#I was so anxious at first because they wouldn’t settle down and go to sleep so I was just a total pushover to a 3 and 5 year old

[teethburger]

I just got back from my first babysitting gig and OH MY GOD children are some of the weirdest and most oddly cute creatures in the world

[nataliasquote]

Double the trouble | new families | n romanoff

Summary: the twins take a trip to meet new family members, but it doesn’t go as smoothly as Natasha wanted

Age: 3.5 years old

Warnings: cute Mama Nat content

wc: 4.4k

Pairings: WandaNat

Note: I’m not a WandaNat stan, it’s never been my first choice of ship, so tbh I’m still questioning how I ended up with this pairing in this series. Which is why I focus so heavily on Natasha’s relationship with the twins, because it’s something I’m used to writing. Hopefully that clears up why my writing is so imbalanced x

-⧗-

Natasha would be lying if she said that the thought of what was coming today hadn’t kept her awake for most of the night. Wanda slept soundly by her side, unaware of the anxiety coursing through her wife’s body. The older redhead kept her eyes glued to the bedroom door, expecting one if not both toddlers to come running in in the middle of the night as monsters plagued their dreams. But it wasn’t weirdly quiet, which didn’t help to settle Natasha.

It was barely 5:30am by the time she had pulled herself out of bed and padded down to the kitchen, careful not to make any noise past the twins’ rooms. The sun had began to rise as she poured the first of many mugs of coffee, so Natasha wandered out onto the patio and sank onto one of the damp chairs that sat there. She loved the stillness of the morning, a start contrast to the usual chaos of her life. The air was crisp and fresh and just smelled like summer. Her favourite season.

A familiar set of footsteps echoed through the empty kitchen and Natasha smiled, looking over her shoulder just as her wife stepped through the patio doors. Wanda was definitely still half asleep, her hair mussed up from tossing and turning but she still looked as beautiful as ever. She carefully leaned down to give Natasha a kiss before looking out across the view their garden gave them. The house sat on the side of a hill, with the bustling city coming alive beneath them. They loved their location and wouldn’t change it for the world.

“How are you feeling about today?” Wanda asked, settling in the chair across from Nat as the cold stone beneath her feet started to get uncomfortable.

“I don’t know.” Natasha stared into the dark depths of her coffee, her eyes glazing over as she got lost in her thoughts. “That’s what scares me.”

Wanda softly touched her hand across the table. “The girls will be fine. Yelena will love them, as will Melina.”

“They’re not who I’m worried about.” Alexei had the biggest mouth and Natasha couldn’t shake the feeling that he would traumatise her babies. Especially Y/n, who had been really wary about guys recently.

“We can handle him, he won’t hurt them. He’s harmless Nat, except for when he talks. But you’ve got ground rules and Melina knows them, so I know she’s just as anxious as you are that he makes a good impression.”

Natasha just nodded but nibbled on her lip, not fully convinced. Motherhood was her favourite thing in the world, but it sure did attack her nerves and leave them frayed.

“Why don’t you go and wake the babies and I’ll start on breakfast. They can’t sleep for too long otherwise the drive will be hell.” A 7 hour drive with two 3.5 year olds… sounds like so much fun.

Wanda disappeared into the kitchen to get ingredients for breakfast whilst Natasha slowly made her way upstairs. By the layout of the house, the door to Y/n’s room was first. The twins’ rooms were conjoined but separated by a door, allowing them to have their own space.

The hallway light lit the way to Y/n’s bed and Natasha crouched down beside her youngest, stroking her messy curls out of her face as she slept. Despite having Natasha’s hair and eyes, the twins’ nose was definitely Wanda’s, and was Natasha’s favourite thing. Y/n’s tiny lips were parted and she slept peacefully, unaware of her Mama’s presence.

“Y/n, time to wake up sweetheart,” Nat said in her softest voice. She rubbed her daughter’s arm and smiled as the little girl frowned, her whole face screwing up. A small yawn escaped from her as she turned to face the one who disturbed her sleep, but all hard feelings vanished as she came face to face with her admittedly favourite parent.

“Mama,” she mumbled, reaching out with heavy arms. Natasha almost melted at the sight and gently scooped her up, the dead weight of her daughter making the task very inelegant. Almost immediately, Y/n snuggled into her neck and closed her eyes, falling back asleep in the comfort of Natasha’s arms.

Nat kept a strong hold on her before she pushed open the door to Isla’s room, surprised to see the little girl sat up in her bed. She’s clearly heard the noise next door.

“Mama,” was her response, her princess pyjama-covered body flinging itself out of bed and stumbling over to Nat to attach to her legs. “Wakey time?”

“It is wakey time, baby.” Isla’s curls were equally as messy as Y/n’s were, so Natasha didn’t even bother to smooth them down. “How did you sleep?”

“Good. Mr E kept me safe from the monsters.” Mr E was Isla’s stuffed elephant that she’d had since she was a baby. It was a little worn out but she slept with it every single night without fail. An adorable sight.

“He’s doing his job, I see.” Isla toddled over to free him from her tangled covers. “You hungry baby? I think mommy is making pancakes.”

“Pancapes?”

“Let’s go see.” With Y/n still fast asleep against her chest and Isla clutching onto her other hand, it was a miracle Natasha didn’t tumble down the stairs. She was very much relieved when Isla went running over to Wanda and Nat was able to hold Y/n with two arms.

“Don’t tell me she fell asleep again?” Wanda said with a laugh, helping Isla carry her sippy cup over to the table. She settled her toddler into her high chair and kissed her cheeks lovingly.

“Of course she did!” Natasha was leaning against the back of her chair with Y/n curled up in her lap, chest rising and falling almost in sync with Natasha’s heartbeat. “I don’t know if she slept well.”

“Is it mean to say I hope she didn’t?” Wanda asked, adding a ladle of pancake batter to her pan. “Would make our lives certainly a lot easier.”

“Mommy, pancapes please!” Isla announced, drumming her little fists against her plastic tray table. She kicked her legs eagerly in anticipation as the smell of fresh pancakes filled the air.

“Patience, baby girl. Mommy needs to cook them first.”

Natasha had successfully woken Y/n up for the second time, but this time the scowl on her small face did not let up.

“Hey grumpy girl,” she cooed, bouncing Y/n softly as though she was a baby. “Mornings really aren’t your thing, huh?”

“Here,” Wanda handed Natasha Y/n’s cup of milk, her go to in the morning. The twins had outgrown their morning bottles, but the comfort of warm milk at breakfast was something they both still enjoyed. “Hello grouchy,” she said with a kiss to her head.

Y/n did not stop glaring at everyone throughout breakfast, and Natasha and Wanda found it thoroughly entertaining. Her poor pancakes were being murdered by her tiny plastic fork and spoon, and with the combined mess of her squished raspberries, it sure looked like a massacre.

The plan was to drive to Melina’s in the morning and arrive late afternoon, just in time for the twins’ dinner and bedtime. This was the first time they would be sleeping in a different bed and both mothers were anxious to see how they would handle it. Hence the shortened night sleep.

Bags and car packed, twins buckled into their car seats and google maps yelling directions from Natasha’s phone, they were finally on the road. Y/n watched the world go by out of the window, the fluffy summer clouds catching her attention. She reached her hand up and stroked it through the air, trying to grab them.

Beside her, Isla was playing with Mr E, of course. He had one ear smaller than the other thanks to her teething phase, but she still cuddled him close and babbled to him quietly.

So far, so good, Wanda thought.

But she’d spoken too soon.

One hour. That’s how long they’d been on the road for before the sound of cries came from the back seat. There was still another 45 minutes before their first scheduled stop so Natasha kept driving, trying to block out the piercing screams behind her.

Wanda craned around in her seat, trying to pinpoint who was crying. But seeing Isla’s smiling face, she knew it was Y/n. She was sat directly behind Wanda’s chair which made the whole situation a lot harder.

“It’s ok, baby, it’s ok. Mommy’s here.” She tried her best to soothe her, rubbing her knee just about. But Y/n continued to cry and now Isla was looking a bit put out. The last thing the mothers needed was two crying toddlers.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Natasha asked, taking a small look at her daughter before she merged onto the highway. “Wands, can you-“

“I’ve got her, don’t worry.” She turned around in her chair more, trying to look directly at Y/n. “Don’t cry baby, what’s wrong?”

“My stuffy!” Y/n wailed, kicking her feet against the hard plastic of her seat. “My stuffy!”

Isla looked at her sister and then looked at the floor in front of her, spotting the familiar orange and black stuffed animal in the wrong place.

“Mommy she drop it,” Isla helpfully pointed out, gesturing down in front of Y/n’s seat. Wanda glanced down and sighed. Y/n had dropped her favourite tiger plushie onto the floor and out of reach, triggering her little outburst. The Sokovian reached behind her seat to grab it but failed; it was too far away. Y/n saw her unsuccessful attempt and cried harder. Her tiger was doomed.

“I’ll get it,” Natasha muttered, taking one hand off the steering wheel and reaching it behind Wanda’s seat whilst keeping the car steady on the road. She was such a typical dad driver, almost as if she were reaching back for candy.

“Nat no, you drive, I’ll do it. You really forget I’m a witch don’t you.” Natasha smiled sheepishly and retracted her hand, allowing Wanda to retrieve the toy with a few simple red wisps. She brought it to the front and dusted off and bits of dirt before handing it back to Y/n who seized it gladly and stuffed her face into its fur, her cries ceasing immediately.

“Noisy,” Isla said, making Nat and Wanda burst out laughing. Oh she was such a hypocrite even at the ripe age of three.

The gas station they stopped at luckily had a McDonald’s attached, which meant the twins struck up a chant for Happy Meals the second they saw their favourite restaurant. And luckily for Wanda and Natasha, their girls had a habit of falling asleep after lunch, so this was impeccably timed.

Two chicken nugget happy meals silenced the twins enough for the moms to get some peace and quiet. Natasha picked at her wrap whilst Wanda chewed on her fries, not overly fond of the burgers sold here. The restaurant wasn’t too busy, with it being a Wednesday, but Y/n and Isla still peered around at everyone who passed their table, making several elderly couples coo over their matching hair and outfits.

Wanda’s guilty pleasure was dressing them in the same outfit. She had to, before they got too old and refused. Natasha let her do most of their clothes shopping and each week she would return, squealing over the latest adorable outfit.

Y/n and Isla were comfortable but cute today. Black leggings and little grey sweatshirts with their newest pair of white converse. If Wanda was the clothes lover, Natasha was the shoes. Something about tiny versions of her own shoes made her heart clench and she just couldn’t refuse them. But of course there was a spare change of clothes on hand, just in case.

After another 5 hours of driving and stops, the SUV turned down a street that was incredibly familiar to the redhead behind the wheel. She drove slowly, taking in her surroundings. This place had never been associated with a happy time in her life, and receiving the news that Melina had bought the house again shocked her.

She cut off the engine in the driveway and felt Wanda’s hand slip into hers, giving her an encouraging squeeze. Wanda didn’t need to read her wife’s mind to feel the anxiety radiating off her, so she stepped up to be her rock and grounded her instantly.

“Where is this?” Isla piped up, her eyes glued to the window and the trees outside. Y/n was still half asleep but followed her sister’s gaze.

“Let’s go find out.” Natasha climbed out of her side and went to get Isla, whilst Wanda did the same with Y/n. The youngest was far too tired to want to walk, so she clung to Wanda’s cardigan desperately, wanting the safety of her mommy in this strange environment. But the second Natasha appeared she reached out, tiny fists grabbing at the air.

“Come on big girl,” Natasha groaned, taking Y/n from Wanda and settling her on her hip. “Let’s go see your aunt and grandma.”

Y/n didn’t clock what she said, too focused on playing with Natasha’s hair. Wanda held Isla’s hand tightly as the four made their way to the front door. There was a faint rustling once the doorbell was pressed and the door flung open to reveal a grinning blonde woman.

“They’re here!” She yelled, bouncing on her toes in excitement. “Natasha! You brought my babies!”

The redhead rolled her eyes. “Hello to you too Yelena.” Yelena barely acknowledged her sister, too busy smiling widely at the small red haired girl in her arms. “Are you going to invite us inside or are we going to stand here and freeze?”

“Yelena let your sister and her family inside!” A voice called from the dark hallway, making the blonde woman smile sheepishly and step to the side. Natasha tightened her grip around Y/n and stepped inside, focusing her attention on her daughter to keep her anxiety at bay. Walking into her childhood home had hit her harder than she’d expected.

Isla held onto Wanda’s hand as the family entered, suddenly feeling really shy in this new space. The interior was dark but weirdly comforting, the dated furniture only adding to the odd charm. Wanda could see how tense Natasha was just from the way she was standing and she wished she could comfort her.

The atmosphere was tense and awkward, and even the twins sensed it. Isla had stopped smiling and Y/n looped her arms around Natasha’s neck, pulling her closer. Nat kissed her hand and smiled reassuringly.

“How was your drive?” A dark haired woman asked, appearing in the corner of the room like a ghost. Pale skin, dark hair, Y/n was intrigued.

“Not too bad, a bit of traffic in the city but we got through it.”

“Mama who’s that?” Isla asked, holding onto Natasha’s pant leg whilst looking between the two strange women in front of her.

Natasha crouched down and placed Y/n on the floor, holding both of her girls by their waists.

“Ok girls, this is Mama’s sister,” she pointed to Yelena who gave a thumbs up. “And that’s your grandma. That’s my mom.” Y/n stared at Melina with hesitation. She could hear how uncertain her Mama was and that manifested itself in her own thoughts too. Even thought she was only two and a half.

“Who wants to give Aunt Yelena a hug?” Yelena sat on the floor and patted in front of her.

“They’re not dogs, Lena. They don’t just run over to you like that.”

Yelena frowned. “Well I don’t know! Fanny does it!”

At the mention of his name, the Akita perked his head up and trotted over to Yelena before settling down with his head in her lap. The twins’ eyes lit up at the sight of the dog.

“Doggy! Can we pet Mama?”

Wanda studied the scene in front of her. “Is he well trained, Yelena?” The blonde nodded and so did Melina. “Go on then girls. But be gentle.”

Y/n and Isla held each others hand and slowly approached the dog, completely missing the way Yelena grinned as they approached. She wanted to be the cool Aunt who spoilt her nieces and this was a win in her eyes.

“If you sit next to him he might give you kisses,” she said in her heavy Russian accent, gently pushing Fanny off her lap to let the twins take a seat. Y/n was more hesitant, letting Isla take Yelena’s hand first. The blonde crossed her legs and settled the small girl into her lap before holding out her arm for Y/n.

“It’s ok sweetheart,” Natasha encouraged when Y/n looked back at her moms. But that didn’t work. The youngest girl ran back to her Mama and pressed into her side, not trusting strangers like her sister did. She watched from the safety of Natasha’s arms as Isla stroked the Akita and giggled as his wet kisses tickled her cheek.

“Do you want to come with me and get a drink, Y/n?” Melina asked, smiling softly at the young girl with her hand out. Y/n looked up at Wanda and Natasha who nodded towards Melina, trying to get her daughter to detached herself from Natasha.

“You can’t stay with me,” Natasha said firmly, although her voice still had that gentleness to it. But Y/n really was struggling, and her change in voice made the little girl’s eyes well up with tears. Natasha glanced at Wanda with a sigh and quickly excused herself and Y/n back outside.

“What’s wrong, detka? Why the tears?”

“Just want you,” Y/n mumbled, rubbing her eye. Natasha shook her head and refused the toddler’s request for cuddles. “Mama!”

“You’re tired, aren’t you?” Her motherly instincts had hit the nail on the head and Y/n nodded. Not necessarily sleep-tired, but more from being in a new place. She just wanted to go home and be with her mamas but clearly that wasn’t an option. “Why don’t we see if grandma Melina has some milk or juice so you can have a nap.”

Y/n brushed against her lips with her thumb as she thought. “I get tiger?” Natasha allowed her to retrieve the forgotten stuffed animal from the car before they headed back inside to find Wanda sat on the floor giving Fanny some belly tickles with Isla.

Nat gave Y/n a small nudge of encouragement and watched as she toddled over to Melina, clutching her tiger for courage.

“Milk, p’ease?” She asked quietly,

Melina’s heart softened at her request and she glanced at Natasha fondly. “Of course, let’s go find some.” Offering her hand to the small girl who took it after a few seconds, they disappeared into the kitchen, Natasha following to loiter in the doorway between the two rooms.

Melina had picked Y/n up and sat her on the counter whilst she rummaged in the fridge to find a glass bottle of milk. She may act cold, but the second she’d found out the twins were visiting she had gone out and bought all the supplies she could think of. High chairs, plastic cups and plates, toys. You name it, she probably bought it.

And Natasha couldn’t quite believe it when she saw her ‘mom’ pull out a brand new cup with Y/n’s favourite princesses on it. The toddler smiled and accepted the drink, sipping on it carefully through the lid.

“You didn’t have to do that.” Natasha said, crossing her arms against her chest.

Melina shrugged off her comment, not wanting to be complimented. “I never got to do it with you.”

Natasha smiled a watery smile and crossed the threshold, gravitating towards the dining room window that overlooked the garden she knew so well. “You kept our old swingset.”

“Didn’t have the heart to take it down.”

“I used to love it so much-“

“You thought if you swung high enough you’d be able to touch the stars,” Melina cut her off, looking at Y/n fondly. “She looks so much like you.”

Natasha’s eyes lingered on the desolate swing set for a few more moments. If she looked hard enough she swore she could see tiny lights in the trees, dancing around the branches like forest stars.

“She’s got your heart too.”

Natasha wiped a stray tear and turned around, pressing her lips into a tight smile. “She’s my little miracle.”

“What happened with her?”

Natasha leaned her hands on the closest dining chair and sighed, not really wanting to relieve the moment that still felt so fresh in her mind, despite it occurring over two years ago.

“She had a heart defect when she was born and the doctors didn’t pick up on it right away. It was obvious that she was a bit smaller than Isla but they thought that was it. It wasn’t until a couple days later that she started struggling to breathe because her heart wasn’t working properly. I really thought we were going to lose her before we even brought her home.”

Y/n was oblivious that she was being talked about and she just sat there idly drinking her milk and fiddling with the technological watch on Melina’s wrist. She didn’t understand, but the sound of her Mama’s voice was soothing and made her eyelids start to droop slowly.

“Does she still have trouble now?”

Natasha shook her head. “Thankfully no. We still have to have regular check ups just to make sure it’s all ok, but the surgery seemed to have fixed the problem.” She couldn’t help but pout at Y/n tiredness as she noticed from across the room. “Would you mind making another cup for Isla? They could do with a nap before dinner.”

Melina happily obliged and sent Natasha back into the living room with a cup for Isla who gratefully accepted it. She leaned against Yelena as she drank it and the blonde woman held her carefully, her boisterous nature suddenly flipped 180 in the presence of a child. Wanda came to join Natasha’s side, having missed her even for those few minutes.

“Do you want to put them down for a nap?” Natasha whispered to Wanda, knowing that she felt very much on the outside of this situation. “I’ll go and bring the bags to our room.”

“Have the girls got their own room?”

“Yeah. Yelena offered to sleep on the couch so they’re taking her room and we’re across the hall. Like always.”

Wanda slipped her hand into Natasha’s and pressed a small kiss to her lips, wanting to keep it short and sweet. “Ok then, I’ll let Isla finish if you go get the stuff.”

After an almost-asleep Y/n was placed on Wanda’s lap, Natasha headed back to the car to start ferrying their bags back and forth.

“Isla, baby, it’s nap time,” the Sokovian cooed, only to be met with grumbles of protest.

“No, stay Lena!” Whining was a clear sign that she was tired, but Isla was a stubborn as Natasha and scowled hard, tiny face screwing up.

“I’m sure Yelena will come and help if you’re a good girl.” Bribery, the most effective parenting tactic. Isla turned around and looked up at Yelena with her big green eyes, completely melting the Russian’s heart and making her fall head over heels in love.

“Why don’t you show me your cool pyjamas, huh?” Yelena said, tickling Isla gently in the ribs. This got the toddler up and moving, pulling as hard as she could on Yelena’s hand to make her follow. Wanda chuckled and let Yelena lead the way up the small staircase to her room where two makeshift beds had been set up.

Natasha had worked speedy and already laid out a folded pair of pyjamas for the girls on each bed, and Isla ran straight towards hers, eager to show Yelena. She babbled away as the blonde helped her get changed, her sleepy state now a million miles away.

Y/n let Wanda get her changed and didn’t protest once, but the slightly frown on her face was a telltale sight that she still wasn’t happy.

“Will you read story?” Isla asked Yelena as she climbed under the covers, Mr E tucked safely under her arm. Yelena looked at Wanda for permission who just shook her head.

“We usually only do stories at bedtime.”

“Maybe later, soldier.” Isla frowned but accepted her answer and yawned. “Sleep well, little one.”

Both adults backed out of the room and found Natasha downstairs with Melina, their voices hushed as they talked.

“Are they always so different?” Yelena asked, plopping down onto the couch and almost hitting Natasha in the process.

“What do you mean?”

The blonde screwed up her face. “Well, Isla is so… you know, and Y/n is…” descriptive as ever.

“They’ve always been like that,” Natasha sighed, leaning her head on Wanda’s shoulder and smiling as their hands found each other.

“Y/n is her Mama’s girl,” Wanda said with a fond smile, no hint of resentment or jealous in her words. “But they’re so different it’s crazy sometimes. And Y/n has her moments, but she prefers to watch while Isla talks. Saves our ears, that’s for sure.”

“Speaking of talking, where is he?” There was bitterness to Natasha’s tone and Melina clenched her jaw, her hands coming to smooth over her black pants.

“I sent him away for the week,” she admitted, watching Natasha’s eyes shift at the news. “I didn’t think it would be good for the girls… or you.”

Natasha’s original hardened expression slowly softened and she bit her tongue to stop the tears building. Motherhood had made her soft and emotional, but she didn’t realise just how much.

“A mother always knows, Natasha. I’m sure you both would have done the same if it was the other way around.”

It was like a weight lifted off her shoulders and for the first time since they’d left that morning, she finally relaxed. Her girls were safely asleep upstairs, Wanda was grounding her by her side, and the family she had abandoned for years had welcomed her back with open arms.

Maybe these reconnections weren’t going to be so bad after all.

[corrodedcoffins-blog]

Lake House Days

jack hughes x teen mom!reader

note: i love writing little kid dialogue

word count: 1.3k

Bringing the twins anywhere was hard, but having to fly and a long drive to the lake house, was a big trip for the kids. And a very long day for Y/n. All that along with meeting new people, well she knew Jack’s parents, and his brothers, and she met Trevor once. But this would be the first time Jack’s family (minus Luke) and friends were meeting her kids. What if they didn’t like their son dating someone with kids, of course they did know, but knowing and seeing were different things. 

