shower was large and spacious. He turned to look at you, noticing how tired you looked and how you were rubbing your eyes. The corner of his lips turned into a soft grin, seeing how adorable you looked tired.

He led you to his main room, which was connected to his bathroom. He guided you into the bedroom, walking towards his bed that could fit two people. he laid down on his bed, getting comfortable. The room was average size, a red light illuminating the room.

"you can lay down" he mumbled, watching you close his door. He acknowledged how sleepy you were, and found it adorable. His heart warmed at the precious sight of you, all tired and drained.

He smiled gently at you, his eyes looking at your tired body. He saw you come onto the bed, laying down next to him. he was blushing a bit, seeing how cute you looked. it was unusual for him to think about how you look since he usually makes fun of you. He isn't used to seeing you like this.

He then placed his bonnet on, laying down properly on his comfortable bed. He observed you silently staring at his ceiling, noticing that you seemed to be more comfortable now that you weren't alone anymore. He glanced at your tired figure, a small smile appeared on his lips.

He gazes at your features, taking in how pretty you looked laying next to him. He then found himself wondering what was making you so sleep deprived. His eyes scanned your face, and then spoke softly.

"did something happen? Or why can't you sleep?" he pondered, looking at you with a soft and gentle look, staring down at your lips, watching them as you opened them to speak.

"I feel lonely- I just can't sleep with how lonely my room felt" he turned his head to look directly into your eyes now that you stopped looking at the ceiling, holding eye-contact with you. a pang of sympathy hit him when you said you felt lonely. he quietly listened to you closely, noticing your expression softening as you spoke. a silent feeling of pity arose in him as he looked at you, hearing you saying you were lonely

"you're lonely huh?" He said in a soft whisper as he looked at you, a hint of tiredness in his voice, he continued to gaze into your eyes silently, his eyes slowly roaming over your face, noticing how close you two were. he didn’t say anything for a moment, his eyes shifting back down to your lips before looking back into your eyes again. he was feeling a weird feeling in his stomach at the moment as he looked at you, his tired mind a bit overwhelmed by your presence and how adorable and cute you looked at the moment. he slowly reached up and gently pushed some hair behind your ear.

"You should’ve said so…" he muttered quietly, continuing to look into your eyes, feeling a strange and confusing feeling of attraction and desire for you. despite the constant bickering and insults that the two of you give to each other, he can’t deny the fact that you are extremely attractive. he couldn’t deny that he thought you were cute and wanted you bad. he slowly moved his hand and gently touched your cheek, his thumb gently rubbing against your skin.

Agent could see your eyes glance down at his hand resting on your cheek, before looking back into his eyes. the feeling of desire continued to grow in him, making it harder for him to keep his composure and control his thoughts. he swallowed quietly, his voice soft and gentle as he spoke to you "So lonely you had to crawl into my bed, huh?" he joked in a whisper, his soft and gentle touch still on your cheek.

Agent noticed a small grin forming on the corner of your lips, and it only made his heart flutter a bit as he looked at you. he couldn’t help but notice the tired and sleepy expression on your face. he couldn’t deny that you looked adorable at the moment. he slowly leaned in a bit closer and spoke in a even more quieter voice. "Looks like you’re about to fall asleep…"

His gaze fixed at you while you slowly blinked at him, too exhausted to respond. he could tell that you were tired and about to fall asleep at any second by the way you started slowly blinking, your tiredness taking over your entire body. seeing you looking tired made him feel a rush of emotions, from wanting to hold you in his arms to wanting to just keep watching you. he softly chuckled at your lack of response and softly spoke again "Goddamn, you look cute when you’re sleepy."

He couldn’t take his eyes off of you, as he looked at you while you slowly grew more sleepy. the thought of holding your body against his own made him want to hold you close. the idea of just slowly running his fingers through your hair as you fall asleep was running through his mind. he slowly moved his hand from your cheek and gently rested it on your waist as he gently pulled you towards him, wanting you closer to him

He slowly pulled you closer to him, your body now closer to his, as he wrapped his arms around your waist. he could barely keep his composure and control his thoughts, the idea of holding you so close to his body made him feel some type of way. he felt the intense desire to kiss you but held it back, he didn’t want to give in to his own wants yet. he looked at you for a moment, his eyes still lingering all over your sleepy face.

