#I would imagine not being romantically entangled on top of everything else would be a huge relief to him

[dothestarsshine-art]

The main reason I can't get behind Jayvik (or the version that I see most often) is that it requires the complete infantilization of Viktor and/or zero growth from Jayce. A lot of accounts seem to want Jayce to stay Jayce 1x01 and for Viktor to be completely transcribed to be without bite or strength

[oathbreakerapologist]

So we know that Ghost’s sexual relationship with Orin was fucked up in many ways and would result in death for anyone else (literally) but I was wondering what post-tadpole Ghost would be like sexually/romantically with Tav? I can imagine most Tavs would be… hesitant to indulge him in his more extreme desires (not even for “icky” reasons, for literal “bro I am not dying so you can cum on my corpse” reasons)

hey, thanks for the question!! Ghost is... intense in a lot of ways, and that's an unavoidable feature of what he'd be like sexually and romantically.

Just as a behavioral baseline, Ghost is quite energetic, which manifests as a startling amount of physical exuberance—he runs, jumps, skips, climbs on things, and throws heavy stuff around simply because he's hyperactive and he likes to put his strength to work. This is no less true during sexual encounters. He can and will throw people around and fold them in half like a ragdoll if allowed to do so.

Furthermore, because Ghost does not experience pain as an aversive sensation, in sexual contexts he doesn't strongly differentiate pain from pleasure. He has a difficult time anticipating when sexually-charged pain (e.g., biting) stops being erotic and starts being, well, unpleasant. That plus his intense physicality means it is easy for him to unintentionally hurt his partners. But he's also very responsive and attentive, so in sexual encounters in which he cares about his partner, his partner would find it very easy to redirect him whenever things happen to cross over into "a bit too much" territory.

That being said, he's got a strong sadomasochistic streak, and most of the time, he prefers sex to involve pain. How that would manifest with Tav would depend on the individual and how far they're willing to go with him; at minimum, he wants sex to involve biting, slapping, and scratching, and on the more intense side, he craves sex acts involving knives, needles, whips, and chains.

In his first encounters with Tav, Ghost is pretty much exclusively a top. But the more comfortable he gets, the more he opens up to other roles, and with a partner he trusts, he's incredibly versatile. He comes on strong and will dominate his partner if allowed to, but he likes to fight for control, and he'd be thrilled to be overpowered, either physically or just by someone with a stronger will for dominance than him.

In practice, there are very few things that he doesn't like when it comes to sex. As long as his sex life is physically intense, frequent, adventurous, and usually sadomasochistic, he's happy.

His romantic side is simpler in some ways. Ghost has a very limited emotional range, and he's not at all a romantic; he's only debatably capable of love. But he is capable of unhealthily all-encompassing devotion, a loyalty that surpasses everything else he might want or need. This is the ultimate outcome of a romance with him; it's the end-point of an arc that sweeps through phases of curiosity, sexual attraction, and a gradually intensifying obsession. A relationship like this utterly consumes him.

When Ghost is attached to a partner in this way, he is singlemindedly obsessed with ensuring that they get what they want. Nothing else matters. He fully believes that no other person in the world could be anywhere near as interesting, clever, or sensual as his lover. Of course, he can't really get past his own nature; he remains as headstrong, high-strung, and hedonistic as he always has been. But when he is so intensely devoted to another person, all of that intensity is directed towards realizing their goals, and ensuring their satisfaction is as important as ensuring his own.

I've used the singular "person" here, but I actually think he's not strictly monogamous—it's possible for him to end up entangled with two other people (and maybe more, but I think every addition after two becomes significantly less likely to occur, logistically speaking). It would hinge on some very specific circumstances: the other two people would have to be in lockstep about their goals/ambitions/desires, because otherwise he would pretty quickly side with one over the other, and as soon as that happened, he'd almost certainly engineer conflict between the two to drive his beloved closer to him. But a dedicated, ambitious pair who were utterly united in what they wanted from the world could serve as the objects of his affection.

[tsukiihime]

Heartbreak Chapter 4 (Shinsou x Fem!Reader, Bakugou X Fem!Reader)

I am on the fence if I should do an ending for each character, but I'll mull it over a bit more before making the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy!

