#I stood here scratching his chin for ten minutes

[holy-puckslibrary]

just a lil firefighter!sid fluff for y'all :)

gif from @ehghtysevenarchive + per this ask and others

Surely, the chief of Canada's oldest fire department has more important things to do on a crisp morning, the last one preceding a fresh week, than this. He most definitely does. And, yes, Chief Crosby is known for his pragmatic approach to, well, everything.

But neither carries weight here—not when she calls.

Leaky faucet, dead car battery, unreachable spider... It doesn't matter. One ring, and he's rushing home. He can't pin-point when the pattern began, likely sometime shortly between the day you moved into town and his first off-day, but it's a routine he's come to enjoy despite the extra strain on both his schedule and his body; Sidney never thought sharing a property line could be so tedious or time-consuming.

He knows he shouldn't enjoy the distraction as much as he does. You aren't together, Sidney doesn't ever allow his imagination wander that far, but he can't help it. He can't help but help. He rarely turns down anyone in need, which has done wonders for his reputation within the community, but with you... With you, it's different, and embarrassingly so.

He doesn't have the words to explain it. Not that he needs to, it's written plainly across his face.

There's a reason you're regular fixtures in the town's gossip column.

When he arrives on scene—not ten minutes after his F-Series crawled down the gravel drive—Sidney shakes his head and laughs. Collecting his cell and his radio, he slips out of the truck, watching as you fret like a mother hen.

Still in your slippers, you're stood at the base of a decently-sized red spruce wedged between his yard and yours, your crumpled face angled up into the yellow-green needles. You're the very picture of worry, wringing your trembling hands and muttering to yourself.

A stray kitten caught in a tree, that's what's got you in a such a state.

"Well, this is a new one," he bellows in lieu of a greeting, slamming the door shut as his boots hit the ground.

Briefly, your glassy eyes dart in his direction. You're midway through your customary apology when he arrives at your side and quiets you, just as he always does.

"They're more than capable of holding down the fort for however long it takes to rescue our new friend, okay?"

"I know, but what if—"

"But nothing," Sidney huffs, and he dares to take you by the shoulders. And, externally, he ignores the way you shiver under his palms. "If I didn't think it was safe for me to step out for a couple of minutes, I wouldn't. You believe me, right?"

You nod, bottom lip pinched between your teeth.

"Good. Now, how 'bout you keep an ear on this," Sidney sets the clunky satellite radio in your hand, "—and I'll grab the ladder from the shed?"

He doesn't really need your help monitoring the channel, but he knows you'll feel better if you feel like you're doing something. Like him, you find comfort in your utility.

In less than a minute, Sidney re-emerges, rounding the corner with a ladder in hand. You're in the same spot, now fidgeting with the radio, anxiously dumping it from one palm to the other and back again. He follows your gaze to line up the simple equipment necessary for the rescue operation.

Sidney's heart swells as you quietly step forward to spot him.

Lucky for everyone, the ball of orange fur is on the branch nearest to the ground. Sidney needs only to step up onto the first wrung to safetly coax the frightened creature into his waiting hands, he's back on the ground not long after.

He gives the kitten a gentle parting scratch under the chin, then transfers the purring fluff to you. The soft bundle takes to you immediately, nuzzling into your chest like that's where it wanted to be all along.

"I think he likes you," Sidney observes with a cheek-numbing grin.

Your lips are tipped up at the end and there's fan of happiness rooting itself around your eyes. Your mouth opens to reply, but before the words come—

"Well, would you look at this?"

Across the quiet street and a few houses to the left sits an audience of two. Both of which are now cooing as loudly as two ladies in their sixties can manage. Coffee cups in one hand and their cellphones propped up in the other, they fawn over the two of you as if it's live theater.

Sidney curses their sons, who he'd completed the explorer program with as teens, for enabling this technological torture.

"Smile, you two! Oh, Denise is just going to eat this up," one of them, a spitfire in a 4'11 frame by the name of Mrs. Bouchard, exclaims to her co-conspirator, Ms. Johnston.

Then, to no one's surprise and Sid's chagrin, they giddily type out their respective messages to the local paper's equally-nosy editor-in-chief.

"Looks like we're front-page news again," you hum bashfully.

The tabby mewls in your arms. You curl into the little bundle of fur, lips landing between its delicate ears.

Sid studies you in his periphery as he slips in and out of heady contemplation, ultimately deciding he doesn't mind as much as he once did. "That we are..."

—

eek! wait, why do i luv them already 🥹

as always, i would really appreciate if you reblogged my work, left a comment or dropped by my inbox w some feedback :) fandom runs on engagement, and so do writers!! thx a mil in advance!

READ MORE OF THEM HERE!

[moonydoodlez]

thinking about dad lucifer again (shocking) but IF YOU WANT MORE COMFORT I GOT U <3 but imagine lucifer and the readers kid (im imagining its not charlie) getting hurt like tripping over a rock or something and scrapping their knee nothing big but the kid starts sobbing from the pain and later in the night lucifer is still staying awake from it thinking hes such a terrible father for letting his baby get hurt :(

Fuck that rock

Pairng: Dad!Lucifer x Mom!Reader

Warnings: sad lucifer again sorry guys

Word Count: 1051

A/N: i lowkey kinda hate this but enjoy it if you want or dont i mean thats cool too

You watched Lucifer running through streets with your little girl. He reached out for her, spinning her around in the air before carefully setting her back down. Margot giggled as she chased him around. Her small legs trying to keep up with him, even though he was already running very slowly. You smiled softly, enjoying how sweet he was with her. 

“Look at the princess go” He yells to you as your daughter runs around in her pink dress and converse. 

“My turn to be chased” Margot giggled as Lucifer turned around and speed walked toward her. She laughed hard as she started running. She kept looking back at Lucifer making sure he was still chasing her. 

However all was going a little too well. As she looked back a final time a small rock in the road became her demise. She tripped and landed straight down on her knees. You gasped as you quickly stood up as you ran toward them. Lucifer had already collapsed to the ground pulling Margot into his arms making sure that she was ok. 

“It's ok baby” He cooed as she sobbed in his arms. She leaned her head against him as she began to cry harder. “Look.. there's mommy” He said as she lifted her chin up to look at you standing over her. You smile softly down at her as you watch her tears stream down.

“Let me look at your cut hun” You say, lowering yourself onto your knees. You realized that it was merely a scratch and she wasn't even bleeding. “It's ok baby” You whisper, taking a seat on the cement ground next to Lucifer. You grab her hand to hold as you lean your head against Lucifer's shoulder. He moves her legs onto yours so she's laying across you and Lucifer.

After about ten minutes she finally begins to settle down as she closes her eyes. You watch her sniffle as you let out a breath. Your eyes wandered over to Lucifer who was looking down at her sadly. He shook his head before pulling her closer into his chest laying a kiss on her temple. He was gripping her close, refusing to let go.

“We should probably put her to bed,” You suggest. Lucifer looks at you giving you a small smile before looking back at Margot. You could tell he felt bad and you knew he blamed himself. You could see it in his eyes. 

“Do you wanna put her to sleep?” You asked him knowing that if he felt like a good father it could stop the sadness he was feeling. He nodded, picking her up in his arms and heading inside. 

You picked up the blanket you had laid on the ground and the snacks you put out in case anyone had gotten hungry while you played outside. You cleaned up your room and took a shower as he took his time feeding her and putting her to sleep. 

Sliding on your robe you looked up clutching your chest as you saw Lucifer laying in bed. “God.. I didn't realize you were in here already” You said breathing heavily walking toward the bed and laying down. 

“Sorry my love” He said, planting a kiss on your lips as he moved the covers over your body. 

“You ok?” You ask as he sighed. His eyes met yours again as he nodded, finally getting under the covers. 

You moved your body closer to him. His arms wrapped around your waist slowly before suddenly clutching your body to his. You gasped as he moved your body as close to him as it could possibly be.

“I'm a bad father” He whimpered into your shoulder. 

Your eyes widened as you moved his head from your shoulder. “What on earth are you talking about?” You questioned holding his face in your hands. “What would ever make you say that?

“She fell and could have died and it was all my fault” He replied frantically.

Your shoulders fell and you couldn't stop the giggle that left your lips. His eyes narrowed at you as you shut your mouth.

“Don't laugh at me” He pouted.

“Oh honey I'm not laughing at you.. I just think it's silly. You didn't almost kill her, she tripped over a rock and she wasn’t even bleeding” You said running your hands through his hair. 

He forced his head onto your chest as he sniffled. “Oh baby” You said, realizing he was crying. 

“I screwed up with Charlie and now I'm already screwing up with her” He cried.

You weren't sure where he had ever gotten the idea of being a bad dad. I mean of course when you first met Lucifer he was just starting to talk to his daughter again. He always wanted to be there for Charlie, he just didn't know how to be in her life as a father. However it was obvious Lilith had put some things in Charlie's head. Lucifer would never do anything to hurt her. He had always wanted to be in Charlie's life, Lilith  just didnt let him be in it. 

“Baby, look at me,” You said. He never looked up, keeping his head on your chest. You repeat yourself more forcefully this time. He slowly made eye contact. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at you.

“You never screwed up with Charlie and you most definitely haven't screwed up with our girl” You said. “All she got was a scratch that will probably be gone by the morning” You continued. 

“I guess,” He murmured.

You sighed knowing that nothing you could say could change his mind. However you loved him with every fiber in your body and would try your hardest to convince him he was an amazing father.

You placed a kiss on his head as you rubbed your hands up and down his back.

“Even if you don’t believe it, you really are an amazing husband and father, there’s no one I'd rather be with” You said as you snuggled into him, closing your eyes. You inhaled his scent as he layed in your arms.

“I love you” You whisper as you close your eyes.

He mumbled an almost incoherent ‘love you too’ as you laid in the complete darkness of your shared room.

Masterlist Lucifer Masterlist

[ave09]

i do

indiana jones x reader

note: i haven’t been to a wedding since i was seven, which was almost ten years ago so i honestly don’t remember how everything goes but i tried my best! 

“nervous?”

“me? nervous, please.” 

lies. 

indiana jones was extremely anxious. he’d felt perfectly fine until the moment he arrived at the altar. he couldn’t help but think about you.

he was an extremely spontaneous guy, always leaving at the possibility of a new artifact needing to be found. what if you got cold feet? what if you decided that being with him

was too much of a hassle? 

he shook his head lightly, pushing the thoughts away. you wouldn’t do this to him… would you?

“indiana, you’re sweating.” marcus pointed out. his hazel eyes fell upon the man beside him, narrowing, “maybe i am a little nervous.” he muttered. the older man let out a laugh, “don’t worry, indy, i was just as nervous on my wedding day.” 

the tall man licked his lips, his throat becoming dry. “i don’t know why, marcus.” 

“it is wedding day jitters, i assure you.” indiana scratched at his chin, a habit he’d picked up when anxiety struck, “it’s not just that…”

marcus’ eyes widened, his voice lowering to a hushed whisper, “don’t tell me you’re having cold feet.” 

indiana shook his head rapidly, “oh no! hell no! i’m worried that she’s having cold feet.” and from there, the man began rambling, “i mean, i’m a spontaneous guy. i’m gone a lot, i’m cocky, too proud for my own good, and sometimes really annoying, what if she-“

his friend placed his hands upon indiana’s shoulders, causing the man’s rambling to be cut short, “indy. listen to me. are you listening?”

he nodded.

“that woman has been through hell and high water with you. she goes with you on your endeavors, and even when she cannot, she is always supportive. and about all those other excuses you told me-everyone has their flaws. and she loves you regardless. i have never seen a woman, not even my wife, care and love someone like she loves you. so get that in your thick skull, indy, that woman would do anything for you. and i’ll tell you this right now, in a few minutes, she’s going to walk down that aisle, and you will forget all your worries.” 

indiana’s lips quirked slightly, “remind me to come to you next time i need a pep talk.” 

“i’m always here, indiana, don’t ever forget it.” 

overwhelmed with a newfound happiness, indiana’s worries began to slip away just as the wedding began to start. the bridesmaids and groomsmen made their way down the aisle, smiling all the while. 

then came shorty, who was dressed all nice and spiffy, with his yankees cap topping off the look. he’d originally been asked to be the ring bearer, but has proceeded to ask if he could be ‘the flower boy’ and how could you say no to his adorable face?

the boy sent indiana a wide grin as he threw pink rose petals  down the aisle. he took his place in the front pew on the groom side. then the wedding march began. 

and the nerves kicked in. 

indiana had yet to see you, he’d tried to convince you do to a first look, but you were a stickler for the old rule “it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.”

he was sure you looked absolutely gorgeous. you always looked gorgeous. 

but when those doors opened, indiana jones was fairly certain he’d fallen in love all over again.

you were stunning, a goddess, clad in a beautiful white gown. never in those moment had you looked more beautiful. 

and then you smiled, and the stoic man felt tears sting his eyes. something about this finally happening struck a cord, and the man who was usually in check of his emotions wanted nothing more then to weep tears of joy. 

he expected your walk down the aisle to take forever, he wished it could so he could admire you more in this moment. but you quickly stood before him, your father pecking your cheek lightly before shaking indiana’s hand. he retreated to his seat as you passed your bouquet to your maid of honor.

you then turned to face indiana, “hi.” you whispered, beaming with joy. “hi.” he replied, wanting nothing more than to kiss you right then and there, “you look beautiful.” 