He held you close to him, feeling your body against his, the heat and warmth from your body feeling good against him. he had to hold back all the thoughts in his mind of wanting to kiss you and hold you even closer, but he controlled himself for the time being. he gently nuzzled his face against the top of your head, softly closing his eyes and taking in the feel of your body against him. your sleepy expression and cute body made him want you even more

He let out a soft content sigh as he nuzzled his face against the top of your head, his hands slowly rubbing your side gently. he continued holding you close to him, your body pressed against his chest. he slowly closed his eyes again as he spoke in a soft and quiet voice. "You better not drool all over me while you sleep." he joked in a hushed whisper, feeling the tiredness taking over his mind.

"I don't drool." he softly smiled at your response, your tired tone and sleepy expression were still cute to him. he slowly opened his eyes again as he looked down at you, listening to your mumbled reply, quietly scoffing at it "Oh, yeah? You’re lying. You definitely Drool." he said in a hushed tone, poking your side gently, a teasing tone in his voice, his body still holding you close against him

He felt his heart flutter again as you opened your eyes and looked up at him, feeling you cuddling against him and nuzzling your face into his chest. he couldn’t resisting softly chuckling at how cute and adorable you looked at the moment. he wrapped my arms even tighter around your waist, pulling you closer to him and holding you tightly "hm, going quiet now, huh?" he said quietly, his hand rubbing your back softly.

He heard you only humming in response, nuzzling your face into his chest and closing your eyes. seeing you close your eyes and nuzzle into his chest made him smile again to himself. he continued to rub your back gently, his hand moving in soft and slow circles. he could tell you were falling asleep as he held you in his arms, a soothing feeling of comfort washing over him. he closed his eyes for a moment and rested his head on top of yours, breathing in the scent of your hair and listening to your gentle breathing

He held you close as he felt you slowly falling asleep in his arms, your body relaxing, your breathing getting slower and softer, the way you nuzzled your face into his chest making his heart flutter again. he slowly exhaled and spoke in a quiet, whispery tone again, his hand still rubbing your back in a gentle and soothing motion "Just fall asleep already." he whispered, a hint of affection in his voice as he looked at you, admiring your sleepy expression and adorable tired body against his

He continued to watch over you as you slowly fell asleep in his arms, his hand still rubbing your back in a gentle and soothing motion. he could see how comfortable and relaxed you looked, your eyes slowly closing and your breathing slowing down. his heart swelled with affection and a sense of protectiveness as he held you in his arms, feeling your body relaxing as you drifted off into a deep and gentle sleep. "Sleep babygirl…" he whispered softly, continuing to hold you, feeling your body slowly relax and ease into a deep sleep. he gently shifted a bit, pulling you even closer to his body, wanting to keep you as close as possible while you sleep. as he held you, he noticed how cute and adorable you looked when you slept, your face so relaxed and peaceful. he slowly ran his fingers through your hair softly, the affectionate and protective feeling in his heart growing stronger as he watched over you while you slept.

He stayed there, holding you close to his body, your body pressed up against his as you slept peacefully. he softly sighed to himself in content, his eyes roaming over your face as you slept. he continued gently rubbing your back with one hand, the other hand softly continuing to play with your hair. he couldn’t help but marvel at how adorable and beautiful you looked while you slept, his heart feeling both affection and protectiveness towards you

He continued watching you sleep, a wave of tiredness washing over him. he was fighting the urge to fall asleep, he wanted to stay awake and keep his arms around you, continuing to gently rub your back. but the sound of your gentle breathing and the soothing feeling of holding you in his arms were slowly coaxing him to sleep. he gently sighed, his eyes closing for a moment as he tried to resist the sleepiness but he knew it was futile.

The quiet room was illuminated by the soft glow of the moon, the silver moonlight streaming through the glass of the sliding door and creating a gentle and soothing ambience. the two of you were cuddled up against each other, your bodies close together and his arms still holding you securely against him. his chest rose and fell gently as he slept, his breaths soft and steady. the room was still and peaceful, the only sound being the sound of your soft breathing and the occasional sounds of the night outside.

Your body was catching up on the sleep you missed out on. This brought you a sense of calm and contentment that you rarely felt. neither of you or agent had expected to end up like this, cuddled together in his bed, the warmth of agents body against yours feeling like a cure for both your sleepless nights. Now you know exactly who to go to for comfort whenever you struggled to sleep.