Word Count: 3.4k

Warnings: Drinking, Angst

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

This isn’t how you imagined you would be spending your weekend.

You’ve spent the night flipping through channels, ordering Chinese takeout as you sit cross-legged on Shinsou’s couch in your favorite tank top and shorts staring blankly at the television screen. You’ve kept your phone by you all this time in hopes of receiving a call that hasn’t come yet, and at this point you’re pretty sure it won’t come at all. You’ve been mulling over it for hours - do you call Bakugou? Let your pride take a backseat to your longing and put an end to your uncertainty? Or do you wait for him to break first?

‘Who am I kidding’, you scoff to yourself, ‘Bakugou doesn’t apologize or bow down to anyone. I’ll probably die before I get him to make the first move.’ You scratch your neck, looking out of the corner of your eye at your cell phone sitting inconspicuously on the coffee table. If you’re being honest with yourself, you want some form of closure with Bakugou. There’s so many unanswered questions between the two of you: Whose underwear was that in your shared bedroom? Are Bakugou and Camie romantically involved? Why did he call you that night?

You want - no, you need answers before you drive yourself crazy with what ifs - so you decide that tonight you’re going to take the plunge and call your ex-boyfriend, Katsuki Bakugou.

At least that was the plan, but all you’ve been doing for the past thirty minutes has been nervously pacing back and forth in Shinsou’s bedroom. You pick up your phone only to throw it back down in anxiety - what if you make a fool out of yourself? What if he really did call you on accident and you’re just getting your hopes up?

It takes another thirty-four minutes before you’ve calmed your nerves enough to dial his number and not feel like vomiting. You decided against drinking some alcohol to get some liquid courage - you needed to be sober for this conversation as much as it pained you. The phone line on the other side rings, and you’ve never been more afraid of what’s going to happen next than you have been your entire life. You bite your lip in anticipation, pulling at the bottom of your shorts to distract you from what seems like endless ringing in your ear.

All too soon, the ringing stops and you are greeted with a rough ‘hello’. Maybe this was a bad idea after all.

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

Bakugou feels like his soul has left his body when he sees your name flash across his screen - you’re calling him. He’s wished for this moment for weeks: every single missed call, unread text and late night thought about you has now culminated in this moment. You’re finally giving him a chance to speak to you and you’re even making the first move! But he feels a strange new emotion well up inside him as his finger hovers over the ‘answer’ button.

Hesitation.

It’s a new feeling to the Explosion Hero - he’s always been a doer and not a thinker, action before thought. He’s always thought of himself as the best, the cream of the crop in every aspect of his life. But the vibrating cherry red phone in his hand makes his confidence waver. He’s hesitating to answer you, even if he’s missed you for so long. That’s right: the great Katsuki Bakugou is afraid.

He’s afraid to answer the phone, to get his hopes up that you’re calling because you miss him, when you could be just calling him by accident. You probably meant to call Shinsou, or maybe you’re calling to say that you left something at his house and want it back.

But this fear is quickly dispelled - this may be his last chance to tell you how he feels. How he truly feels, without his agency or anyone else getting in the way. He now knows that Shinsou is in love with you and he still loves you with every fiber of his being - if he’s going to have a rival in romance he needs to put everything on the table. He needs you to know how he feels so that he can have no regrets, no matter what happens between the two of you in the future.

His train of thought is interrupted by his brain urging him to swipe right and answer the phone before the call is missed. Bakugou steadies himself, leans against the railing and puts his cell up to his ear. He answers gruffly: “Hello?”

“Hey Bakugou.” He takes notice of your use of his last name - he was expecting you to call him ‘Katsuki’, just as you’ve always done. His eyebrows knit together in disappointment.