“you don’t look to bad yourself.” 

“ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today..”

— — —

the vows came quicker then expected, and indiana’s palms began to sweat. you and him had agreed to write your own vows.

and despite him working as a professor, when it came to putting his feelings into words, the man struggled. hell, it had taken him months to even realize that he truly did have feelings for you, and it took him dad to long to actually ask you to go out to dinner with him.

indiana cleared his throat, reaching into his breast pocket, retrieving a folded up piece of paper. exhaling deeply, he retrieved his round spectacles, but then paused, glancing at the paper in front of him. he pursed his lips, before placing them both into his pocket again. 

“uh-i’m not the best with words, but,” he glanced at you, smiling softly, “i remember the exact moment i first met you. it was pouring rain, and you were walking from the parking lot to marshall college for your first day as a english professor. you had forgotten your umbrella that day, you were new to the weather in connecticut, and i remember-“ he paused, chuckling lightly, “you practically sprinted towards me, in heels nonetheless, and asked me if you could walk with me under my umbrella. and from there, a beautiful friendship formed.” 

he paused, gazing at you. there is so much he wanted to say about you, and was trying his best to keep it short and sweet. 

“late night talks turned into dates at your favorite diner, and we then turned that friendship into a relationship… and… i can wholeheartedly say that i can’t remember when i realized i was in love with you, because i believe i had loved you since the moment i met you in that parking lot.” 

“you have been with me through thick and thin, through all my crazy adventures. and i love you, more then anything.  you are everything a man could ever want in a wife and i am so honored that i am here marrying you now.” 

you choked back a sob. this was all you ever wanted. to marry indiana, to live a long amazing life with him. and now you would. 

it was then your turn, and you had been unable to write anything down when you’d sat down all those months ago trying to come up with the exact words to say.

but now, you knew precisely what needed to be said.

“indy. you are everything to me. since the moment you let me use that umbrella, i knew you would become a huge part of my life, and i think it’s safe to say you have.”

“you are an amazing man, and you inspire me everyday. you’ve saved me multiple times, from physical dangers and the torments of my own mind, you are always there no matter what. you bring me so much joy, and i would be lost without you.” 

the man smiled, and you noticed how glossy his hazel eyes were. 

continuing on, you said, “i truly am the luckiest woman alive, for i have found someone who treats me like i am the most precious treasure in the world, indiana jones, you make me a better person everyday, i love you so much, and i cannot wait to spend the rest of my life.”

a single tear slipped down his cheek, you lifted your hand, brushing it away, smiling at him. 

the wedding continued on. 

“do you, henry walton jones jr, take (f/n) (l/n) to be your lawfully wedded wife?” 

indiana nodded, “i do.” he stated, slipping the silver diamond ring onto your ring finger. 

“and do you, (f/n) (l/n), take henry walton  jones jr to be your lawfully wedded husband?” you glanced down at shorty who held the other ring, taking notice of his tear-streaked face. you patted his shoulder comfortingly, taking the other ring. “i do.” carefully, you slid the band onto indiana’s ring finger.

“now, by the power vested in me, i now pronounce you, husband and wife. you may kiss the bride.” 

indiana took a step forward, his large hands cupping your face, the cool metal of the wedding ring sending chills down your spines, your hands rested upon his shoulders as he brought his lips to yours, sealing the deal.

you were now officially mrs. indiana jones. and you couldn’t be happier. 

[boyakishantrinity]

Wrote this crack pot of a one shot. Half of it written.

It took all of. Ten minutes, for guns to be drawn. The alien freezing as the new crewmember to Dolpina under Captain Ursa sat calmly amongst the human criminals. A crime pin, a legend and a straight up mythological figure. Their conversation prior flickered in this mind.

"And that's assume the fate of this world isn't already fucked."

The Galv was very quickly thrown to the floor, a black skinned human with very real looking horns closing the doors, red flickering energy emanating off the girl as she dragged the large alien by the earlobe.

Green, reptilian and somewhat humanoid. With flaps made to absorb more sound energy, thrown across the table as the figures looked to the man.

"... So what now?"

They all wore masks, accents playing through robotic tones all unique, but bland in a way it'd be impossible to decipher who the people were. Aside from the insignias on each of the three sides, the Wolves symbol easily recognisable, the new crew member and her iconic red eyes looked back at him.

Belly on the table, guns, melee weapons and eyes trained on myself.

Why can't I breathe?

The realisation started hitting me, the young human from before taking a seat, snickering at me as she remarked.

"Little man can't even breath through a four."

The nearby figures giggled, the masked woman. Triage, I believe, tilting her head. Before snapping her fingers. Not even correctly, half a noise of a click, but the people around the room snapped to attention.

"Out."

And immediately, the figures vanished, melting into the shadows, the light, jumping up or vanishing in a flicker of light. Scratching her chin, she looked to the man beside her.

"Now, what shall we do with him?"

Another woman. Triage? Walked out, sword in hand as she walked in.

"... Trini, I say we kill him."

Lowering the sword. Rearing back as she prepared to strike. The room remained tense, his body heaving in the air, the very matter. The energy. Something was between it, thick enough he could feel the difference between matter and energy, something was between the two.

Not only that, the figures here could. They could.

The green alien started shaking, looking around as he tried to help himself to his feet. The table opened up, lowering himself until he stood in the middle, nanites forming a cage around him, vibrating hard enough his signal flickered. Vanishing and appearing giving us time.

The shadows surrounded his vision, looking around, as the legendary man appeared beside him.

"Who the hell are you, and why should we not kill you right now Reva Galv, high class Glavi?"

He bore no weapons, crossing his arms, armour figures appearing around the alien. Eyes examining, masked, uniform and unique.

"You- You should fear my people and their-"

"I say four days."

Another woman spoke up, more of a British accent, bitterness, cold and more than a little flirty.

"What?"

"Please. We'll need at least a month or two to not make it look THAT suspicious."

The man looked between the two, the legendary figure, an angel who'd come down in the shadows. Lit a spark that marked a new age for the dark, before fading into the night. Skin dark enough to hide within it, dark holy armour. An oxymoron of a man, standing calmly before him.

There'd been rumours, as a representative and scout of the Glavi, he'd heard whispers of each of them.

Alpha, the angel who was no force of pure good.

Then the woman, red headed, cat ears and lazing as she squat or sat. Flicking finger across the blade.

During the time of chaos, when the Knights were no longer enough of a force, a group led by what was believed to be a young woman from France rose.

"Chiennes." (One syllable, she-end without the D)

Covered by dark, rumours ranging from her being an eldritch being, to the daughter of french nobility mixed with every European magical family when the Hapsburgs were forging and empire. Records he'd found left nothing, family histories wiped clean by fire or by obscurity.

Whatever the case, she might as well have been a myth. A patron of Joan of Arc, paintings showing possible wiping of someone from history that may have been an artistic method, but there was so much Terrans lost...

"Hé, connard. Dépêchez-vous et parlez avant de vous jeter dehors."

He nearly jumped out his skin, bumping into the larger black man. Looking down with a blank expression.

Her French. It. She said it stra-

"Hurry up you bastard. Either talk, or we'll cut you open."

Scratching his back, the Galv looking around.

Zeta, Michael something or other. His last name was lost to time and frankly not even he knew what it was apparently. Not much had been around him, quiet, staying on the fringes of "the other worlds".

He'd stayed near the front line of this "pure evil", whatever it was. He couldn't unravel it, his knowledge barely reached out. Hands trembling, heart pounding as he looked around.

"You gonna talk or, do we need to start doing shit?"

If Reva could jump out his skin any more than he was, he would. His fear was bordering madness, everything was moving slow enough he had time to have thoughts, but not enough he could properly calm down and think straight.

"Are. Are you people-"

"What the hell do you think?"

Jumping down the railing, the upstairs to wherever this place was, the woman from before looking at him. Four people with similar masks looked at him.

One, flickering, light but remaining dark. He couldn't see his body, beyond understanding-

"You're not gonna be able to see him mate. Fate's up on that."

Jolting, shivering as he snapped to the man behind him. Sitting beside another person, their gender androgynous, the man drinking something. Darker, like it were absorbing the light yet shining.

And it pales to the androgynous being. Looking with a bored expression, red eyes as he snapped to attention.

"Hey, Green eyes. You deaf? The fuck you doing in this meeting?"

Reva snapped back to attention. Reality, the eight or so individuals, seven? No, the ten. Twelve.

Click.

Click.

Click.

"Jesus Christ mate, just cut his throat out already."

Snorted the British man, sitting by the wolf side of the table, leaning back as the woman raised the sabre.

"Ait, clearly this man's-"

"WAIT. Wait. I. I need a minute."

Halfway to stepping onto the table, freezing as he collected his thoughts.

I started shoving the observations aside, I had plenty of time when I was out of this. This.

This death trap. For now, focus.

"... I'm here as a scout for the Gavi empire, to pertain information before judging a testing invasion of your people. I came here on rumours of a secret meeting, now what I was not expecting."

It took a while for him to compose himself, but he pointed towards us. Or we I suppose would be proper terms. Pointing at we, determination in his eyes as he continued.

"You, Eleanor Clementine, to hold ties to people that Terrans consider a legend. A myth. And what I believe to be the Caesar of his day."

Taking deep breaths, calming himself as the auras of the four or five around the table paused. Bemused, torturous, bored and static. Excited. A mix of emotions, he couldn't quite tell which one she was feeling.

"... I'm not Miss Eleanor."

They finally stated, looking at him, sabre placed on the ground to his relief.

"My name's Triage."

He'd heard a lot of rumours, asking about this Triage individual, most people shrugged. A newcomer who'd only come into play recently, reports of her in the past under the Knights. The Bitches. And Currently a transemploymentee of the Wolves.

These groups held a variety of functions, one of the many social political groups that worked in business. A company within the shadows, with the Knights many names jumping around the modern era. Bitches appearing later as a rebellious group, reforming around the Age of Steam.

And the Wolves. Old and New, formed around the world in various senses, the current one being forged during WW3. An event key but he'd yet to be given anything about what made humanity so. Secretive firstly.

There were a lot of rumours, and looking at him. A smile on her lips as she glanced at Zeta.

"... I'm more of a Caesar than that man, y'know for hiding in the shadows you're not that sneaky?"

A smirk on her face, eyes red as she kept the stare.

"... What. What do you mean?"

Tossing him a bag, she snorted.

"You ain't using the Mercenary Guild. Didn't swear anyone on nothing, just used people's influence and connections and trusted them in good faith."

Standing, the flickering figures around her vanishing as she leaned forward to the alien.

"Shame is, that rule only applies when people can guess you're working in good faith. A third told me about your inquries, make a guess how many I needed to figure out someone was looking in our secrets?"

If he wasn't scared before, he was now.

...

No, he wasn't scared. Shocked.

"... You knew?"

Swallowing his shock, watching the small lump.

"Y'know how far out net ran before we even saw your ships off in the distance with our tech?"

He froze. The first encounter had been peculiar, after some mild radiation issues, primative technology later explained to absorb radiation like a sponge and reused into small nuclear reactors (something they'd sworn up and down to be as safe to their own people for some bizarre reason).

But they'd apparently learnt a lot during war, nothing special. But the new tech they made was downright bizarre.

With crystals from "a couple quantum accidents", an energy that worked like any other, with a perfect conversation rate on one side.

The process was, and still is, a heavily guarded secret. In fact, it were to important that the humans had declared war on multiple empires, taking hundreds of research and advancing themselves faster than anyone could've predicted.

Rapidly changing the galaxy's dynamic, all behind secrecy of humans. Anyone who had tried to betray, well.

Glancing towards the Wolves, Knights, Bitches and the woman.

It was safe to say if a human was high enough to trust you with that knowledge, if you didn't protect the secret. You'd vanish from all but memory.

"... I feel like I would be horrified if I knew."

"... Yeah. You would. You've got all the pieces to this puzzle. But you're missing a few key components, something your kind thankfully will never figure out."

Reva froze. His people were among the highest of aliens, similarly adaptive to the Terrans...

"Is it moral sense?"

A smile, shaking her head.

"Hah. As if I'd give you any hints."