“Love, you okay?” Jack’s soothing voice broke Y/n out of her anxious thoughts, just like he always does.

“Yeah, just a little nervous.” “About what?” The man gives his girlfriend's thigh a gentle and reassuring squeeze, from where said hand had been resting since they got in the car. Y/n checked over her shoulder, seeing the twins sleeping soundly, Abby’s head leaning on her brother’s shoulder, smiling Y/n turned her attention back to her boyfriend.

“Just of everyone meeting the twins… Your parents and Quinn meeting the twins.” The woman admits, her voice low, more aware of her sleeping children now. 

“They are going to love them, they love kids and my family loved you when you met for the first time.” Jack assured her, making a quick glance taking in her reaction before returning his eyes to the road and continuing, “Abby and Eli charm anyone they meet, without them charming me, I would have never talked to you.” “Shut up.” The woman says, smiling. 

“Well I hope you got the last of your nerves out because we’re here.” Jack says, pulling into the long driveway of the beautiful and large lake house. Putting the car in park among the impressive number of cars already here, and turning to face the younger girl.

“Ready?” “As I’ll ever be.”

As Y/n slowly tried to wake up the twins, Jack unpacked the car, in the end neither child was ready to wake just yet, leading to Y/n carrying Abby and Jack carrying Eli. The door opened before Jack could open it himself, the image of Quinn in their sights. 

“Hey- oh hi.” the man says more quietly after realising the sleepiness in both the twins' faces.”Hey Quinny.” Jack greets his brother, doing the usual bro hug guys to, as well as he could with Eli in his arms. “We’re gonna put these two in their room, then we’ll come down and see everyone.”

Jack and Y/n walk down the stairs after Y/n finally got Eli settled. “Hi Y/n!” Ellen says seeing the couple coming down and bringing Y/n into a tight hug, “Hi Ellen!” “Where are Eli and Abby?” truthfully Y/n never thought Ellen or any of Jack’s family would care to know her children, and it was never anything they had done, in actuality they have done everything to disprove that notion. But with years of dating as a single mother it was more common than not that any partner's family wouldn’t want anything to do with her babies. “They're both napping, they've had a long day already.” “Oh of course! Believe me I know.” 

-

Spending the past hour without the twins and just getting to know Jack’s family and friends better first, had done a lot to ease her anxiety that this time would in fact be different. Y/n and Ellen talked all about how fast your kids grow, Y/n didn’t really have mom friends so it was refreshing to talk about her kids with someone that could relate. This along with Ellen telling many child Jack stories, much to the man’s dismay. 

“Mommy?” A quiet, sleepy voice mumbled rubbing his eye with one hand and his sister’s in the other, the young girl’s own other hand holding her most prized possession, her blanky. 

“Hi huns! You’re up?” Her rhetorical question causes the girl to nod her head, while jumping into her mom’s lap. Eli walked over to lean his arms on her arm rest, and his head on her chest. “Ready to meet everyone?” The twins’ mother whispered, while most people surrounding the fire were watching. Both 5 year olds nodding their heads, Y/n continues, “This is Ellen and Jim, they’re Jack’s parents.” The woman says, directing their attention to her right where Ellen and Jim sat. Both children mumble a quiet ‘Hi’ back. “And that’s Quinn, Jack’s other brother.” The same routine continued on, the two successfully convinced all that they were shy. Until Eli walked up to Trevor and sat on his lap, mischief must detect mischief, but Abby stuck to sitting with her mom. Scoping out who here will be her best friend. 

-

“Hun, I need to put sunscreen on you.” Y/n said, trying to reason with her son. She already got Abby ready, Abby was only difficult getting ready if she had a reason to be, Eli however was difficult just because it was fun.

“No!” “Baby, if you don’t put this on you’re gonna get burnt just like Lia did last summer remember? She could barely move, do you want that to happen to you.” “No..” The boy mumbled, accepting defeat and lifting his arm for his mom. “Thank you.”

“Jacka, what we doing today?” Abby was going through a phase of adding ‘a’ to random words in her sentences leading to her giving Jack the new nickname. While the young girl was letting Jack put on her shoes, the man answered her question excitedly and lifting the girl off the bed and onto the floor, “Going on the lake today!” “On boat?” “Yes ‘on boat’.” “Momma we going on boat” She repeated for her mom, even though the woman was a foot away from her and already heard it. “Maybe, hunny. Not for sure. Okay! You’re both ready, how ‘bout you guys go downstairs and help Ellen with snacks?” “Okayyy!” “Okay-a!” Both children yell, running out of the room.

Once they were excited, Jack pushed the bedroom door closed and walked over to his girlfriend. In the time that they’ve been dating, when the twins are around you take any time alone together you can get. Leaning down only slightly Jack gently presses his lips to Y/n’s, her immediately kissing him back. Her hands went around his neck, his own resting on her lower back just above her ass.

Breaking apart Y/n whispers against his mouth, “Okay, ready?” “Yep” he says, stealing a quick peck before exiting the room himself.

-

“I spy… Something invisible.” Eli announces, turning from looking all around him to looking at Trevor and Cole. “What’s invisible?” the taller boy asked, he’d been taking the game pretty seriously and Eli just threw a curveball at him. “Dude, I don’t know!” Before the two could embarrass themselves, Eli stepped in, “The air!!!” “Oh! Duh!” “Good one, man!”

This was too complex for Eli’s brain but he often latched onto male figures in his life; of course he had Lia’s dad but he didn’t see him often, so not having one for himself, he loved Jack and his friends, they gave him what he didn't have. 

Y/n was watching the three play eye spy from her spot on Jack’s lap. And checking over at Ellen and Abby playing ‘Go Fisha’ as Abby calls it. After a moment of Jack not having her full attention, he brings his right hand from the woman’s lower back to rub her upper thigh, grabbing her attention once again.

“You okay?” “Yeah.” Y/n says, a smile from ear to ear spreading across her face. She is so happy. Having Jack, and people besides herself and the people she considers family (Lia and her parents) caring about the twins I was something she wasn’t sure she would ever feel. Last night even, Y/n put the kids to bed and Eli asked her if Jack was going to be their dad, it almost made her cry on the spot. But what did make her cry happy tears was that her answer, not that she spoke it to Eli, was closer to a ‘yes’ than a ‘no’.

“Yeah, I’m really happy.”

~taglist~

@yabbadabbawhosposts @mallory78 @fulla02 @mostellasm

[luci-in-trenchcoats]

M.I.A.

Summary: When Colter Shaw calls the reader for help on a job, she thinks nothing of helping out. Only he never shows up and Colter may have just become the latest disappearance in this small town. It’s up to her and Russell to work together to find him before his case goes cold like all the others before…

He's My Man Masterlist

Pairing: Russell Shaw x reader

Word Count: 6,500ish

Warnings: language, kidnapping, violence, torture, mentions of death

A/N: Welcome back to more Russell Shaw! This story is considered a timestamp to He's My Man and it's highly recommended that story be read prior to this one. With Tracker coming up again soon I wanted to dive back into this world with these characters and thought this would be a fun way to check in with the gang. Please enjoy!...

________

“Thanks,” you said to the waitress who refilled your coffee. The diner was quiet, the mid-afternoon lull between the lunch and dinner crowd. You poked at the slice of chocolate pie in front of you and scrolled through your phone, an anxious feeling growing in your gut.

Colter had called last night, asking if you’d be willing to come out and act as his date at a gala event where he was investigating a young woman’s disappearance. Admittedly, you were a bit nervous to accept. You’d only been doing reward work for six months and you’d had success so far with tracking down a few show dogs, a horse, a signed Mickey Mantle baseball card and a stolen car. But you hadn’t dipped your toe into the truly hard stuff yet. People.

After Colter got you to put the phone on speaker, he and Russell had wore you down and convinced you this would be a good first run. It was Colter’s case, you were simply there to help and offer input.

Flirting with a rich playboy Colter suspected of kidnapping the missing woman while he searched the house was also up there on his request list.

It was only a three hour drive to the small town from home and Russell had an important meeting with a brewery investor at lunch so you decided to help him do some last minute prep in the morning before agreeing to catch up with Colter for lunch at a diner. Yet, it was a few minutes past three and you’d heard nothing from him since around midnight the night before.

“Fuck it,” you said, slapping down a ten dollar bill and dialing.

“Hello, hello, qark,” answered Russell, his voice cheery and bright.

“Your lunch went well I’m assuming?” He hummed. “Don’t leave me hanging. What’d you settle on?”

“He gets 5% profit sharing after the first year for five years. By then he said we’d be well established and probably wouldn’t need him anymore. He was a good guy, invited us to get dinner with him and his wife sometime.”

“That’s great, honey,” you said, turning when the bell over the door rang, pouting to find it was a pair of older men that took a seat at a booth. “You haven’t heard from Colter at all, have you?”

“No…he never showed for lunch?” You sighed. “He could have been arrested.”

“Russell,” you chided.

“He gets arrested and Reenie bails him out all the time,” he said. “I just texted her. I bet he’s sitting in the station right now because he pissed off some local power hungry…shit.”

“Shit what?” you asked, taking a big, stress induced bite of pie. 

“Reenie said she hasn’t heard from him.” Russell groaned in the background. You closed your eyes. Today was supposed to be a good day for him. The last thing you wanted was him worrying about his little brother.

“I bet he ate some bad food, puked his guts up in the airstreamer and is sleeping it off. He said he was staying at the Sunny Days Park. I’ll go meet up with him there-”

“I’m coming out there,” said Russell. You rolled your eyes. “If he’s so sick he can’t pick up a phone then he needs help and that girl he’s looking for needs help too.”

“Fine,” you said, your heart rate spiking when you stood. “He’s probably just being his usual anti-social self, right?”

“Yeah. He’s totally known for being flaky on jobs,” deadpanned Russell. “Just…I’m not going to ask you to wait at the diner for me but be careful. Keep your gun on you and you call me when you get to his trailer. I have a bad feeling.”

“Me too,” you whispered. “I’ll call you in ten, Russ.”

You’d frowned when you found Colter’s truck parked in front of the airstream fifteen minutes later. Your pout remained when you cleared the the area and the inside of the trailer, carefully tucking your gun away into the holster on the back of your jeans. “He’s not here, Russell.”

“Anything look off?” he asked through the headphones in your ears. The space at first glance didn’t look out of the ordinary. Computer and maps on the kitchenette table. Coffee mug upside down on the drying rack next to the sink. You stopped short and squatted down, cocking your head.

“There are two pairs of shoes tucked under the table. Boots and trail running shoes.”

“Okay…” You stood up and sighed. 

“Russell, I lived in this trailer for a few days and Colter is a minimalist. There are two pairs of shoes here and he only owns two pairs of shoes. So he’s walking around barefoot? That’s-”

“Not good,” sighed Russell. “Do you see any sign of struggle? Blood? Anything weird? Or missing?”

“Not that I can tell. I didn’t exactly do an inventory of his closet when…” Your eyes zeroed in on a tiny black speck in the corner. “He has a security camera.”

“Call Bobby, see if he can get the footage from a cloud server or something. I’ll call back in a few once I’m on the road.”

“Drive safe, hun.” 

“You be safe. Anything feels fishy, get to a public place and stay there until I get in.”

“I know. Love you.”

“Love you too.” Two minutes later you were on Colter’s computer, Bobby sending you a link to the 24 hour cloud account where Colter’s subscription was saved to once a day.

There were two feeds, one right over the door to the air streamer and the other a wide angled shot staring down the entire length of the trailer. You backed it up to midnight, watching Colter sitting right where you currently were, texting and finishing off his beer. He stretched and stood, putting the empty under the sink.

He hit off a light and you sped it up, Colter padding out once to get a glass of water during the night. You smiled when he got up around six, an unusually cuddly version of Colter appearing on screen. He had a blanket wrapped around his bare shoulders as he shuffled over to his coffee machine, getting a cup brewing.

It reminded you of Russell in the morning. He too had a habit of walking around with a blanket first thing. You wondered if that was a Shaw thing or a habit Colter picked up from his big brother when they were kids.

You watched Colter disappear into the bedroom, exiting in a black tight pullover along with fitted pants for running. He sat at the booth and tugged on his sneakers before knocking back his coffee. He glanced at his phone quickly and tucked it into his pocket before he was gone, the interior still. The video was motionless for another hour when Colter came back inside, a thin layer of sweat on his face. Sneakers were removed and socks tossed into the bedroom, Colter taking deep gulps from a bottle of water. He tucked it back in the fridge and headed for the bedroom when suddenly the airstream door opened. 

Three men in black masks bounded inside, one holding a bulky looking gun. Colter didn’t get more than a step in before cords shot out and you realized he’d been tased. Your heart caught in your throat as he fell to the floor hard, body rigid. His face was etched in pain as he slowly moved his arm but the men were on him fast. Punch to the face, hands zip tied behind his back, tape over his mouth. Colter was out cold when they threw a hood over his head and he was lifted off the ground by a man on either side of him. They quickly left, no one appearing until you found yourself on tape hours later.

“Colter,” you breathed out, looking out the windows, as if he’d suddenly appear safe and sound there. Shakily you dialed Russell, your head in your hands. 

“Hey. You hear from Bobby at all?” You tried to keep your breathing calm, remember the stress management techniques you’d learned in med school. 

You winced, Russell’s voice loud on the other end. “Y/N, answer me.”

“I watched the tape. Russ, s-someone took him. They took Colter right out of the airstream this morning and-”

“Where are you?” You lifted your head, Russell growling. “Where?”

“In the air-”

“Leave right now, right fucking now,” he said. You grabbed the phone, Colter’s computer and a stack of papers nearby before rushing out of there. “Are you out?”

“Yes, I’m in my car,” you said with a pant, tossing everything in your passenger seat and taking off out of the campground.

“Go back to that diner and I’ll meet you there in two hours. If anyone tries anything-”

“I know,” you sighed. “Don’t speed to get here. The last thing we need is you in an accident.”

“Diner. Two hours. Be there.”

Two Hours Later

You munched on a basket of once warm fries as you heard the bell over the door jingle. You eased slightly when Russell headed your direction, wrapping you up in a big hug. “You okay?”

“I’m fine, Russ, I swear.” You sat back in your corner booth, Russell sliding in the opposite side, getting a cup of coffee and burger for himself before you ordered dinner. “How are you holding up?”

Russell didn’t say anything, just had that look on his face he did right before he killed Owen. Honestly, you shared that sentiment. Colter had your back when you were strangers and now when you were family? Yeah, someone was going to pay and dearly.

“Bobby’s been running the video through his programs but couldn’t ID any of the guys. They ditched Colter’s phone outside the airstreamer so no leads there,” you said, passing the computer over to Russell. He watched the video, his eyes twitching momentarily before he took a long, deep breath.

“Can we trace these guys phones?” You shook your head. 

“Bobby tried. No cell activity in the nearby area before or after they…” You swallowed the lump in your throat, Russell reaching across the table and taking your hand in his. “The team’s been trying to find who took Colter while I’ve been looking into his research on the case. I figure he found out who took the woman or got real close without realizing it and that person took him.”

“Smart girl.” Russell cracked a smile, a heavy weight quickly settling back over the table. “But I have a problem with it.”

You nodded, keeping your lips sealed as his food was delivered and you got a plate of eggs and hashbrowns set down before you. “Me too. It doesn’t make sense to take him unless they wanted to know something he knows and they figured he wouldn’t crack immediately.”

“Yup. Aren’t you supposed to go to a party with him tonight?” You stopped with a forkful halfway to your mouth. Russell cocked his head. “He got an invite to that party. For two people. They must think he has a partner and that the partner knows everything Colter does.”

You set your fork down, Russell forcing a smile. “They’re looking for me. Those people are probably hurting him-”

“Hey,” said Russell, voice quiet. Gentle. “They took him because he found out something these people don’t want him to know and he didn’t realize it, not because of you. Let’s figure out what that is and then we’ll come up with a game plan.”

“Okay. Let’s figure this out.”

Forty minutes later, two clean plates and Russell making more than one odd face at the computer screen did it hit you. You slid Colter’s notebook with the name of the party over, Russell’s eyebrow quirking. “What?”

“These people don’t know who I am, otherwise I’d be gone. Colter wanted me to go to this party with him, right? Well, let’s go to the party.” Russell leaned back, closing his eyes. “Isn’t the most likely scenario that the person that took this girl also took Colter? And they clearly are powerful enough to have a few guys working for them. Let’s go to the party full of rich people and see what we can sus out.”

“Y/N.” Russell sighed, rubbing his temple with his palm. “It’s way too dangerous. Just because someone hasn’t come after you doesn’t mean they won’t. We need to figure out what Colter stumbled on-”

“This party,” you said, holding up the notebook, slapping it down. Russell clenched his jaw, relaxing after a beat. “The only research Colter did was on this girl and then there’s the party invite. He wanted to go there for a reason.”

“Alright, alright,” he said, picking it up, flipping through the pages. “How’d he get the invitation in the first place?”

“It’s a charity fundraiser. Anyone in town can go as far as I can tell,” you said. “All I know is he wanted me to be a distraction.”

“Distraction…” Russell typed on Colter’s computer, biting his bottom lip. “Party’s at some older rich dude’s house. Francis Duvel. Sounds like a real upstanding community member.”

“That’s not surprising the wealthy guy is hosting a charity event.” Russell’s eye twitched before he spun around the screen. Your eyes flickered down, reading a headline.

Duvel Industries Once Again Cleared of Safety Allegations; Whistleblower Drops Suit as CEO Vows Quality & Integrity Valued Over Profits

“I couldn’t figure it out earlier but there’s been a pattern of people going missing every so often in this town. Men. Women. Old. Young. Never kids or teens. Always adults. Your missing girl, Alexis Pearson works at-”

“Duvel Industries,” you said, flipping through a paper. “Executive assistant. You think-”

“Poor girl probably found out they were cutting corners somewhere and she said something to the wrong person.” He handed you back the computer and sure enough, all of the people that had “left” town or simply gone missing had at one point or another worked for Duvel Industries.

“How did no one figure this out before? It’s obvious what’s going on,” you said, Russell looking around. “Wait. You think…”

“Article said the local cops found no issues and never have. This charity auction is for the community including-”

“Fuck,” you muttered. “He’s got the sheriff in his pocket, likely a few more cops. No wonder Colter couldn’t just turn over what he found. He couldn’t trust them.”

“He should have called me,” said Russell, closing the computer. He shook his head, staring out at the cloudy evening sky. “I have a friend in the bureau. I could have…”

“So let’s call your friend, get the FBI up here to take a look at Duvel and in the meantime, try to find Colter and Alexis.” For the first time he looked worried and it made your heart clench. “What is it?”

“Alexis is probably already dead and when FBI agents show up at Duvel’s front door, he’s going to kill Colt and the girl if they aren’t already. Y/N, we have to find him tonight.” 

“Okay,” you said, getting up and pulling him into your side of the booth, wrapping an arm around his waist. “Screw the party. That was Colter’s plan. Ours needs to be more direct.”

“What’d you have in mind?”

“Duvel isn’t stupid enough to keep him or Alexis at a place where he’s having the whole town come to, right? So where would you hide them as a CEO?” He smiled, kissing your cheek before pulling out his phone. 

“Bobby, it’s Russell. I need the address of every property owned by Duvel Industries asap.”

One Hour Later

“How do you know it’s this one?” you asked Russell as you got out of his car. He went to the trunk, resting his head against the open thing. “What’s wrong?”

“I know because this place is isolated, it’s been under construction for years with no progress but the tire tracks we saw were fresh. It’s Duvel’s dumping ground.” He straightened up, hands on his hips. “Qark.”

He didn’t have to say it. He wanted you to stay here, out of danger. He’d wanted you away from this kind of life and said it more than once.

Russell reached inside the trunk and opened a black duffel, holding out a black vest to you. It was much smaller than the one he and Colter fit in though. You took the vest, followed by Russell handing you a thigh holster. “I thought you were going to tell me to stay in the car.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I want you to stay here,” he said, bending down to buckle the straps against your thigh, pulling it taut. He looked up with a half-smile before taking your gun from the back holster and putting it inside, tossing the other one in the trunk. 

“What are…” He zipped up your jacket all the way and pulled the vest on over your shoulders, fixing your hood before tightening the sides so the vest hung tight to your body. “Russell.”

He shrugged, green eyes nervous but gentle. “You have let me teach you self-defense, how to reload and shoot, tactics and stealth so you’d be safe doing reward work. You’ve done it all without complaint. I want you to stay at the car but I know my queen of darkness. You can do this. You told me once before you wanted me to show you how to do things, not do them for you. So let’s go do this together.”

You smiled, running your hand over the vest. “How long have you had this?”

“I bought it the first reward job you took. I figured someday you’d need it.” He put on his own gear and locked the car, inhaling deeply. “If you want to change your mind-”

“That building is massive. You can’t go in alone.” He nodded, closing his eyes. “Am I liability to you? Serious question. If I go in there with you, does it make things harder if Colter is in there?”

Russell peeled open his eyes, smirking as he planted both hands on your face and kissed you hard. 

“I always worry, qark. Whether you’re in there or out there.” He touched his forehead to yours, hot breath fanning over you. “You do not have to go in. Absolutely you do not have to. But if my girl wants to do this with me, then I’m glad I’ve got her for a partner.”

“Thank you,” you whispered, Russell lifting you up into a hug. 

“But if shit goes down, you run.” You shrugged, Russell groaning. “Alright, alright, Rambo. Follow my lead and stick close. Bobby’s going to contact my friend in two hours if he doesn't hear from us so let’s get a move on.”

“Age before beauty,” you said. He narrowed his eyes. 

“Yeah, keep it up youngin’ and next time you’re in that outfit I’ll teach you a lesson.” You glanced down to his groin, Russell growling. “Y/N.”

“Sorry.” He nodded, checking his gun before letting in hang by his side.

“Stay low and quiet. Clear your corners and don’t hesitate to use your weapon. You sure you want to go in?”

“Let’s do this.” Russell checked your gear one more time before you headed into the forest, jogging through it for a moment. You stopped at the edge when Russell held up a hand. He reached into his back pocket, revealing a small scope. You knelt by his side, looking around as he mumbled to himself.

“Good news and bad news. Good news is there’s only one vehicle and it’s a car which means most likely there’s four guys or less. Could be more but odds aren’t in favor. No cameras from what I can tell. Bad news is two outside guards. It’s going to be hard to get in.” You pursed your lips. “What are you thinking?”

“If we each get one-” 

“Y/N,” Russell scolded. You frowned, his face softening. “Those guys are huge. Odds are they grab you before you get the guy out cold.”

“Russell. I fought off Owen when I was roofied when I was younger. You have taught me so many moves. I wouldn’t risk Colter if I didn’t know that I can take out a guy that size. Trust me. Please.” He lowered his head, shoulders sagging.

