#I stare at these images and I feel my brain slowly calming

[rafeysangelbaby]

How Bambi!reader met Rafe...

trigger warnings!!: religious trauma, parent death, rafe just being a perv in general, innocence kink, coercion, i think thats all but please message me if there is more!!

at least your truck beats walkin'...

You meet Rafe in mid-october, the sun shining through the patterns of trees as you rode down the dirt path towards the old Angels oak tree. It had been your favorite place since you were little. you had fond memories of mama bringing you down here for lunch on days where your father got real busy with work. Now, with momma gone, it was your favorite place to read your bible and get away.

The beaten pages of your bible flap in the wind, and if you had been paying attention you would have noticed the weird way it was sitting in the basket. you were distracted, the dream you had the night before bombarded your brain with images of abandoned churches, and fire, it felt so real you swore you could feel the smoke burning your lungs when you woke up.

you hit a bump in the road, you had driven over it a million times, however, you watch with a gasp as your old bible launches into the air, flying several feet behind you.

you stop the bike quickly, leaving it in the middle of the road as you panic over potential distress to your bible. you’d had it for awhile and it was worn from how frequently your mother had read it to you, instilling the verses into your brain, but it was still yours and you felt guilty that you’d dropped it.

you look around frantically, so distraught that you don't even notice the car hurdling down the road towards you, clearly holding no intention to stop. you grip the cross hanging from your neck, muttering a prayer for forgiveness as you rush towards it. you bend down to grab it before hearing a loud crash from behind you. you let out a shriek at the noise, practically jumping five feet back as you pop back up. you had never seen cars on this road, or anyone else for that matter, how were you supposed to know there would be one now?

the door to the sleek black truck is quickly thrown open, the prettiest man you had ever seen hops out of it, slamming it behind him. he walks forward to assess the damage with an annoyed scoff before whipping his head towards you.

"the fucks wrong with you, huh?"

your big eyes are all he sees at first, how innocent and delicate you seemed. he watches as your pretty mouth opens in closes silently before setting into the plump pout.

"your bikes fucking wrecked, n' my trucks all scratched up, i mean, what are you even doin'?"

the man stares back at you, taking in your wide-eyed expression. "i-" you stutter, your whole body freezing up as you try to find the words, your doe eyes boring into his. his eyebrows furrow as he studies your startled expression.

"dont talk much, do ya'?"

his voice makes you feel strange, not terrified, but warm. your mothers words flash through your mind, "im sorry...im not ‘posed to talk to strangers...specially boys." a wide smirk spreads on his face as you slowly started to back up. you were fidgety, nervous, and timid like prey, he liked that.

"hey hey hey-" he says, holding out his hands in attempt to calm you. "you dont need to be scared, im just trying to get this figured out...okay?" he says, trying to get you to nod with him. you nod slowly with a soft, "okay" before slowly walking toward him.

"good, thats good." the condescending smirk that decorates his face makes your tummy flutter, wide eyes meeting his. "alright so, you wanna tell me what happened here?" he says as his big hand comes to grip the back of your neck, shoulders scrunching up under his hold before slowly relaxing.

you fidget with the hem of your dress, nerves causing your hands to shake, before you finally mutter out, "i dropped my bible..." he looks down at you, brows furrowing as he tongues his cheek.

"see, what i dont understand is why you left your fucking bike in the middle of the road...?" you pout, pretty glossed lips catching the light. rafe smirks, what he would give to have those wrapped around his-

"i had to go back and get it..." you hum, your pretty voice interrupting his nasty thoughts. he would return to them later, for now he was gonna play with you a little more.

"yeah...im still not getting why you didn’t move your bike out of the way, bambi..."

your cheeks flush at the nickname, you'd never had a boy call you anything like that...in fact really, you'd never had a boy call you much of anything before. Rafe smirks, pleased with himself for making you flush so easily, it certainly was a pretty sight.

"i-...i wasnt thinking about it" your voice is soft, almost angelic, a chill ripples down his spine as he thinks of what you'd sound like with your legs thrown over his shoulders, crying out his name. he smirks, grabbing the back of your head to force you to look up at him.

"yeah? well look at what happens when you dont think, you get yourself into trouble." he condescends, his rude nasally tone sending sparks to your tummy. you whine, realization washing over you as your eyes finally settle on your bike. he was right, it was totaled. he walks towards it, your lip settling between your teeth as you watch his big arms flexing as he pulls your bike out from under the front of his truck.

"looks like youre gonna have to catch a ride with me, doll." he hums with a tsk before walking around to throw your bike in the back. you look up at him, frantic, waiting with baited breath for him to come back around.

'i- no im not supposed to get in the car with strangers." you say while firmly shaking your head, and to your surprise his smirk grows wider. you were innocent, which meant you would be easy to mold. he holds out his hands again in surrender.

"im not gonna hurt you, here, my names Rafe, okay?"

you nod, pausing as he comes closer to you, your heart beating in your ears.

"you gonna tell me your name, bambi?" he says softly, his voice soothed you, making you let out the breath you didnt know you were holding, though for some reason your body was still on alert.

"its y/n" you meet his eyes, getting lost in the false sense of security his pretty blues offered. "alright, how about this, you go get your bible, alright? then ill take you home." you frown, unsure if you should. you didnt really have a reason not to, you knew his name and your bike was totally messed up, which meant you had no other way to get home. you could walk, but it was getting late and honestly, you didnt really want to. reluctantly, your head moves in a soft nod, your pretty doe eyes meeting his as you seek his approval.

"good girl, you go get it and then ill help you into the truck." you flush, your stomach doing summersaults at the praise. you'd never received much of that growing up, having this beautiful boy say that to you so easily, had your pretty panties all sticky.

you pad over to your bible, grabbing it with haste before returning back to him, staring at his pretty face as he helps you into the seat.

"there we go, dollface..." he says before strapping the seatbelt over you. he closes the door gently, as if not to scare you, before he walks back around to the other side. he takes of quick, wondering to himself why he'd never seen you before, silence filling the car as he thinks.

"where do you live bambi..." he suddenly speaks up, bringing you out of the trance you had been in as you watched the trees go by. "umm i live on the cut...not too far from here." you hum softly, and as you speak he nods, smirking as it clicks. you were a pogue, which made things simultaneously easy and hard. easy because tracking and watching over you would be a piece of cake, hard because asking people around him for information about you would be useless.

you go back to watching through the window, your gentle voice breaking the silence as you direct him where to turn and which ways to go. he's mostly silent for the rest of the ride, mulling over things in his head. you were so innocent, he couldn't have anyone getting to you before he did. he watches as you fidget with the hem of your dress, the short material riding up to reveal a bit more of your plush thighs, causing rafe to smirk to himself.

"you nervous bambi?" his voice cuts through what had been a peaceful silence, you had been zoned out as you thought about nothing, off in your own world. you couldn't lie, you were a bit nervous. you felt pressure, the lords presence lingering in the back of your mind as it always did, making you feel sick with guilt. you were gonna have to pray extra hard tonight.

you nod, biting your lip as you bring your knees up to your chest. "yeah...just a little bit" you say as you look over at him, waiting for his reaction. he hums, looking over at you as he pulls onto your street

"you dont need to be nervous angel...just wanted to make sure you got home safe." you nod, reaching over to your car door to climb out, watching as he does so as well. you lean against the truck as he grabs your bike and sets it against the wall of your house. you pout up at him, the face of innocence. god, he was gonna have fun with you.

"thank you rafe...i really appreciate it." he nods, looking you up and down with a smirk. "don't worry about it, y/n, just be more careful next time, okay?" you nod, watching as he gets back into his truck, before padding to your front door. he watches as you bend over to grab the mail, clearly unaware his eyes were on you. he lets out a breathy, "fuck-" as he sees the way your baby pink panties press up against your puffy lips, damp and sticky from the interaction. he snaps a quick picture on his phone before pulling out of your driveway. a smile taking over his face as he puts your address in his notes app as he drives away.

yeah, he was definitely going to have fun with you.

authors note!!: i hope you guys like it!! it took me so long to write the whole fic and lowkey i think its not great but we will see...

tags!!: @nemesyaaa @starkeysprincess @sematarygirls @gibson-g1rl @sirlovel @chloeisbunny @everinlove @meowgirl1 @chrisfortheblackgirls

[meownotgood]

low quality aki save me...... save me low quality aki..... save me.........

[princessbrunette]

Rewatching season one and thinking about the scene where Wheezie walks in and Rafe quickly flips over his innapropriate magazine out of respect. Imagine him doing the same for deer!reader but because he doesn’t want to taint her innocence

waaaait why are you kind of a genius 🙂‍↕️ i see this as neighbour!rafe with deer!reader and it’s not because he doesn’t wanna taint her innocence, it’s kind of just a knee jerk reaction because he doesn’t want the hot neighbour to see his porn magazines 😒

you come skipping over, rafe barely noticing until you’re virtually right infront of him due to the marijuana clouding his brain. his hand shoots out, flipping the magazines before running a bashful hand through his floppy hair.

“wha’s that?” you hum before you even get to greet him.

“dont worry, alright - why’re you over here anyway?” he drawls, inwardly wondering why his first reaction was to be rude to you. perhaps he’s simply irritated that he got caught.

“was looking for my parents because they’re not home. thought they might be here.” you shrug one shoulder, and he nods slowly, taking a huff from his bong. you stare over the porch, looking into the distance to see if you could see them, or anyone for that matter — as you weren’t so keen on being caught with rafe whilst he’s smoking weed. it didn’t really go with your image.

“y’want some? or….” he coughs, and you turn to blink at him.

“oh, um…” you swallow, overthinking the whole thing. you knew you’d sound deathly uncool. “i don’t smoke.”

rafe wets his lips, nodding exaggeratedly as if to silently say ‘of course.’ before putting it aside. “yeah, uh… good. shits bad for you. you— you know drugs in general just fuck everything up. they ruin lives, man they — they just take everything…i mean, shit.” he rants, growing increasingly more irritated with seemingly no one by the second. at the end of his mini rage, he slams his fist into the soft arm of the porch seat he reclines on, making you widen your eyes slightly.

“yes… that’s what they told us during the anti drug assemblies at school.” you converse, awkwardly wiping your hands down the sides of your plaid dress. you knew rafe enough now to not be so deathly shy, but that didn’t rid you of your social anxiety.

“hah…yeah. shit, i forget we went to the same school. i probably walked right by you, huh.” he calms almost immediately, in the stereotypical unpredictable rafe cameron way. he did walk right past you. many times. you nod, saying nothing at all as to not give yourself away before craning to look behind you at your exit.

“okay. well… if my parents aren’t here i should head home. they’ll probably be there soon anyway.” you glance at your shoes as rafe stands, nodding casually.

“yeah…yeah.”

you go to walk down the porch steps, but stop— feeling a wave of bravery, and turn to look at him over your shoulder, adjusting the tote bag that hangs from it. “oh… and you shouldn’t read those pornographic magazines. they’re objectifying and damaging to women.” you try to hold your chin high, but feel your face get hot. he leans against the porch balcony, seemingly unbothered as you continue walking away.

“yeah well the women in these magazines are gettin’ paid a shit tonne of money so i wouldn’t worry ‘bout them alright?” he calls out carelessly as you disappear away further, before turning his back and sighing, hand coming up to scratch the back of his neck. “shhhit.” he whispers, to no one but himself.

[lullxby]

:･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ RAY OF SUNSHINE (p.j.)

summary : in which percy jackson feels attached, in some way, to a girl he just met.

w.c. : about 1k

a/n : part 2! thank you for all the support on the firsg part, there will be more to follow!

this is also on my wattpad: poet1cmystery

warning(s) : none!

| riordanverse masterlist | navigation | part 1 |

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

percy awoke near midnight, having slept for almost seven hours. he had been woken up by a nightmare, just like usual. The stars hanging in the sky painted a serene picture for him as he stared out through the small infirmary window, the view calming him quickly. for once, the camp around him was quiet. no bustling demigods, no chattering kids. just quiet. 

the son of poseidon sat up, looking around more. he was never in here for as long of a time as he had been currently. he never noticed how old the withering wood was, its brown shade falling to a reddish-beige. they were surrounded by magic but still couldn't repair the infirmary. huh. he could definitely see the imprints the apollo children had made, even just in the small room he was in. there was an overall sense of brightness, despite the late hour it was. it felt welcoming, in a way. 

he debated on going back to his cabin now or staying here until morning. the harpies would be out, so that definitely wouldn't be preferable. still, could he really stay for this long? y/n had told him to stay until he felt better...

so, he stayed, in hopes of seeing her again. he was still curious about the connection he felt to her. curious about why her eyes felt so familiar. he tried to rack his brain for answer, yet nothing came to mind. there was a faint image of those eyes on a little girl, their e/c being illuminated by a ray of sunshine. but that was where the memory faded. nothing around the young girl seemed familiar, none of the scenery. he couldn’t even tell if the memory was indoors.

percy noticed the lack of movement, even inside of the infirmary. apollo kids had to sleep too. the only sound he heard was the low chirping of crickets, occasionally seeing one of their tiny bodies hopping by, being illuminated by the fading moonlight.

the lack of light was seamlessly replaced by an orange hue, accompanying the rising sun in the distance. it must’ve been closer to morning than what he had thought. well, that just meant he got to see this mysterious girl sooner.

the stars faded slowly, as if running from the intruding daylight.

y/n walked into the infirmary, smiles and all, the view causing a small grin to even grow to his own face. the optimistic attitude she often boar wasn’t new, but still found a way to draw him in.

“oh!” she looked surprised to see him, was that bad? should he have left when we woke up? the wide smile said otherwise, but he was beginning to think it was permanent, regardless of the situation. his mind raced, and he didn’t know why. it wasn’t like this with anyone else that’d help him. why her?

“i didn’t realize you were still here. are you feeling better at least?” she questioned, concern lacing her features.

“uh, yeah,” he swallowed, trying to get the ugly taste out of his mouth, “ ‘m feeling a lot better. thank you.”

“it’s what i’m here for,” she replied cheerily, spinning on her heel and moving away from the open doorway.

 he gave it a few minutes, then slowly sat up. as the blanket fell from his shoulders, a sudden wave of cool air reminded him of the shirt he wasn’t wearing.  his eyes roamed the enclosed area, searching for the familiar orange fabric of his camp-tee. then, he saw it hanging on a plastic hanger, seemingly clean. he took slightly shaky steps towards it, eventually shrugging it over his shoulders, letting it fall past his arms. 

he walked out of the room he was in, slightly zoned out. unfortunately for him, he bumped into the girl he had been trying to figure out.

“ah, shit, sorry y/n,” he said quickly, gently reaching to grab her arm to steady her.

she didn’t seem bothered. “it’s alright, are you going?”

he nodded, releasing his grip from her arm. “i’ll see you around?” he asked, hoping the answer was yes. maybe then he could figure out where he knew her from.

“of course, percy.”

her words made him smile, even if she just meant them half-heartedly. (she definitely did, he could tell.) he stepped out into the now fully-risen sun, its rays beating down on him despite the chill held by the autumn air.

immediately, he was greeted by his short, fast-talking friend. the one and only, leo valdez.

“where have you been?” the boy exclaimed, his head tilting slightly upwards to meet percy’s eyes.

“dude, it’s been like a day,” percy said flatly.

almost on instinct, percy checked his pockets for his trusted pen. no matter how long he had had it, he still wasn’t used to the fact he couldn’t lose it. just like he suspected, it was safely sitting in the back pocket of his jeans.

percy’s gaze wondered back towards the infirmary one last time, before quickly flicking back to leo, trying to listen to what the boy was discussing as they walked further and further away.

he noticed leo looking at him expectantly, and just nodded his head, seemingly agreeing to what had just been said. “yeah, of course.”

“you weren’t listening, were you?” leo groans.

“not at all,” the boy admitted, not wanting to lie to one of his closest friends.

“tell me again?” he offered, smirking sheepishly down at leo, who rolled his eyes. still, the boy repeated what he had said, this time earning a real response from percy.

the two boys conversed, occasionally shoving each other around as they walked over the dirt pathways winding between the camp cabins. eventually, they heard a horn blow, signaling breakfast.

arriving at the pavilion, percy noticed y/n walking towards a table seating annabeth chase, piper mclean, and luke castellan. wait.

luke castellan?

why was she sitting with luke castellan? 

why did percy care? 

he didn’t. right?

no, of course he didn’t. why would he?

taglist : @iamforeverandalwaystired, lmk if you wanna be added!

[sreidisms]

Hey! I absolutely love your work, english is not my first lenguage so sorry for any grammar mistakes, but imagine season 1 Spencer and reader waking up after their first time, reader is all sleepy as she tries to find her clothes so Spencer is insecure if she regrets anything but she's like "baby, I'm only trying to find my panties, calm down"

I basically squealed when I read this! It's so cute and so reid <3 also no need to worry, I'm European so I know that being fluent in multiple languages isn't the easiest!

The Morning After

Insecure!Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader

Summary: you and your boyfriend Spencer have sex for the first time, but he wakes up the next morning asking if you regretted it.

Genre: slight angst, fluff, slight smut

Word Count: 1.1K

Warnings: mentions of genitalia, mentions of female reproductive system, kissing, 'baby' used as a pet name, insecurity from Spencer's end, reader is mentioned putting on Spencer's shirt but it's over-sized to make it more body inclusive.

A/N: This took me a couple of days to write out because I kept on changing the way the drabble evolved, so I hope it makes sense now 😭

The first thing you felt was the sensation of a super soft quilt draped over your body. You hummed and snuggled deeper underneath the warmth, squeezing your eyes tighter as you realised a sliver of sunshine had settled across your face. You hadn’t had this good of a rest in ages.

To lift the pressure off your right shoulder, you turned to the other side but hit something in the process. Your eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. What the fuck?

With sleep still gluing your eyes shut, you slowly pried them open to be met with an unfamiliar form beside you. It took a while for your brain to adjust to your surroundings and register that oh, this wasn’t your bed, and oh, that was your boyfriend Spencer.

His usually gelled back hair was ruffled and the different strands were standing in different directions across his pillow and forehead. His signature pout adorned his lips, the one you often saw when you had sleepovers, which you thought was the definition of adorable. Spencer, like this, in his natural state, could have you staring at him in awe for hours. Your gaze followed the dip of his collarbone until it met his naked shoulder that was peeking from beneath the sheets.

And then it hit you. Last night you had slept together for the first time.

You could remember it clearly now: Spencer had invited you over to watch a film and have dinner together, because he had missed you so much. Cuddling had led to kissing, that to making out, and after some shared words of reassurance and consent, you somehow stumbled to the bedroom and got in each other’s pants.

Vivid images of fumbling hands and smooth skin flashed inside your head: the feeling of his weight against your body, his thin hips digging into your flesh as he gently rutted into you before picking up the speed, his breath fanning against your neck; the sound of skin against skin and the struggling moans and whimpers that originated from the man’s open mouth. You had shared all of it with Spencer and he had looked so beautiful while doing so.

You couldn’t resist reaching a hand over to cup his cheek, rubbing your thumb along his cheekbone. His brows further knotted together as he stirred in his sleep, leaning into your touch unknowingly.

After a few more strokes of your thumb, the boy’s eyes fluttered open, his pupils dilating as soon as he recognised you.

“Hi,” he smiled.

“Hi there, sleepyhead,” you whispered in return.

You leaned in to press a soft kiss on his nose and then a few more on his cheek. He giggled and scrunched his eyes and nose, melting into the affection that only you gave him.

“You slept well, darling?” you asked.

“Mmm, I always do when you’re here.”

After one more loving kiss on his plump lips, you shuffled out of bed in search of your missing underwear and a shirt to put on. All you could remember was throwing it into an unknown area, because your priorities were evidently somewhere else at the time.

It didn’t register in Spencer’s mind at first, but once he caught a glimpse of your bare ass and back, his eyes widened in shock. He fumbled under the sheets until he managed to sit against the headboard of his bed, looking downwards and realising yes, he was naked too. Naturally, memories from last night flooded his head: your lips on the sweaty skin of his neck, the softness of your entire body pressed against him in the most irresistible way, and most importantly, the way your cunt had engulfed him and it was so warm and wet. It made his cock twitch, but doubt overtook his thoughts, making the next words tumble out of his mouth like a reflex.

“Do you regret what we did … last night?”

His question pierced your ears and halted you mid-scavenger hunt. The choice of words - regret - concerned you, because you had enjoyed every single second of it. Did he regret it?

You turned around to face him, the worried wrinkles on your forehead appearing in an instant. “Regret? Of course not. Why is that worrying you?”

From where he was sitting, Spencer had a perfect view of your naked body. His eyes traced your shoulders, the swell of your breasts, the smoothness of your stomach and hips, not being subtle about it at all. He cleared his throat in an attempt to gather his thoughts, mind racing between insecurity and the very beautiful woman in front of him, one who he had no idea why chose him over all people.

“I- I don’t know …” He fumbled with his fingers and looked down at his lap. “You left the bed so quickly and I understand if you’re disgusted by me and you want to leave, I hope you didn’t feel pressured to have sex with me-”

“Spencer please,” you sighed, pressing the pads of your fingertips into your eyes and rubbing them. “I’m just trying to find my panties, baby, give me a second.”

He nodded timidly, scared he had said the wrong thing, chewing on his bottom lip with anxiety. You managed to find your underwear and slipped them on, hopping on one foot and then the other. Then, to simply satisfy the desire, you found Spencer’s over-sized Doctor Who t-shirt that had been abandoned and shrugged it onto your shoulders.

You padded across the wooden floorboards groggily and crawled back into your place on the bed, crossing your legs and sitting beside your doubt-ridden boyfriend. You tucked your forefinger under his chin, making him look at you.