“I don’t mean to call so late,” he can hear shuffling on your end, it sounds like you’re pacing around the house, “I know you’re always asleep at this time but I just had to do it before my nerves got the best of me.” You admit sheepishly, rubbing the back of your neck as you smile to yourself softly. “I saw you called me around a week ago and I just wanted to see what you wanted? There was no voicemail or text, so I assumed that you maybe called by mistake? It’s okay if you did, I just wanted to double check you know?” You’re talking a mile a minute, rambling on and on as your nerves are set aflame by your embarrassment and fear. You’ve walked around Shinsou’s bedroom countless times, your heart racing in absolute dread at your decision. Why did you do this? Why did you call late at night? Why did you call him? You laugh uneasily, waiting for an answer and preparing for the worst.

“I called ‘cause I missed you.” You almost drop your phone in sheer shock, but you manage to compose yourself before your voice betrays your surprise.

You remain silent and he sucks in a breath, trying his best to calm himself down as he waits for you to answer. His palms won’t stop sweating, covering his cracked cell phone in glycerin laced sweat as he paces back and forth the rooftop from one end to the next. He feels like throwing up, and a small voice in his head urges him to hang up the phone before he makes more of a fool out of himself. But he stands his ground - he’s not leaving this call until you know how he feels. He hates opening up to others but you’re different, you’re special to him and by God he’s going to prove it to you.

“I’m sorry?” You ask for confirmation, not wanting to misunderstand. You hear a small ‘tch’ in response.

“Haaah? You not listening? I said,” he puts extra emphasis on the last part and he’s speaking so close to the phone that it’s almost like he’s next to you speaking directly into your ear, “that I missed you.” You both grow silent, listening to the sound of the other’s breathing for what seems like an eternity. The air is still rife with tension, but you smile - wide and beaming in total joy. Bakugou missed you. Just like you missed him. You feel comfortable being a little more familiar with him now that he’s confirmed for you that he’s not messing with you and you’re relieved that you’re able to keep your pride intact after you hang up the phone.

“I’m going to be perfectly honest. I wasn’t expecting that, Bakugou.” You give a small giggle and he smiles without realizing it. He’s missed your laugh, and he can imagine the way your nose crinkles slightly when you chuckle, how your eyes used to shine when he would make you laugh. “I’m surprised though - the great Katsuki Bakugou missing ‘lil ole me?”

“What, am I not allowed to be upfront ‘bout it? ‘M not gonna lie and say that I didn’t.” He huffs, slightly annoyed at your reaction. Your tone is teasing and half of him hates it while the other half is grateful for your reaction.

“I missed you too, Katsuki.” You say it, and it’s true. It comes out so naturally that it makes you smile with content. You do miss Bakugou. He closes his eyes and replays it in his mind.

‘I missed you too, Katsuki.’ He loves the way his name rolls off your tongue, sweet and soft just like he remembers. He can envision you lying next to him in bed, your legs entangled in the cream colored sheets as you drift in and out of sleep, running your fingers through flaxen spikes, his arms wrapped around your waist as he snores softly laying his head down on your chest. He’s indescribably happy that you missed him too.

“Look I-”

“So I wanted to-” You both speak at the same time, cutting the other off. You giggle softly. “You can go first Katsuki. Tell me: why have you been calling me?” He inhales deeply, preparing to pour his heart out to you under the starry sky. You lie back on Shinsou’s bed, the cool sheets meeting with your warm skin as you wait for the blonde man to answer.

“I wanted to hear your voice. I honestly thought you wouldn’t pick up or return my calls, so I was content with thinking I’d just hear your voicemail message. I had been trying to call you for days. I know you’re mad and you have every right to be, but I just...I want to talk to you. I want to talk about what happened, ‘bout us. I miss you,” he says without hesitation causing you to take in a breath in surprise, “so much. I didn’t think I’d miss someone like I miss you. I want to talk about what happened, what I did, and make it up to you. I want you back in my life, even if it’s not how we used to be before.”

You can hardly believe that you’re talking to Bakugou - prideful, arrogant, ruthless Bakugou who never opens his heart to anyone, not even you. He’s selfish in everything: with work, with love, and with you. He cares so much about being the number one Hero that it consumes him. You haven’t forgotten the cancelled dates when he stays in late at work to get another case wrapped up so it would boost his ratings, or the nights where you fell asleep on the couch waiting for him to get home when he would work late. Nor have you forgiven the days when you would cook him dinner only to find it untouched when you return home, or when he spends his days off training or hanging out with the Bakusquad rather than staying in with you.