[orlissa]

Advent Calender prompt

Day 7: The Kitten Distribution System

To his slight chagrin and absolute amusement (she was adorable, really), Alina’s life was partially governed by a series of superstitions: don’t take out the trash after nightfall; have a red wallet; if, when leaving home, you turn back because you forgot something, sit down for a moment before stepping out of the door again.

She was also a staunch believer of the so-called Kitten Distribution System.

“I’d like to have a cat someday,” she told him one day when they discussed getting a pet not long after moving in together, “but I’d rather wait until the universe decides so and kitten shows up, basically going ‘yup, you’re my human.’”

It was adorable, of course, but having little faith in the powers of the universe himself, he was determined to either get a surprise puppy for her birthday or find a listing for an adoptable cat so cute she couldn’t say no.

At least he was until Christmas.

He made it his mission to make their shared home as festive as possible (“like Santa throw up here” was the turn of phrase Alina used when he presented his plans to her), because it was a matter of pride, and because he wanted to make up for everything she’d missed out on in her childhood while being bounced from foster home to foster home. This included a seven feet tall, magnificent Douglas Fir, which he chose, transported, and dragged into the house personally—the last of which necessitated the front door being wide open for a good ten minutes, which, in retrospect, was most likely when the crime happened.

Once the tree (following only a minimal amount of cursing) stood securely in its stand in the corner of the living room, he and Alina spent a pleasant afternoon decorating it—reminiscing about past Christmases, teasing each other, sharing mugs of hot chocolate fortified with rum, kissing, and eventually finding an acceptable esthetic balance for the tree between “catalog ready” and “family kitsch,” with the general color scheme leaning towards red, with bits and pieces of odd color all over it. Their hard work culminated when he turned on the lights.

“It’s beautiful,” Alina breathed, leaning to his side.

And it was, all lovely and festive and…

And it moved.

Not the whole tree, just a couple of branches at around the midpoint.

They looked at each other with palpable confusion and slight alarm. Alina frowned. “Please, tell me you didn’t choose a tree with a family of squirrels living it in.”

“I swear nothing lived in it when I brought it inside…” he said, about ninety-nine percent sure, as he took a step towards the tree. Whatever made the branches move—which, by the way, happened again—, it was a threat, and, as the man of the house, he was supposed to deal with it.

Even if it was a rabid squirrel hell-bent on revenge because Aleksander destroyed his home. 

He reached the tree, gently pushed the branches apart, peeked in, and… smiled.

Without a word, he beckoned Alina forward. Slightly apprehensive, she did so, leaning in—just as the tree let out a plaintive meow.

“Oh my god,” she whispered, reaching in between the branches and pulling out a tabby kitten so small it fit in the palm of her hand. She brought it to her chest, and the tiny trespasser started purring up a storm right away. “How did you get here, baby?”

“If I had to guess,” Aleksander started, holding a finger to the kitten. It sniffed at it, then raised its chin a bit, conceding to be scratched under it, “I’d say she sneaked in while the door was open.”

“The poor little thing. She surely doesn’t have a home and just wanted to be all snug and warm. She must be hungry.” As if to prove her point, the kitten meowed again. And with that Alina, without any further discussion, already started for the kitchen, but then stopped after two steps. “Do you know what it means?”

He blinked. “What does it mean?”

She flashed him a brilliant smile. “That the Kitten Distribution System is working.”

He let out a loud, heartfelt laugh. It seemed like they just got a cat.

[kickinganddriving]

Message in a bottle pt. 3

notes: i’m sorry this took forever and that this was so short, i got really busy, and then lost inspo for a while but here yall go! 1 bucket of sappiness! also thank you to @lizzypotter14 and @inthenameofallthingsholy​ for helping me with this!

paring: christian pulisic x reader

warnings: swearing

word count: 2k

pt 1, 2

If rejection doesn’t kill you, it will be the anticipation. 

You could practically feel your heart beating in your throat

You could be the one that I love, mm-mm

And now I'm standing' here, hopin' it gets to you

You stood there, waiting for him, and every second felt like an hour. You saw someone push the door and you were ready to jump in his arms.

But it was fucking Mason Mount. 

“Oh are you the girl that Christian has been buzzing ab-” He whispers to you.

“Mason! Get out of the way this is their rom-com moment” you hear Reece whisper yell to Mason. It was this moment in time that almost half the team was in on this and the room you were in was almost dead silence.

“Oh sorry” he says, moving away from the doorway.

“Hey Mase, I don’t think I'm going to the club tonight, I think I'll stay home” You hear the voice that you’ve been dying to hear in person for the last 3 months shout out. The door swings open to reveal Christian, head down on his phone.

“I think you’ve got plans for yourself mate.” Mason says to finally draw Christian attention in front of him.

“What do you me-” His eyes meet yours, you wanted to capture this moment in slow motion and keep it forever. His eyes, starry as ever as a small smile growing on his lip. He drops his bag and his phone right on the floor. He runs to you and pulls you into the tightest hug you’ve ever been in. You both stood there, appreciating each other and filling the gaps that were in the other's hearts. So much empty space, simply being filled. “I- I- can’t believe you're here” He says with his chin resting on your head.

“I can't believe it either.” You speak muffled into his chest, you pull away hoping to get another view of his brown eyes that could light up anyone's day. 

“D-did you get the voicemail?” you timidly asked absolutely needing an answer, but not wanting to ruin the moment.

“Yea, I did, and I feel the same way.” his eyes somehow lit up even more as the words left his mouth. You thought all you would want to do was kiss him, but you wanted to hit him. You lightly hit him on the chest as he exclaims “what was that for?!”. Christian was never good at picking up all social cues, but today, he was clueless. 

“That’s for making me fly ten hours because you couldn’t even text me that you got the voicemail!” you say as you lightly whack him again. “And that’s for making me like you enough to fly ten hours to see you!”

“I missed you too” Christian whispers as he leans back in to kiss your forehead. “How about we go home love?”

“Wow, skipping right to the chase, no first date?” you jokingly say as Christian takes your hand and you run out of the room hearing a few whistles and cheers from friends. You both run down the halls with childish smiles, until you reach his car as he whisks you away to his apartment. The car ride was spent catching up on events that happened when you were apart.

“You know I really missed you?” Christian says with a small smile as he keeps his eye on the road ahead.

“I know, I missed you too.” you say with nothing more than a simple smile.

“You know who’s missed you more than I have, Fynley.” 

“Really?”

“Oh yea, whenever I called you when I was home, the minute he heard your voice he would come running.”

“That’s adorable” you exclaim with your heart melting just a little bit.

“And when you left in florida, he sat in your room because it smelled like your perfume.”

“And how did you know it smelt like perfume?”

“I might’ve spent some time there myself…” Christian awkwardly says while scratching his neck.

“Awww baby, that's adorable.” you say drawing out your vowels to embarrass him even more.

“Hey! I just missed you a little bit, ok maybe a lotta bit.” he admits.

“It’s all good, I’ve done my fair share of missing you, actually… you know that night we went out for a walk before bed?”

“Yea?”

“And you gave me your sweatshirt because I got cold?”  you nervously exclaim.

“NO! You took it! I’ve been looking for that for months!” he says in disbelief.

“I missed you?” You say making your voice higher than usual.

“Did you at least bring it with you?”

“No” you exclaim, making your voice even higher than before.

“You little thief, you're going to have to give a lot of cuddles to make up for that!”

“That is a price I am very willing to pay.” you say while leaning over the center console to give christian a kiss on the cheek. You pulled into his driveway as you looked around yourself, feeling the disbelief you felt when you first saw the Florida house.

“I know it’s not the Florida house but-”

“Christian, you realize I share a shitty apartment in So-cal in the cheapest part of off-campus housing. This is a mansion to me”

“Well then let me take you on a tour.” showing your through the entire house, you learnt even more about the man than you thought you knew. In the Florida house you never got a full tour because of how vast the house was, but here, you were learning about every little bit of the man. 

“Is that a gossip girl mug?” you point out in his kitchen.

“Maybe..?”

“Which couple was meant to be Chuck and Blair or Serena and Nate?” you ask, truly testing the bounds of your relationship.

“None of the above, obviously Serena and Dan for life!”

“Ding,ding,ding! We have a winner!” you announce through the house.

“Really? What's my prize?” he asks, nuzzling his nose in the crook of your neck, and puts his hands on your hips.

“This.” You say as your turn you head to face him and pull him in for the most intoxicating kiss. Your mouths and bodies are moving in sync. Your lips clutching on the others like they’ve just found home. 3 months without your lips on the other catching up in 30 seconds, and it feels like a rush.

“You know, i should really be right more often” he says pulling away as you gasp for air

“You really should be.” You say with a bright smile as you lean back in for a shorter kiss. He lightly chuckles as you lips meet him once more.

“Shall we finish the tour of the house?” he says, leading his arm into the direction you would walk. After a very in-depth tour of his house you find yourselves on the couch. His body laying sideways on the couch as his arms wrapped around your body, with yourself laying with your head on his chest. Hearing the uniform thumps of his heart, memorizing the sound and counting the seconds in between each thump. You’ve never felt more at peace.

“Is there anything in particular you want to do tonight babe?” Christian says, cocking his head to face yours as best as he can. 

“I kinda wanna go out, it’s my first time being out of the country in a while” 

“Where do you want to go?” 

“Maybe dinner and a stroll in the city?” After you respond he pauses for a bit, “Christian” you say waving your hand in his face, waiting for a response.

“Yeah” he says, shaking his head while knocking himself out of a trance.

“Did you hear what I said?” You say sitting up to look at his face, then you realize that you are practically straddling the man.

“Yeah, um I think we can go out for dinner but I don’t know about going into the city.”  he nervously responds.

“Why?” you ponder, curious to know what he might say.

“Um, I don’t think it's a good idea.”

“Why?” 

“There might be too many people that can recognize me in the city right now, since it was a game day.”

“Why is that a problem?” You became slightly offended after hearing this statement. Just now you could feel the jealousy and the insecurities fade in. You knew it, everything, all of this was just too good to be true. You subtly moved off him and sat on the couch as he sat up to talk to you.

“No, no, no! It’s not what you are thinking, I just don’t want camera’s and other people in our faces right now. I kind of just want to enjoy this.” He says motioning his and in the space between the both of you. 

“Really or are you just ashamed of me because if you are I can just go back home?” You say while starting to slowly get up. 

“No, babe stay, let me explain myself!” He exclaims while grabbing your forearm to pull you back on the couch, as he scooches a bit closer to you. You were never one to swoon, but when he sat you down, and tucked the little strand of hair that was in your face behind your ear, all you could do was swoon for the man in front of you. “It’s not you, in the past, camera’s, fans, and other people have always tended to ruin relationships and friendships of mine that were in the early stages. I just want privacy, maybe the day after tomorrow when there are less people in the city we can go out and do whatever your heart desires. But right now, I think the risk of someone badgering the both of us is a bit too high for my liking.” he calmly explains.

“Really?” You had realized that maybe your insecurities got the best of you. As you scooch a bit closer, he pulls you into a hug. Inhaling the scent of his cologne as he kisses you on the head

“You don’t think all I want to do is parade you around town, screaming that I found the best girl humanly possible, because I do. But, right now I kinda just want you all to myself.”

“You really are too good to be true.” you say looking up at him, realizing that you had found yourself one good man.

“I should be saying that about you”

“Maybe you should be” you respond with a slight giggle, which was music to his ears. Still in the hug, you hear him whisper something, you couldn’t make out what he said, but you were not going to mess with this peaceful moment, you were just going to leave it be. 

“I don’t think you know how much I love you already.”

taglist: @pulisicsgirl @noeesd19​ @she-lives-in-her-dreams​ @jayrami3​ @brkic​ @girlmeetsposts @ruby4ever4 @lizzypotter14 @neverinadream​ @kepamount​ @christian-pulisic​ @thoseboysinblue​ @breakablehcaven​ @julianalvarez9 @femgawd​

[smilesthroughfandoms]

A Bone to Pick (Chapter 3 Preview, Part 2)

This chapter wasn't supposed to be this long, what the actual heck?

“Megaopolis Power Grid?—Oh, this is the power plant on the north side of the city!” The Power Plant was one of the city’s finest achievements in green energy. Wind Turbines and Solar Panels a short ten-minute drive just north of the city, combined with the hydroelectric mills on the south side all channeled their electricity to hear. The combined efforts of humanity’s technological ingenuity and demonkind’s innate magical abilities allowed the city to run 100% on green, renewable energy. The control panel for the entire city was housed here, just to the north of the city, at its calmest, safest border. Far away from any destruction the city usually saw on the regular.

“Wait, north side?” Macaque looked at Mei. “I thought we were on the south side not even an hour ago?”

“We… we didn’t walk that far, did we?”