“If he’s not going down, shoot him.” You agreed and then the two of you were jogging across the dark grass, coming to a stop against the concrete wall of the building. Russell pointed you forward and you went ahead of him, gun in front of you, squeezing the cold metal tight.

The guard rounded the corner quickly though, startled by the sight of you. You ducked fast, Russell’s fist flying out where your head had been. It connected hard with the guard’s jaw and he slumped against the wall, crumpling down in a heap. You stood up, Russell tapping your shoulder before stepping in front of you. After a moment the guard was restrained, tape over his mouth. Russell peaked around the corner before holding up a hand for you to stay back before he disappeared. 

Ten seconds later he returned, body slightly less tense. He nodded and you jogged over to him, keeping behind him as you went through the door and past the other out cold guard with hands and feet secured.

The building was large, some warehouse space, offices on either side. Russell sighed silently before going left. You walked backwards behind him for a few minutes as he cleared room after room after room with nothing to show.

“It’s taking too long,” he whispered. “I can’t check every room fast enough if the guards check in on a schedule.”

“I can finish the hall. Do the other side. You’re faster without me,” you murmured. Russell stared at you for five seconds then planted a kiss on your forehead.

“Be safe. I’ll be right back.” Silently, he went the way you’d came from and disappeared around the corner. You turned your attention back on the six or so offices to go with a thick swallow. Without Russell by your side, your nerves came front and center. But you couldn’t stand there forever. There was probably someone else inside and Colter wouldn’t hesitate if you were in his shoes.

You steadied yourself and cleared a dark, empty office, then another. The second to last door pushed open easily, bright light hitting you in the face. 

There was barely enough time to register Colter in a chair, someone behind him with a knife and then the man’s hand was moving fast towards his throat.

The trigger pulled hard as you squeezed it once, twice, three times. You couldn’t hear over the ringing in your ears as you did wide sweeps of the room. No one else was in there and after finding the man slumped on the ground was dead, you rushed to Colter who’s head hung low.

“Colter. Colter,” you urged. He was shaking as you tilted his chin up, a thin line of red on his throat but not deep. You closed your eyes. Fuck, a second later and Colter would have already bled out by now. 

But something wasn’t right. His clothes were wet, skin ice cold. Your eyes darted upwards when you felt cold air conditioning kick on overhead. It was only then that you noticed the dead man was wearing a winter jacket for some reason.

You checked Colter over after cutting him free, a few bruises on the face, bruised ribs from his labored breathing and you winced when you patted his shin and felt how swollen it was. You cut up his pants leg and saw the deep bruising, very highly a broken bone in there.

Another gun shot rang out nearby and you spun around with your gun, aiming at the door. Russell appeared a few moments later, sighing in relief. But his face fell when he saw Colter violently shaking in the chair, arms wrapped tight around himself.

“What’s-”

“He’s hypothermic,” you said, cutting up his pants, Colter shaking his head. “We need to get him out of these wet clothes and warmed up now.”

“Y/N-”

“Russell, he’s not stable.” You finished cutting off his pants and had his pullover halfway off. “Call your FBI friend and tell him we need a med evac to a level 1 trauma center. In the meantime, go kill the A/C and get my med kit from the car.”

“Got it,” he said, turning to leave. “I found Alexis.”

You looked over your shoulder at him, Russell smiling. “She’s roughed up but she convinced these guys-”

“I’m sorry but does she need medical attention, yes or no?” He shook his head. “Then go do as I ask.”

Russell took off down the hall, Colter’s wet clothes dropping to the ground. You got behind him and put your arms under him and around his chest, hoisting him up.

He screamed at the sudden pain in his side and leg but you could deal with that later. Right now, he was too fucking cold. You walked backwards out of the room, Colter whining the whole time which frankly scared the fuck out of you.

Colter was stoic. Tough as nails like Russell. Calm in moments of terror.

Scared, hurt, out of control Colter made you heart feel like it was being stabbed.

“S’okay, Colt. I got you. You’ll feel better real soon,” you said, dragged him down the hall and into an office you’d found a couch in earlier. You jerked when you noticed a shadow at the doorway.

Alexis was hiding halfway behind the doorframe, wide eyed at you. “I-I can help.”

“You know what a space heater is?” She nodded quickly. “Find them and bring them back here. Quickly. I saw a few in this hallway.”

She ducked away as you lowered Colter to the ground and plugged in the space heater you’d saw in there, turning it to the max. 

You found a wooden chair and kicked at it with your boot until it broke apart. Taking two long pieces, you placed them on either side of Colter’s leg and removed your vest, jacket and shirt. 

“And you said my red jacket was ugly,” you teased, laying it over his shivering form. “Too visible if I recall.”

His fingers squeezed the material so tight it started to tear, your heart breaking for him. You leaned down close, wiping the wetness out of his hair with your shirt. With a sigh you kissed his forehead, Colter mumbling something you couldn’t make out.

“I know you know you’re in shock. Everything is fine. All I want you to think about right now is a story I’m going to tell you. Okay? Just lay back and listen.” You soaked up more water with your shirt and leaned back, removing your tank top, leaving you in just a black bra. “You know Russell bought me this bra back when we went on that trip to Paris last month. I know we told you about it and you did a lot of humming like you couldn’t care less, remember?”

You shredded the tank top with your hands into strips, laying them over and under his broken leg. “I’m going to splint your leg now.”

“So there was I,” you said, pulling tight, Colter nearly doubling over as you did the few other spots quickly. “In Paris with your brother of all people and he’s bought me all these nice pajamas and lounge sets and other things you don’t need to know about when he says, let’s take a few days trip to Africa. Let’s go to the desert. Now, I don’t know about you but if you’ve never been to the desert, it’s hot as fuck.”

You made sure his leg was straight before fixing your coat on him, Colter shivering into your hand. Alexis returned with three space heaters and you quickly go them on and around him.

“When you’re in the desert, you can feel the sun prickle your skin. You know that feeling? The heat from the rays literally warming you, getting inside. It makes you so hot. It reflects off the sand, like hot sand at a beach, right back at you. It’s like you’re on a baking sheet, hot out of the oven, baked on all sides.”

Colter was still shivering but he was starting to relax, less violent shakes coming out now. 

“You ever have a sunburn like that? I bet you did. Your nose and cheeks got all red, your skin so hot. I know you Shaw boys were always outside. Russell gets these freckles when he’s out in the sun. Do you get them too? A nice hot summer day, out on the water with a warm breeze.”

Russell entered the room, kneeling beside you. “Chopper will be here in thirty.”

“Okay,” you said, Colter’s head turning to the side. “Rest up for me big guy.”

You got up and pulled Russell to the back corner, nodding at Alexis sitting on the couch. “What?”

“Russell, you should take her to the nearest hospital.” He frowned, biting his tongue though as you held up your hands. “She’s not as bad as your brother but she’s dehydrated and cold.”

“No, I need to stay here in case Duvel’s guys show up. You take her-”

“I’m sorry, are you a doctor? Do you know what to do if Colter has a heart attack? A seizure? Those are very real possibilities right now, Russell. I need to warm him up and calm him down the right way and I can’t worry about her right now. I need you to take care of her. Please.”

He closed his eyes. “Fine but I’m tossing those two guys in the trunk of their car. And put your vest back on. And keep an eye on the door-“

“Shaw.” He opened his eyes, finding you glaring at him. 

“Please help him the best you can,” he whispered. You hugged him, Russell squeezing you tight before he was moving and out the door with Alexis under his arm. Only the hum of the space heaters and Colter’s incoherent mumblings could be heard as you sat down beside him. 

“Here you go,” you said, resting the vest over his injured leg to try and give him some warmth. You held your gun in your hand as the other rested on his forehead. Fuck, he was still too cold. Slowly, he peeled open his eyes, looking so young for the briefest of moments. “I have one last idea. But it’ll hurt.”

He nodded very slowly before closing his eyes tight. “I’ll be right back.”

You jogged out to the warehouse and hit the switch to open the bay door, quickly breaking into the luxury car out front and pulling it in. You left it on and hit the heated seats to low, rushing back to Colter where he was breathing shallowly. “Come on, bud. This should help.”

He groaned when you pulled him through the halls and out to the warehouse, cursing a long string of profanities at you that felt like the closest Colter Shaw had ever gotten to going absolute ape shit.

The ache in your chest eased when he hissed at the contact with the seats and then, you swore on your life, he cooed like a newborn baby. With the heat blasting in the car and thanks to the seats warming his bare skin, he finally passed out with a smidge more color to his skin.

“Okay,” you sighed, resting your head against the wheel. “You’re going to be okay.”

The Next Evening

“Hey,” said Russell. You didn’t acknowledge him as you watched flames flicker in the outdoor fireplace back at home. He sat down on the couch behind you, pulling you back into his lap. “Can’t sleep?”

“No,” you said, leaning your head back against his shoulder. You tucked yourself into him, Russell wrapping his arms around your body. “How’s Colter? He sleeping yet?”

“Oh, he’s annoying as hell. Little shit thinks he’ll be driving out of here tomorrow morning.”

You groaned, Russell humming. “He broke his damn leg. He isn’t driving for at least a month. He is staying with us at a minimum until that cast is off.”

“I’m not the one you have to argue with.” You sighed, Russell’s long legs shifting around to lay over top of yours. “You want to talk about it?”

Your eyes welled up, Russell sensing your tension. Your eyelids squeezed tight, something heavy boiling up under your skin.

“What’s the hardest thing? Killing someone? Or almost losing Colter?” he asked quietly. You shrugged, turning your head down to your lap. “He hurt-”

“My little brother died of hypothermia.” Russell went rigid behind you, turning you in his lap so you’d face him. Your bottom lip wobbled as he pulled you in close, his hands on your back. “The car accident…it was winter. My mom died on impact but we went down a ravine. My dad went to get help for me and my brother but it was so cold and we had no heat and Charlie was so hurt…the last thing he ever said was how cold he was.”

You looked over Russell’s shoulder at the dark lake, save for a few homes with lights on across the water.

“I don’t care that I killed that son of a bitch after what he did to Colt. But I just…” You inhaled shakily, gripping Russell’s hoodie tighter. He shushed you, rubbing his hand up and down your back. 

“He’s home with us. He’s safe,” said Russell softly. Long fingers stroked through your hair, tucking you into his neck. “I think Charlie would be really proud of you for protecting Colter like you did.”

“I should have protected him too,” you mumbled. Russell sighed, quietly embracing you. “You’re an older sibling. You understand.”

“Bullshit.” You leaned back fast, glaring at his stern green eyes. “Your dad was an amazing doctor and he left two injured kids. He was either a moron which I doubt or your brother had internal bleeding which made him say he was cold. If it was hypothermia you would have died too.”

“No, my dad said-”

“Was this before or after Owen’s fucked up mob family started drugging your dad so he had psychosis?” Your voice caught in your throat. Russell raised his eyebrows. “Sweetie, do you even know why Charlie died?”

“It was hypo…” You unraveled yourself from him, planting your bare feet on the warm deck. You gripped the couch cushions, closing your eyes, medical facts bouncing around your head. “Jesus, Russ. Why did I think…”

“Because your dad said it. He probably never even remembered he did. Deep down, he didn’t blame you so you shouldn’t blame yourself.”

You stood up, stepping in front of the fire with your arms crossed. You titled your head back, inhaling deeply. “He said a lot of mean things when I was a teenager, as I got older. But at the funeral…he was still himself. He didn’t…”

“No, he didn’t.” Russell stood behind you, curling his arms around your chest, trapping you against his strong warm frame. “So back to my original statement. Charlie, hell your parents too, I know they’re proud of you.”

“I killed a guy,” you scoffed.

“You saved a woman, helped catch a murderer, expose corruption throughout a small town, bring closure to a dozen families with missing loved ones-”

“Russell,” you groaned.

“And you saved my little brother’s life all while risking your own. We are damn proud of you, my queen of darkness.” Your head tilted backwards to look at him, Russell grinning back. “No objection?”

“Fine. You wore me down. I did good,” you grumbled. He chuckled against your ear, giving you a tight hug.

“The words every man loves to hear from his girl,” he laughed, giving you space to turn and hug him back. “You want to try sleeping?”

“In a minute. I want to check on him quick.”

“Don’t be long,” he whispered. He pressed his lips to your forehead, letting them linger. You gave him a hum and slipped inside, walking down the hall to the guest room. You cracked open the door slowly, Colter laying in bed with a frown.

“Need some pain killers?” you whispered as you entered, shutting the door behind you. 

“No,” he grumbled, glancing up at you when you took two pills out of the bottle on the nightstand. “I overheard you and Russell.”

You sat on the edge of the bed, Colter grabbing your arm. He tried to sit up, relenting when you pushed on his shoulder. “Rest. I know that’s a foreign word to you but you have to take things slow if you want to recover correctly.”

“And you need to realize this job is dangerous and I am not your responsibility.”

“No, you’re not.” You ruffled his messy hair gently, Colter pouting. “But that’s what family does for each other.”

He wanted to retort but bit his tongue, grumbling as you fixed his blankets and made him take a painkiller. 

“Why didn’t you tell me you and Russell got engaged?” You glanced down at your hand and the shiny silver band on your finger. 

“When did you notice?”

“When you shot that guy. It helped to think of something else for a bit.” You nodded, playing with the ring. “When’d he ask?”

“About a week ago. We wanted to surprise you and Dory.” His hand fell down to yours, giving it a light squeeze. “Colter, I know you have your issues with your brother but we love you. I know you’re going to hate it but you need to stay here for awhile. At the very least you need to stay with Dory if not us. You can’t be alone right now.”

“I will try to not complain too much,” he said. You smiled, leaning down to hug him. “Thank you for finding me.”

“Let’s not make a habit of it is all,” you said, getting up and pushing his glass of water closer. “Need anything else?”

“I’m good.” You went to the door, Colter clearing his throat. “Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

“That red jacket is still fucking obnoxious.” You flipped him off, Colter cracking a smile. 

“Goodnight, asshole.” You turned off his light for him and found Russell curled up in the blankets in bed.

“How’s the patient?” he mumbled, big spooning you as soon as you were tucked under the covers. 

“He’s going to be alright.” 

“Did you ask him about being in the wedding yet?”

“One step at a time, hun.” He chuckled, burying his face against the back of your neck. 

“Try to get some rest too, qark.” You closed your eyes, nodding once. “Love you.”

“Love you too, Russ.”

___________

[howlett-n-morgan]

Take Me Home

2. Gunslinger

Arthur Morgan x Texas Red!Reader

A/n: thank you guys for the warm welcome back and for reading the first part! I hope to be getting the Joel series reposted soon, but for now, I'm just going to be uploading these.

Summary: With the newest outlaw settled into camp, Arthur takes on yet another role within the group: Teacher.

Warnings: canon typical violence, guns, talk of blood and brutality. Backstory mentions misogyny, and has detailed descriptions of arranged marriage. Mild language, some angst, mostly still just an introductory chapter.

WC: 3.3k

“I know what Dutch said,” he nodded, approaching closer and crossing his arms. “I still expect something in return for my services.”

You scoffed. “I ain’t got nothing you would want.”

“Sure, you do…” he trailed, standing right in front of you and reaching down towards your hip. Your breath hitched in the back of your throat, even just having him this close to you. When his hand met your gun, pulling it away from its holster, you relaxed just a bit more. “How is it you shoot so fast?”

You haven’t seen much of the nature of Agua Fria, but you’re glad you’re able to, now. You’d town hopped a few times within the city, letting new faces get a look at yours. But there was a sort of pressure in those crowded areas, and it doesn’t feel like that in the Van Der Linde campsite. 

The gang has taken well to you. It’s been a fortnight since you joined up, the ragtag gang of outlaws, thieves, and gunslingers had been welcoming, given your display on just the day after your arrival.

Dutch has yet to send you on any jobs, mainly because of something you revealed to everyone around the campfire a week ago. 

“How does one shoot a rifle?” you pondered curiously, the silence of the group making you anxious.

“Boy, you better be pulling my leg,” Dutch himself butted in, shaking his head in disbelief. A cigarette hung from his lips, but he pulled it away to stare you down. 

“Well, I just…” haven’t ever shot one before. You’d trailed off before any further mockery could be made, but it was too late.

“You mean to tell me, that in eighteen years of life, you never managed to fire a rifle?” Arthur chimed in, though he was in on your secret, this revelation still surprised him. What else were you hiding?

“If y’all are just gonna mock me, I’m turnin’ in.”

Dutch laughed, and everyone else in the circle made an attempt to undo the harm done. 

“Javier ain’t even played a damn note, and you’re gonna sleep?” John cut in, his gravelly voice full of resentment to your attitude. Maybe you were a bit touchy, but it’s not like you’d ever had close friends to joke around with before. Much less people who got away with poking so much fun to your name.

“Who cares if he can’t shoot a rifle? He’s got a faster shot than all of you with a pistol,” Tilly piped up, her sweet voice just about putting all the other men in their place. She looked at you with contrition. “I’m not very good with those big guns, either.” 

“Thank you, Miss Tilly,” you tipped your hat, sitting back down on the log next to her. 

That was another thing… You couldn’t bear to break the young girl’s heart, although she would have to find out eventually that you were not in fact the man she thought you were. 

Arthur chuckled under his breath watching the interaction, going back to the drink in his hand with a shake of his head. He wouldn’t say anything, he promised he wouldn’t… but some of these occurrences were just too amusing, he couldn’t help his genuine reactions. The slanted jokes about male anatomy towards you, usually coming from John, Sean, or even the calendar boys. The way that you nearly had a heart attack when Miss Grimshaw offered to help you out of your clothes to wash them. Even now, the sweet words from Tilly and the funny way you looked at your feet to avoid meeting her eyes. 

He’d been surprised, if he’s honest. He thought that with all her romantic notions and storybook thoughts that Mary-Beth would be the one to fancy a new gunslinger… but maybe you just weren’t her type. Perhaps it was the red hair that deterred her, he knows for sure that was the case when Sean tried his luck. Good thing Karen was there to catch his fall. But sweet Tilly had no idea what she was in for.

He’d teased you about it over the next week, and finally today, when it was time to show you the ropes of a rifle. Dutch insisted that running with them required knowledge of more than pistols and revolvers, and who better to teach than the enforcer himself.

“Like this?” you asked, trying to place the gun correctly. 

“Yeah sure, if you wanna blow your arm out of socket.” His low chuckle, followed by a drag of smoke was not helpful, and neither were his words, but your position was just too funny.

“I believe this is where you’re s’posed to be helpin’ me,” you replied, a fiery bite in your words. You’d been learning to warm up to people’s teasing, although it was still a long road to go. 

He stood to his feet from where he lounged by a tree, coming up beside you to kick your foot out a little. “Can’t stand like a tree, kid… you’ll tip over in the wind.”

He pulled the butt of the gun into your shoulder, making sure you wouldn’t give out when the gun fires. 

“Alright, the shootin’ part should be easy for you. Just hold strong, that thing’s gonna kick back a hell of a lot more than any handgun.” 

You pulled back the bolt, raising the barrel until you could aim properly. The glass bottle on the tree branch down the way looked like an easy enough target, but when you fired, you weren’t ready for how much pressure the gun would push on you, and you stumbled back into Arthur. 

“Mind your step, will ya?” he teased yet again, and it took everything in you to just ready your stance and try again without saying a word. 

You took a deep breath, pulling back on the bolt once more. You had a good idea as to how much you needed to push back this time. Finding the bottle again, you pulled the trigger, closing your eyes at the explosion and faintly hearing the sound of broken glass in the distance. 

“I did alright,” you turned to Arthur, a narrow gaze in his eyes as he looked from you then back to the tree. It was quite a distance away, and he was surprised you’d hit so accurately already. Then again, you were kind of known for your accuracy… but you’d never fired a rifle.

“Yeah, more than alright,” he reasoned, taking the gun from you and turning to take a shot for himself. “Now ya just gotta work on speed. This ain’t nothing you can keep on your hip.”

He fired one round after another, each bullet hitting the same branch on a tree until it fell from the trunk completely. Wow. 

He smirked over his shoulder, and your face probably gave him an even better reason to be smug. You were clearly in awe of almost everything this man did. Taking care of his horse? In awe. Carrying supplies from the wagon into camp without having to make several trips? In awe. Even now, his accuracy and reaction time. He was so skilled, and you wondered if you’d ever match him. 

“Now,” he said, setting the rifle by the tree. “I don’t just go about teachin’ folk how to shoot for free.”

“But Dutch said that-”

“I know what Dutch said,” he nodded, approaching closer and crossing his arms. “I still expect something in return for my services.”

You scoffed. “I ain’t got nothing you would want.”

“Sure, you do…” he trailed, standing right in front of you and reaching down towards your hip. Your breath hitched in the back of your throat, even just having him this close to you. When his hand met your gun, pulling it away from its holster, you relaxed just a bit more. “How is it you shoot so fast?” 

Honestly, you didn’t have a clue. Everything you did to get faster, you’re sure he’s already done, and a million times over. 

“Nerves, mostly. My hands start shakin’ whenever I get a challenger, they start itching to shoot real bad… guess that’s why.”

He nodded, but was unsatisfied. Your answer was vague and unconvincing.

“What’d you do to learn? You obviously ain’t shot another gun but this one here, tell me how it came along,” he raised the pistol in the air, his skilful hands spinning it over a finger with ease. 

“I guess s’a long story.”

“And since you learned your way around a rifle so well, we got nothin’ but time.”

You sighed, stepping into the shade of the tree closest to you. You leaned into it, crossing your arms and watching as he continued to handle your closest ally in his steady hands. 

How do you even start this story? How does it even get told? You’d never uttered a word about your past to a single person since it all unraveled. You weren’t sure he’d stick around to hear it all, or maybe if he did, he would think you to be foolish. 

But this Arthur Morgan, with his tough exterior and gruff voice had a soft spot. He was gentle when need be, kinder than most. You suppose he derives it from Hosea, given that the man practically raised him into manhood. 

“You know, I used to be a little rich girl,” you chuckled, watching for his reaction. It was surprising to him, but he waited, almost as if thinking you’d retract it as a joke. “Yeah… lived on a big orange grove in South Carolina.”

“You’re kiddin’ me,” he let out when he realized you weren’t messing around. 

“Had a rich daddy and a rich mama. My entire lineage has gotta be worth a couple million at least.”

“Then why on earth are you here? You’d have to be crazy to leave that behind,” he gripped your pistol tightly now, his entire stance leaning on his left leg as he narrowly watched you lounging against the tree. 

“Oh, I had a good reason,” you scoffed with wide eyes. 

“Good enough to leave behind a family fortune?” 

He’s a man. Every man you’ve ever met is the same. They pay no mind to you anymore because you look like one of them now. But before? It was practically a brawl at every public event you attended. You hope that Arthur does not prove to be like the rest. You’ve already been so sure that he stands out, it'll break your heart if you were wrong.