“What’s going on in that smart brain of yours?”

The boy let out a chuckle that sounded more like a scoff, giving you a small glimpse of his gorgeous smile. “I thought you regretted what w-we did.” His cheeks tinged pink in embarrassment but also fear. What if you had just had sex with him because he wanted to? He couldn’t stand the thought.

You tilted your head to the side, gently holding his face in your hands and staring at him with pure love. “I loved every second of it, baby. I said yes because I wanted to, I really wanted to. I’m really glad you felt comfortable enough to share that moment with me, we created such a beautiful memory. I think what’s more important is if you enjoyed it, as it was your first time.”

Spencer smiled giddily, his cheeks getting redder. “I- I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

You grinned back, placing a kiss on his nose again. “That’s what I like to hear. And if it’s of any solace, you’ve got the prettiest body, love.” The comment hit him in the heart, the flush spreading downwards to his neck and chest.

You moved a hand to the nape of his neck, scratching the hair there. “I’d love to do it again.”

[rose-gold-chains]

Pairing: Vessel x Female OC X IV

Word count: 2418

[WARNINGS: NSFW, pet names, unprotected sex, very light dom/sub, praise, pussy eating, blowjobs and aaaall the nice things]

Minors, do not interact!

First fic in the fandom, please be kind. Feedback is appreciated.

“Are you done?”

Vessel's harsh voice snaps you out of your trance, and you subconsciously shake your head a little, as if to force your brain to focus. 

“I-- what?”

He comes behind you, bends a little so you can feel his warm breath on your ear and your neck before he speaks, “you're looking at him like you're ready to drool.”

He nods his head towards IV's general direction, the boy blissfully unaware of what he's causing between the two of you, towel drying his face after a demanding show, a stubborn drop of sweat sliding down his bare, unpainted back. 

And you like Vessel, you do. 

Might even go as far as to say that you're falling in love with him. 

The banter is immaculate, the sex is mind blowing every time, and the care he pours on you after is something straight out of a romance novel, but- there's something in the way IV moves that is just too entrancing, too beautiful, too hot: his soft body, strong hands, warm voice, the way he's so effortlessly sensual, even though he's none the wiser most of the time. 

He has that something that makes you want to stare for hours on end, makes you want to imagine, to… 

Vessel's arm comes around your torso, pulling you towards his chest, effectively caging you in, “he's pretty, isn't he?”

You can feel his calm heartbeat reverberating against your ribcage.

“I-- yeah, I guess.”

“Bet he'd be even prettier on his knees for us.”

That took an unexpected turn.

“What are you saying, Ves?”

“I'm not saying anything, just picturing a scene.”

××

After the brief conversation with Vessel, the image of IV kneeled in between your thighs as Vessel holds his head in place is constantly plaguing your thoughts: the velocity at which it has heat pooling right at your gut is unlike anything you've ever experienced before, making you feral in a matter of seconds as soon as it pops into your brain. 

And it does pop into your brain a lot. 

Everytime IV walks into your line of vision, more or less. .

It's not helping that Vessel hasn't done anything to take the edge off: you haven't been properly fucked in days, and you're slowly but surely slipping into madness. 

It takes you three more days before you snap: Vessel has been riling you up all day, whispering filth in your ear and making empty promises, touching you in ways that he knows make your skin tingle with lust, and then never doing anything about it.

“Vessel, we need to talk,” your voice is higher than you would like, but it's not something you're willing to overthink now, “right now."

“Can it wait? I'm headed out with the boys for a pint in a min.”

“No, it cannot wait.”

He turns is back to you and walks towards a free room, closing the door behind him when you're inside as well, “so? What's up love?”

The fact that he's so collected while you're slowly going out of your mind almost makes your blood boil, “I wanna know why you're not-- why we're not--”

He smirks, the bitch, “why we're not what, angel?”

“Why are you going out instead of fucking me! You've been an absolute tease the whole day and now you're just-- going out for a pint? You haven't fucked me in days, I'm-- I have needs!!”

“Oh, that's what's going on, huh? My baby wants to be stuffed nice and full?”

He's walking towards you at a slow pace, eyes dark and focused, and you feel yourself walking backwards towards the unmade bed behind you- not quite cowering away, but more anticipating what's to come. 

The line of his cock is faintly visible through his trousers and it's tantalizing, making your mouth water and your legs weak, “...please, Ves.”

When the back of your knees hits the bed you know you're done running, so you let yourself fall with a soft thud on the rumpled sheets, your thighs spreading slightly on their own accord. 

“Look at you, desperate little thing that you are,” his voice is honey and charcoal, wraps your brain in a spell, “I'm gonna give you exactly what you need, baby. Just wait here a second, yeah? Undress yourself while I go grab some stuff for us.”

You nod dumbly, and as soon as the door clicks shut again, you make a quick work of removing your clothes, neatly folding them to the side because you know he wants it that way and you're not about to make mistakes when you're finally about to get what you've been needing for so long. 

You're naked on the bed when the door opens up again, sitting with your back to the wall patiently just the way you know he loves, but the scene before you is very different than what you were expecting: sure, Vessel is there with and arm full of supplies - a bunch of towels, a few bottles of water, your favourite vibrator, a mostly full bottle of lube - but it's not the only thing he brought with him. 

Behind him is IV, looking like an absolute vision: he's wearing nothing but a pair of black briefs and a silver chain around his neck and his head is hung low, like he hasn't had permission to look anywhere but his feet. 

“Close your mouth angel, it's impolite to stare so openly,” Vessel's voice is calm, soothing. 

“IVy, love, go kneel near the bed, yeah? Head down, hands where I can see them.”

He follows orders in silence, kneeling prettily to the side of the bed, eyes glued to the floor, hands neatly resting on his thighs.

“Told you he'd look so pretty kneeling for us.”

IV doesn't speak, but the blush that spreads across his face and chest is something akin to art. 

The bed dips slightly as Vessel gets on, crawling to you, capturing your mouth in a kiss. You moan deep from your core as he caresses your body, his fully dressed figure encompassing your much smaller frame as he explores your skin like it's his first time. 

He travels down your body with his mouth, kissing, biting, leaving faint marks for his eyes to rake over and admire, “you're so gone already, baby, so eager for it. What do you need right now?”

It's a simple question, but finding the answer has never been so hard: you need him to fuck you like he's starved for it, need to come over and over until you're too sore and tired and sated to walk. But you also need IVy to put his hands on you, his mouth, his cock, in any capacity Vessel would allow. 

“Need to come,” is all that comes out of your mouth. 

“How do you want to come? Need me to give you options?”

“Please.”

“So, I could fuck you with that pretty purple vibrator you love very much, and then me and IVy could clean up the mess you make. That's option one. Option two would be making you come with my mouth, and then have him do the same. Option three.. I could stuff you full of my cock over and over until you cry, and then cum inside you. And lovely IVy here could clean it all up for us, and make you come again with that pretty mouth of his.”

As soon as option three leaves his mouth, your body has an instant reaction: you whine, high and desperate, legs falling wide open, back arching, “please, please, please!”

“Do you want him to watch as I fuck the sense out of you?”

“Please.”

“Do you want him to touch?”

“I-- yes.”

“You heard her, IV, come up on the bed. Speak, so you can thank her for being so kind.”

He stands up, and his thick cock tents the front of his briefs. 

Now that he's allowed to look at you, his stare is so intense it might as well be burning holes into your skin, “thank you for allowing me to watch you, to touch you. I promise I will be doing whatever I can to make you feel good-- I- thank you so much.”

“Such a sweet boy,” Vessel cups IV's face gently, pecks his lips once, “so polite,” their kiss deepens as they both tower above you on the bed, hands wandering over each other, grabbing hair and caressing smooth skin, and it's truly a sight for sore eyes, an honour to be able to witness something so soft, so intimate, yet so feral and animalistic. 

××

The moment Vessel is undressed and sliding into you feels like clarity after days of fog, it feels like coming home, it feels like being pieced back together. 

And to make the experience even better, IV is there. Once the dam has been broken, he can't help but touch you all over: his hands are calloused yet soft, strong yet delicate, and just from this you can tell he's a generous lover - he takes note of every noise and movement, repeating those that elicit the best reaction just so you can feel all the pleasure. He touches Vessel, too, tugs on his hair, watches as his cock disappears into you over and over - he remains obedient, though, never speaking out of turn, never touching himself even though it's crystal clear he's been dying to, cock struggling against the cotton of his briefs and leaving a sizeable wet patch where the tip is. 

He twists one of your nipples just as Vessel pushes into you just right, and the first orgasm is ripped out of you, crashing into your bones like a tsunami, making you shake, making the world blinding for a hot second. 

“Good girl, look at you. You needed this so much.”

Vessel never stops his thrusts, keeps chasing the same high, hips snapping fast and hard enough to make the bed shake, eyes shifting from your sweaty face to IV's and back. 

“You look breathtaking like this,” it's the first time IV has dared to speak, apart from the occasional moan, and the reverence in his tone is something that would make even the strongest man, weak. 

He's right, though: Vessel looks positively sinful like this, skin glistening and brows furrowed in concentration, chasing his orgasm, hair sticking in all different directions from the sweat and both your hands and IV's messing with it. 

It takes him a few more minutes to finally, finally reach his high, the pace brutal and punishing as you lie there, sore and oversensitive, letting him use your hole as a makeshift fleshlight, merely a tool, a means to an end. 

When his cock twitches violently inside your abused hole, you know he's done for- a pained moan is ripped out of his guts and he's coming, painting your insides white, hiding his face in the crook of your shoulder as he tries - and fails - to catch his breath through an orgasm that seems to last forever. 

“IV, love,” Vessel's voice is so hoarse it almost sounds painful, “com'ere.”

IV, the goodest boy that he is, shuffles towards Vessel's outstretched arms, and lets himself fall into his chest, effectively taking the spot you occupied until a few minutes prior. 

“You've been so good, so patient. So obedient.”

IV whines low in his throat, and if you thought he was attractive before, seeing him so pliant despite his painfully hard cock can only solidify that belief. 

“You submitted to me so, so beautifully, and I feel like you deserve a reward. Clean her up, make her come, and I'll do the same to you.”

He guides IV onto his back, then guides you to stand right on his face, spread open and vulnerable, facing towards his feet. And then, when he shimmies his way down the bed and slides IV's soaked briefs off, it clicks: you're about to watch your boyfriend suck cock for the first time, while you're being eaten out. 

Funny how life works, sometimes. 

The feeling is something you've never felt before: sure, you've had people go down on you - Hell, Vessel makes you sit on his face as often as he can just because he enjoys taking you apart so much - but IV is methodical with it: his tongue laps at you the moment you're close enough, and his arms are anchored to your thighs, pushing you down, effectively cutting most of his air flow as he moans at the taste of you mixing with Vessel's cum dripping out.  

He encourages you to rock back and forth, to set your own pace, but he's still strong enough to make sure you don't slip away for even a second, that you have no reprieve from the constant onslaught of white hot pleasure his skilled mouth is inflicting. 

IV's rhythm only falters the moment Vessel takes his cock in his mouth: he's been hard for so long he can't help but buck his hips up as best as he can, and the whines that are ripped out of him, muffled by your flesh, reverberate against your core. 

It's a chain reaction of lust and pleasure, of mouths sucking and tongues teasing and hands gripping hard enough to bruise. 

Vessel sucks IV down with ease over and over, cheeks hollowed and eyes closed like he's enjoying every second of it, savoring every noise IV makes and watching you get your fix as well. 

You're so distracted by the mix of sensations that your orgasm sneaks up on you, merciless and powerful, making your thighs shake and your body slump forward when the worst of it is gone. 

The taste of your orgasm is enough to send IV tumbling over the edge as well, nails digging marks into your thighs, as Vessel swallows every last drop he has to give, “fuck-- oh my fucking God!”

××

Vessel, the sweet, gentle soul that he is, takes it upon himself to clean you and IVy up as best as he can - never failing to whisper sweet nothings to you both as you collect yourselves, making you both eat something and drink plenty of water. 

“Thank you for doing this for us, Ives.”

“Thank you for trusting me with it, with her. It was-- fuck. Just--”

“Yeah,” is all you can say, and it comes out as a satisfied sigh, “it was.”

“Should we make it a weekly thing?”

And if Vessel isn't complaining, who are you to say no? 

[34saveme34]

Sever the Ties - another smg34 fic by yours truly

[Very excited to post this !!

CW: obviously angst, self harm (mainly once), in general a lot of death mentions, no actual deaths though

word count: 11243

Although SMG3 didn't like it when 4 helped him, he convinced him through endless whining to help clean the cafe after the chaos his USB caused (Why does that sound familiar?).

It took the whole day, both were way too exhausted. 3 sat down on one of the chairs guests would usually sit on. A lot of emotions were boiling in him.

“Whew, we’re done, finally!” 4 exclaimed, stretching his arms after completing such a grueling task.

“You didn't need to help” 3 said, contempt dripping off his words. But he was still holding back.

“It's my fault so I kind of did”

3 just sighed and got up, not wanting to further engage in conversation.

4 looked confused, but also upset.

“Dude! Not even a thanks?” he pouted

3 looked back at him, a sort of coldness in his eyes 4 didn't like to be subjected to.

“Thanks for fixing your own mistake. Now scram” he didn't yell, but he wasn't exactly calm either.

“I’m sorry… it wasn't on purpose I promise I… I hope you can forgive me, 3” 4 pleaded, looking 3’s way, his big eyes reflecting off all the sorrow he was feeling about the situation. 3 looked away but that face already made an impression on his mind. It was hard to stay mad at him.

“I know…” his voice was so gentle “This is just how it is with you sometimes, isn't it?” 3 joked, looking back at 4. 4 frowned.

“But! It shouldn't be… I’ve gotta make it up for you somehow…”

“Please don't…” 3 whined.

“I promise it's gonna be good!” 4 gave him a double thumbs up, as he left with an excited grin. 3 could feel a plan cooking up in 4’s brain, there was no way to stop him.

He shook his head, chuckling to himself.

“What did I do to deserve this?” he spoke to himself, with a stupid grin he couldn't wipe off. As he was trying to cope with the idea that 4 could ruin him further, he felt his furry son greeting him by nuzzling his foot.

“Hey there, boy!” as if he was absolved of all worry, he lifted Eggdog in his arms, hugging him. He earned excited barks for it.

“At least I have you” he petted him then put him down. He still felt kind of bittersweet.

He left to his evil lair, and immediately hit the bed. He felt too emotionally unavailable for the shower right now. The bathroom in general. Walking by the mirror in there simply made him feel dread. He didn't think he could develop such a repulsion towards his own image. His whole living place kind of became hell for him for this reason.

He couldn't sleep, it just wasn't working. He got up. His clock read 2 AM. He sighed. Something was on his mind.

“I should get rid of them…” he stared at the statue of himself. Every second that passed as he stared at it, he felt he couldn't even get out of his own merch’s shadows. It all made him feel sick. He got up, and started throwing out everything that used his likeness. All the plushies, cardboard standees and other merch he still had on hand. Not the statue, not yet. He had something special for that.

He put all the merch in a pile and lit it all on fire. It was sad to see but he felt relieved in some way as well. They had been haunting him for weeks at that point. Although the amount of money he spent on these was kinda sad to see go. Just another financial mistake of his, these felt common for him at this point. And it started so well too, with how much he got his hopes up, he plummeted that hard. He barely even realised he started to cry. He wiped his eyes, trying to compose himself but he only started crying more, and not so softly anymore. His breathing wasn't calm either, his brain felt like melting. So much pain in him, trying to turn him into nothing. He looked up at the sky, wondering where he could have gone wrong.

It took him a bit to calm down. He was glad that everyone was probably asleep at this point. The sadness slowly turned into twisted anger. He got up, walking up and down beside his fucked up bonfire, trying to calm himself.

“What did I even do to deserve this? I’ve been trying so hard- I went through so much! I thought I worked enough on myself to have a good life now” he stared up at the sky, as if he expected the stars to have an answer. But they were deadly silent.

“GOD DAMN IT, GIVE ME A REASON” he screamed, still staring up, as if blaming some sort of god for the way he was now. He was once again crying. He harshly sat down. It hurt but at least he wasn't only feeling his emotions that way. The thought made him stop, as he slowly looked to the fire, perhaps bad things forming in his brain. The more he looked at it, the more the fire made an impression on his brain. The way it was so strong, going up but dissipating soon too. It kind of reminded him of himself. Would anyone miss him if he became one with the fire?... Or  was he too much of a coward? He pulled off one of his gloves, his expression still wore sadness. He pulled his sleeve slightly up, not wanting it to catch fire. He reached in. It was kind of overwhelming. His mind felt empty from the pain. He pulled back suddenly as the pain really settled in him,even if it hadn’t been there for that long, crying out again. He couldn't believe it, he was crying again… Why was he such a failure?

“...3?” he heard a soft voice come from behind him, all too familiar. His heart sank. He couldn't look.

“...3! What… What's wrong?” the voice came closer, it seemed he was not getting off the hook with this one.

“Why are you here?” 3 spoke, his voice was strained from the crying.

“I couldn't sleep because of our link… I could feel something was wrong…” 4 kneeled down beside 3, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. 3 wasn't sure how to feel. His hand was hurt. It hurt so fucking much. Why did he have to be so fucking stupid?

4 grabbed his burnt hand. But he didn't say a thing. He was gentle too, he could see how much it hurt. 4 sighed softly and pulled 3 up.

“Wait, what the hell are you doing??” 3 tried to get away, pulling himself from 4’s grip.

“I want to help. This can't continue”

3 stared at him, so many thoughts attacking him. He felt awful.

“Like you could do anything, dipshit!”

4 was about to look offended but visibly held back.

“If you let me, I can. Please, 3… You know I care about you, right? It's awful to see you like… like this” he grabbed 3’s shoulder firmly, once again beginning to pull him back.

3 sighed.

“You won't let me go, huh?”

“Never ever” 4 smiled at 3, trying to be hopeful. 3 cared too… He really did.

4 took him inside then searched around everywhere he could to find something to treat 3’s burns. As he looked around, that's when he realised all the merch was missing. Their absence made him feel kind of uneasy. He thought for a bit then called Meggy.

“It's 4 in the morning” she sounded upset.

4 went outside, leaving 3 alone inside the cafe. 3 looked his way, but he didn't feel like going after him.

He was on the phone for a bit, probably about a few minutes. 3 didn't go outside but still stared the entire time. 4 came back inside after putting his phone away.

“I called Meggy, she has stuff for your burns”

3 frowned.

“You didn't need to-”

“What were you doing anyways?”

3 looked down, not wanting to look at 4 as he said those next few words.

“Burning merch”

4 was shocked. That's when he put together that what he saw then was all the merch burning.

“What?... What for?” 4 sounded so sad. It killed 3. He wished he could smile at him again.

“No one wanted them anyways, and I hated staring at them only catch dust”

“Still… I… has it really been this bad?”

“I’m surprised you didn't notice…. Then again, you're not exactly best at catching on things”

“Hey I-...” 4 looked down “I guess you're right”

Neither looked at the other. The tension…

Meggy stepped inside the cafe, which got both out of their sudden silence.

“Hey, guys, I brought some burn ointments, I came as soon as I could!”

“Why do you have it anyways?” 3 asked.

“You never know when you might need it!... And my time in the kitchen often leaves me with burns-”

“Fair enough” 4 commented, nodding. It made sense, Meggy is a shitty ass cook. 

4 and Meggy treated 3. 3 was kind of glad they stopped questioning why this even happened. He really really didn't want to talk about it.

“So” 4 started. Oh no.

“What?” 3 didn't dare look at either of them, playing with the bandage they put on his hand.

“What's wrong, SMG3?” Meggy folded her arms, looking concerned. 

“He burnt his merch” 4 told Meggy since 3 was rather silent.

“What??” even she was shocked. 3 was starting to feel like an utter clown, this was torture.

“Yeah… and I feel like it's my fault…” 4’s voice was filled with sorrow. 3 perked up for that, staring at 4 with an expression that was hard to read. It slowly turned soft though.

“It's… not actually” 3 sighed. It was his own fault. 

“I-... I think I still want to help… especially because I think I found something that could help your business out”

3 looked at him confused and scared. Whatever was in this man’s mind could only lead to bad things.

4 took his phone out and showed a picture of a billboard. It had the number on it to call if you wanted to rent it.

3 looked at the picture. Back at 4. Back at the picture, back at 4. He tilted his head. Meggy looked confused as well.

“You could advertise like this!”

“4… I hate to break it to you but I don’t have that kind of money right now”

4 shook his head.

“I’ll pay for it!” 4 pumped a fist into the air cheerfully. He was serious about this.

3 went so wide eyed, not even sure what he was supposed to say.

“THAT’S A LOT OF MONEY, YOU IDIOT???”

“3’s right, 4… that’s a rather big commitment”

“I don’t mind it!”

“The fuck you mean you don’t mind it??” 3 was rather flustered now. The grand gesture proposed to him made him feel all sorts of things.

“I wanna make it up to you, 3… for all the times I had mistreated you” 4 put a hand on 3’s shoulder. 3 was so flustered he didn’t even know what to say anymore. He wasn’t used to being treated so special. 

“Damn, that’s so sweet of you 4, I wish you cared about me this much” Meggy teased 4, 4 didn’t seem to get what she was going for. She didn’t feel like elaborating. 

“Are you sure?” 3 finally got some words out. Didn’t mean he looked any less flustered though.

“Yeah! You deserve it, man!” he patted 3 on his back then pulled him close by the shoulder. It seemed 4 was rather touchy today. And Meggy started to feel awkward about third wheeling. 

“So, guys, I’m gonna go back to sleep now, you’re welcome for my help” she waved them goodbye quickly. It was so interesting to see the 2 get along in their own ways but she still felt like she was intruding on something she shouldn’t.

