#I know that’s not actually what’s happening here but I did feel dread enter my heart at that moment

[wackachewbacca]

Me starting episode one: awww I missed Molly so much what a beautiful person you were

Mollymauk: I’m simply a vessel for a higher power

Me: motherfucker you are jinxing this entire campaign

[talaok]

Win Again

Pairing: Marcus Acacius x sex worker f!reader

Summary: Marcus has won yet another match, so to reward him, his master has granted him another hour with you.

warning: smut| unprotected piv, oral (f receiving), a whole lot of manhandling, he like uses your body idk how to explain it, multiple orgasms, and once again unnecessary feelings cause im not able to write something where they just fuck for some reason

a/n: i know im two days late but PLEASE read this still. (also) basic things for this guy that i've decided are canon: 1)he has a monster cock, like actually scarily big, 2) he's real fucking strong (hulk typa shit), 3) he's not a big talker (but he is a grunter). I need this man to fuck me more than i need my next breath (real), also i did so much research for this fic and you cant even fucking tell

It wasn't often that you didn't dread going to the barracks.

These were strong, ferocious, and dangerous men, and you were but a meek lamb in comparison.

But today was different, today you were seeing him, him who fit the previous description to a tee, and yet was so different from any man you had ever offered your services to.

And perhaps it was because it never felt like you were ever offering anything, ever since that first night, you had never given anything you hadn't wanted to.

The guards stopped as you arrived at his room and you felt a wave of excitement crawl up your spine the moment they opened the door, waiting for you to enter.

The armored men stepped aside to let you pass, the cobblestones on the ground sounding against your sandals as you made your way inside, looking back at the door just in time to see it being shut close.

It was his breathing you heard first, his heavy breathing coming from where you knew his bed sat on the room's left, and seconds after, the creaks of the wood as he stood up, his feet stalking your way.

You turned to him then, a smile almost making it to your lips as you saw him alive before you once again, granting yourself a second to relish in the fact he still breathed, he was still here.

"You've won again" you spoke softly, your hands slowly finding the string holding your dress together.

He didn't respond. The window behind him caused the moon's soft glow to fall on the stone floor, but not on his beautiful face, that, you had to watch closely to inspect.

A newer cut right above his left eyebrow had appeared, and his right arm was bandaged almost completely, but otherwise, he looked fine.

His eyes remained on yours until you'd undone the dress, until it fell at your feet- then, a low groan rumbled from his chest as he took you in, and took his turn inspecting every inch of your bare figure.

"How do you want m-"

You didn't have time to finish your sentence that he'd picked you up, effortlessly pulling your body up until your legs slung over his shoulders and his face was buried in your cunt.

He hadn't even given you a second to realize what was happening that his tongue was already lapping between your folds, desperately drinking everything your body gave him.

"Oh my g-" you threw your head back, your skull finding the wall behind you being the only reason you realized he'd moved, and you were now caged between him and stone as you forgot how to speak.

The moans you had faked so many times for so many clients were nothing like the ones your mouth was spilling now, these were higher, coarser, feral, and the way you were gripping his hair... there was no way that didn't hurt.

"Y-You only" a whine interrupted your words when you felt his tongue plunge into your hole, when he started fucking you with it just like he would with his cock "You only h-have me for an hour" you breathed, your thighs squeezing tighter around him contradicting the words you were about to speak "d-don't you want me to p-please you?"

His grip on your ass only tightened and his mouth halfheartedly parted from your core to answer you.

"You are"

And just like that, he'd gone back to work. The moment his mouth closed around your clit you knew you were done for, you knew there was no point in fighting what was inevitably going to come, and so you shut your eyes, as he brought you to heaven.

Your moans were getting higher and higher as your back arched to feed more of yourself to him, desperately craving the feel of his touch, of his nouse, of his beard against your thighs, of the lips he so devoutly was using to suck on your most sensitive spot.

"F-fuck- general I-" The fist you had wrapped around his hair tightened as every muscle in your belly did the same "Oh!"

Somehow, through all the chaos, while you were coming all over his face, while your moans reached levels never reached before, the only thing you could feel or hear, besides pure ecstasy of course, were his groans, his groans as he drank up every drop of your juices, as if your orgasm was bringing his as much pleasure as it was to you.

You barely had time to open your eyes that his strong, big hands and even stronger, bigger arms had pulled you down until your legs hugged his waist instead.

You really did weigh nothing for him, and if that wasn't enough to prove it, the next minutes definitely would.

Your heavy breathing was fanning over his mouth as he freed his cock from his pants, but while you were expecting him to kiss you, having been blatantly staring at your mouth since he had any way of seeing it, every thought in your brain turned to dust when with one hard fucking thrust, he drove his cock into you- or the first few inches at least.

You couldn't talk, you could do nothing but throw your head back as your eyes rolled to the back of it, and let him take whatever he wanted to take.

"I'm not a general anymore," he said with another thrust, stretching you out even further, even deeper.

You wanted to laugh at his words. Now? Now he was feeling the need to correct you? When you could barely breathe, let alone think?

But he didn't look interested in hearing a response from you, not when he grabbed your waist, and definitely not when he started moving you up and down on his shaft with just the sheer force of his muscles.

The moans, the lewd moans that crawled up your throat were filthy, even filthier than the sound of how wet, how unbelievably drenched you were as he plunged into you over and over, as he literally used you as a fucktoy, filling you up more and more, until he was finally sat inside you to the very hilt, until his pubic hairs were grazing your skin and the tip of his cock was touching your cervix.

"Oh my god" you whimpered, feeling tears prick your eyes as your toes curled at the feeling.

You could feel him everywhere, everywhere.

But he didn't pause, he wasn't one to take his time, and perhaps that was because he didn't have much; he resumed his movements again, retracting his hips while he pulled you up his cock, and slamming into you while pushing you down on it, leaving you breathless, a simple doll at his mercy.

His groans and growls were deep and filled with lust, just like the way he bent down to take your left tit into his mouth, just like the way he was fucking you, deep and hard, and God- God it was happening again.

"s-shit" you squeaked, your walls squeezing around him as you bit your lip, so fucked out you could barely remember your name or anything at all that wasn't how good he was making you feel.

"O-Oh my fuck-"

The arms you had intertwined behind his neck tightened with every spasm of your hole, with every flutter of your belly, until you'd come once more.

You opened your eyes, letting them trail downwards, to where his lips parted to suck in ragged breaths, begging him for a kiss.

"again" he said instead, and your eyes widened as you felt him starting to move anew

"I-I can't"

He looked at you now, really looked at you, his sweaty hair sticking to his forehead, his chest heaving as he breathed heavily, and then- then he kissed you. Marcus Acacius kissed you the same way he'd been fucking you for the last hour: like an animal.

It was a mess of teeth and tongues and yet it felt like the best thing on earth, better than wine, better than life, even better than the sex- it was perfect.

"again" he ordered once more, and what could you do, if not comply?

So he started again, he started fucking you again, even more ferociously than the previous time, even if you didn't think it possible.

The way his skin slapped with yours was drowned by both your desperate sounds, your legs started to tremble, beginning to fall from his hips as he moved you up and down his cock like it were nothing, and you- you didn't even know where you were anymore.

"please" you begged, a single tear of pleasure, of overstimulation falling to your cheek as he kissed you again, muting all your cries as he drove himself into you like a madman, like he was possessed.

"Time's up"

Two knocks sounded from the other side of the wall together with the warning, and you thanked Marcus for having rendered you such a mess because otherwise, that would have reminded you of how little time you two ever had, and how miserable everything really was.

His movements sped up at the notice, his dick plunging into you over and over and over until finally, it was happening again.

"give it to me" he said, and you did exactly as he asked- you gave it all to him, screaming and crying you let him have all you had to offer, feeling his eyes on you the whole time.

He came loudly just after you, groaning deeply as he filled you up to the very brim.

Out of all the words you could have said to him then, all the things you wanted to tell him at that moment, you chose none, because none would have said anything he didn't already know from the look in your eyes, from the same exact spark in your irises that ignited his own.

So he helped you to the ground until you stood on shaky legs, walked to where your dress lay on the floor, and dressed yourself again, his eyes never leaving you.

The door opened just as you were done, and you turned to him one last time again, a smile pulling at your lips.

"Win again for me, general"

He looked at you too for one last time again, as he thought about how you didn't know, you didn't know how big of a role you played in his victories, how many times he could only think of the taste of you, smell of you, feel and voice of you as he took his opponent's life, as he fought for another hour with you, another second.

"I will" he promised

[barbieaemond]

And I dream of a grave

Header by the lovely @ewanmitchellcrumbs 💕💕

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x wife!reader

Warnings: angst (!), smut, too many references to graves/burying, mentions of Blood & Cheese, miscommunication, Aemond's coping mechanism is violence and sex, in this order (good for him)

Word count: 3.8k

Author's note: the gif is self explanatory. This is a prequel to A Curse for a Curse, but can be read as a standalone. Big thank you to @irenadel for giving me the idea and being one of the most supportive souls <3

Taglist: @ladystarksneedle @arcielee @multyfangirl

MASTERLIST | English is not my first language

This is more than tempting the Gods. This is forsaking and impudently turning their backs on them.

As she sits down at the banquet, her mother’s words echo through her mind like the vexing sound of the wind on a storm’s night. It sets an unpleasant weight on her lungs, the close and yet shapeless feel of something dreadful. She’s almost grateful, looking around, to ascertain she’s not the only fool dreading this whole act.

The Dowager Queen sits at the table, barely able to contain a grimace. Queen Helaena, she is certain, has never looked so pale, her eyes so vacuous and yet so full of something unknown, elusive, smoke clouding and clearing her unnatural stare. The Hand has conveniently made himself absent. She can’t blame him. Actually, she envies him. If only she too could have been spared such a farce. But as the wife of the King’s brother, the very one they’re all supposed to celebrate tonight, she cannot do that, can she?

To cheers and the blaring of trumpets, the King enters shoulder to shoulder with his brother, tall and proud in his stride, wearing dark green velvet for such a special occasion, and such a special title.

“Do you know how they’re going to call you from now on?” the Queen Mother had asked when he came back from Storm’s end, dripping rain and mud and war.

“I do, Mother.” Aegon had answered, twisting a knife from his seat at the head of the table; she had never caught that glint of satisfaction in his eyes, not like that; it wasn’t dimmed by wine or flesh, but sharp as the blade in his hand. “A title he should be proud of.”

Pride was ever the easiest thing to wear for Aemond, the softest glove gliding on his skin, born out of a pit so deep and full of insecurities and negligence that that same endless depth had grown out of proportion in order to fill itself. To even try scratching his pride was like trying to climb the highest mountain with bare hands. She had cut her palms open to do so.

“What happened, Aemond?” she had asked once alone in their chambers.

“You know what happened.”

“What really happened?”

His good eye had pierced her as if she were made of crystal, but his jaw was too set, on the verge of breaking his own teeth if he carried on keeping the guilt, and truth, trapped inside.

“I didn’t want to.” He whispered, coming down from the peak, “I didn’t want to kill him. I only wanted—”

“Revenge? Well, you had it. Did it make you feel good? Did you bring that boy peace at last?”

It took him a lifetime to say no; a whispered sound, choked even, as if he had bitten off his tongue to get it out of that pit where he had never looked again.

He was biting his tongue in the council, the faintest clench in his jaw but here, here in the council, here in the world, he had to keep that pit buried and stand straight on the highest peak, looking up and up, never down, never back. How could he, how could he admit he had lost control. It was easier, safer, to let them think of him a monster, rather than just human.

“I salute you, brother.” The King had said, raising his cup “True blood of the dragon! We shall have a feast in your honor!" Otto had merely lowered his head in defiance, going unnoticed in the eyes of his King and grandson, drunk with power and finally free of his mother's leash, unaware that a golden noose now held him in check.

He had summoned jesters, musicians, even some dancers to coddle his brother, and raise him higher and higher. She imagined she just had to wait for the fall. Or perhaps pray to the Seven to overlook the insult, to keep a mortal up there with them for a little more. But then again, they shouldn’t ask the Gods for mercy. Someone more unforgiving, more bloodthirsty. Someone who, just as her husband and his brother and each one of their cursed dynasty, did not listen to either Gods or men.

“A toast!” the King says at one point, turning to his left. “To my brother Aemond and a long overdue justice, is it not?”

Out of courtesy and duty, she grabs her cup and raises it, but as everyone at the table sips their wine, all she tastes is contempt, and the cup hits the surface untouched. But not unseen.

“Brother, wine may cloud my judgment, but it seems to me that your beloved wife does not share the sentiment of this fine evening. I wonder why.”

She holds the King’s demanding stare with a firm one, aware of Aemond looking at her even if his eye is fixed on the table. He has ignored her for the whole night, not sparing her a single glance. Because she owns the truth, doesn’t she, and it’s a knife pointed at his back.  

“May I speak my mind, your Grace?”

There’s the slightest shift in Alicent’s posture, as if she were desperately waiting for her, or anyone, to cease all of this, to say this isn’t right.

Aegon pulls a thin, lazy smile and tilts his silver head, swirling his cup. “Why, of course, Princess. My brother tells me you have a habit of doing so.”

“Did he, now?” she resists the urge to scoff; such a despicable habit for a woman in this world.

“Fret not, good sister, I’m certain he holds no grudges against you for your silver tongue.”

“Oh, I’m quite certain too, your Grace. I know for a fact that he likes it.”

A few lords can do very little to hold their snickering, Aegon himself does not hide his malicious smirk, petty at the edges. It must run in the blood.

“Careful though, you don’t want to spend too much time talking, lest you leave my poor brother without any heir! It’s been a while since you two lovebirds tied the knot, isn’t that right?”

She glances beside her, surely Aemond won’t let that slight insult pass, but he stays still and silent like a statue. She can’t quite believe what she’s witnessing. This is the same man who would call the crowned head at the table wastrel, depraved, disgrace.

So much for a disgrace, now that he fosters your pride and lies.

“I can assure you, good brother, that the talking is well outweighed by other activities that involve very few words.”

Aegon plasters a big grin on his face, yet she’s not finished. “But perhaps the Gods are sparing me the burden of bringing a child in such troubled times. A realm at war is not the best place to live in, is it not?”

“It depends on which side you’re on, Princess.”

There’s suspicion in his tone, but she just blinks at him. “My apologies, I was not aware that my loyalty to your House, and my husband’s, was to be questioned.”

“Come now. We are bound by what if not words?”

“I was under the impression that the Crown should fear his own kin more than a simple foreign girl from the West.”

At that, Helaena lets out a strange noise, something close to a wince, and silence falls all over. It is only now that Aemond undoes the stone he walled himself in and acts as he always does when he feels belittled, or worse, threatened. He shuts her out.

“I’m afraid my wife is growing tired, brother. ’Tis best for her to retire.”

She bites her tongue and turns her head. There’s no mistake in his tone, that is an order. She stares at him and he stares back, blankly, and then, just as it is expected of her, she obeys.

She goes without saying a word, aware of Aemond’s eye on her, of Aegon’s little victorious giggle. He snaps his fingers and two dancing girls flock to his brother. She knows this because she can’t resist but turning before disappearing. The girls are said to come from Lys, no less. But he’s not sparing them a single glance. His eye follows her out of the hall, and even after.

Candles almost extinguished, casting a soft glow in the bedchamber, dim but enough to make the shape of her body visible under the covers.

“I know you’re pretending to be asleep.” He says, placing his dagger and eyepatch on the nightstand.

She doesn’t bother to wait a single moment to fly her eyes open. “Was I not supposed to pretend I was tired?”

When she gets no answer, she turns to face him, finding him on his feet near the bed, undoing the buttons of his doublet. His eye is on her, though, wide, as someone ready to hunt but seeing traps everywhere.

“Did you enjoy your feast?” she asks with piqued interest. “Such a shame that I missed most of it. I was eager to watch the girls from Lys dance. How were they?”

“Enough. You should thank me for dismissing you. You were bordering on high treason.”

“Since when telling the truth is considered high treason?”

“Is that what you were going to say? The truth? To make me look like a fool in front of the whole court?”

“I was only going to say that the feast was an insult and a challenge to the Gods or any common sense. And I know that beneath all the pats on the shoulder and the endorsement on your brother’s part, you are of the same mind.” she hopes to see the barest glimpse of validation on his face, at least here, where he can leave behind his pride and admit he made a mistake. Is that what you call starting a war?

But his expression is as closed as ever, wary.

She wishes it would hurt less than it does. “Of all the people ready to betray you, how quick you are to assume I’d be the first.”

“We’re bound by words, are we not?”

“Take your brother off your mouth.” She says absentmindedly; she tries to not let it sting, but it does anyway. It is a low blow, and she knows he does not believe it. He has raised the walls, coiling like a snake, and there’s no point trying to climb and risk cracking her skull open on the ground. She will have to wait for him to come down. “Then perhaps I should consider my father’s proposal.”

She leaves the bed and grabs a letter lying open on the desk. “He wrote me this letter. That is why my mother came all the way here, apparently to see how her daughter was faring.”

Aemond eyes it with the barest twitch in his lips, then looks up into her eyes and, with a sigh, she clears her throat.

“My dearest daughter,

It is with great concern and sadness that I write you this letter.

Words have reached me about the recent events involving Storm’s End and young Prince Lucerys’ demise. My spirits are low when thinking of the fate you’re enduring. But I want you to think carefully of this: annulments are rare but possible. Even more so since you bore no heirs yet. You cannot remain married to a Kinslayer, it is the highest of sins. I only need a word from you, daughter, and I shall hastily consult with a High Septon.”

She can barely register his arm moving, only sees his hand snatching the letter out of her grip, crumpling the paper between his fingers. Nostrils flaring, eye widening, she reads insult all over his face. About time.

“Is that it, Aemond? Is that the reason you’d think I would betray you? Because I didn’t bleed on a birthing bed yet? Is that how you measure my loyalty? What of all the times I drew your bath, washed your hair, pulled the boots off your feet? What about that curtain—“ she adds, pointing to the windows “and the fact that I told the maid to keep that side always closed so the sun will not bother your eye? Do you think I did all of this because of some empty words?”

He looks as if she has just slapped him. Mistrust and bewilderment run together all over his sharp features, trying to win one another, and she waits and waits, and she begs as all the purest things must be pleaded, wordlessly.

Come down. Come down. Lay down with me. In our bed, a grave, it matters not. I'll take the shovel and do the burying.

But he stands still on his high and cursed perch, the grip on the letter loosens, his shoulders slump a little, because this, this comes so easily. Violence. It’s the other glove he wears like second skin.

“You will write to your father and tell him if I hear another word about annulments, I will have his head for treason. And as for you… you tell a living soul what you know, and you shall join the Silent Sisters. You won’t even have to vow your silence, for I shall take your sharp tongue first.”

She watches him go, standing in the middle of the room like a fool; her hands bleeding still and a plea, unheard, choking to death in her chest.

Her hands heal, stay whole for so long. She feels she cannot reach him this time, no matter how hard she tries to climb. She finds no footholds, no inlets, until she stops looking for any.

She finds she has no strength to do it anymore. They’re all dead anyway, each of them in their own way, their own burial.

The king drinks and rages and drinks and rages. Helaena rocks on herself all day long, chasing the highs and lows of her laments. Jaehaera stares at her mother with her small lips sewn, her eyes wide and the Queen Mother weeps and weeps, wondering if the little girl is watching her mother go mad with grief or yet again her twin brother’s head rolling on the ground like one of her toys.