“We didn’t.” The certainty in Macaque’s tone did not make Mei feel better. Macaque peaked through the holes in the fence at the power plant’s main building—the building itself was a boring, beige square of forgettable post-mid 20th century architecture, but cables and wires shot upwards in a glorious web of electricity and oddly shaped telephone poles. The wires crisscrossed back and forth over each other multiple times before following separate paths that led back into the city, which seemed a distant, buzzing, glowing metropolis in the afternoon sun. How long had they been stuck in the sewers?

Finding nothing of interest to him there, Macaque trudged back towards the jello-air cave that had been Mei and his’s exit. It was small, just barely hovering over the tips of Mei’s ponytails, and skinny—if Macaque and Mei stood shoulder to shoulder, the walls of the cave’s entrance would be at their other shoulders. 

“Hey, look at this.” Mei knelt down by one side of the cave’s entrance. She pointed to the floor, at some weird little carving on the corner that was the floor and wall of the cave’s entrance. The carving itself seemed semi-circular, with half carved rings and spheres and some old words Macaque thought he recognized, but couldn’t be so sure. Mei then hummed thoughtfully, tracing the ruins with her finger. “I wonder if—“ and before Macaque could advise her against it, Mei was plopping her head back through the jello barrier. 

“Mei!” Macaque admonished. The girl flailed her arms momentarily and then popped right back out. The sound sent an uncomfortable shiver up both of the warriors' spines. “What was that for?”

“The same circle is on the other side of the jello too!”

“Ok and?”

“Ok, and—that means someone must have done like a weird little spell to put the barrier up.” Mei paused, then looked at the shadow monkey. “Do you think that scraping sound you heard was someone carving this weird little spell circle?”

Macaque scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Maybe, but who would put up a barrier like this? And why? It’s not even a good barrier! People can get through it.”

“Albeit uncomfortably,”

“Yeah. Very uncomfortably.” Mei gave Macaque a nervous look. “Hey, before we fell down the tunnel, that voice we heard… did it sound familiar to you?”

[casspurrjoybell-19]

Does it Matter? - Chapter 32 - Part 1

*Warning: Adult Content*   

Brayan kept checking on Bug as he carried him back upstairs, making sure he managed to draw in the next breath.

He'd been so weak to begin with and now... Garrod opened the door to Maric's room without comment as Brayan drew near. 

Dara watched nervously, his hands twisting together as Brayan carried Bug over to the bed and lay him down.

"What happened?"

 "He ingested toxic plomb fish," Mathers explained.

"It causes rapid paralysis and ultimately death when the person is no longer able to breathe." 

"Can you help him?" Brayan asked Dara. 

Dara stared down at Bug, wide eyed, as the young seer drew in shallow, uneven breaths.

"I... I don't know." 

Hudson poked his head into the room.

"Do we care about the servant girl? If not I'll just give her some money and send her away." 

Brayan shook his head, mentally disoriented by the distraction.

"Do we care about her? What does that mean?" 

"We passed a few people on the way there and back with her. Figured that could be a problem if we care about her but if not..."

Hudson shrugged. 

"Just... yes, okay. Please just take her to a room and teach her how to play your monster card game while we get this sorted." 

"Hmm," Hudson said, shutting the door behind himself as he left. 

When Brayan turned back around, he found that Dara had sat down on the bed next to Bug.

Maric sat close against Dara's side, an arm wrapped around his waist.

Brayan had known about their relationship but it still caught him off guard to see such open, honest affection between them. 

"What do you need?" Maric murmured into the top of Dara's head.

"Can you hold me like this while I try to heal him?" Dara asked.

"You'll need to be still and quiet so that you don't distract me but having you here... I think it will help." 

"I can do that." 

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Mathers asked. 

"I don't think so but if you'd like to watch..." Dara offered. 

Mathers nodded and sat down in a wooden chair on the opposite side of the room.

"Thank you. I'll be quiet." 

"Would you like me to leave?" Brayan asked. 

"This may take a while and I'll need silence throughout. You're welcome to stay but it seems there might be other things demanding your attention." 

"They can wait."

Brayan went and sat on the floor and rested his folded arms on the edge of the bed.

"Is this okay?" 

"That's fine."

Dara took a deep breath and leant forward towards Bug's frail, struggling body.

"Okay. Complete silence, please."

Brayan settled his chin on his folded arms and watched.

Dara unbuttoned Bug's shirt, revealing his scratched up torso once more.

The way his ribs stood was even harder to look at now as he drew in uneven, shuddering breaths. 

Brayan realised he was still holding onto the pendant, gripping it tight in his hand.

He tied the cord around his neck so that he wouldn't accidentally break it.

If Bug survived this, he would want it back. 

It was hard to tell if Dara was actually doing anything.

His hands moved across Bug's chest and stomach but his eyes were unfocussed and fixed, not following their movement. 

It seemed for a long time that he was making no difference and Brayan was starting to give up hope but then he realised, the difference Dara was making was that Bug was getting no worse.

At the rate he had been deteriorating before, he ought to have stopped breathing entirely by this point and then, very slowly, his condition started to improve.

The change wasn't perceptible in any particular moment but there was a definite difference in the depth and the steadiness of his breathing now from how he was ten minutes ago. 

When Dara finally let out a long breath and sat back in Maric's arms, Bug was breathing more or less normally again. 

"That's all I can do for him." Brayan lifted his head from his folded arms.

"Will he recover?" Dara nodded.

"Yes. His body can clear the rest of the toxin. I just helped it enough that it wouldn't stop his breathing before it could do that." 

"Then you've done plenty," Brayan said.

"Thank you." 

[arjaandsimoni]

Scarlet Night

A scream rent the air, shattering the calm of the night.

The dorm floor lead walked down the hallways, her long cotton nightdress fluttering around her legs. “Dammit… That’s it, no more horror movies before bed…” she frowned, then paused and stared.

Down the hallway from her was a woman in a very old looking dress in deep red silk. She’d never seen her before, but she knew what she was, every girl who came to the school had heard that legend. The legend of the Red Lady.

Slowly the woman turned to look at her, her mouth stained a deep crimson, and the floor lead realized it wasn’t lipstick… Then the woman gestured, and everything went dark.

The next morning the floor was roped off by the police, and one of the students was being taken away in a body bag.

The headmistress watched her go, glancing around at all the other students. All around her was a sea of smartphones, everyone posting pictures and statements on all sorts of websites, and she narrowed her eyes. She couldn’t stop them, not without explaining to their rather wealthy parents why, which meant only one path was open to her.

She walked to her office, then opened her computer and brought up the link one of her friends from overseas had sent her. The Wulfshead BBS.

“Damned social media… we didn’t worry about this in the old days, but they’ll shut down the school if this goes too far.” she grunted, posting an ad.

Ten minutes later, she had a reply.

Heatherford Girl’s Academy, established in Massachusetts the late 1700s as a place for well to do people in the colonies to send their daughters off to learn the skills to earn themselves a husband and manage a household. Through the years it grew into an etiquette school, then a finishing school, and finally an all girl’s academy with a proper syllabus that would actually afford a young lady a good job.

Nelen looked over the building from the outside scratching at his chin as Dawn stood next to him, the headmistress standing to his other side and frowning, “You know, we do have a dress code here, young man.” she muttered, the aging woman dressed in a high-necked silk blouse, a tweed skirt and jacket, and sensible shoes with tan stockings.

Nelen nodded, “Yeah, sorry, nobody wants to see my hairy legs in a skirt.” he replied, Dawn snorting and grinning widely at that. He glanced over and sighed, “Yeah yeah, I know what you meant… but you don’t wanna go up against the kind of stuff I do in a nice three-piece suit. The dry-cleaning bills are hell.” He was dressed in his usual beat up jeans and a faded teeshirt, this one depicting the Seattle Space Needle.

Dawn nodded, “Yeah, dunno how John Constantine manages it.” she shrugged. Dawn was dressed even more obscene by the headmistress’ out of date standards. Her sock hat was a bright neon pink, the sunglasses were something she felt a young lady shouldn’t wear at all, and she had on a pair of jeans baggier than what most boys would wear along with a teeshirt bearing the legend: ‘We’re All Mad Here.’

“Being fictional probably helps.” he replied to her. “So, the Red Lady you said…” he glanced back at the headmistress.

“Yes, the Red Lady…” she nodded.

It was a story that dated back to the founding of the school. The Red Lady, supposedly the ghost of one of the school’s founders. Every ten years, like clockwork, she would wander the halls of the dormitory by night clad in a gown in a deep red reminiscent of Colonial Era fashions that a noblewoman might have worn in those days.

For the week that she was active, girls would wind up taking ill. Dizzy spells, weakness, chills, and the like were all common… but one part the school had always ALWAYS covered up.

Someone always died.

The Red Lady was apparently a very restless ghost and would not go back to her grave alone.

“… and you just covered that up each time?” he frowned at her.

“Can you imagine the scandal?! They would shut the school down! I’ve already had to pay her parents an exorbitant settlement to keep this out of the courts! But…” she sighed, shaking her head, “That won’t work anymore…”

Nelen nodded, “Yeah, would’ve been fine ten years ago… but today? Social media era, every kid has a smartphone. Hell, even I heard about this one on Twitter before I saw your post on the BBS.” he nodded.

“This will ruin us unless it is dealt with. Give us something we can use. Something we can point to and say that the matter is settled, that the Red Lady was just some crazed murderer, and that the danger is OVER.” she frowned.

“No promises lady.” he replied, “I mean, did it occur to you she may actually be a ghost? I can banish one sure if I know how, but I can’t kill something like that.”

“I don’t care! Give me something Fullmoon! The school itself is at stake here!” she nodded firmly.

Nelen nodded, “Hmm… you said the body was taken this morning, right? If it’s a full-on murder investigation it should still be at the morgue.” he said, thoughtfully scratching at his chin.

The woman shuddered, then replied, “I’m certain I wouldn’t know. I stayed away from criminology as a course when I was a girl here.” she frowned.

Nelen nodded, “Welp, guess we’ll swing by and see what we can find. At least I know a guy here…”

The Morgue, an hour later

The morgue was actually built into what was a storage area for shine-runners back in the 1920s, reclaimed by the city after Prohibition was repealed. It was cool, underground, easy to lock shut, and well defended. The rest of the cops could be clueless, but nobody worked in a morgue for very long without working out that sometimes corpses didn’t stay put.

There was a knock on the door and the hatch on it slid back, “Whats the password?” came an annoyed voice.

Nelen held up a six pack and said, “Sam Adams sent me.”

The hatch slid shut, then there were several clicking noises and the door opened. A grinning boy barely into his twenties stood there, a lab coat thrown over a black Amon Amarth teeshirt and a pair of black jeans hiding their legs. “Heeeeey! When did you get back in town Nelen?” he asked, stepping aside and letting the older man and his companion in.

“Just this morning Kevin. Heard you got an interesting one, young girl from that prep school uptown.” he replied.

“Oh yeah, her. Yanno I was thinking about you when they brought her in.” he replied, taking a can and opening it with a hiss, then downing half of it in one go. “Ah fuckthatsbetter…” he sighed, then said, “Weird fucking autopsy. Gramps cut her and he said it really put him off his dinner.” he nodded.

Nelen put the other five cans down on his desk, then followed him back through the rooms to what was once a beer cave and now held rows upon rows of small narrow doors, coffins holding the various victims of the parts of Boston they didn’t put in the brochures as well as all the Johns and Janes of the Doe family heading to the crematorium when nobody came forth to claim them.

“What was so weird about it?” he asked.

“Well… gramps didn’t put this on the official report of course, said she died from ‘acute exsanguination’ but…” he shrugged, pulling out a tray and pulling out the girl’s body, her chest held together with stitches in a Y shape. “No blood. At all. Not even a drop, but also no signs of a struggle, no fight marks, no nothing.” he said.

“Hm…” he frowned, “Sounds like a vampire.” he nodded.

Kevin shrugged, “Yeah, but… we almost NEVER see their victims. I mean, sure we sell them the blood we pull outta the fresher corpses, but this? Someone either got really sloppy or just didn’t give a shit if they get caught.” he replied.

Nelen frowned, “Hm… sounds right. You heard of the Red Lady of Heatherford?” he asked him.

Kevin’s eyebrows went up, “Oh shit! She’s a vamp?! I thought she was just a spook!” he said.

“Inquiries are continuing, but this evidence points to a vampire, and an old one too.” he replied. “Only the really old and out of touch ones get this sloppy. They remember when people would rather just cover shit up than do something about it.” he frowned, thinking back to what the headmistress had told him.

“Hmm… now that you mention it gramps said he saw one just like this about a decade ago… that would fit.” replied Kevin. “But I didn’t see any fang marks on her.”