[semperamans]

(inspired by my angel baby honey love suse and her incredible post that you must read here)

this song is so angst!benny coded :'(

"last night i heard my own heart beating sounded like footsteps on my stairs - six months gone and i'm still reaching even though i know you're not there"

you swear you see him everywhere even though that's impossible because according to a tearful johnny, benny is gone - left the night he broke your heart and hasn't been back since. last you heard he was on the west coast and it's a fucking shame that he would carry your broken heart so far away with no real intention of ever bringing it back. he's not dead, at least you really fucking hope not, but he haunts you just the same. he smiles from the window of the diner you used to frequent and creeps into your mind with every backfiring engine. you can't help but picture the deep crease between his brows and the way you'd thumb it away and smile at him and he'd kiss you and you thought it would be like that forever but now you're sobbing into your pillow again because love like that is supposed to last a lifetime and maybe it did because you feel like you died the second you walked out of his front door. benny's not dead, but he killed you.

"i know people change and these things happen, but i remember how it was back then. wrapped up in your arms and our friends are laughing 'cause nothin' like this has ever happened to them."

is it possible you conjured him in your head completely because nothing feels concrete anymore. it's summer now and the heat evokes memories you don't want to remember, don't want to see, but need to regardless because you're so disconnected that everyone is worried. johnny calls every day but you don't feel like talking, so most of the time you don't. you sit on the phone, static speaking loud and clear. there's a shoe box of polaroids thrown onto your comforter and it's taken you an hour to open it. why do you have to do this? to reacquaint yourself with that now-distant time in your life? it hurts. being happy hurts so you choke on it- wince, and cringe and cry as you flick through the fleeting flashes of a life you can't believe had been yours. the boy who held your waist and nuzzled his scruffy chin against your shoulder and stole your heart-shaped sunglasses and swore he'd marry you and vowed to never hurt you broke your heart. and you know what? fuck him. fuck benny. fuck benny. fuck benny.

"come back, come back, come back to me like you could, you could if you just said you’re sorry. i know that we could work it out somehow."

"would you take 'em back?" cal asks. the two of you share sips from a flask on your front stoop. the moon hangs low over the hazy chicago night. "y'know, if he ever came back?" you don't hesitate. "yes."

"if you're out there, if you're somewhere, if you're moving on I've been waiting on you every day since you've been gone. i just want it back the way it was before and i just wanna see you back at my front door."

it's colder now. you need a sweater whenever you go out, and you're going out more often, which is good. sonny tells you he's missed your smile, been awful dark without it, and you smack him good-naturedly across the chest. you're a bit more alive these days; johnny calls you a zombie - the girl who died and is now slowly starting to come back to life. it still hurts and some days you can barely tug yourself out of bed, but you do because you deserve a life. the holidays are quickly approaching and you break down when your momma asks if she needs to set a place for benny (your parents came around too late) but it's okay. you're okay and no, benny doesn't need a place at your table even though he's always going to have a place in your heart and hey, you'll be back - you've gotta run to the grocery for something - but you don't even make it out the door because a familiar figure is hunched on the front steps.

"come back, come back, come back to me like you would before you said its not that easy, before the fight, before i locked you out, but i'd take it all back now."

[pookietv]

new territory | arthurtv

okay so this was written with the intent of being a part two to set up (which you can find here!) but it works as a stand alone so i figured i'd post it as is, but if you want to read where it originated please do! :)

getting ready for a date with arthur, your best friend, hadn't exactly been something you had seen coming, though you most certainly were not complaining.

as you had been getting ready, slightly curling your hair and making sure it fell how you liked it to, you did feel slightly nervous, which felt odd to you - this was the guy who had seen you be violently ill after too many shots, or incessantly lazy and lying in bed or day, and now suddenly you were terrified if you didn't look good enough?

he had told you he would come to your apartment to pick you up, not telling you where you were going, only that it was out for food, so you had been left slightly confused on what the hell to wear, but eventually landed on a milkmaid style dress, waiting anxiously for the knock on your door.

and when the knock came, it took practically everything in you to not rush straight to the door and instead walk calmly, swinging it open as you were greeted with arthur, in a white shirt with a sage green button up left open on top of it, paired with black jeans, holding a small bunch of flowers, wrapped in brown paper with a grin on his face, and you couldn't help but look at him with a shy smile.

"hi, arthur! you, um, you look good," you said, and he laughed a little and quirked his eyebrow in response as he looked at you up and down for a moment.