And Aemond…she does not know where Aemond chose to bury himself. He spends the day out, trying to escape the smothering grip of the Stranger’s claws, his curse…or is it only retribution?

Sometimes he’s in the training yard, sometimes that same yard becomes theater for revenge. He kills whoever helped Blood and Cheese enter the Keep, man or woman, he doesn’t care. He tortures them, and she wants to beg him to stop, to tell him that torturing one, two, or one hundred men won’t stop guilt from torturing him.

So, he wanders restlessly, basks in small and big cruelties, until the sun sets and she’s aware, as the bed dips under his weight, that she is his own burial. He takes her at any time, in any place, be it the bed, the desk, or bent over the vanity, she cannot do anything to stop him. She doesn’t want to and yet she aches to do it. Because it’s always sudden, and harsh and hurtful when he pulls her hair, when he spares no time to stoke her desire, when he keeps her bent with her back turned and a firm hand on her neck like some kind of punishment.

It never used to be like this. It had been playful, teasing, painfully slow as if he were separating salt from water, and then fast, urgent, unraveling for two inexperienced newlyweds.

But it had never been like that. There was no joy in it. Only a duty to be fulfilled. Some twisted way to gain control, while anyone else kept slipping from his hands. Just as Vhagar slipped out of his control on that fateful night of storm.

He remembered that dark thrill pounding in his veins, the laughter gushing out of his throat like poison. He couldn’t bring himself to stop. He didn’t know whether Vhagar was fueling his fire or the other way around, perhaps both. Just a little more, he’d thought, as Arrax batted his wings frantically, desperate, mirroring his young rider, to escape the gaping jaws of the Queen of All Dragons.

That’s what he wanted. He wanted to relish in his nephew’s dread, he wanted to drink it. He wanted him alone, desperate, hopeless, just as he had been.

And then he felt it, the shift in the ancient fire pit he was riding, like a boat tipping over and there was no helm to grab onto and bring it back to land. He had sunk his own family into the bleak abyss of Daemon Targaryen’s soul.

He had come to collect, thoroughly. A son for a son, yes, but he had taken much more than Jaehaerys. He’d taken Helaena as well. Even Jaehaera.

Will she ever be able to speak again?

Will my Mother ever forgive me?

Words never spoken, stuck on his tongue and then gagged and swallowed. He cannot look down, cannot look back. He must look up and forward, like soldiers do. To the next battle, to war.

But there’s this woman. And the sight of her in his bed that makes his breath hitch and for two reasons entirely opposite to one another. The first is the most ancient one. But she’s also a thorn in his side, for she knows. She knows everything. She knows all his peaks and depths, every brick in his walls and how to dismantle them; she knows he’s strong and weak, that he’s scared and guilty and worthy of his mother’s contempt, but he cannot bear any of this in front of her.

He flees her presence during the day, only to impose himself on her for the whole night. She cannot refuse him. And he cannot have her prying and dismantling his well-crafted walls and lies, so he takes her and takes her and takes her until he works themselves up to exhaustion and she’s a rag doll in his hands. It serves the purpose, though. As long as she has his cock in her mouth, as long as he harshly pounds into her, cutting her breath from the inside, she cannot ask questions. As long as he keeps chasing his pleasure, and his rugged breaths muffle his own ears, he cannot think straight.  

He's close now and it’s the second time already. The sheets are damp beneath their bodies, his back glints with sweat, damps his forehead as he thrusts inside her one more time. They’re lying on their side, but he keeps her caged against him, his arm has slipped on the mattress and under her neck to keep her still, with her back to him. With his cheek glued to hers, he croons praises in her ear, falling mindlessly from his lips but like drops in the ocean. Once, she would redden, smile blissfully, or challenge him, to go deeper, or harder, or both, but she’s a limp thing now. A mere body panting upon being fucked by another, that’s all.

This is possession. Or a desperate attempt to. Each night, he holds her as if it’s the last time and she could slip away from him at any moment, turning her back on him. She can feel it now, in the way he’s gripping her shoulder, the way his nails dig in her skin, carving into her bones: stay with me. Please. Don’t leave. Please, don’t leave.

But it’s him keeping her away, turning her own back on him.

Don’t you know, she wishes to tell him, that I won’t, ever. I won’t. No matter how cursed you are. I won’t. I won’t.

He grabs her thigh, resting it on his hip, spreading his long fingers on her skin, spreading her legs so he can find the perfect angle and picks up the pace. She shudders with every thrust, gasping with her throat dry, feeling the long bridge of his nose sinking in her cheek, his grunts growing rougher and deeper; some strange choked sound at the back of his throat.

He comes quietly, panting shallowly against the damp fabric of her nightgown. And he stays there, claw gripping her shoulder, head sunk between her neck and collarbone, and deep to the hilt buried in her.

A tear rolls down her cheek. She doesn’t know where it comes from, who she is mourning, she can’t tell these days. Perhaps she’s mourning him, who he was, who he is now and who he is forcing himself to be. She doesn’t know where the deception lies anymore. She wishes she could push it back in, prays that it goes unnoticed, swallowed along with all the others, but she should know by now, the Gods are not in her favor anymore, if they ever had been.

“Why are you crying?”

She turns her head, and her breath hitches. The gemstone glints, yes, but she’s too struck by his eye to even notice the sapphire. There’s something raw there, bare, more than his very skin now. It’s the first time she sees that look on him, torn, heavy lidded and not by pleasure.

This is the burden of grief.

She wonders if that’s the reason he’s so keen on fucking her with her back turned, so she can’t see him. Perhaps she didn’t look hard enough. She thought he had risen too high, out of her reach, of anyone’s. She thought he would never fall, not in every sense of the word.

Hence, she’s at a loss for words, slightly pulling herself up, when he slowly comes down; he curls into himself, into her lap, resting his head there like a child. No Kinslayer, no Dragon Prince, no son, no brother. No husband. Just a human, bare in the skin and soul.

Aemond wraps his hand around her knee, gently, and then tighter and tighter, shutting his eye. He’s on land now, but the room is spinning, the whole world is spinning and he doesn’t know how to stop it. He feels he started it all, he threw a spinning top and got sucked into it. And she’s the only firm thing he can hold onto.

“Do you think I’m cursed?” he whispers, the barest flutter of his long eyelashes against his cheekbone.

But she has no answer. All she has are her hands, sliding on his naked skin, through his loose hair, gently, as if touching the thinnest glass, sealing the cracks. Her palms slice open again.  

“Aren’t we all?”

And I dream of a grave, deep and narrow, where we could clasp each other in our arms as with clamps, and I would hide my face in you and you would hide your face in me, and nobody would ever see us any more."

- The Castle, Franz Kafka.

[yandere-daze]

I´ve had this idea plague my mind for the last few days and now it´s finally time for me to unleash it onto the world. Feel free to comment on or ask questions about this idea/ AU if you find it interesting!

This work was inspired by the normalized yandere genshin AU I stumbled upon while scrolling through Tumblr, created by @fancyfeathers

Hope you enjoy!

gn reader

2,2k words

tw yandere, normalized yandere behaviour, mentions of obsession, possessiveness, kidnapping, stalking, murder, emotional manipulation and isolation

Yandere! Genshin Academy/Normalized Yandere AU

In this AU, yanderes are a normal and accepted part of society. Not only are their toxic attitudes and behaviours permitted but even encouraged. Somehow, over the years, people have even started to wish for a yandere as their partners. By Teyvat society at large, yanderes are seen as somewhat of an ideal partner. They´re fiercely loyal and would do absolutely anything for their darlings, right?

And yet, many darlings sing a different tune when reality suddenly comes crashing down onto them when a yandere actually starts pursuing them. Fantasizing about things such as being kidnapped is simply something entirely different compared to experiencing the real thing. And yet, when they call out for help from their loved ones, they´re simply patted on their back and congratulated. Some might even express their condolences to the poor yandere, saying that it always takes a bit of time for a darling to realize that this is for the best.

You are one of the few people who are completely horrified by the concept of a yandere and even more so to see everyone around you treat kidnappings or murder sprees as something completely normal or even romantic. You shudder at the thought of ever attracting the attention of a yandere, knowing that you would have no one to help you avoid that dreadful fate.

Which is why your complete world is turned upside down when you´ve been registered at the wrong academy by mistake. An administrative error, you were told. One, that might take a few weeks or even months to correct.

Now normally, you would have been annoyed but fine with this. You would just have to bear with it for a bit and attend a different school until the error is fixed and you can finally go to your desired one.

But you felt a pool of dread form deep within you when you did some research on the academy you had been wrongly assigned to. It actually wasn´t all that easy to find information on the academy, which you found strange, seeing as this has never been an issue with any other well-regarded academy. But no matter how much you search, nothing concrete is to be found. Only a few abandoned forum posts where people asked around about their missing friend who had last been seen close to the academy in question.

It made you feel a bit uneasy but you figured that it probably didn´t have anything to do with the academy itself. As sad as it was, disappearances were happening all over Teyvat, so this one case wasn´t really of note.

But seeing as you couldn´t find anything else, you figured that you would just need to figure things out on your first day attending the academy.

And oh, were you in for a nasty surprise.

As soon as you sat down for your first lesson, you noticed how strange the atmosphere was. Everyone had been staring at you so strangely when you entered the room, it kind of unnerved you.

After that, a few introductions were exchanged and you slowly calmed down again. Your classmates seemed nice enough and you thought that maybe, your time here wouldn´t be so bad after all.

All that quickly changed when your professor finally entered the room and introduced himself as the instructor who would teach you the subject of "stalking".

Turning your head left and right, you tried to see if anyone else was as shocked about this as you were but to your surprise, no one even raised an eyebrow at this very concerning introduction.

A class on stalking? Maybe this wasn´t what you actually feared and more so a clumsy way of saying that this would be a psychology class focusing on the mental effects stalking has on the victims? With all these yanderes running around unchecked, there were bound to be many victims and so a class like this might actually be beneficiary. I mean surely they wouldn´t actually try to teach young adults how to kidnap someone, right?

Right?

Well, it turns out you were wrong when the professor started outlining different forms of stalking. Following "your darling" around, stalking them online, placing cameras or microphones in their rooms to observe them anytime you wanted.

Your mind was spiraling as you listened to the lecture and you briefly wondered at just what kind of an academy you had been enlisted in. Surely this must be some kind of joke, right? A prank played on newcomers at the academy to get them spooked? Surely someone is going to come in any moment, clear all of this up and then laugh at you actually falling for this?

But no matter how much you hoped for this to be the case, no one was coming. No one was making fun of you for falling for such an obvious prank. In fact, none of your classmates seemed perturbed at all by what was being taught here. How could they be okay with a lesson that basically amounted to "how to stalk someone 101"? You felt like you were losing your mind.

Glancing to your right, you see your blond deskmate eagerly nodding along to whatever the professor was saying and swiftly taking notes whenever a sentence seemed to particularly strike a chord with him. His red eyes practically sparkled as he outlined "helpful tips and tricks for not alerting your darling of your presence" on his paper, using a text marker to highlight a particular passage as if to say that it would come in handy in the future.

On your left, you saw another tall male student and for a moment you hoped that maybe, just maybe, there was someone else here who was bothered by the lecture given. He had a bored look on his face and he was wearing some type of headphones over his grey hair. Was he even paying attention? Maybe he was trying to cancel out the horrific lecture taking place at the moment.

You discreetly leaned over a bit, only to see that he was actually holding a book hidden under the desk, his eyes carefully following the paragraphs of tiny letters. Well, it seems like he certainly wasn´t paying much attention to the lecture because what he was secretly reading seemed to be some advanced material on the success rate of different methods of stalking, from the looks of it.

You quickly turned your head back when you saw him glancing over at you with an unreadable stare. Well, it looks like your hopes were dashed again after all. This guy was nuts too.

Knowing this, you really couldn´t do much aside from waiting for class to be over.

Your small hope that this was just a really strange outlier was quickly destroyed again in your following classes.

Next was a class on emotional manipulation and how to get your darling to depend on you.

Then, a class on how to force yourself into your darling´s life and how to approach growing closer to them.

Finally, the day ended with a lecture on how to kidnap your darling and make them disappear without a trace.

As the bell finally rung, the professor informed your class that there was also an optional class about how to effectively "get rid" of a rival that you can sign up for. You pretended to not be bothered when several students raised their hands to show their interest in attending this course.

You scrambled to get out of your seat as fast as possible, not wanting to stay in this hellish classroom for even a second later. You fled into the hallway and walk by groups of students excitedly chattering about things you didn´t want to listen to.

"Oh, I hope I can find my darling soon! I just know I´ll feel a special connection when we first make eye contact! I´ve been waiting for so long", the first girl swooned as she twirled strands of her long brown hair around her finger, seemingly lost in her own fantasies.

"Agreed. I know that once I meet my darling, I won´t let anything get between us. I will never let them go. It´s only a matter of time", the taller, blue-haired woman chimed in, her voice calmer than that of her excitable friend.

You didn´t like the way her eyes linger on you as you pass by them.

Once home, you tried to make contact with the administrative office again to ask them if the process of your transfer can be sped up in any way. You didn´t want to spend another second in that academy.

With what you have seen today, you were easily able to deduce the true nature of this academy and it left you absolutely terrified.

The fact that you weren´t able to find any information about the academy beforehand, your strange classmates fixated on their potential "darlings" and of course the horrid classes being taught there.

Somehow, you have ended up in an academy for yanderes. Every single person you saw there today was a lovesick lunatic in some shape or form. And the more you thought about it, the more you realized you were in huge danger there. What would your crazed classmates do if they ever found out that you actually weren´t a fellow yandere but someone they could claim as a "darling"? The very thought of it makes you sick. You have to get out of there immediately!

Which is why your heart dropped when after some long hesitation, the person on the phone finally answered you.

"You must excuse me but I´m afraid to tell you that there have been some... unforeseen circumstances that do not permit me to work on your case at the moment. I have been asked to postpone this matter until further notice".

"What? Why?", is all you could manage to say in your befuddlement. You knew bureaucracy can take a long time but for this woman to specifically be asked to postpone this? Just what was going on here?

Again, the woman on the phone hesitated to answer and you could hear a tinge of nervousness in her voice when she finally spoke up. As if she wasn´t sure if she was allowed to say what she was about to.

"I´m afraid that I´m not at liberty to provide this information. The person asking me to...focus on different cases for the meantime wished to stay anonymous. Even so, it is not within my power to refuse their wishes as they have provided our establishment with a generous donation. I sadly cannot help you with this issue", at least the woman did sound generally apologetic but that didn´t really help you in this situation.

Your mind was still reeling as you processed this information. Someone specifically asked for your transferal to not be worked on? Why would anyone do this? And they seemed to have a large fortune too? Why all this to make you stay around?

It can´t be that you already attracted someone´s attention while at the academy, right? Surely that couldn´t be true! You made sure to not interact with anyone directly after you realized just what kind of people attended this school. How could one of these yanderes have "fallen for you" already?

It seemed so utterly unbelievable and if you were being honest, you didn´t want to believe that it was true either. But nothing else made sense. Why would anyone do this otherwise?

Noticing your prolonged silence, the woman spoke up once more.

"I´m sure that all of this will be resolved soon. It will only be a few months. I am sure you will find many friends at your current school soon."

You sure hoped not. The thought of being noticed by any of the yanderes already made the hairs on your neck rise. You vowed to stay away from anyone who even showed a fleeting interest in you. You had to keep yourself safe until you can finally switch schools. You could do this, you had to!

You barely registered when the woman bid you farewell and hung up the phone after you once again didn´t answer her.

Now completely alone, you forged a plan. If you didn´t want to get involved in anything dangerous, no one could find out that you were actually here by mistake and not a yandere. Nothing could be worse than these lunatics finding out that you´re a darling, so you´ll have to be very careful. But how do you do this?

Well, it seemed like you must act like a yandere yourself. You would have to pretend that you´re a lovesick fool who totally isn´t bothered by all this talk about kidnapping, stalking, and murder. Thinking about it again already made you sick but you didn´t really have any other options. No one could find out or it was over for you.

You only hoped that you could convincingly play the part and that no one was perceptive enough to see right through you. Well, it couldn´t be that hard, right?

Surely no one already had their eye on you. Right?

[bluberryfields]

"I want a proper apology."

The dramatic “apology dance”

In the entirety of Season 2, I think the “apology dance” scene is pretty close to my favorite.

The way Crowley walks in like he’s entering a stage in a packed theater.

The way Azi clearly sees him coming and fusses himself up to look extra focused on his work and not at all excited about Crowley’s return.

Crowley, noticing that Azi has yet to look at him, ramps up the drama by:

Whipping off his glasses (taking off his armor)

Response from Azi? Clears his throat and focuses harder on his work.

Time for Level 2 Drama, it seems.

Stalking over to the table (no sauntering here)

Tossing the glasses down (looks casual but absolutely isn’t)

Ringing that little bell (like a ceremonial gong signaling “this is fucking happening”)

Walking back into the rotunda where he has maximum visibility (also maximum vulnerability)

Azi now has no choice but to react, which he does by slowly looking up and over at Crowley, who looks like the human-shaped embodiment of dread.

Finally announcing “I’m back” like the bitchy customer who just yesterday had declared they were never shopping here again

I mean, wow. Amazing. Glorious.

Not to be outcunted, Azi just casually turns back to his work and practically hums, “Yes. I can see that.”

Damn, Aziraphale, did you take lessons in passive aggression from my mother?

Now Crowley groans in a way that I felt to my core and asks, “Do you want a big, ‘I think I said the wrong thing,’ sort of an apology, or can we take that as said?”

He averts his eyes until the last second because this probably feels more demeaning than begging Azi not to do his magic act at Warlock’s birthday part.

Still turned away, Azi replies in a tone that is a mix of hurt and guilt that makes me think this has been coming for awhile. "I'd like the apology actually." I bet you would, Angel.

Back to Crowley, he pauses to assess his options, takes a deep breath, and says the magic words: “You were right.” Also looks like he almost says something else but either doesn’t know what to say or doesn’t want to say it.

Oh wow, so convincing. Bravo.

Finally, Azi puts down his glasses and his work and turns to address Crowley. He is not happy.

“Not good enough. I want a proper apology.” Also, side note, but Michael Sheen’s voice here is just…yum.

Before Azi can finish, Crowley is so quick to reject this idea. “No.” with a shake of the head.

You're not winning this battle, Crowley, and you know it.

“With the little dance.” Azi’s voice perks up and his eyes brighten at the hope this will happen. Seize that opportunity!

Again, Crowley barely let’s the word “dance” come out before he tries to shut it down. “I don’t do the dance.” Nope, no sir, not this demon.

Oh no, now Azi’s anger joins the hurt and guilt for a vicious trifecta. “I did the ‘I was wrong’ dance in 1650, 1793, 1941…” each date being spat out with increasing amounts of venom.

Oh Crowley, you brought this on yourself, girl.

This non-apology combined with his “I'm sorry. I apologize. Whatever I said, I didn’t mean it. Work with me, I’m apologizing here. Yes? Good. Get in the car.” and I can see why Azi reacts to this the way he does.

Crowley knows he’s beaten and concedes with a “Fine!” that feels the very opposite of the word.

Okay so before the “proper apology” can begin, Azi gets up from his chair, straightens his waistcoat, and stands with his hands grasped in front of him like a proper gentleman. A properly petty gentleman.