“I know it may not seem like it, but I used to be quite the stunner. I attracted quite a few suitors.”

He nodded, looking you up and down in one glance before coughing a bit and averting his eyes. You hid yourself well, but if he tried hard enough, he could imagine how you would look in more feminine apparel. He liked what he was imagining. 

“I don’t doubt it…”

“Well, my dad was in control of who would have my hand, and as you can imagine I wasn’t fond of that fact… He picked one of his old pals from Virginia, another big farmer like himself, wealthy beyond belief and probably thirty five years my senior.”

Arthur was still, blinking a few times. He doesn’t understand. Yes, you would have had to marry someone you were not interested in… but the situation seemed ideal otherwise. 

“You would have been well taken care of, wouldn’t you?”

“Oh sure,” you nodded, but there was a smirk on your lips. “I would have been just dandy until he found a reason to kill me like he did his first two wives. My father never believed the accusations, of course, and the evidence had been conveniently destroyed… but I knew better.”

He let out a low whistle, finally looking back to your gun and wondering if its origins were about to come to light. Yeah, he thought. That’s a pretty damn good reason.

“So you ran off?” 

You gave a small nod, remembering the last time you ever saw your home and family.

“When I was eighteen I was shipped off to Virginia with a caravan, but before I could be delivered to old Thomas Arlington’s doorstep, I hid overnight in a stable. I stole a horse and headed west a bit.”

“How far west?” 

“West Virginia,” you chuckled. “I got to lurk around there a while, I started dressing all boyish and helped a travelin’ musician with his shows. After he settled down I found that very gun on the ground of a saloon. No one ever claimed her, so I polished her up and started practicing draws. I got pretty good, made bets on shootin’ games to get by.”

“You just… picked her up and started shootin’?”

“It sounds quite dull when you put it that way,” you laughed, holding your hand out to take the gun back. You’re not expert with this thing, can’t even spin it half as well or efficiently as he does… but you might be the best in the world at drawing it from your holster. “I’d never shot anyone before, until one man got real upset that he lost a shooting game to me. It was my first duel… and I won. All because of a game. It was that can game we played after I got here.”

“I figured as much. I ain’t never believed anyone could shoot faster than me until I saw you that day. Paid close attention to those bullet holes.”

He was being far too kind. It’s not like you were anything like him. He had it all. Strength, skill, wits, and as you learned with every glance, the looks to kill.

“I ain’t any good beside the one shot I know how to take.” Your confession meant more to him than you realized.

Yeah, he thought. You can draw, but before today you’d never shot a rifle. You’d never used a knife. Likely never robbed a bank or a stage coach or anything of that sort. Aside from duels, you’re clean cut and inexperienced… your nickname holds far more weight than he’s sure you can actually hold. Ruthless killer? More like a hustler with a bit of blood dusting your fingers. You haven’t made any ground compared to him, yet you’re the one they know far and wide. 

“Let’s make a deal,” he started, his steps carrying him quite close to your form, nearly hovering over you. “I’m gonna make you one of us. Teach you everything you need to know. Fightin’, stealin’, sneakin’ round… all of it. And in return, you’re gonna teach me how to shoot faster than you.”

He knows it’s built on a prideful notion, but he reckons you don’t care, because he’s offering you far more than you can give him. Obviously you agree, because even if you try to teach him, you are almost positive that you don’t even know the secret to your speed.

“Alright, cowboy… I’ll shake on it.”

And you do, squeezing his hand tightly.

-

You find yourself settling into the camp a lot easier than the weeks before. The names of the people here just roll off your tongue, whenever you see them, a greeting is spoken. You’ve also been able to sleep soundly in your tent despite the fears of the animal sounds out in the distance. You’ve come to realize that you aren’t alone in the wilderness, and you have a sort of family to keep you safe, now. 

Arthur continues to show you the ropes, giving you tricks and quick witted thoughts for situations you would never have thought to put yourself in. They all are illegal situations, of course, but you listen intently, and learn each step with an absorbent state of mind. 

Even if he doesn’t outwardly show it, you think Dutch is happy about your progress, given that you are not only an asset to future jobs, but also because you seem to blend well with everyone. He definitely views his gang as a family of fugitives, and now that you’re one of them, he’s become warm with you, even calls you ‘son.’ 

There is one member of camp that to date, you haven’t gotten into conversation with. Hosea Matthews. The man seemed to be the fatherly type, and nearly everyone in the gang had a sort of paternal view of him in some way. You reckon Arthur has taken the man to be closer to him than actual blood. The great Mr. Morgan doesn’t often share details of his past, but you’ve heard here and there about the rascal that was his father, dead and gone when Arthur was a kid, but not soon enough. 

It was a Tuesday morning, after a round of stale coffee when he first sat down beside you for a friendly chat. You couldn't have possibly known the contents of the topics he had in mind, but you were about to be bombarded with them in the most gentle way you reckon a man can speak. 

“Mister Gunslinger,” he began, a gentle clap on your shoulder to garner your attention. “I’ve heard you’re getting to be the best man at camp.”

His friendly chuckle eased your nerves, but you brushed off his words anyway. 

“Not sure ‘bout that. Just learnin’ the ropes,” you nodded along to your own words, hoping they caught well with him. 

“Arthur told me you picked up a rifle for the first time a few days ago and blew him out of the water,” he mentioned, the tone in his voice suggesting he wanted his compliment to land. 

“He’s bein’ far kinder than I deserve,'' you scoffed, shaking your head this time. “Nearly took my shoulder out of socket on the first shot.”

“But you broke a bottle on the second,” he returned, likely quoting your dear mentor’s own words. “How did you learn to shoot that pistol of yours, anyhow?”  

Hosea knew everyone’s stories. He was the father of the camp, albeit not the leader. He knew everything about everyone, and he took care of them. You took one look at him and decided you could trust him from day one… but that didn’t mean he should know everything.

“Well, I found this gun a while ago, just started shootin’ it till I hit somethin’.”

He leaned forward in his seat, another chuckle rolling off his tongue, but the question went unanswered in the way he’d hoped for. He took a breath, turning to face you a bit more… He decided to be straight with you. 

“I’m sure you’ve probably got things in your past you’re not too proud of. I’ve heard the name ‘Texas Red’ in quite a few towns now. I guess I’m just curious about what you did before the gunslinging days.”

“Oh…” you trailed, completely unsure if elaborating on your past, even without context, could force you to accidentally spill something you didn’t intend to. So you took the safe route. “Not much to tell. Ran away from home, stole a horse and headed west. Found this gun in an old saloon and the rest is history.”

He saw through the act, but didn’t let on. He didn’t want you to feel like you needed to hide things, but similarly, he didn’t want you to feel pressured to talk. This camp was a safe place. As long as you kept to the rules and helped out, you didn’t need to do anything else. You could just live freely and have your being. 

“Listen, son… I know it’s probably hard to open up about things you’ve gone and left in the past. Every person here has a story, somewhere they came from or something they did. If you ever want to talk about yours, I’m always up for good conversation.”

You looked into his eyes, and they were full of contrition, full of compassion. You guessed there wasn’t a bad bone in this man’s body. 

“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

He nodded once before standing up and heading down to the river bank, likely to fish. 

You wonder if he has suspicion of you, or if he knows more already than he’s leading onto. But then you think, no. He’s just a kind older man that actually gives a damn about the younger folks here. He didn’t seem to have any biological sons or daughters, but this camp was full of family he could call his own.

You think you're starting to call them family, too.

Tags: @photo1030 @sheepdogchick @snoopysshark

[reidspharb]

part two on the angst spencer reid (happy ending if u want) 🤞🤞

How You Get The Girl

*Part two to The moment I knew

Summary: After four days of no calls, Spencer tries his hardest to fix things with you

Word count: 1.14k

Warnings: angst, fluff, lead by pure vibes idk

Note: idk whats with me and writing at ungodly hours of the night but this one was written mostly at like 1am so any errors are due to sheer sleep deprivation! also thank you so much to anon who submitted this it was really nice to give this little story a happy ending :) also first anon ask super cool on enough of this now.

It had been 3 days 2 hours and 43 minutes since you had last spoken to Spencer. He knew because he couldn’t stop thinking about that short exchange, how you were so upset you didn’t even let him explain. 

Spencer couldn’t stop staring at his phone, picking it up every few minutes, maybe I missed the notifications he told himself.

The truth was, he knew he fucked up and he knew he hurt you and missing that party was the worst decision he had made in a long time. 

Thinking about you had consumed him so much that he found it hard to complete his work. He never used his phone at work, unless he needed to call someone for something work-related.

Of course, working with a group of profilers, people began to pick up this odd behaviour. The first to notice was his best friend JJ. 

She immediately recognized his anxious demeanour, but she just didn’t know why. After a while, she ruled out problems with his mother, and that didn’t really leave many options.

Spencer didn’t have many friends - at least that they knew of- and most likely didn’t have a girlfriend either, so what was it?

JJ approached him after their round table meeting on a case just a few miles west of Quantico. 

“Hey, Spence,” she sighed settling her hands on her hips.

“What’s up JJ?” He replied, obviously trying to act as normal and natural as possible, but it wasn’t really working. 

“Nothing, I was just wondering how you’re doing,” Immediately Spencer blushed, obviously embarrassed that his co-workers were noticing his new habits “You just seem… off. Worried. Is everything alright?”

Spencer had tried to hide his shame but clearly, it wasn’t working and he just couldn’t keep it all contained anymore. 

“No, I-“ he sighed and looked down at his feet, trying to decide what to say next. Jennifer didn’t even know about his girlfriend, how would she react knowing he hid that from her all this time and also did such a heartbreaking thing to an innocent girl.

He faked a laugh and a dull smile, “No, JJ everything’s fine! I've just been a little anxious because,” he swallowed and tried to come up with a lie as realistic and believable as possible, “I’ve just been awaiting an interview for this teaching job at Virginia Tech, and uh, they haven’t told me the date yet.” He said in a nonchalant tone, praying that JJ wouldn’t push harder.

She obviously knew he was lying, the guy was a genius but he wasn’t a very good liar. Even though she knew there was something deeper, she thought if he wanted her help, he would be honest. 

“Oh, cool! I’m sure you’ll get that response soon.” She said cheerfully before walking away and clearing the conversation out of her brain.

After the fourth day had passed Spencer knew he had to do something to make this right, the regret had nearly swallowed him whole. 

When he got off work, he drove over to the closet flower shop and purchased a rather large bouquet of your favourite flowers. He remembered when you told him that a bouquet of flowers was always the best apology.

To go along with your flowers, he purchased you a birthday card, to make up for missing the party. It was a rather cute thing, with a pop-up kitten inside, he knew you would love it even if you didn’t say it. 

He scrawled a short birthday wish into the card before starting up his car and heading in the direction of your home. 

As he drove towards your house in the darkness and rain he couldn’t help but worry about what would happen when he arrived. Would you be so angry you would throw it all in a puddle? Or would you welcome and forgive him and this would all be over. Of course, he hoped for the latter, but he would understand if you were upset by seeing his face again.

Once he had arrived, his heart raced as he stepped out of the car and headed towards the front door. When he walked up the stairs, already wet from the rain, he thought of the first time he ever strolled up those short steps and your first kiss standing right there in front of your front door.

He rapped on the door two times fast and two times slow, just like he always did. He could feel himself nearly shivering as his hands just about vibrated while he waited in that infinitely long moment for you to open the door.

He heard the chain on your door unlock and as the door swung open, he saw your face. Your tear-stained, puffy, red face. Seeing you like this almost brought tears to his own eyes.

The way you looked at him ate at him from the inside.

You sighed and looked him up and down, inspecting the flowers he was holding.

“Oh my god, Spencer. Are you insane?” You practically shrieked when you realized he was standing outside your door at 9 PM in the pouring rain. 

“I know, I’m sorry. I should have called first before I just showed up, but I nearly lost my mind missing you.” He said truthfully. “I was just too afraid to see you and tell you that what I did was so fucking stupid and I just really h-“

Just like you had on the phone those few days ago, you cut him off, but instead of with a snarky remark, with a hug. You nearly jumped into his arms. You didn’t care if you got wet or if the flowers got ruined, you just wanted to feel him. 

After the lengthy embrace, you let your boyfriend in. He gave you your flowers and your, now wet, card and made you both tea while you placed them in a large glass vase.

The two of you sat down on the couch and you let him explain this time, fully explain. You could feel his remorseful aura, and even though what he did sucked, you didn't care anymore, you were just so happy to have him with you.

After your long discussion, you ate leftover cake, then celebrated your birthday by binging your favourite tv shows and remembering old memories.

The following morning, Reid decided to move in with you, telling you he never wanted to be away from you at a time like that again. He hung up framed photos of you all over the house of kisses on cheeks and happy memories. He would remind you nearly every morning how much he loves what you have and wants you no matter what, for worse or for better, nearly like wedding vows.

And you can say proudly he never missed another birthday.

[sequinsmile-x]

Cacoethes

Emily is 9 months pregnant and doing her best not to cry at everything, especially because it's not Aaron's fault the pizza place got her order wrong.

-x-

Hi besties,

This is very much me trying to be funny. This is very fluffy and sweet and what I owe you all after the last two chapters of Our Great Divide.

It is one of the kissing prompts, 'tearful kisses', from my Linger Like a Tattoo Kiss series, but it massively got away so it is it's own fic :)

As always, let me know what you think <3

-x-

Warnings: pregnancy, questionable pizza toppings

Words: 3.2k

Read over on Ao3, or below the cut

Emily loved being pregnant. 

She was anxious at first. Sure that the fact she’d fallen pregnant so quickly and so easily, after being told by more than one doctor they weren’t sure if she could after her injuries from Ian, was a cruel trick from the universe. A burst of happiness that she wouldn’t be allowed to hold on to, not when she already had Aaron and Jack. It was a feeling that faded as the weeks went by, her anxiety replaced with joy and happiness as it settled in that she was going to have this. That she deserved to be happy, something that she had once thought would pass her by entirely. 

She thinks that's why she loved watching the changes to her body, why she loved the evidence that it was real.  It was why she’d stare at her reflection as she stood side on to the mirror every day, diligently watching as the slight curve to her belly gave way to an undeniable bump, her hand trailing up and down her abdomen as she stood naked in her and Aaron’s bedroom. Slow and purposeful as she made mental notes of the changing topography of her body, each new hill and valley something she enjoyed just as much as Aaron did, his love for her and their baby growing along with her by the day. She never thought she’d be someone who took monthly bump pictures, but she was. Unashamed as she’d stand against a blank wall in their home wearing a sports bra and a pair of jeans she’d stopped being able to do up months ago, her smile wide as she cradled her belly, her eyes soft as they met her husband’s over the camera as he took a dozen photos each time. 

She loved feeling her baby move, the small fluttering she’d mistaken for gas at first shifting into actual kicks and punches - elbows and heels occasionally visible through her skin, something she thinks would have freaked her out if she saw it on anyone else. She loved it. She’d sit up in bed next to her sleeping husband for hours, too uncomfortable to sleep herself, and she’d talk to her daughter, whispering in English and French about all the plans they had, how she and Aaron would always make sure she was safe and loved. 

Even now, her due date been and gone a week ago, when she couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen her toes and couldn’t get off the couch without assistance from Aaron, there were only two things about pregnancy she knew she wouldn’t miss - not being able to take a deep breath, and having absolutely no control over her emotions. 

It was something she’d always prided herself on. Her ability to compartmentalise something that had helped her survive things most people couldn’t even imagine, but she’d left it behind somewhere in her first trimester and she worried she’d never entirely get it back. She cried at everything and she hated it. She felt like a raw nerve, exposed and sore and liable to falling apart at the tiniest thing. It was only made worse by her frustration with herself, a vicious cycle that not even Aaron could always get her out of no matter how much patience and love he showed her. She was hoping that the moment her daughter was born things would improve, that she’d feel a little more in control again, but she knew she was kidding herself. Denial one of the few things she could hold on to when every day that passed her body and her mind felt a little less like her own. 

She also was not a fan of maternity leave. She saw no merit it in it when her baby was still inside of her, the thought of just resting laughable when she hadn’t been able to sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time in weeks. She missed Aaron when he was at work, although he wasn’t going on cases anymore because she could go into labour at any moment, and Jack when he was at school, and she could admit even to herself that she’d mope around the house until they got home. The solitude and silence she’d once found peace in now a prison, something she’d had enough of in Paris to last a lifetime.

Emily groans as she shifts on the couch, her hand on her bump as the baby presses against her lungs, “You’re getting evicted soon, sweet girl,” she smiles to herself as she draws idle patterns over her t-shirt covered skin, “I can’t wait to meet you.” 

Her induction was booked for the following morning, and Emily had stopped hoping days ago that she’d go into labour naturally, her baby girl seemingly content to kick up against her ribs and not go anywhere. Emily wasn’t even upset about it anymore, no matter how desperate she was to hold her daughter and see her face, and she was content to spend the evening cuddling with her husband on the couch whilst eating the pizza she’d been thinking about all day. Her craving for it so specific she’d dreamt about it when she had an afternoon nap, waking up to find a small pool of drool beneath her open mouth. 

She smiles as she looks up at the sound of Aaron’s familiar footsteps on the hardwood floor in their hallway. He walks into the living room, his smile wide and content as he slips his phone into the pocket of his sweatpants. 

“Jack is on his way to Jessica’s, you’d think it was Christmas Eve with how excited he is,” he says, leaning down to kiss her forehead, “He said he can’t wait to meet his little sister tomorrow.” 

She grumbles, “He’ll meet her tomorrow if my labour only lasts a day,” she pouts, unable to stop herself from smiling as he kisses her again, “At this rate, I think baby girl is going to stay exactly where she is forever.” 

“You’ll be holding her soon, sweetheart,” he assures her, kissing her one more time before he pulls away, “I ordered the pizza and it should be here in about 30 minutes,” he says, smiling as he sits next to her, his eyebrow raised as she goes to say something before he beats her to it, “I remembered to ask for yours without cheese.” 

Her aversion to dairy products was something that had started almost immediately. The smell of creamer in coffee enough to have her running to the bathroom to throw up, her hand over her mouth as she darted through their home or the bullpen. It lasted past her nausea going away, and she’d turn her nose up at even the sight of cheese or yoghurt, so cheeseless pizza had become her regular order when they couldn’t bring themselves to cook. The irony that this was the same woman who’d wave the stinkiest of cheeses past his face when they were in Europe on their honeymoon wasn’t lost on him. Her dislike of it all so strong that he couldn’t even have mild cheddar in the fridge without her claiming that it made everything else stink, the baby having turned her into some kind of bloodhound that put the canine unit to shame.

She narrows her eyes and bites the inside of her cheek to hide her smile, “What about yours?”

He shakes his head at her as he runs his fingers through her hair, “There’s no cheese on mine either, don’t worry,” he turns up his nose, “There’s also no black olives on mine.” 

She rolls her eyes, “You like olives.” 

“Not when they are paired with pineapple and pepperoni, sweetheart.” 

She chuckles and leans in to kiss him, “You might complain about my cravings,” she murmurs, kissing him again, “But you’ll kiss me after I’ve eaten it.”

He cups her cheek and kisses the tip of her nose before he stamps his lips against hers, “Nothing would ever stop me from doing that.” 

They sit curled around each other on the couch, both of their hands on her bump as the baby  moves beneath their palms. Waves of Braxton Hicks contractions pass through Emily, making her tense each time as Aaron soothes her through them, his lips against her temple as he practices his role in labour as her body practices hers. She feels nothing short of relieved when there’s a knock at the door, her stomach growling at the idea of the food she’d been looking forward to all day. 

Her joy is shortlived. 

She can smell the cheese the moment Aaron carries the boxes into the living room and she sighs sadly, “They’ve put cheese on them.”

Aaron smiles at her, “Sweetheart, there’s no way you can tell…” he drifts off as he opens the boxes, his eyebrows furrowing when he’s met with two pizzas that were absolutely covered in cheese. He chuckles humourlessly, “I’ve got to say, the baby has made your sense of smell-” He’s cut off as she chokes on a sob, her hand over her mouth as she tries and fails to capture it, tears already spilling past her lashline, “Oh, Em,” he says, letting the boxes fall closed again as he closes the gap between them, wrapping his arms around her as she willingly slips into his embrace, “It’s okay, I’ll-”

“It’s not okay,” she says, her face crumpled, sadness painted all across it as she pulls back and wipes tears from her cheeks, “I can’t eat that. You can’t pick off cheese.” 

“I’ll call them,” he says, rubbing a comforting circle on her back, used to her falling apart at things that would never have made her cry this time last year. At first, he’d struggled to know what to do. Emily had always been more forthcoming with him than anyone else, especially after they got together. She no longer tried to hide her emotions from him, let him see behind the mask she wore in front of everyone else, the one her parents had made for her and that she’d used since she was too young to really understand. Her pregnancy had stripped her of it, taken away a lifelong skill of being able to proudly hide how she was feeling, everything she felt out on display for everyone to see. Her sadness and anger precious jewels for everyone to look at in fascination now they were suddenly behind glass instead of locked away in a vault, “I’ll ask them to remake them.”

She shakes her head, “No, they close soon,” she grumbles, more tears falling past her lashline as her chin trembles, “They won’t take any more delivery orders.” 

“Then I’ll go there and make sure I watch them make them this time,” he says, kissing her lips, tasting the salf of her tears before he kisses her forehead and stands up.

“No, it’s okay,” she says, wiping her cheeks, “I can eat something else. I think there’s some pudding cups in the fridge.” 

He sighs, scratching the back of his head, “Jack…” he clears his throat, “Jack ate the last one after he had his dinner,” he says, his heart clenching in his chest as her chin trembles again, her eyes getting impossibly shinier, “I’ll go to the store and get some pudding cups on the way back from the pizza place.” 

She blows out a breath, a laugh catching in her throat, “You’re the best husband I’ve ever had.”

He leans down and kisses her forehead, “I’m the only husband you’ve ever had,” he winks at her as he pulls back, “Send me a text if you want me to get anything else.” 

“Love you,” she calls after him, smiling when he replies, the three words followed by the door closing. She gasps as a contraction rolls through her again and she chuckles, wiping away the tears still on her cheeks with one hand as she rubs a soothing circle on her belly with the other, “You better be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen kiddo,” she says, shaking her head at herself, “Otherwise I’m not sure I could forgive you for making me cry over pizza.” 

At some point whilst he’s out, Emily is unable to carry on pretending the contractions she’s been feeling are Braxton Hicks. The pattern was undeniable, ten minutes turning into nine and then eight. She finds herself pacing, her grip on the back of the couch tight as she breathes through the pains, a sigh of relief escaping her when she hears their car pull up on the driveway. 