3 felt like he was left to succumb now that he was left alone with 4. He couldn’t believe that he wished for Meggy to stay longer.

It took everything in him but he just couldn’t… he couldn’t keep it in. He hugged 4. It took a bit but 4 hugged back. They were silent, the hug was long. He wasn’t exactly a fan of affection but 4 got the best of him. He couldn’t help it at this point. 

“You sure are affectionate today” 4 teased 3 softly.

“Not my fault”

“Heh… is it mine?” 4 grinned.

“Yeah yeah” 3 pulled 4 away gently “And now it’s over”

“Thanks, your hugs are nice”

“You do realise how that sounds, right?”

“Well… Sometimes you’re a little gay with the homies, right?” 4 joked. 3 facepalmed. 

“Whatever…”

They stood around for a bit before 4 spoke.

“Say… will you be able to sleep like this?”

3 didn’t even think of that. With the way he got, he almost thought today would be his last day.

“Uh… I don’t know, I probably just… won’t”

4 squinted at him, having none of his bad behaviour.

“No way”

The 2 stared at each other, 3 looking kind of angry, especially since 4 didn’t budge.

“What are you gonna do, beat me to sleep or some shit?” 

“No… That’s mean”

“It’s not like you would cuddle me to sleep-” 3 said. He already said it and he couldn’t take it back. The words he didn’t mean to just put out there but now 4 knew. He knew that 3 considered cuddling him to sleep.

“Not a bad idea… then in the morning we can start on preparing for that billboard!”

3 grew so red.

“I DIDN’T SAY I WANT TO”

“Then why did you bring it up?”

“And why are you so for it?”

4 blushed himself, now that he thought about it further… It was a pretty weird idea.

“This once?” 4 pleaded, with those loser puppy dog eyes. 3 sighed.

“Fine”

“Though… you should shower first”

“Being picky now, aren’t we?”

“I can help you with that too” 4 smiled, feeling kind of powerful that he could tease 3. He got slapped. He realised it was kind of deserved.

“Fine, I'll shower. Very VERY far from you”

“I was just joking! I swear!”

3 sighed and shook his head. He couldn’t believe he could be this close to this idiot.

3 showered and came back to 4 by his bed. It was kind of weird but he also sort of looked forward to it. In like a weird, twisted and awful way. He looked away from 4 to the statue he had of himself. It filled him with dread.

“Hey, 4, before we sleep… can you help me bring this out of here?” he pointed at the statue.

“Is it really necessary right now?”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep with it around”

4 got up, guess there was no other way. They moved it out of the room together, although they had to take it apart a bit so they could fit it out of the door. For the night, they left it in the cafe lounge, he would worry about it later.

Now came the time to sleep. 3 got kind of flustered at 4 opening his arms for him to sleep there. He didn’t even let him go far away, keeping him close, as if he didn’t want to ever let him go… Only 4 knew that that thought was kind of accurate. It was so so uncomfortably comforting, 3 fell asleep pretty fast. If it wasn’t so weird, he’d ask to do this more.

Next day came by, 3 was slow to stir awake. He kind of didn’t feel like getting up. The warmth of 4 was a bit too nice… What the the fuck do you mean? Get yourself together! 3 wriggled himself out of 4’s hold and went to the bathroom to splash his face with water. He had to get himself together.

But man… He still missed it. How could he even cope with this?

He went back to his room and sat beside the still sleeping 4. He still couldn’t believe 4 just cuddled him last night. He thought he would never do something like that. It kind of intrigued him in a way. He wondered if he made this side of him trigger with what he did last night. He frowned, thinking of the possibility. He didn’t want to hurt 4. At least… he hoped he didn’t want to hurt 4. The idea made him kind of sick. 

He only realised how intensely he was staring at 4 when he woke up, his eyes meeting his own. He suddenly turned away, as if he hadn’t been looking at 4 for who knew how long at that point. 4 smiled about that, he was glad to see that 3 cared. Although he didn’t speak up about it… It was still too early for him. He lightly tugged on 3’s arm.

“What?” 3 looked at him unamused.

“Coffee?” 4 requested with one simple word.

3 just stared at him. 4 frowned.

“Pretty please”

3 rolled his eyes, he got up and went outside to make one for 4. 4 took that time to still relax in 3’s bed. He didn’t think it would be so nice sleeping beside 3. Although the idea was spontaneous and if the circumstances were different, he wouldn’t have done it… But his need to see 3 okay won him over like this. 

3 was brewing the coffee, while it was going, he phoned some dude up, apparently from the dark web. As soon as he put his phone down, a shady dude came out from the floor and took the disassembled statue, leaving a few coins behind for a fair trade. 3 picked them up. At least he could get a little money out of his sudden spring cleaning. 

3 went back down to 4 with the coffee, made to 4’s liking, he knew his taste pretty well at this point. Even if he didn’t have a lot of customers anymore, 4 would still come every once in a while. 

4 took the coffee, taking a sip, he hummed with delight.

“Great as always” 4 commented, drinking more of it. 3 was glad that even if his business was dying, he still managed to make banger coffee that 4 liked.

“Thanks”

“No no, thank YOU”

“Whatever, you’re welcome” 3 smiled, folding his arms.

“Hey… don’t you wanna come beside me” the warmth radiating off of 4 was quite beckoning.

“What would I for? Not like I have business with you”

4 deflated.

“You kinda do, considering what we talked about yesterday…” 4 pulled out his laptop “I guess you don’t want to save your business?” 

3 went wide eyed. He accepted defeat and sat beside 4. 

“So… we should probably put together your ad!” 4 exclaimed “Now I uh… I had this idea for a while… and I made some mock ups!” 4 said and opened up a folder that held a few images.

They weren’t exactly well drawn and 4 didn’t have the most legible writing. 3 often had to lean in close to see them. After looking at them all, he looked at 4 and chuckled.

“I see graphic design is your passion” he teased.

“I did this for you!”

“They look like shit”

“Nooo,,”

“What were you even trying to write here?” 3 opened one of the images back up.

“It’s-! I… I don’t remember? Ahaha” 4 laughed awkwardly. 3 rolled his eyes, somehow not believing this idiot could make himself look even less smart. 

“Let’s start this again…” 3 got up and brought back a pen tablet. 

“Didn’t know you had one of these”

“I got it not too long ago actually! It’s great to use” 3 took 4’s laptop in his own lap and plugged in his tablet.

“Uh-” 3 started “ do you mind if I download the software for it? It works better that way”

“Sure, go on… just don’t get me viruses!”

“I’m not as much of an idiot as you are!”

“You sure like grilling me today”

“It’s just what I do” 3 laughed. 

After he downloaded the software and set it up, he started to mock something up in ms paint, aka man’s best friend. Nobody does it like you, my dear, Microsoft paint!

It actually looked better than what 4 did, although the tablet definitely played a part in making it better. 4 noticed it was an advertisement for a job.

“You want to hire?” 4 pointed it out.

“Yeah… I think it would be the solution”

“Huh… wait” 4 inspected it more “That’s… not a lot of money for this kind of job”

3 frowned.

“I… I know but I can’t currently offer more”

“Man.. are you really that broke? You can come stay with me if you wa-”

“No way. Never”

“Okay…”

“You’re really obsessed with me…”

“I… I’m just worried about you… yesterday made me realise how I could easily lose you if I didn’t well… yeah”

3 shut up for a bit.

“... I was afraid you’d say that”

The 2 stayed silent for a bit. Lots of feelings around the 2.

“I’m honest though, man, I care a lot”

“I know already ugh just… yeah… I’m sorry, I should be glad you’re helping me”

4 chuckled.

“I’ll still take constructive criticism, but ONLY if you’re not too mean”

“I can try” 3 laughed.

They continue to perfect the ad. It turned out pretty pathetic in the end but at least it got the message across.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been a while since they put the ad out. The more time that passed, the more it felt futile. 3 felt worse than ever, not only did he have a dying business, he also had 4 spending so much money on him and for what? He felt like shit. It was hard to force himself to keep the cafe at least a little clean. And keeping up with daily routines had never been so hard either, as much as it was then. It was killing him from the inside. He wondered if it was even a good idea for him to move there and start this.

However each time he was slowly succumbing to the dark, 4 pulled him out and helped him. He sort of became an unofficial worker in a way. 3 hated that. Not only did he spend so much money on him, he also helped him around without asking for compensation. It made him feel weak, as even this much help didn’t pull him out of it.

It was especially an awful day. He didn’t even try to open the cafe, he just stayed in his room with the lights off. It had been weeks at this point and there still wasn’t anybody coming to help him out… He wished he could’ve done better. But maybe he was just destined to be a miserable shadow of someone better… 4, he was… great. 3 wished he had half the success. The jealousy in his brain had only been growing. He always tried to push it to the back of his mind for the sake of 4, he didn’t want to hurt him. 4 was too great for something like that. He didn’t want to further bury him in his own burden. 

“3? Are you in here?” he heard 4 call out to him from the elevator. He just couldn’t stay away from 3, no matter how many times it seemed reaching out to him wouldn't work out further.

“I’m fine” 3’s voice was muffled by the fact that he was underneath the covers, his face smothered in his pillow.

4 frowned as he walked up to 3’s bed. He sat beside 3. He hesitated for a bit but leaned down to hug 3. 3 didn’t want this… He loved it.

“3, c’mon man I’m…. I’m sure someone will answer your ad soon enough! It’s too early to give up”

“4… listen” 3 sat up, pushing 4 off of himself “I’m… I’ve failed. I don’t get why… you just don’t give up on me at this point. What’s the point of helping me if it doesn’t lead anywhere?”

4 could only stare shocked, not wanting to admit that those words were just uttered to him.

“You can’t say that…”

“I’m right, 4… I think it’s too late for me… just… just let me rot here”

“But… I don’t want to”

“Leave”

“3…”

“Why don’t you get it? It’s futile. I’m not worth it, 4. There’s so many better things and people you can put all this energy into”

“You’re.. you’re…” 4 was lightly shaking, he was really upset by that “You’re more…” tears slipped and streamed down his face.

“Look at you… I’m the reason you’re like this” 3 admitted “It.. genuinely might be better for you”

“WHY do you WANT ME TO STAY AWAY SO BADLY???” 4 got up, upset, crying, accusing, tired. Exhausted. 

“BECAUSE I DON’T DESERVE YOU AT ALL, YOU’RE STRUGGLING BECAUSE OF ME”

“I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO HELP FOR ONCE”

“IT WOULD HELP IF YOU LEFT ME ALONE”

“AND LET YOU ROT??” the tears wouldn’t stop coming, only becoming more intense.

“YES, IT’S WHAT I DESERVE”

“NO! NO! NO! NO IT’S NOT TRUE” he cried, not sure what to do or say anymore. 

“Just… leave… it will be better for the both of us. Make your funny videos”

4 felt almost betrayed, it seemed no matter how hard he pressed, he couldn’t get through 3 anymore. He left, feeling undone in a sense. Yes, the situation had been draining him quite a bit but he did it for his friend, his friend who he really really cared about! A friend he would give the whole world for if he could. And yet, here he was, leaving because he kept failing 3. He felt like shit. Of course when he wanted to be there for 3 fully and help him achieve his dreams, that’s when things would turn this sour. 

He might have gone back to his room now but the inspiration wouldn’t come. The thought that he failed 3 just occupied his mind too much. He knew how bad it was to miss uploads but he just… He couldn’t do this. He decided to release a community post, saying that there would be a bit of a hiatus until he was able to resolve something. He sighed, trying to look for a way to make things better. He wondered if he should really just stop. If 3 was right about the fact that he just needed to stop and leave 3. But the more he stayed away, the more it felt like the whole in his heart, the place 3 took for himself only got bigger. Like a fatal wound.

It had been days since he was told to leave 3 alone. He decided to check on him again, even if by force, he would make something happen. He entered 3’s lair, looking for him but finding nothing. His room looked as messy as ever, nothing was that out of the ordinary. Except for the fact that 3 wasn’t here. 4 started to grow more and more worried. 3 was gone. 3  WAS GONE. WHERE. IS. HE? 

He alerted his friends, who also came to help, though not everyone. Just Meggy, Tari, Saiko, Mario, Luigi and Melony when she wasn’t sleeping. They searched and searched, especially 4, it was almost like he never stopped searching. Day and night he would go to the cafe and look around, often he didn’t even sleep in his room if he would sleep at all. It was the only thing he had of 3 in that way, although it wasn’t as comforting as he wished it to be. But it was more than nothing and he should be grateful. Although it was kind of silly, he looked through the burnt merch, and while he found nothing in tact, he found a plush that was still recognisable. Just seeing it made him cry. He kept it. It turned into a charm for him, not his good luck charm, rather his charm of hope. Hope for the idea that 3 is still out there and that he would be able to find him.

He was reaching the end of his ropes, but then he realised. He could reach out to 1 and 2 for help! Yes, that’s it… He called the 2, scared, they could tell based on his voice that things were NOT good.

“So… you don’t know where he went?” 1 questioned.

“I… yeah… but I… I can still feel that he’s still alive… I know it”

“Alright, we’re gonna teach you a bit of a complex move to help you track down SMG3. You… really need to concentrate. And calm down” 2 looked concerned.

“Yeah, you look super tense” 1 commented, also concerned.

“Sorry sorry… I just really care about him”

“Yeah… He is your partner after all” 2 pat him on the shoulder “it’s only natural”

“He’s also… my friend” 4 could cry all over again. He didn’t think that one day he would be here, feeling dysfunctional at the thought of SMG3 of all people leaving him behind. And yet…

The 2 both grabbed 4’s hand, trying to channel for him. 4 tried to take a deep breath to concentrate. This was for 3… He would do anything for 3. He couldn’t fail him again. 

Suddenly, 4 felt sharp pain in his stomach, which made him fall to the ground.

“Are you okay??” 2 looked worried, 1 was too.

“I’ve never seen something like this happen…”

“Huh?” 4 looked up, shocked at the revelation.

“This shouldn’t be possible” 2 noted as well. This only made 4 more visibly worried.

“Not possible?” 

“Look… I think we should try again” 1 sighed, he knew it had to be done “As much as I’d rather not, I want to try and see… if we can figure it out”

4 nodded, not really fighting it. If it meant they could find 3…

They once again all held hands, and it happened again.

“Hmmm… he only wants you” 1 noted.

“How do you know that?” 2 looked at him, also puzzled.

“I was paying attention to the force stopping us. It was clearly pulling 4 away from us, not the other way around. It only wants you”

“But I- How do I do it on my own?”

“We’ll help from- from here” 2 tried to reassure 4.

“We can���t lose hope yet” 1 also tried.

4 had a headache coming on at this point but he persisted. He wanted to see 3 again and make sure he wouldn’t come to harm’s way ever again.

“Okay… yeah, you’re both right” 4 tried to concentrate. Linking his own hands kind of helped, almost like making a loop link. He closed his eyes. It felt like he was transported in a different place.

He couldn’t see anything much, beside a shadow resembling 3. The shadow knew he was there and that he wanted answers. It didn’t speak directly, only whispers but seemingly not coming from the shadow entity directly. The whispers were incomprehensible yet somehow 4 was still given an image in his head, it burned into his mind. The scenery of a castle that felt impossible. It felt familiar to him in a way. It bared resemblance to Peach’s castle that once stood proud and tall but missing important things, looking like an abandoned version of it. With dark energy emanating from inside.  But he could feel it… 3 was there. Waiting for him. He… He wanted him to come? But… Only him… nobody else… He would have to…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He sat up, he didn’t realise it before but he was put in a bed.

“Hey, you’re finally awake!” 2 said coming beside him.

“What… what happened?”

“The move drained you and you passed out” 1 said, also noticing that 4 woke up “What did you see?”

“It was a castle but… he wants me to go alone”

“What, alone?” 

“That’s just…”

“I have to” 4 stood up from bed “I think… I guess we have a score to settle”

“Are you sure about this?” 1 asked.

“I’m… I am, yeah. What’s the worst that could happen anyways?” 

“A lot can happen”

“At least I’ll see him again” 4 got up and left the 2 SMGs without another word. Both concluded that 4 truly grew desperate. 

4 left on his own, well… Not entirely. He had memes just in case something went wrong. Or if he had to escape a life or death situation. Anything felt possible at this point. He even started to make peace with the idea that he’d get badly hurt anyways. At least he’d be able to see 3 again… maybe with his last breath, he could hold him again… Although that might have sounded a bit too sad. His biggest wish was still to take 3 home and make everything work out again. Turn everything back to normal… What was normal anyways?

He arrived at the entrance of the castle. It was boarded up. He thought for a bit… How should he get through this? Although he didn’t like the trend, he summoned a tik tok, one of those where the food on a plate had bites taken out of it to the beat of a song and then the plate as well. The tiktok managed to chew off the boards to the beat. At least it was useful for once.

He went inside, it was oddly dark, though he could tell it was supposed to resemble Peach’s castle to an extent. but rooms seemed to be missing, which made the main hall even bigger than it was before. The emptiness of it was slowly making 4 anxious… No, he had to keep moving! 

He didn’t have a flashlight with him, which made it a bit hard to explore. But he moved along anyway, concentrating. He could feel 3. He knew he had to be there. He felt infinitely close. As he moved around, he noticed eyes. Eyes were staring at him and only him. More and more of them. Paying attention to every little movement he was making. Not only that, they felt uncomfortably familiar. He didn’t like thinking about it… He didn’t want to go back to the day he lost so much. He felt more and more anxious. 

But the eyes would only stare. But  even if they were only staring, they had him surrounded. It felt like that day, feeling so isolated against your will. Being forced into solitude, something you never wanted in the first place.

He sat down on the ground. He didn’t know what he should do.

“Are you here?” 4 called out softly, his voice shaky. He was way too nervous from this.

He didn’t get an answer back. Only eyes that came closer and closer to him, closing in… Until it was all dark.

It was all dark until a screen was put in front of him. It was bright from being all white, 4 took a bit to adjust to it. There was text on it in black.

“Scared?” it read “Don’t be. It’ll be over soon”

4 looked terrified. Over soon? Will he actually die here? Sure it was a thought that crossed his mind but- but he wasn’t ready for this!

“I just want him back…” 4 sobbed, tears rolling down his face.

“How selfish” the text read. 

“I want him back so I can fix things… make it up to him”

The screen went blank for a bit. It left 4 more nervous.

“3… I uh…” 4 panicked, not knowing what to say “You know- we need you, man. The crew isn’t the same without you! You’re important!”

The screen still did not show an answer. 

“What should I do…” 4 didn’t know anymore.

“Leave” the screen showed simply.

“No… That’s the one thing I can’t do. Not anymore” 4 grabbed the screen, finding something within himself to keep going “I can’t leave without him”

the screen shone bright, covering 4 in brightness, pulling him inside. 

After a whole black room, he was inside a whole white room. Somehow it still felt the exact same, even if he could see now. 

4 thought about what meme could help him in this situation. His mind drew a blank. What was he supposed to do in a blank room? He got up and walked around. Maybe he can find a weakness to this room. He pushed around, finding the edge of the room. He pushed with all his might. Although he wasn’t very strong. Then he got an idea.

He pulled out Beeg.

“Grow, boy!!” 4 commanded him with a big, determined smile.

Now usually Beeg wasn’t one to listen but knowing what was going on, he grew bigger and bigger, pushing at the room more than 4 could ever. 4 cheered him on. 

The room collapsed, they were… they were inside the same room where… Oh. Memories.

Beeg shrunk and went back to 4. 

He walked up to the table in the room. It felt just like the one in his old home. It was furnished similarly, even with the demonic keyboard. He resented looking at it. The fact that he got it made him feel awful all over again. Maybe it really would have been better if he just died there… But 3 saved him. Now it was time for payback. 

“So, what do you want me to do?” he called out. 

He looked around, seeing no one around. Or that was what he thought until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around but he saw no one. He felt confused… Then he could feel a poke at his side. He looked, nothing. Another poke coming from the other side. He looked, still nothing. And then another. Then another. Faster and faster until he was more annoyed than scared or confused and was also starting to feel a bit dizzy. He swore he could hear laughing.

“Hey! This isn’t funny!”

The poke attack suddenly stopped, as the monitor on the table turned on, which caught his attention. It had his editing program opened. The clips, pictures and sounds that were in the library were all too familiar to him.

“Is this some kind of sick joke? You know I couldn’t make that video by myself!” 4 was rather annoyed again. Why did he have to relive this again? He sat in front of the computer but didn’t touch the keyboard.

“And why is this thing here? Do you really expect me to work with it? I… I don’t want to go back to my lowest point”

The keyboard emanated an energy that made 4 feel so scared. He forgot how it can… manipulate you. He was about to reach for it but- he had to stay strong! This could not be the end of his story. Not the end of THEIR story. With 3. He knew… There had to be a way. If 3 saved him before, he had to pay back. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if it was his fault for 3 being gone. 

He grabbed the keyboard and broke it in half. It screamed in its eldritch ways, releasing black blood. There was a lot of it. The monitor turned off.

“You’re not getting me like this! I don’t want a perfect video, I want you!”

4 stopped for a second. Only after saying it did he realise how odd that sounded. But he meant it. No matter how uh… not so straight it sounded.

He got up, looking around the room. He couldn’t wait for whatever entity was around to mess around with him even more.

He noticed a camera following his movement. He got close to the camera, trying to see if he could find a source or reason for it. 

“You think I’m gonna feel shame for being broadcasted?” the camera turned around, instead showing footage it recorded. It had a lot of 3’s rants to himself. How many times he was stuck being the loser out of the 2 of them. How even when they turn out to be friends, he got the shorter end of it all. How everything around him only seemed to fall apart. Especially… when he and 4 got even closer. 4 felt shocked. He never knew he could feel this much emotional pain but… here he was… Being shown that he was only a source of failure for 3. 