Then the main attraction! Crowley, looking completely stone-faced, does “the little dance.”

It’s wonderful. He looks so silly and childish and graceful and mature. And god, that deep knee bend at the end? Amazing.

Also amazing is Crowley’s face when he says "Kay?” while bobbing his head and eyebrows back like a sassy rooster? *chef’s kiss*

For Azi’s part, god it is just a delicious mix of polite poker face and barely concealed thirst. I see your eyes scanning Crowley, drinking in that thin, dark Duke. That little dance will live in his head forever.

And that’s the signal to go back to normal! Crowley regains control and Azi falls back into the supporting role.

Long-term relationships are hard, yo.

[viaoverthemoon]

Unavoidable

Leon Kennedy x AFAB!Reader

Okay, this one is pretty self-indulgent bc I'm REALLY dreading that I have to do this soon. I've been told it isn't that bad and I've been told it hurts like hell. Guess I'll just have to find out.

DISCLAIMER: I have never physically experienced a pap smear before! Please do not think that what happens in this is ACTUALLY how it feels. This is just how I THINK it would feel.

Summary: You ask Leon to come with you for your very first pap smear that you have been dreading so long about.

Tw: Mentions of medical equipment, Uncomfortable medical procedures, pain, reader has a fear of doctors, minor description of anxiety (if u squint), lotsss of praise, comfort, fluff

DETAILED MEDICAL PROCEDURE AHEAD!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!

Enjoy!

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"Oh my gosh, I'm so nervous,"

Leon tightly holds your hand as you sit on the stiff hospital bed, watching as your other hand anxiously fiddles with the hospital gown you wear.

You'd been dreading this day for the past week. After giving your virginity away to Leon, you'd told your mother. She'd immediately suggested getting the pap smear you'd once told her you wouldn't get until you lost your virginity.

You spent the week doing intense research, seeing multiple reactions that different people have had. None of them were the same, and that scared you beyond belief.

Leon watched your silent meltdown, wishing there was something he could do. He did his own research as well, diving into the internet and becoming slightly uncomfortable, but still trying to find out if there was some way he could comfort you. His search ended in uselessness, him not being able to find anything that would help him aid you.

But he saw a chance for redemption when you suddenly asked him to come with you.

And so the day had come.

Leon rubs his thumbs over your knuckles, noticing the trembling of your hands. "Don't be nervous sweetheart. I'm right here. Just hold on to me."

You smile at Leon, about to tell him how appreciative you are, but jump when the door opens.

The doctor enters the room, eyes looking at the two of you before she smiles softly. "First time?"

You offer a shaky smile and nod as you hold Leon's hand a little tighter.

The doctor laughs softly as she takes a seat in the rolling chair and flips through the papers on her clipboard. "I'm so sorry, love. But I'll try and makes this as quick as possible, promise. Let me ask you a few questions first."

She asks you the basic questions; 'Are you sexually active?' 'Is there a possibility that you may be pregnant?' 'When was your last menstrual cycle?' The classics.

Once she finishes the questions, she stands from her chair and begins to put the equipment she needs onto a small tray.

A sharp exhale leaves your lips and you opt to staring at the ceiling rather than what she's gathering, taking deep breaths to distract yourself.

Leon rubs your shoulder in a comforting manner, whispering small praises into your ear as he moves your hair to the side to kiss your temple. The doctor explains the process to you as calmly as possible.

"I put some gel on the speculum to ensure that it goes in easy and comes out easy. You may feel a slight pinch, but this shouldn't last longer than 2 minutes max. After that, I'll insert a swab and wipe around the cervix, and then I'll insert a soft brush into the cervix. After that, we're done!"

God, why are you sweating so much?!

You nod to the doctor as she pulls on her gloves, the anxious feeling never leaving as you try to take deep breaths. Leon kisses your shaking hand. "You're doing so good, angel. It'll be over before you know it."

You squeeze his hand to let him know you heard him before the doctor speaks again. "Okay, starting with the speculum,"

You wince a little at the intrusion as your heart leaps. And just when you think 'this isn't so bad', you feel the stretch.

You squeeze Leon's hand again and little ow, ow, ow's leave your lips as you whip your gaze away from the doctor. She and Leon begin to tell you how good you're doing and how it's almost over.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart. You're doing so good! Don't even look at her, just look at me. I'm right here. I've got you."

The praise momentarily takes your mind off of the tickling feeling of the swab, until the brush comes and enters your cervix.

You suck in a breath between your teeth at the less painful pinch, bringing yours and Leon's wrapped hands to your mouth to keep from swearing at the poor doctor.

Then she pulled out the brush, closing the speculum and taking it out of you. "Okay! All done! You did such a good job!"

You heard her but you hardly understood her, eyes brimming with tears as you slowly turn towards Leon. He takes one look at your wobbly lip and turns to the doctor. "Would you mind giving us a minute?"

The doctor gets the message immediately, collecting her things and the equipment before heading for the door. "Of course! Leave whenever you're ready! I'll get these to the lab and your results should be ready in 2-3 business days!"

The second the door closes behind her, the dam in your eyes finally bursts. You felt stupid for crying. You had no reason to. But the tears and sobs were unrelenting. You clung to Leon and he held you, smoothing your hair.

"It's okay sweetheart. You did so good. and I'm proud of you. That wasn't easy, I know."

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Can y'all tell I hate going to the doctor? :))))

I listened to 'Yes to Heaven' by Lana Del Ray while writing this <3

Hope you enjoyed!!

Requests are open!! <3

[chrisredfield73]

Hello! Im super glad i found someone with tf2 requests open, yippee!! Could i please request a Spy x reader where the reader has insecurities about dating cause they feel like they’ll be too attached and scare away their crush (this one being Spy)? I think having Spy, a man usually seen as reluctant to get too close to someone can pair well with someone who gets attached too easily and is scared of scaring their crush away.

Have a nice day!!

A/N: Cocky French man finds absolutely adorable and shy reader. I love this so much, thank you for requesting! I'm also sorry for the long wait, I had to take my mid-term exams!

This was also wrote with 2Fort in mind soooo.

Insert Spy singing Cupid here.

Rough French translations here. (I don't know French, feel free to correct me.)

mon ami/amie- My friend

belle/beau- beautiful/handsome

Je sais que tu m'aimes bien, petit lapin/lapine- I know you like me, little bunny.

mon amour- my love

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

You sit in the lounge in the Red/Blu base, chewing at your fingernails. You've been thinking about a certain man, someone so unmistakable.. That certain man is Spy. He’s so mysterious and cocky, something you find so enticing. You can’t help but fear what would happen though. What would happen if he found out you like him? What would happen if you confessed and he didn’t feel the same way? That would, undoubtedly, ruin your friendship. You didn’t want to scare the man off or weird him out, it would be so awkward and heartbreaking.

Your overthinking eats at your mind, plaguing it with thoughts of self-doubt and many, many insecurities. You snap out of your thoughts when Spy enters the room. A pit of dread enters your stomach. You want to confess, you want to tell him how you feel about him but you’re scared of the worst things that could happen. 

Spy, on the other hand, knows that you like him. It’s a bit obvious by the way you follow him around like a puppy on a leash. He thinks it’s utterly adorable, so he acts oblivious. He doesn’t want to scare you off by telling you that he knows you like him. He can’t help but smirk to himself when he sees you, speaking in that husky tone, “Hello, mon ami/amie.” He notices the blush spread across your face, the way you nervously shift in your seat.. He loves it. 

It took him a long while to get to the point of getting close to you. He’s still not very open about himself, but he at least sits next to you and communicates with you fairly often. He’s a very untrusting man, mostly due to the line of mercenary work. He doesn’t let himself get attached to others but you’re special. You’re completely unaware that he actually enjoys your company since he plays it off as being bored of the others.

“Hey, Spy.” You say meekly, staring up at the Frenchman in front of you. He lets out a low hum as he takes a drag off his cigarette. He sits down not too far from you but doesn’t say anything. You’re too meek to look up at him, but he’s staring right at you. Little do you know, he’s waiting for your confession. “Do you have something to say, belle/beau?” You look up at him and quickly shake your head, but he knows.. He gets up, walking closer to you. He leans down and whispers, “Je sais que tu m'aimes bien, petit lapin/lapine.” 

He knows. Oh god, he knows. You panic, not knowing what to say. Is this going to ruin the friendship you guys have? Does he like you too? In reality, you couldn’t help but be attached nearly by the hip to this charming man. You slowly nod, deciding to be truthful. He smirks and whispers into your ear, “Don’t be afraid, mon amour.. I feel the same way.” With that, he presses a kiss to your temple before pulling away and walking out of the room.

You’re completely flustered. None of the other mercs saw it, thankfully. Did that just happen…? Maybe the Spy isn’t so keen on distancing himself from you as you thought..

[mercwiththem0uth]

Piss off, Ross - Ross Gaines x Reader

summary; [ross x female reader] unemployed and forced to do a restart course. a certain someone catches your eye.

warnings; 18+ content, detailed smut, unprotected sex, strong language, mild mentions of anxiety

--- --- ---

being unemployed in my late 20s was not something i ever would've imagined happening. the company i was working for had went under and i was made redundant, and eventually left with no choice but to join a course at the local job centre. i hated it. i felt judged and patronised by everyone who saw me walk into that building on that first day - little did i know just what i was about to encounter.

"okey cokey, pig in a pokey!" a female voice called as she entered the room, carrying her handbags and clipboard.

here we go, i mentally thought to myself, slightly rolling my eyes. i still couldn't believe i'd ended up here. "good morning job seekers. my name is pauline campbell-jones."

i lost concentration and looked around the room as she babbled on about what was going to happen in this course. my eyes scanned the different people who were joining me here, a mixture of elderly scruff men, trouble-making youngsters, until finally i spotted someone who doesn't look like he belonged here. well, i secretly hoped that i also didn't look like i "belonged" in a job centre, but i was immediately intrigued by him. he was dressed fairly smartly, a blazer over his shirt, small glasses that sat perfectly on his face just under his flopped fringe, complimenting his strong jawline. he seemed to be watching pauline intensely, tapping his pen slightly against his paper. he's quite attractive, i thought.

someone cleared their throat abruptly, and my head snapped back round to see pauline stood right before me, staring in my eyes. "and what's your name, love?" she asked.

"oh- uh" i stuttered due to the sudden and unexpected pressure, "i'm y/n".

"well, y/n" pauline began to say, "maybe you wouldn't be unemployed if you spent as much time looking for jobs as you do looking at mr. ross over there." my mouth dropped open slightly at her rude comment, before reality set in over what she had actually said. out loud.

a deep red immediately flushed my cheeks, and i took a quick glance at the man she called ross, only to find he was already looking back in my direction with a small smirk on his face. was he checking me out? no, he's obviously just mocking me considering i just got humiliated on my first day in front of the whole class.  my eyes snapped back down to my papers. i wanted the floor to swallow me whole... what a mess this had already turned out to be.

i kept quiet for the rest of the session, head down the whole time. however I couldn't shake the feeling of someone's eyes burning into me. deep down, i knew it was him, but i was going to save myself from further humiliation and just ignore it. as soon as pauline announced the end of the session, i wasted no time packing up and practically running out of the building. the dreaded thought eating me alive that i would only have to return again tomorrow morning.

--- --- ---

it was the next day, and i got there extra early to ensure i was the first to arrive. i couldn't bare the thought of walking into a full room, being stared at by everyone who witnessed that monstrosity yesterday. maybe it wasn't as bad as i was making it out to be, but i was still ashamed. people eventually began to arrive and the seats were slowly getting filled. i had chosen the table right at the back in the corner of the room, in order to avoid as much contact with anyone as possible. my throat suddenly became dry as i saw that all-too-familiar man enter the room. i watched as his eyes did a quick scan before settling on me, and i swore i saw a small smile tug at his lips. my eyes shot down as i pretended to pick at my fingernails, but i could still see him out of my peripheral vision. he began walking towards me, and i prayed that he would fill one of the empty seats along the way. but no, of course he didn't. i felt his presence, and i watched from the corner of my eye as he pulled out the chair right next to me, and started sitting down. my heart beat elevated as i continued to steal small glances at him, wondering and worried about what he had planned.

"hi, i'm ross" he spoke in a fairly quiet tone, flashing a smile and extending his hand out towards me. yeah, i know, i thought. there was something far too professional about him. i stared at his hand and quickly cleared my throat as it was somehow drier than it was before.

"i'm y/n" i said, reaching out to shake his hand. his skin was smooth and his grip was firm but gentle.

"yeah, i know" he said, repeating my thoughts.

"ha... right.." i said quietly, forcing out an awkward chuckle. i decided to bite the bullet and just clear the awkward air as soon as possible. "listen, i'm sorry about yesterday" i coughed slightly again as i looked down at the desk. god, i'm so lame.

"nothing to be sorry about," ross said and i nodded slightly, kind of relieved that he seemed to be understanding. "i tried to speak to you after class yesterday, but you left so quickly. i couldn't catch up in time" he chuckled a bit.

"yes, well..." i trailed off, not really sure what to say. wasn't it obvious i was rushing off to avoid him?

i raised my eyes from the desk as the room echoed with the same "okey cokie, pig in a pokie" as yesterday. i huffed under my breath, anxious that she might do something else to call me out again. ross must have heard me, as he leaned in closer to whisper in my ear "don't worry, the only one who she's embarrassing is herself." the simple act caused chills to pass over my skin, almost making me shudder.

i let out a small laugh through my nose, grateful at his attempt to comfort me. pauline continued rambling on about today's workshop on job options, as ross leaned back towards me again. in a hushed tone, he whispered "so, how come you're here then?"

i was a bit taken back by his question, "is that really something you should ask?"

"i didn't mean it in a rude way. but come on, a pretty girl like you, i can't imagine you've just been scrounging off of benefits all your life. you look like you've got it all together, which is more than what I can say for some of the messes in here" he grimaced as he glanced around the room.

i was quiet for a moment, mainly only thinking about the fact that he just called me pretty. "i was forced to come here. i was recently made redundant. i had no choice" i sighed at the reminder, i had liked my job.

he nodded. "well that's a shame... still, this will be over before you know it." i turned my head to shoot him a slight smile. i was about to ask him the same question, considering my first impression of him was that he didn't look like someone who'd been struggling to get work, but i was quickly interrupted. pauline cleared her throat sharply, just as she had done yesterday, and we both looked up to see her scowling at us from the front of the room.

"well, well. If it isn't little miss y/n and mr ross," she began sarcastically, "sitting together are we? as if it wasn't bad enough being ignored by the both of you yesterday, now you're both just speaking over me!"

I went to reply to her, but ross beat me to it. "sorry, pauline. I was just asking y/n if she had a pen I could borrow."

"you want a pen, ross?" pauline said, "well there are plenty of pauline's pens up here at the front near mickey love. now I want you to move here so I can keep a close eye on you." I could tell that ross wanted to protest against her, but she looked at him like such filth that he quickly closed his mouth and stood up. he glanced at me as he walked away with a subtle roll of his eyes, making me giggle.

the rest of the session dragged by, i found myself staring at the back of ross' head for the majority of it, and he'd occasionally turn around in his seat to pull faces at me whenever pauline said something completely inappropriate.

"come on ross, on your feet" she suddenly said, making us look at eachother in confusion. she wanted ross to partake in the last exercise of the day for sales jobs, where he had to try and sell a copy of the big issue. i watched as he stood at the front of the class next to pauline, holding his hands awkwardly. i leaned back in my seat and craned my neck upwards, barely controlling the smirk on my face. i had a feeling this was going to be quite entertaining.

"right then, job-seekers. i want you all to imagine that we're standing on a very busy highstreet," pauline began, "and i'm an attractive young housewife." the laugh that erupted out of me was completely accidental. my hands slapping over my own mouth to stifle the noise was not enough, as pauline slowly turned to stare at me with eyes of daggers. ross however, was smiling at me widely with his bright teeth as he laughed along. i felt giddy knowing i had made him laugh. god, what is wrong with me? i barely know him.

i watched the scene unfold, with pauline mocking ross for his "poor attempt" at selling, before she strangely started asking him to beg her, making everyone in the room uncomfortable.

"no! no, I won't!" he finally snapped, raising his voice. "i won't beg you pauline."

there was a long pause. "very well..." she mumbled, "sit down please, ross." he angrily gave her the magazine back before returning to his seat. she followed closely behind, before raising the magazine and aggressively slapping it across his head. my jaw dropped involuntarily as ross cried out in pain, holding the side of his head where she had hit him. i stood up from my seat, my mouth still wide open in disbelief, and i went to approach him to see if he was okay.

pauline held out her palm towards and stopped me in my tracks, "ah, ah" she said, as if she was telling off a small child or a dog. i stood feeling helpless, watching ross continue to gawk in pain as pauline went around the room and started shouting at everyone. but i wasn't listening to her, not until she shortly announced that it was time to leave. i grabbed my bag and walked over to ross, who was also stood up gathering his belongings. "hey, are you okay?" i said, genuinely concerned.

he looked up at me, his angry face immediately softening. "uh, yeah, i'm alright."

"are you sure-"

he cut me off, "yeah honestly, i'm fine. can we just go?" he said, nodding towards the door. "i'm desperate to get out of here." he seemed flustered and agitated, but i didn't blame him. i would be too.

i nodded and followed him out of the building. we stood on the street outside of the job centre, and i turned to look at him. "we should do something, she can't get away with that." i said, but he didn't seem that bothered.

"what would we do? there's no one to even tell."

"we can report it to the authorities or something. it's just unacceptable."

ross shook his head, which confused me. this was a bigger deal than he seemed to realise. "no one will care, y/n."

"well i care" i said, looking at him as he stared me in the eyes. he glanced down at the floor quickly and nodded his head, before looking back at me. "thanks" he said quietly, poking his tongue out across his lips to wetten them.

there was a small silence. "does it still hurt?" i said, reaching out to touch the side of his head.

"not really" he swallowed, continuing to stare at me. i lowered my hand, mumbling a "good."

there was another small silence, but he broke it this time. "would you maybe want to... go grab a coffee or something? unless you have plans" he seemed nervous, but i smiled in response which made him seemingly relax.

"i'd love to" i said, and we began walking down the road towards the nearest coffee shop.

---

we sat for a few hours, talking about anything and everything. how unbelievable we think pauline is, where we grew up, where abouts we live now, what our interests are. we discovered that we had quite a lot in common. the more we spoke, the more attracted i became to him. he was so well-mannered and polite.

we both lost track of time and would have stayed even longer had we not been ushered out by the closing staff. he insisted on being the one to pay, and i couldn't resist the joke as we walked out the door. "what? just because i'm on the dole you think i can't afford a couple cups of coffee?" he snickered and used his elbow to gently nudge me in the side. i smiled widely to myself as we walked along, taking in the evening sun as it began to set in the sky.

"can i walk you home?" he turned to me, looking hopeful.

"what a gentleman" i joked, causing him to roll his eyes with a smile. "i'd love to say yes, but you live on the other side of town from me, and that's quite a long walk back by yourself."

"oh it's not a bother. i could just ring barbara to come pick me up" he said, alluding to the local taxi driver.

i refused, wanting to make it easier for the both of us, but he went to protest again. with a sudden boost of confidence, i walked forward and reached up to place a kiss on his lips, silencing him. i felt him kiss back almost immediately, after the initial shock, of course. i pulled back after a few seconds and exhaled through my nose. "goodnight, ross. i'll see you tomorrow." i smiled cheekily, turning away from him and beginning my walk back home. i felt tipsy, eventhough i hadn't had a single sip of alcohol. my mother would have called it drunk in loveee, but i shook the thought from my head, unable to control the grin on my face the whole way home.