“Not a shred of cheese in sight,” he declares as he walks in the house, two boxes of pizza in his hands and a bag of groceries hanging from his arm, “I flashed my badge so I could stand in the kitchen and watch them make it.” 

It makes her smile and she gratefully takes the box he places on the counter in front of her when they make it to the kitchen. She opens it and pulls out a slice, eating it faster than she thinks she’s ever eaten anything before she pulls out a second slice, groaning in delight as she eats it, as just as many toppings slip free from the cheeseless base as she manages to eat, “That’s so fucking good.” 

Aaron smiles lovingly at her as he puts away the groceries he’d bought, “Whatever you say, sweetheart,” he says, watching as she grips the counter, breathing slowly and controlled as she rocks side to side, “Are you okay?” 

She nods and hums, “I’m okay,” she says, reaching for another slice of the pizza, “I’m in labour, but I’m okay.” 

He almost drops the pudding he’s holding, his eyes wide as he steps towards her, “You’re in labour?” He asks and she nods again, “How do you know?” 

“The contractions were my first clue,” she says dryly, talking around a mouthful of her pizza, “Plus, my waters broke whilst you were out.” She almost laughs when his eyes get wider, his expression almost cartoonish as he closes the gap between them, his arms tight around her. 

“We need to go to the hospital.”

“In a minute,” she demands, “Just let me have one more slice, they won’t let me eat when we get there.”

He sighs, knowing he’d never been able to say no to her, “Fine. I’ll go get your hospital bag and you eat one more slice,” he says, kissing her forehead, “Then we’ll go have a baby.” 

“Yeah,” she smiles and her eyes shine with tears they both know she’ll shed at some point soon, “Then we’ll go have a baby.” 

___

She hums softly, her cheek against the top of her little girl’s head as she runs a hand up and down the newborn’s back. She breathes in the sweet smell of her head, something Emily was already addicted to, something she somehow already misses because she knew it would fade. 

“Daddy will be back soon, sweet girl,” she mumbles, tilting her head to look down at her daughter, her chest full and aching with love for her, for the tiny feature’s she’d already spent hours memorising, “He’s gone to get me something to eat,” she strokes her knuckles up and down the baby’s soft cheek, smiling at the memory of her somewhat successful attempts to feed her since she’d been born, “You aren’t the only one who’s hungry after the day we’ve had.” 

Her labour had drawn out over a day, her body and mind pushed almost to its limit. More than once she was sure she couldn’t do it, every single part of her screaming that it was too much, but Aaron had been her rock. Her port in a storm as he held her in whatever say she needed and told her she could do it, that she was the bravest person he knew. When their daughter slipped into the world, screaming and bright red, Emily knew she’d never been happier, everything she’d ever wanted finally real and here. 

She looks up from her little girl at the sound of a knock on the door, and she smiles at Aaron as he walks in, a pizza box in hand and a smile on his face, “How are my girls?” 

“We’re okay,” she whispers, looking back down at the sleeping baby, “Aren’t we Rosie?” 

Aaron leans down and kisses Rosie’s head and then Emily’s cheek, capturing her lips when she turns her head to kiss him, “I missed you.” 

She smiles, because it feels nothing short of ridiculous because she’d missed him too, the 30 minutes he’d been gone to get her food long and drawn out as she waited for him to return, “You too,” she says, kissing him once more, “Did you get my usual?”

He nods, smiling as he pulls back and lays the box on her lap, opening it up to reveal the cheeseless pizza with olives, pepperoni and pineapple, “Are you sure that still looks good to you?” 

She hums as she picks up a slice, Rosie secured against her chest with one hand, “Delicous,” she says, smiling as he sits on the chair next to the bed, “I am still a walking bag of hormones though,” she says, smiling as she takes a bite, “I’m sure I’ll go back to eating normal things again soon.” 

He smiles and places his hand on her thigh, squeezing gently, “After what you did today, you can eat whatever you want without comment from me.” 

She smiles gratefully at him, but her response is stopped in it’s tracks as an olive and a slice of pepperoni slip off the pizza and land on Rosie’s head, standing out against her dark hair, “Oh.” 

Aaron can already tell what’s going to happen, his wife’s nerves shot after a long, hard labour and little to no sleep, her eyes already shining with tears. He leans forward and picks the stray toppings from Rosie’s head, smiling encouragingly at his wife as he drops them into the empty space in the box on her lap. 

“No harm done, Em,” he says, leaning in to kiss her forehead and then the top of Rosie’s head, “See? She’s still fast asleep,” he assures Emily, smiling when she nods, “She’s happy and safe.” 

Emily nods again and blows out a slow breath, “Yeah, you’re right,” she says, swallowing thickly as she tries to control herself, her chest tight with everything she’d told herself would disappear when she gave birth, “She’s fine,” she kisses the top of Rosie’s head and sucks in a breath, the tears she’d been trying to hold back slipping past her lashline, “Damn it.” 

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Aaron asks, doing his best to keep a straight face, knowing full well if she even thought he was making fun of her that she’d kill him, only 5 hours post partum or not. 

She sniffles, shaking her head at herself as she drops the half eaten slice in her hand back into the box, no longer able to stomach it, her words half choked out around a sob she doesn’t entirely understand. 

“She smells like fucking pizza.” 

[skeletorrito]

first part of my new satosugu plasma vessel arc fic 😁

it's a rough draft, but i like where it's going so far !!! pls provide feedback 💕 thanks! ☺️

Okinawa

“Let’s just fly out tomorrow morning, Suguru!” Satoru Gojo called out to his friend as he splashed in the clear ocean waves of Okinawa. 

Riko Amanai’s eyes sparkled at this idea. She peered up at Satoru, who was initially tormenting her with a creepy-looking sea cucumber. 

Suguru Geto frowned, hand coming up to his brow to block the sun. “You know we can’t…” He called back, standing and dusting sand off of himself. He padded over to a shady spot. 

Satoru, bone-dry from head to toe, met him on the shore. “C’mon, Sugu, the weather will hold up, and there’s not as many curse users around. What’s one more day to go sightseeing?” He challenged with a pout. “We’ll just let the bounty expire while we’re in the air.”

Suguru’s eyebrows pinched together in concern. He leaned in and murmured, “You haven’t released your technique since yesterday, have you?” 

Satoru’s eyes grew wide. He remained silent, biting the inside of his cheek.

“You haven’t slept, either, and I know you don’t plan on sleeping tonight,” he looked Satoru up and down, taking note of the heavy bags under his eyes. “I’m worried about you, Satoru. You sure we don’t need to go back?”

He gave Suguru a playful punch and reassured him, “I’m fine, really, stop worrying. I’ve stayed up longer playing Stardew Valley.” He leaned in closer, grinning as he added, “Plus, you’re here too.” 

Suguru softened at this comment. 

Satoru smirked as he continued in a suggestive whisper near Suguru’s ear, “And you’re going to keep me up tonight, right?”  

Suguru flushed beet red, muttering, “I guess it wouldn’t hurt..."

“Hey, Riko, we’re staying!” 

Riko cheered at this. 

So, unsurprisingly, the group ended up sightseeing for the rest of the day. 

Satoru packed the day with fun activities: tandem kayaking, shopping for souvenirs, visiting botanical gardens, eating ramen, and finally, the best part, visiting Okinawa’s aquarium. 

If Suguru had any idea of what a “perfect date” was, this would have to be it. 

He gazed at Satoru lovingly, admiring how the glowing aquarium tanks reflected in his equally beautiful ocean eyes. Satoru, in his own impulsive way of course, planned this whole amazing day for everyone even while sleep-deprived and anxious. Suguru glanced over at Riko and Kuroi, both of whom looked on in wonder and excitement at the exhibits. He noticed Satoru’s attention also shifted to them, smiling to himself. 

He’s being so thoughtful today... 

Suddenly, Suguru filled with emotion. He reflected on how precious Satoru was to him and it almost hurt how intensely he wanted to cherish him. His fingers nudged at Satoru’s, and Satoru responded by lacing them tightly, uncaring of curious onlookers. Everyone else faded into the background, as they often did when he was with Suguru. They stood in comfortable silence as they watched sea creatures dart and weave around them. 

“It’s like we’re on vacation…” Suguru thought aloud, smiling softly to himself.

Satoru peeked at him through the corner of his sunglasses and matched his smile. 

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Satoru replied, fixing his gaze on the giant, majestic whale passing over them.

Suguru squeezed his hand gently. 

“Yeah, it is.” 

They rented a quaint, two-bedroom beach house for the night. Misato Kuroi, the only true adult present (because let’s be honest, two eighteen-year-old high-school students barely make up a single, functional adult), helped organize this with Suguru. He managed to smooth-talk his way into the last beach house vacancy in Okinawa for the night under her supervision.  

“It’s only two bedrooms…” Kuroi commented as they all settled in. “Is that okay for you both? There might be a spare futon…”

“It’s fine,” they both replied in unison, side-eyeing each other and giggling quietly as they shuffled inside with their bags. 

Kuroi looked surprised at first, then her face softened and she smiled. “You two must be very close.” 

“Yeah, we’re boy-” Satoru started. 

“Best friends. We’re best friends.” Suguru finished. He shot a warning look at Satoru. 

Satoru clenched his teeth into an awkward, apologetic smile and escaped into the bedroom. Kuroi’s eyebrows rose as she studied Suguru’s face curiously. They exchanged uncomfortable, polite smiles and farewells, then scurried to their respective bedrooms. 

He frowned as he entered the room and shut the door behind him. “Can you try to be a little more subtle? We’re still on a mission, after all…” He muttered in a low volume, dropping his backpack on the floor next to the bed. 

Satoru flopped onto the bed with a relieved sigh, spreading out his stuff wherever he felt like it. His sunglasses were the only thing folded neatly on the bedside table. “Oh, whatever, stop being so uptight. Let’s just enjoy this little vacation together while we can.” He patted at the spot next to him, wiggling his finger in a “come hither” motion.

Suguru conceded, pulling the elastic from his bun as he joined Satoru on the mattress. “I’m glad we stayed. You planned a really nice day, Satoru.” He settled into a plush pile of pillows, his long, dark hair splaying in beautiful contrast to the white pillows. 

“I know. You’re welcome.” Satoru took this opportunity to wriggle closer, slipping under Suguru’s arm and resting his head on his chest. He snaked his long arms around Suguru’s waist, sighing happily as he squeezed tightly.

“Take a nap, you need it,” Suguru suggested, hooking his arm around Satoru’s shoulders and reaching up to thread his fingers into fluffy white hair. He pulled out his phone to set an alarm. 

Satoru yawned, fighting to keep his eyes open in Suguru’s warm embrace. “I can’t… Gotta protect her…” Despite his arguments, he nuzzled his face further into Suguru’s shoulder. 

“I’ll stay up and wake you in a couple of hours. I’ve already got curses patrolling outside. You don’t have to do this alone, y’know.”

Satoru forced his eyes to open as best as he could so he looked up at Suguru appreciatively. Then, he smiled deviously with another brilliant idea written across his face. “I’ll sleep… if you jump in the ocean with me later tonight.”

Suguru snorted as he scrolled through his phone, “Satoru, that’s a terrible idea.” 

“My ideas are never terrible,” Satoru mumbled, eyelids growing heavy again. He finally closed them as he mumbled, sadly and quietly, “You didn’t even get in today… I wanted to swim with you.” 

“I’ll think about it.” Suguru smiled, kissing the top of Satoru’s head. His hair smelled like sweet citrus. “Now get some rest.” 

Satoru hummed sleepily before he drifted off, “I know you’ll say yes.” 

Suguru laughed quietly to himself. 

I probably will.

Satoru woke in a panic two hours later, gasping and attempting to sit up. He was still firmly tucked against Suguru, who jolted at Satoru’s sudden movements. Satoru lifted his head, eyes wide with anxiety. “Wha- What time is it?! Where’s Riko!?”

Suguru patted him, coaxing his head back down. “Hey, it’s alright,” he soothed, shoving his phone into his pocket. “Riko’s sleeping, everything’s fine. It’s only 11pm.”

Satoru relaxed into the touch, sighing. “Good, I’m glad.” He sat up and stretched with a yawn. “Only 11? That’s perfect. Let’s go for a dip.” He grinned widely and stood. Clearly, an extra few hours of sleep did the job. “C’mon, we’re already in swimsuits.”

Suguru rolled his eyes, groaning, “Ugh I was really hoping you’d forget about that. It’s going to be freezing, Satoru.” He stretched out across the mattress, shaking the numb arm Satoru was sleeping on. 

“Exactly,” Satoru replied and booped Suguru on the nose with his finger. “It’ll keep us awake.” 

Suguru took a silent moment to consider. He hated (loved) that Satoru could convince him into these shenanigans so easily. He finally agreed, but on one condition, “I’m only going in if you promise not to use Infinity.” He squinted at him, a serious look on his face. “This is your idea, so you have to commit. Otherwise, I’m staying here.”

Satoru’s face fell. He pouted, “But-”

“We can take a shower together after.” 

Satoru immediately agreed, blushing wildly, “Okay fine. No Infinity.”

[stanleypinesgf]

Falling for Mystery - Chapter Four

Falling for Mystery Masterlist Warnings: No warnings for this chapter, but there is some more themes of anxiety so please be mindful if you're sensitive to that, I hope you enjoy! Please note: this is a slow burn fic with eventual smut and mature themes, 18+ only and please check warnings at the start of chapters! ALSO idk how long I'll maintain a daily posting schedule as I have a 9-5 too LOL but will try my best!! TYSM for all the support so far!!

w/c: 1,863

The next afternoon, I found myself standing outside the Mystery Shack once again, feeling a little more put together than the last time. Another night at the motel rewarded me with a half-decent night's sleep, a hot shower and a morning of debating if I should even come back. It was one thing to stay in town because I liked it, but staying an extra night for a man I’d only known for a few hours? That was a whole different matter.

Pushing my anxious thoughts down, I’d decided to wear the Mystery Shack t-shirt I bought the day before—it was surprisingly soft and, if I’m honest, kind of cute. It fit me in a way that flattered my figure, the quirky logo printed across my chest as a reminder of the oddball charm this place held. It made me smile. I’d made a little extra effort by putting on some makeup and running a brush through my hair. Not that I was trying to impress anyone, but... something about this town made me want to feel more like myself again, or maybe someone new. Someone ready to start fresh.

A small group of tourists stood around, murmuring among themselves as they waited for the infamous Mr. Mystery to begin his tour. I was part of the group now, blending in with the rest of them, but I couldn’t help but feel a little out of place. The others were here for the spectacle, for the "freak show" charm of the Mystery Shack, in pairs or groups chattering amongst themselves. I was still trying to figure out why I was here, feeling a little more on edge than before.

The door creaked open and out walked Stan, the same confident grin plastered across his face. His eyes scanned the crowd briefly before landing on me, and for a split second, I could’ve sworn his expression shifted—something like surprise or recognition—before he slipped back into his well-practiced showman routine. Seeing Stan again seemed to settle some of my nerves; a familiar face can make all the difference and I couldn’t help but notice how easily he commanded attention with his grin and bravado. It was... kind of charming actually, not that I’d ever admit it. He seemed to have the knack for making me feel right at home. 

“Alright, folks!” he bellowed, clapping his hands together and pulling me from my thoughts. “Step right up and prepare to have your minds blown by the wonders of the world-famous Mystery Shack! You’re not gonna find exhibits like these anywhere else! Guaranteed!”

His voice had that same magnetic pull, full of bravado and charm, like he was selling something much bigger than this shabby tourist attraction. The group was hanging on his every word, and despite myself, I found that I was too. Something about him—about the way he ran this place—kept pulling me in. As he launched into his first over-the-top explanation of the ‘world’s only six-legged beaver,’ I couldn’t help but catch his eye again. His gaze lingered for just a moment, his grin turning a little more mischievous. Maybe it was the shirt, or maybe it was something else, but I had a feeling this tour was going to be far from ordinary.

Despite the quirky charm of the Shack, a thought kept nagging at the back of my mind: I needed a job. Whether I was going to stay in Gravity Falls or not, my cash was running out, and while the Rusty Oak Motel was cheap enough, I couldn’t afford to stay there much longer. A part of me had hoped I wouldn’t have to think about money for a little while longer—maybe I’d stumble upon something miraculous. But life, as always, had other plans.

As the tour ended and the tourists dispersed, I found myself circling back to the front counter, where Stan was adjusting a display of cheap tourist trinkets with a cocky grin. After he rang up the final patron, I leaned against the counter, watching him reorganize some keychains for a moment before sighing.

"You wouldn’t happen to know if there’s anywhere in this town hiring, would you?" I asked, half-joking. "I’m running a little low on cash."

Stan’s eyes flicked toward me, and for a moment, I thought he was going to laugh. But instead, he leaned back, one eyebrow raised. 

"You lookin' for work, huh?" He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Well, as it so happens, I might know a place that's in need of some help. No experience required. The pay? Well, let’s just say it’s… negotiable."

I tilted my head, unsure if he was serious or just messing with me. "Wait, are you offering me a job at this place?"

"Hey, hey, don’t knock it ‘til you try it!" Stan shot me a smirk. "The Mystery Shack is a thriving business. Just yesterday, we had, uh..." He paused, clearly pulling a number from thin air. “Fourteen tourists come through here. People are dying to see our quality attractions, but I could use a hand keeping the place in tip-top shape. You know, help sell the dream to these schmucks."

I couldn’t help but laugh. "And you said the pay is negotiable? Give me the numbers, Mr Mystery.”

Stan’s grin widened. "How about you take the spare room in the back. Cozy little spot. Maybe a little spending cash on the side, if you’re lucky. And please,“ he stressed, “call me Stan.”

I paused, weighing the offer. It wasn’t like I had many options. A bed and a roof over my head sounded better than sleeping in my car or paying for the motel, and honestly, the idea of working here had a strange appeal. Sure, it was a tourist trap, but something about the Shack—and its strange, hustler owner—made me curious. Maybe this was just the kind of fresh start I needed.

"Alright, deal," I said, extending a hand.

Stan shook it firmly, his grin still plastered on his face. "You won’t regret it, kid. You’re lookin’ at the start of a very lucrative partnership. Welcome to the Mystery Shack, where every day is an adventure... or a con. It depends on how you look at it." he mused with a lighthearted shrug. As I stood there, hand still hovering after the handshake, the weight of my decision hit me. Trusting a man I barely knew, in a town that didn’t even seem real? Maybe I was crazier than I thought. A quiet voice in the back of my mind warned me to be cautious, but I pushed it aside, there was no point letting old fears hold me back any longer.

After sealing the deal, Stan led me to the spare room he’d mentioned. To call it cozy was generous. The walls were wood-paneled, the floorboards creaked underfoot and the single window let in a dim sliver of sunlight. The old double bed was made haphazardly, covered by a patchwork quilt of mismatched fabrics. It was faded, yet soft to the touch, like something hand-stitched years ago. There were a few odd trinkets scattered around—a chipped vase, a stack of yellowing books, and an ancient radio—but nothing that made it feel like home. Still, it was a place to stay, and right now, that was more than I’d had in weeks aside from dingy motels. I tossed my bag onto the bed and took a deep breath, the scent of pine and old wood filling the air. It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine—for now, at least.

"Not bad, huh?" Stan said, leaning against the doorframe. "You think this room’s got character? You should see the other one. Let’s just say, you lucked out."

I smirked. "I believe you. Well, thanks. It’s better than the back seat of my car."

Stan gave a short nod, as if he understood what that was like. "Get some rest, but don’t get too comfortable. Tomorrow’s your first day, and I’m gonna need you bright and early. Got a lot to teach you if you’re gonna make it here."

"Looking forward to it," I said, only half sarcastically.

With that, Stan gave me a wink and left me alone in the room. I flopped down onto the bed, letting out a long sigh as it creaked, the old wooden frame protesting as if unused to guests. It wasn’t where I’d pictured myself when I left Portland, but something about this place felt... right. Even if I couldn’t explain it yet.

I rolled onto my back, staring up at the wooden ceiling, its rough, knotted surface illuminated by the dim light filtering through the small window. The faint scent of pine and dust hung in the air, mingling with the distant creak of the floorboards beneath me. A sense of both uncertainty and hope swirled inside me, much like the shadows shifting along the walls. Maybe I was crazy for accepting a job from a man I didn’t even know, in a town that seemed to elude the outside world. Something about this place and Stan’s demeanor made me feel... safe. For now, at least.

My eyes wandered to the small collection of forgotten trinkets scattered around the room—each one worn and dust-covered, like relics from another time. A chipped vase stood crooked on the corner table, filled with dried-out flowers, their petals brittle and gray. Stacks of yellowing books lined the shelves, their titles barely visible under layers of grime. They felt like pieces of someone else’s story, remnants of lives that had passed through here before me.

I’d spent so long tethered to plans that never really felt like mine. Here, in this strange little town, I finally had the chance to break away from all of that. Maybe I wasn’t just finding a job or a place to stay. Maybe I was finding something deeper.

Still, something about Gravity Falls nagged at the back of my mind, a strange pull I couldn’t quite explain. The town had an odd way of making everything feel slightly... off. I wasn’t sure what I’d gotten myself into. The Mystery Shack had its charms, but it also felt like it was hiding secrets just out of reach. I couldn’t shake the feeling that working here would be more than just selling cheap trinkets and giving tours.

The longer I stared at the ceiling, the more I felt something shift inside me, like the tension I’d been carrying for months was loosening, unraveling with every passing second. There was a freedom in the unknown, in stepping off the path I’d been following for so long. The weight of expectations, of plans and responsibilities, seemed to fade into the wood grain above me.

I hadn’t planned on staying in Gravity Falls for more than a day or two, but now, here I was, about to start a job at a tourist trap run by a man who was equal parts charming and gruff. The air was still, almost expectant, as though the room itself was holding its breath alongside me.

Tomorrow was uncertain, but for the first time in ages, I wasn’t afraid of the unknown, I was ready for it. Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

[secretsandwriting]

Mate [Poly Ghouls]

Ghouls biology is different from humans in many ways. One of those many ways is they need a mate and if they don't find one in a certain timeframe, instincts take over and they get one. It would however be nice if said mate got a little more warning.

Where the ghouls haven't gotten a mate in time so instincts take over and the first person they see becomes their mate.

[Dew] [Mountain] [Aether] [Rain] [Swiss]

            It was a beautiful night, too beautiful to stay inside and lay in bed; so you gathered some blankets and headed out to a spot in the garden where you could stargaze in peace. Primo was out sitting on a bench and offered you a smile as you walked past. You knew exactly where you wanted to set yourself up. Laying out your blankets in a space between flower beds you settled down to stargaze.

            You weren’t sure how long you had been out when you heard rustling behind you. Assuming it was another sibling you ignored it until the noise got closer. When you turned your head you were met with the masks of 5 ghouls. Primo cleared his throat behind them, they didn’t turn to look at him. He sighed before pushing his way through them and offering you his hand.