The screen of the camera turned off after it finished showing everything.

4 didn’t know what to do with himself. He… He didn’t know he hurt 3 so much. He felt so miserable. And conflicted, would it really be best for them to… part ways? 

He stared at the turned off camera, trying to just… process everything.

The camera turned on again, although the screen was black but something seemed to move closer, like a dark shape, the dark shape reached out, in the form of a hand. 4 panicked and quickly backed away from the camera. The room went dark on the side of the camera, but the figure, although dark, was still noticeable through the dark. Especially for those red eyes. Those iconic red eyes… this was no doubt 3. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” 4 cried. 

“I did now” 3 spoke, his voice echoey, coming from all directions.

“What… What happened to you?” 4 was so scared. So devastated.

“I embraced the shadows… If you don’t fit anywhere else, why leave?”

4 didn’t know what to say, all he could do was cry.

“I wish I could’ve been there for you more, 3”

“You only would’ve ruined things more”

“But-”

“Now leave… or I’ll do something awful”

“You-” 4 was having none of that “I… I’m standing by what I said. I’m not leaving without you”

“Well, if you say so” 3 walked up to him, grabbing his hand. It was cold… It felt uncomfortable.

“Huh- What happened to you? Why… is your hand so cold?”

“What, you miss soft SMG3’s warm little hand or something? You miss when I held back?”

“What- What are you saying?”

“I’ve always felt miserable. This” he held his hand, intertwined with 4’s hand “Has made my life hell”

“Our… Guardian link?”

“Exactly” 3 squeezed 4’s hand but it wasn’t comfortable. Somehow there was still something behind it. Something that gave 4 hope.

“What?”

“Well, it’s something we have to live with, of course it’s not gonna always be a great time! It doesn’t mean you need to destroy the world over it”

“It can be broken”

“Our link can be destroyed and I know how to do it”

“WHAT??”

“I CAN FINALLY BREAK AWAY FROM YOU”

“DO YOU REALLY HATE ME THIS MUCH???”

“THE OPPOSITE, YOU IDIOT”

“What..?”

“This link… This link gave me feelings I never wanted. I never wanted to feel nice about being close to you. It made me feel awful. Each fucking time. Yet I let you in, because this stupid fucking link made me weak about it. This stupid guardian link is at fault…”

3 gripped on 4’s hand even harder.

“3… no if- if you destroyed it- WE DON’T KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN, THIS IS SO SELFISH OF YOU”

“WELL FUCK, LET ME BE SELFISH SOMETIMES, YOU PIECE OF SHIT”

Some sort of red-black energy appeared around the 2, and familiar marks appeared on 3. The energy 4 could feel was familiar too… and scary.

“Anti meme energy..? Where-”

“You’re right” 3 laughed “In the end it’s truly the answer to all my misery!”

“No! 3! This is too dangerous! What if you got hurt??”

“I’ll take the risk!”

slowly, the marks appeared on 4 too. 3 was too strong… holding him back took everything in 4 and it still wasn’t enough.

The moment the link between the 2 was severed. It felt like 4 died. He didn’t but it felt like he did. Something beautiful inside him was gone now. the marks turned black, his hand was too.

He could barely stand, falling on his ass.

3 didn’t seem better. Even if he had the power of whoever was on his side now, it still didn’t change the fact that he got rid of something in himself that was deeply inherent to him. 

The 2 just laid there, facing each other. The pain they felt made it too hard to move. 

The emptiness 4 felt was unbearable. Even if he was able to get up, he didn’t know what he would do. He really didn’t anymore. He wondered if this was meant to happen.

3 took a while himself, he was clearly hurt, even when he got up. He moved slowly, pain in every step he took. He didn’t dare look 4’s way. He was wondering if it was only the pain or if he actually began to regret what he had done. He didn’t feel like figuring it out, so he left the room, leaving 4 by himself. 

4 just laid there. Maybe he should just… not do anything… What was it worth anymore?

He closed his eyes, thinking about everything that happened in his life. All the memories, friends he made. All the time when he thought he made amends with 3, only seemingly repeatedly stabbing him in the back instead. Honestly, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself anyways knowing that he did that. Maybe he was being dramatic but… Whatever.

It felt like an eternity when he heard commotion from outside. He didn’t really care to check. He kind of embraced death at this point.

“4!! SMG4” he heard a voice he did not care to check.

“OH NO!” another voice came right beside him “I think he’s still alive- let’s take him back”

He was too tired to protest, even if he didn’t want to go.

The journey home felt kind of dull. Knowing what 3 did, it just… it broke him. He felt like it wasn’t only their link… that even disregarding that, in general the fact that 3 chose to depart from him hurt him in many other ways. He… really came to like him over the years. Seeing how he became so selfless, so helpful, so amazing too… 4 still kind of felt bad that 3 couldn’t see that about himself. He wished he was less stubborn and told him more. Though he was sure that wouldn’t have changed a thing anyways. But still, he wished he could tell 3 more that he found him so amazing in ways he never did with anyone else… he… he loved him.

4 suddenly shot up, the realisation hitting him like a truck.

“Woa-” Meggy was one of the ones who carried him, momentarily losing balance from 4’s sudden movement.

Mario was on his other side, he seemed to take 4’s stupidity better. One could say he was used to 4’s antics.

4 took a bit to catch his breath as they all stopped.

“Are you okay?” Tari came running to him.

“I think I love him” was all 4 could say before starting to cry. Truly, today wasn’t his day. Lots of tears.

“As in… SMG3?” Meggy asked.

“Yeah…” 4 looked down.

Mario patted him on the back.

“Mario knew you would realise at some point”

“About time, these last weeks have been ridiculous” Clench came out too. He was rather annoyed with the 2 at this point.

“It’s not that unexpected, yeah” Meggy chuckled.

A lot of the others held a similar reaction, no one seemed surprised.

4 didn’t look too happy though.

“He left… he left me there” 4 spoke again, looking up at the sky. He still felt way too empty.

“What happened anyways?” Tari asked.

“He…” 4 tried holding back the tears. Not very successfully at that. “I… I’ll need to discuss this later with SMG1 and 2…”

Everyone left him alone. The rest of the road back home was rather gloomy. 4 was starting to feel like it wasn’t only him who felt 3’s painful absence. 

They helped him in his room to rest for a bit. After a while, 1 and 2 came into his room.

“We heard you wanted to speak with us” 1 said.

“Yeah… It’s bad”

“We could tell based on your black scars” 2 commented, pointing at how bad his face looked.

“He… He broke our link”

They both looked at him shocked, then at each other. The reaction made 4 feel even worse.

“That’s… how did he…”

“With… anti meme energy… I don’t know how he got it but… I have a bad feeling about this in general”

“Tell us everything” 1 had a determined look. 

4 proceeded to tell them about everything. The way he was approached by 3, the weird dark change of his appearance, his comment of becoming one with the shadows. It seemed to leave both 1 and 2 speechless.

“Whoever is behind this” 1 spoke “They know enough to be clearly dangerous”

“Do you… Do you think I could mend my link with 3?” 4 looked up at the ceiling. He found that not looking at people made it easier to not cry.

“We… don’t know” 2 sighed. Neither of them had an idea.

“We’ve never seen anything like this happen before… we can try to look around for information to see if we can find something”

“It’s only natural… especially because the world is weaker without your link”

4 looked at them, smiling softly.

“Thanks, I really appreciate that”

“It is?”

“Everyone is able to feel it” 2 said.

“Really?”

“Yeah, it’s one of the pillars of a stable universe. Whoever told 3 how to break it must have done it to… oh no, 1, we should start searching right away!” the 2 ran out in a hurry. 