---

the next day quickly arrived, and i awoke in the morning feeling excited for the first time in months. i got up and picked an outfit, cuter and more formal than what i'd normally wear, especially to a job centre. however i stuck to my usual, light makeup. i didn't want it to seem like i was dressing up too much.

i made it to pauline's class, but i was somehow a few minutes late. brilliant, i mentally scowled myself, and stood outside for a moment to work up the courage to knock on the door and walk in.

"ah, y/n. how nice of you to actually join us" pauline said in her usual sarcastic tone.

"i'm really sorry pauline. something came up."

"don't let it happen again" she looked at me sternly and i nodded before she gestured at the tables for me to go and sit down.

i immediately spotted ross at the back of the classroom, in the same space as where i was sat yesterday. the empty seat next to him almost grabbing me by an invisible magnetic force. i gave him a smile as i made my way over, and sat down as quietly as possible in order to prevent disturbing pauline even further.

"glad you showed up" he whispered. "i was worried you had called in sick or something to avoid me."

"no, not at all!" trying to voice my urgency in a hushed tone was difficult, but i hope he believed me. he was the only reason i forced myself to come here this morning, i certainly didn't want to avoid him.

"that's good, then" he nodded, and i watched as his eyes flicked up and down my body, observing my outfit. "you look nice, by the way"

i couldn't hide the blush on my cheeks as i grabbed my pen and started making notes to catch up with what i'd missed. "thank you" i smiled, moving my foot under the desk to lightly nudge his shoe.

---

the session was almost coming to an end, with pauline wanting to do one more exercise on practicing conducting interviews. she had already had poor mickey up the front, making a fool of himself, but now she wanted someone to volunteer roleplaying as the interviewer, so she could play the "perfect" candidate.

she had singled me out in the room, completely unprovoked. "now, i won't be asking you, y/n love. most interviewers don't show up late, it's usually a very bad impression" i swallowed and focused my gaze on the desk, avoiding eye contact with her. i could feel ross looking at me. i had told him yesterday about how i'd always struggled with anxiety, especially social anxiety, and how my memories of school had been tainted due to my teachers constantly picking on me.

"any takers?" she said, looking around the room. "come on, don't be shy."

there was a moment's silence before a stern "i'll do it." arose from right beside me. i raised my eyes from the desk to look at him, and he was staring intensely at pauline. she beckoned him to stand up, and he gladly obliged, making his way over to the front. as he tucked in his chair, he sent me a subtle wink, and i sat up in my seat wondering what he had planned.

i watched as he immediately began to tease pauline, asking for the clipboard and the pen, before making a snide comment about how he was glad that she wasn't naked. i suppressed my smile, pressing my knuckle against my lips. i continued to watch the scene, pauline pretending to enter the interview and immediately sitting down.

"would you like to take a seat?" ross said sarcastically, mimicking the tone she always used when belittling us.

"ross is quite right," she said as she jumped up. "you're in the driver's seat now."

"... i know." the look on his face as he clicked the pen and slowly smirked up at pauline made the core between my legs ache, and i pressed my thighs tightly together in an attempt to stop the inappropriate feeling.

---

this new side to ross made me feel things i hadn't felt before. the 'interview' was proceeding, with ross continuously taunting and spiting pauline. making her admit how old she was, asking her if she was an egregious person, to which she agreed, and mocking her for her lack of academic qualifications.

he was being stern and stubborn, and a small piece of me couldn't help but think he was perhaps partly doing this to stick up for me, making me want him even more.

the roleplay drew to a close with pauline cockily standing up extending her hand for a hand shake. "thank you very much, when do i start?"

the smug look on her face quickly vanished when ross scoffed. "i'm sorry, but i can't offer you this position." he went on to say that she strikes him as a bully, is foul-mouthed, under qualified, and above all else, "too old."

i mentally praised him as i listened, grateful that pauline was finally getting a taste of her own medicine. she got quiet and took the clipboard back from ross, before suddenly ripping off the papers that he was making notes on, and began shouting. "you'll eat these words!" she exclaimed, turning to him and physically shoving the screwed up papers into his mouth. "egregious, am i? foul-fucking-mouthed?!"

it all happened too fast, and i watched in horror as he began physically choking, pauline's grip on him was so tight that he could barely fight back. i stood up and ran to them, shouting at pauline to stop and trying to push her off of him. but she didn't budge and continued trying to choke ross, before mickey raised from his seat and shouted at her to "stop being a nutter."

pauline seemed to come to her senses (if that was even possible), and let go of him, before slowly turning around and realising what she'd done. i rushed to crouch down at ross' side and placed my hand on his shoulder as he leant forward in his seat, coughing and spluttering uncontrollably. i watched as he struggled to regain his breathing, and i moved my hand to rub circles on his back in an attempt to comfort him.

eventually, the entire class was slowly filing out, including pauline who didn't say a word as i glared at her. it was just me and ross left, the only noise being his small coughs that he made as he began to calm down. i moved my hand from his back and placed it on his knee, "are you okay?" i said gently, enticing him to look at me.

he took a deep breath and nodded slowly, still staring at the floor. he finally raised his head and stared at me. looking into his eyes, they seemed sad and helpless, before they suddenly changed. they became clouded with darkness and he gave me a look that i couldn't quite read. it was a look i'd never seen before. only then did i realise just how close we were to eachother, faces inches apart. i gulped, not knowing what to do.

all of a sudden, ross stood up, pulling me up with him. his hands met the side of my face as he aggressively pushed his lips against mine, taking me completely by surprise. i squealed against him before i registered what was happening, and began kissing him back. the kiss was sloppy and rough, his lips seeming desperate.

he backed me up against the wall, his hands moving from my face to my waist as he began kissing down my neck. i gripped at his hair, my breathing becoming heavy. he began to bite and suck at my neck and shoulders, careless that there would be definitely be marks there tomorrow. as weird as it sounds, i kind of wanted them to be there, a reminder of whatever this would turn out to be.

i could feel myself growing increasingly wet as he trailed his kisses down my clothed body, slowly getting on his knees. he moved his hands down from my waist to hold onto the sides my thighs, before he suddenly stopped, looking up at me. i nodded, not even sure of what he was doing. but i knew i wanted it anyway. he wasted no time tracing his fingers up my thighs and i watched as they disappeared under my skirt. i felt him playing with the hems of my thong and i groaned, desperate for some friction. he slowly began to pull my panties down, enjoying how much i was growing increasingly frustrated. he pulled them all the way to my ankles and over my shoes, encouraging me to step out of them. he held them in front of his face, observing them.

"so wet for me" he whispered, looking up at my face. i whined and pressed my legs together, much like i had done earlier that afternoon. "no, no" he smirked, forcing my legs apart.

"please" i spoke in a broken whisper, causing him to look back up at me.

"please, what?" he said tauntingly. "i want you to tell me what you want."

"please touch me" i whimpered, feeling tears prick at my eyes.

"well, because you asked so nicely..." i watched as he threw my thong somewhere behind him, and began trailing kissing up the inside of my thigh, lifting my skirt and holding it against my stomach. my breathing became extremely heavy as i waited to feel him where i most desperately needed to.

i gasped as his tongue suddenly flicked against my clit, throwing my head back against the wall at the much-needed sensation. i moaned loudly as his mouth wrapped around my pussy, his saliva and my juices mixing perfectly together.

he ate me so hungrily, liked a starved dog at a buffet. his tongue worked me perfectly, focusing near my entrance, as the rest of his mouth caressed my trembling nub of nerves. my body reflexed and bucked against him, grinding my pussy down onto his face. i moaned loudly as my clit rubbed against his nose, causing him to grip me tighter and force my hips against the wall to stop me. i could tell that he wanted to be in control. i grew excessively louder, my hands forcefully holding onto his head for something to grip on to, as i felt myself already getting close.

i allowed myself to bounce up and down on his mouth, trying to get a bit more friction on my clit. he groaned against me, the vibrations almost sending me over the edge. i felt my climax approaching and i tilted my head upwards, my mouth hung open as i readied to reach the summit. until suddenly, it stopped.

ross pulled away from me and stood up, leaving me panting heavily, and oh so unsatisfied. "what the fuck?!" i complained, only to be ignored. "i was so close."

i watched as he undid his belt, flinging it off along with his blazer, and began unzipping his jeans, through which i could see the huge outline of his bulging boner. he pulled them down to his ankles to expose his boxer briefs that were leaking with precum, and i almost instantly dropped to my own knees to return the favour. i looked up at him, trying to look as sexy as possible as i raised my hand to palm him through the thin material. he screwed his eyes shut and hissed as my fingers played with the head of his penis, and i felt it twitch, begging for more.

i smirked and pulled down his boxers to his jeans, letting his aching member spring free and slap against his stomach. he groaned at the feeling, before i collected the precum from his tip and rubbed it and down his shaft, pumping him a few times. i placed the head in my mouth and began sucking him slowly, using my tongue to expertly swirl around the bottom of his tip. i certainly wasn't an expert, far from it, but from the way i had ross moaning, i don't think he paid any mind.

i began going lower, slowly taking more of him in as i bobbed my head gently. but i must've teased him too long, as he leaned down and pushed the hair out of my face, grabbed the sides of my head and pushed his cock all the way to the back of my throat. my hands flailed to grip on to the sides of his thighs as i tried so hard not to gag. but i didn't have much time to think about it as he began rocking into my mouth, thrusting his hips. he moaned quietly, concentration furrowing in his brow. he began fucking my throat, causing me to choke below him, but i didn't mind. i enjoyed it, actually, knowing he was using me to get his pleasure.

i didn't know my eyes were watering until i felt the tears stream down my cheeks, my mascara probably getting ruined. he carried on for a few more minutes, staring down at me as he continuously told me that i was "taking him so well." he suddenly pulled away again, leaving me slightly annoyed as he had ruined my revenge plan to edge him, just as he'd done to me.

but before i knew it, he grabbed my wrists and pulled me to my feet, bending me over the nearest desk. he held my wrists behind my back as he forcefully pulled my skirt up, rubbing his hardened cock against my dripping folds. we both let out a low moan as he finally entered me, his large appendage filling me up so deeply. i groaned as he slowly began thrusting into me, lowering my head to rest it against the desk below me.

"god, you're so tight" he grunted from behind me, beginning to pound me harder. it burned and it hurt, but in the best way possible. his grip on my wrists was so tight that it was sure to leave bruises by the next morning. the desk wobbled and creaked beneath us as he sped up, the sound of our heavy breathing and skin slapping filled the room. he suddenly pulled me upwards so i was stood, my back against his clothed chest. one of his hands stayed gripping my wrist, and the other ran against my hair, collecting some of it into a loose pony tail, before he pulled it roughly, forcing my head backwards. i felt his head rest on my shoulder, grunting in my ear as he continued to fuck me. it was messy. rough and angry. and i think he just needed to use me to release his frustrations. but it was very good nonetheless. he reached down to give my arse a light, unexpected spank, making me choke on a moan.

"i think. i think I'm gonna... cum" i barely managed to get my words out, ross continuing to ram in to me. he let go of my hair and reached round the front of me, rubbing the pad of his fingers over my clit. i screwed my eyes shut dousing in the extreme pleasure, my mouth hung open silently, unable to vocalise my moans.

"come on," he whispered in my ear, "cum for me." his encouraging words and his fingers still working magic was enough to finish me. "fuck, fuck, fuck!" i moaned loudly and flung my head back against his chest, orgasm finally flushing over me. ross removed his hand and raised it to clamp it over my mouth, trying to stifle my loud profanities. his cock still grinding inside of me, helping me ride out my orgasm.

"fucking hell" he groaned through a laugh. "you're such a good girl." he pulled out breathlessly and gently turned me around, pushing me backwards so that my arse hit the desk and my knees buckled to perch on it. he stood between my legs and held my waist to push me further onto it, allowing me to be more comfortable.

he slowly entered me again, before immediately picking up the pace and ploughing me hard. i cried out, wrapping my legs around his lower torso, my arms holding onto his shoulders tightly. i think i may have trouble walking in the morning. he moaned into my hair, his hands under my skirt cupping my arse cheeks.

i moved my hips forward to meet his, copying his rhythm and grinding against him. "fuck!" he groaned against me, trying to keep as quiet as possible. he played around with the hem of my shirt for a while, looking like he was deep in thought, before he suddenly pulled it up and off my shoulders, discarding it somewhere across the room. he stared at my lace bra, my nipples large and pointed. his mouth gaped open as his hips thrusted erratically and became more sloppy. i knew he was close, and considering i was still extremely sensitive from my first orgasm, i knew i wasn't far behind him.

he began moaning uncontrollably, and the noise was like an angel choir to me. i shoved my face into his shoulder, using his collarbone to try to quiet my own noise. i don't know why, but i had only just realised where we actually were. in a public place, where anyone could walk in or hear us at any time. my hands crawled up under the back of his shirt, allowing my finger nails to dig into his skin, and i let myself go, cumming around him for the second time.

he gasped at the sensation of my pussy clenching around him, and i felt his cock twitch and pulse inside of me. he suddenly pulled out and grabbed my hips, pulling me forward to the edge of the desk and encouraging me to lay down. he held his penis and pumped his fist a few times before cumming all over my naked stomach, "oh, fuck" and "yes" being the only words he could manage. he almost collapsed onto me, my chest heaved as i watched him. I'd never seen something quite so hot before.

after a few minutes of us desperately trying to catch our breath, he stood up and walked over to pauline's desk where there were a box of tissues. he grabbed a few and wiped himself, before pulling up his pants and jeans and bringing the box over to me. i cleaned his mess from my skin and stood up, throwing the dirty tissues in the bin. i wandered around the room to pick up my shirt and my panties before dressing myself. i sighed and ran my fingers through my hair, watching ross as he fastened his belt.

"so... what now?" i questioned with an awkward chuckle, not knowing how to proceed with our relationship after the hottest and most random sex of my life.

"uhh, i don't know. late lunch?" he replied, genuinely suggesting us things to do.

"i could do with a shower, to be honest." i laughed, not really wanting to spend any time in public looking and feeling like a hot mess.

"okay, come back to mine then?" i looked at him, not sure if he was actually being serious, but the look he was giving me told me he was. i didn't really want to, but at the same time, i really did. "we can shower and I'll order us food or something. i need to talk to you, anyway."

he didn't give me much time to respond, as he began dialling his phone and ordering us a taxi. we were stood outside waiting for barbara, ross wasn't saying much and i was worried that i'd made a mistake and had set myself up for a very awkward evening. i mean, what do you actually say to the man who just fucked your brains out, completely unplanned in the middle of the day?

we were soon sat in the cab, ross and barbara speaking about what-not. she tried to include me in light conversation but i couldn't really concentrate. i ended up staring out the window as i began thinking about things. about ross...

yesterday, he kept avoiding my questions about work and why he was at a job centre, eventhough he knew my reasonings as to why i was there. he had invited me out for coffee and paid, just a moment ago he had invited me out for lunch, and when i denied he said he'd order us takeaway, and he has just paid for a cab to his flat. he didn't live very far away from the job centre, only about a 20 minute walk, which confused me beyond belief. don't get me wrong, it's not like i couldn't afford those things. I'm not completely broke. but you'd assume that someone out of work would be trying their hardest to save money if there were other alternatives, such as walking a small distance or cooking a home meal.

i didn't want to think too much about it, or judge his situation, but i was anxious about what he wanted to talk to me about. i thanked barbara and climbed out onto the street. deep down i was secretly grateful that we didn't have to walk, anyway. i'd have been hobbling side-to-side due to the pain down there. thanks ross.

i followed him into his apartment and took in my surroundings. it was pretty nice. i immediately see a kitchen island with bar stools, joining into the living space with a large couch and tv, a bookshelf tucked into the corner. "can i get you anything to drink?" he asked, putting his bag and blazer down onto the kitchen counter.

"uh, just water is fine, thank you." i felt awkward and vulnerable. i just didn't know what to say to him. i tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear as he passed a glass of water to me, and i sipped it gratefully, thankful for the refreshing hydration after the exerting events of our afternoon.

"so... what did you want to talk to me about?" i wasted no time, eventhough i was nervous about his answer. he gestured for me to sit next to him on one of the kitchen stools, and i sat cautiously, my mind racing with what he could possibly say. was it good or bad news? was he going to say that he wanted to see me more often? say he never wanted to see me again? or was he going to announce that he's riddled with STD's and has just passed them all onto me?

i watched as he grabbed multiple papers and what looked like video tapes from his bag. "so i guess i just have to jump straight in..." he began by clearing his throat and knocking the papers against the counter to straighten them.

i grew impatient as i looked at him, searching his face for answers. "now, don't be mad" oh brilliant. whenever a man says that, 9 times out of 10, he's about to say something that would make anyone go ballistic. "but i haven't been completely honest about what i've been up to for the past week."

"what do you mean?" i stuttered.

he let out a sigh, and i assumed he was nervous. which only made me want to shit bricks. "i'm actually employed, and i've been working under cover at the job centre."

of all of the things i thought he might have said, that was certainly not one of them. i sat in shock, my brows furrowed, once again not even knowing what to say. my mind raced again and it began to piece things together. the professionalism. the money.

he noticed that i hadn't said anything and carried on. "i'm an internal investigator. i've been investigating pauline and examining her classes-"

"what?" i cut him off, finally regaining my words. "you... what?" that was all i could seem to manage to say. i stood up from my seat and walked to the other side of the counter, feeling my heart beginning to beat under my chest.

"this is a good thing, y/n." he said, also standing up and beginning to approach me. i scoffed and screwed my face up.

"how? i didn't know that lying and being a faker was a good thing." i felt a range of emotions. confusion. shock. betrayal? maybe that was a bit excessive, but i felt like i suddenly didn't even know him. this man whom i'd been hanging out with and seeing every day, he was a complete stranger. was any of the stuff about his childhood and hobbies that he told me in the coffee shop even true? i had been completely honest with him from the start, finding a friend in him, opening myself up (emotionally and physically...), and this is how he repays me?

"i didn't lie to you, y/n." i resisted the urge to scoff again, but i just looked at him confused. "...withholding of information is not technically a lie." i rolled my eyes and turned away from him, wanting to run out the door and not look back.

a hand rested on my shoulder and i shook it off, walking to the door to try and slip my shoes back on. "y/n, just stop. i meant that it's a good thing because i'm going to have all this evidence against pauline. when i hand this over, she'll be locked up for good." i glanced at him as he was holding everything that he laid out on the counter earlier. "these are recordings. all of the times she was ever rude or picked on you. every time she belittled mickey. every time she... you know. physically hurt me. it's all on here."

ross' pov

i shook the papers and the tapes desperately in my arms, trying to get her to understand. i wasn't even supposed to be telling her this information, it was completely against the rules of the social services. but i trusted her. i wanted her help in being a witness against pauline. and above all else, i just wanted her to know the real me.

she was silent for a long moment, but i could tell her thoughts were racing.

"why didn't you tell me this sooner?" her voice was quiet.

i sighed, wishing i had been truthful with her from the start. "it's company policy. i'm not even supposed to be telling you now. but i trust you, y/n. i really do." i watched as she slowly turned to face me and put her shoes back down on the floor. "i didn't want to hide from you anymore."