"i'd argue you clean up a lot better," he said, "you look much different than when i see you in your pajamas all the time," he teased, before gently thrusting the flowers your way - tulips, your favourite, before continuing slightly awkwardly, "not that you don't look good in pajamas! just, you know, you look pretty."

his slightly gauche approach made you giggle slightly as you took the flowers from him, a slight blush spreading across your cheeks, "well, thanks, arthur! and for the flowers, too, they're really pretty," you said, before turning slightly with a pause, "i'm just gonna go put them in some water, then we can go?" you said, and arthur nodded, following you in.

you quickly grabbed a vase, filling it with water whilst arthur stood in your kitchen, turning to him with a smile as you placed them in the vase.

"so, am i allowed to know where we're going yet?" you asked him, and a smug grin played on his lips as he shook his head.

"can't you let a man have a surprise in peace?" he retaliated, and you rolled your eyes at him playfully, before he took your hand, his larger fingers intertwining in yours, and you must have been bright red at this point, thankful that he was instead dragging you out of your own apartment and laughing rather than looking at your pink face, and you couldn't help but acknowledge how normal it felt for arthur to hold your hand, and how much you quite liked it.

as you walked around london for a little, arthur assuring you it wasn't a far walk as you playfully teased him to make him tell you where you were going, with his strict half smile and assuring you that you were the most impatient woman he had ever met, you arrived to a small restaurant, a japanese place that you had been telling arthur you wanted to go to for a while.

"awh, arthur!" you smiled as he stopped walking in front of the place, holding the door open for you as you walked inside, the place small and authentically cosy, with warm lighting and oak brown tables, chairs accompanied by orange pillows as you sat down opposite each other at a table by the window.

"this whole you being nice to me thing is weird," you teased him slightly, causing him to roll his eyes once he had sat down himself, carefully shrugging off his jacket.

"hey, you know i'm the nicest to you," he said, a half smile playing on his lips as you raised your eyebrows in a joking manner.

"you're only nice to me 'cause i'm the one who knows your most embarrassing secrets," you cheesed to him, and his cheeks went slightly pink also.

he grinned, "like what? you have nothing worse on me than i have on you!"

"oh really? what about getting catfished by the same fake account three separate times? or being convinced you were going to be a magician aged thirteen?" you giggled as he shrugged his shoulders with a slight embarrassed look on his face.

"fine, fine. well, anyways, maybe you just need keeping on your toes, and that's why i tease you," he mused.

"is that what you call this? keeping me on my toes?"

he leaned in, mock conspiratorially, "maybe. or maybe i just wanted an excuse to flirt with my very pretty friend,"

"well, mission accomplished." you laughed slightly, your stomach tightening slightly at the compliment as your voice softened slightly, bashfully grabbing the menu in hopes to look down so arthur wouldn't see you reddened face.

"so, what do you think you're fancying?" he asked, gesturing to the menu, and you quirked your head a little.

"well, i always get miso soup, so probably that... but i'm stuck between the gyozas, rainbow rolls, or california rolls," you explained, and his lip curled into a soft smile.

"well, what about if we just order one of each and share?" arthur offered, and you looked up at him with a small smile.

"sounds good to me," you said sweetly, "that is, if you don't mind racing me before i scoff all the sushi all together,"

he scoffed in return, "hey, you've seen the way i can inhale my food, i think you've gotta worry about me finishing it all," he joked.

once you had both placed your order, you found yourself slipping familiarly into the way you and arthur had been, the familiar banter that you and him had always ricocheted against each other, although now there was a slight undercurrent of electricity or flirtiness, conversation being batted back and forth as the food came.

"you do look really pretty today, though," arthur said as he took one of the sushi rolls, "i know i said earlier, but i really like that dress."

"well, thanks, it's kinda new-ish, i haven't worn it much," you said as you also took a bite of your food before giving him a slight smirk, "did you have to practice that line in a mirror?"

he chuckled, shaking his head. "i'm afraid that was my god gifted flirting talent," he joked, "although i have been practicing the magic tricks you so despised,"

"god, not the magic tricks," you laughed, "i think i will be forever scarred from you joining the school talent show and dropping your entire deck of cards everywhere."

"yeah, i can't say that i don't still occasionally keep myself up at night dreading all that attention on me," he snickered.

"well, you've always had my attention, if that helps. i just didn't really realise it." you said, feeling a little embarrassed as the words left your mouth, looking up to see his eyes lit up in the most adorable way as his eyes were fixated on yours.