            “It’s a bit late, you should probably head to bed. I’m sure Sister Imperator has quite a list of things with the upcoming events.” You took his hand and gathered your things. 

            “Yes Papa, I was thinking the same thing.” He offered you his arm and once you accepted he walked you to your room. The ghouls trailing behind you the entire way.

            You could hear them outside of your door the entire night. The soft murmuring of their talking, the occasional snort and laugh, noises that reminded you of cats, and music you were pretty sure they were making. Everytime you got up for the bathroom or to grab something, they went quiet. You were too anxious to sleep and with the upcoming themed orgy you weren’t sure how you were going to make it through the next day. 

            When it was time for you to get up you had barely slept, so slipping one of the energy drinks out of the cabinet you kept them in you downed one before getting ready. It would make your anxiety worse but maybe it would help you get through the day, probably wouldn’t but it was worth a shot. 

            When you finally opened your door to leave, the ghouls were standing to the side. Doing your best to ignore them, you headed to the dining room for breakfast. When you stepped in, all eyes went to the ghouls behind you. They normally had breakfast in their den. They had had a kitchen built there specifically because the ghouls wanted it. So for them to come in without being forced was strange to say the least. Copia and Sister Imperator made their way over to you, Sister Imperator ordering the ghouls off somewhere and Copia telling you to grab a plate of food and come with him into his study.

            With that you spent the rest of the day learning more about ghoul biology than you knew about your own biology. Sister Imperator stopped in every once in a while to make sure everything was going well, drop off lunch, and to send the ghouls away from the study door. While Copia and Sister Imperator both assured you they wouldn’t hurt you, you weren’t sure. You might be able to believe it with one ghoul but 5 of them didn’t give you the most confidence. 

            That night you found yourself tucked in between the ghouls. You were tucked into mountain’s side your head on his chest, Dew was spooning you from behind arms wrapped around your waist, Aether was spooning Dew and his arm was thrown over the two of you, his hand resting on Mountain’s waist. Rain was also using Mountain as a pillow and was holding one of your hands, Swiss was sprawled on all of your legs, his tail wrapped around your wrist.

            It would definitely take some getting used to, but you had a lot of time now. After all, they did follow you like lost puppies. But maybe it would be ok. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

            It was bad. It was very bad. Within a month of being their mate you were ready to just say screw it and try to leave them. You had so much to learn and do and it was like there was never a break. There was always a ghoul that needed attention, a new thing to learn so you could be of service to the ministry, there was always another ghoul that needed attention as well, more things to learn, making sure the ghouls went to practice and a repeat of it all over again the next day. 

            There was no break, it was just constant and you were tired. If any of the ghoul got into trouble, including the ones you weren’t mated to, everyone in the Ministry came to you. You weren’t sure why they thought you would have sway over the era 1 ghouls but they did. Whether or not that's a compliment you also weren’t sure. 

            It was a lot and it became obvious to Sister Imperator that you were really struggling to juggle everything you needed to do. So she called you into her office to try and work out a way to make it easier on you. The solution she had for it wasn’t something you would have thought she would suggest. A complete stop on learning your new work so you could focus on getting used to the ghouls and get their instincts down to a more normal level before continuing your studies. The ghouls wouldn’t be dismissed from their work unless necessary which would also give you some much needed alone time.

            It was an adjustment going from constantly doing something to having a ton of free time but the down time was needed. The ghouls certainly enjoyed being able to get out of practice and not have to try to find you in the ministry. You ended up spending time with all the ghouls as well. With so much time spent in the ghoul’s den you just got to know the other ghouls without particularly meaning too. 

            Which was helpful when a sister came complaining to you that one of the 2nd era ghouls was bothering her. 

            You started spending more time in the gardens, your favorite spot was a little bench in front of a small pond. A small pond you watched Rain jump in no hesitation and stay at the bottom for 10 minutes, only coming up when he thought you might be leaving. Once he realized you weren’t he went back to the bottom of the pond. It ended up being Rain and your spot.

            You also became familiar with the library meant for those higher up, which now included you due to your relationship with the ghouls. This is where you spent the most one on one time with Dew. He loved to just sit in the fireplace while it was lit. You weren’t sure how his clothes came out untouched other than by soot but you never asked. 

            Swiss shared the regular library with you. He didn’t mind the stares as much as the others, so any trip to the library the other siblings frequented you were accompanied by Swiss. He would lounge on a couch close to you, sometimes he would pick up a book or take a nap. 

            Walks were Mountain’s. He loved walking through the woods surrounding the ministry with you. When you’d stop at a clearing you’d get to watch him try to become one with the ground, an attempt that consisted of him laying face down on the ground with his tail flipping around showing how much he enjoyed it.

            Any time in the kitchen was with Aether, he would either help you with whatever you were making, make something for you, or just chill in a seat nearby. Most of the other ghouls were banned from the kitchen due to things they had done making it so Aether was the only one of your ghouls who was allowed in the kitchen. He did take advantage of it. 

            The one on one time with the ghouls helped you feel more comfortable around them, especially when you watched Rain chase around fish in the pond and get outsmarted, tree branches hitting Mountain and watching him process what happened, Dew trying to eat the fire and then trying to smack it when he couldn’t, Swiss randomly whip around and stare at one of the siblings to freak them out and then giggle to himself when he turned back around, and when Aether would randomly decide to try random ingredients without thinking which lead to him eating flour and all the faces he made running to the sink to wash it out.

            The ghouls were a bit strange and unusual but they were your ghouls and you were sure it wouldn’t be long until you were just as head over heels for them as they were for you.

Check out my Ao3!

[azrielslightintheshadows]

Shadows and tears

So this is a series about Azriel and reader. English is not my first language so please excuse any mistakes. I hope you like it!

Summary: Reader is a tortured soul who barely escaped the brutality of the Illyrian camps finding shelter in the Day Court. Her identity was well hidden until she caught the attention of the Night Court’s Shadowsinger. Will the mating bond be enough for their love to settle in?

Warnings: angst, mentions of abuse and trauma.

Masterlist

Prologue , Chapter 1 , Chapter 2 , Chapter 3 , Chapter 4 , Chapter 5 , Chapter 6 , Chapter 7, Chapter 8 , Chapter 9, Chapter 10

I think you will need the tissue box now...

Epilogue

Choices.

“Mor how was she?” Azriel spoke. He was clearly drunk and a mess.

“Happy” Mor replied trying not to flinch by her friend’s pained voice.

He didn’t leave his room for almost a month until Rhysand and Cassian moved him to the river house to keep an eye on him.

He was staring the garden from his window, staring at his family, all together enjoying the sun. Mor and Emerie were laying on the grass playing with Nyx. Rhysand with Feyre on his lap. Cassian laying with his head on Nesta’s thighs. Amren and Varian lost deep into conversation. Elain and Lucien caressing the flowers and laughing. Gwyn had followed y/n in the Autumn Court after Beron died.

Tears filled his eyes as he saw the happiness of his family. He wasn’t jealous of them in a bad way, he just wished he could be amongst them with y/n on his lap. One act out of anger after the way she treated him that morning destroyed his happiness. Maybe he was undeserving of love. Maybe that’s why he couldn’t find it for so long.

The one thing he longed for. His obsession. His salvation. The only chance he had to feel loved. To feel affection. Destroyed by his own hand.

Elain left him the next day of y/n’s departure, just a letter on his nightstand explaining that now that she saw his pain, she felt guilty for pushing Lucien away.

Gwyn disappeared into the library only coming out to inform everyone that she will search for y/n.

Helion banned him from his court and stood as a guard at the wedding in case the shadowsinger tried to ruin it.

His and Mor’s friendship was barely a friendship anymore.

And Nesta… she couldn’t even look at him since he pushed two of her friends away.

The rest of his family stood by his side, but his shadows informed him about the disapproving looks they gave him when he wasn’t looking.

The day they received word about the birth of the Autumn Court’s heir, he had enough. With one last look at Velaris he gathered his stuff and left. He wouldn’t wreck his family’s happiness anymore.

Y/n was standing next to the window of her room, her baby boy cuddled in her arms. Eris walked in hugging them both from behind and resting his head on her shoulder peeking down to the sleeping baby. Y/n stared at the winged boy in her arms, so perfect. He looked like his father but had inherited her wings making both Eris and her happy but anxious too since they knew that he would be considered a half breed for the rest of his life. “Everything is going to be okay, I will never let anyone hurt you two” Eris whispered noticing his wife’s worried gaze.

They heard the flapping of wings and both tensed looking outside. Y/n saw him first and with a soft smile on her face she walked to the balcony, Eris following close behind.

“I don’t want to cause trouble, I just needed to speak with you” Azriel said and stared at his feet.

Eris looked at his wife and when she nodded, he walked back inside giving them space. Azriel moved his gaze to the sleeping baby.

“He is beautiful” he whispered as tears filled his eyes.

“Do you want to hold him?” Y/n asked him with a genuine smile on her face.

Azriel stared at his palms, could he hold something so precious in his scarred hands? He shook his head hiding his palms behind his back.

“I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry for everything, you didn’t deserve it”

“I know… but thank you because without you I wouldn’t leave the day court and I wouldn’t find Eris” y/n responded. Azriel’s shadows reached for her and he noticed that her own shadows weren’t there. “You shadows aren’t here” Azriel noted.

“I’m happy I don’t need them anymore” she smiled.

“Goodbye y/n take care” he offered her a sad smile and before she could respond he was gone.

He was gone with the realization that in order for his shadows to disappear he needed to be happy. And then he knew that they would be his company until his last breath and then…then he would be happy.

Please don't hate me. Stay tuned for more. Currently I'm working on two more series and I'm planning to post one shots everyday so please send your requests to give me ideas. @cleverzonkwombatsludge

[frogsmuahh037]

Joel miller hurt/comfort

this is my first time trying to write something like this so please be nice also sorry about spellings 🫶

joel miller x fem!reader

you’re having a bad day and joel is there to support you (we all love a little hurt comfort every once in a while)

1460 Words

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she walks into her home joel and her have made for themselves in Jackson. she was having a bad day everything was just going wrong, she was helping in the gardens she smashed not one but two pots (two separate occasions by the way) she sliced her hand open somehow on the pot which made clean up a whole lot messier and that was only the start of it. when she finally got home she was overwhelmed all she wanted was to curl up in bed and sleep. she walks into the house and it’s a mess after joel saying he’d promise to clean up which obviously didn’t happen. instead of greeting joel in the living room like she usaly would she headed straight upstairs just wanting to get away from it all. As she headed to bed, Joel was leaning against the doorway watching her, his brow slightly scrunched together. Once he saw that she had settled herself in, he sighed and approached her. He wanted to leave it at that, but he felt like they had to talk about what had been happening. So he sat down at the foot of her bed, hands on his knees.

"Sweetie, we have to talk."

she looked up from the cocoon of duvets she was wrapped in meeting joel’s eyes she knew the tone of his voice, the slight hesitation that it wasn’t a conversation that he wanted to have.

“what about?..”

Joel paused, his eyes slowly looking at her for a moment. Then he breathed in and out once.

"Can you come out from under those covers? Please?"

she sat up pushing the covers to her lap she bit at her cracked bottom lip feeling an anxiety ball in her stomach “what’s wrong joel?”

Joel crossed his left leg on top of his right, moving his hands to his lap. In a neutral expression, he looked her in the eye again, and sighed. "Sweetie, I'm worried about you."

“why? i’m fine” she looked up at him smiling hoping that would calm his worry’s and she wouldn’t have to further this conversation

"No, you're not." He quickly shot down, leaning forward in his chair again. "I'm not blind; I see the way you act sometimes. This whole thing with the gardening...that's not normal."

“gardening..isn’t normal?” she smiled trying to brush it off.

Joel gave her a soft smile, but he shook his head and spoke up again."No, sweetheart, losing your temper over a couple of broken pots isn't normal. Not when you're such a calm, level-headed person. Are you sure everything's okay?"

“how do you… i’m fine it was just a mistake how did you know about that..?” she felt herself get more anxious looking down at her lap fidgeting her her hands.

Joel looked up and raised his eyebrows slightly, wondering how to explain it in a way that wouldn't make him seem like a stalker.

"One of the neighbors...umm...they mentioned it in passing. Said you seemed really stressed out. I wanted to make sure you were okay and..." Joel paused for a moment, realizing he had no way to avoid sounding like a creep. "And that I didn't need to worry."

“well you don’t because i’m fine joel” she pulls the covers off her hoping to escape the conversation by making some excuse “i think i’m gonna go make some dinner it’s getting late”

"Is it something I'm doing? Or is it something to do with the past; something that makes you like this sometimes?" Joel shook his head.

"It's not just the pots, and deep down you know that. I know there's more going on, so how about you talk to me instead of brushing me off?" He paused and looked her in the eyes, showing some worry.

“like what joel? what have i done” she felt herself getting irritated with the constant questioning she knew he wanted to do right by her but she just felt so weird talking about that kinda stuff

"Sweetie, you know that there's something...off." He paused for a moment. "Look at how you've been acting. Always in a bad mood, always irritated and you snap at me for no reason. I'm not angry, I'm not blaming you, I just want to know what's going on." He paused again, and sighed.

"And if there's anything I can do to help." He said, his tone now softer.

she felt the guilt seeping through her. she knew she hasn’t been a very good partner recently and joel’s been so good through all of it he didn’t deserve that. she felt her chest clam up and a lump in her throat that she couldn’t quite swallow “i-i’m… i’m sorry joel”

"It's okay, sweetheart. You're going through a lot, I understand that. But I am here to support you however I can, and you just have to be open with me and let me know what's going on." He paused, and pulled away from the hug. He placed his hands back in his lap. "Please."

“i don’t know how.. how to explain it. everything has just been going wrong and every time i try to fix it everything just gets worse and i- i don’t know what to do”

she only just noticed the tears rolling down her face clouding her vision. Joel gave her a warm, empathetic smile, then got up from the chair. As he stood, he knelt down to her level and hugged her once more. He just stayed still for a moment, but then spoke softly.

"It's okay, sweetie. Sometimes life just decides it wants to kick you in the ass and you just have to take it. You know you can always count on me to support you through it all. That's what I'm here for."

“i just feel so weak asking for help i should be able to handle this kinda stuff on my own why… why can’t i?” she mumbled into joel’s chest her tears getting heavier as she comes to terms with how she’s feeling. Joel kissed the top of her head, not speaking for a couple of seconds. He then hugged her tighter and sighed once more.

"Sweetheart, you don't have to handle it on your own. There's nothing shameful about asking for help. You're one of the toughest people I know and even you get overwhelmed now and then. Life's just an ass like that." He paused, then looked her in the eyes once more. “So talk to me, okay? I'm here to help."

“i will… im sorry for being so mean to you, you didn’t deserve it” she looked up at him still feeling guilty.

Joel smiled warmly and waved his hand. "Sweetie, no apologies necessary. I understand what you're going through, and I know you don't mean any of it. What's past is past, and I'm not upset. So how about we start over? Clean slate?" He paused and held out his hand to her. "Shake on it?" He said, his tone slightly light-hearted and teasing.

she smiled laughing at his antics. “yeah shake on it”she takes his and shaking it “do you think we could..ehm go to bed?” she was starting to feel really tired she felt awkward asking for some reason.

"Sure we can, sweetheart." He leaned down and picked her up from the floor. "You ready for this big strong man to carry you to bed?" He said jokingly, walking towards the bedroom. As he entered the room, he sat down on the bed and looked at her for a moment, smiling before he placed her down and leaned back onto the mattress.

she giggles grasping onto joel not wanting to fall “don’t you dare drop me”

"I wouldn't dare drop you, sweetheart. Not when you're so precious to me." he lays her down on the bed getting her comfortable he lays next to her "Come and cuddle with me," He said, opening up his arms and gesturing towards himself. they get into bed and she snuggled up to joel’s chest as her wrapped her arms around her

Joel let go of an arm around her and pulled the covers over them both, moving closer to her once more. He rubbed his hand against her back and looked to see if she was comfortable, and then kissed the top of her head again. "Are you ready to take a little bit of a nap? It's late, and you seem pretty tired," He said with a kind, calm tone.

“mhm~ yes please” she mumbled into his chest. They both stayed still for a moment, before Joel began to slowly nod off, feeling his eyes get heavier by the second. As he felt her do the same, he softly whispered,

"Get some sleep, Sweetheart."

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THANK YOUU~ i hope you enjoyed it i know it’s a little short and i’d love any feedback you have <33

p.s. requests are open!

[halfmoondaze]

Yesss can I request a Jack fluff please?

Reader is a busy student and she hasn’t had time to sit down and spending time with Jack. Jack understands how it’s not always good putting time off of things school related but really misses reader. One day he’s at home by himself really missing reader and keeps thinking about her but can’t text or call her because she’s in class. Jack remembers that he has a bottle of y/n’s perfume and cute plushie of her favorite animal. He sprays the perfume on the plushie and cuddles with it until she gets dismissed from class and drives straight to Jack’s house for a couple of hours before going home. He tells and shows how much he missed reader to the point where he had to have the animal plushie with her perfume in his arms when walking around his house 😭❤️ when Jack finally has reader with him, he can’t help but follow her everywhere she goes from one place to another, even waiting for her outside the bathroom😂Just being so attached to her.

Threads of Longing

Finals were only a few weeks ahead and studying was Y/N’s only priority right now. 

She would wake every day at 5 am. At first, she was able to have control of her sleeping routine, but as finals approached, Y/N would find herself growing so anxious, she would be unable to sleep, and instead would just study and just function off of coffee. 

Because Y/N was constantly on the go, Jack was barely able to see her despite living under the same room, and he couldn’t help but miss her. But he didn’t want to be a needy boyfriend, so he would just settle for dangling conversations, while also letting her know he was there for her whenever he needed him. 

Y/N was currently sitting by the kitchen counter with her laptop and iPad mindlessly taking notes while Jack who has just woken up, walked into the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea. 

“Hey” 

Y/N continued typing away oblivious to her surroundings.

He gently placed his hand on her shoulder, and Y/N jumped startled and turned to him.

“Jack” she sighed putting her hands on her face. “You scared me”

“I just wanted to say hi…..but you were too concentrated” he scratched the back of his neck and smiled. “Did you sleep alright?”

“I wouldn’t count sleeping for 4 hours alright, but I’m managing” she laughed to herself.

“Do you want me to make you some coffee?” 

Y/N closed her laptop and gathered her things.  

“Thanks. But I gotta run, I wanna make the most of the two hours I have free before my class” 

“Ok”

Y/N kissed him and left. 

Jack sighed. He longed for her presence and found himself absent minded walking back to their shared bedroom. He found Twinkle, Y/N’s childhood plushie sitting in the corner of her room. He picked it up and inhaled the faint scent of Y/N. He got an idea. 

He walked to their shared bathroom and picked up Y/N’s perfume and sprayed it all over the plushie. Then he inhaled it again. ‘That was much like it’ he thought to himself satisfied.

And just like that, he found himself cuddled in their shared bed at her side of her bed cuddling Twinkle until he fell asleep. 

Jack eyes fluttered open as he woke up from his slumber to the familiar sound of the keys jiggling. 

He practically raced to the living room as he saw Y/N entering the through the front door. 

“Babe” he said as he wrapped his arms around her. 

Y/N giggled and hugged him back. 

“Hey bubs” she kissed him. 

Y/N stopped in her tracks as she smelled him. 

“Is that- Is that my perfume?” she smiled.

“Yeah…..I was scared I was going to forget your scent” he said sarcastically as he shrugged. 

Y/N felt her heart heavy. 

“Aww Jack” she hugged him tighter. “You know I’m only a few steps away, right?”

“I know but, I just barely see you. We just don’t talk as much. And I miss you” 

“I’m sorry I know I’ve been distant-” she cupped his cheek. 

“Hey, hey. You have nothing to be sorry about. You’re busy and I get that. You need more pressure than what you already have” 

“I know but you’re my boyfriend and I haven’t paus none of my attention to you and its not fair” she sighed. “I’ll make it up to you. What about a movie night?” 

“Babe, you’ve been awake since 5 am. We both know you’ll be asleep five minutes into the movie” he laughed. 

“Sorry” 

“I have a better idea. We ca have a bath together and you tell me all about your day?” 

“Sounds like a plan” 

Jack and Y/N walked upstairs to make the most of their time together.