"okay, so... what was earlier about, then?" she cradled her arms against her chest, looking nervous. or embarrassed. or both?

"what do you mean?" i wasn't quite sure what she was getting at, but she soon made me feel like an idiot for not understanding.

"oh, you know, when you randomly fucked me?!" her voice was raised. i couldn't tell if she was mad about it, or just mad at me. but surely she wouldn't have come back here with me if she was disgusted and never wanted to see me again.

"i- i just. i don't know, i was angry. i needed something. someone. and you were there being all nice-"

"so you would've just done that to anyone?" she spat, cutting me off.

"no! god, no!" my grip loosened on the evidence against pauline, letting it crash to the floor in a discarded mess. but i didn't care, the only important thing at the moment was getting y/n to understand. "i... i really like you" she looked at me but didn't say anything, so i continued. "i think you're so beautiful. i didn't mean to upset you or anything, and i'm really sorry if i did. i just thought that, i don't know, maybe you liked me too..." i sighed again and looked at the floor, feeling vulnerable and worried that i had ruined the relationship between us.

"i do like you, ross" she spoke so gently, her voice barely above a whisper. "i liked you from the moment i saw you."

i couldn't find any words, i didn't need them, anyway. i walked towards her cautiously, extending my hands towards her face. she didn't move as i used my palms to cup her cheeks, smoothing a piece of hair from in front of her eyes. i leaned forward a little, her eyes glancing from my eyes to my lips.

reader's pov

i fluttered my eyes closed in anticipation, as i leaned towards him, waiting for the gap to be sealed. his lips pressed against mine, they felt small and incredibly gentle, a huge difference to how he was kissing me earlier. i raised my hands to allow my fingers to run through his hair, enjoying the feeling. i smiled against him, wanting to deepen the kiss, but he pulled away.

he rested his head against mine, our noses almost brushing together. "will you help me get pauline fired?" he whispered. all i did was nod.

his lips curled into a small smile. "just five more weeks of torture left, before she gets what she deserves."

"torture?" i questioned, sarcasm lacing my voice. "i think five weeks of seeing me every day will be pure bliss for you" i smirked, allowing my hands to rest on his lower back.

"i think you're right" he whispered, moving to kiss me again. it immediately heated up, my tongue slipping into his mouth. he walked me through the apartment, tongues still intertwined, before softly laying me against the couch. somehow, we both ended up undressed, panting heavily as we explored eachother. my hands raked through his hair as i moaned, his lips kissing down my neck in the same spots he had done not long before. "hold on" he whispered, pulling away from me and quickly running into the next room. he immediately returned, pulling a condom onto himself, making me chuckle. "probably a bit late for that." he laughed lightly and hovered over me, parting my legs with his knee.

"are you ready?" he said, leaning down to peck my lips. i nodded and rested my head back on the cushions, hissing as he stretched me out. "i'm sorry" he cooed, "are you okay?"

i nodded again, tears pricking at my eyes. "you really did a number on me earlier" we laughed against eachother, sharing small kisses as he stayed still inside of me, allowing me to adjust to the feeling. "we don't have to-"

"no, i want to. it should be okay now." he cautiously started rocking into me, moving as slowly as he could. after a while, the stinging stopped, and the pleasure soon returned. he was gentle and loving, only making the experience even more gratifying. our whines filled the apartment, lips moving perfectly together, my fingers rubbing his back and through his hair. no one had ever made love to me the way ross was right now.

we soon reached our highs and we laid exhausted, cuddled against eachother.

"should we go have that shower now?"

[yostresswritinggirl]

Hello! It is me again, Bali! With another idea! I read in another blog something about reader been a fugitive! So what would it be your opinion iF—

Reader became a wanderer in Sumeru? Let's make it some angst an put that they are already dating the boys! (Cyno and Tighnari) Reader knows that Cyno has to probably hunt them down (the reason about them being hunt them down it could probably be because they know some dark secret about the Akademy that even Cyno nor Tighnari have any idea?) Or—

SPOILERS FOR THE STORY QUEST OF SUMERU!

————

Maybe they know a way to get out Nahida from the sanctuary? That they came in contact with them or maybe even gain a vision while something happen when they wanted to help their archon! (It could be a fight that almost made them lost their life?) And maybe Nahida even possessing their body so they can get out of Sumeru safe?

———

How do you imagine their reaction? From both guys? I feel like reader wouldn't want to tell anything to them because that would make them involved? Or maybe they would just try to run away before they can even question her about it? THE POSSIBILITY ARE A LOT!

Oh fugitive reader! Alright there's a lot of things going on here so I need to collect my thoughts properly - cuz my hc for the poly cynonari reader is that they're actually from Mondstadt, but it would be a sucky answer if I just say they ran off to Mond hmm

And and it also depends on WHEN this happened, because it would change if this was before Cyno exiled himself or during the time the desert gang is planning to free Nahida hmm

Let's go first with Before Exile Timeline/Present Timeline:

When Cyno was given the task to retrieve you, he doesn't know if the sages were truly blind to know your relationship, or this was a cruel torture they intentionally gave him. He's in the dark for the most part, no matter how much he tries to probe he was not given a solid answer as to why you're wanted, only that it was too confidential and that they need you for interrogation.

The walk to Ghandarva Ville was slow and painful, what with his heart beating strongly against his chest, his stomach twisting and turning from the dread of the predicament he was in. He was so close to overthinking, and no matter how hard he forced himself to be neutral about this as the General Mahamatra, Cyno was still gunning on the fact that there was a misunderstanding.

Tighnari only needed one look at Cyno to see that something is terribly wrong when he entered his hut without so much as a greeting. His lover looked utterly broken and on the brink of breaking down, the stress emanating from him also touching him, the fur on his tail and ears standing in attention as if his fight or flight response was triggered.

When Cyno broke the news, that he was here to arrest you, the both of them got into an argument. Tighnari was desperately fighting for your case, that the Akademiya was wrong, that you were just an adventurer without a single bad bone in your body. "Think about this more, Cyno, don't you trust our (Y/N)?" He was almost pleading, trying to break the General Mahamatra's one track mind when it comes to his work.

"Tighnari, when did you last see them?" And there was a pregnant pause in between as the situation became heavier. You had been gone for two weeks now, which wouldn't be unusual if not for the fact that you didn't inform them beforehand. But if something was wrong, why wouldn't you tell them? Or at least Tighnari, who had been transparent about his detachment from the Akademiya.

Now they're both battling with their own internal conflicts. Cyno overwhelmed by his fair judgment as his heart tries to reason with him, and Tighnari with his solid faith being countered by his rational mind. At some point, they work behind each other's backs to look for you so that things can be clearer.

You best hope your Forest Watcher boyfriend finds you first, because Cyno will be harder to persuade with his heart already filled with thoughts of your betrayal.

After Cyno's Exile and Tighnari's Findings about the God Project:

In this one, Cyno and Tighnari work together to try and find you, if you're not already trying to find a way to look for them to relay the information.

They don't know the exact details but they were aware that the Eremites were tasked to haunt you down, by the orders of the Sages or Dottore. After hearing the latter enemy after knowing what damage the Harbinger had done to Collei, the both of them are quick to 'dispose' the mercenaries every chance they get. If you don't want to be found, the least they could do is make sure no one does.

They're plagued of stress daily from overthinking about your situation. Did you get caught? What if you're not safe where you're hiding? Are you still in Sumeru? Are you with people that are helping or secretly sold you out already? These thoughts keep them up at night, and so they use those times to scour the forest and desert respectively for any signs of your presence.

If they do find you or you find them eventually, they'll openly break down into tears as they pull you into a tight hug, a series of why's and where's brokenly repeating in between sobs. Why didn't you tell them you were in danger? Where did you go? Why would you hide this from them?

They were prepared for the worst and seeing you alive (and hopefully well) made them crumble in nothing but relief. You're not the best fighter in comparison nor the best stamina despite your occupation. If they see wounds, scrapes, signs of sickness, fatigue, and even slight weight loss, they'll tend to you with shaky hands and misty eyes. (Even worse if the fight for their life had also happened)

You don't know how scared they were, but they'll make sure you're safe with them now. Even if you insist to leave after exchanging information, they would force you to be with them. Sages, Akademiya, Eremites, Harbingers be damned - the forest can burn so long as they can keep you safe from harm's way.

New banner! Specifically for poly cynonari in the context of Chase The Mirage ™

[slickchickchocolatier]

Heethans reaction to readens miscarriage??? I know it's not the best topic and I'll completely understand if you don't want to write about it<3

"Baby's Breath..."

Warnings: Miscarriage, torment, trauma, depression, fluff, overcoming trauma, learning to move forward.

.............

Pacing back and forth in the room, you wait for him to come back from the store. It normally took him only ten minutes to make a trip, which was perfect considering you've been aching to confirm a gut feeling you've been having, all triggered by certain events that took place.

The last three weeks have been torture, painful in fact. You didn't tell him, since you knew he would have become worried and overwhelming with his sincere affection for you. You weren't sick....at least, not from the viral plagues known to man, instead, you were sick from everything else. Food, your favorites in fact, all made you sick. Scents from candles and plug ins, which had never bothered you, were now something that you couldn't stand and caused you raging headaches. Being in a car, riding along with him by your side, was becoming a triggering event that caused you to become nauseas. Suddenly it hit you one day, while you were in class, when out of nowhere you hurriedly excused yourself from class and rushed into the bathroom, and was ridden over the sink for who knows how long....despite you not eat at all for days following it, you managed to throw up whatever was left in your gut and that's when it began to hit you.

"Am......am I.....pregnant?"

You couldn't be. At least, there was no way. You were always careful to take your birth control pills, yet due to a shortage, you weren't able to actively take it for weeks, but you still couldn't be....not after taking those Plan B pills that you had obtained with the help of H/N. But what if......just what if.....?

So you obtained a pregnancy test, and have been waiting to use it.

............

"Pretty baby, you wanna come to the store?"

"Um...i'm good, i'll wait here for you. I'm going to take a quick shower."'

"Okay, stay here, i'll have the doors locked and my housemates are all downstairs. I'll be back in ten minutes. Don't leave the room."

"Okay."

.............

The moment he left, you made haste and used the test strip. Waiting after wiping the handle clean, your timer finally sets off and you hurried back into the bathroom to view the result.

......."two bars.....that.....the box says that that......oh my God...."

You slowly fall to your knees as your hands rest on the ledge of the counter. It was positive, you were indeed pregnant.

"What am I going to do?....I haven't finished college...I just started....what are my parents going to say?"

Worrying about everything around you, the one and only person you didn't have to be concerned for, was Heeseung. Though he hardly ever expressed his emotions in being a father, aside from looking at impregnating and creating children with you as a symbol of his love for you, a product of your union with him, which would escalate his happiness more than anything, he never really did outline any detailed traits on fatherhood. It was all just merely for the sake of reflecting that you indeed belonged to him.

Walking back over to the bed, you laid down and cradled into a slight fetal position, feeling confused and scared.

"What's going to happen? Is everything going to be okay?"

Hearing his car pull up, you felt the dreadful sense of hearing Heeseung walking in the house, saying hello to his frat mates downstairs before walking up and reaching for the knob. Entering the room, he quietly makes his way over as he sets the bag down on the floor next to the bed, and leans in to caress your face.

"Whats wrong pretty baby? Tired?" He asks sincerely as he notes you laying, yet you were widely awake.

"mm....no...not really.....well..i am actually i just...." You found yourself stuttering and stumbling on your words, not making any sense as he chuckles. "What's wrong baby? Do you want some juice? You need some sugar in your system or do you want to go to sleep early tonight?" his voice was deep yet so tender as he considered all options to bring you to comfort.

".....He-Heeseung......"

"What is it beautiful?"

Reaching up and over his lap, you pull out the drawer to his nightstand and retrieve the test. Handing it to him, you let him observe it for a second before elaborating the meaning behind the results.

"Two bars means........it means......."

"......You're pregnant...." he finishes, as he raises his head and views you with those deep and dark lustful eyes, peering from under he bill of his cap. He neither smiled nor frowned, just looked completely neutral and dazed in his gaze for you.

The moment he said his piece, you broke down and started to sob hard, and uncontrollably.

"Hey, heeeeeeey. Whats wrong? Come here pretty." holding you, he presses his lips atop your head. The oversized tee shirt you wore, which had belonged to him, shrinks up and fits you like a small mini dress as he tugs on your frame and pulls you in against his chest.

"I....I....what am I going to do? I'm not finished with school.....I'm......what about my parents? What am I going to do?"

"Shhhhh...." stroking and petting your head, he deeply whispers....

"First off, not 'I'.....its 'we'.....and I'm going to tell you what WE are going to do.....we're going to be happy." kissing your forehead as he leans your face against his shoulder, he keeps his face turned over towards you as he mumbles against the thatch of your hair covering your ear. "We're going to be just fine. Your parents are going to be happy for us, and I'm going to take care of you. We're going to live life and enjoy the fruits of our labor, even if it is in the form of a baby boy....or girl. Haven't I already made it obvious that I'm always here to make your life easier? Hmm?" moving the pieces of subtle strands away from your cheek, he lays a tender, soft kiss as he mumbles against your skin. "Everything is going to be fine no matter what...I'm excited.....but I would like for you to be as well.....so if you need to take a moment...maybe a day or two to settle, then that's fine. But I promise things are going to work out."

Suddenly hearing his words...his deep tone and the softness in his meaning, you started to feel better......in fact you began to feel excited, and happy. In the end, he was right, your parents were happy, things were fine as he helped plan out your enrollment periods so you could continue to do school online for when the time came you could no longer attend classes on campus. He did make things easier. As always, he made you feel warm, loved, and he did everything right.......if only you had done so right from the start.

................................

Weeks right before you were scheduled to find out the gender of your baby, you felt the happiest. It was so amazing, the feeling and knowing that there was something growing inside, something that was a part of you, and Heeseung. It was forming, growing, and taking after the both of you. Heeseung's seed, his child, his baby, developing and taking nutrients from your body, as you continued to replenish your vitamin intake and focused on making it as healthy as possible. The baby you had formed a close bond, a loving and nurturing relation with, had continued to grow. But when you began feeling sharp pains in your stomach, initially you felt that it was just the weight of your healthy baby growing strong, yet the constant aches grew more and more. Fortunately tomorrow you were to go to your follow up to not only find out the gender, but you could also address your issues with your doctor.

But fate had other plans.....that caused devastation and turmoil in your heart and soul.

..................

"..mmm...mm......AAAH!!!!"

Shooting up and immediately grabbing onto you, Heeseung wakes up to a blood curling scream as you lay next to him.

"Y/n, whats wrong?" Grabbing his phone, he shines the flashlight over you and scans the entire room. "Whats wrong?" leaning over, he whispers into your cheek, thats when he noticed the beads of sweat on your face, your hair damp and your breathing escalating. Lord only knew just how scared he was at that moment. Without even delaying and asking any more questions, he knew he had to get you to the hospital. Jumping out of bed, he throws on a tee shirt, not even bothering changing out of his sweat pants and places on his cap as he migrates back over to the bed to help you out. Flipping the blankets off, he froze for a moment as he takes in the view of what was hiding under the covers. Blood.....so much blood......blotches of thick clots that raged deep red, staining the sheets and bedding.

One particular spot, where at first glance, looked to be a collection of sticky and bloody residue, yet upon closer look as he grabbed his phone and flashed the light over, he saw the one and only thing you had been bonding with for the last 15 weeks.....

Sighing in defeat, brushing his hand over his mouth as he stroked the lining of his lips briefly, he acted fast, all so you wouldn't notice. Taking his shirt off, he gently, yet quickly, collects the product of his love for you and wraps it delicately. Taking a quick glance at you, he brushes the hair away from your face and sets the child aside. Despite it not fully formed, still having a long way to go, yet will sadly never see the day where it would see light and the face of its beautiful mother, it was still.....a child....his child...your child......your baby.

He puts on a new shirt, and collects you, handling you softly as he helps you into his car, and drives you to the Emergency Room. You dipped in and out of conciousness as you vaguely remember the car ride, checking into the hospital, and the nurses dressing you into the patient gown. As soon as you were settled in and laid sleeping, hooked up to numerous IV's as the hospital staff pumps fluids and vitamins to your body, Heeseung remained by your side.

A nurse comes in to conduct the initial examination, prior to the doctors arrival.

"Okay, i'm just going to check on some vitals real quick......can you tell me what the symptoms were again?"

Looking at the woman's face, dead straight on, he doesn't say a word, at least, not with his voice, or his lips.....he spoke with his eyes as he firmly, and sternly locks on a gaze with the nurse, as he quietly and calmly, hands her the fruit of his love for you, all still delicately wrapped up in his t-shirt. Bloodied and stained, his hands appear rusty as the blood starts to dry out and become brown in color. Receiving his stare, the nurse grew intimidated and fearful as she watched the man raise a brow, displaying an eerie and harsh stare as he gestures for her to take the small bundle.

Taking it, the nurse gently holds it close as she takes her pen and notepad, and steps out, not even bothering to force the issue of gaining information. The man's eyes told her all she needed to know, in order to relay to the doctor.

...................

Waking up to the over cast of bright, florescent lighting that beamed into your face, you whimper as you shot up, immediately placing your hands over your stomach. Noting that the small, round bump that had molded in the last few months, was suddenly no longer there, you shook as you began to sob. God, never have you cried so hard....never have you felt that you lost something until now. All those moments when you thought back to the times when you lost your favorite pen, your key chains, your necklace, your shoes, or your favorite photos from your childhood........all those times when you were upset over the loss of things that you held dear...those material things.....you now realized that what you had felt those times....were not loss....this....this right now......this was loss. This was losing. This was losing grip, watching something so dear to you....disappear.....never having the chance to grant it it's first breath, the very thing you had dreamed of whenever you were rubbing your tummy as you read your books and did your homework assignments.

The sound of the door behind the privacy curtains could be heard gently opening and closing. Walking through, you saw Heeseung as he stood tall and sets his gaze on you, his face, was calm, neutral, and staring at you with heavy lids.

"........I.....I lost it.......didn't I?.......I lost.....I lost my baby.....!" at the last bit of your sentence, you feigned a smile as you began to sob uncontrollably, your cheeks drenched with tears.

He remained calm and composed as he walked over to your side, sat next to you and leaned in over you, pressing his lips against your forehead, where they remained, despite you shaking from the hard cries as you dispel your whimpering and depressing sighs of defeat.

"You didn't lose anything......you didn't lose your baby." he softly speaks against your skin. Looking up at him, you furrowed your brows in despair as your tears continued to stream down. "You didn't lose our baby.......please understand...."

Looking off to the side for just a moment, he sighs out as he turns his glance back at you, and softly smirks with a look of sympathy to accompany it. His words that followed suit, was something you didn't know you needed to hear....ever.....but just as usual, despite his overbearing flaws, all due to his love for you, Heeseung came through when you needed him to.....

"Baby.....you did great.....you did wonderful. You were a good mommy.....you were a wonderful mommy......and you would have continued to be the best mommy in the world. Its just....our baby wasn't ready to come into this world......he wasn't ready to be born. Not because of anything you did......because of you, our baby boy thrived and was happy....he was peaceful......he got to know his mommy and saw how much she loved him. He was content with that.....it just wasn't his time......but that doesnt mean he wont be back.....his body might have given up on him, but his soul is still searching for the right time....when he can come and see us."