"well, i'm glad to know i've been on your radar, even if it did take you far too long to realise," he grinned, his eyes a mix of affection and amusement, "and you know you've always had my attention, anyways."

"you certainly know how to make a girl feel special," you teased.

he chuckled slightly, taking another bite of his sushi, "that's the goal, right?"

"well, its working," you grinned at him, and his slight smile grew, the warm ambiance of the restaurant giving his already kind eyes a gently looking glow.

"you've always got a way of making me feel better, don't you?" he murmured, the smile tugging at his lips only getting wider.

"well, maybe. but i've also gotta keep you grounded with all your confidence, no?" you giggled a little, and he nodded, the sound of his laugh warm and familiar as he replied.

"trust me, you do a great job of that too," he said, his hand gently brushing your fingertips from across the table, "but, seriously, i am really glad we're doing this. feels right, i think."

you nodded shyly in response, basking in the comfort of his thumb rubbing against the back of your hand.

the rest of the night passed in a blur, much to your disappointment, the nervousness that you had felt of the prospect of the date melted away as it grew easier to be romantic with each other. as he walked you back to your apartment, his hand had found yours once again as you walked back, his fingers intertwined peacefully as if they belonged there.

once you reached your door, you turned too him, not an unfamiliar sight to see arthur walking you home, but under the new circumstances, your stomach felt warm.

"thank you so much for tonight, arthur," you said softly, smiling up at him, "it was amazing, really."

he smiled, his thumb still brushing against your hand.

"pleasure was all mine. i'm glad you had a good time, or our friendship right now would be in a very awkward situation," he awkwardly joked, and you giggled in return, before he continued, "so, we should do this again? the uh, not just friends going out thing?" he said.

you nodded, a shy smile on your face, "i would love that."

as he leaned in to give you a kiss goodbye, it was only more confident and assured than the previous one, and you kissed him back, a unique feeling of comfort and a familiarity you were beginning to grow.

"so, what about that documentary marathon this weekend?" you grinned up at him, and he laughed in response.

"only if you can promise not to fall asleep half way through," he retorted with an eager nod.

[thezombieprostitute]

Panic Attack - Part 2

Summary: Your ex decides he needs to talk to you. Your friend, Walter Marshall, has other ideas.

A/N: Reader is plus sized. No other descriptors used.

Word Count: ~1.1k

Warnings: Abusive ex, Implied violence, Panic attack. Let me know if I missed any!

Part 1

It's been a few months since your panic attack that introduced you to Walter. Not wanting to appear too needy you limited yourself to just an occasional check-in text every week. Walter would always gently guide the texts into a conversation about your shared interests and the two of you really got to talking.

Sometimes, after chatting, you would cry from relief. You're not scaring him away. He doesn't downplay your interests as “childish” or “immature” like Bryce, your ex, always did. He was polite, even funny, about disagreements in canon. He really helped you feel safe talking about what you like. You weren't used to that.

You were feeling pretty good about yourself overall and it really helped you get through some rough days.

But nothing could help you prepare for Ransom showing up at the bookstore where you work. Ransom and Bryce had been friends forever. If he was here, Bryce was likely nearby. You try to head to the back office but you hear Ransom calling your name. Your manager has been on everyone about not ignoring potential patrons so you take a deep breath and face him.

“Mr. Drysdale,” you nod. “How can I help you today?”

“Oh good,” he smiles, mockingly, “you remember your place.” You take another breath to steady yourself. “Believe me, this isn't my first choice either. Bryce needs to talk to you but due to legal reasons, he needs an intermediary.”

“I have no interest in talking to him,” you reply calmly.

“Yeah, the restraining order made that clear. Still can't believe you got that. It's not like he ever actually hit you or anything,” Ransom scoffs. You struggle to control your breathing, fighting the tears. “Anyways, he's looking at being cut out of the will. But since his father always liked you, he figured you showing up with him to the old man's birthday party would help him secure his place.”

“No,” you reply simply. The shorter, more concise an answer you can give, the better.

“I'd reconsider,” Ransom growls. “The lengths someone like Bryce will go to ensure he's in the will? I could see him doing some...bad things.”

“His relationship with his father is not my problem,” you reply. “Now please, either purchase a book or leave.”

Ransom snorts, “I'm not buying this trash. But don't say I didn't warn you.” He turns and heads out.