[glitterandmoondustofficial]

Lost And Found

Chapter 2: Part 2

Notes:

SURPRISE! PART 2! ENJOY <3

~~~~~

Lammy was certain her life couldn’t get any weirder.

She came from a rich town, got really sick, was almost a victim of genocide, almost died anyway because she was still really sick, and then became a doctor! Weird! Okay, it was “traumatic,” but that never stopped her!

She had finally settled down, content to disappear on some random island where no one knew her real name. One couldn’t be too careful, of course. 

That all changed when her famous pirate brother almost physically ran into her one day.

Lammy couldn’t believe her eyes! She knew that there was a large chance that the Trafalgar Law who was raising hell on the sea was also Trafalgar D Water Law, her beloved older brother, but she didn’t think they’d actually ever get to meet! She figured that she would just hope that he would continue to survive in this crazy, messed up world and not meet an untimely end. 

And then he asked her to join his crew! Lammy was so stunned she didn’t know how to respond. After sleeping on it she realized that she never wanted to let her brother go again, not after everything. So she became a criminal! A very cute and nervous criminal! 

Lammy was woken up by a loud snore. She opened her eyes and stared at a large, furry lump. The Heart Pirate’s resident Mink snored loudly throughout the night and it was so different from what Lammy was used to. She was used to sleeping in her own room in her own apartment and definitely not a community bedroom.  

She sighed and stared up at the ceiling. She listened to the sound of the crew breathing and snoring. This was going to take time to get used to. She wondered if she’d sleep at all tonight. Maybe she just needed to convince herself that it was just like having a fan. It was all just background noise, right?

Well, it was sort of, kind of, maybe true. Lammy did fall asleep, it was just hours later, way into the very early morning. She heard the crew start to wake around her but she drifted in and out of consciousness while they did so. They wouldn’t mind if she caught up on some sleep, would they?

That question was actually answered pretty quickly because while the crew had no problems with her sleeping in, their captain did. 

Law woke her up with an amused raised brow. She half-glared up at him, somewhat delirious from her lack of sleep. She couldn’t stay annoyed at him, however. They were just reunited after all. 

So, she tiredly got out of bed and slipped into her jumpsuit. The jumpsuit that everyone was required to wear, of course. She trudged to the bathroom to brush her teeth and do her hair. After braiding her long hair she walked towards the cafeteria to eat breakfast. 

As she approached the room she started to become anxious. This was her first breakfast on the

Polar Tang. She wasn’t quite sure what to do. Sure she had dinner the night before but this was different. Everyone crowded around her the previous night, unable to believe that, yes, she was Captain Trafalgar Law’s long lost sister. They had asked her so many questions about herself that she wasn’t sure if there were any questions left. 

But honestly, what made her nervous was that she had no idea where to sit!

She stopped at the entrance of the cafeteria and saw everyone being loud and rowdy. Lammy stared at them all as they happily ate their meals. They were an excitable bunch it seemed. She really had no idea what to do. 

She heard a giggle and saw Ikkaku smiling at her. She patted at the spot next to her. Lammy let out a relieved breath and sat next to her. She cleared her throat and Ikkaku giggled again. 

“This must be very different from what you’re used to,” Ikkaku said with a bright smile. 

Lammy nodded. “Yeah.” She looked around the room. “None of this is what I ever planned on seeing or happening.”

Ikkaku laughed. “Well, I can definitely relate to that. I never planned on leaving my island but then Captain and everyone showed up and, well, here I am!” Lammy smiled tiredly at her. Ikkaku blinked. “Are you okay?”

“Huh? Oh. Yes. Just a little tired. I didn’t sleep well last night.”

Ikkaku brought her fingers to her chin. “I suspect it’s because you aren’t used to sleeping around people, right?” Lammy nodded. “I’m sure if you ask Captain he would give you a separate room so that you can sleep alone.” Ikkaku smiled at her kindly. 

Lammy looked at her hands before making fists. “No. I’m a Heart Pirate now. I want to be with all of you. I definitely don’t need special treatment anyway.”

Ikkaku giggled. “Well, you’ll be spoiled by Captain either way, I think.” 

Lammy chuckled. “You think?” 

“Definitely!”

Lammy and Ikkaku talked for the entirety of breakfast. Lammy felt a warmth in her chest, happy that she had made her first friend on the Polar Tang. Halfway through breakfast, Law sat at the table they were at. He was quiet, he never spoke other than a comment or two. She wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t know what to say or if he was just enjoying being at the same table as her and therefore didn’t feel like talking. Lammy didn’t mind, she was happy he was there, too.

Everyone started to finish their meals, placing their dishes in the sink and filing out of the cafeteria to do their duties. Hakugan and Uni went to the sink and started washing the dishes, it was apparently their turn to do so. Lammy shifted, not sure where to go from there. Law said her job was “doctor” but she really didn’t see any doctoring needing to be done. So what was she supposed to do now?

Penguin sat next to Law and they both stared at her. She cocked her head.

“Yes?”

“We need to get your physical done,” Law said dryly. “It's a requirement.”

“Yeah, you said that.”

“Penguin will be doing your physical,” he said and took a sip of his black coffee.

“Penguin?” Lammy questioned. “Are you a doctor, too?”

“Nope!” Penguin grinned. Lammy stared at him, growing nervous.

Law sighed. “He’s my “head nurse.” I’ve taught him everything he needs to know. He’s perfectly capable of doing your physical today.”

Lammy hesitated. “Not that I don’t believe you,” she started. “But why aren’t you doing it?”

Law looked uncomfortable. “I don’t think you want me doing…everything that’s required.”

“Everything?” She questioned.

“Everything,” Penguin said. “Captain is quite thorough in his exams. For you and Ikkaku, that means a breast and pelvic exam.”

“Oh!” Lammy nodded. “Yep, that makes sense,” she chuckled nervously. 

Penguin stood up. “Shall we go?” He grinned at her.

Lammy nodded. She followed after Penguin and Law followed her. It didn’t surprise her that Law required multiple tests and exams. She was sure he wanted to make sure that everyone was in their best shape that they could be and she was even more sure that he didn’t want anyone on the Polar Tang catching something that was preventable.

They stopped outside of the infirmary and Penguin turned to them. 

“You can go in, Lammy. There’s a gown on the bed and a cup for a urine sample. Go ahead and get ready while I wait out here.” Penguin raised his brow at Law. “Are you going to wait out here like a puppy dog?”

Law scoffed and rolled his eyes. He sipped his coffee and let out a breath. “I trust that you are capable,” he said stiffly before walking away.

Penguin snorted and turned to Lammy. “He’s like that. Go ahead and head in.”

Lammy nodded and walked into the room. She walked across the sterile floor and towards the bed. She looked around the metal room. It was hardly warm and inviting. Cold metal, testing equipment, sterile surgical tools – this was very different from the clinic she used to work at.

She started to take off her clothes and sighed. She didn’t give a proper goodbye to the staff. She just left in a hurry, hoping to catch her brother before he left. She didn’t regret it, of course, but she wondered if there was a better way to do it. Maybe she could’ve asked Law for another day. Then again she was hardly thinking when she rushed up her pirate ship, she just wanted to be with Law.

As Lammy was sitting on the bed, Penguin knocked on the door. She looked over when he opened the door. 

“Ready?” He asked.

Lammy nodded.

Penguin walked over to the counter and put on some disposable gloves. He walked to the bed and collected her urine sample and set it aside. He picked up a clipboard and a pen. He grabbed a rolling stool and rolled it over to the bed and then sat on it.

“You’re a doctor, so you already know what all I’m going to ask you and what all I’ll do. Don’t be nervous. Captain was right, I know what I’m doing.”

Lammy nodded. “So, Law makes everyone do this?”

“Yep. He’s a neurotic and anal person about a lot of things but the two main things,” Penguin held two fingers up, “are his crew’s health and cleanliness.”

“Yes, I’ve noticed how everything on the sub is quite…clean.”

Penguin laughed. “Yeah. He can’t stand messiness. He’s a bit more relaxed with the crew quarters, of course. That’s where we sleep and relax so he’s more willing to let it be untidy, but the rest of the Tang? Must be spotless.”

Lammy nodded.

Penguin started the exam, never once making her feel uncomfortable. He was gentle and kind. He asked the appropriate questions and did the exams properly. Lammy was quite impressed, but she supposed Law had to be a good teacher if Penguin had no previous medical skills and learned everything from him.

After Lammy had put her clothes back on she walked up to Penguin with a smile. “You did a great job,” she told him. 

Penguin blinked before grinning. “Well, thanks! Captain did teach me almost everything but I did have to add my own little flair of bedside manner.”

Lammy giggled. “I suspect my brother isn’t the best at being a warm and loving doctor?”

“Nope! He’s good at the medical part of being a doctor, not so much at the warm personality part. That’s alright, though. We love him anyway.” Lammy grinned widely at that. “You’re free to go, Lammy. All of your test results will be ready tomorrow but I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about.” He took off his gloves and tossed them in the trash. “Captain wanted to see you after the examination, so you’ll want to find him. He’s probably in the control room.”

“He wants to see me? Do you know why?”

“I suspect I know why, but I don’t want to give you the wrong info so you’ll have to let him tell you.”

Lammy hummed. “Alright. Well, I guess I’ll see you later.”

“Sure will!”

Lammy left the infirmary and walked towards where she thought she remembered where the control room was. She walked down the empty hallway, the hum of the Polar Tang following her around. She stopped at the entrance to the control room, where she saw Hakugan and Law talking.

Lammy took a step into the room and both men looked over to her. Law smiled at her awkwardly. She couldn’t tell what Hakugan was doing on account of the mask. She took in a breath.

“Penguin said you wanted to talk to me?”

“Yes.” Law patted Hakugan’s shoulder before walking towards Lammy. He walked out of the room and motioned for her to follow him. “I wanted to ask you how you defend yourself, or if you even know how?”

“Uh, pepper spray?”

Law sighed. “That’s what I figured.” He stopped and turned to her. “You’ll need weapons training.” He started to walk again.

Lammy stood with her mouth agape before clearing her throat and catching up to him. “Weapons training? You want me to fight?”

“No.” He looked at her. “But you’re a pirate now. There’s going to be fights and I can’t always protect you. You’ll need to defend yourself in case I can’t.”

“I guess that’s true,” she mumbled. She followed after him as he led her to the hatch door. “What weapon are you going to teach me?”

“The weapon is up to you and what you’re comfortable with. You can use anything we have to offer.” He opened the door for her. Lammy walked out and saw Shachi standing on deck with a sword. “As far as the training goes, the crew has decided that I will not be training you.”

“What? Why?”

“Because he’ll be too busy worrying about hurting you to properly train you,” Shachi answered for Law with a laugh.

“I will still monitor your progress and get you the weapon you want, but I have been apparently overruled,” Law grumbled with his arms crossed. 

Lammy swallowed nervously. She looked at Shachi and then to the side where there were weapons set aside. There were a couple different types of guns, a spear, a short sword, brass knuckles, and a quarterstaff. She felt like she was in some fantasy novel where her mentor was telling her to pick her path or something like that.

“Don’t look so nervous!” Shachi laughed. “I’ll work you hard but I’m not an ass!” Lammy nodded, not feeling any less nervous. “The first thing we’ll need to do is get you fit and flexible. No point in holding a weapon if you don’t have the oomph behind it!”

“Uhh, right…” Lammy nodded. That made sense. She was…out of shape. She just didn’t get much exercise is all. She kept telling herself that she needed to start working out but never did, opting to read a book in bed rather than go on early morning walks. “Where do we start?” She asked innocently.

Shachi grinned at her in response. 

It really could have been worse. Probably. Maybe. 

First, she stretched and loosened up. Easy enough. Then Shachi had her run laps around the deck so many times she lost count. Then there were jumping jacks. Then there were squats. Then there were pushups. And then there were, ugh, lunges. And this was only day one!

Lammy laid on her back on deck, staring up at the cloudy sky, sweaty and tired. She didn’t even have the chance to look at the weapons let alone pick one up and choose one. Shachi had gone inside, bringing the weapons in and letting Lammy rest before taking a shower. Lammy felt a breeze roll across her sweaty skin. Her once neat braid was a complete mess and stray hairs blew in the wind.

She heard the door open and then a giggle. She looked over to see Ikkaku walking towards her with a bottle of water. Ikkaku sat down next to her and offered her the water. Lammy gratefully took it and sat up. She sipped and then sighed out.

“I’m not sure I’m cut out for this,” she said.

Ikkaku laughed. “You know, I said the same thing. Shachi works you hard, but you’ll get there. You just gotta get through this first very sore bit.”

Lammy sighed. “I guess I will be sore, won’t I?” She mostly said that to herself. “What weapon do you have?”

“I have a sword,” Ikkaku proudly said with a big grin. “You know what’s a good way to rest off a workout?” Lammy shook her head. “A nice hot shower and some warm chocolate chip cookies. I had Clione make you some when I found out Captain was having Shachi train you.”

Lammy almost burst into tears not only because Ikkaku was being so sweet and kind, but because the idea of warm chocolate cookies sounded amazing. Ikkaku giggled and stood up. She offered her hand to Lammy. Lammy smiled and accepted the help, already feeling the aches and pain of what was to come.

They walked into the sub and into the crew quarters where Lammy grabbed some clean clothes. She walked to the community showers and took a very nice, hot shower. She washed and scrubbed her body and shampooed her hair. She redressed and wrapped her hair in a towel. She blinked a few times, realizing she was truly exhausted. 

Ikkaku grinned at her when she emerged from the showers. They walked to the cafeteria together. Clione saw them walk in and greeted them.

“Well, hello ladies!” He said from the stove. “The cookies are good and ready to go! I made ‘em special for you two but don’t go tellin’ no one. Don’t want ‘em thinkin’ I treat you girls special.”

Ikkaku took Lammy’s hand and pulled her to the cookies. “Don’t worry, Clione, your secret is safe with us…and Captain.” Clione laughed. “What’s for dinner tonight?” Ikkaku asked before bringing a cookie to her mouth. Lammy followed suit and grabbed a warm cookie.

“Glad you asked my curly haired friend! Captain and Bepo managed to fight a giant octopus earlier this mornin’ so I’m making karaage and takoyaki with some rice and veggies of course. We need to be eatin’ our grains and vegetables!”

Lammy’s mouth watered at the idea of takoyaki .

“That sounds great, Clione!” Ikkaku responded happily. She turned to Lammy. “How’s the cookie?”

Lammy swallowed. “It’s really good.”

“Of course it is!” Clione said. “It’s got my special ingredient in it!”

“What’s the special ingredient?”

“Love.”

Ikkaku snorted and lightly punched Clione in the arm. “Don’t tease her.” Clione laughed in response. 

Lammy watched her two crewmates laugh together. They seemed so happy with their lives and so happy to be around each other. Lammy felt herself smile, she hoped that she could be this happy with her crew one day soon. 

Ikkaku and Lammy took a couple cookies each and left Clione to focus on dinner. They walked to the crew quarters after finishing their cookies. Ikkaku walked to Lammy’s bunk and stared at it. 

“Next time we stop at an island, we’ll need to get you some things to personalize your space,” she said with a nod. 

Lammy looked from her to around the room, noting that every bunk did have its own personality and style. She looked back to her bunk and almost laughed at how bland it was. 

“Did Law choose the gray bedding?” She asked with a smile.

“Sure did!”

Lammy giggled. She supposed she could have brought more of her things from her flat. In fact she probably should have, but she was so determined to get to Law before he left she hadn’t thought about it. She really did just leave her entire life behind.

She sighed with a smile. Oh well, no point in dwelling on it. She’d much rather be with her brother than anything else.

Lammy sat on the bed, her muscles aching and her bones creaking. Her whole body and mind slowed down almost to a stop and she realized she was very, very tired. Shachi really did work her hard. 

Ikkaku giggled. “Best not fall asleep quite yet. You still need to eat. Captain is already strict when it comes to everyone getting their appropriate meals, I can’t imagine how he would be if you skipped a meal.”

Lammy yawned and nodded. “You’re right. I don’t want to miss out on takoyaki anyway.”

Clione called everyone to dinner. Lammy shuffled into the kitchen with Ikkaku. Everyone was in high spirits again, happily eating their fried octopus dishes. Law was sitting down with a book and a beer, eating his food between turning the pages of the book.

The takoyaki was amazing. It was crispy and had just the right amount of everything. Lammy was going to bed with a full, happy stomach. The crew started to drink and sing songs around her. She smiled and rested her chin in her hand. She didn’t know any of the songs but it was hard to fight such a warm feeling in her chest. 

The Heart Pirates seemed like such a happy bunch. It was a nice change of pace to her life.

Lammy excused herself, causing the crew to whine and complain that they wanted her to stay. Shachi laughed and boasted that he did a good job training her if she was this tired. She said goodnight to the crew and walked to the crew quarters alone. She somehow made it to her bunk and collapsed on the bed face first. She took one, two, three deep breaths and then she was out like a light.

Lammy woke up sore the next day. So incredibly sore. She sat up slowly and breathed out a whine. She heard chuckles around her and looked around.

“Shachi always works everyone so hard!” Uni said. “Don’t worry, Lammy, you’ll get there!” Resounding agreement followed. 

Lammy felt it hard to not smile at the crew. She let out a breath and stood up on her shaky legs. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt this sore. It had to have been…Lammy swallowed and shook her head, ridding herself of the memories of Flevance. No need to fill her thoughts of worse times, her life had improved so much! She was happy now!

Ikkaku stood next to her with a smile. “Want to go get ready together?”

Lammy and Ikkaku walked to the community bathroom together. Ikkaku asked about Lammy’s life. How did she become a doctor? How did she like her coffee? Did she leave a boyfriend behind?

Lammy blushed at that last question causing Ikkaku to burst into laughter. 

“That’s probably for the best. Captain gets really scary when he wants.”

“I can only imagine.” 

Ikkaku smiled at Lammy in the mirror as she finished brushing her hair for her. After Lammy pulled her hair into a bun they walked to the kitchen together. Clione had already prepared breakfast and most of the crew was filling their plates with bacon and cute “toad in a hole” egg toasts. 

Lammy sat next to Law, ready to dig into her meal. She raised her brow at her brother’s food. Unlike the most of the crew he had a bowl of rice with a runny sunny side up egg. How curious. Did her brother not like toast? She asked him quietly, not sure if this was some odd quirk he had developed over the years.

“No,” he said simply. “I don’t like bread.”

Lammy cocked her head, remembering a time where they happily ate fresh raspberry jam on toast in the morning with their parents. She watched him eat his rice silently, either not noticing her blatant stare or choosing not to care. She chose not to pry, her brother’s tastes were not her business. Besides, people lose interest in food all of the time. Nothing to truly dwell on.

Ikkaku sat in front of the two siblings with plenty of bacon. Law raised his brow at her and she stuck out her tongue. Lammy blinked between the two of them. More food habits? Interesting.

Lammy looked around the room and saw everyone had a different way of plating their food and the amount they had. Some had more bacon while others had more eggs. Some had chosen rice and eggs while others only chose toast and bacon. There were different drinks, coffee, milk, orange juice, and even tea. Lammy wasn’t sure why the different breakfast habits astounded her. 

She supposed she still wasn’t used to being around so many people. 20 something people all at once wasn’t what she was used to, especially when it came to living with people. But she would get used to the chatter and noise. She’d get used to the different ways they took their eggs and coffee. While it was different, she was sure that she would grow to love this crew and be comforted by their presence. 

“What kind of food do you like, Lammy?” Ikkaku asked as she brought a piece of bacon to her lips.

“Uh, all kinds of food. I’m not really picky.”

“Well, you have to have a favorite, right?”

“Hmm, well I’d have to say curry. Yellow curry with shrimp.”

“Noted!” She heard Clione call.

Ikkaku giggled and Lammy smiled. Lammy and Ikkaku spent the rest of breakfast chatting while Law silently ate his meal while reading the newspaper. As everyone finished breakfast they piled their dishes in the sink and the dish washers got right to work, just like the day before. Ikkaku waved goodbye as she walked to the boiler room. Everyone started to walk to their posts happily. Lammy watched everyone leave the kitchen when she felt a smack on the back.

She turned and saw Shachi grinning at her. She felt true fear in that moment, knowing what was coming next. 

Over the next week it was like clockwork. She’d wake up, be greeted by the crew, Ikkaku would join her in the showers where they talked about whatever came to their heads. She would eat breakfast with Law and whoever else decided to sit with them. Shachi would train her, working her until she was sure her legs would fall off. After training she would help any crewmember she could with chores or their jobs, happy to get to know her companions.

Sometimes there would be a minor injury and she would join Law in taking care of them. It was a good way to get to know the infirmary, Law’s healing skills, and her crew all at once.

There were a couple times where the Polar Tang would be attacked by some giant sea monster but Lammy was always inside when that happened. She never got a chance to see anyone fight. Law made sure she wouldn’t see a fight until she was ready.

One day Lammy and Shachi discovered that her weapon of choice was a spear. She liked the weight of the weapon and the way it felt in her hands. Once Shachi accepted that, he told her that Penguin would be training her from that point on as he also used a spear in fights. Lammy was a little relieved, maybe Penguin would go easier on her than Shachi. He was always so kind to her.

She had started to really get along with the Heart Pirates. They had taught her sea shanties, started to get her used to the ale they drank, and she became a quick expert in fishing in the deep sea. She had started to feel like this was her true home, like she was born for this.

The one thing that was off about this whole pirating thing was that it was still very awkward between her and Law. He seemed like a busy person. He always had a nose in a book or newspaper, he regularly had ink from a pen on his fingers, the dark bags under his eyes told her that he didn’t sleep much, and he always looked…a little sad.

She wanted to talk to him. To sit down with him one day with a cup of cocoa and just talk about their lives and the time they were apart. She wanted to know everything about him. Why he always seemed to focus on something serious, why he always seemed like he was forlorn. She just didn’t know how to approach him. Unlike his joyous and outgoing crew, he was reserved and serious. From what she remembered of their childhood, he was like that back then, but he was happy. They both were.

“What’s on your mind, Lammy? You’re distracted,” Penguin asked as he crouched down to rest. He wiped his brown with his gloved hand and let out a breath.

Lammy sighed. “Well,” she started. She gripped the spear in her hand before releasing it. “I want to talk to Law.”

Penguin cocked his head at her like he didn’t hear her. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…we just haven’t really talked much since I joined his crew. I want to talk to him, to learn about his life. He’s my brother and I want to know who he is and how he grew up.”

Penguin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I see,” he said. “I’ve known him a long time, so I think I know what it is. He’s probably anxious around you.”

“Me? Really?”

“It’s more complicated than I’m making it sound. He’s complicated. I think he doesn’t want to disappoint you by who he became over the years.” Lammy pulled her knees in front of her and rested her chin on them. She sighed. Penguin smiled at her. “I think if you tell him you want to spend time and talk to him he’d do it. He’d just be awkward about it. It takes a little time for him to open up, but I think for his precious little sister he would.”

Lammy smiled back at him. She opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by noise coming from inside the Polar Tang. Lammy’s ears perked up at the sound of muffled distress. Her eyebrows scrunched together as she looked at Penguin with a confused expression. He sighed and scratched the back of his head. 

“I think someone was acting up again.”

Lammy’s face contorted into even more confusion. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve never seen Captain’s powers, right?”

Lammy shook her head. “No.”

“Well you’re about to get a crash course.”

“What do you-”

Lammy was interrupted by the hatch door being swung open. Lammy jumped at the sudden noise but Penguin didn’t flinch. She looked over and gasped when she saw Law with an annoyed look on his face holding the distressed head of Shachi. 

“I said I was sorry!” Shachi exclaimed. 

Lammy stared at the scene in stunned silence. How was the head talking? How was this possible? What did Law do?

Law’s upper lip curled into a snarl. “Not good enough,” he said. Law looked over to Lammy. She bit her lip as he walked over to her. 

Law had grown so tall. He towered over her. He was much taller than she remembered their parents being. 

She looked from Law’s face to Shachi’s head. “Um…” she managed to get out.

“Apologize,” Law said and held up Shachi’s head to Lammy’s face. “Now.”

“Alright!” Shachi cried. “I’m sorry, Lammy.”

Lammy blinked twice. “For what?”

Shachi looked uncomfortable. “For saying you have nice tits.”

Lammy sat there, too stunned to speak. Penguin let out what she could only describe as a “guffaw” and Law made a disgusted noise. Shachi gave her a nervous toothy grin. She swallowed.

“Ah,” she cleared her throat. “Thanks, I guess?”