Nelen nodded, “If she got them before the girl’s heart stopped she could have healed them. They only stay open if the victim dies before the vampire finishes.”

Dawn however pointed downwards. “Did he look here?” she asked.

Both heads turned to her. “Right here, left ankle. See?” she added.

Nelen lifted the girl’s leg and turned it so that he could see the inside. “Huh… you’re right… why HERE though?” he muttered, “I mean I know some bloodsuckers go for the wrists or such out of some weird habit, but the leg?”

Dawn shrugged, “Search me.”

Nelen let the leg drop, “Well shit, that settles it. Bloodless corpse, fang marks. Red Lady is a freakin’ vampire.” he sighed, “At least this job should be easier than most.”

Kevin glanced at him, “Uh… how? I mean, aren’t vampires super strong or something?”

Nelen nodded, then smirked, “Lets just say I give them indigestion.” he replied.

Back in the parking lot Nelen called the headmistress. “Hey, just left the morgue. Got confirmation, you’ve got a bat in your belfry lady.” he said, then added, “… Camilla is stalking the halls.”

He waited, then sighed and pinched his nose, “… seriously, its not a hard metaphor… vampire. The Red Lady is a vampire.” he said, “Can you clear out the dormitories? Put the girls up in a hotel for the night or something? If this thing goes to ground for ten-year stretches, we need to stake her NOW or else she’ll vanish again and we’ll have to wait until the next decade for another shot.”

He winced, “…  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!” he demanded, “A girl is fucking dead and you’re still worried about your image? I… ugh… fine, but I won’t be held responsible if this gets messy lady. We’ll deal with her, but…” he frowned, then put his phone away, “She hung up. Gods be thrice freaking damned that woman is asinine..."

Dawn raised her eyebrow, “Eh, just means the girls get an even cooler story to tell on social media.” she grinned.

Nelen shrugged, “If they’re lucky. At least we’re already equipped for this one. Just gotta wait for tonight.” he replied. “Though, if she really is a few hundred years old… that woman is really gonna wish she emptied the dorms."

Heatherford Academy Dormitory, Later that Night

Night fell, and she rose once again. Her shoes made a faint clacking sound with each step against the hardwood floor of the dormitory. Still the same building, the same wood and timbers as it was when it was built in her day. Added onto of course, expanded as the school needed, but still very much her territory, as it had been since her sire helped her found the school in the days of General Washington’s little rebellion.

But something was wrong. She sniffed at the air, then scowled. Someone was in HER building that should not be.

“Looking for me Draculina?” came a voice from up the hallway.

She turned in a swirl of red silk, glaring down the hall. “Men are NOT permitted in this building good sir. Take your leave, immediately.” she nodded curtly.

“Nah, sorry, I like the ambiance. Late colonial era isn’t it? One for the history books, but then… so are you.” replied Nelen, stepping forward.

Her eyes narrowed. “… you… they had the audacity to summon a hunter?” she hissed, her canines shining in the gloom of the darkened hallway.

He shrugged, “What can I say? People get a bit upset when their daughter turns up dead with all her blood in someone else’s body.” he replied, “Things are different these days lady. We have Twitter and Instagram now, this shit is all over the news. No covering things up anymore.” he added, flexing his hands. “Even if you make me go, people who’ve never been to Boston are talking about this one, the police are getting a lot of heat, they WILL come. Hell it could shut down the school if it gets bad enough, make them tear down the dorms, they might even find your little hidey hole…” he nodded.

She glared, “YOU LIE MORTAL!” she snapped, stalking towards him.

“Deny it all you want sister. Things change, even if you don’t. I was gonna give you the chance to piss off, but… well… you types are kinda set in your ways aren’t you?” he asked, glancing to the sides.

The vampire didn’t notice, but every so often there was a faint popping sound as a girl vanished from her dorm room, taken into a nearby classroom by Dawn. His job was to keep her busy while she got the bystanders out of the way.

Nelen smirked, “Why here though? I mean I’ve seen some vampires with crazy habits, but even one of you leeches will abandon a sinking ship… unless you can’t?” he asked, raising his eyebrow.

She snarled, “This building, this whole school is mine! I built it! I created it! They should feel honored to give one of my station their blood!” she spat, her eyes flashing crimson.

“Fair enough, though I just gotta ask... why did you bite them on the leg of all places? Was it… oh jeez don’t tell me… women didn’t show their ankles in those days. Was it just some sort of stupid etiquette thing? You bit them where it wouldn’t show because they'd be expected to hide it?” he laughed, “Oh fucking hells lady, you need to come out of the coffin more often. The shit women get up to these days would make your head spin.” he sneered.

She growled angrily, the woman now close enough to reach out and grab him. “… what makes you think I’ll let you leave alive little mortal?” she hissed.

“… well…” he glanced over, then saw Dawn sitting cross legged on the ceiling, giving him an upside-down thumbs up. “Never said you’d let me…” he grinned, then lashed out with his arm, and a lash of crimson slashed through the air as the vampire leapt backwards, the tendril Nelen conjured leaving deep gouges in the wall as he winced. “… shit, hope she doesn’t make me pay for that.”

The vampire glared, seeing the tendril of blood and hissing, “What are you?!” she snapped, then she hesitated, “Wait… no… I have seen this!” she narrowed her eyes, a faint memory coming up of something she witnessed when the British laid siege to Boston. Through the windows of the school she had witnessed a group of Freemasons trying to help fight them back… and one of them conjured the same crimson whip he had.

“Oh? You’ve met before huh?” he shrugged, “Well, saves me that introduction. Either way, you’re leaving here. Willingly or in a dustbin, but either way…” he frowned, then pulled his arm back as the tendril shrank, then sprouted several additional tooth-like protrusions… then he jabbed his hand forward, palm open, and the tendril shot forward with the force of a bullet, aiming at the vampire’s heart!

… but she wasn’t there. In an eyeblink she’d vanished, reappearing behind him as she grabbed his body with far more strength than her form suggested. “You are RUINING EVERYTHING! This ends now, AND SO DO YOU!” she glared, then jerked his head to the side and plunged her fangs down into his throat, Nelen gasping in shock as she pierced a vein and began to pull.

A minute later she released him as her hand flew to her mouth! The vampire stumbled backwards as Nelen fell to one knee, clutching at the wound she’d left.

“What…” she gasped, her eyes wide and suddenly fearful, then her hands flying to her chest. “What… in God’s name are you…” she stammered, her lips still wet with blood.

“God? Sorry, not on good terms with him I’m afraid.” he replied weakly, looking pale as Dawn appeared next to him. “Gonna back up if you don’t mind. I’m in the splash zone.” he grunted, then the feline grabbed his shoulder and they both vanished, reappearing around the hallway.

“Mission accomplished?” asked Dawn.

“Not yet…” he grunted, fishing a bottle of orange juice out of his bag, downing half of it, and listening.

Down the hall the vampire clutched at her chest. Something about the blood she pulled from him was wrong. It didn’t sit heavy in her heart… it wasn’t sitting at all! It was moving! “No… NO! THIS IS MY LAND! MY CASTLE! YOU CANNOT DO THIS!” she shrieked, then stumbled and gasped in pain as the veins in her body suddenly pressed out, bulging against her skin.

“Lady, I didn’t do dick!” he called back, “You should be more fucking careful what you eat. Bite the wrong guy…” he smirked.

The vampire screamed, clutching at her cheeks as bloody tears began running down her face, her mouth wide in a rictus of pain, her fangs gleaming in the moonlight from the window…

A second later there was a sound like a huge container of ketchup getting stomped on as she exploded from within, a flailing mass of tendrils covered in fangs flaying her apart from the inside out! The walls became coated in gore as her body crumbled to ashes, leaving only a few pieces of bone and a skull with too-long canines.

“… and you might just get sick.” he smirked, standing up.

As he did however the headmistress came rushing into the hall, “YOU! Why are all my students in the science lab?! What was all that noise?! I…” she froze, staring wide eyed into the hallway where the vampire had been.

The carpet, walls, and even ceiling were coated in blood, an antique red dress laying in tatters and soaked through as well, a few bones and a large pile of ashes in the middle of it all.

“Uh… well… we got her?” he tried.

The woman’s eyes were like saucers, her mouth moving up and down but no sound coming out.

“… so, um… about my fee… cash is best, I can’t really do checks and I don’t have any way to get a credit card number…” he said.

She made a sound then, and it was worse than any noise the vampire could have imagined. It was the sound of expenses, of remodeling, of having to hire people to restore a building that was on a register of Historical Buildings… and more…

Nelen glanced at Dawn, “… welp! I’d better hit the trail then, you know where to find me if you have any more pest control issues.” he said, fist-bumping Dawn as they both vanished.

A second later another scream rent the air, this one even louder than before… and then several very un-ladylike words followed it.

Next Story

Previous Story

[niennandil-me-writes]

killing strangers

cn: intrusive thoughts, gore (imagined)

"We're killin' strangers We're killin' strangers We're killin' strangers so we don't kill the ones that we love"

Marilyn Manson - Killing Strangers

“Anything you’re interested in?”

Teo must have been staring at the bulletin board for more than ten minutes when the Dwarf behind the counter addressed him. He passed a last glance at the quest and job descriptions: flyers from the city watch trying to outsource their problems, calls from adventuring parties looking for another member in their exploration of some place or another, and one poster written in calligraphy from some noble asking for an escort into another city.

“Is that all you have?” Teo asked.

“It’s the same as when you were here yesterday.”

“And nothing new came in?” Teo didn’t let off. “Nothing more exclusive? For more seasoned adventurers?”

The Dwarf looked up from the paperwork in front of him. “I don’t know what you’d be looking for, but that job from Lord Travish pays pretty well.”

Teo looked back at the papers on the board. He’d read through all of them five times just today, but none of them promised to scratch that itch.

“So...,” said the Dwarf. “Do you want your name written down for that?”

“No,” Teo said and left the guild hall.

“’til tomorrow then,” the Dwarf called after him, forcefully pushing a stamp down on the papers.

Teo was barely a few steps out the door, when he heard a voice from behind: “Hey, big guy! You looking for a job?”

Teo turned around. A person in a brown hooded cloak – a human, elf or half-elf, by the looks of them – was leaning against the bricks of the house wall, scanning him.

“No,” he said, turning away.

The person got up fast, ran around him and stood in his way. Teo spotted long ears beneath their hood. “Then why were you at the guild? You don’t look like you got what you were looking for.”

“I’m fine.” He said. He really wasn’t.

The Elf smiled. “Didn’t want to bother you. But if you’re looking for a job, my crew is looking for someone right now for a particularly interesting endeavor. Might be dangerous, but there’s a lot of money in it, if all goes well. We’re looking for someone strong and big, someone who can take and deal a lot of damage, get a lot of kills if needed, and you seem to fit that spot.” They beamed when Teo showed some reaction to that, though it wasn’t the money part like they probably thought.

“Why didn’t you put a listing at the guild?” he asked.

“We’re a bit short on time, sorry to say, we’ll have to leave right this evening.”

That got another small reaction from Teo.

“Plus, we’d like to keep it on the down-low, so to speak,” they continued.

“And why’s that?”

“Well for one, we’d like to avoid the guild fees. For another, this job is moving in areas that might be called extralegal. That’s not a problem for you, right?”

“Illegal, in what way?”

“Didn’t say anything about illegal,” the Elf said. Their stance shifted a bit, and Teo was pretty sure that beneath their cloak they had just put their hand to a weapon. For a moment, the thought of provoking a fight shot through his mind. Grab their hand, pin them to the wall and take over their weapon to kill them with it. He pushed the thought away. Though he would have loved to cut off one of their ears.

“Are you city watch?” they asked.

“No.” He knew a lot of them through his work for the military, though. “Not interested.”

“You sure? Like I said, it’s a lot of money. And you seemed pretty desperate in there.”

“I’m sure,” he said.

The Elf gritted their teeth, pushed their chin forward. “Well, if you change your mind, we’re meeting at the East Gate at midnight.”

Teo walked away from them.

It was true that he was desperate, but not for money. He had been at the guild every day the last week, and nothing had changed about the jobs: all longterm, low risk, with no need for the use of violence. In other words, nothing he was looking for.

The last job he had been able to take on at least had involved a fight with some plant monsters (he tried to remember the feeling of tearing his axe through the green trunks, slime leaking out like blood, the pain-filled hissing of the creatures as their fibres ripped apart), but that lay more than a month back now. Maybe there would be a new leaflet on the board tomorrow, one for the exploration of some dangerous tomb filled with monsters that needed to be killed, or the defending of a smaller village from violent zombie hordes. Or maybe he could just take one of the other jobs and hope that it would need more violence than anticipated (or instigate some himself).

When he stepped inside their house, Dexter was in the kitchen, cooking something.

“Did you get the vegetables?” he asked.