You almost running to the break room, tears pouring down your face. You want to call Walter, ask him to help you calm down, but he's a police officer. No doubt he has more important things to take care of. You'll wait for tonight, your usual texting/call time.

Walter's phone starts chiming with the ringtone he has reserved for you.

“Hello, Sugar,” he answers with a smile.

“W-W-Walter,” you stutter, making him frown. “He-he's here. Bryce. He's, he's outside my door. Please help.” You're whispering into the phone and he can barely make out what you're saying but it's enough for him. Especially with the loud banging in the background that he can only assume is your ex trying to force his way into your apartment.

“I'm on my way,” Walter assures. His voice is calm, concealing the burning rage he's feeling. As he keeps talking to you as he gestures for a couple other officers to follow him. “Take a breath for me, Sugar,” he gently orders you over the phone. He hears your breath shaking and he continues, “grab the pepper spray and lock yourself into a room further into your apartment. Wait for me to signal the all-clear. Understood?”

“Y-yes, Walter.” You hang up and get moving. The panic is telling you to shut down. Just accept the abuse. The only way to get Bryce to stop hurting you is to let him tire himself out. But you've been working so hard on getting over these kinds of stress responses. He doesn't own your life any more. You do.

Doing your best to ignore his yells of “open the damn door” you grab the pepper spray out of your purse. The only room in your apartment with a lock is the bathroom so you head in there, locking the door and pushing the bathmat underneath to make it a little more difficult to open.

You can still hear the banging and, while you can't make out the words, you can still hear Bryce's yelling. You don't realize you've started rocking. You brain is in panic mode and you can't think past the impending pain. The punches to your stomach, your arms, places where you could hide the bruises. The promises of worse if you ever told.

The commotion outside suddenly gets louder and you curl up into the fetal position, covering your ears. You're not sure how long you stay like that, waiting for the pain.

There's a gentle knock at the bathroom door and you squeak in fear. “Sugar?” Walter's voice gently calls through the door. “Sugar? Are you in there? Are you okay?”

You lift your head a little, “Walter?” Your voice is barely above a whisper but he breathes a sigh of relief at hearing you.

“Yeah, Sugar, it's me. Can you open the door for me?”

“Bryce?”

“He's in handcuffs in a squad car outside. It's just you and me in the apartment.”

Slowly, almost painfully slowly, you get up, remove the bathmat and unlock the door. Walter wants to open it immediately but it has to be you who opens it. He doesn't want to scare you worse than you've already been tonight. You crack the door open and peek out. You see Walter's familiar broad frame, curly hair and beard, concerned blue eyes and open the door the rest of the way. You throw yourself at him, bringing him into a hug that he's only too happy to return. Your tears are flowing freely but from relief instead of fear.

He gently pats your head as he holds you, whispering to you about how brave, how smart, how quick you were with everything. He never stops reassuring you, even when your crying is too loud to hear him. His arms feel so safe, his voice so calming. It isn't long before you've calmed enough to gently pull away and thank him.

“If you're willing,” he starts, “I'll stay here and sleep on your couch.”

You shake your head, “I don't feel safe here right now. He knows where I live, that means his friends do. I...I don't want to be here for a while.”

Walter nods, “if you're up for it, you can pack a bag and stay at my place. And no,” he stops you before you can say anything, “it won't be a bother. At all.”

You hug him as more tears of relief pour out. “Thank you, Walter.”

Part 1

Taglist: @alicedopey; @delicatebarness; @icefrozendeadlyqueen; @peyton-warren; @ronearoundblindly

[aishangotome]

Elbert Greetia: Chapter 5

Chapter 4 Premium Story

♡———♡

What a beautiful child. Golden hair just like his mother.

Maid: Like an angel. Look at those jewel-like eyes.

Others: Beauty as if born to be happy.

It seemed that being "beautiful" was a condition for happiness.

Everyone praised his beauty and laughed – except for one person.

(With this much, it will surely be alright)

(So, smile–)

–Don't look at me with such sad eyes.

Maid's Voice: Kyaaaah!! Someone, someone come–!!!

–It's not enough yet. I have to collect more, more.

Something that matches the happiness I've taken away.

The most beautiful thing in this world–

Elbert: ……gh, ……ha……ha……

He wakes up in bed, gasping for air like someone surfacing from the depths of the sea.

Elbert: ……ha…………

It's still dark outside the window, and the clock shows that only two hours have passed since he fell asleep.