But this Bakugou in front of you? He’s vulnerable, baring his heart and soul to you as he lets you know exactly how he feels. Instantly, the bad times leave your mind and you instead look back at all the good memories he’s given you over the two years you’ve known him: His amazing cooking on nights he wants to spoil you for working hard, the scent of caramel he leaves behind after he works out in the living room, the fierce kisses he left you with before he heads off to work. The way he lets you hold him gently, the way he lets you see him in his most unguarded state. The way he made you feel so loved, so cared for.

However, that doesn’t make you forget what he’s put you through the past month.

You still remember the way your heart shattered when you found that unknown lingerie set in your bedroom, and the way your heart ached when you saw Bakugou with his arm around Camie’s waist. Your grip tightens on your phone and you breathe in deep. You love Bakugou, but he needs to atone for what he’s done if he wants to be in your life again. You sit up on Shinsou’s bed, hugging your knees close to your chest.

“Listen Bakugou - I want to forgive you, I really do. But some of the things you did,” you feel a dull pang in your chest as you envision him holding another woman, “really hurt me. And it’s made me believe that I can’t trust you.” He grimaces, imagining how you must have looked seeing him at the award ceremony with another woman. He cards a hand through his blonde locks, scarlet eyes half lidded in disappointment. “But…” you trail off, and he perks up slightly.

“I don’t want to lose you. You’ve been a big part of my life, and I care about you. I’m willing to talk things out with you if you promise that you’ll take my concerns seriously, okay?” There’s no hesitation this time.

“I promise. Baby, I don’t want to lose you again.” Your eyes widen in shock, and Bakugou quickly coughs to distract you. “Er, sorry.” You giggle and he swells with pride at the noise, a small smile tugging at his lips.

“S’okay. I’ll let it slide this time since you’re so cute.” Bakugou is beside himself in a cocktail of emotions: are you flirting with him? You can’t help but tease him, imagining him turning beet red in embarrassment. Your heart leaps with happiness at how he calls you ‘baby’, but your pride and dignity stop you before you get ahead of yourself: Bakugou has much making up to you before you even think of jumping back into a relationship with him.

“But I think we should have this conversation in person, it’ll be easier. I’m gonna be pretty busy for the next few weeks or so, work and school’s been crazy and I’ve been looking for a new apartment.”

“Eye Bags told me you were looking for a new place to live.”

“Oh, you saw ‘Toshi? Hope he didn’t give you too much trouble. He can be a bit, ah, protective at times.” Katsuki scoffs to himself. ‘Yeah, he’s protective of you ‘cause he’s in love with you’ he thinks, but doesn’t say anything out loud. He may not exactly like Shinsou, but he’s not about to share his secret with you. “Anyways, how about I give you a call when I’m free? We can get together when I’m not swamped with responsibilities.”

“I’d like that.” This call has gone a lot better than he could’ve possibly hoped, and the promise of seeing you again, in person makes his heart soar. He can’t stop himself from beaming, happiness exuding from every pore.

“Alright then, it’s a date. I’ll talk to you later, okay? Have a good night Katsuki.” He gives his goodbyes and hangs up the phone, turning to overlook the cityscape. He can’t stop smiling - you’re really giving him a chance. He’s going to work his hardest to make you feel loved, to make up for everything he’s done and to win your heart again. He won’t lose.

He feels his phone vibrate in his hand, and it’s a message from you.

From: Y/N

Hey Katsuki! It was nice talking to you again. I’m glad we had this little talk...I think I’ll be free two weeks from now on that Friday. Can you meet me then? I’ll let you pick a place to eat, but it better not be too spicy or I won’t be able to eat anything. Let me know, okay?

He quickly responds.

To: Y/N

Got a place in mind. Has mild stuff too. I’m free that day, text me your new address and I’ll pick you up.

He sees the three dots appear and stops typing, waiting for your response.

From: Y/N

Sounds good! Make sure to drive safe kay? Last time I thought I was going to die being in the car with you.