4 chuckled dryly at that. It really wasn’t funny to him, he just found it kind of ironic in a way. Destroying 3’s life meant he’d also destroy the world… It was kind of fitting how especially now, 3 felt like the whole world for him. He wished he knew earlier so at least he could’ve told him before they parted ways like that. 

~~~

4 didn’t do much for a few days. He spent the day coping. Healing. He could move around better after a while but his mental state didn’t get better. He couldn’t get 3 out of his mind. He thought that their link being gone meant that the opposite of this would happen but no. His friends tried to cheer him up with memes they would send him. Sure they got a chuckle out of him but these weren’t nearly enough to stop his sadness. 

He was watching his own videos where 3 appeared when 1 and 2 came in his room.

“WE FOUND SOMETHING” 2 jumped through the door.

“Yeah?” 4 asked, trying to put on a smile.

“Yes! Your connection isn’t necessarily lost forever!”

“R– Really??” 4 looked at them with colour appearing in his eyes. There’s a way after all!

“Yes- considering it’s still fresh, and you don’t seem to care any less, there could still be a way. But the catch… 3 has to want it too”

“Huh…” 4 thought out loud “I mean, that makes sense… I wonder if he would…”

“We’ll at least try our best to convince him”

“Right right! Even though I was told I ruined his life” 4 looked away. He still didn’t know what to do with all his feelings about that.

“Ruined his life?” 2 questioned.

“He said that… I only ever seemed to make his life worse… and that I only made things worse when I helped him”

The 2 looked at each other then back at 4.

“What do you exactly mean by this?”

“Uh… He said that his businesses always seemed to fail around me, no matter how much he tried, and that things that would ruin him further… connected right back to me”

The 2 shared another look.

“Now… don’t panic but” 1 started.

“Someone was disrupting your link!” 2 finished 1’s thought.

“Huh?”

“It sounds like it. As we were looking at all the information we could find on links, we found that in certain ways, outside people can interact with links that are not theirs.That’s how we also tried to help you find 3 but we were blocked out by some force. And it’s not a meme guardian exclusive thing. So… Someone must have got in and… yeah”

4 looked shocked.

“So… It’s not my fault?”

“No, it’s not” they both comforted him.

This actually managed to make him feel better. Finally, something that could help him fix everything. Even if it will take a while.

“I was thinking… can you guys… still train me, even if alone? I… want to be stronger when I see him again. Because I’m sure I will… It can’t end like this”

Both nodded.

“We won’t go easy on you” 2 joked.

“Better not” 4 laughed.

The 3 of them left to train that day, 4 trained until he was exhausted. He was glad to push himself considering how he had been for the last few days. He felt a little more free now. Just you wait, 3…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been a week since he really started training again. It was actually something that managed to make him feel better. He was wondering where 3 was at this point. On what point of the World he could’ve been. When he wasn’t able to sleep, he would look at places where he could be in. Making a list…

His cafe - he wasn’t

Internet graveyard - he wasn’t 

That castle where he severed their link - he wasn’t

Peach’s castle - he wasn’t

Any of the Anti cast’s own living places - he wasn’t 

Right by his side  - 4 wished he was

His list only got longer with all the wrong answers. Just yesterday, they put out an announcement that if anyone sees any trace of 3, they should alert the crew. Though 4 thought of it as a bit hopeless. 

He could only take his mind off it all with training. His days would be spent either training or sleeping. He left very little time for anything else. It started to worry the others, he realised as well but he just couldn’t stop. Not being whole can feel so devastating.

And he didn’t take it well in a more and more unhealthy way. He didn’t show it to anyone else, but he kept the burnt SMG3 plushie he found from the fire incident. From a beacon of hope, it went to something he would sleep with. It was starting to feel like he would never be able to sleep without it. He didn’t feel much shame in it anymore but he treasured it too much to just show it to anyone else. He needed to protect it at all costs. Sometimes he would talk to it, pretending like it was 3. Telling it so much. Telling everything that was inside his heart, all he wished he could actually tell 3. He truly felt like he reached a new low.

If that wasn’t already bad enough, he started having nightmares too.

Nightmares where he’d follow 3 but kept losing him. Nightmares that seemed to have a different face appear inside them as well. One he did not recognise yet felt familiar… Having a familiar painful feeling. He hated seeing the face. He would many times try to kill the figure but it felt as though they could read his mind, as they dodged his every move with a wide grin. But each time.. He would get closer… Surroundings would become clearer.

One time, it got so clear… He got an insane idea.

He searched up the place he saw… It was a real place. An abandoned studio. Weirdly fitting in a way.

“So, you want to go there because you dreamed about it?” Meggy asked. Some of the gang was gathered there.

“This entity’s influence must be strong if you’re getting dreams like that” 1 believed him. He had really no reason to lie.

“Wait, you believe him?”

“Yes, it is plausible. We already established someone interfered with their connection”

“So it could be that guy! And now they’re taunting 4!” 2 excitedly finished the thought.

4 smiled at the 2 of them.

“Thanks, guys. But yes… I want to go there. I need to… figure out what’s exactly happening”

“And save 3” Tari came up to him as well, reassuring him.

“Especially save 3” 4 smiled at her.

With the newfound determination, the squad, even with 1 and 2 included, headed for the studio building.

The building itself felt more than abandoned in a way. It looked like something went down inside there, a struggle of shorts. Walking in, they noticed the walls covered in gunshots, the place more dusty than would be usual for a place like this. And in some places, a disturbing amount of dried blood was spilled. What must have happened to this place was definitely sudden, quick and gruesome. Just staying in there made them all feel bad for the ex workers. They split up, searching the rooms in smaller groups since it wasn’t exactly a small building. 

4 was searching with 1 and 2. 4 tried to push on even into darker rooms. Although he didn’t have the link to help anymore, he listened to  3… his words burned into his brain. So he paid attention to the darkest places, not letting the shadows go unaddressed, even if it got increasingly scary. 4 kind of didn’t care about that at this point. He had already lost too much to care, though he didn’t exactly tell this to his friends. It felt a bit selfish to him but it was genuinely feeling like there wasn’t much to live for without 3. 

It was starting to feel kind of hopeless until a shadow looked weird. He looked at it, suspicions forming in his brain. He reached out but the shadow grabbed him first.

Before 1 or 2 were able to react, 4 was already gone, being pulled into the shadows.

4 was thrown  back into a dark room that felt all too familiar at this point. In front of him was 3, still as shadowed as ever. At least they could see each other. They stared for a bit, both trying to see what the other one was feeling. 3 pulled 4 closer, in a kind of threatening way, which felt weird and sudden. Something in 4 made him wonder if he was perhaps influenced by something to do that.

“I told you to stay away”

4 sighed, a smile appearing on his face, which weirded 3 out.

“It’s impossible”

“No it’s not just-” he looked away, seemingly thinking but it felt more than that.

“...Let’s talk” 4 had a soft gaze on 3. If he had to die, he didn’t want to spend his last moments arguing with 3.

“We… We already had that… you should go… I did it for you as well”

4 still kept the calmness but the light eye twitch gave away that he didn’t like what he was hearing.

“It wasn’t our fault actually”

3 looked at him shocked. Then thought for a bit.

“I mean I… didn’t mean to make you feel like you… I know that you didn’t ACTUALLY mean to ruin me-”

“No no, you don’t understand, we basically got hacked”

“Hacked? What the hell you mean-” 3 questioned but got stopped by immense pain as he grabbed for his head groaning.

“Oh no, are you okay?” 4 immediately jumped beside him, with a hand on his upper back for support.

“How can I believe you?” 3 looked at him weakly.

“We… actually found out outside forces can… influence guardian links”

3 took a bit to take that in, looking away from 4, seemingly staring into the dark. Very intensely at that. He looked back at 4, pretty pissed.

“So someone framed you?” he looked like he was about to blow up.

“We think so…”

“So I… I” 3’s face softened. 

4 knew what he felt, he hugged 3. He didn’t resist. Slowly, 3 leaned into 4’s touch.

“You know… it’s funny” 3 spoke again “I thought without the link if you came after me again… that I could just end you as soon as I saw you… but I…” he once again felt pain so he had to stop.

“3!!” 

“It’s… We… uh” 3 looked weak.

“We’ll help you, don’t worry! The others are here too… we… we will help, man!”

3 couldn’t help but smile at 4, even through the pain.

“But I already ruined it… I.. I did that to you… I was told how to do it and I…”

“I still care about you”

3 looked at him, something in him breaking with tears rolling down his face.

“How can you?”

“We… We’re friends… we’ve been through a lot… you think I’m gonna let you go when you once risked your life to save me? You didn’t need to. You could have left me to my perfect video but you didn’t. Didn’t it feel like I betrayed you? But you came back either way.”

“That… That’s true”

“It’s… just another thing I love about you, 3”

The word choice made 3 a little flustered. 4 chuckled at that.

“You can’t just say sappy shit like that”

“You think I don’t mean it or something?”

“No no… It’s obvious you do, don’t worry”

“But uhm genuinely I’ve… I’ve been thinking and-”

And just as soon as 4 thought maybe he could tell 3- 3 got grabbed by a hand before not seen. However at this point it was familiar to him. He stood up and went right after, it was no use though. 4 didn’t lose hope yet. He was more angry right now if anything.

“NOT EVEN GONNA LET ME TELL HIM I LOVE HIM??” 4 called out “WELL THEN DO IT FOR ME PLEASE, BITCH”

The figure he had been seeing in his dreams came out of the shadows. Much clearer now, he could still see their wide, unfeeling smile. He didn’t know a TV screen headed guy could be such a piece of shit.

“You’re a feisty one”

“YOU”

“Ah, what, came back because you weren’t satisfied with the service? Sorry, no refunds!”

They started to walk away but 4 grabbed them.

“SERVICE??”

“The keyboard”

4 stopped.

“The…keyboard…?”

Then he realised.

“And it’s not like I even forced it on you” they laughed “You were the one who chose to buy it. Even with SMG3, I didn’t force him! HE joined me HIMSELF and-”

“You think I’m gonna let you go with what you did?” 

They laughed.

“No… And that’s what I want!” the words scared 4 “With even all your friends! Such a great deal”

“WHAT are you?”

“I’m… oh there’s no fun in that, I’m only here to make a great show!”

“I don’t know if you noticed but I’m the show runner here!”

“It looked like you needed some help”

4 tried to punch them but then he was gone from the dark, right back beside 1 and 2.

“4!!! 4, you’re back!!” both hurried there beside him.

“Yes… I am'' 4 didn’t lose his anger a single bit. Those were the words of someone who is truly despicable. He only wanted to kill them more now. 

They only got one more calm moment before the building shook beneath them. It was loud, almost like the building was alive. 

“Oh no! We need to get out of here” 1 panicked, 2 and 4 followed behind, although 4 did so reluctantly. He knew 3 was in here. He didn’t want him gone.

Everyone evacuated. 4 stared at the building going down, he couldn’t just stand there, he had to run back, even if it would take him away as well.

He searched everywhere. Maybe it was the TV guy letting their guard down, but he was actually able to spot 3 in the real world now. He was still covered in those shadows though.

“3!!!” he cried out, running for the other who only then noticed him.

“4, you should get out of here”

“Not without you”

“Then we might not be able to get out…”

“I’ll… rather be going away with you than live knowing you died”

“You know- you’re pretty attached as well, even without the…” 3 looked away then back 4. He couldn’t help but smile at 4. It felt kind of nice in the end. It was easier to admit now.

“That’s cuz I love you” 4 reciprocated the smile.

3 looked away again, rather flustered at the words. But there was still a smile visible on his face.

“Like um… as in? Like that? Fuck, I’m sounding so stupid right now” 3 laughed at his own incompetence.

“Yeah uh… are you okay with that?” 4 returned the awkward laugh.

3 chuckled before grabbing 4’s face.

“What do you think, stupid?”

“I’m… glad” 

They both leaned in, just about at the same time. The kiss came naturally. But it was so much more than that. They pulled each other close, it all just felt… perfect. Complete. So complete, as the scar on both of their faces started glowing. They didn’t know when they linked hands but with both hands held, they could see white strings appear, glowing with immense power, more and more appearing, connecting the 2.

The sight mesmerised both so much, they pulled in for another kiss, which only made the light stronger, ridding 3 fully of his corruption.

The light grew so big, like an explosion. An explosion of so much emotion before unspoken.

The light grew so big, the crew outside noticed.

“They did it!” 2 jumped up “That’s a lot of meme guardian energy”

“Right on” 1 laughed “You know, I’m proud of them… they came so far”

“They really did” Meggy joined the 2.

“Will they be able to get out though?” Tari was concerned.

But then the light only grew larger and faster at that, basically taking in the whole building. It was strong enough to knock everyone on their asses.

As the light dissipated, the 2 hovered up from all the debris. Both looked unharmed, their hands linked.

Everyone came up to hug them. It had been a while since they had such a big and emotional hug.

“We’re so glad you 2 are safe”

“I can’t believe you actually made it out”

“You guys better not do anything this reckless ever again”

These were some comments the 2 received. But they were happy they made it out, made it out alive and together. There were a lot of things unanswered but none of that mattered now. At least not for now.

[jarofstyles]

Beauty and the Beast - Nightshade

The moment you've been waiting for, the answers are here :) sorry this took a literal year (and then some)

Check out our Patreon for early access and exclusive content!

wc: 6.3k

warnings: not many warnings in this one, just a reference to character's death

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

This wasn’t his plan.

Harry never wanted her to see this room. At least, not yet. This was… an escape from his past. One he was slowly starting to try and move on from now that he and his love had finally expressed emotions and been able to give each other the proper reactions… but no.

He had never forbidden her from it, so he couldn’t really be angry. It did flare up in him, mainly because he was scared. Terrified of these memories and his past making her want to leave and forget him because he had held on to it for so long, but nothing was making sense lately. Not a single thing.

The only thing that made sense was how good it felt to hold her. Kiss her. Fuck her. She was what he wanted, and his head had never felt more clear in terms of what he wanted.

Her.

Finding her in the room, shaking like a leaf, he was terrified that she was going to leave. She wasn’t as sneaky as she would like to believe.

He had arrived earlier than he’d planned and as if he had a 7th sense, he heard her leave the bed. The moment she opened this door, however, he sprinted up the stairs.

It seemed… off. To see her in this room. Like it was a long time coming and yet, still a kick in the face. It obviously affected her, and he wasn’t sure how.

“My love?” He approached cautiously, not sure how to handle this fully. Did he touch her? Knock her out of it with his words? Why was she staring into the mirror in such a daze? And why was she shaking? “Beloved… what is wrong?” The rasp of his voice echoed in the large room.

“Do you know her?” Y/N asked, her voice calm despite how her blood ran cold with fear. She was in a daze and everything felt slow. It almost didn’t feel real.

Her eyes were still locked on the figure in the mirror, analyzing each feature as if her life depended on it. Millions of thoughts rushed through her head, meadows and laughter, images of sharing a loaf of fresh bread in secret, swimming in lakes… her focus blurred for a moment, thoughts became memories and her head snapped from the mirror to look at him.

“She…” his voice paused as he tried to word it the right way. She wasn’t yelling yet, which was a decent sign but he also knew he wasn’t out of the woods yet.

He completely would understand her anger at him for having a room full of a woman that wasn’t her, but he was going to take it down. Move on, because he had her… it just happened so quickly. He had hundreds of years to dwell on the past and only a few months in the future.

“She was why I had believed… that I was going to die.” He cleared his throat. “That was who I believed to be my beloved… and she was taken from me, years ago. I loved her very much. Usually, you die when your beloved does.” The voice in his throat felt rough, still not an easy topic to approach. Let alone to his new lover.

“So I thought… I was slowly losing it. And we lose ourselves to madness eventually, when our beloved are killed. However… all of the madness seems to be gone for me.” He was still confused on how that happened. He could have sworn that she was. But seeing Y/N standing in front of him now… he wasn’t sure at all.

The connection they had felt incredible.

“I’m sorry I’ve kept the things so long. I know it must be difficult to look at.”

“I’ve been seeing her in my dreams for months, Harry…” Y/N spoke, still too startled to express any emotion. “She practically lives in my brain.” She shook her head.

It was an odd feeling. Nothing Y/N could ever explain in words. He had loved her… truly enough to think she was the one. This woman who had been living in the shadows of her mind for months.

It seemed like she was the one going insane, not Harry.

“I’ve seen her at least once every week since I moved here… I feel like she has my eyes— don’t you think?” She asked timidly, swallowing the dryness in her throat to try and make sense of this. “Do you see her in me? Is that how I got here?”

Harry felt his already cold body freeze over.

Months?

“And you haven’t… you haven’t been in here at all?” He questioned wearily. When she shook her head, he swallowed.

Christ.

The vampire was positive there were no other hints of her around the house. This room was the one he came in when he wanted to think about her. It was how he kept sane for a good while. But the idea that she had constantly been seeing her… it startled him.

“I… I never really thought about comparing you to her.” The cool hands cupped her warm face, taking a look. Though, now looking at her… there were some uncanny similarities. The eyes. The lips. He knew them.. for far longer than he had known Y/N. “You are different. In most ways. I never thought of her in you, if that’s what you’re asking. You’re.. a very different person but you share some things. Some phrases… mannerisms. But I never put you both in a mirror.”

He liked her all on his own.

“I don’t know how this is possible.” He tilted her head up and stroked her heated cheek with his thumb, trying to wrack his mind over how it could happen. “Is she…  what happens in your dreams, love?” His voice softens immensely, trying to coax out more of her thoughts.

“She doesn’t hurt me or scare me,” Y/N spoke, lips more in a pout now that he was holding her face. “She just… she knows something I don’t and she’s trying to tell me,” Y/N explained and closed her eyes. She needed to ground herself.

Knowing Harry had never compared them brought her a lot of peace. That still didn’t change the fact that it felt like looking into a mirror.

“You spent lots of time with her outside…” Y/N spoke quietly, humming with her eyes still closed. “You would pick her flowers… you swam… she really loved you.”

If it was possible, he knew his heart would stop.

“How do you know that?” He asked, considering just how she knew his antics. How she was aware of the fact that they’d pick flowers and swim and kiss in the sunlight. When he would risk it all to be outside with her because the sunshine made her happy and warm.

“She’s trying to talk to you?” And she wasn’t trying to rip Y/N to pieces? That was unusual for her. Possessiveness was a main personality trait for her and he didn’t mind it at all, but he was curious as to how the hell she didn’t seem to mind if she was inside of her head.

“What is she trying to say, angel?” He placed his forehead on hers. “Hm? Is she just telling you what we used to do?” That would be incredibly peculiar. How was she even communicating with her at all? And how was a human capable of receiving those sorts of messages?

If he didn’t know better, Harry would have assumed she would read his journals. But he knew where she was at all times, and never had the girl ventured into this room or opened a book that didn’t belong to her.

“You went somewhere earlier…” She decided to skip over his comment, choosing rather to focus on how the hell she was recalling this information. “When I woke up Ida said you’d be out for longer—”

The thoughts in her mind seemed to relax and she was able to open her eyes and look at him again.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” Y/N searched his eyes for something to hold on to, she felt like she could give him more answers if he was fully transparent with her.

“No more secrets.”

The man took a breath, closing his eyes this time as he tried to figure out just how to explain this part to her.

“Okay. No more secrets.”

His hand took hers and led her towards the velvet green couch, sitting her down on it and sitting far too close next to her. Clasping her smaller hands in his own, he took a moment to compose himself.

“I went to see if I could find the contact information for a witch. Someone who knows far more about the soul-bonding process and could explain to me what had happened, why I was feeling the way I was…” he paused, throat drying slightly as he squeezed her hands. “Why I feel the way I do when I thought we only have one chance at love.”

His green eyes met hers, showing that he genuinely was confused but he cared. He cared for her so much, he loved her. It shouldn’t be possible, but Harry knew what he was feeling.

“You know… I thought maybe I was actually dying. And I wanted to spare you from it. But when I woke up, I knew I had to dig for answers. I couldn’t just allow you to suffer along with me as we had gotten attached. So I went to a frequent spot for the… otherworldly.” He chuckled lightly at the words he used. There probably were better ones, but it would make the most sense to her.

“When she died… I felt myself mourn. I was in so much grief and pain and anger... I've never physically hurt that badly before and yet…” He licked his dark pink lower lip, eyes searching hers. Recognizing bits of them. Now that he was thinking about the connection… It was true.

“I never felt the snap. I never felt… like I was going to die. That's what I’ve always been told. For soul bonds to break, for one of us to have died, the other should have felt the severing. And I never did.”

“Did you meet the witch?” Y/N asked as if that was a normal question for a human to ask a vampire. It seemed like for the time being Y/N wasn’t entirely there at the minute.

She tilted her head and waited for his answer, eyes taking in every bit of his appearance. Y/N had a feeling that he knew something that would make sense of the messages in her head. The feelings she was feeling as her own.

“I… Didn’t.” He grumbled, letting his eyes fall again. Another area where he had failed her. Truly, he wanted to be good to her. He wanted to give her the best and he couldn’t even figure out why he had gone crazy.

“I put in an inquiry. They’re busy people and while I may have a lot of pull in this world, they’re the ones with the answers. I was told I’d have someone show up to give me some, but I didn’t want to pour my story out to a witch that wasn’t going to help.”

He let himself relax slightly as she didn’t seem to get angry at him now. She just looked like she wanted answers… answers that were very valid. He knew he had been a bit of a dick for not giving them to her right away. He should have been transparent but… how?

It was difficult, usually, to work humans into this world. It was actually a bit… strange how well adapted she was.

-500 years prior-

The worst day of Harry’s life had started just like any other.

Summer was quickly coming to a close and while he himself didn’t mind the shift to cooler temperatures and shorter days, his beloved seemed to mourn the summer. Celeste believed that there was nothing that would ever compare to the feeling of dunking yourself into the lake on a warm day. She believed that there was nothing that brought her more tranquillity than gazing up at the stars while the warm humid air hugged her skin. Even when bug bites adorned her legs Summer reminded her that she was still human.

“My darling, wake up. We have to go.” The familiar sleepy voice of her lover woke Celeste from her slumber. With a firm yet gentle shake, she allowed her eyes to flutter open and adjust to the darkness of their cottage. “Please, we haven’t much time.”

The sound of footsteps quickly approaching from outside left Harry in a panic, but he couldn’t let her see. And while he felt Celeste was blissfully unaware of the fate that awaited her, the look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.

Celeste never thought her worst nightmare would actually come true. She had spent years protecting her home and the land around it. Her enchantments attracted nothing but positive light and all those who crossed her path were destined to meet her. All the animals knew they were welcome and always rewarded her for her efforts to enrich their earth. Celeste had spent her whole life here in the forest, only venturing into town when she urgently needed something. It wasn’t safe for witches in town, the common folk were terrified of magic and the creatures and spirits that fed off of them, but it was the job of her and her sisters to keep the city safe from any harm in secrecy.

She had met Harry by chance, she remembered the day so vividly. She stumbled upon him on her way home– She remembered the dazed look in his eyes and the blood on his collar. He looked so ashamed, crying against the back wall of the local bakery. Never had Celeste seen a vampire show so much remorse after feeding, but then again she hadn’t seen many vampires with her own eyes, to begin with. The Vampires upheld their deal of peace and ethics, as long as the witches protected them from the hunters.

The very hunters who were now trying to take her love away from her.

They’d been so careful. She knew that the safest place for Harry to be was with her. But it seemed that even her powers weren’t enough to overcome the evil that possessed humankind. The universe would always find its balance somehow, even in the cruelest of ways.

“Harry, they cannot know– I should not follow you, I fear they will question why I am not in my home at this hour should they find I am not here…” Celeste whispered, motioning down towards the tunnel in her cellar. They had talked about this plan before, but Celeste always knew she could never convince him to go on his own. So she never told him that part of the plan.

“My love, I refuse to leave you here alone–” A shout from the outside left his words to die in his throat. Harry shook his head, taking her wrist and pulling her with him without another word. Harry was cautious. Though he was aware that these men were after him and not his beloved, he couldn’t bring himself to trust those who have brought his kind nothing but shame and suffering. The hunters were everything but fair and if they had any reason to believe she was living with a fugitive, he knew she would be as good as dead.

He had dreams of them running away and rebuilding a home elsewhere, somewhere they could be truly safe. There were vampires who lived in the north who had mastered the art of camouflage. Rumors spread like wildfire saying they were mated and bonded, that they lived with humans who let them feed in a mutual exchange. Maybe it was wishful thinking on his part, but Harry would give up anything if it meant he could have the life he dreamed of with her. He just needed her there with him.

“My love, they shall not bring me any harm. The tunnel, it will bring you to the lake, you know your way from there. I promise I will find you once they see there is nothing for them to find here.” Celeste’s voice was soft as she reached to smooth the worry away from his brow. “Such a worry wort.” She giggled though she knew her fate was much to worry about. There could only be one reason the hunters would be suspicious of her. If her enchantments broke, it meant the fates had decided it was their time. Celeste, however, would never give him up, she knew he would wait for her forever. No, she could and would not let them find him.

Harry’s head turned quickly as he saw an orange glow begin to creep through the windows. He chose to be selfish in the little time he had left, pressing a kiss so full of love and longing that he hoped that it would somehow change her mind. The way her lips melded over his with a hunger she only saved for their most intimate moments, he swore they would be etched in his mind forever. He knew she wouldn’t let up.

“You must find me.” Harry breathed, his words a command as he pressed another desperate kiss to her lips. “My love, you are the only thing worth living for.” He hesitated, not wanting to leave this precious moment in fear that it would be their last.

With each second, he could hear the footsteps growing closer and closer, his eyes memorizing her form till he couldn’t anymore. A final stolen kiss was all he left for her as he disappeared into the cellar and ran like hell.

He shouldn’t have left her there, he knew that now.

In a sick and twisted way, he thanked the gods for sparing him the piercing sounds of her screams as she begged for mercy, for when he returned, the bloodied sight left him feeling hollow. She put up a fight, the way he always knew she would,  but it seemed that the hunters came with no remorse. How could they claim that they were ridding the town of evil when they had done such cruel and horrible things to the purest creature he had ever known?

“It should have been me.” He thought, swallowing down thick tears, but as he looked around he realized that this evil would not have stopped at him.

-end of flashback-

He hadn’t taken the death of Celeste well.

He had avenged her the best he could. Ripped the hearts out of every single person he could trace to her death, letting them die the way he felt every day without her. It felt like he had little to no emotion, feeling only pain when he woke up.

It continued like that for years until he became comfortably numb. Still questioning why and how. Living without her was worse than any death, worse than anything he had ever could have imagined. But there was always this little light that never fully smothered. Her voice in the back of his mind saying she would find him again. His own recurring dreams that he figured were just a comfort to his psyche. The hope.

Once he met Y/N though? It had gone away. Completely. No more dreams. Almost any yearning was gone. He felt like a patch had been placed on the gaping wound and it had made him feel very, very guilty at first until he realized that maybe she would want him to be happy.

Y/N was so familiar. Like a piece of him in her that had stolen his breath when she had walked into the estate. Sure, she resembled Celeste more than some others did but she was her own person. He had fallen for her knowing that.

Y/N’s thoughts were running wild in her mind, attempting to connect the pieces of the story that she herself didn’t know. The longer she looked around the room the calmer came over her body where normally she’d expect rage and sorrow. Another woman adorned his walls, but Harry was only really focusing on her.

“Y/N tell me what you’re thinking of. I wish you would have told me about these dreams sooner, but there isn’t much we can do now except wait for–” Harry’s sentence was cut off by a knock on the door.

“Sir, someone is here to see you–” Ida began her introduction, but the woman behind her seemed to feel right at home.

“Oh goodness!” The woman exclaimed, stopping to take a look around the room. She didn’t look to be that old, but her spirit was far older than Harry and Y/N both. “I had a feeling you’d honor my sister, but with such commitment? I see the fates wanted some entertainment. Bless your no longer beating heart.” She smiled, placing a hand over her heart before approaching the two. “My dear, how are you finding your new body? It’s good to see you again. I’ve been awaiting your call.”

“What?” Y/N blinked at the woman, cocking her head as she tried to figure out why she looked so familiar. How did she know her? Where did she know her from?

Oh god.

This was not the way he wanted it to go- nor did he fully understand what exactly was happening. His brows furrowed, tucking Y/N into his body in slight protection as he stood up straighter, keeping a hand on her. As if she would slip away.

“Harry? What is she talking about?” Her voice peeped behind him, her hand tangled in his shirt. A resounding ache echoed in his chest as he stared at the witch.

Astrid.

Celeste’s sister. One for who Harry harbored a lot of resentment for not warning them. For not protecting his beloved back then. She had been somewhat nonchalant. Telling Harry that Celeste would meet him in another life. Her lack of care had ruined their goodwill, making Harry feel as though she didn’t fucking care that the love of his life - well, past? It confused them- was gone.

“I don’t know, darling.” His grip on her was firm, making Astrid scoff.

“Calm down, Fangs. I’m not going to hurt my sister… though- I have a feeling based on the incredibly confused faces, you haven’t actually figured it all out yet?” She laughed, shaking her head as she tried to peek around Harry. “Should probably listen to messages all the way through- just got excited to see her again. Tell me.” She paused, growling slightly when Harry kept her from view. “What’s your name in this life, sister? What did you choose? Y/N or Violeta?”

Y/N felt her heart drop to her stomach, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat before attempting to speak.

“How did you– Y/N. My name is Y/N.” Y/N looked between Astrid and Harry, waiting for one of them to tell her what on earth was going on. It seemed Harry was hesitant to accept the help of this woman, but she knew her name. “What is going on?” While her heart was beating a million miles a minute, she tried her best to sound strong. She was angry that Harry once again was hiding something from her, he clearly knew this woman and this woman knew him.