Elbert: .............

He looks down at his hand, and there it is, unchanged from before he slept, the seashell she gave him.

He's been clutching it in his hand ever since he received it on that beach.

Elbert: .............

He tries to place it on the bedside chest– but after hesitating for several seconds, he pulls out a random box from the chest drawer and puts the seashell inside.

He chooses a pen from among many and scribbles on the back of a postcard with some scenery on it.

Elbert: ……ha……

He gently places the postcard in the box and sinks back into bed.

-

Several days after the day Elbert took me to the sea–

Elbert: Kate…… Are you alright?

Kate: I'm a little nervous…… but I'm alright.

Alfons: That's not very convincing. You're so stiff.

Kate: Wah!?

Alfons: Oh my, I just lightly stroked your back… this is new.

Elbert: Al, don't.

Alfons: Yes, yes.

We were on our way to a party for art collectors to contact the "Bernard Trading Company."

(The "Bernard Trading Company" is the criminal organization that attacked the inn where Daisy worked.)

(It's hard not to be nervous when I think I might come into contact with one of their members...)

Elbert: ...It's alright.

Elbert whispered, glancing at me as I struggled to relax.

Elbert: Even if something happens… I won't let you get hurt.

(Elbert...)

Kate: ...Thank you.

(I can't let myself hinder their mission.)

(I have to be strong.)

Today, Elbert and I were supposed to act as collectors, with Alfons as our attendant.

The goal for today is to become close to the art dealer hosting the event, who seems to be a member of the trading company, through the purchase of goods.

(If we're suspected before we even carry out the plan, it's over.)

Everything I'm wearing today was bought for me by Elbert the other day, and even the smallest accessory is worth more than I could ever earn in my lifetime.

(But... just for today, I'll pretend to be a lady who deserves to wear these things.)

Kate: I'm fine now. Let's go.

Elbert: ..........

Alfons: Hehe... You're quite a gutsy little robin, aren't you?

As I followed the two of them through the entrance, I could feel the eyes of everyone around me focused on us.

Woman with Stars: Oh... There you are. How beautiful...!

Priest with Glasses: I can only sigh... Those sapphire-blue eyes.

Curly Haired Girl: Haa... Surely no artwork I see today can compare to him.

–I can't help but overhear the whispers of the people.

The gazes clinging to Elbert and the sighs of admiration never cease.

Elbert: ..........

With every compliment I hear, with every step we take up the stairs... Elbert's expression clearly starts to darken.

Alfons: You look terrible already. El, want to take a break?

Elbert: No... I'm fine.

(He doesn't look fine at all...)

Kate: Is there... anything you need?

Elbert: ...You.

Kate: Huh?

Elbert: ...Just being here is enough.

(...He really doesn't seem well.)

(It's no wonder he's tired of being treated like a piece of art.)

Elbert's expression was more downcast than I could have imagined.

(I hope he's okay...)

-

–The hall, sparkling with chandeliers, was filled with numerous works of art.

(Wow... It's like a museum.)

Paintings, plaster statues, sculptures... The sheer number of artworks is dazzling.

But knowing that these might have been collected through illegal means, I couldn't simply be impressed.

Elderly Gentleman: Ah, Elbert. I've been waiting for you.

Lady with White Hair: My, my, what a beautiful face as always. I could just put you on display and admire you.

Lady with Green Eyes: I've missed you, Elbert!

Elbert: ..........

Suddenly, people who seemed to be Elbert's acquaintances gathered around us.

Lively conversation immediately broke out, and I distanced myself a little from Elbert.

Kate: He's popular, isn't he?

Alfons: ...Yes.

I exchanged a few words with Alfons in a low voice.

It was a short reply for Alfons, who is usually talkative, which bothered me a little...

(But I'm a little relieved that Elbert has some acquaintances here.)

(I hope he cheers up as he talks to them, even though he seems to be feeling down.)

Relieved, I was watching Elbert and the others when–

Elderly Gentleman: It's been years since I've gazed at you like this. Let me see your face better.

The gentleman, with an air of dignity, cupped Elbert's cheeks with both hands.

They were so close, as if he were about to kiss him–.

(...What...?)

Elbert said nothing. He didn't resist.

He just let the man do as he pleased.

Elderly Gentleman: Oh, don't look away. Look at me, Elbert.

Elbert: ...Yes.

It was clear to me that this was not a normal greeting.