Katsuki smiles as he types up a quick response and makes his way back to his friends downstairs - he spends the rest of the night texting you about anything and everything. He can’t wait to see you again.

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

Shinsou is so grateful that Todoroki is rich - he’s currently drowning in his sorrows at the bar in the luxurious apartment that Shoto calls home. He doesn’t want to see anyone else and he wants to go home, but home is where you are and he doesn’t want to see you either. How can he after coming to the realization he did tonight?

He’s in love with his best friend.

And not only is he in love with you, but he knows that you’re still in love with Bakugou. In his mind, he can’t hold a candle to the Explosion Hero - Bakugou is a high ranking, high paid Hero with legions of fans. He is good looking and even though Shinsou thinks his personality is ass, you seem to be perfectly fine with it. On the other hand, Shinsou is a relatively unknown moderately paid Hero with confidence issues. He hates this part of himself - you always tell him to be kinder to himself and to believe in his abilities but he just can’t help it. He feels so inadequate compared to Bakugou. How can he even think of confessing to you when he can’t even keep you happy?

‘What’s the point of telling her’ he thinks to himself ‘when she won’t ever see me as more than a friend?” The thorns of self doubt dig into Shinsou’s heart and mind. He would rather pine for you for eternity than lose you - you’ve always been there for him as his rock, his pillar of support. If he loses you, he crumbles. But at the same time, how can he live with this secret? Will he spend the rest of his life looking for you in other women, imagining it's your hands he’s holding, your lips he’s kissing, your body that is sleeping next to him in bed? Will he walk you down the aisle at your wedding to Bakugou, seeing how beautiful you look in your white gown while he wishes he could be your groom?

So here lies the dilemma of Hitoshi Shinsou: confess to his best friend that he is utterly head over heels in love with her and risk losing her all together or say nothing and watch her fall in love with someone else.

He doesn’t know what to do or think, and that’s why he downs shot after shot of tequila, feeling the burn of alcohol down his throat and the pleasurable buzz in his fingertips. His phone vibrates and he sees it’s a message from you.

From: Y/N

Hey ‘Toshi! Are you okay? Need me to come rescue you from social interaction yet? :)

For the first time in his life, he doesn’t want to hear from you or speak to you. You’ll just make his problem worse. A part of him fills up with anger - why can’t you tell that he’s in love with you? The things you two do together is way past the point of being friends: the cuddling, the forehead kisses, the hugs, the sleeping in the same bed - do you truly not see how he feels?

He knows it’s selfish of him to say, and it’s wrong of him to feel this way. You still see those actions as friendly because you’ve always been that way with Shinsou. He’s the one who has twisted it into something romantic, longing for you with every touch. Aching for your presence in his life, wondering what your lips would feel like on his. He responds back in resentment, alcohol fueling his discontent.

To: Y/N

Don’t need you to come. Staying night at Shoto’s. Don’t wait up.

The message is curt and short. He feels so incompetent - he loathes this feeling of not being good enough. ‘It’s no wonder she loves Bakugou - why would she love you? You have a villain’s quirk, a meager apartment, a moderate paycheck. Why would she choose you when she has a better option?’ He thinks to himself, self-hatred poisoning his mind. His phone dings, and as expected, you’re texting him back.

From: Y/N

What’s wrong ‘Toshi? You seem off thru text...are you okay?

To: Y/N

I told you, I’m fine. Leave me alone for the night, don’t wanna talk to you.

He sends his final message and sees you immediately start typing back - but he’s through with this conversation. He puts his phone on do not disturb and leaves it on the bar countertop, grabs his beer and makes his way to Izuku, Uraraka, Tsuyu and the others. As soon as he leaves, his phone flashes with a missed call from you.

[yandere-daydreams]

Hnghh can I get a yandere Akaashi scenario where his quiet (fem) s/o manages to escape and goes to Bokuto for help, but it turned out that Bokuto knows of Akaashi’s yandere tendencies and sent s/o back to his home? (Bokuto does so not because he was threatened, but he did so out of his ‘good will’ “man y/n why’d you run away from akaashi? he loves you so much, y’know that?”)