“Darling, I feel as though this is something you should take on with your… well since you haven't bonded I’m not sure what he is to you.” Astrid chuckled, “Always cautious you are, Harry. So respectful of my sister, but still haven’t learned to trust now did you?” She smirked seeing the anger flare through Harry’s expression. “No need to get angry at the truth, Harry. You mustn’t lie to the girl any more than you have.”

“Look, if you came here to laugh in our faces, you might as well make your way out.” Y/N felt her jaw clenching. “I’ve been having dreams of this woman since I’ve stepped foot in this home, your sister? You think I’m her?” Y/N asked in a pointed tone, she refused to have any more time wasted.

“I didn’t lie.” He snarled, baring fangs. He didn’t want to make this any more painful or weird than it already was for them! “I wasn’t sure. That is why I called to ask!”

“Blah, blah. Harry, you’re dense. Y/N- I apologize if that’s how it seems. Harry and I have always had our differences since your passing.”

Y/N blinked.

What?

What?!

“I know you are. It’s adding up.” She began softly, lowering her tone. The poor thing didn’t actually know, and Celeste was trying to pop through and this humanity she had been raised with was something that was trying to push it back. “The dreams you’ve been having aren’t dreams. They’re memories.” She sat on the armchair opposite where they were standing. Astrid was overly comfortable and it made Harry irritated, but Y/N could feel a seedling of fondness creep into her tummy.

It felt like she knew her.

“When Celeste died- I saved her soul.” She began, kicking her feet up on the table. “She- aka, you- always had an issue fitting in. It’s why she was targeted. A vampire and a witch… everyone could see it. Harry was struggling at the time, still adjusting to coming into vampiric adulthood. You both were so in love, you couldn’t see that people were noticing things. The way she never got sick, the things she could conjure up… it was incredible for the time period.” Astrid rolled her eyes slightly.

“And Harry? He abused conjuring. He got whatever he wanted whenever you batted those long eyelashes. Whipped to the tenth degree.”

Harry winced because as crude as she sounded… she wasn’t wrong.

“Two fools in love. I found out too late about the plans. I couldn’t save your physical form- but I saved your soul. Unfortunately…” she had the grace to look a bit bashful.

“Someone stole it. Vanessa- she had always been jealous of you and Harry. She had broke through an enchantment and stole the bottle I had your soul in. I got it back only a bit ago. That’s why it took so long. And Harry, here.” She gave him a glare. “Ignored my letters for a good few centuries. Rude.”

It was all a bit much to take in.

Y/N wasn’t sure what she was expecting, after all, it did involve vampires and witches. This certainly wasn’t on her list.

“So, you have my soul?” Y/N asked as if it was normal. As if she had any idea of how she ended up here. This whole time she thought she was her own person but this was a part of her. It didn’t make any sense, there was still a piece missing to the puzzle.

“Well, when I got it back, I drove up north because it seems all the bloodsuckers moved— and I released it.” Astrid continued, “About… say how old are you?”

“Almost 23.” Y/N swallowed, noticing how Astrid seemed pleased at her answer.

“23 years ago sounds about right.” Astrid hummed, “You know Harry, you should be thankful I brought her so close to you— who knows what would have happened had I not come up here.” It was clear that she was teasing, just getting the vampire riled up for her own entertainment.

“Any who… If Harry had opened my letters, he would have heard all about it. I’m glad you two found each other, I know how deeply you care for him… always knew you’d try to outsmart the fates— but you better not mess about this time!”

“Astrid.” He growled, feeling the rage inside of him brewing. “This is not funny.”

“I mean.” She waved her hand. “It’s a little funny. You’ve got each other now, don’t you? She isn’t gonna stick out so much. I figured you’d have that stick out of your arse since you’ve gotten her back butttttt…”

“You could have rang! Found me! Told me so I didn’t live in misery all these years. Of course, I’m ecstatic she is back, but you played me. Made me think there wasn’t a chance.”

Y/N could see him bristling, stiff as a board, with hair standing up on the back of his neck. Truly, he looked a bit monster like as she looked at his bared fangs and the veins that blackened beneath his eyes.

Her favorite show hadn’t been too far off.

“Harry.” She whispered, placing her hand on his chest. “Please. You’ve got to relax. I’m upset too. I’m confused. But getting combative isn’t going to give us answers.” She wasn’t afraid of him. Despite what most humans would feel, Y/N wasn’t worried about him hurting her. He would never. His hands were meant to nurture her. Soothe her. Pleasure. Not hurt.

Harry felt the warmth of her hand on his chest, the stiffness of his body relaxed a little. The veins and fangs remained, but his gaze softened as it laid on her.

“I’m sorry.” He gently pulled her to lean into his side, hand cupping the back of her head and letting her be pulled into his embrace. “I know you don’t like to see me like that.”

Harry was confused, because despite Celeste’s soul being inside of her… he fell in love with Y/N.

Her laugh, her giggle, her cinnamon sugar toast. Her painting, her cadence, and the way she preferred rubies to diamonds. The way her hair fell into her face even when she placed it up into that sleepy, messy bun. Her stories from school and how she always wanted to save any animal she saw outside.

It wasn’t just Celeste’s soul, but the personality she had gained here.

“She said she’d find you did she not?” Astrid asked with a chuckle, “and she’s here! You should be thanking me! It’s your own fault you haven’t bonded with her yet.” She rolled her eyes, though the sight of her sister in her new form warmed her heart.

She was different now— it seemed that the time in limbo had done her some good. Y/N seemed more free, almost innocent, it felt like she had found herself again. That sweet little girl that found joy in the peculiar, had found her way back home.

“Look, it’s quite simple— you love each other no? Harry, if you weren’t such a coward you would have already figured all of this out but it seems I must spell it out for you.” The woman grumbled as she stood up to leave.

“Celeste is alive and well, she’s found a home in Y/N’s soul the day she was born. Of course, they aren’t the same person, but when Celeste died her essence got a fresh start in her.” She started, looking between the two. “The second you bond with her, her memories will come back— but it won’t be Celeste. Unfortunately, well I guess fortunately for you, unless I recovered her body I wouldn’t be able to resurrect her fully. But she lives on within Y/N.”

Y/N was at a loss for words.

It was a bit disheartening, to think that her whole existence was just merely a part of some witch's plan for immortality. But if Astrid was telling the truth and that she was just a part of her, then it couldn’t be so bad right?

Surely it would hurt to see Harry get excited about seeing parts of Celeste in her, but if she was her then surely not? it all seemed a bit confusing. She wasn’t sure how it would work, but she was scared, to say the least.

“I….” He swallowed.

It was complicated. A weird mix of relief for finally having her back with him, but sadness because he knew how this was going to look to Y/N. The situation was quite literally one that had never happened in history books before.

“I fell in love with her. As much as Celeste will always be a part of me… I’m a little bit confused.” He turned slightly to Astrid. “She’s going to be… she will be aware of those memories?” He tried to soothe Y/N, his smooth hands running down her back but he could feel the unease oozing off of her.

“Oh, yes. But it doesn’t have to be complicated. Y/N, you’ve always been a bit confused about the missing pieces, haven’t you? Why you always feel as though Harry is so familiar to you? He’s literally made for you. Your body is a different vessel, but you’re still having the same feelings. It’s always been right.” Astrid paused, thinking of a good example.

“It’s why when you first moved in and Harry was probably his cold self and kept you at an arms length, it probably hurt, didn’t it? You felt a bit weird internally but shut it down because you’ve always been a bit too rational. Knowing you didn’t have a ‘right’ to feel upset but you did. It’s your old memories, old feelings. Harry wasn’t one to ever skimp on attention so it probably felt odd.”’

Y/N wasn’t going to bother asking how or why she knew that. It seemed that Y/N was just better off keeping to her ignorant bliss. Astrid had proved to both of them she knew far more about this than they did and she wasn’t going to fight— especially when they knew nothing about this soul bonding process on their own.

“I-I… if you’re saying I’m Celeste then are you saying I’m a witch as well?” Y/N asked curiously, though, she was uncertain about how she would feel about her answer. It was entirely possible. Were there rules she had to follow? Was there anything she had to do once she came into those powers?

Y/N was overwhelmed, to say the least, allowing herself to fully lean on Harry for support. She felt like this new information called for a long nap and a delicious meal immediately after she woke up. Nuzzling her face against Harry’s side she closed her eyes, waiting for Astrid’s answer. She didn’t care if she was being rude. Poor girl was feeling a bit lightheaded.

His cold body was a relief to the flush of heat that was through her at all of the intense information she had just received. She could have moaned as he placed his hand on the hot skin at the back of her neck, clutching onto him in a way that made the vampire a bit stressed.

“Yes. You absolutely are. Come on, girl. Do you really think that people can get things as easily as you? The manifesting thing on steroids? The things you chant to make yourself feel better…” Astrid laughed at the pure ignorance. The poor thing had been blissfully ignorant of everything up until now. “The powers are mostly dormant, I’m assuming. Considering you haven’t burnt the place down with rage, my sister, you have been held back. My assumption is that when Dracula bites you, the powers will start to come back as the bond strengthens.” She could feel Harry blinking at her, making her toss her hands up in a ‘whatever’ gesture. “I’ve done my reading. Deducing. Much better than that Sherlock did.”

He hadn’t known this would be the outcome and he had mixed feelings about it all. His old love was his new love, vice versa. He felt like his feelings were a betrayal to both of them.

The good thing was, though, his beautiful Y/N wouldn’t age the way a human would. She could truly be with him. It would be a matter of the soul mate bond snapping back into place instead of this constant edging between their souls and hearts.

“Fates.” Harry closed his eyes, massaging the back of Y/N’s neck soothingly.  “Alright. Astrid- get out of my house. She’s feeling faint. Stay around the area, I’ll need you to return or at the very least, send one of your own to help her soon. She needs to be aware before I bond her fully.” He wanted Y/N to choose. Not just the older part of her soul.

“Alright, alright… but don’t wait too long, you don’t want to her find dead one morning.” Astrid sighed, half joking but there was some truth to it. Now that she was aware of the fates plan, there was only so much time left for them to decide.  “You’ll know where to find me.” With a wave of her hand, Astrid was out the door.

Y/N was far too in her own mind to have heard her last comment, but Harry heard it crystal clear. While he may be a vampire, he was no stranger to the way the fates worked.

The fates were fair and just— it was their job to maintain balance here on earth, both for humans and the supernatural. At times their job led to making harsh decisions, if anyone broke the laws of the universe then they would see their fate flash before them.

Harry had never met someone as pure and kind as Y/N surely she was on the fates good side. He simply couldn’t see Celeste in her the way it seemed Astrid could. Though he loved Celeste dearly, he knew that their relationship was bound to end in a bloody disaster— he’d expected himself to be the one to break but the fates clearly had other plans.

Y/N let out a shaky breath against his shirt, clinging to him to find some stability. She needed to ground herself.

She needed to lay down.

[yesbutmakeitgay]

Once Upon A Time I Used To Know A Girl

Chapter 14

Carol Danvers x Reader

Masterlist | This work's masterlist | AO3

Summary: At last, you get your stuff back.

Angst, Slow Burn, Amnesia.

Word count: 800

Think Of You In A Better Light

It’s been a couple of days since your encounter with Captain Marvel, you have been mostly keeping to yourself, staying in your room, recovering from the fight.

You hear some noise outside your quarters and slowly get up to investigate. You open the door and find The Captain putting down the last of three boxes full of stuff you recognize, trying to cram something in one of them.

"What are you doing?"

"Bringing your things back." She doesn't look at you.

"What you got there?" you ask, pointing at her hand.

She finally looks up and hands you the small object, "Just take it," she commands. You accept and open it to reveal a golden ring.

"I don't wear jewelry."

"It was in your drawer, it's not mine." Her tone turns bitter. She knows full well what it is even if you don't remember. The wheels in your brain start turning as you stare at it.

"Well, that's the last box," she mumbles before walking away, leaving you perplexed.

You take the boxes inside and go through the stuff in them. You're digging through the last one looking for your favorite hoodie when you find a Polaroid picture of you and Carol, she's wearing a big smile and you are placing a kiss on her cheek, you have never seen anyone look this happy. Your heart drops a little, but you’re unsure why.

You try to ignore the sensation and begin putting all your belongings away.

Kamala and Valkyrie lounge in the common room, the girl is excitedly describing her last mission with the Young Avengers.

You enter and interrupt their conversation, "Was either of you, goons, gonna tell me I was engaged to Captain Marvel?" you demand, offended.

"You what?" Kamala is shocked by your words.

"You weren't, not yet, at least," The King is quick to respond, "you remembered something?" She maintains a calm tone, you pull out the small box with the ring inside.

Kamala gasps loudly, "Where did that come from?"

"She gave me my stuff back."

"She saw it?" Valkyrie is suddenly concerned.

"She handed it to me personally." Your voice is full of indignation, Val makes a pained expression.

"That's a very nice ring," the girl feels the need to point out, you side eye her, "at least now you could get a refund?"

"I don't even know where I got it."

"I do, but you're not gonna like it," Valkyrie reveals, making both of you look at her, "it was a gift, authentic Asgardian gold," she explains with pride.

You scoff incredulously, "Will you take it back?"

"Keep it as collateral for when Fury inevitably kicks you out of here," she's only half joking.

"How much is it worth?" Kamala whispers.

The King grins, "More than your life."

You spend that night looking at the ring. After what Val said about it you don’t even dare touch it, but you stare at your reflection on it for a long time. As far as you can remember you have never thought about getting married, least of all, to the woman who almost killed you days before.

You put the velvet box down on your bedside table and see the Polaroid placed upside down, the image seared into your brain. The Captain you just met looks nothing like the woman in the picture and you can’t remember ever being that happy before. The dissonance created in your brain brings you a familiar headache, there has to be another side of this story and, maybe, now that she’s back you can really start to get some answers.

"You got the goods?" You extend your arm to retrieve the small object, but Valkyrie pulls it out of your reach.

"Uh, uh, uh, not so fast, when are you planning on giving it to her?"

"I don't know, I've been thinking about it for months, everyday I wake up and I just want to be married to her already." Your voice is full of excitement.

"I know I met you first, but I have to tell you, if you hurt her I will end you," Val playfully threatens you.

"Oh, come on, if I hurt her she can end me on the spot herself, I’m not afraid of you or her." Your lips curl into a dopey smile.

"You are so whipped," she teases you.

"You know I've loved her from the moment I met her, I took full months off work just so I could hang out with her, then she convinced Fury to let us go on a mission together, not a single day goes by where I don't feel so in love with her."

Val chuckles and hands you the ring, "Go on Romeo, take care of it, it's the really good stuff."

"Thank you.”

"Always."

Chapter 14.5

Didn't see that one coming, huh?

Tags: @graniairish @carols-photonblast @thelittleliars @unicorniusfallapatorius @prplepeony @eringranola

Let me know if you wanna be tagged :)

[skepsiss]

His People. Chapter 2: Like. Lust. Love

No one asked for this, but the idea wouldn't get out of my brain so I wrote it. I need to take a break tho but don't want to leave this without sharing. It's almost 3,000 words, so breaking it up into part 3 should be fine.

Lil' Monster Eddie. In the first chapter we see how Eddie has come back as something less than human. He doesn't have his memories and he is struggling a lot to interact with people "appropriately." In this chapter, Steve and Eddie are spending one on one time together and Eddie might... get a little carried away.

Chapter 1

Rate: T CW: Slight non-con/con, mention of gore, memory loss, miscommunication.

They were seated on the bed in Steve’s room, the smells and warmth almost oppressive. Everything smelt like Steve with a tinge of chemicals behind it. Clean. Eddie liked it. He liked the differences even if it was a lot, and he got used to it soon enough.

Eddie was stretched and lounging with his arm under his head and his chest to the mattress, flipping through one of Steve’s magazines. He found them fascinating, even if he didn’t really care for the subject matter. It was more the high gloss images and the way the men and women were positioned across the page. How he’d flip a page and there would be a wall of text, but wedged in beside it would be a man holding a baseball bat, the words perfectly blocked out around him. He liked them a lot and Steve had been kind enough to invite him over so he could look through his collection. 

Steve himself was seated with his back to the headboard, his legs stretched out so his feet were near Eddie’s head. He was reading one of the magazines, not flipping through the images nearly as quickly as Eddie was. Steve was reading and considering the page while Eddie watched his brows pinch in or raise with interest every once and a while. Expressive. He was taking his time to move from page to page and Eddie wondered if the subject matter was really all that intriguing, staring unabashedly at him.  

Eddie liked looking at Steve.

He wasn’t sure why exactly, but he’d stare sometimes at Steve and feel at peace looking at him. It was different from how he felt when he looked at the rest of the party. He felt possessive of all of them–protective and soft–but Steve was different. It was as if he had a calming presence to him. It felt the opposite compared to how Eddie felt after he ate. How he’d feel energetic and moody as if he was excited in the most destructive way possible. But around Steve, it was the opposite. 

Eddie didn’t remember a lot about Steve. 

He could remember Dustin–Henderson, as he was supposed to call him–and shared many memories with him. He remembered the band and he was often charmed by the memories that randomly popped up when he was around them. He could remember Mike, Lucas, Erica–he remembered a lot of them, but for some reason, he couldn’t remember anything about Steve. 

He wanted to be around Steve though, he liked it, and he liked it when Steve looked at him too. 

Steve must have felt his eyes on him because he glanced up from the magazine and looked at Eddie.

Eddie smiled, keeping his mouth shut so his teeth wouldn’t show, but still wanting to express his joy in Steve looking at him. 

“What?” Steve chuckled, flipping the page of his magazine as he smiled back at Eddie. 

“I like watching you. You look nice,” Eddie complimented as a means to explain why he was staring. 

“Uh… thanks,” Steve replied, the hesitation in his voice obvious before he looked back down at the page.

Eddie blinked at him and slowly sat up, feeling a little anxious all of a sudden. 

“Is that weird?” he asked, uncertain. He hadn’t really nailed this whole… social interaction thing. He’d often overstep or overshare and someone would have to explain why to him. He was learning all the rules slowly, but it was a lot to keep track of.

People liked compliments. Saying them was fine, right? Was calling Steve ‘nice’ not appropriate? 

“A little,” Steve replied to Eddie’s question, but he sounded good-humored even if there was a bit of awkwardness in his tone. “You’re not supposed to say that stuff out loud.” 

Eddie frowned, not really understanding what he meant by that. He had to keep it to himself? That didn’t seem fair. 

Steve must have caught on to Eddie’s confusion because he looked up from his magazine again before sighing lightly through his nose. 

“You shouldn’t really say ‘I like looking at you,’ a lot of people find that creepy,” Steve explained, pressing his lips together. 

“Oh,” Eddie answered, feeling badly, “did I creep you out?”

“It’s fine, just be careful who you say that stuff to.”

Eddie nodded and sat back with his legs crossed, trying to commit the ‘taboo’ to memory.

“Was the compliment okay?” Eddie asked, feeling like he needed the clarification.

“Uh… sure,” Steve replied, hesitating before trying to explain better. “Guys don’t really… say that stuff to each other.”

“Oh… why not?” Eddie asked, feeling like he was being annoying. Steve’s face was turning a bit red and Eddie didn’t really understand why. 

“You just… don’t?” Steve frowned, obviously flushed, “you save it for… someone you like.” 

“I like you,” Eddie replied quickly, not wanting Steve to think he disliked him for some reason, especially not when Eddie wanted to be around him so badly. 

“No, Eddie,” Steve sighed, sounding a bit exasperated, “not like that. Not like how you like Mike, or Dustin, or Nancy or someone. It’s different, you like them differently.”

Eddie frowned, not really understanding what Steve meant by that. There were different levels to liking someone? He supposed that made sense. He had felt a difference between people when he was around them. He felt differently when he was with Nancy compared to Mike. He liked being around Mike more, but he liked Nancy fine; he wanted to listen to her and didn’t feel as resistant to doing the things she asked compared to Mike. He liked them both, but he couldn’t really compare the two of them–but they were still nothing like Steve.

“I like you different,” Eddie explained, shifting onto all fours to crawl up toward the headboard where Steve was sitting. “Different from everyone else.”

Steve frowned deeper and Eddie tilted his head with curiosity at that. Why wouldn’t Steve want to be told he was liked?

“I mean, how you’d like a girl,” Steve tried to explain, shifting one of his legs so it was tucked up closer to his chest. 

“A girl?” Eddie asked, continuing his ascent up the bed before kneeling by Steve’s hip. 

Out of all the girls he knew, he didn’t feel any specific way about them. He liked Robin, he liked Nancy, he liked Max and the mothers of the people he knew, but nothing specific stuck out to him about them. “So… I’m supposed to tell Robin that she looks nice?” He asked, not thinking that compliment was untrue, but he had never felt compelled to tell her something like that.

“No, not Robin,” Steve sighed and Eddie watched as he shifted away ever so slightly, the motions almost imperceptible. Steve wasn’t looking at him anymore and Eddie felt a pit form in his stomach because of that. He wanted Steve to look at him, he liked that better. 

“I like you more than girls,” Eddie offered as an explanation, “look at me…”

He could see red breaking out across Steve’s face, making his freckles look darker and the lines in his face look softer. Eddie had never seen something like that before, red…. 

He reached for Steve slowly, wanting to see him properly as Steve lulled his head a bit back in Eddie’s direction. 

“It’s a different kind of–” he began saying, stopping when Eddie held his cheeks. His face got redder and Eddie felt his eyes go a bit wide as he felt how warm Steve was under his touch. It was different than other times–then when he’d touched Robin’s face to retrieve a loose eyelash or poke fun at Dustin. He was so warm. 

Eddie felt his breathing get a bit heavier and his pulse pick up, the feeling a muddled mixture of how he felt after he ate and how he felt just being around Steve. It made his eyelids droop and his skin prickle, his mind reeling as it started to connect dots. 

He could… remember something. It was ephemeral and hazy, different from how he usually remembered things, but it was there. He could see it in his mind, especially as his gaze shifted to look Steve in the eyes. 

He’d done this before. He’d held Steve like this. He could see it–he could see them–the two of them pressed against one another, the vague outline of Steve’s body in a dark room. The thrill and excitement of wrapping his arm around Steve and feeling him tug his hair. His body–their bodies–unclothed as Eddie touched him. He could remember Steve’s face being red just like this and he could remember kissing him. Oh… he wanted to kiss Steve. 

“I remember…” Eddie said quietly, the sound of his own voice odd to his ears. 

Steve was staring at him, not moving, and Eddie could hear the sound of his heartbeat pounding away in his chest. He wasn’t scared, but there was some kind of emotion there that Eddie didn’t understand. He couldn’t really focus on that though, his body felt electric with these memories, with how dreamy they made him feel. 

Like. Lust. Love. He didn’t really know, but he understood those words–had them in his brain all of a sudden. Steve was different… very different. 

Without delaying anymore, Eddie closed the distance between them, kissing Steve on the lips and feeling him recoil slightly in his hold. 

“Eddie–” Steve sputtered slightly, his hands going to Eddie’s shoulders. 

“It’s okay,” Eddie breathed, kissing him again, licking his bottom lip, “my teeth–it won’t… it’s okay.”

He wouldn’t hurt Steve, he never would, and he knew unless he bit down Steve didn’t have anything to worry about. 

He leaned in closer, pushing his tongue into Steve’s mouth and feeling his stomach clench at the sensation. He’d done this before. He’d felt this before. It was so familiar; he knew what he was doing without having to think about it. 

He was shifting closer to Steve, moving so he could almost lay on his chest as he sat against the headboard, feeling so at peace and so excited at the same time.

“No–Ed–” Steve started to say between kisses, his hands still on Eddie’s shoulders. 

“It’s okay,” Eddie reassured again, letting his hand drop to Steve’s waist and brush up and under his shirt, feeling the roughness of his skin. 

Steve squirmed, his own hand dropping to Eddie’s wrist to hold it. 

Another memory filtered through Eddie’s mind, one that felt sharper and tinged with fear and sorrow. He could remember Steve getting hurt and he could remember how scared he had been to see Steve like that. The blood and the gore of it all. How he had wanted to comfort Steve and kiss him as they walked through the forest together. He had wanted Steve to be okay. To take care of him. 

“Does it hurt still?” Eddie asked quietly against Steve’s lips, raising his hand away from the rough skin, afraid that he wasn’t healed enough to be touched there. 

“What? No, Eddie–” Steve replied and Eddie kissed him again, glad to hear that as he brushed his thumb over Steve’s stomach. He loved the feeling of Steve’s stomach: the softness of his hair, and the smooth skin underneath that made way for raised, rough patches of scars. 

“That’s good,” Eddie mumbled into the kiss, his eyes already closed without realizing it. Steve was still squirming under him though, restless and energetic.

Steve had been right. Liking someone was different than liking someone and Eddie wanted to reassure him that it was the latter. He couldn’t say he lusted him, so Eddie scraped his brain for the phrase he needed to express his feelings. 

“I want you,” Eddie breathed, the phrase sounding appropriate enough as if it communicated the right feeling. 

“I like you–different,” he tried to speak between kisses–between having his tongue as deep as it would go into Steve’s mouth–as he easily moved against Steve’s hold. “I want you… I wanted you… I remember… I wanted you when you got hurt, I wanted you.”

Steve’s squirming lessened slightly and Eddie shifted closer, letting his legs splay out behind him so he could hook his knee around Steve’s leg. 

“You were–” Eddie breathed, breaking the kiss, but continuing to hold Steve’s face so they were nose to nose, “--nice to look at… then too. I thought you were nice to look at.”

He remembered giving Steve his vest and how he had thought he looked good like that. How he was bloody and bruised, filthy and wet, but Eddie had wanted him so badly. He had settled for looking at him and he had thought he looked amazing. Badass. He liked Steve. 

Steve was frozen in his hold as Eddie stared at him, breathing against his mouth as he felt this flurry of remembered emotions. It was so much to process, but every second he remembered more it made his body tingle with warmth

He pecked Steve quickly before moving his hand over one of Steve’s scars and ducking down towards his stomach. Steve jolted and Eddie gasped as his lips touched his waist and he felt the skin break out in bumps under his touch. That was new. Goosebumps. They were contagious and Eddie felt the hair on his arm stand up as his skin was painted with them. 

“I’ll be gentle,” Eddie said softly, speaking against Steve’s skin before he felt Steve’s fingers in his curls. He made a sound in the back of his throat, approving of the touch until suddenly Steve’s grip tightened and he was yanked back by his hair.

Eddie hissed with pain and he watched as Steve brought his legs up to cover his stomach, one of his knees wedging firmly between their chest. 

“Eddie!” Steve exclaimed, holding Eddie’s head back and away from himself.

“Ow—Steve,” Eddie whined, frowning deeply, noticing the wild look in Steve’s eyes for the first time.

“Stop!” Steve said firmly, sounding angrier than Eddie had ever heard him.

“All…alright,” Eddie mumbled, a little shell-shocked as he stared at Steve. Had he hurt him? He didn’t mean to. Touching like this was supposed to feel good. He had felt good touching Steve, but maybe Steve hadn’t?

“What are you doing?” Steve asked, finally letting go of Eddie’s hair and pushing back and away from him until he was standing beside the bed. 

Eddie stared at him, unsure how to answer that question or if he was supposed to. 

“Kissing?” Eddie replied, shrinking in on himself slightly. Maybe he had just been doing a bad job of it. So bad that Steve didn’t even know what he was doing. 

“No—-Eddie,” Steve sighed, putting one hand on his hip while the other went to pinch the bridge of his nose. 

He was panting and Eddie could still hear Steve’s heart pounding, even from where he was seated. Steve smelt different too. He smelt… heavier. He liked the smell, it made him want to get closer… but he stayed seated, starting to squirm slightly as he waited for Steve to explain.

“I thought…” Eddie started, feeling as if he needed to explain, “since we’ve done it before…”

Steve looked up at him sharply, his brows creased and pressed in. He fumbled for words, his mouth opening and closing as if he was trying to push the sounds out of himself. 

“What?” he asked finally and the question made Eddie’s back straight and his shoulders bunch up to his ears. 

“We what?” Steve asked, his tone sharp and starting to truly frighten Eddie.

“Kissed… and… more,” Eddie explained, leaning back as he pushed across the bed, away from Steve, some of the magazines clattering to the ground behind him. 

“We’ve—” Steve started, staring at Eddie with wide eyes once again. “No, we haven’t!” 

“We haven’t?” Eddie asked, unsure of himself, his heart pounding out of his chest in a completely different way than it had been moments earlier. “I thought—I remembered us…”

He didn’t like the way Steve was looking at him, it was intense and nothing like how he usually was. He didn’t like this Steve. 

“That—-we’ve never–” Steve groaned and turned away from him, rubbing his hands over his face a few times. He was pacing in the room, the sound of his groans muffled by his palms as Eddie continued to push away until he was in the corner of the bed. He tucked up against the headboard and pulled his knees up, making himself smaller. 

That didn’t make sense. He could remember kissing Steve. He could remember touching him and seeing his body–he could remember all of it. The memories weren’t sharp–they felt wispy almost–but they were there. They were different compared to Eddie’s other memories, but Steve was different so it made sense for them to feel different too. But he couldn’t put a time or a place to these memories… he couldn’t produce the adjoining lead-up to them kissing. It was as if these memories were removed from time and space… why didn’t they make sense?

Eddie's eyes snapped up toward Steve, his blood running cold as he realized what all of this meant. 

Fantasies. They had been fantasies. 

These memories hadn’t actually happened, they weren’t real, they were things he had conjured in his own mind. They had been private. They were never things he was supposed to act on….

Eddie felt his face heat up and he touched his own cheeks as he realized that the sensation was. Embarrassment. Shame. Overwhelm. He had been embarrassing to Steve. He had kissed—

“Fuck!” Eddie yelled, the word jumping out of his mouth and shocking him slightly before he pushed his face into his knees. 

His shout had surprised Steve and he had seen him turn towards him before Eddie was covering his face from shame.

“Sorry! Sorry!” Eddie muttered, his voice loud but muffled still by his own hands. “I’m sorry—forget about it—you can just forget about it. Please forget about it. I’m sorry–”

--To be continued in Chapter 3. Picking right back up from here--

[teddy-bear-baby]

Their Deadly Flower - Twelve

(A/n: Been putting off finishing this story for a while now because I've poured so much time and love into it, but I think it's time to put it to rest. Sadly, I will be finishing this story with around 15 chapters and maybe an epilogue. Hope you all have enjoyed this story as much as I have. As always enjoy this chapter, my Lovelies and don't forget to leave feedback.)

Pairings: Ghost X GN!Reader, König X GN!Reader

Warnings: Mentions of violence and torture, angst, slightly crazed reader

Prolog - One - Two - Three - Four - Five - Six - Seven - Eight - Nine - Ten - Eleven - Here - Thirteen

     Ghost and König agreed on only two things. One, you meant far too much to both of them for this stupid fighting to continue. And two, they were completely and utterly fucked in their current situation.

     Both men sat facing each other, bound to chairs and gagged. Their masks had been removed a few hours ago when they were placed into these godforsaken seats. The lack of facial coverings allowed both men a good look at each other’s features as they silently communicated. Using only their eyes and minimal facial expressions they’d begun to slowly devise a plan of escape.