Suddenly, Teo remembered why he had left the house in the first place. “Sorry, I forgot,” he said. He had also forgotten to report the Elf with the suspicious job offer to the city watch, he now realized.

Dexter frowned, then smiled. “It’s alright, I can send Fey later. Can you help me out here real quick?”

There was something cruel, Teo had learned, about having something he yearned for, something that used to be the most mundane thing in the world, right in front of him, and not being able to have it. He knew the air in the kitchen must have smelled delicious at this point, but he could barely make out anything. He looked at the vegetables as he was cutting them and knew he wouldn’t be able to taste anything but the vaguest hint if he took a bite.

“Everything alright with you?” Dexter asked.

Knife in hand, Teo looked at his husband and felt nothing for him. “Yes,” he said, turning away.

At dinner, he forced down a few spoons of the food, then gave his lack of an appetite as an excuse. Dexter didn’t press him, and as he carried away the half-filled plate, Teo remembered that the stew Dexter had made used to be his favorite. He could barely remember the taste.

After dinner, Fey asked him for a game of dragonchess. She set the pieces, started her turn. Teo’s mind was elsewhere the whole game.

“Check mate,” Fey said, setting down her paladin on the top board right in front of his king.

“Congratulations.” Teo forced a smile.

“You don’t have to let me win, Pops,” Fey said. “I’m not a little kid anymore. If you’re gonna play lousy like that, I might as well play with Dad.”

“I heard that,” Dexter called from across the room where he was reading a book.

It was getting dark outside. Fey went to her room. Teo followed Dexter to their bedroom and laid down beside him.

Dexter sat up, looking at him. “Teo, is there anything you want to talk about?” He looked worried. Probably. There had been a time where Teo could have looked at his husband’s face and known exactly what was on his mind. Now it was all just a haze. He shook his head.

Dexter took his hands in his own. They must have felt cold to him, Teo realized, though he couldn’t tell the difference and he couldn’t tell if Dexter had pulled his hands away for a short moment, or just moved them a bit.

“I’m here,” Dexter said. “You know I’ll always be there for you.”

“I know.” Teo forced another smile and found it a lot easier when he recalled the death screams of the plant creatures, even though those memories were a month old. “There’s nothing to worry about, I promise. I’m just a bit...” What could he say? What did he seem like from the outside? “...tired lately.”

“Okay.” Dexter nodded. “Just tell me if you need my help in anything.” And then he leaned forward and kissed him. He pulled himself close to Teo, seemingly not caring for the coldness of his skin anymore, or trying to ignore it. Dexter’s left hand wandered under his nightshirt, over his chest, the other he put to his face, fingers brushing over his temple and only a second later did Teo realize that he was touching his scar.

Teo tried to return the kiss with the same amount of passion. He slung his arms around Dexter, and then suddenly he was imagining closing his fingers around his throat and squeezing until Dexter gasped for air, and then more until his neck broke with a satisfying crack.

“What is it?” Dexter asked.

Teo had pulled away from him the same way he had pulled himself out of his fantasy. He couldn’t do this.

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “Not in the mood. I’m tired.”

“That’s alright.” Dexter reached for his head again, trailed his fingers through a strand of his hair. “If there’s something you want to talk about, I’m here,” he said again. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” It didn’t feel like a lie. It didn’t feel like anything.

Dexter fell asleep with one arm laid across Teo. Teo didn’t sleep at all.

There was something particularly cruel about having the thing he craved more than anything else right in front of him, and yet just out of reach. Teo looked at his husband, whose calm breathing was the only sound in the silence of the night. He tried to remember what it had been like when he had held him, a life ago. What his kisses had tasted like. How his skin had felt against his. He tried to remember what it had felt like to love him.

Another memory came much easier. His thoughts kept returning to the kitchen knife. The world seemed to hold so much more potential for being real when he held a weapon. He tried to deny it, but he couldn’t stop thinking about it: A sharp blade to cut open Dexter’s ribcage. Being covered in his husband’s red warm blood (for some reason, blood always felt warm to him, even when nothing else did). He couldn’t even imagine how beautiful Dexter would be then. He wished the idea of seeing his doe eyes full of fear would fill him with disgust at himself, but instead it excited him.

He took Dexter’s arm that was slung around him and laid it beside him instead. That should have hurt, but it didn’t, like with so many things these days. He turned around in the bed, facing the wall now. But the thoughts didn’t leave. It was either them or the nothing. He didn’t know what was worse. He knew what he preferred.

Teo sat up, got out of bed. He grabbed his clothes and left the bedroom, walked through the corridor and into the forge, where he kept his armor and weapon. When he had donned the armor, put on his coat over it and holstered the greataxe on his back, he walked to the front door.

“Pops?”

He froze. He hadn’t even heard the soft footsteps behind him.

“Shouldn’t you be asleep?” He said, turning around to his daughter.

“Couldn’t sleep,” she said. “Wanted to get a cup of water. Where are you going?”

He hesitated. There wasn’t really anything he could say. “I got a job from the adventurer’s guild.”

“But you... Dad said you wouldn’t have to do any more for at least a month.”

“Go back to sleep. Don’t you have school tomorrow?”

“It’s weekend,” she said. “When will you come back? You said we were gonna go hiking.”

He had forgotten about that. “We’ll do that some other time.” And then, because he didn’t know what else to say to her: “Go to bed now.” And without waiting for an answer, he stepped outside and closed the door behind himself.

It was close to midnight, with many of the lanterns outside already having gone out, but there was enough light for him to easily find his way.

He knew it was wrong. He knew it and he didn’t care. There was nothing within him that could care. There was just that sense that it would be worth it, if it meant that he would be able to look at his family again without thinking about all the ways he wanted to hurt them. He had been doing this for months already, ever since he had returned, killing monsters, creatures, people, just to regain some semblance of life. What did it matter if this time there was no justification behind the violence? He’d been fighting in a war long enough to start doubting that there ever was, and then one day he’d woken up and none of it mattered anymore, as long as there was blood to spill. It would all be worth it, to make sure it wasn’t his family’s blood. His motivation hadn’t changed, but the enemy he was protecting them from was a lot closer now.

When he arrived at the East Gate, the group of five people that had assembled looked like they were about to depart, even though the clock hadn’t struck midnight yet. He didn’t recognize the elf among them at first, but they recognized him, hurrying over to him.

“Changed your mind, did you?” they asked. “Well, sorry to say, big guy, but we already found someone to fill your role.” They pointed their thumb over their shoulder at a Half-Orc woman carrying a greatsword.

Teo only briefly glanced at her, then turned back to the shady Elf. “Two blades are better than one, right?”

“We’re not gonna split the money another way,” the Elf said impatiently. “We’ll manage without – “

“I’ll do it for free,” he interrupted them. “I don’t need money. I just need to kill something.”

They looked baffled. Then their surprise turned into a big grin. “Well, then this is just the job for you.”

[galaxyedging]

I love this. It's so sweet and so Marcus. Such a gorgeous slice of intimacy, showing how much he trusts her. Swoon.

I'd was thinking of Max Phillips.

Four days. Four days, you had managed to keep your lips sealed. The curiosity was almost killing you, yet you remained strong. Until Max sat down next to you at breakfast and scratched at his chin for the fourth time in less than a minute like a mutt with fleas.

"Trying out a new look?" You knew it was a mistake, but your coffee hadn't kicked in yet, and the sound of his nails against his weirdly long stubble got to you.

"Like I'd chose to cover any of my face. I wouldn't want to deprive you of the view." Max shot back. Here we go. The two of you couldn't stay in the same room without sniping or bitching, or heaven help you, on a weak day, flirting.

Curiosity was still killing you, the can was open you might as well shake out the worms. "No, seriously. Did you forget your razor? And how did it grow so fast? Is that a vampire thing?"

"No and yes." Max huffed, pushing his mug of blood away. "If you must know, since we can't have electronics on this damn retreat, I can't use my cell phone to shave."

"Cell phone?" You blinked at him for a moment. Trying to work out why the hell he'd need a cell phone to..."You don't have a reflection! How does your hair still look good?"

"It can't not look good." He scratched his chin again.

"Will you stop that?!" Boy, the caffeine was taking its time this morning.

"I can't. It's itchy." For the first time since you started working for Max, he actually sounded sad and...human.

Ten minutes later, you stood in the bathroom of his cabin. Max sat on a stool brought in from the breakfast bar.

"Be careful. You go deep enough with that thing, I'm done." He warned.

"You think I'm going to nick you so bad that I decapitate you?" You scoffed as you lathered up in face. Ignoring how good it felt to be this close to him.

"I'm just saying you might see an opening and go for it. I know I'm not your favourite person in the office." There goes that human tone again. Was that disappointment?

Setting to work, you started sliding the disposable razor up his neck. "You're not my least favourite person. Marlene, who steals my lunch, has that honour. Why would you think you were?"

His Adams apple bobbed against the razor. "I asked you out for drinks. You turned me down. Then you flirt with me to get a rise out of me."

To concentrate on your work, you'd dipped down to eye level with him. Eyes that looked, weirdly enough for a vampire, soulful. "I turned you down because I was pretty new, you were my boss, and I thought you just did that to everyone. Like when you flirt with me."

Max's hand stilled your work. It held your hand while the other took the razor and placed it on the counter. "I don't flirt with everyone, Sweetheart. Charm, yes. Flirt, no."

"Oh, then maybe we could get that drink?"

"That depends on how good a job you do here. I want to look good if I take you out tonight."

"I don't doubt you will."

In the end, you did a great job. Max's skin was perfectly smooth. There wasn't a hint of stubble against your skin when he kissed you at the end of the night.

I'm once again asking for clean shaven Pedro as a treat!

I love his facial hair, but it's been so long since we've gotten a bare top lip. It would feel scandalous to get a flash of it.

[kelpeigh]

I’m farmsitting for my horse’s dentist. This is my new BFF, Chicken Ranch

[allywritesforfun]

{Cutebur} Wilbur Soot x Reader

summary: we all saw that instagram post right?

pronouns: not mentioned

word count: 827

trigger warning: swearing

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTkPbffCG90/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

regular masterlist

wilbur masterlist

“Hey that looks like a cool place to take some Instapics!” Wilbur called, pointing at a storage door with skeletons drawn over them.

You nodded, “That would be neat contrast. We got ten minutes to if you want to stop.”

He nodded and sped walked over there. Wilbur wasn't one to take the most aesthetically pleasing pictures. He just asked someone to take a quick shot of him doing something different in his life. But since he met you, well he started caring a little bit more. You taught him a few tips and tricks to making him look like the model he is. You loved helping him out with his social media. He has enough on his plate already.

“Here, darling,” Wilbur handed you his phone as he got into position in front of the door. He fiddled with the bottom of his shirt to make sure that it was perfect while you adjusted the cameras to fit the sunlight. “What poses should I do?”

You shrugged, “It's your Insta, Wil. You do whatever you want. I am just here to make it look decent.” You bent down to one knee, trying to see if you could get neat sun rays filtered in.

You looked up at Wilbur and gave him the thumbs up that you were ready to go. He did his thing while you did yours. You two were the perfect duo. You weren't a professional photographer or anything of the sorts, but you were still pretty damn impressive; and Wilbur was pretty damn impressive to look at. 

You got up from your knee and held the camera slightly above your forehead. It was hard to see what you were taking a picture of, but the angles do matter. Wilbur looked good from all angles but some days he preferred more than his usual. You like to give him variety.

“Work it cutie!” You yelled out to him.

Wilbur smiled at the nickname and looked down for a second, just smiling. He definitely was one for praise. Every little nickname you called him got into his head and displayed itself in a child-like smile.

“Stop looking down and look at me!” You reminded him. If it was one thing that you knew about Instagram, it was the importance of showing your features.

Wilbur continued to smile and looked up at you. His blush was clear as day and he scratched the back of his neck, still calming down from the serotonin rush you gave him. You quick took a picture and brought the phone back down to review it.

It was perfect. You covered your mouth; you were so impressed. You added a quick filter and toned it down, adding a little bit of sharpness and saving it. Wilbur never needed much touch up, he was perfect in every way; it was the background that needed a little help.

You kept staring at the photo; your little angel was so sweet. His innocent smile of happiness, exfoliating his dimples. His soft brown curls swiftly covering his loved-filled deep brown eyes. Best of yet he was all yours. You tucked his phone into your pocket and walked towards him.

“What are you-”

Wilbur was cut off by you wrapping your arms around his torso. He instantly hugged you back, resting his head atop yours. You leaned into him, signaling him to squeeze you tighter. 

“Thank you for letting me love you,” You mumbled into his chest.

You could hear his heart start to speed up, ba, ba, ba. He gently ran his right hand up and down your back and nuzzled into your cheek, “Thank you for coming into my life.” He whispered, “What is this all about?”