It’s a given that they’re soulmates, whether it’s romantic or platonic. I can only imagine that Bokuto would be as dedicated to Akaashi’s Darling as Akaashi is, if not more so…

TW: Themes of Domestic Abuse, Victim Blaming, and Dehumanization.

~

You’d almost forgotten what it felt like to be comfortable in your own skin.

Bokuto’s hotel room was lavish, but cozy, one of the top-floor suites in a name-brand chain you couldn’t afford to spend the night in, let alone the better half of a month. Still, it was homey, with neutral colors and nooks to tuck yourself away in and a faux-fireplace crackling in the distance, the noise almost drowned out by the rain drumming against the row of thin, floor-to-ceiling windows that lined the far wall. There might’ve been a balcony, but you couldn’t care less about checking, right now, settling against the arm of a plush sofa and pulling a fleece blanket over your legs, hardly noticing when Bokuto stepped out of the kitchenette with two mugs already in-hand.

“Coffee,” He explained, smiling as you took one of the offered cups. You took a sip, the bitterness barely detectable. Instead, it was warm and sweet and perfect, more milk than it was anything else. “Just the way you like it, with too much sugar to fit in one brew.”

You almost laughed. It’d been years since he’d gotten coffee with you, let alone made it with your preferences in mind. Tasting something that wasn’t Akaashi’s energy drinks or murky, black sludge felt like a privilege, albeit a small one. “I really can’t thank you enough,” You mumbled, the words slipping off your tongue before you could stifle them. “When I heard you had a game in town, it felt like a miracle. I couldn’t think of anyone else who’d help, especially with…” With everything, honestly. Akaashi was the one you were running from, the monster who’d taken advantage of your naivety, but you’d started isolating yourself long before he stopped giving you the choice not to. You took another sip, rather than going on, savoring the way it burnt your tongue. “I really mean it, thank you. Do you mind if I use your phone? I should be able to find a place to stay with--”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that.” He spoke casually, settling into the opposite side of the couch. “Akaashi should be on his way, by now.”

The coffee went sour in an instant. It was all you could do not to drop the mug entirely, your hands starting to shake as you placed it gingerly on the hard-wood floor. “He’s… What do you mean, Kota’?”

“I called him!” His smile was broader, suddenly, Bokuto beaming as he looked towards you. He was content, proud, his eyes closed and his features expectant, as if he was preparing to be rewarded. “You must’ve been too shy to ask, at first, but you didn’t have to! I knew what I had to do as soon as you turned up in the lobby.” He paused, laughing softly, nearly under his breath. You could swear you felt your heart shatter in your chest. “I mean, you were crying, (Y/n). I know how much you hate being away from Akaashi, but… damn. Your boyfriend wasn’t much better, if it helps. When I told him you must’ve gotten lost, he sounded like he was ready to choke someone!”

You were too stunned to reply, for a moment, your voice dying in your throat. He was so satisfied, so pleased with himself, but it was all you could do to try to process his admission. It was true, technically. You’d been crying since you left your apartment, sobbing by the time the girl at the front desk finally agreed to call his room, and even now, you were trembling. But, you’d told him why you were in tears, too. It was near-incoherent, but you’d vented about the abuse, the screaming, the violence, everything that you’d gone through. Another glance towards Bokuto made you wonder if he’d been paying attention at all, though. “I don’t want to go back to Akaashi,” You tried, your rebuttal lacking the force you’d been aiming for. “That’s why I came to you. I’m trying to get away from him.”

He nodded with faux-sympathy, something empathetic and patronizing ghosting over his expression. “You two had a fight, yeah? Every couple does, now and then.” He shrugged, and your bit your lip. He’d heard you, apparently, but it was obvious he hadn’t been listening. Or, he’d been willing himself not to, at least. “Akaashi is quiet, sometimes, and I get it. It’s hard to know what he’s thinking, but his heart’s in the right place. He loves you.”