The elderly gentleman moved Elbert's face from side to side, admiring him as if checking the workmanship of a doll.

Elderly Gentleman: As I thought, there is no one else as beautiful as you in this world.

Lady with Green Eyes: Elbert, let me see you too. ...Oh my, are you a little sleep-deprived?

Elbert: ...I'm fine.

Lady with White Hair: Are you sure? There's nothing so scary that you can't sleep? I'll sing you a lullaby again.

Elbert: ...Thank you.

(Is this... "normal"?)

Elbert's body was being touched by everyone in turn, with words of concern for his well-being.

As if to show him off to everyone around.

Even with a badly hurt expression, Elbert didn't try to avoid their hands.

Kate: Um, Alfons...

Alfons: Yes?

I looked up at him for help, but all I got was a calm voice.

Kate: ...I might be overstepping, but shouldn't we stop that?

Alfons: If you wish to do so, feel free. I won't interfere.

Alfons: However, the scene we are witnessing is not new to El.

Kate: ...This is a daily occurrence?

My voice trembled with fear.

Alfons didn't answer, only forming a faint smile with his lips.

Alfons: In any case, don't forget "our position."

Alfons: An attendant cannot interfere unless ordered to do so by their master.

(I see... Alfons is officially in the position of an attendant today.)

(So the only one who can stop this situation is me...?)

Elbert: .............

I looked at Elbert again, and he was still standing there, pale-faced.

(He looks hurt... but why?)

I could hear the voices of the people who had been admiring Elbert from a short distance away.

Woman with a Message: ...What's with those people? Are they trying to show him off to us?

Gentleman with Glasses: Well, I understand the feeling. If I were allowed, I'd love to admire him up close too.

Lady with Curly Hair: If I could touch that skin, I'd pay my entire fortune... I wonder how I could get closer to him.

–My heart chilled.

I was saddened by those words, as if they thought of Elbert as nothing more than a jewel or an accessory.

(If I stay in this place, I'll go crazy–)

(Elbert must be feeling it even more than me...)

Kate: Alfons...

Alfons: Yes?

Kate: I'll try not to interfere with the mission as much as possible, so–

Before I could finish speaking, my feet stepped forward.

I gently touched Elbert's elbow from behind, as if asking for an escort.

Kate: Lord Elbert, the host doesn't seem to be here yet... Would you like to step outside for a bit?

Elbert: ...Kate.

His deep, ocean-like eyes captured mine.

But those eyes were hollow, as if his heart had been dulled.

Kate: Um, well... You look a little pale, so I thought some fresh air might do you good.

Lady with Green Eyes: Excuse me, who are you? Elbert, is she a new maid or something?

Lady with Green Eyes: If so... I'm sorry, but her dress is crying. It doesn't suit her manners.

Elderly Gentleman: Haha, don't be so harsh, you'll make her cry.

Elderly Gentleman: You see, we've known Elbert for a long time. Would you mind not interfering?

I felt piercing gazes from the three people surrounding Elbert and from everyone else around.

(But...)

I couldn't leave Elbert, who was pale, like this.

Elderly Gentleman: Are you listening, girl?

Kate: !

He grabbed my chin and roughly forced my face up.

Elderly Gentleman: It's troubling, you see. When a worthless pebble like you is displayed in the same showcase as a treasure.

Lady with White Hair: Indeed... It ruins the aesthetic.

Their heartless words grated on my heart.

(I know better than anyone that I don't belong here.)

(But... what these people are doing is even more shameful.)

Elderly Gentleman: What's with that look in your eyes?

The gentleman's voice was filled with anger, sending a shiver down my spine. But–

Elbert: ...Would you please stop?

The room fell silent at Elbert's words.

Elbert: Touching her, criticizing her... Please stop.

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Chapter 6

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[suffercerebral]

me having gone to bed at 6 am every day for the past week and generally spiraling mentally while rotting in bed waking up this morning: a 4 mile hike in the heat is a really good idea right now, and while we're at it let's start like 3 art projects

[marklikely]

i know a lot of trans women talk about mourning not growing up a girl and i always thought i didnt experience any equivalent to that (probably for many reasons) but the last couple weeks i realised i think i do and its specifically about not growing up a gay man.

[brendonloverurie]

I've felt so lonely and isolated here lately. I know it's literally all in my head, because everyone here loves me. 💅 but just because somethings all in your head doesn't mean it doesn't bother you. 💔