You moved your head for that your chin was resting against his chest, looking up at him, “You are so fucking cute. Like-cute doesn't even describe it correctly. Just, whatever good words you can think of, that’s what you are. I just can’t believe I get to go to bed and wake up seeing your beautiful self.”

Wilbur pulled back slightly to kiss your temple, “I could say the same about you.”

You only nodded back. You two stood there for a minute or so, just enjoying each other’s touch. This is one of the rare moments that you two didn't care that you were out in public and looked like some basic couple from a Hallmark movie. Wilbur eventually pulled away, not because he wanted to- no, he wanted this moment to last forever- but because he knew that you weren’t about to give him up.

He placed his hand on your cheek and leaned down to place a forceful and quick kiss on your lips. You tried holding on a little bit longer, but Wilbur softly grabbed your elbows and started to walk away with you.

“I’m guessing you got a good picture?” He asked.

You nodded and took his hand in yours, “The best.”

[finn-writes-stuff]

-Good Puppy-

Karl Heisenberg x Reader

Annoying Karl is always a treat, especially with such a big factory to hide in.

Little bit of predator and prey vibes. Gender neutral Reader as always

Maybe trying to intentionally annoy someone who could cut your throat and replace your blood with mercury at any given moment wasn't the best idea you'd ever had.

But it was certainly a fun idea.

And in all fairness, you knew Heisenberg was much too fond of you to ever genuinely hurt you. However that didn't mean he'd put up with you being a brat. He was just a little more creative in his punishments.

And that meant you were more creative in your escapes as well.

So that's how you found yourself darting through the factory, clutching his worn out hat and laughing breathlessly as you heard his heavy steps on the metal behind you.

"Doll, I highly suggest you stop right fuckin there, and maybe I'll let you off easy."

You knew him well enough to hear the amusement in his voice concealed behind the growl. He enjoyed a good chase just as much as you did. And what really was the difference between a punishment and reward after he caught you?

You kept running.

You heard him chuckle darkly behind you. "Fine, if that's how you want to play this. Ten second headstart. You better run fast, puppy."

The endearment was more growled than spoken as he stopped where he stood, leaning his weight on the handle of his hammer, beginning to count down.

"10"

You ran, aiming to out as much distance between you two before the countdown ended, knowing that he was merciless when hunting. If he were to catch you, escape would be near impossible.

"9"

The factory's lay out was just about nonsensical, the lower floors being almost a labyrinth that was difficult to navigate at a normal pace, not to mention when you were sprinting through them.

"8"

His voice was getting fainter now, but you heard the speakers hidden everywhere in the factory kick to life, making sure you could hear the countdown. He was always one for the dramatics, wasn't he?

"7"

You could feel your heart pounding as you searched for a hiding place, ducking around corners and various half finished projects. He wasn't hunting yet, but the anticipation of it had your heart rate spiking.

"6"

You spotted one of the soldats, stumbling around with various enhancements throwing it off balance. The cognitive ability that they had left was enough to know to stay away from you. Heisenberg had threatened to turn them into scrap metal if you ever ended up with a single scratch.

"5"

The soldat stumbled away from you as you ran for the scrap piles behind it, pulling large sheets of metal over to cover a space between two large engines.

"4"

You hurriedly assembled your hiding spot, trying to make it look natural. Heisenberg knew his factory inside and out, but would he really notice a pile of scrap moved over to the side a bit? You hoped not.

"3"

Time was almost up, you squirmed into you hiding place, trying to calm your beating heart. If he came in here and heard you, the game would be up.

"2"

You could hear him chuckle through the speakers as you dragged in deep breaths, trying to make yourself comfortable.

"1, get ready or not, puppy~"

The speakers crackled off, and you were left to listen to the hum of the factory and the noise of the soldat outside of your hiding spot.

You still had Heisenberg's hat clutched to your chest, and you quietly put it on top of your head with a smile. A hard fought trophy, not one you'd give up easily. But now, all there was to do was wait.

The factory was big and complex, and you knew that Heisenberg had no desire to end a hunt early if he could drag it out instead.

Youd never met anyone else so inclined to play with their food.

-

It was only a few minutes before you heard the familiar heavy thunk of his boots again. You didn't dare peek out of your hiding spot, trying to focus on keeping your breaths quiet.

You could hear him walk into the room, but there was no reason that he would find you. You just had to stay quiet. Perhaps this would've worked in a different room. But your breath caught in your throat when you heard him speak up.

"You know puppy, some of the soldats are dumb enough to walk into walls, but all of them know to stay the hell away from you. So I wonder why this ones pressed to the side of the room. You hiding in here?"

You could hear him walking to your side of the room. Fuck. If he knew you were here, then there weren't any other hiding places other than where you were right now.

He knew exactly where you were.

"Now, I'm gonna give you one more chance, got it? Come out right now, and fuckin apologize for making me chase you around the factory."

You bit your lip, holding your breath. You were too far into this now to give up. At minimum your dignity was on the line.

"No? You aren't gonna be a good puppy? Alright then, looks like you need some training then."

The metal around you flew up into the air in an instant, and your back hit the floor. "There you are," He practically growled.

He picked up his hat that had fallen off of your head. You pushed yourself up to your feet, torn between trying to grab his hat back or making a break for it. He met your gaze, his dark glasses tilted down so you could see his eyes.

You made a break for it, darting around him in a mad dash for the door. A short lived attempt really as he grabbed your arm, pulling you to his chest. "Oh no you don't, you're mine now."

You were thrown over his shoulder easily, even as you thrashed, trying to break free. You had been thoroughly caught.

"Such a bratty fuckin pup, you don't know how to play nice. Guess I'll have to fuckin teach you what happens to bad pets like you."

A shiver ran down your spine as one of his hands tightened on your leg. You were back to his workshop already, and he practically threw the door open, unceremoniously dropping you on his work bunch.

He towered over you even moreso than usual like this, and he took advantage of it, crowding you against the wall. Metal cuffs fastened themselves around your wrists, pinning your hands to the walls.

He leaned back, taking in the sight of you all pinned up for him. He grinned wolfishly, grabbing one of your own knives from a nearby shelf. He tapped the blade under your chin before slicing through the front of your shirt. "Such a pretty fuckin puppy, arent you?"

He was simply admiring your form, and he dropped the knife on the workbench, leaving his hand free to trace over some of the half faded marks on your neck. 

"I suggest you remember that you belong to me puppy. And that means that when I tell you something you listen, alright?" 

His hand circled around your neck, just resting there for now. It was warm and scarred, you could feel his callouses against your skin.

"Good puppy."

[ninetailedfoxmanchi]

Mafia! BTS! - You Fall Asleep with Them for the First Time

Jin

You grabbed one of the extra pillows and jumped right into bed, snuggling into the soft covers. It was warm but you felt cold anyways. Jin was showering in the bathroom and when he saw you already in his bed, not on the very edge but almost in the middle, he couldn't help but pause. His head tilted to the side as he leaned against the doorframe and watched you. You finally trusted him. Sex was one thing, but actually feeling comfortable sleeping with someone was often a much bigger deal than being intimate.

Your eyes slowly fluttered open, your gaze locking with Jin's. You frowned, pouting your lips as you buried your face into the pillow.

"Why are you standing there?" you murmured. "I'm cold."

"It's okay, I'm coming, princess," said Jin quietly, a smile hiding on his lips. He opened the covers and climbed in beside you. You found your place in the nook of his neck, pulling yourself closer. Jin caressed your head and kissed your forehead. His stomach swirled with butterflies as your fingers tangled in the hem of his shirt.

"Good night, baby," said Jin.

"'Night Jinnie," you murmured in your sleep.

Namjoon

"I should really get going," you said as you yawned and stretched your arms. It was late and the two of you have been binge watching one of your favourite shows. Namjoon's stomach gave a squeeze as you said you wanted to go.

"You can always just stay here," he suggested and caressed your back. You froze for a moment. Your lips went dry as you did not know how to respond to that. Namjoon noticed you were picking at your fingernails and avoiding his gaze.

"We can just sleep, nothing else," he said to you calmingly and continued drawing shapes into your back.

"Are you sure?" you asked and glanced up into his eyes.

"Of course. I'll lend you some clothes and we can finish this season," he said enthusiastically. You still had three more episodes to go and just when it got interesting.

You couldn't help but smile and nod. He lent you his oversized cotton t-shirt that worked almost like a dress on you and a pair of shorts. You finished the series and talked about it for almost an hour as you laid in bed. Namjoon was talking more than usual and just then you realized he was happy. Happy that you were with him, although the thought itself seemed almost impossible to you.

"I'm so glad you're here," he said out of nowhere. His palm caressed your cheek and he leaned in to kiss you. Breath caught in your throat as you thought it was going to escalate, but it was just a gentle kiss. Butterflies danced in your tummy as his warm touch let you melt into sleep.

Yoongi

You got your bag off the floor and found your phone. It was pretty late but you still had a chance to catch a bus.

"Where are you going?" asked Yoongi as he came out of the bathroom, his hair still wet from the shower.

"Oh, hey... I have to go, my last bus takes off in ten minutes," you explained as you wrapped your arms around Yoongi's torso. You did not want to leave but you couldn't stay either.

"What are you talking about? You're staying over," said your boyfriend and propped your chin up. You stared at him astounded. He was very private about his life and you understood and respected that.

"Are you sure it's okay if I sleep over?" you asked timidly.

"What kind of question is that?" he frowned and caressed your cheek with his thumb.

"It's just... you're very private and... and I though you wouldn't want me-"

In that very same moment, Yoongi shut you up with a kiss. Your eyes widened but you soon melted into his touch. Your arms wrapped around his neck as you stood on your tiptoes and returned the kiss.

"Stop talking, Y/N," he murmured against your lips and kissed you again.

Yoongi lent you one of his t-shirts and let you change. You scratched the back of your neck as you leaned against the doorframe and observed Yoongi's reaction. He was half-asleep but still on his phone, yet his eyes drifted off to you. His lips parted at the sight of you only in his oversized t-shirt that reached past your thighs. Yoongi put away his phone and opened his arm where you happily found your place. You snuggled into his neck as he pulled you closer, kissing your forehead.

Hoseok

You were watching a movie with your boyfriend when suddenly you started drifting off. Hoseok noticed your head slowly slipping down his shoulder and your grip on his palm soften. He couldn't help but smile and caress your head.

"Do you want to go to sleep, baby?" he asked you softly.

"No, I'm okay," you murmured and forced yourself to open your eyes. You sat up straight and focused on the movie, but it wasn't long before your eyes got heavy again. Your head leaned against Hoseok's shoulder, you couldn't help but melt into his warmth and completely drift off.

"Oh, jagi..." said Hoseok to himself as he smiled. He carefully moved his arm so that your head was still on his shoulder but he could pick you up. He carried you to bed and pulled the covers over you. You stirred awake when Hoseok's warmth disappeared from beneath you.

"I'll just go home," you mumbled in your sleep, making your boyfriend smile even wider at your silliness. He shook his head as he took of his shirt and changed into a pair of sweatpants.

"Hobi?" you asked quietly, forcing yourself to open your eyes. You noticed you were already lying in bed, Hoseok ruffling his hair before he climbed into the bed beside you. He caressed your head and kissed you softly but tried to give you some space so that you would not feel uncomfortable.

You stared at him for a bit as he laid beside you but not touching you. You scooted closer to him, then paused, then closer again until you were right beside him. He opened his eyes and smiled. You hugged his arm like a plushie and leaned your forehead against his shoulder. Your heartbeat slowly eased and you drifted off to sleep.

Jimin

"Jimin?" you asked over the phone when he picked up.

"Tell me, sweetheart," he said, clearly still at work although it was almost nine in the evening.

"Could I..." you began, unsure if you should ask at all. Jimin sensed something wasn't right immediately.

"What is it? Are you okay?" he asked quickly.

"Yeah, I'm fine... I mean no, but... Could I... Could I maybe come over tonight?" you asked timidly. You weren't in a good place mentally and the thought of going home scared you. When you were alone, the thoughts only got louder and you have been so stressed lately.

"Where are you, baby? I'll come and pick you up," said Jimin. You could almost hear him get up from his desk and grab his jacket.

"No, it's okay, I'm at a bus stop, I'll just take the next ride," you tried to be as little of an inconvenience as possible.

"Don't be ridiculous, I'm coming to get you right now," said Jimin and demanded the location from you.

His car stopped in front of you after a good ten minutes. Jimin got out immediately and you stood up from the bench. He cupped your cheeks and checked you as if something had happened to you.

"I'm okay," you tried to calm him down but he wouldn't have it. You wrapped your arms around his neck as you stood on your tiptoes. "I'm sorry I worried you," you mumbled but you couldn't feel more grateful that Jimin was there.