Stroking your cheek, he caresses your skin as he softly widens his eyes and looks at you with such love and adoration you desperately needed. It took a while.....it took much longer than you would have liked to overcome the series of depression when you recalled the feeling of the pain you felt in your gut that night.

It took a while.....but in the end, Heeseung......the love of your life, was right yet again.......so right. Your baby boy did come back, years later.

He came back with a stronger, much healthier body, and the first moment you kissed his face upon hearing his strong, loud cries in the delivery room, you knew it was your baby....your precious baby. Watching as your son flashes a gummy gape as he cries out under the bright lighting, you rub the tip of your nose and smell his breath. This...this was the moment you waited for.....for so long......the moment where your baby returned to you.....

"Sweet son of mine....I've waited to see you for so long......its so good to see you again......so healthy...so strong......I've missed you so much....I'm sorry we had to say goodbye so early the last time....but now that you're here, i promise we'll make up for all the time that was delayed. I promise to play and laugh with you, and to be the cause of your happiness and strength. I promise that you're going to be alright this time, now that you're here....my sweet, sweet boy......."

Standing off to the side, with his arms crossed and admiring the view, Heeseung smirks. He was thrilled, but contained himself to allow you to have your cherishing moment, knowing that it was long overdue.

"Name our boy, and be happy y/n. You always did so well.....and you continue to do well.....so rest easy and be loved by me and our son. Nothing was lost......just misplaced.....yet found again."

Authors note: Did anyone else cry? I got a bit glossy eyed on this one, ngl, it was so heartbreaking but also heartwarming. I feel like Heethan (despite being an asshole sometimes) really helps teach us valuable lessons and how to cope.

Enjoyed this piece? Show love and treat your girl to a cup of coffee. ♥️ 

☕ Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/reinbow

[baek-at-it-again95]

Walk The Plank (KHJ x fem reader)

Chapter 17: Desire

You had grown up hearing tales about the infamous pirate crew ATEEZ—the fearless, power-hungry men that roamed the seas in search of the most valuable treasure they could lay their hands on. You almost didn’t believe the stories your mother had told you as a child...not until you wound up on their ship  

Warnings for this chapter: None? A lot of vulnerability? Some kissing and some crying...I couldn’t hold myself back lol

A/N: We are approaching the end! 🥹😭 I'm so attached...I wish I could just continue this story forever. I've been writing this one for a long time now! I have a Seonghwa fic in the works so hopefully that will be out soon <3 🤧 I love you all so much and I am truly so grateful! Also, happy San day!!!

Previous: Chapter 16, Masterlist

Chapter 17: Desire

How are you going to tell them that you need to destroy it...

You hadn't noticed until now how well you handled the jump back to your universe. You had not experienced difficulty breathing or feelings of overwhelming panic. Perhaps you've finally adapted to using your ability. You have used the Cromer frequently enough to begin understanding it. Unfortunately, now that you've accomplished that, you have to get rid of it.

You sigh as Jongho places his hand on your shoulder, tearing your gaze away from the Cromer. You'll tell them soon...you just want to enjoy your moment with your crewmates.   

"Y/N, I am so happy to see you," Jongho says.

"I am happy to see you too, Jong." You smile, nudging him. "I was only away for two days, but it felt like an eternity without you all." Jongho's eyebrows scrunch together.

"Two days?"

"What, was it three?" you question.

"Y/N, you were gone for eight dreadful days and nights," Yunho says.

"What?" you exclaim.

"Time must move a bit differently in the world you were in. Fascinating," Seonghwa says.

"Not fascinating. Dreadful," Yunho repeats.

"That did not happen the first time, did it?" 

"No, you were gone for mere minutes the first time," Seonghwa states.

"Y/N, may I have a word with you?" Hongjoong interrupts.

"Yes, actually there was something I needed to discuss with you as well." He nods, placing his right hand at the small of your back to guide you. You enter his cabin and carefully shut the door behind you. It has become your safe place, really.

"Joong I—"

"Y/N." He takes your face in his hands again, the side of his cool metal hook pressing into your soft cheek. "I just needed a moment with you. I cannot even begin to imagine what you have been through. It must be overwhelming."

"You know I can handle myself, Joong." You give him an assuring smile. He pulls you into a hug, this time much calmer than before. You melt into his arms, your hands grabbing the fur of his coat tightly. As turn your head to the side in your embrace, you catch a glimpse of the absolute chaos on his desk.

It was bad before, but this? More papers and maps than you have seen in your lifetime are sprawled across the table, journals and pens and navigation tools littered everywhere. "Oh my," you say quietly, leaving his hold to get closer to the desk.

"It was difficult trying to research a way to get to you," he explains. "We are so relieved you were able to get back here yourself." You pick up a familiar journal opened on the desk. As you scan over it, you notice it's the story you had written detailing how you ended up on their ship. A small piece of paper falls from the journal and back onto the desk. In black ink, there are sketches of you. One is a picture of you reading a book, and another smaller one is of you with your hair ribbon. 

"Did you draw these?" you ask him, taking the paper to examine it closer.

"Yes," he mumbles. "You were all I could think about, Y/N." You blink back some sudden tears and quickly set down the paper before you can ruin it. "I will not let you out of my sight again." This time, you take his face in your hands. 

"I know, Joong," you whisper. "I know." You pull him into a quick, gentle kiss. 

As you pull away, you see his eyebrows are scrunched with worry, and you trace your fingers over his features. Your fingertips caress his chin, his cheek bone, and eventually, his eye patch. The tips of your fingers trace the band above his ear, where you slide your finger beneath it. Hongjoong's jaw seems to clench at this, but he does not stop you. Still, you don't wish to pressure him. You love him, whether you see all of him or not. You begin to lower your hand, but he takes it, placing it right back where it was. He nods as you look at him with surprise. With a small smile, you pull at the strap and lift it ever so carefully. 

Once you remove the leather and set it aside, you take in his face. You had been expecting some kind of scar...perhaps even no eye at all. But what you find is that his iris and pupil are clouded. Hongjoong avoids looking at you for the first time ever. 

"You are beautiful, Hongjoong." He meets your eyes, surprise etched across his features. You give him an assuring smile.

"I have never thought so. I was cursed a long time ago, after making a foolish deal with someone I thought I could trust. They took my sight." He sighs, pausing. "It is rare to encounter those that use magic for good anymore." 

"You are still you, Hongjoong. Nothing less. You are beautiful, regardless." The man in front of you suddenly closes the small distance between you, desperately kissing you as if you would be swept away any moment. You place your arms behind his neck and his strong arms wrap around your waist, holding you protectively. You feel safe and warm in his embrace. The moment is blissful, and you wish he would never let go. But when you break for air, you remember why you agreed to have a word with him in the first place. 

"Hongjoong, perhaps it is not the right time," you say breathlessly. "Not that I wish to stop this...just remember that I have something to tell you."

"Yes, darling. What is it?" You bite the inside of your cheek, nervous about how he might react.

"It is about the Cromer," you start. He tilts his head.

"What about it, Y/N? You can tell me." 

"I was told that we should destroy it."

"Destroy it?" Hongjoong repeats, looking at you as if you are not quite serious. "Who told you that?"

"You—the other Hongjoong. He explained that once we rid ourselves of it, the Guardians will not be able to locate us as easily, if at all. It was upsetting to hear, but it does seem like the best thing to do to keep each of us safe. We have all experienced some kind of danger with it, Joong." Hongjoong looks at you with an unreadable expression, and you shift nervously. "Please say something," you whisper. 

"Y/N, think about what you are saying. We have put infinite time, energy, and resources towards getting this artifact. To give it up is mad!"

"But if we do not have it, the Guardians cannot find us. They cannot take anyone. They cannot take me!" Your voice cracks, and your vision becomes blurry as tears well in your eyes for what feels like the hundredth time that night. "I just want to be with you, Joong. It is difficult to give up something that we searched so hard for but you are more important to me." You're crying harder now, your hands trembling at your sides as you grip the fabric of your skirt tightly. "I do not care about magic. I do not care about treasure. I found what I want and it is you!" you exclaim. You lower your gaze, rubbing your eyes with the back of your hand and watching as your tear drops hit the floor pitifully. 

Hongjoong is then right in front of you, lifting your chin gently. "I love you, Y/N." You look at him in awe, a bit taken back. "I ask that you forgive me for not understanding at first. I see why this decision must be made." He wipes your tears with his thumb, looking at you with all the care in the world. "Do not cry, darling. It will be alright." You can't bring yourself to speak, only nod at him. 

Hongjoong places a kiss to your forehead before turning to his desk. You watch as he picks up his eyepatch and you hurry over, taking it from him to help him put it back on. 

"I love you too, Hongjoong."

*** 

You stay in the cabin until the captain is done explaining the situation to the crew. Not wanting to witness their reactions to the news, you pace around in circles until they are done. You are feeling a bit tired, but you'll manage. "Y/N!" Mingi's deep voice calls you from outside.

You take a deep breath and step out into the moonlight, your favorite people gathered closely.

"Yes?"

Yeosang hands you the Cromer. "Will you do the honors, my lady?" 

"Are you sure we should not just toss it overboard?" Yunho asks. 

"We could, but think about the suffering of those who might find it in the future," Jongho says. 

"I could live with that," Wooyoung chimes in. 

"Silence," Hongjoong demands. "Go ahead, Y/N." You stare at the hourglass, the gold gleaming under the bright full moon. This is it. This is a decision for the better. With a heavy heart, you raise the fragile object above your head and drop it to the ground. Fragments of glass shoot outward like stars across the deck. Your father's entire life of research, shattered at your feet. Your captain's research. The guilt hurts, but the thought of being separated again from everyone that you have come to love in this world...that hurts more.

You watch in silence as Hongjoong pulls his hook through the dented gold frame and swings it overboard. Seeing it feels unreal. It makes you think of the other Hongjoong, and what he must be doing. Is he safe too? You hope everything works out for him. 

Exhaustion hits you hard out of nowhere, and you reach out to San beside you. It seems like your travel did have an effect on you, just not immediately. 

"Woah there." San picks you up, his arm tucked behind your knees.

"Tired already, princess?" Wooyoung asks, heading for the crew's quarters and motioning for San to follow. "You're out before we even got to start drinking." He giggles. Your eyelids feel heavy, closing before you can manage a response.

"Be careful with her," you hear Hongjoong warn.

"Got it, Captain!" San says, his footsteps heavy on the steps leading below deck. 

Taglist: @foxinnie8 <3

[obsoleteozymandias]

Pretty sure I saw somewhere you were familiar with Off by Mortis Ghost. May I humbly ask you for some headcanons of the dorm leaders with a reader that's Basically a Zone 1 elsen?

It's ok if you don't want to also

Anon ANON *grabs you by the shoulders and shakes you* I need you to know that this ask specifically is what made me return to my inbox today. 

Here’s what I’m thinking in terms of this: A reader would be a student with magic who is extremely shy, hardworking, and emotionally distant/blank. They don’t have much of a presence at school, and tend to blend in. 

But one day - everything happening to them (whatever it is, I’ll leave up to your imagination) leads to them overblotting, much like an elsen - their mouth spewing blot like smoke until it consumes their head and turns them into a specter/overblot form.

So for the sake of this ask, I’ll divide it into two parts per person: pre-blot and post-blot. I’ll also assume you’d be a member of their dorm. Also warning: this is long. 

== Twisted Wonderland Headcanons ==>

+Elsen!Reader

Riddle Rosehearts: 

Pre-Blot: Riddle notes your very shy personality quickly, picking up that you seem to actually be fond of rules and work. He admires your persistence, and finds a kindred spirit in your dedication to organization. But underneath that all…he gets the feeling there is an immense weight you carry on your shoulders, much as he did. He pays extra attention to you after that. 

Post-Blot: Riddle is the first to your aid after the blot. He’s the one in the infirmary, watching over you like a hawk. Some part of him thinks this is his fault. He’d gone through something similar, so why couldn’t he see the signs? 

As much as he despairs, when you wake and assure him you’d tell him anything and everything in the future, he seems to calm down. 

He’s at your side constantly after that, checking in on you and making not-so-subtle gestures to show he cares with a slight blush dusting his cheeks. 

Leona Kingscholar: 

Pre-Blot: Before you overblot, Leona honestly doesn’t even notice you exist, aside from noting the way you scurry about and wince at his shouts. He’s too busy being in charge, and dreading never being in charge of his own life. 

Post-Blot: Leona seems to take an almost analytical interest in you after you overblot. He was there in the infirmary briefly when you first woke, but after that he was scarce. Despite that, you’d catch him watching you from across the cafeteria tail swishing. 

Eventually, he corners you, and though you don’t grasp the whole talk due to being absolutely terrified of him, you come out of the conversation with a strange sort of mutual understanding. 

He’ll be on the lookout for you after that, and you can feel his eyes follow you wherever you enter a room. 

Azul Ashengrotto: 

Pre-Blot: Of course Azul knows your name, he knows everyone in his dorm (and everything about them he can leverage). You’re also one of the most diligent workers the lounge has seen in a long time, although you tend to fumble when talking to customers. Regardless, he acknowledges your hard work, although you rarely catch his eye. 

Post-Blot: Azul intentionally distances himself from you after your overblot. He suddenly seems to be busy whenever you’d normally speak to him, which, admittedly, wasn’t often. And yet you catch him staring at you more often, and your work shifts have lightened up, and suddenly you have a lot more free time. 

One of those times he invites you into his office, wherein he seems to…check in on you? But in a terribly roundabout and awkward way, like an estranged father. It’s awful, but by the end of it, he seems to be relieved to hear that you’ve recovered. 

Thus, weekly meetings in his office to just chat become a reguar thing. And soon, you even manage to talk about something other than work. 

Kalim Al-Asim: 

Pre-Blot: Kalim picks up on your antisocial and avoidant personality quickly. He won’t push you too much, but whenever he sees you he’s eager to invite you to this part or that party, whichever one! He just wants to see you smile, rather than the near constant grimace you seem to have on your face. Given his empathetic nature, though, and his past with Jamil’s overblot, he does begin to pick up on your exhausted wheezes and the empty look in your eyes just a little too late. 

Post-Blot: Kalim is at your side the instant you wake, and is showering you with attention and care all throughout your recovery. He makes sure you’re always comfortable, fed, and taken care of. He makes sure you want for nothing, and yet the guilt of having yet another person he was supposed to care for overblot weighs on him heavily. 

One night, as he talks to you about his day, he begins crying, unable to stop the guilt he’s been keeping inside. And when you reassure him and smile at him in that strange way you’ve always done, something in his brain clicks. 

You two are near inseparable after that, and even Jamil seems to get a bit of time off from watching Kalim as he hangs out with you. 

Vil Schonheit: 

Pre-Blot: Let’s be honest, no matter how beautiful you are, Vil will see you as an ill fit for Pomefiore at the beginning. Your constant dour mood, the way your shoulders slouch, and the strange way you don’t seem to talk in anything but a rasp not only unnerves him, but agitates him. He focuses on you like he does Epel, and though you follow his every word and command to a T, he can tell that there is something deeper beneath the surface. And one day, he pushes you just a bit too hard - if only to get a glimpse of whatever it is you have hiding under your strange demeanor. Chaos ensues. 

Post-Blot: Vil is in the infirmary when you wake up, but seems to be almost unaffected by what happened. For a few days, it's almost as if it never happened to him. And then one evening, he comes and sits next to you in your bed, and though its clear he had words prepared for this moment, he seems to lose them as he looks at you. And so he speaks from his heart. 

After your conversation, Vil keeps a watchful eye on you, and, much to his chagrin, he finds himself jumping to your defense at even the smallest slights or comments (in a very elegant and almost subtle manner). 

There’s an unspeakable bond between you two, in his mind. You followed in his destructive footsteps, and he’s determined to stop you from being hurt just as he had. He wants you to be better than him: to shine as he knows you were meant to do. 

Idia Shroud: 

Pre-Blot: Idia doesn’t seem to notice you at first, but between him being housewarden and your shared gloomy nature, you almost form a friendship with him, although it’s stunted and awkward. You’re one of the few people who he trusts to enter his room, and you soon have something of a routine of doing work together. You still jump when he laughs too loud, and sometimes his eccentricities freak you out, but he’s pleasant enough company for you. He assumes he’s done something wrong when you don’t show up for your hnag out time one day. Then he hears what’s happening, and his heart drops. 

Post-Blot: Idia is by your side before and after you wake up (well, at least his tablet is). He chatters to you in a way that concerns the other dorm heads, almost as if he’s afraid of what would happen in the silence between you two. He visits you in person when you assure him no one else is around, and you notice the dour look on his face, even more so than usual. 

Idia admits that he feels bad for not noticing the signs despite having overblotted himself, and seems to almost cave into his self-loathing in an instant. And yet you reassure him, and tell him it’s not his fault, and that you care about him, and that you’re glad he cares about you enough to visit. He insists, of course he’d visit you! You’re one of his best friends!

From there, you and him grow infinitely closer. Whether it’s eating breakfast together or playing games together, you two can be seen with each other at almost every hour of the day. 

Side note, but Ortho is delighted to see his brother attend class in person if only to sit next to you and chat face to face. 

Malleus Draconia (assuming pre-overblot for Malleus for the sake of simplicity here):

Pre-Blot: Malleus isn’t the kind to know every member of Diasomnia’s name. He’s busy, and more importantly, he’s important. Even if you wanted to speak to him, he’s got an entourage that would keep you away unless it was absolutely necessary (COUGH COUGH SEBEK COUGH). Lilia mentions your strange demeanour to him one day, and though he brushes it off, he does notice the slouch of your shoulders amongst the crowds of students, and the way you wheeze as you speak, as if life itself tired you out.

Post-Blot: Malleus isn’t much present after you overblot, being very occupied with his duties and studies, but strangely enough, Lilia is there at times. He seems to be watching over you for one reason or another, and though he does to cheer you up and help you recover, you suspect that he may have an ulterior motive. 

Malleus will check in with you shortly after you overblot, asking how you’re doing, genuinely interested in your wellbeing. He may be distant, but Malleus makes sure to listen intently, and even sends you an assortment of items to make you feel better. 

Just let it be known that when Malleus overblots, the Diasomnia dorm would be all the better off to have you in it.

[jujumin-translates]

★ Main Story | Act 13 - Budding Spring | Chapter 28 - Welcome Home

Itaru: (This is bad. I can’t get a taxi at all. And the line’s not letting up either… Got one shot at this left. Hopefully there’s a car rental place somewhere near he--.)

Sakuya: Itaru-san! Welcome home!

Itaru: --.

Masumi: You’re late.

Citron: We have come to pick you up~!

Chikage: Good work.

Tsuzuru: Your flight being delayed was some astronomically bad luck.

Itaru: Huh? What? What are you doing here? What about the play? No, you guys can’t all be here!

Sakuya: We were so worried that we couldn’t help it, so we might be trying for a bit of an impossible wish here.

Chikage: We decided to run through our lines in the car so as to not waste time.

Masumi: Director was supposed to be the first one I drove around…

Tsuzuru: You were a really safe driver, Masumi, just like we thought you’d be, so don’t worry about it.

Itaru: No way, you guys came to pick me up… Isn’t this like an insanely risky move?

Chikage: All’s well that ends well.

Tsuzuru: You weren’t able to catch a cab, right?

Itaru: Well, you guys doing this is definitely a huge help.