~~~~~

     Two days. It’s been two fucking days since anyone has seen Ghost or König and you are in an absolute downward spiral. Your thoughts are consumed with worry and fear. Dreadful images flooding every corner of your mind as the endless possibilities recount themselves to you, for what feels like, the millionth time today.

     “Iris?” Soap’s wary voice cuts through the thoughts swirling around your brain. Concern evident in his features as he stares at you. “It’s going to be alright.” He attempts to reassure you as your eyes finally meet across the bare living room of the old house. “They’re going to be alright.”

     Gaz nods in agreement with the same cautious concern in his eyes. “We’ll find them and bring them back safely.” 

     All three of the men standing with you had been trying to calm your nervousness and worry for the past two days. Though they should be a calming force, having been like family to you for so long, nothing they said or did had helped much at all. Not since Price had admitted that Alice had said something odd the night before your two men had been stolen away from you. “I might be here with you, but believe that there are people planning in the background, just waiting for their chance.” You were sure in that moment that Alice’s people had taken something important to you either to prove a point, or to draw you out. To get you to do something reckless, like run headlong into danger to keep those around you safe from wraith that was aimed toward you.

     At first Alice’s anger was on the 141 in general for all the trouble we’d given her and her people. But after everything she’d gone through trying to get information out of you for two years, you’re almost certain it’s personal now. A vendetta against you specifically for not only wasting two years of her time but also playing a part in her capture.

     “Iris?” Fingers snapping in front of your face cause you to once again jolt from your dreadful thoughts. Price’s fingers to be specific. He stares at you with an understanding glint in his eyes. He’s worried too, though he’s better at keeping calm in most situations. “Come on,” His hand rests flat against your shoulder blade, applying a little pressure as he begins leading you toward the front door. “We’ll get you a drink, calm your mind a bit and go over what we know again. I need you focused if we’re going to get them back.” His voice trails off slightly as though he wanted to add something to the end of that statement but decided not to.

     Price’s words have the opposite effect of what they were meant to. If we’re going to get them back? You’d at least expected him to say something like “By the end of the week” or “Anytime soon”. You understand though. In a situation like this, when there’s no clear evidence of where they’ve gone or who had been responsible, there is no guarantee that they’ll return alive. If they return at all. 

     A heavy sigh escapes your lips as you step out of the house for the first time in almost four days. The light of the early evening sun burns your retinas and causes you to squint in order to see your surroundings. “Do you really think drinking is a good idea at a time like this?” Your voice comes out strained from the incessant crying you’d done over the past 48 hours. “Ghost and König are out there somewhere, likely being tortured or killed, and here we are going out for drinks.” It felt wrong even if it wasn’t for enjoyment purposes.

     “If it gets you to calm down enough for a proper conversation, I’d say it’s more than worth it.” Soap comments from behind you as he closes and locks the rickety door. 

     You let out another sigh as you climb into the passenger seat of the car they’d come in. You weren’t going to enjoy this one bit. You’d gotten so used to drinking with Ghost sitting across from you, you’re sure you’ll break down more than once.

~~~~~

     It doesn’t take long to get to the local pub, which seems more like a nightclub with the music booming in your ears before you even enter the building. The inside is dimly lit, the music getting exponentially louder as you and your three companions push past a few people lingering around the entrance. Your eyes rove over the crowd of bodies bumping and grinding in the center of the large room. A migraine begins to form in your temples as Soap grabs your arm and tugs you behind him through the crowd. 

     Groaning you allow him to pull you toward a small table in the back corner away from the rest of the patrons. You find it hard to pull your eyes away from the group of people dancing and having a good time, feeling almost envious of how joyful and carefree they are. You wish more than anything that you could be out there dancing and laughing with König while Ghost sits in the corner watching over you. Images of your fantasy flash behind your eyes; König’s bright eyes crinkled at the corners as you dance together a large grin on your own face as you look over to Simon whose eyes have been on you the whole time.

     A harsh shaking of your shoulder pulls you from your blissful daydream. Price stares down at you intently with furrowed brows. “Welcome back to reality, care to stay for a while?” His mouth twists into a small sarcastic smile, his mustache curving with his lips as he attempts to lighten the mood a little.

     You take a deep inhale, allowing the air to stretch out your tired chest before nodding slowly. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m here.” Taking in your surroundings once more you realize you’re already sat at the corner table, Soap and Gaz are sitting across from you sipping on pints of amber liquid. “Sorry, I’m trying to separate my emotions from work, I really am but-”

     Gaz cuts in and finishes your thought. “But you’ve made a mess of that whole philosophy. We know.” He takes another sip from his glass as he glances around the room.

     You grumble a bit as you pick up the pint that had been set in front of you at some point, draining half the glass in seconds. You can only hope it’ll help numb the emotions enough for you to focus on the present moment. You needed to know exactly what the plan was to get your men back. “How the hell are we going to find them?” Your question is followed by silence and brief glances among the four of you as you look for the others to answer. 

     After a few moments Price speaks up. “Well, the plan was to look for any evidence in the house and hope it’d point us somewhere.” He cocks his head slightly as he idly fiddles with the rim of his glass. “But whoever did it was more prepared than we hoped, left nothing but that handprint. Only thing we can go off of is what Alice said, but that’s not proof of anything.” He sighs and takes a large gulp from his glass, his stress and worry over the situation showing more than before. His composure only slips further the longer you all go without any answers.

     You all go over the events of that morning multiple times, each of you proposing different ideas of what could have happened. None of them end up making any sense or giving way to new leads. The only thing that made sense in your mind was that Alice’s people were out for blood or her return, neither of which were comforting thoughts. Either outcome could and would leave good people injured and dead. Ghost and König likely being among the first to succumb to those afflictions.

     Your stomach turns, whether from the alcohol, the thoughts, or both, you're not sure. Not that it really matters. What matters is making it to the bathroom before your drink comes rocketing from your throat and all over the table. You jump up from your seat clutching your stomach before rushing toward the restroom. You ignore the concerned looks from your companions as you race through the room, pushing through crowds of people. Bile stings the back of your throat, a sour taste forcing its way onto your taste buds as you slam the restroom door open.

~~~~~

     A growl escapes your throat as you deliver another harsh blow to the man’s gut, watching with demented glee as his body tries to fold in on itself. A wheezed breath follows his pained grunt as he tugs against the bindings that hold his wrist to the arms of the old wood chair. “I’m getting tired of the games, Ezekiel.” Your voice flows through the room, bouncing off the cement walls of the basement with a bone chilling sweetness. Your eye twitches slightly as he glares at you through swollen eyelids, that same glare he’d given you just before you’d knocked him unconscious a few hours ago.

     Letting out a shaky breath you tear your eyes away from the reflection in the mirror, unable to stare at your tired face any longer. It’s a clear visual of how badly Ghost and König’s disappearance has affected you and it only served to make your mind spiral further.

     You make your way quickly out of the restroom and back into the loud, crowded pub. You’re about to move toward the table where your companions are seated when your gaze lands on a pair of eyes that seem all too familiar. One orb is a bright emerald green and the other is a dark, almost black, shade of brown. You don’t recognise the rest of the man’s face. Those eyes, however, they’d be recognisable anywhere. Your mind races as the pieces of this terrible puzzle fall into place. 

     This man standing only a few paces away from you was present at many of your negotiations with Alice. His all-too-unique eyes give him away even if he’d worn a face covering to every meeting that he’d accompanied her on. You’d done some research into her and the team she worked with to better equip yourself just in case a negotiation went sideways. His name is Ezekiel and he’s known to be one of the more dangerous members of the group.

     The only question now is what the hell is he doing here? Not that you had to think too much about it after the thoughts that had plagued you for the past two days. It was glaringly obvious to you now that the theory you’d come up with about Alice was almost certainly true. She’d most likely had this as a backup plan if she was found out. But there was no way for her to have known how important Ghost and König were to you. Unless she had someone, a mole of sorts, watching you and your team. 

     Before you can think through your actions you’ve stepped up to the man. He’s large, not as large as König, or even Ghost, but he could definitely be lethal based solely on his build. You could handle him though, especially if he’s not as well trained as the members of 141.

     His eyes move to your form as you step into his space, a quizzical and almost flirtatious look crossing his features. “Something I can do for you?” His voice is like satin, caressing your eardrums in the most spine tingling way. If he weren’t the enemy, and someone who is more than likely involved in the disappearance of König and Ghost, he’d be a nice catch.

     Your mind whirls with visions of ripping his throat out with your teeth before beating him into a mass of blood and bones. You want to tell him off right there, scream at him to give back the two men you hold so precious. You don’t though, knowing it would only cause a scene and give away who you are if he hadn’t put that together already. “You’re eyes,” You manage to force the words out slowly with a small flirtatious smile. “They’re gorgeous.” The words taste like battery acid on your tongue and guilt begins to form in your chest. If you’re lucky you might be able to smooth-talk this guy into leaving with you so you can get some answers out of him.

     It really was that easy. You sweet talked your way past the sour taste in your mouth and managed to get into his head. Ezekiel was all-too-desperate to be taking someone home and you were all-too-happy to follow him out to his car. 

     Wasting no time once the two of you were secluded in his car, you give him a sweet smile. “I would apologize for what comes next, but I have no empathy for scum like you.” You watch his brows furrow as he glares over at you just before your fist makes contact with his temple. He slouches forward against the steering wheel with a soft thump. The only thing left to do now was figure out how to tell your three companions about the reckless move you’d just pulled.

     “So tell me, where are my men?” Your voice comes out low, your harsh tone accompanied by a dangerous glare. You stare him down as you slowly circle around him, a predator studying their prey.

     Ezekiel lets out a low chuckle, something he’d done multiple times since you started questioning him three hours ago. It was different this time, a hint of nervousness seeping into what was meant to be a sound of mocking. “I’m not tellin’ you shit.” His voice is gruff and strained from the number of blows he’d taken to the abdomen. 

     It was an answer, not the one you were looking for, but he’d indirectly confirmed that he knows something about Ghost and König. Whether he was directly involved or not, you now know he has some sort of information that could be useful. A relieved feeling settles low in your belly, knowing now that you’re not wasting precious time with this unconventional interrogation.

     You grin widely at him as you lean down and look him directly in the eyes, certain you look completely insane at this point. “So you do know something about it.” Excitement and intrigue lace your words as you grip his face hard in your left hand. You watch closely as his expression shifts, his brows furrowing as he realizes he slipped up. “Let’s try this again, hmm?” You straighten yourself to stand at full height as you pull out the switchblade König had given you a few weeks ago. “Perhaps I can persuade you to tell me the truth.” Your eyes linger on the knife in your grasp as you flip it open, admiring the way the blade shines in the dim fluorescent light of the musty basement.

      You feel absolutely crazed, finding enjoyment in tormenting this man more than you should. You wanted answers, wanted to find your men and this insect, this pest was keeping you from that. You’re breaking, becoming unstable from the emotional distress of the whole situation. Your mind is slipping, the want to find them giving way to dark thoughts. Thoughts of all the ways you’d enjoy tearing the information from this man’s lips. All the rage you’ve held in over the years is creeping up under your skin, flowing straight to your fingertips as you play with the knife, like lightning to a rod.

     Ezekiel’s eyes stare intently at the blade as he appears to consider his options. "So what, either I tell you what I know or you'll kill me?" He asks incredulously, eyes still focused on the sharp blade. "Isn't that against your code of conduct or something?" He's desperately trying to remain calm but the smallest hint of panic has worked its way into his voice, and that sends a thrilled shiver down your spine. “You’ll go to prison for this.”

     A small laugh burst from between your lips. "Oh, darling Ezekiel," You coo at him as you place the tip of the blade against the underside of his chin, forcing him to look you in the eyes once more. "Do you see a uniform? A badge? Any symbol that would represent a professional bound by some such code?" Your grin widens, a maniacal glint flashing in your eyes as you watch his panic become visible. "No," You shake your head a little while pressing the knife more firmly into his chin. "Not here, not now. You see, right now I am someone looking for something important to me. And you," You pull the knife from his chin and point it directly at his face, enjoying the way his eyes widen as it nearly touches his nose. "You are simply an obstacle standing in my way. Believe me when I say I will dismantle you piece by piece until you give me the information I'm asking for."

     Ezekiel's eyes flit rapidly between the blade and your face, a look of contemplation gracing his features. "You won't do it." His voice is shaky and quiet, filled with uncertainty. Whether he’s uncertain of his own words or your willingness to follow through, you’re not sure.

     Your head cocks to one side as you move the blade to his cheek, swiping the sharp edge swiftly across the flesh. "Are you willing to bet your life on that?" You ask in a low, menacing tone as you force your eyes away from the streak of red on his cheek, looking to his eyes instead. You find your answer there, in his mismatched orbs. A look of pure horror echoed by the way he flinches away from your gaze. "Good. Now then," You slowly pull the knife away from his blood streaked face, wiping it clean against the leg of your pants. "You have three choices here. I can start with your fingers, I can start with your toes, or you can give me the information I'm asking for."

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[multific]

Dreams and Nightmares

Aegon II Targaryen x Reader

Words: 500

One late evening, Aegon woke with a start.

It was the kind of nightmare that you immediately forget once you are up but so disorienting, you forget for a couple of minutes where you are.

Aegon hated this feeling.

He hated waking up alone, unsure if he was in a whorehouse or in his own room.

The pillow next to him was still warm, and his brain slowly started to piece together everything.

"Y/N?" he called out but no answer came. He felt a cold shiver run down his spine as he started looking for his wife but couldn't see her anywhere in the room.

Panic slowly started to set in, but then the door opened and closed as you arrived back.

You quietly made your way into the room, in your hand a cup of water and then you saw Aegon on the bed.

"Did I wake you?" you asked quietly as you looked at him in the moonlight. "I needed some water, sorry if I woke you." As you put the cup down and joined him in bed, you finally noticed his eyes, filled with tears that never fell. "Oh, Sweetheart, you had a nightmare again?" he only nodded as he moved to hug you tightly, putting his head into your chest. You ran your fingers through his silky hair, kissing his head as he started to take deep breaths, slowly calming down.

Aegon has been through a lot, and also changed a lot during the last few years.

His marriage with you grew into love quickly and he changed with love.

But nightmares still woke him from time to time.

"I love you Aegon. I hope you know that." his hand ran up your leg, under your gown, the touch was anything but sexual. This level of intimacy shared between lovers and you knew the true meaning, he was longing for affirmation that you were real, that this wasn't just a dream from which he would wake in his awful life again. "I'm here." you would say as you slowly moved him to lie down, with him on his back, eyes staring at you you offered him a smile. "Your nightmares are not real. I am really here, I really do love you and I will not go anywhere. I promise." his palm came to rest on your cheek as you turned and kissed it before you moved to rest against him.

With your head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, your arm over his stomach, his arms around you, Aegon turned his head to smell your hair. Each and every night, he fell asleep knowing that even if you were just a delusion, an image in his mind, he didn't want to wake up. He would spend eternity in this dream with you.

And each morning he woke up with you still there. He was thrilled.

Moments with you were his favourite but when you just laid there, still asleep, no duty or House name present in the room, just a man and his wife, he admired you.

Oh, how he loved you.

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~Masterlist~

ˇAO3ˇ

             DO NOT REPOST OR TRANSLATE ANY OF MY WORKS

[doorrobloxstuff]

POLY AU PART 2 ELECTRIC BOGALOO.

Eehhehehe tumblr likes harems. --

This was officially the worst week on Y/N's life.

First they fractured their hip after slipping on gasoline and soon after their boss quickly let them go soon after without much of even a warning. But wait, It gets worse!

They went to the hospital, who kept them there for an entire week before returning (against medical advice mind you..) to a trio of screaming children, a gaggle of shocked and concerned partners and a hotel that had looked like it had been through an earthquake because they had started to suspect that one of them had killed them and had covered it up.

All of this this in a span of a week.

Well, at least the pain meds the hospital gave them worked well enough.

They sat there. In their Alaskan-king sized reinforced steel framed bed staring at their iPhone and scrolling through tik toks and just trying to keep their mind off the future. Them and El-goblino at least. The Goblin hadn’t really left their side since the whole “Calm the fuck down, I’m not dead!” incident and joined them in bed on top of a mountain of pillows and was currently watching them scroll mindlessly through video after video. Occasionally pointing and saying "Me!" or "That looks delicious man.." trying his best to make them laugh to some modicum of success. “El Goblino, can you come here?" They murmured, reaching over towards him and offering to pull him close. El Goblino nodded and soon found himself closely nestled on their chest. "Oye, how's the medicine treating you Cariño?~" "Baby, I'm not going to lie to you. I feel like..I feel like..like that nasty red stuff that Figure vomits out on the floor when it's eaten too much is sloshing around in goddamn brain..and fuck.. My thighs have stopped hurting but my head..ugh.. my head..It feels like the world's worst hangover.." "Ahh, understood. I'm going to have to go out and forage for some morel anyways so I'll grab you some of that mint I've been drying while I’m out.” His yellow eyes seemed to soften up in concern. " ..Maybe some oregano..I don’t want to risk you catching a fever..” He sighed and butted his head into Y/N’s. “Just..” He briefly hesitated before he spoke. “-..be safe, tu escuchas? Don’t disappear me on me like that again and give me another heart attack..!” " He slid quickly down their arms and off the bed. "It's not like I'm going anywhere anytime soon.." They said, pulling off the blanket and gesturing widely to their bruised legs. "Driving here was hell already so.. Love you.." ".. Love you too.. Adios.." ...

Y/N stayed on the bed in silence once he left. Their eyes once more drifting back to their phone. They stayed for a full hour. Maybe even longer.

That’s when they saw a saw an azure-purplelish glow gently illuminating a corner of the room.

A hazy image of Eyes slowly emerged from the ground. At the sight of Y/N awake, their eyes widened and the whispering around they chattered in excitement. The air around them seemed to fizz and occasionally beep like a geiger counter.

“Y/N..?”

Y/N weakly smiled and opened their arms. “Come here, cutie~”

Eyes carefully climbed up the bed and into their arms. Y/N planted a small kiss on top of them. They smiled with their eyes and wiggled with excitement. They held something behind their back.