"Don't say that, Y/N," said your boyfriend soberly, "I'll always come when you need me."

Jimin took you to his place where you talked for the rest of the evening. He got you some of his clothes and let you change. You were lying in his bed, eyes closed after he got out of the shower. Jimin couldn't help but stare at you. You had never slept over at his place before and a part of him worried that you didn't not trust him enough to do so. But seeing you so at peace staying at his place reassured him. He caressed your hair and laid down beside you, unable to keep his eyes off you. You looked like an angel.

You found Jimin's palm in your sleep and squeezed it tightly.

Taehyung

You were having dinner at Taehyung's apartment but when he got a call, he had to mysteriously leave. You didn't not ask him where or why, only if he was going to be okay. You were always worried when something like it happened.

It was already heavily past midnight but your boyfriend still hadn't returned. You were sitting on the sofa, watching a bad movie when you began to drift off to sleep.

When Taehyung returned home some minutes past one in the morning, he found you asleep on the sofa, the TV playing some ads. He turned off the television and knelt down in front of you. Hair was falling onto your face and your chest was raising rapidly. You were having a nightmare.

"Wake up, kitten," said your boyfriend softly as he brushed the hair from your face. You frowned in your sleep and he repeated himself, finally waking you up. A gasp escaped your lips as you regained consciousness and found Tae right in front of you. You threw your arms around him and told him of your dream - you dreamt that he did not come home.

"Shh, it's okay, it was just some mess with the documents at the office," said Taehyung as he drew circles into your back. You wiped away your tears and kissed his neck.

"I was really scared," you admitted.

"I know, baby, I know," he spoke gently, "Come on, I'll cuddle you to sleep."

Tae carried you to his bedroom and laid you in his bed. You snuggled into his chest once he changed and he played with your hair. It was your first time really sleeping with him and it was the most comforting night of your life.

Jungkook

You knocked on your boyfriend's door late in the evening. It didn't take long before he appeared on the doorstep. He froze at the sight of you, not expecting to see you here. You said that very same day that you didn't want to go on a date because you were really exhausted from work.

"Baby?"

You didn't say anything, just wrapped your arms around Jungkook's torso and pressed your cheek against his chest.

"Can I please stay here tonight?" you cried quietly. "I can stay on the sofa if you want, I just... I just don't want to be alone tonight..." you whispered through your tears. Emotions had been building up inside you lately. You were stressed and staying in your apartment on your own just made the negative thoughts scream even louder.

"Of course you can stay here, kitten," said Jungkook and hugged you back after he closed the door behind you. You dropped your bag to the floor and sobbed into his chest, all the stress and negative emotion melting off you in his embrace.

"Did something happen, baby?" he asked you carefully.

"N-no, I just... I felt so alone," you stuttered as you shook your head.

"Okay," nodded Jungkook and kissed the top of your head. He took you to the kitchen and sat you up on the counter as he made you drink a cup of comforting tea. He listened to you talk about all the things that weighed down on you and reassured you when you needed to be reassured.

Jungkook let you wear one of his hoodies when it started to rain outside and the air turned cold.

"I can just stay on the sofa," you said when he told you to come to the bedroom with him. You did not want to be an inconvenience.

"Are you afraid I'll do something?" frowned Jungkook, clearly offended. Your eyes widened.

"What? N-no, I just... I... I mean if... If you're uncomfortable... I just showed up..." you tried to explain yourself, trying to recover from the damage you had done.

Without a word, Jungkook picked you up into his arms and carried you to the bedroom.

"Come here," he said as you remained on your side of the bed. You couldn't help but smile and scoot into his arms, his touch banishing all the negative thoughts from your head.

[mcwritingblog]

Immortal pt. 7

Pairing: Javier Pena x AFAB reader

Summary: Javi and readers life after the accident

Rating: Fluff

Warnings: Hurt/Comfort, Lots of plot

Author’s note: Sorry for all the plot

Word count: 1.8K

It took Javi two weeks to get back up and running again. Work gave you a week off to help him recover. You only wish it was longer, but you get what you can. You’re so afraid of missing anything you barely sleep anymore.

The night after he came home, he woke up gasping and coughing. He sits up, and you're right there beside him.

“Shhh.. sh, sh.. It's ok” you grab his face and brush over his stubbled cheeks. “You’re safe, baby, you’re safe.”

He clears his throat, breathing starting to even out. 

You smile at him in the dimly lit room, “Hi, love.”

You join your foreheads, feeling a little sweat on his brows.

“Hi, baby.” He sinks into your touch.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” you whisper into the space between you.

“You jumped in front of the bullets that got me.” he cringes.

“Oh, baby. I'm so sorry.”

“I had your bleeding body cradled in my arms. I kept running to get you to the hospital, but my legs wouldn't move. I tried screaming for help, but my words never left my throat. I felt helpless. I didn't want to lose you. I don't want to lose you.”

“I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here. I'm safe”, His body visibly starts to soften. “Here. Lay your head on my chest. I got you.”

You lay down, patting the top of your breast, and he obliged—his warmth invading your side. Avery left her position at the foot of your bed to your other side, blocking you in.

“Just talk to me for a little? I want to hear your voice.”

“Ok, well. When I was younger, I used to chase my brother around the yard. Mom hated me getting my dress dirty. It wasn't very ladylike. “

“You have a brother? I don't remember hearing about him,” he speaks sleepily into the night air.

“He was ten years older than me. Ever the golden child, perfect manners, kind. He looked just like my dad. Though the age gap was large, he was my best friend. Stood up to the boys who picked on me at school.” 

You drew a deep breath and continued,

“He passed away a couple of years ago, unfortunately. I didn't eat for a week. Mama thought she’d never get me out of bed. But we were Y/L/Ns, so we had a reputation to protect. So we’d go to socials, pretending nothing happened.  Years later, my father passed, and my mother passed a month after that. She told me for weeks that she couldn't be in a world he wasn't. I'm pretty sure she died of a broken heart.” A lump forms in your throat. You haven't thought about your family in a century. You comb over his hair, willing him to sleep.

“After that, I had no family. So I got my first cat, Lucy. Pretty little thing. White and fluffy. She gave the best cuddles.” you chuckled softly. Javi’s head gets heavy, and his breath turns into soft snores.

“I've had seven cats, two turtles, and a fish. I found Avery eating trash in the alley behind the coffee shop. Tiniest little black spot you could ever see. I was at a point in my life where life was dull. I was going through the motions. I almost looked over her, but just as I turned away from throwing out the garbage, I heard her tiny little screams. I took her home that day.” you scratch the little scruff under her chin.

“She saved me.”

The room went quiet, save for the crickets outside. Your heart drops to your stomach.

“I wish I could tell you,”

I wish I could tell you that I'm going to outlive you. I'm afraid of losing you too, Javier Pena.

---

You wake up before Javi does. His black hair is sticking to his forehead, mouth open, and snoring. He looks absolutely disheveled, and it's beautiful. In the night, he rolled over and is now lying on his back. The little hairs on his mustache moving with every breath in and out.  He looks peaceful—enough of that.

“Wake up, sleepy head.” you rock his shoulder. 

“Five more minutes.” he lifts the pillow over his head.

“No, no. The doctor said to give you your medicine at a specific time. Now get up.”

“You're mean.”

“Awww, probrecito.”, you pout, mocking him.

After refusing to leave the bed for several minutes, you finally annoyed him enough that he couldn't go back to bed.

---

A week later, you had to return to work. Javi insisted, mentioning how getting back into a normal schedule would help. He had orders to return to desk duty and felt up to it. You didn't question him. 

“Call me as soon as you get the work. And when you're on your way home. Maybe even lunch-” you said, rushing out the door, Javi following.

He pecks you on the lips, “Yes, yes. I know. Get to work.”

“Oh, and don't forget to feed Avery before you leave. There's a pot roast in the fridg-”

“Y/N! I got it. Go to work.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too”

“I’ll see you after work.”

“I’ll see you after work.”

He can't get hurt on desk duty. He can't get hurt on desk duty.

He closes the door behind you, and you grab your bicycle, taking advantage of the spring air—the first day without Javi. You peddle until you get to your street, hopping off to walk your bike to the shop.

You pass Mrs. Rivera watering her plants outside the flower shop. The smell of Jasmine fills the air.

“Hi!” you stop, visiting with her for a moment.

“Hello, darling. I heard about Mr. Pena. Is he doing alright?”

“He’s a little banged up, but he’ll be ok. Thank you for asking, though. We’re both back to work today. I already kind of miss him. Is that weird?” you scrunch your nose.

She laughs a hearty laugh. “No, not at all.”

“Well, I better leave you to it.”, you say to her, rolling your bike out towards your job.

--

“Y/N!” Maria comes running around the corner, holding her arms out for a hug.

“Maria! Ugh, I've missed you.” you join in a strong embrace. “Squeeze any harder, and I'll pee!” you both laugh. It was so good to laugh. She lets go, holding you outstretched, searching your face.

“You look like you need coffee.” she taps your nose. Then, she runs off to make you a drink while you drop your bag and keys off in the back.

The apron notches perfectly around your waist; the shop smells splendid, and you feel at home. 

Let's see if these hands still got it. You think.

You turn the corner and see her in her environment, absolutely knocking back orders. You take a moment to lean again on the pillar.

“Are we trying something new today, Mr. Abe?” she beams.

The old Asian man standing at the register replies back, “Oh, not today. Thank you, though, darling.” Mr. Abe! You could cry.

You hopped right onto the register, smiling at him. “Two hot teas with sugar, right?”

His glasses raise with his eyebrows, “Y/N!” he coos, “I've missed you. Maria puts too much sugar in Elenor’s drink.” He winks at you, leaving a five-dollar bill in your tip jar.

“Good to see you too, Abe. Speaking of, how is your wife?”

“Oh, you know. Same old, same old. She did make this delicious soup from her garden veggies last week. I’ll have to get her to make you some.”

“Sounds amazing.”

Maria had one of the teas done on the bar. She raises her eyebrows at you.

“Wanna do the honors for Eleanor?”

“I’d love to.” you put the littlest dash of sugar into the tea and hand them out. Then, you point to her cup and inform him, “this one’s for her. Tell her I said hi.”

“I will. Bye, beautiful.”

“Bye, Mr. Abe,” you say as he turns, hobbling out the door.

“So,” you exclaim, turning to face your boss. “What did I miss?”

You spend the next hour sipping your latte and catching up on the latest gossip. 

“The grocery store ran out of watermelons and caused quite a stir. Mr. Garcia from the library finally asked Fiona, his girlfriend, to marry him. Oh! And you wouldn't believe it! Do you know the old man that always walked his dog passed here? His dog died of cancer—poor thing.” Maria rambles on while wiping counters. You just sit on the bar's ledge and space out.

“You following?”

You shake awake. “Yeah. So sad to hear about Daisy. Sorry, I'm just a little tired. The coffee helps.”

“I know going through that with Javi was a lot. You doing okay, kid?”

“I can't sleep because I keep thinking something is going to happen to him. Like I won't see him again.”

“He’s gonna be just fine.”, she offers, grabbing it and brushing her thumb over the back of your hand.

You suck in a breath. “Yeah, yeah, he will. Do wanna head out? I got the cafe until closing.”

She scans your face and then nods. “Ok.”

“Ok.”

For the first time in three weeks, you were by yourself. Javi called you as soon as he got to the office, promising not to get into trouble.

“I'm literally doing the absolutely most boring work in the department.”

“I don't think that's grammatically correct, love,” you point out, holding the phone between your shoulder and ear. The shop has died down, so you’re catching up on dishes.

“Ok. I'm at my desk, reviewing case files that might help us catch this guy. He keeps slipping through our fingers somehow.”

“You’ll get him. I just know it. You know Mr. Garcia proposed?”

“Did he now?” he snorts.

“Hey! They're a cute couple. Nothing wrong with marrying the person you love.” you reprimand 

He went quiet for a minute. Oh no, you brought up marriage, didn't you? He took a deep breath and said, “Yeah. They're perfect for each other. She’s the only one that looked his way. Thought that man was going to die in that library.”

You shrug it off. You’ve only been dating for a year. It’s too early to think about marriage, but, on the other hand, you have been ready for it ever since the first date. 

“Don't you have better things to do than make fun of the poor librarian?” you tease.

“Aren't you supposed to be working?” he retorts

“Touche”

“Steve’s calling. I’ll pick you up from work tonight?”

“Sounds like a plan,” you confirm.

--

Javi’s P.O.V.

I hadn't even thought about it until she brought it up. Marriage. You get close to death once and realize life is way too short not to take a chance. Is this what I want? Is this what she wants? I'm worried that if I asked now, she might think it's because of my accident. Maybe hold off? 

I'm going to ask her to marry me.