“For saying you have nice tits or for apologizing? Ahh! Don’t squeeze my head so hard!” Shachi exclaimed with comical tears in his eyes. 

Penguin laughed at his two friends as Lammy looked between the three of them.

“Um, for apologizing,” she said quietly. She looked up at her very annoyed brother. “Law, you didn’t…have to…”

“What? Defend you? Of course I did. I don’t need anyone saying shit like that about my sister.” He brought Shachi up to his eye level. “Are you going to be good?”

“Yes.”

“Then I will return you to your body,” he said conclusively. Law reached out and petted Lammy’s head before turning around and walking into the submarine while Shachi whined to him about being cruel. 

Lammy stared after them in silence. She turned to Penguin as his laughter faded away. He wiped a tear from his eye and had a broad smile. Lammy swallowed.

“He can take off people’s heads without them dying?” She asked, already forgetting about why he had done so.

“Not just heads, any body part. He can take out organs, take apart bodies, he can make electricity form in his hands like a defibrillator, and a lot of other things. It’s a very unique power.”

“Oh, uh, wow. He said that he had eaten his fruit when he was 13 but I never asked what powers he had.”

Penguin grinned. “That! It’s called the ope ope no mi. The reason he’s so good at using it is because he’s a doctor. It’s said that the user can cure any disease.”

Lammy blinked before opening her mouth in shock. “That’s how he was cured of Amber Lead. He performed the surgery on himself.” Lammy grimaced at the mere idea of the amount of pain he had to have been in. 

Penguin nodded. “Yes.” He smiled at her. “He’s come a long way, hasn’t he?” Lammy nodded thoughtfully. “Well, what do you say? Want to get back at it or are you wanting to head in?”

Lammy looked at the spear that Penguin was offering her. She reached out and took it. “I still have energy don’t I?”

Penguin laughed. “That you do!” 

A few more days of training went by. Lammy’s hands were bruised and blistered but her arms had begun to have definition and she was starting to become more confident in herself. The crew…the crew was good. It was hard to believe they were pirates and not just jolly sailors. Perhaps it was the encouragement of Ikkaku and Penguin or perhaps it was her new found confidence, but she finally, finally was able to knock on Law’s door and ask to spend time alone with him.

He stared at her from his strangely messy desk. He looked so tired that Lammy started to wonder if he was getting enough rest. He also seemed skinny, was he eating enough? She started to really take in her brother. She had been so busy acclimating to her new life and friends that she realized that she hadn’t really spent much time with her brother. She never really looked at him.

He cleared his throat and agreed to take a break with her.

Lammy was holding a mug of hot cocoa with marshmallows in her hands while Law nursed a black coffee. They silently sat on deck, staring at the sea. Both of their nerves were glaringly obvious. What to say to your long-lost brother who had trauma and a fear of abandonment?

Law sighed. He sipped from his mug. “I don’t mean to avoid you,” he started. “This is all very weird. It was harder than I thought seeing you everyday. You look like Mother.”

Lammy swallowed and looked into her mug. He was right. She did resemble their mother. Just like he looked like their father. It was eerie. There were enough differences, of course, but Lammy definitely felt an ache for her father when she saw her brother.

“Yeah,” she said. “I get it.”

“It’s also…” he trailed off. “I have this guilt in me for leaving you in that closet. When I see your burn scars I see how I failed you,” he admitted. Lammy opened her mouth to tell him how ridiculous that was when he continued. “But I’m also glad you didn’t share the same fate as I did. Joining the DonQuixote Pirates probably wasn’t my best decision. I would’ve hated for you to go through what I did.” Lammy sat silently rubbing her mug with her thumb. “I did have Cora-san to thank for my life. He was…” he trailed off uncomfortably.

“He seemed like a special person,” Lammy said.

“He was,” Law said with a deep, sorrowful frown on his face.

Lammy reached over and placed her hand on his arm. He looked at her hand to her face. He sighed. “Well, I’m not much. I still have things to get over and things to learn about being a pirate, but I want us to get along and be family again.”

Law stared at her sadly. ““Not much?”” He questioned. “You’re everything I could’ve hoped for.” 

Lammy blinked. Her bottom lip wobbled at his admission. Her eyes became blurry with tears. “I want us to get to know each other more!” She managed to get out. “I don’t want to just be siblings. I want us to be friends, too.” She sniffed.

“Me too,” he said before clearing his throat. 

Lammy laid her head on his shoulder and ignored the tear falling down her cheek. She gave in to the anxiety in her stomach and asked what kind of pirate he was. He hesitated but then told her what it was like being a pirate. The fights, the battles, the unruly sea, and the threat of death always looming ahead. He told her of his plans for Doflamingo.

Then he told her about Cora-san and how much he cared for him. He told her about how he picked up every Heart Pirate and took them in. How they all became a family of misfits who no longer fit into normal society. 

It was dangerous and it was violent, but it was also romantic. She saw it. She saw what pirating was about. It wasn’t just about treasure or fighting or good seafood. It was about the freedom that only the sea could provide. It was about nakama and finding your place in the messy world.

As Law spoke to her, Lammy started to understand why the crew was so dedicated to him. Even after everything he had been through, he still held some childlike wonder for the sea. He held a passion for his work, not just as a captain but as a doctor. Lammy could see it. She could feel it.

She now knew she had made the right decision to follow Law. She knew she wouldn’t regret coming along on his journey. She didn’t feel out of place on the Polar Tang. She had made friends – family. She didn’t feel out of place or like she didn’t belong. Her crewmates had welcomed her with open arms, ready to accept her. 

When Law and Lammy had finally stopped being sentimental and crying together, they wiped their tears and walked towards the kitchen. They were greeted by their crew, complaining they were late for dinner. A large smile grew on Lammy’s lips as she grabbed Law’s hand and walked forward into the kitchen, ready to eat with her family.   

[after-witch]

And the Doctor Said [Yandere L Lawliet x Reader]

Title: And the Doctor Said [Yandere L Lawliet x Reader]

Synopsis: You’re sick.  You’re sick and he won’t admit it, and what, he just wants you to die here?

For Horrorfest request: L Lawliet + Hypochondria

Word count: 963

notes: yandere, kidnapped reader, reader is a hypochondriac, emotional abuse

You stick the thermometer in your mouth for the third time that morning, and ignore the way that L’s frown deepens at the gesture. You don’t much care for what your captor thinks, anyway, and especially not about important matters like these.

“And why are you measuring your temperature again?” The words come out measured and calm, but you--having been around him for too long now--detect the edge of irritation in them.

“You know why,” you say, words half-garbled through the plastic on your tongue. “Stop pretending you don’t.”

He hums and watches and waits for the thermometer to beep. When it does--beep, beep, beep--you pull it out and grin at the reading, despite the thin thread of fear slowly unraveling inside your belly.

“Aha! I told you! See! See!” You thrust it towards his face, and he takes it, careful not to touch the part that’s slightly damp with your drool.

“37C,” he reads. “That’s not a fever. I don’t know why you sound so triumphant.”

“Because,” you retort, snatching the thermometer back from his grubby little hands. “It’s above the normal temperature, which you know is 36 to 36.8 exactly. And if it’s above the normal temperature, that explains everything else that’s going on with me.”

The note of triumph in y our voice is trimmed with anxiety. Because while being right when L is wrong is one of the few things left gloating for in your sad compact little life, if you’re right, it means… well.  Something far more serious than a simple cold.

L stares at you, blinking.

“Don’t tell me you’re still stuck on that. I already told you, your self-diagnosis was faulty and filled with errors. It wouldn’t hold up to a nervous first year medical student’s analysis.”

Your grip on the thermometer tightens, before you slam it down on the counter. You whirl, fuming, even though your stomach and your head hurt, and stomp into the living room to retrieve your laptop. The top opens fluidly--you don’t want to break it--and you bring up your latest search results.

“There,” you say, resolute, bitter, terrified but stubborn as hell. “See? All of my symptoms are there. The headache. The stomach ache. The dizziness. The insomnia. The fever--” You don’t even look behind you when you retort to the look he’s surely making--”It’s going to be a fever soon, it counts.” 

Your fingers tremble as you scroll down the page, noting how every symptom lines up with your current state. Yes, you do feel more anxious than usual. Yes, you do feel a sense of impending doom. Yes, you do feel like you can’t sleep. Yes, your appetite is affected… it’s all there, black and white, easy to see

Easy for you to see, while he ignores what’s right in front of him.

You hear L move, hear the creak of the stool in the kitchen, before you see him settle down next to on the sofa.

He calmly puts his fingers on the bottom of your laptop, and you let him, because if he would just read the symptoms then he would know that you’re right. And he would take you to a doctor, instead of forcing you to sip tea and take cold medicine every few hours.

“You do not have,” he starts, before turning the screen to face himself. His voice maintains its soft monotone expression as he continues. “One of the rarest blood disorders in the world that can cause cold-like symptoms which may be a sign of impending organ failure.” The only sign of his agitation is the sigh that he lets out as he closes the laptop, much to your annoyance.

“I’m taking away your laptop privileges,” he says. He sets the closed laptop next to him, where you can’t reach, unless you want to try to fight him for it. You don’t.

“You’re what?” Your fingers itch to reach for it, but then--might sudden movements trigger your condition? Was it like a blood clot, in that way? Maybe you had a blood clot, your leg was feeling strange lately, and surely you’d been sitting down too much in the last 24 hours. “You can’t do that.” Your voice is tinged with the helplessness you feel, raw, thready.

“Of course I can.” He rubs the back of his neck. “I should have done this sooner. It’s only contributing to your condition, really.”

You freeze.

“My condition? So you admit it?” Your heart thumps and there’s a jittery sort of triumph in your stomach, but it’s so overrun with worry that you barely feel it. Has he known this whole time? Was he planning on just letting you die? Maybe that was what he got off on, making you fret and worry, watching you get sick, half-ass nursing you while you slowly faded away.

He chews on his thumb while your brain chews on itself. “I suppose I’ve been in denial about it. But it’s clear that you are suffering.” He sighs again. “I’ll have Watari send over some modules on how best to treat it. But I think taking away your ability to research every disease known to mankind is a good starting point.”

He reaches out and, as if you’re some sort of timid cat, pats your shoulder reassuringly.

You don’t flinch, exactly, but it’s not often that he bothers touching you without asking first.

“I…” The words come out slowly. “I don’t understand. What can Watari do about my blood disorder?”

L quirks his head to the side. And then his eyes widen, when he realizes where it all went wrong.

“You don’t have a blood disorder. I told you that.” He smiles, just a little one, but it digs right into you like a sharp hook. “It’s called hypochondria. Would you like me to look up the symptoms?”

[witch-hazels-musings]

Until you are safe

Warning: Vision Hunt Decree still in effect, kidnapped themes, reader grabbed by hair (Thoma), possessive themes (scara)

Character X GN Reader | Anthology 

Includes: Albedo, Scara, Thoma, Zhongli

Albedo

The frosty chill of the mountain side was more than you could bear. Every time you thought you gained warmth it was ripped from your body by icy hands threatening to drive you insane. You shivered and wrapped your coat further around your body while you scowled against the frigid cold. 

Ahead of you stood Albedo who seemed indifferent to the temperature and while you were impressed that he knew how to handle this without any complaints, you were also irritated by the fact. He was barely wearing anything and here you were shivering under countless layers of cloth. 

He turned to tell you something but with the turbulent winds and nibbling frost against your ears, you didn’t understand a single word he said. Quickly, you forced your legs to move as you made your way to his side.

“W-w-what di-did you s-say?” Your chattering teeth made it hard, and painful, to speak but you did your best anyway. 

“We are nearly there, can you keep going?” He narrowed his eyes at you but you knew that was a common thing he did. It was unlikely to have any additional meaning behind it. 

“H-how f-f-f-ar?” 

“Just around the bend.” He rested the back of his hand against your cheek and somehow that made you shiver even more than the touch of frost. When you nodded and began to walk forward, he took up position behind you and directed you toward the camp. 

With the cave blocking out the wind, and several warming mechanisms already glowing, you stumbled your way in between them an the fire. Trembling hands extended toward the orange and yellow light while you watched the snow drip from your clothes. 

“I always h-hat-te this p-p-part.” You complained, shaking your head and shoulders to warm up the muscles. This wasn’t the first time you traveled to Dragonspine with Albedo, but each time you braved the conditions you recalled the promise you made yourself last time. Never again, well ... I guess that promise was made to be broken. 

“Here, this will help warm you.” He handed you a cup and immediately you caught the scent of fresh and soothing tea. The aroma itself perked you up and even though your fingers were still stiff, you graciously took the offering. Warmth seeped into your throat as the liquid carved a path down your esophagus and into the pit of your baron stomach. With a refreshing hum you smiled through the steam.  

“P-p-perfect. Thank-k y-you.” Another sip warmed your lips and tickled your nose but you didn’t dare stop. 

“This trip should be less strenuous than last time.” Albedo began, his back turned to you as he rummaged through the stacks of books. “Where did I place that ... perhaps it got caught in the wind, that would be unfortunate.” 

You giggled, eyes watching him meander and speak to himself all at the same time. He had a habit of doing it but it never bothered you, in fact it was comforting to hear his voice, stabilizing, grounding. 

“You ca-can head out. I’ll b-be fine here after I w-warm up-p.” The shivering had eased, but you still succumbed to the residual affects as your body began to shift from frozen to thawed. 

“No need, I can wait here for a while.” 

“Haha, that’s silly, g-go on ahead.” You took another sip of the cup and found yourself sad at the emptiness of it. That’s when a hand entered your field of vision and you watched Albedo walk toward a table, refill your drink, and return to your side. He offered it to you and when your fingers found the circumference his nestled against them.

“Until I know you are safe, I will be here.” His eyes held your own for a while as if waiting for your reaction, your response, and when you nodded he mimicked your action before slipping back toward the bookshelves and research table. 

You were glad he left you, because if he hadn’t you were sure the only way to cool down was to step beyond the barrier of the cave and into the never-ending snowstorm that protected Dragonspine. 

Scara

Being at the side of a Harbinger had it’s own trials. If it wasn’t the constant movement between assignments or the threats against your life, it was the loneliness which creeped in every single day. There were some Harbingers who left the life of love far outside of their reach: Signora, who vowed to never love again and instead put all her attention into fulfilling her duty, Childe, found love a difficult thing to ignore and did his best to keep what he cherished hidden behind closed doors. 

Scara, he never understood the meaning of the word until it crashed around him like a house crumbles into itself, and the way he kept his belongings safe was to have them near him at all times. It was far better to be under the watchful eyes of his competence than leave something so valuable in the hands of another. So, here you were, following him around and staying hidden until he called for you. 

-- 

The room was empty, absent of all the things you would have normally kept to make this place more homey. If you could get away with it, you’d have made some changes to the décor, but the problem with never settling in one place for long made this desire of yours difficult to accomplish. It wasn’t feasible, you thought to yourself  but that didn’t stop you from adding a bit of comfort when you could. 

The night came and went without issue and after you prepared yourself for bed you wondered where your lover was. Was he succeeding, was he accomplishing his goals, would he return to you tonight or would you wake up alone yet again. Luckily for you, you had learn to be patient. 

Your dreams kept you occupied but there seemed to be something about them that pulled you toward consciousness, a subtle wish drifting across your imagines to wake up. 

Something brushed across your cheek, but was it the dream or reality, you couldn’t tell. Gravity pulled you close to something sturdy, but was it a creation of your imagination or the real thing - why was this so challenging. When your eyes finally opened and adjusted to the light of the room, you realized what had been calling to you. 

“Scara?” You pulled your hand down from behind the pillow, the muscles tense from being locked into that position for so long. “What has-” 

“Go back to sleep.” He spoke and the sound of his voice pulled you closer to him. 

“Is everything okay?” You continued your question as if what he said was never uttered, your eyes trying to find the outline of his frame while your skin adjusted to his touch. 

“Nothing to concern yourself with, just sleep.” 

“But, why are you here?

“I don’t recall needing your permission to do anything.” His words may have been direct, but you could sense there was something else behind them. 

“... would you ... like to come to bed?” 

“I can’t.” He adjusted and you felt the warmth of the blankets cover more of your exposed skin. The chill of the evening became blocked by the sheets and you hummed in response. You were confused, but the feeling of his hand running along your neck, your jaw, and into your hair made all the questions you had disappear. Moments like these brought out something completely different in the Harbinger and you wondered why he treated you so differently. 

With a yawn, you turned into his touch, lips finding the palm of his hand easily and placing a tender kiss against his skin. “You don’t need to stay if you have work to do. I’ll be fine.” You hummed again as he thumb ran over your lips and the gentle pull of sleep began to find you. It was quiet for a while and you focused on the warmth, the closeness, the comfort he provided until you practically melted into the bed. 

“I can’t do that either.” Scara whispered, hand pressing into the mattress as he leaned closer to your face. “Not until you are safe,” He breathed in your scent, gazing down at your trusting form beneath him. “Even from me.” He spoke as his fingers curled into the sheets and before he lost himself in you, he slipped from your bedroom and made his way down the hall. 

Thoma

He ran so fast as soon as the news reached him. The weight of his feet as he dashed through the countryside grew with every passing second but there was nothing more painful than his clenching heart and anxious thoughts. 

What have they done, am I to late, please don’t be too late. He wracked his brain over and over again, blamed himself for the stupidity of leaving you. If he had been there would the outcome be different? If he had stayed, would he have been able to fend off their attack enough to get you to safety. How foolish of him for thinking they wouldn’t use dirty tricks like this to accomplish their goals. 

Rumors and intel began to swirl like wildfire and at this point he couldn’t differentiate the accuracy of it all. There was one thing he knew for certain, the vision hunters had you and he was going to get you back. 

-- 

Their campsite was simple and you wondered if they would really be able to escort all of these prisoners back to the city on their own. They were intimidating enough to keep most insurrection at bay, but you were not about to let them get away with this. After a quick analysis of your surroundings, you found a few potential options worth trying, now it was only a matter of timing. 

“You won’t get away with this!” Someone shouted next to you and you patiently waited for an opportunity. 

“Shut up.” A soldier barked, his dismissive attitude apparent from the lack of eye contact and the wave of his hand. 

“This is wrong and you know it! Do you think you’re immune to the decree, when the day come to hand over your vision will you?!” 

The soldier turned and made his way through the trembling captured, you used the scuffling of those trying to get out of his way as an excuse to move closer to your escape. The dirt scraped against your bound hands and pulled at your clothes, but you didn’t care because each inch you gained the closer you got to freedom. 

You watched the soldier lift the woman from the ground, his impressive height apparent as she dangled above the well worn soil. “I will do what is necessary for the Raiden Shogun. I am bound by honor, unlike the resistance.” 

“Honor! You know nothing of it. Put me down you brute.” She spat in his face and he reacted in kind. You hated the fact that you were using her as your distraction, but hopefully if this all worked out in the end freedom would be enough compensation for her bruised face. Your fingers brushed against a metal handle, the sword you were aiming for had been reached and you quickly worked to get yourself free from the bindings.

The loosening rope told you of your success but when your hand wrapped around the hilt of the weapon and you moved to stand, a sudden pain against your head made your vision go blurry. 

“What do you think you are doing?!” Shouted a voice near your ear. They were so loud that you shrunk away from it only to be yanked right back. “You think you could take on all of us? Are you stupid.” 

“I didn’t think so.” You wheezed, blinking harshly to try and bring your vision back to clarity. 

“Well let me help you understand.” He drug you away from the group but before you could take but a few steps, an intense groan blasted it’s way near you and the hand that held your hair fell away in an instant. 

“Are you alright?” A familiar voice asked, hands finding your waist to steady you. It was like your eyes snapped back on because as soon as you turned your head, you found Thoma standing their with an expression you’d never seen before: fury. 

“I’m - ouch - okay.” You whispered and then you realized the implications of him being there. Turning, you pressed your hands against his chest and pushed against him, your voice turned tense as you shouted. “Ge-get out of here! What if they catch you!?” 

“I’m not leaving.” 

“Thoma!” 

He looked down at you, his arm tightening around you and you swore the world shifted red and the screaming soldiers shouts became muffled. “Until I know you are safe, I’m not leaving.” He looked forward and the glint of his polearm caught your attention. “Now hold on, okay.” 

The dry landscape turned into a wildfire until only what Thoma wanted to remain, remained. 

Zhongli

“This is very kind of you, Zhongli. To walk me home.” You chuckled, gazing up at him as you made your way down the path and toward the city. It wasn’t uncommon for Zhongli to escort you from place to place, but tonight you would have assumed he would stay on the Pearl and continue his lively conversation. 

“It is no trouble at all, to allow you to walk by yourself would not sit well with me.” Zhongli commented matter-of-factly, his eyes closing as he nodded his head and gazed up toward the stars. 

“You were having such a nice time, know that I didn’t mean to bring that too a close.” You scratched your forehead and adjusted your clothes after climbing the stairs from the docks. It was a rather pleasant night, but it usually was in Liyue this time of year. 

“I would never insinuate you had ill intentions. I made this decision on my own, to escort you is no trouble at all.” 

“Yes, well, that’s very kind of you Zhongli.” The lights of the festival swayed in the wind. To you they looked like fireflies in the sky, but that was such a silly thought you kept it to yourself. “I think I can manage on my own, if you want to go back?” 

“Nonsense, I will stay until I know you are safe.” He glanced down at you and offered you a smile, one that spoke true and gave you the impression of ‘I will not be swayed.’ 

“Well, thank you.” You turned away from him in hopes that he wouldn’t notice the embarrassment you were sure shined in your eyes and flashed across your expression. How can someone so regal find your company enjoyable at all - but Zhongli was so kind to anyone you fought against your better judgement to believe this gesture was more than common courtesy of a gentleman.

“It is my pleasure. Did you have an enjoyable time?” He asked, head examining the city streets and decorations as you had earlier. 

“Oh yes! Thank you for inviting me, I’ve never attended something so high class.” You fussed at your outfit again, it was apparent you weren’t used to wearing something like this but you did your best to fit in and not insult the guest who invited you to join him. 

“I am delighted to hear. It is far better to enjoy ones time when in company you relish, don’t you agree?” 

“Absolutely!” For a while, the two of you discussed the highlights and lowlights of the gathering. The sound of your laughter and excitement caught the attention of late night patrons, but you didn’t mind because it also caught the attention of the one you wanted the most. 

It wasn’t until you neared your home that the conversation began to drift. Your heart was sad that the night was coming to a close but responsibilities held you to a tight schedule, even if you felt the itch to break them. 

“Thank you again, Zhongli. This night will be one I remember for a while.” Your nails had received a break all evening, but, now that you were about to be alone, they felt the dig of your nervous habits once again. 

“It was my pleasure, it is always a gift to spend the evening with you.” He bowed, his long hair slipping over his shoulder at the motion. 

“I tend to agree with you.” Chuckling, you moved to unlock your door and when you looked back to Zhongli, his face was illuminated by the sparkling lanterns and yellow glow of the city. No matter what he did he radiated colors you’d never fully understand. 

“Liyue has many festivals,” He began, his tone wistful, “though I must say the ones where lanterns adorn the city are my favorite. Do you not think they look like fireflies in the distance?” He asked, gazing up at a few that dangled across the bridges and walkways that lined the city. 

“Yeah, actually I do.” You whispered as your eyes fell onto the man you loved so much it hurt to look at him, but, if it meant you could capture even a hint of his existence in your memory, you would happily suffer this pain.