“Watcha got back there?”

“Someone!! Wants to see you!!” It chittered and pulled out a Tupperware container. Thick black ooze bubbled and sloshed around in excitement and an eye opened. "Seek!"

“Y/N!” Seek leapt from it's container and spilled all over Y/N's chest, raced up their torso before halting right up against their face. A hand emerged from the non-newtonian mass and ever so lovingly brush up against their face. "We've missed you.."

"I've missed you guys too..I hated being in that hospital so much. I just..The whole time I was there all I thought about was the hotel..I wanted to come back..” They wrapped an arm around Seek. “No, I neede-"

"Hey! Hey!" Eyes squawked frantically. "Share them please! ₛₕₐᵣₑ! Their mine ₘᵢₙₑ! ₘᵢₙₑ ₜₒₒ! too!" Eyes stood indignantly at the edge of the bed having been accidentally pushed away by Seek.

Seek rolled its eye bashfully and scooted aside for Eyes to nuzzle right into their shoulder with a little vibrant 'tweet.' "Where’s everyone else?”

“Figure’s with the light beloved. But the rest are in the kitchen. I hope erm, I hope you like soup..?”

Seek chuckled nervously and it melted further into Y/N while Eyes twirled their hair. Ignoring the sight of burning turnips and spilt orange juice from the eye it had posted in the kitchen.

Y/N sat there, completely unsure how to respond or even if they should. Just a few minutes later, the smell of something gingery-tangy scented filled the air. A frowning Jack came in, muttering something obscene under its breath but still made an effort to smile in Y/N's prescence.

“Hi Y/N. How..are you?”

“Couldn’t be better.. You good there Jack?”

”No. Ambush ate an entire pile of wood.”

“Oh dear god is it okay..? Did they-“ Y/N lowered their voice. “ᵖᵘᵗ ʷᵒᵒᵈ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ˢᵒᵘᵖ..﹖”

Jack made a chuckle and set the soup on the table. "Nein, it's edible....I think anyways." It climbed into bed with them and settled close to Seek who shuffled a little and just stretched its mass to meet it. It let out a loud yawn surprised it's goopy partner. "Tired..?" It murmured as it ran a hand through its fluffy collar. "Very." Jack whispered "I just want to lie down.." Seek made a sympathetic ripple before sliding some more of itself into Jack’s arms.

Y/N decided to bite the bullet. With a small sear of pain they scooted close to the three and wrapped their arm around the pair and pressed their face into Jack’s shoulder.

..Everything would be fine..

——-

Had to end it here, originally would’ve gone on longer but this things been sitting in my drafts since February. I also didn’t really know how to end it. So instead, Have Seek X yn x Gobby x Jack

[lala3244]

When the protectors are gone Part SIX

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

I am sorry and not sorry my cat is still in the story! But I love him so much, he had to be in it!

WARNINGS: Blood, talk of nightmares, gore (two words) I think that's it

================================================

Barbatos used a spell to clean the blood and left. I was still standing there watching the now-empty spot where a few seconds ago a carnage was happening. I was reliving the scene again and again. My whole body started to shake and I could feel a hand on my arm, squeezing me slightly. I was living a nightmare. I couldn’t even watch a horror movie so to see something so brutal in real life was terrifying. I finally snapped out of it, still trembling and turned to Simeon. He looked so composed, it kind of helped me to not freak out right away but I still fell into his arms. I started sobbing out loud, Simeon wrapped his arms around my body and hugged me closely to his chest. He caressed my hair while rocking me slowly side to side and let me cry for a long time. When my tears dried up, I stayed in his embrace and made myself more comfortable and put my hands on his back. I had entirely sobered up by now and after my crying a headache was forming. I pulled away from the gentle angel who smiled tenderly at me and with his thumb he grazed my cheek, “Let’s go back to the hotel” I nodded and I locked arms with him. “Simeon? Can I…” I looked at the floor, hoping he wouldn't be offended by my asking “Can I sleep in the same bed as you?” I looked at him out of the corner of my eye and I could see his eyes widening and a slight blush blooming on his cheeks. He scratched the back of his neck “Yes, of course if it helps you feel better” I looked at the beautiful angel and smiled at him. 

We arrived at the hotel room, Solomon was asleep on the couch, a book next to him, a paper on his lap and a pen in his hand. I guessed he wanted to do some research and fell asleep. We decided to ignore the sorcerer and I went straight to bed. I was so exhausted I couldn’t be bothered to change or clean my face. Simeon brought me a bottle of water and I drank it in one go. It helped a bit. Simeon changed and went to bed. I wiggled closer to him and hugged him with my whole body. His presence was so soothing and I was bathing in it. We left a night light on and after the nightmare we just saw, looking at him was actually calming and comforting. I could see he was a bit uncomfortable with me, staring, so I whispered “I am sorry for staring at you, Simeon but everytime I close my eyes I see blood everywhere and looking at you makes it go away.” He nodded and put one of his hands on my back. He started to make some soothing circles with his long fingers and slowly but surely I fell asleep. 

Lucifer, Mammon and Satan were covered in blood, pieces of the other demons covering them.

I woke up, terrified and sat up on the bed. The night light was still on and I looked around the room, calming down slowly when I remembered my surroundings. Simeon had been woken up by my sudden movement and was stroking my back. He sat up and put his chin on my shoulder, “Did you have a nightmare”. I nodded, unable to speak yet. I brought my knees to my chest  and started to rock front and back. The images were imprinted in my brain and I couldn’t stop myself from reliving the scene again. I definitely had a sensitive soul and I wasn’t sure I could stay in the Devildom much longer if I had to see more gruesome scenes. I stayed in that position for some long minutes with the angel still next to me. I finally looked at him and gave him a shy smile. I looked at the time and saw that it was still early and had probably slept for only a couple of hours but I was too afraid to go back to sleep. “Simeon? I think breakfast must be ready. Can we go downstairs and go eat? I am a bit hungry?” He nodded and kissed me on the shoulder then stood up. I got up and went to the bathroom. I splashed some cold water on my face and felt better. The angel had changed and waited for me by the door. The other two were still sleeping. We went downstairs and ate our breakfast.

Solomon and Luke were awake when we went back to the room. I hugged them both, I needed some comfort from friendly people. They both looked surprised and looked at Simeon with an enquiring gaze but he just shrugged his shoulders. They passed their initial surprise and hugged me back. I felt slightly better. The little angel and the sorcerer went downstairs for breakfast while I called my mom to come and pick me up. I turned to the angel who was watching me “Are you going back to the Devildom then?” He came closer to me “We need to hear from Diavolo before we decide what to do” I nodded and he took my hands “Do you want us to stay?” I tilted my head “I don’t know.” He smiled “I understand. Let's see what Lord Diavolo has to say then we’ll see.” I hugged him and hid my face on his chest. He welcomed my hug and stroked my back. We stayed like this until my mom called me to say she was here. I went to the breakfast room to say goodbye to Luke and Solomon and left. 

I got home, took a shower and finally changed my clothes. I felt much, much better. Simeon called me, Diavolo had called them and said that if they wanted they could stay in the human realm until I finished my vacation but they could come back to the Devildom. There were no more threats against me. The angel asked me what I wanted them to do but that I had to know that Luke wanted to stay with me. I laughed at the little angel’s enthusiasm as I could hear him say over the phone “Please, I want to stay!” I said I didn’t mind and hung up. I received a text from Satan.

Satan: Hello. I wanted to let you know that your cat is still alive and that Beel looked after him very well while I was gone. He fed him and played with him. I hope you are enjoying your holidays and I am looking forward to seeing you when you come back home.

I smiled at the message and when I thought about Satan a vivid image came in front of my eyes of Satan in this demon’s form all bloody. My smile left my face and tears started to well up. I groaned and I was so annoyed at myself for being so sensitive and easily traumatised. I had to get stronger. I sent a text to Solomon, he was the only one who could help me protect myself but I needed to talk to him face to face. We agreed for him to join me somewhere near my parent’s house. When the time came, I went to the place and joined the sorcerer. I sat down next to him. It was a coffee shop right next to the beach and we were facing it. I started to talk, “Where are the two angels?” He sighed quietly as if he was annoyed, “They are on a walk somewhere. I said that you needed to talk to me privately. Simeon didn’t take that very well.” I nodded “Oh okay, well thank you for coming.” He smiled, finally, “I’ll take any opportunity to have you all for myself.” I nudged him and shook my head “So cheeky.” His face became serious “What did you need to talk about?” I looked straight in front of me, trying to assemble my thoughts. It took me a while but Solomon waited patiently while watching me. “I… I would like you to teach me some magic. I need to protect myself. I can’t always rely on everyone for my safety. I feel so powerless and useless.” I started to cry silently and he hugged me “Of course, I can teach you some magic. We can start now if you want and we will do that everyday for an hour.” I wiped the few tears that rolled on my cheeks and smiled at him. He kissed me on the top of my head. “Come let’s start now.” He stood up and held his hand out which I grabbed. For an hour, he explained to me how magic works.

After that hour, we met up with the angels and went to a restaurant. For the rest of my vacation, I would meet up with the sorcerer for an hour then we would spend the rest of the time together with the angels. During one of the sessions, we decided that when we would be back in the Devildom, we would still continue our lessons and that I would go to the Purgatory Hall as all his stuff was there and it was easier for both of us. Time passed quickly and it was finally time to go back to the Devildom. I was dreading it. I wasn’t sure I could face the demons. I said goodbye to my family. I really did miss them and I was sad to leave them again. I went to the meeting point we had decided with Barbatos. I was waiting for a few minutes when the sorcerer and the two angels finally arrived. At that moment, a portal began forming and Barbatos arrived through it. “Hello everyone. Are you ready?” We all nodded and all stepped through the portal. When we arrived on the other side, Lord Diavolo, Lucifer and Mammon were present. Mammon ran towards me and hugged me in a tight embrace. So tight I almost stopped breathing. I laughed at the impulsive demon, he looked so normal I almost forgot how I initially was dreading this moment. He pulled away and kissed me on the cheek even though I could see a slight blush painting his cheeks. I smiled at the demon and weirdly enough, I felt reassured by his presence. He might be a thousand times stronger than me but I knew he would always protect me now as I saw it in the human realm. 

I got home with Mammon while Simeon, Luke and Solomon stayed behind to give a report to Lord Diavolo about what happened. Mammon was really clingy and just kept talking about everything that happened while I was gone except for the fact that he pursued a group of demons and broke their bones. I was happy to just listen to him. When we entered the house, Satan was coming down the stairs and when he saw me, he had the biggest smile I had ever seen him with. He walked towards me and spinned me around. It warmed me to be welcomed like that and not only by Mammon. I laughed at the gesture and finally he put me down on my feet. “I was in your room to see your cat, we had a lot of cuddles. He is really cute.” I smiled “I know ! I am glad he likes you! I can’t wait to go and see him.” I ran upstairs leaving the two demons behind me and opened the door to my room. I saw my cat on my bed and jumped next to him. I took him in my arms and kissed him all over his head then I fell asleep, listening to him purr. I got woken up by a knock on my door. I felt well rested as I didn’t have any nightmares. I opened the door and it was Beel. I was surprised to see him. Since the arrival of Amelia, he never spoke to me or came to see me anymore. He looked sheepish standing there. “Hello Beel. How can I help you?” Even though he looked after my cat I still had some bad feelings towards him. “Hello. I… How was your trip?” I shrugged, “It could have been better but it was nice to see my family.” He nodded and stayed silent for a few seconds. “Satan asked me to look after your cat while he was gone. I hope you didn’t mind?” I smiled at him and I could see he felt guilty about what happened to me. “No, I am glad you did. I know we aren’t close but I knew you were going to take good care of him for me.” He smiled happy that after everything that happened I still had some trust in him. “I am relieved. I… I am sorry about my behaviour for the last months. I really want to do something for you to make it up… But I really don’t know what would help.” I thought about it for a few seconds then I had an idea. “Could you take me to the gym? I need to build some muscles.” I showed him my biceps which were nonexistent. He chuckled and touched them. “Sure, I can do that. I am going tomorrow. You’ll come with me.” I nodded and he left. I closed the door and laid down on my bed.

The next day, I went to RAD with the brothers and that traitorous of a human. Now, Mammon was walking next to me, an arm around my shoulder, holding me close to him. After the classes, Beel waited for me and we went to the gym. He showed me an easy routine to build my muscles slowly but surely. We stayed there for an hour then I asked him to accompany me to Purgatory hall for my lesson with Solomon as I didn’t feel comfortable walking on my own in the Devildom. It was nice to spend some time with Beel and to get to know him. He was really sweet and gentle. I could really tell he felt guilty and he was ready to do anything for me to make me forgive him. I arrived at the exchange students’ home. Solomon was already waiting for me at the door. I thanked the giant demon and went inside the Hall followed by the sorcerer. He brought me to his room and he started to teach me a spell to protect myself. It took me a while to get the words right but I finally could do it then he brought me back to the Hall Of Lamentations. 

The next few days were spent the same way. RAD, gym every other day then lessons with Solomon. I mastered the spell that Solomon taught me and sometimes after the lesson, I would bake with Luke and Simeon, spending some quality time with the two angels. 

One day, we didn’t have to go to RAD, so I stayed in my room. I was sitting up on my bed when Mammon barged in, sat next to me and he started to explain to me a new scheme he had concocted. I was watching him and I realised how much I cared for him. I was ready. I stopped him mid speech “Mammon?” He stopped and turned his head towards me “Mmmh?” I got on my knees and positioned myself so I was directly in front of him. “I need you to do something for me.” He nodded silently. “Can you show me your demon’s form?” He gasped and his eyes widened. “WHAT?!!!” I slowly touched his cheek, “Please? I… I need to confront my fear of demon’s form and I trust you.” My last words made him blush, with a shaky voice he tried to be himself but failed miserably. “Of c-course, ya would want to see the great Mammon’s demon’s form.” So I waited patiently for him to muster the courage to show me his form. He finally transformed. I looked at him closely, even though I was still terrified I trusted him. He didn’t move and waited for me to do something. I started to touch his horns then his wings. He was closing his eyes while I was touching him. “Do you want me to stop touching you?” I giggled to myself at the double entendre. He shook his head and blushed a tad more. “No. Actually, I like it.” I nodded and carried on. After a while, I sat up on my bed. He opened his eyes but avoided looking at me. “I thank you Mammon. I do feel better and a bit less scared.” He nodded and stood up suddenly “Need to go” then he left quickly. I looked at the time and saw that it was almost time for me to go to the Purgatory Hall. I texted Solomon to know if he could come to pick me up but he didn’t reply. I texted the same to the angels but they said they were busy with Barbatos. I walked around the House Of Lamentation and found only Levi and Asmo who were with Amelia. I still asked them if they could accompany me but they completely ignored me so I decided that I was a big person and didn’t always need someone to walk with me for a few minutes. 

I texted Solomon to say that I was on my way to him and started walking on the street. I didn’t even make a few hundred metres when three demons surrounded me. I sighed, exasperated and thought to myself “not again”. They were coming closer and I looked around to see if there were other people around who could help me but, of course, no one was there. They didn’t talk and just menacingly approached me. I was getting more and more terrified then my body moved by itself. I made some signs with my hand and all went black.

================================================

THE END

Thank you for reading!

Much love to everyone !

[blackjackkent]

Ehehehe I had a feeling our next long rest wasn't going to be very restful.

Narrator: Your thoughts are back on the twisted Sceleritas and his honeyed words of violence.

It has been a terrible day, and the night is equally excruciating. Denied Isobel's death, the beast churns in Rakha's head, gnawing at the inside of her skull. The images of blood, her constant nighttime companions, soak outwards into her waking moments and she twitches restlessly on her bedroll, unable to settle.

Not since Alfira's death has she been so acutely aware that something is terribly wrong with her. In the weeks since then, she has learned from Wyll, from Lae'zel, from Karlach; she's learned, at least sometimes, to choose when and how and who to kill, to attack with purpose. But she has been reminded, all too sharply, that the beast still lurks ready to rip and tear and shred apart anything without cause, and that she still does not know why.

Somewhere in her past, utterly lost to her, is an explanation for this hunger for blood, for the murderous instinct, for the presence of that terrible butler--

"You called for me, Milady?"

Shriek.

She opens her eyes and finds Sceleritas's face only a few inches from hers, his skeletal features grinning horribly. All the tension explodes out of her body in a sudden, undignified yelp and she scrabbles backwards off the bedroll and up onto her feet, almost overbalancing in an attempt to put space between herself and the butler.

"Shhhh shh shhh..." Sceleritas clicks his tongue and hisses at her softly, as if chastising an unruly pet. Then his manner shifts again rapidly, back into his usual obsequious whine. "Quiet, dear depraved one," he murmurs. "We wouldn't want to wake the others. They would be so jealous..."

Would they? Rakha thinks unsteadily. Who are you? What do you know of me? Why are you here? Her brain feels fuzzy with agitation and she struggles to form the thoughts clearly.

Sceleritas trots a few steps closer to her and peers up at her with eager deference. "I come here for I wish to bring you another powerful tithe." He raises one finger in a cautioning gesture. "But I cannot grant you this prize quite yet. You must do something divinely unspeakable first."

Rakha swallows in a suddenly dry throat, willing her thoughts to come to some sort of steady calm, to think through the moment rationally as she usually does. The last time Sceleritas was here, he gave her the cloak she wears on the road - and it has proved an incredibly valuable tool.

Now he means to offer her something again... but at a cost this time.

"What must I do?" she asks hoarsely.

Sceleritas grins, a horrible expression on his skull-like face. "You will receive a royal prize," he says, "for killing this pretty girl."

He begins to weave a spell around them, an image slowly coalescing into view next to him. It takes a few moments for the figure to fully appear - but it doesn't really matter. Rakha knows long before he is finished who he wants her to kill.

"Isobel. The cleric with the sweetest face of the moon," Sceleritas croons. "She is too precious to live."

A spasm of pain rolls through Rakha's head, and the beast laughs.

Yes. Yes. Kill her. And they will all die screaming...

"I felt the desire to kill her so strongly when we met..." she mutters haltingly. I don't want to. I won't...

Sceleritas's smile takes on a nasty edge. "Your unconscious, clever mind hungers for extreme violence," he purrs. "Who knows who you might kill next if you do not satisfy your Urge?" There's a distinct note of menace under the words now, an unspoken threat. "Be true to yourself, my Lady."

He vanishes, taking the image of Isobel with him. Rakha sits down heavily on her bedroll, staring at the spot where they stood. Her mind whirls. Everything is chaos.

She doesn't know what to do.

[thatfreshi]

would you be willing to write something with mark and a chubby reader? something cute and fluffy preferably ❤️ thank you!

Ofc! I'm plus-size myself so this was actually pretty therapeutic. Sorry it's a little short, but I hope it's enjoyable :)

You ordered some new clothes recently, which has brought up some negative thoughts about your body image. Luckily enough, you have your own personal hype-man in Mark.

It’s not like you were insecure all the time, but every now and then thoughts about your weight would find their way into your brain. The occasional “does my stomach look too big in this?” or “my hips are a little too wide,” amongst other things. Mark never minded though, and never gave any mind to you being plus-sized. Unless of course, it was bothering you.

It was one of those days today. You had just ordered some clothes online, and while you liked them, you were a little paranoid about how everything was fitting. Some things seemed too tight in all the wrong places, and other things wouldn’t fit at all, which was a little discouraging. You ripped off the pair of jeans and sighed, laying down on the bed with this aura of negativity surrounding your body image.

“What’s up? Just feel like being half-naked today?”

You smirked a little and quickly lost the joy. Mark had been busy, but apparently he was now done with whatever he was working on. You tried to find the words to explain your disappointment, with the clothes, with your body, with all of it.

“I feel like my body just… sucks. No matter what I order nothing feels right and nothing fits right and when it does fit right it just points out all the things I’m insecure about and it just… sucks.”

“Well, that’s not your fault you know.”

He moves to lie on the bed with you.

“Your clothes should fit you, not vice versa. And all those things you’re worried about that look ‘weird,’ I promise you, you look perfect.”

“Yeah, I just wish I felt that way all the time.”

“Well, that’s why I’m here right? To remind you how wonderful you look, in anything you want to wear.”

You sit up and look back at the pile of new clothes.

“Well, I kinda liked this top, but I felt like it made my arms look too big. There were a couple of other things I liked in there too, I just, I don’t know.”

“Show me.”

“What?”

“Show me what you liked and we can talk about why you’re worried about wearing them.”

You hesitate.

“No, it’s okay. I know you’re busy and this isn’t even that important.”

He moves over to grab the piles of clothes on the floor and throws them on the bed.

“Let’s go my love, fashion show, let’s do it.”

You roll your eyes at his persistence, but eventually agree. Oddly enough, it makes you feel better, slowly but surely. You try on the pieces you liked again and he hypes you up about how amazing you look in everything. While it doesn’t fully fix any of your concerns, it helps them subside for the moment. Being praised with compliments during something that’s usually upsetting, it’s nice, comforting. Eventually, he starts putting on his “America’s Next Top Model” judge impression, which makes the two of you laugh so hard you almost forget what you were doing in the first place.

“You know what, I like them a lot more now. The clothes.”

You’re staring in the mirror at the new shirt you got, and you can see Mark smiling at you in the background.

“Well, then I have accomplished my mission.”

He gets off the bed to give you a hug, and begins speaking softly.

“I’m always here if you’re feeling bad about yourself, in any way. You’re a spectacle to look at, and I want you to feel that way, always.”

You turn to give him a kiss, feeling safe and calm. Sometimes you forget your thoughts aren’t the end of the world, and it’s a relief to have someone like Mark to remind you of that.