Itaru: Wait, why do your faces look darker than normal…? What did you guys eat?

Tsuzuru: Your face won’t get darker just from eating something! It’s just makeup!

Masumi: We were trying to save time.

Itaru: Gotcha.

Citron: Itaru, this is not the time to be the funny man!

Itaru: Says you…

Chikage: Well, if you’re up to doing that, then there’s no need for us to be worried.

Sakuya: Alright, let’s hurry! Everyone’s waiting for us!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Manager: Thank you very much for coming to see MANKAI Company’s Spring Troupe’s performance “Romeo and Julius ~Rosso e Blu~” today.

Manager: Please remain patient until the start of the show.

Towa: …

Audience Member A: I wonder what’s going to happen in the sequel.

Audience Member B: Do you think everyone’s got the same roles they had in the first one?

Audience Member A: MANKAI Company’s first sequel, I’m both really excited for it and dreading it…

Audience Member B: I know, right!? I saw RomiJuli back when it first ran, too, and I’m like the biggest Romeo oshi ever…

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

momo has entered the chat.

shiki: Oh? I thought you were going to go see the performance on opening day today.

Iv: smth with all the fuss you were making abt the ticket gods?

momo: Had to come take refuge here because I was literally about to explode from how badly I wanted to join the conversation of the person sitting next to me

Kar: That sure is a reason lmao

Iv: ur being real sus

momo: I was really surprised when they announced they were doing a sequel for RomiJuli, but I totally get what they’re saying about having mixed feelings of both anticipation and anxiety, and to be honest I’m really looking at it with that much excitement too

momo: I can’t stop thinking about what the sequel to my favorite play ever is gonna be like, like I think I’d literally die of shock if they change my oshi’s role

Iv: i ain’t reading all that, happy for u tho, or sorry that happened

momo: Also since I got to see what goes on behind the scenes at the workshop, actually coming to the theater now makes it seem even brighter when it’s got all performance stuff up and running

momo: I can like actually sense just how many people are working behind the scenes and now I’m already filled with a lot of feelings before the show’s even started, I wonder if my heart is gonna m

Kar: momo’s been stabilized

shiki: I’m guessing it just started? Have fun!

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Towa: Phew…

Towa: (I feel a little calmer.)

Audience Member A: It’s almost time for the show to start, but it still hasn’t started yet?

Audience Member B: It feels like they must be rushing to get ready. I wonder if something happened.

Towa: (Huh, trouble? I wonder if everything’s okay??)

Audience Member A: That reminds me of the time when Autumn Troupe was rushing to get ready in time so Summer Troupe gave a super long pre-show introduction to stall for time.

Audience Member B: Oh yeah, I watched the stream of that performance!

Audience Member A: I wonder if they’re all working super hard behind the scenes right now.

Audience Member B: I’m wishing them the best of luck.

Towa: (Good luck to all of Spring Troupe and the staff members too…!)

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

*Door slams open*

Sakuya: Sorry for making you wait! We’re here!

Izumi: Thank goodness! Welcome home!

Yuki: You’re late!

Azami: You’re late.

Itaru: There’s the third strike…

Azami: Just hurry up and sit down so I can do your makeup.

Tsumugi: I’m glad you made it just in the nick of time.

Itaru: No, this time it was really thanks to everyone else’s help. This never would’ve happened without them…

Izumi: But you still made it, right?

Itaru: True. But I’ve still got that high I got from meeting an overseas fan running through me.

Itaru: I feel like we could still set out on a journey across the world. Now all I’ve gotta do is just not worry and put that energy into Spring Troupe’s performance.

Izumi: I can’t wait.

Itaru: Ah, well, don’t expect too much from me, I’ve still got jet lag and fatigue nerfing my stamina. I’m relying on you guys for support.

Tsuzuru: But there wasn’t even that much of a time difference?

Citron: It is better than him trying to hide it and then freezing up on stage, at least~!

Masumi: I feel like something like that happened during our debut performance.

Itaru: Perhaps.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Manager: The show will be beginning shortly!

Itaru: Okay, okay.

Chikage: We managed to make it just in time.

Tsuzuru: Yet another time we were all rushing to be ready.

Sakuya: I feel like we’re all back on this stage with new feelings after we all took on different challenges in preparation for the new Fleur Award.

Sakuya: The first time I stood on stage was one of them, but I’m sure there will be a lot more “firsts” in the future.

Sakuya: I can remember the feelings from back then over and over again. The trembling courage to dive into a new world--.

Sakuya: Let’s always take on our “firsts” with positivity and all have fun together as Spring Troupe!

Citron: Yes!

Tsuzuru: Let’s do it.

Chikage: Right.

Itaru: I’m ready whenever you are.

Masumi: Let’s go, Romeo.

Sakuya: Yeah! Onwards, to our journey!

[ ⇠ Previous Part ] • [ Next Part ⇢ ]

[yevasxvoid]

Clouds Hidden Beneath The Sun - [Yuta Okkotsu x Reader]

Chapter 2: I had doubts about many things, and I wanted to solve you first

January 2018

“The last thing I remember is my father bringing me here, and failing to run away. He mentioned a terrorist attack, and didn’t disclose where my mother was..I think he killed her,” Y/n used the handkerchief Gojo had given her to wipe some of the blood from her hands. “And I’m not sure if all this blood is mine. There are no open wounds on my body, but everywhere hurts.”

“Your father murdered a few higher ups in cold blood, and your mother went missing. They are both suspected to have co-operated with Suguru in the terrorist attack on Kyoto and Tokyo.” Gojo wasn’t unnerved in the slightest. Y/n could not decide if it was irritating or reassuring. “Oh, and it’s been a week since you went missing.”

“So, will I be executed?”

“What makes you think that?” He asked.

“Answer me.”

“Geez, you’re so pushy.” He sighed, “No.”

“I’m not an idiot. I know there’s consequences.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, why should there be consequences for you?”

Y/n gave up, and turned on the radio to drown out the silence in the car. They were driving toward Tokyo. Most of the things in her house must have already been confiscated. There was nothing there for her to miss, anyway. 

The dorms at Tokyo Jujutsu High weren’t very different from Kyoto. Y/n found her dorm room with ease, and waited until late night. No students would be around.

The first thing she did was take off her dirty clothes, and put them in a bag to burn later. She scoured every inch of her body until her skin turned red. Filthy water went down the drain. This much dirt and blood had never been caked onto her body before. It took a while to wash out and comb the knots from her hair. 

She dried off her body, and looked closely in the mirror. What she disregarded earlier, as dirt, was actually a scar. It was a hideous array of lines that resembled wild vines around her neck. She grimaced, and checked the rest of her body for anything else. There was nothing. 

Y/n’s body could barely move. Her body ached, but dread filled her thinking of what her mind would conjure when her eyelids shut. She put her phone to charge and left her dorm with the clothes she intended to burn. She took a tour across the school grounds until she arrived at a clearing on the outskirts of the school. She threw the bag into the snow, and reached into her pocket for a lighter. She sat on the untouched snow, and watched as it burned. 

From this hill, she overlooked most of the High School grounds. It wasn’t until then that Y/n understood how pissed she was. Her father, who had pushed her so hard to be a Jujutsu Sorcerer. Who pressured her to upkeep the family legacy every second she breathed, went and ruined everything on his own. 

Her mother had gone missing, and Y/n was unsure if that meant she also deserted. And there was the question of what had happened to her in the last week, and why she remembers nothing. Y/n’s head hurt as she considered all the responsibilities she now had. 

She took a deep breath, and laid down in the snow to stare up at the sky. She took off her gloves, and relished in the sting of the frost against her bare fingers. First, she’d try to understand her father, Mr. Fujino.

—

“Class, we have a new student!” Gojo announced as they entered the room. 

“I’m Y/n Fujino, it is nice to meet you all.” 

“I’m Panda, that’s Inumaki Toge.”

“Cod roe.”

“I already know Toge, we’re practically besties!” Y/n grinned.

“Salmon.”

“But this is my first time meeting a Mutated Cursed Corpse, can I touch you?”

“Sure.”

“Wow, you feel like a real Panda!” She ran her hands across his fur, “You are principal Yaga’s creation, so I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“Long time no see, I hope you haven’t been slacking.” Maki smirked.

“You sound confident, maybe you’ll actually beat me next time we spar.” There was a moment of tension in the air before both girls chuckled, “I missed you, Maki-roll!” They embraced each other briefly.

There was one more person for her to greet. “I remember you, Okkotsu, right?” 

“It’s nice to meet you again, Y/n.” Okkotsu smiled brightly. 

He noticed her staring at his uniform. She felt her cheeks burn, “You don’t stick out like a sore thumb anymore.”

“Yeah.” Neither of them knew what to say next. They just stared at each other, until Gojo cleared his throat.

“Fish flakes.”

“Awkward.” Panda whispered.

“You’’ll commence training as usual, but I have other matters to attend to.”

“Doesn’t make much of a difference,” Maki said. Panda hummed in agreement.

—

“You haven’t been able to beat Maki, have you?” Y/n mused as Okkotsu stood up from the ground after taking another loss.

“No, she’s insanely talented.” 

“That is true,” she took his wooden sword, “I’ll take the opportunity to show off, then.”

“Don’t get so confident Y/n. ” Maki rubbed salt into his wounds.

Inumaki and Panda stopped what they were doing to watch with Yuta. 

“It’s been a while since I used a sword, far too simple for my taste.” She got into an offensive stance. Maki did the same. For a moment, they both waited to see who would attack first. 

Y/n started out strong with a feint, and follow up attack. Maki blocked it, and countered with her staff. Okkotsu was surprised his eyes managed to keep up with their altercation. Y/n’s form was amazing, you could tell she had years of experience behind her—so did Maki, but there was a certain grace to her movements. She was able to block things that weren’t even in her line of sight. The amount of power behind a single flick of her wrist—every movement was deliberate, while her strikes held precision and accuracy. 

Okkotsu knew Y/n could hit harder and faster than this if she used her energy, he had been the recipient of those attacks. In a competition for just raw strength, the two sorcerers fought on equal footing. Their expressions were extremely focused as their blades clashed against each other, but there were smiles on both their lips.

One mistake from either side would mark a clear victory. Okkotsu felt himself shrinking as he realized the capability gap between the two girls and himself. He was pulled out of his thoughts as Y/n and Maki tumbled to the ground. Although Maki was on top of Y/n, her back was pressed to her due Y/n’s blade at her throat and legs restricting her. They both panted heavily before laughter spilled from their lips.

“You’ve gotten much stronger, Maki-bae!” Y/n grinned, “I barely kept up with you.”

“You have as well,” Maki grinned, “but I’ll definitely win next time.” 

“Now I see how Okkotsu lost to Y/n.” Panda said.

“Tuna.”

Y/n had to avoid doing anything that raised eyebrows. She was being monitored throughout the day. There was not a moment when a pair of hidden eyes were not on her. The first week at Tokyo was used to gain a closer understanding of the layout. She usually asked Toge to show her around, guising it as the rekindling of a childhood friendship—which wasn’t entirely wrong. Still, they could only spend so much time together without it being suspicious. 

Half way into the second week, Gojo spoke with her after training, “I compromised with the higher ups. You’ll be doing missions again but always with a partner.”

“What are you hiding from me?”

“Nothing you need to know about,” He teased.

“It’s serious enough for me to have a buddy system, apparently.”

“Don’t worry your little head about it,” He patted her head. “Yuta’s your partner for today, teach him a thing or two, will ya?”

“Isn’t that your job?!” Y/n exclaimed, but Gojo already started to walk away.

“I’ll go find Okkotsu!” 

Darkness veiled the town as night descended. Missions have become more daunting after dispelling Rika. There was no longer an immovable force protecting him from any signs of danger, so he was often paired with Y/n. Okkotsu could barely see two feet in front of him and was reluctant to stray too far away from Y/n. He was more compelled to hold onto her but he would want to have some shred of dignity if he made it out of this situation alive. 

There’s a grade 1 spirit in a village past the outskirts of Tokyo, essentially the countryside so the higher ups believe you two can dispel it. If anything unexpected happens, run—or give me a call….actually just do both but don’t die.” Gojo had warned them.

Gojo hasn’t confronted her about sneaking out at night, and it unnerved Y/n. She was even more surprised when he started giving her missions again. It seems that she lost her solo mission privileges, though. She was always paired up with a classmate, usually Okkotsu. She didn’t mind. Besides, The monsters in Tokyo were often on the same skill level as Kyoto.

The village was about the size of a shopping mall. Except, the houses were dilapidated and filthy, windows had been broken and the glass scattered on the poorly paved pathway, crunching beneath their feet. That and their breathing was the only thing that could be heard, the village was completely silent and not even the wind howled.  

“No signs of life….there aren’t even any animals,” Y/n stopped in her tracks.

“There aren’t any residuals either,” Okkotsu added.

“Stay close to me and on guard. Worst comes to worst I’ll use my domain expansion,” Y/n said as she began walking. Okkotsu matched her pace so they were almost shoulder to shoulder. He's been partnered with her long enough to remember the program—stay close to her but not enough so that you get comfortable.

“There’s footprints now…something’s been here recently,” Okkotsu said.

“Do you see that too?” Y/n gestured ahead of them and Okkotsu hummed in approval, seeing the faint light ahead. 

As they continued walking, the fog became thinner and the houses were in slightly better condition, with all windows and doors intact. Okkotsu swiftly unsheathed his sword in response to catching movement in the corner of his eyes. Y/n stopped in her tracks too and her attention snapped to the object of his attention. A black cat scurried across their path and Okkotsu’s expression softened as a low chuckle escaped Y/n. 

“Being scared doesn’t justify slaughtering a defenseless animal,” Y/n was visibly amused as she continued walking.

“Black cats crossing your path is bad luck anyways,” Okkotsu mumbled, “sorry, I hate this atmosphere.”

“I’m no Rika, but you won’t be dying in my company. I assure you.”

“I know, I just dislike being dead weight,” Okkotsu said.

“Is that how you feel about being partnered with me?” Y/n smirked, “It’s not everyday I get a tall male jujutsu sorcerer clinging to me like a lost puppy. I couldn’t imagine a better moral support.”

“Is that how you feel about being partnered with me?” Okkotsu rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

“Yeah, for the most part.” She affirmed, “....I know sorcery has been frustrating for you recently but this is just your opportunity to experiment with your cursed technique. You’ll be a special grade again in no time.”

“What makes you say that?” He asked.

“Intuition,” Y/n paused, “It might feel you’re back at square one right now but anyone who’s been observing you can tell….I’ve been spending too much time with eccentrics. I’m not a mentor or anything of the sort so I’m not in the position to be giving advice.”

“Neither is Gojo-sensei, really.” Y/n’s lips tugged upwards at that. He felt almost prideful that Y/n smiled at his joke.

“I’m also just a student trying to cultivate their Jujutsu sorcery. I’m not half as strong as Gojo yet, how could my opinion carry more weight than anyone else's?”

‘I admire you,’ Okkotsu’s face burned red at the thoughts that were on the tip of his tongue, “I admire your ambitions and personality. You’re one of the coolest people I know. I mean, have you seen yourself? Almost everything you do is breathtaking.”

“Oh,” there was a slight waiver to her voice, Okkotsu assumed she was trying not to laugh at him. He nervously glanced at her to see a flustered expression on her face, ‘that’s new.’

He regretted his words immensely, wishing he stuck with the simple three words instead of digging a deeper hole for himself. ‘Great. Now she’s uncomfortable.’ Okkotsu dropped the topic, choosing not to embarrass the both of them any further, “I see someone.”

“You sure it’s not another feline…” Y/n raised her lantern as she saw the figure standing on the front porch. It was an old woman, shaking and tightly gripping a stained blanket.

“My child…please, help me find my child.” She wailed.

Y/n and Okkotsu shared a glance before approaching. The woman’s eyes were shadowed by her hair as she stared down at the cloth between her hands.

“Miss, what happened?” Okkotsu spoke.

“My child…don’t ask.” She dropped the blanket abruptly before slowly looking up.

Y/n’s expression hardened as she raised the lantern higher, to view the lady’s face. Or rather, the two mutilated holes where her eyes should be and a smooth surface, as if her nose and mouth were never present. Okkotsu and Y/n visibly cringed and gripped their weapons tightly.

“DON’T ASK!” she said louder, liquid began to leak out of her eyes.

“Step back, don’t let anything touch you.” Y/n whispered.

“DONT ASK! DONT ASK! DONT ASK!” She shrieked, digging her fingers into her scalp that bled profusely.

Y/n’s eyes darted around their surroundings, preparing for any surprise attacks until the woman finally quieted and dropped to the ground. An atrocious smell filled their noses before the figure’s flesh and bone melted. 

“Was that a human?” Okkotsu asked.

“....I think so,” Y/n continued walking, “this could be the work of a curse user. I’ll contact Gojo before we lose the signal.” 

“Hello?” he answered immediately.

“Gojo-sensei, this could be the work of a curse user rather than…” She began, but the call instantly went to static and cut off, “Someone interfered with the call, this should be expected. At Least he knows something’s up.”

“So it wants to make sure we’re trapped….” Okkotsu sighed heavily.

“I don’t have any plans moving forward. If something goes wrong, you should run. At Least one of us will make it out alive.”

“You used a lot of words to call me a coward,” Okkotsu began walking this time.

Y/n wanted to tease, but she found it difficult to do so when someone else’s life was her responsibility, “I didn’t mean it like that.”

They walked in silence, and the words she spoke weighed heavily on her. These were the things Jujutsu Sorcerers were expected to face. Even if they were both terrified, telling the other to run away would only add insult to injury. 

“Sorcerers never die without regrets,” She said. “I should’ve known better than telling you to run earlier.”

“I wouldn’t forgive myself if I let you die here.”

“I know,” She shot him an apologetic expression, “This person’s cursed energy is extremely familiar and I need to know why. Do you feel it?” 

“No, not at all.” He paused, and Y/n noticed the slight trembling of his hand—he was still shaken up from that strange encounter. “What happens if we end up having to kill real people?” Okkotsu spoke.

“Either we kill them or something more gruesome does. It’s all about perspective, really. Isn’t the curse user we're looking for a human being? Nobody of importance gave us the right to kill him, so does one, two or five more people really make a difference?’ That’s what I’ve been telling myself.”

“Do you believe that?” 

“Sometimes.”

Silence hung over the both of them for the better as they got closer to the light source. Inaudible whispers and the cackling of fire could be heard when they arrived in front of a large, stone manor. Okkotsu knew that the Jujutsu world was already corrupt—I mean, they were willing to execute a 16 year old boy without a second thought. Okkotsu didn’t mind it at the time, but most people would consider that ethically wrong. He realized, when fear is at play, it’s difficult to be concerned about moral high ground.

“That thing earlier wasn't human because of the strange patterns in her cursed energy. The way it began moving was too rapid, as if it was tearing through the very fiber of her being. It’s not much to go off of but until we are sure….”

“Let’s just worry about understanding the situation first,” Okkotsu reassured, “I know you’re trying your best. If we’re equals like you implied earlier, then trust me rather than comfort me.”

In the distance, they could see a group of figures huddled together. They all held small lamps, and it illuminated their faces when they turned to survey the two sorcerers. 

“Hello, are you visitors?” A man dressed in rags asked.

“Are you people, the residents?” Okkotsu asked.

“Yes, what business do you outsiders have here?” 

“We were wandering, and got lost. Do you have any idea where we are?” Y/n’s brows furrowed in distress, “Me, and my friend need to return home before our parents realize we’re gone.”

They all took multiple steps back, and huddled back together to whisper among themselves. Yuta and Y/n shared a glance with each other–they had both seen it. Their inverted feet—a trait of mutated corpses. Okkotsu unsheathed his sword, and began to cut them down before Y/n did. She started to follow suit, but the ground beneath her feet sank. 

Y/n arose in a new area. She was inside an old, small shrine. A chill went down her spine. Her eyes closely scanned her surroundings. The only source of light was the moonlight which shone through the massive hole in the ceiling. She felt an arm wrap around her face, but it was different. She grabbed the hand, and it vanished between her fingers. Her palm opened again to reveal a Wisteria flower. She dragged her finger against her blade to create a shallow cut, and licked it.

“Domain Expansion: Hysteria.” The facade before her eyes cracked, and she turned to the perpetrator. “You thought that would work on me?”

The perpetrator was a woman with a slim face, and short black hair, but those dark empty eyes were painstakingly familiar. This woman was tall, withered and bony. The similarities to her father were eerie.

“Is that how you greet your aunt?” She grinned, “I just wanted to test you, that's all.” 

“My parents never mentioned you.” 

“I figured they wouldn't tell you about me, your mother always hated me.” She took a step forward, “Call me Mina.”

“Is that related to your decision to become a curse user?” Y/n took another step forward, refusing to show weakness to a supposed relative. “This town was ruined by you, wasn’t it?”

“Non-curse users will do anything to spite their enemies, I won’t carry their blame.” Her mouth twitched, “Your mother also avoided that reality, but my father finally accepted it. I’d hate to see you continue down this pointless path”

Y/n didn’t want to hear anymore. Her blades materialized in her hand, and she appeared behind the curse user. She made two long lacerations on her back, and followed up with a kick. A loud crack sounded when Mina stumbled forward. 

“Never speak of my parents,” Y/n lunged forward to skewer her, but Mina disintegrated and appeared on the other side of the room. She threw her head back, and a grating noise echoed throughout the room. Her bones were repairing themselves, Y/n realized. 

“Stop trying to end this quickly, it’s our first meeting after so many years.” Her face twitched, “I want to enjoy it.”

Y/n heard Okkotsu’s footsteps in the distance, but her eyes focused on the strange curse user before her. Her heart beat was loud in her ears, and hands drenched in sweat. Y/n was scared, and could not afford to let this woman escape. The familiar energy sensed earlier, stemmed from this woman. Even if she lied about being her aunt, there was an undeniable connection between this woman and her family.

‘And earlier…she put me inside an illusion.’ Y/n scoffed, “I’ll admit that you’re powerful.”

“I’m your blood, of course I am.” She laughed, “It seems you're inclined to listen now.”

“Are you okay?” Y/n glanced at Okkotsu.

He hummed, “Are you?” She hummed.

“I guess mourning isn’t enough to stop you from finding a boy toy.” 

“My mother isn’t confirmed to be dead.”

She tilted her head to the side, “Is that so?”

“Are you the one responsible for their disappearance?” 

“You really don’t remember?” 

“Remember what?” Y/n’s patience was running thin.

“Y/n, you killed your parents.”

“Don’t listen to her, she’s just trying to waste time.” Yuta interrupted.

He was right. Even if this woman was related to her father, her goal right now was to finish this mission. Y/n and Yuta glanced at each other before starting their coordinated assault. They worked together smoothly, covering each other's blind spots and maneuvering around each other to back Mina into a corner. Occasionally, one of them would feint, and give the other a chance to land a heavy blow. But, no matter how much damage they dealt, the woman just regenerated. 

“I’m sorry lovebirds, but I’m going to put an end to this fight quickly.” She grinned again. Her eyes trained on Yuta, and the floor beneath him sank. Y/n tried to grab him, but his form passed through her hand.

Y/n frantically cut her arm again. This time, the cut was frantic and deeper than intended. She smeared the blood against her lips as the woman cackled. 

“Domain Expansion!” Y/n countered.

In an instant, splotches of various shades of gray, blue and black exploded before her eyes. Time was suspended. In the distance, she saw Yuta entering a window of emptiness, similar to the one she felt on the last day she saw her father. In less than a second, she grabbed Yuta and banished him from this space. They couldn’t both escape, the emptiness demanded something. Demanded her—and the scar on her throat burned as it consumed her. 

Y/n woke up in a dark room. The only light source were the torches hung onto the four corners of the dirty stone walls. Her hands were bound behind her back, and in the dark, a figure stood.

“Father, why are you doing this?” Her throat was raw.

He held an iron rod in his hand that glowed red as he approached Fayvia. 

“I’ve spent my whole life protecting powerless humans, but why? I married another sorcerer, and even had a child. Most of my days are spent repetitively slaying these curses because it’s more interesting than the world those defenseless fools built for themselves.” 

He came into the light that shone down onto her. She felt disgusted. His eyes were not normal. His pupils morphed into something ugly, like an entanglement of vines. When he blinked, a similar pattern was carved into his eyelids. She didn’t register that the iron rod in his hand was a branding pipe until she yanked her head backwards, and pressed it flush against her neck. She choked on her scream, and tears spilled from her eyelids.

“With you, Y/n. I can put an end to it all.” Was the last thing she heard before losing consciousness.

She opened her eyes again. This time, it was her mother gently caressing her face. “Y/n, wake up.” Y/n was too terrified to say anything in response. The sting of her new scar was still present.

Her mother had cut her bonds away, “I don’t have much time left. Your father is trying to put a curse inside you. He is angry because I won’t let him.”

Her mother’s voice had a tremble of fear to it, and Y/n noticed the blood that soaked her clothes. “Mom-”

“Listen to me,” She held Y/n’s face again. “You will have to fight. Fight against your father, and the abomination he wants to put inside you, okay?”

Y/n nodded. She felt saddened, but couldn’t bring herself to cry. Not even when her mother went limp before her. Her attention was averted to the sound of hasty footsteps. She stood up, and saw her father entering back into the room. There were two pathways, and Y/n quickly got up, and ran in the opposite direction.

“Y/n!” Her father screamed, chasing behind her. The hallways twisted and turned like a labyrinth. There was no clear exit, but Y/n knew to keep moving—Her father would not catch her. This man had 3 times the fight experience–she had no chance in a head on fight.

As her fear grew, the pain in her body was consumed by something. Not by her own energy, but something akin to a parasite. Something that shouldn’t be there. She felt numb, and weak. She glanced behind her, but had to quickly drop to the ground, and avoid her father’s cursed technique. If it touched her, she’d be done for. 

She caught up to her, and landed a kick in her stomach. Y/n flew into the stone wall. Her father grabbed her by the throat, and smashed her into the wall—for good measure. “After everything I’ve done for you, you refuse to return this one favor for me!”

He screamed at her. Y/n flinched. She was afraid to look her father in the eye, but there was nowhere for her to run. The scar on her neck started to burn again, and her father stumbled backwards. She slid onto the floor, blinded by a sheet of white. 

Y/n woke up in a dark room. The only light source were the torches hung onto the four corners of the dirty stone walls. Her hands were bound behind her back, and in the dark, a figure stood. The moment replayed over and over again. Everytime, her mother would go limp, Y/n would run, and her father would eventually catch her. She wanted to give up the chase, and just let him catch her before even trying.

Y/n’s body was heavy as Okkotsu laid her on the ground, her head in his lap. Her skin was simmering, it felt as though his skin would be burnt if he held her longer. As her eyes slowly blinked open, Okkotsu saw the distressed expression on his face clearly. The girl was looking straight at him, but she could see nothing except hues of gold, brown, black and blue. 

“Feel so weak….Yuta’s safe,” she croaked out.

“Y/n please, don’t give up now.” He frantically unbuttoned her jacket and mentally apologized to her, ‘If the burning begins from the core, then things should stop if I heal it fast enough…’

The idea was half-baked but it was the only thing that made sense at the moment. His hands pressed firmly onto Y/n’s abdomen and he focused on his own cursed energy. Half-baked was an understatement, Okkotsu had never performed a reversed-cursed technique after the day he freed Rika. Y/n’s body temperature was now dropping drastically and he couldn’t resist closing his eyes as dread entered his veins. 

‘It’s too soon,’ Okkotsu’s heart almost stopped in his chest as his hands began to glow and tears blurred his vision, “I can’t let you go,”

Okkotsu continued to steadily pour his cursed energy into her. The advice she gave him rang in his ears, ‘A reversed curse technique isn’t like pouring rubbing alcohol on a wound. It’s extremely different when you’re trying to heal a person compared to quickly destroying a curse. When healing major wounds….it’s almost like an exchange for me. It’s not just pouring your energy into them. You have to absorb some of their negative energy into yours and recycle it before it goes back into their body, that’s the simplest way I can put it.  Of course, if you have too much negative energy yourself then one of the parties involved can die on the spot.’ 

In truth, Okkotsu had always considered Y/n to be dangerous. He saw her on a pedestal out of his reach. In the moment where he desperately tried to keep Y/n’s vitals stable, he finally saw her—another teenage sorcerer dealing with the consequences of the adults around her. He felt a deeper pull from the flow of cursed energy and he allowed it to tug. 

“Specialized reverse cursed technique,” He said.

While his cursed energy flowed through both their bodies like cold water. It brought a familiar feeling to him, the emptiness he felt for five years while being haunted by Rika. This was almost enough to disrupt his system entirely, but that wasn’t the energy he was looking for. His eyes shut tightly again as he focused. It felt like acid pouring into his veins as his energy enveloped it. It dissolved rather quickly, surprising Okkotsu enough to open his eyes and see Gojo-sensei standing a few feet away from them.

Gojo smirked, “she’s waking up.”

Y/n stirred slightly before opening her eyes and exhaling deeply. Her head still rested in Okkotsu’s lap when he smiled at her with a tear stained face. The words that she had intended to say died on her tongue and dissipated from her mind as she looked at him.

[therealvinelle]

If you were kicked out of the cullens.. would you join the Denali? Or is eating people by yourself preferable to an eternity with Eleazar and being expected to woohoo unwilling humans

(Anon is referring to this post.)

My thoughts on the Denali.

No. God, no. I'd rather be on my own if them's the ropes.

Presumably, I wander around trying to improve my control, wanting someone to talk to and feeling miserable on my own but refusing to resort to the Denali and too proud to come crawling back to the Cullens. Knowing I likely wouldn't survive an encounter in the wild, I make a point to keep my distance from other vampires as well. Can't join the Volturi, I've spent too much time contemplating Aro's love life and relationship with his dead sister for that.

(Regarding the Cullens: it's not that I'm too proud. However, if things with them got to the point where they kicked me out, then... going back isn't going to be an option. Getting kicked out by them, having Carlisle give up on me and tell me to fuck off, would mean something so extreme happened that going back isn't an option and there would be no point in trying.)

A few years go by, I write a fuckton of fanfiction, watch every anime known to man, and my control gets better but my loneliness gets worse. Eventually I trust myself enough to enter human spaces, dropping by the library to read books or visiting a clothes store so I can wear actual clothes that fit.

And here's the trouble: I really am hopelessly lonely.

Humans fear me, yes, but I do exchange words with some from time to time, even for something so little as asking where to find my size in shoes.

These tidbits are the only social interaction I've had for years. (Animals, after all, flee at the very sight of me.)

I begin to feel strongly about these interactions. If it's the same librarian I ask about Christie novels every time I visit that particular library, I mourn when he has found the book I wanted because now the conversation is over. Just as I mourn the end of every other interaction I have, because exchanging words about the weather with someone who's instinctively afraid of me can't make a person less lonely.

But I increase my exposure to humans, because without that I have nothing. And if I have nothing, my resolve not to kill humans will crumble.

It gets worse, and however much I try to stop myself I start thinking of the humans I speak to as potential vampire companions. Not even just the humans I speak to, but humans who look particularly kind, or interesting, or- anything, really.

After all, isn't Carlisle perfectly happy being a vampire? Weren't Emmett, Esme, and Bella? Wouldn't I be, if I wasn't so damn lonely?

Being a vampire, doesn't have to be a bad thing at all, not if you're fit for it. And you will be free of age, disease, financial problems, free of everything.

There are humans, I know, who would prefer life as a vampire.

And if I can find one of these, ascertain to the best of my ability that vampirism would suit them, that they would follow my diet as well and stay with me...

That last bit is crucial, but the most difficult one. It requires, after all, that the human be one that likes me, that will choose to stay with me (all of these conditions do) and who will accept vampirism when it is offered, but I won't know what their choice is before I present it. At which point, the Volturi law would dictate they turn or die.

It's a catch-22, and there'd be no way to know for sure about a person anyway, plus I would be turning someone with the expectation they could fix my life. Obviously I'm being a bit silly, time to get off this train of thought and back to normal. Ahah. Ahahaha. (Me trying and failing to be casual about this).

I do not get back to normal.

Instead, what I do is... start vetting people, for lack of a better term. I start analysing everything they say and wondering to myself, how seriously did he mean it when he said he dreads his thirtieth? Did she say she's tired of everything because she's tired of everything, or was she just saying it?

I get lonelier.

I imagine it all comes to a head when I find a viable candidate.

Someone will inevitably seem like that perfect person, someone that I really like and would love to talk to all the time, someone who is moral and principled enough that I trust they would want to follow the diet, someone who doesn't have kids, no partner, perhaps not a lot of family or friends at all tying them to this life.

I've already memorised their routine, I know when they get off work, when they're alone, when no one would notice if they were snatched away in the dead of night.

I even have a long period of telling myself I'm not actually going to do this, ahaha, there are so many reasons not to after all. Heavy, convincing reasons such as "I shouldn't" and "but it's wrong, Vinelle. Dirty and bad and wrong".

These reasons become flimsier every time I tell them to myself.

In the end, I man myself up in a split second decision, and I go for it.

I have no doubt this goes terribly for me. Perhaps my companion stays with me and perhaps they even do the diet, but I took their humanity away so they could fix me, and that can never be the start of a healthy or happy relationship.

In the end I come crawling to Carlisle, "I went a little funny in the head out there in the desert, sir."

"Nonsense!" Carlisle says, "you didn't lose control once!"

Carlisle is truly proud of me, I exceeded his every expectation.

But there is still the question of the other Cullens hating my guts after whatever set of circumstances led to me being kicked out in the first place, and now that I've proven I won't kill people if I'm let on my own there's even less reason they should have to be stuck with me.

A vote is held, I lose the vote.

I end up wandering the world on my own again, and I eventually lose my companion as they either die or leave me. Vampire Vinelle goes a little more funny in the head this time.

[yanderes-galore]

Fandom: BioShock (Infinite)

Character: Sander Cohen

Pairing: romantic

Type of Fic: a short! Sander requests that the Darling, who's been invited to his fancy shindig in his club in the frolic (from the game, idk if you know but you can look up clips to see what I mean) dances on the stage and gets angry when They disrupt his muse and BOOM! SHOCK TIME! Rest is up to you :D

I'm apologize because this may be a bit short but here's what I got! I made it open ended as I felt it may be creepier but it's a vague yandere here.

Luckily I did not lose my draft like I thought ^^;

The title is inspired by this Bioshock rap by JT Music, you can find it here! I personally like it :)

Masquerade

Yandere! Sander Cohen Short

Pairing: Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Delusional behavior, Implications of stalking, Manipulation, Violence, Anger issues, Murder, Kidnapping, Forced relationship implied, Open ended, Dark content, Grotesque descriptions, Vague on darling's fate, Possible OOC Cohen???

Chills ran down your back as you walk through the event. Sander Cohen is a known artist, and psycho, in Rapture. It's a big deal to be invited to one of his clubs and events.

Especially his artistic Masquerade parties.

Everyone knows only certain organizations are given a rabbit mask to go. However, you aren't part of any big organization. Despite such a detail... a mask was delivered to your room.

You thought it was a mistake, in fact you hoped it was. Unfortunately when you check the hand written note... you see your name. There's no mistaking it, you were meant to come.

You didn't know why but was Cohen ever a predictable individual?

As much as you dreaded to go you gave it a shot. You wore the mask with a matching outfit and left. Part of you only went because you wanted to know why you were picked.

Even if you may dread the answer anyway.

Before you even entered the club you got a weird feeling. Giving your name they let you enter without much fuss. Now you're left to wander corridors filled with men and women dressed as rabbits.

You didn't even realize your mask was slightly different than the rest until you saw them.

Looking into their eyes gave you a feeling of fear. Despite looking almost like the rest you felt you were the only prey. Ignoring such feelings you walk deeper in hopes of seeing what you need to see before leaving.

Hopefully this would all be done quick.

You hoped no one would pick you out of the crowd. Even when you walked down some stairs and found the "main event", you hoped you could blend in. This whole event activated your anxiety.

It only worsened when you saw Cohen.

You watch silently as the psychotic artist paints on a canvas. Dancers twirl in front of him with praise. Hesitancy makes your movements stilted as you take your place beside the other guests.

Is this it? Just some painting and praise? Seems... less scary than you thought it would be.

Then there's the sound of hissing electricity and the screams of the dancers.

Your mind nearly doesn't process it at first. You don't realize what happened until the smell of burning flesh meets your nose. Then there's the frustrated yell of Cohen.

"IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH! You've ruined my muse..." Cohen snarls, the corpses of the dancers now being lifted in the air to be around of the way. The artist tries to soothe his anger before combing the crowd with his eyes. You go to hide behind another guest...

Only for Cohen to make eye contact with you.

You start to have a feeling the slightly different mask was on purpose. His glare of anger turns to excitement when he sees you and he beckons you closer. Your anxieties quickly make you feel ill.

"You! I'm so happy you came, my most important guest.... You will be my muse! Come come!" Cohen encourages, stepping closer to you.

You bite your lip before slowly glancing up at the hanging corpses. Like an actual rabbit you find yourself shaking before being dragged to Cohen. You were going to die....

"Now now... no need to be so worried! My little moth, you'll do wonderful on that stage. I'll paint every moment of your beauty!" Cohen coos before changing his tone. "Don't disappoint. Now dance! Dance for me!"

You're roughly shoved onto the stage, stumbling pathetically as a result. Not wanting to die and succumb to a similar fate of the dancers, you sway yourself into a rhythm to appease the artist. For now... he seems pleased.

"Beautiful..." He breathes. "Your beauty is splendid! Every movement is divine.... You and I are going to be something great!"

You try not to spend too much time on his words, you need to survive.

"I knew I picked out the right one when I saw you... took forever to find you, my muse! But now you're here...."

He swipes a brush against the canvas, observing your moves to the music. You try to keep your movements correct. Yet you can't help but come to a twisted realization...

Have you been stalked?

"Now that I have you... our art will be wonderful! You'll forever be my muse... forever depicted in my art..."

Was he inching near a lever?

"I think there's only one thing that can accentuate your beauty, my little moth..."

Wait, no, please- You did everything right!

"Pain makes the best art, don't you agree?"

With a flick of the lever electricity courses through you. Your mind draws a blank as your seize, each muscle and fiber of your body being burned. Once he flicks it off you collapse onto the floor.

Your senses burn, everything burns. Are you alive or dying? You can't tell... you can barely even see Cohen walking towards you.

"You'll be my greatest masterpiece..." Cohen grins, touching your overstimlulated skin.

"Just you wait and see, MY muse."