“He doesn’t act like it.” You hated how childish you sounded, how cliché your arguments were. You hated the fact that you had to argue at all, when it came to this. “He won’t let me get a job, Kotaro. He broke my last phone because he thought I might be talking to someone else, and he hit me when I tried to tell him I wasn’t. Being with him is suffocating, I can’t breath when he’s--”

“He loves you,” Bokuto repeated, flatly. As if he was talking about the weather, or the outcome of his latest match. A fact, one as true to him as any other. “He doesn’t say it very often, but he does. He talks about you all the time, he adores you.” The affirmation was tinted with something dark, something jealous. Envy, but just a hint. You couldn’t be sure whether or not you’d imagined it, once Bokuto made more of an effort to hire it. “If I was in your position, I’d be grateful. We both know Akaashi could do so much better than some nervous, emotional brat who runs away whenever he tries to be sweet.”

You opened your mouth, averting your eyes as his resentment became undeniable, but a knock at the door silenced you, as steady as it was fatal. You went rigid, reflexively, balling your fists around the blanket on your lap, but Bokuto didn’t share your hesitation. Grinning, he pushed himself up, grabbing your hand and dragging you onto your feet, leaving you standing awkwardly in the center of his suite as he welcomed in the only thing you wanted to keep out.

You froze as soon as you saw Akaashi. He seemed relaxed, but he didn’t smile as he greeted Bokuto, only running a hand through his drenched hair and spitting out something polite. To anyone else, he might seem distracted, but you’d been with him long enough to know how angry he must’ve been, how much of his energy was dedicated to hiding it. You attempted to exhale, to release some of the tension in your body while you were still able to, but the air hitched in your throat as his focus flickered towards you.

He didn’t waste any time. You didn’t receive the same decencies as Bokuto, his arms around your waist and your head pushed into his chest in the blink of an eye, nimble fingers entangling themselves in your hair like it was second-nature. Like he was afraid you’d get away again, if he didn’t hold you as tightly as he could. Like you’d remember you could live without his nails embedded in your scalp.

“Thank you,” He said, firmly, but it wasn’t directed towards you. Bokuto laughed, telling him gratitude wasn’t necessary, but Akaarshi stood his ground regardless. The interaction was friendly, warm, but you couldn’t bring yourself to feel anything but pure, unfaltering cold. “I mean it. I just... I get so worried whenever (Y/n) goes out alone. It gets dangerous, this late.”

You didn’t bother pointing out his hypocrisy, or attempting to free yourself. It was clear neither had an issue with dragging you back to wherever you were wanted.

Still, you couldn’t help but hope Bokuto would notice how quickly you’d started crying, again.

[omgkalyppso]

14 and 19 for the OT4! :D

Thank you for the ask! (๑˘︶˘๑)

I'm going to answer these in the reverse order so I can put a sexual part B to 14 below a cut.

19. Are they okay with public displays of affection? Do they like them?

Fae: The most accepting of public displays of affection. They do their best not to initiate for the sake of whomever and the sake of prying eyes, but they love to be hand in hand, arm in arm, to stand with their arms around their friends and partners.

Claude: Enjoys affection as a general statement. Is okay with reciprocating when someone else initiates public displays of affection. Will generally not take the first step in any personal sphere, including this type of affection.

Lorenz: Is the most uncomfortable of the four of them with public displays of affection, but as for who counts as public and who counts as private — friends and family, is an ever complicated question he deals with. Proper, traditional, prefers to wait for the security of seclusion.

Hilda: Once she and Lorenz are married, she has very little shame in public displays of affection shared with him, but as they become romantically entangled with Fae and Claude, she fears judgement, lack of respect, and the horrible imaginations of others. She is terrified of polyamorous displays of affection.

14. What makes them feel loved? Would they build up the courage to ask for it?

Fae: Being accepted. Hugs, non verbal body language, having things they love recognized and things they hate remembered. They would have to feel extremely vulnerable to ask for this, but it could happen.

Claude: Communication. Active listening and engaging with him with questions and affirmations and assistance. People making an effort to understand him. He doesn't have to ask for this. It was already why he fell in love.

Hilda: Receiving gifts. She would never ask, she would rather die, and still feels some of that mortification when she does receive a gift. But as for what makes her feel loved, it doesn't even necessarily have to be physical things. Lorenz's poetry, Claude's confessions, Fae's kisses. Just something intended for her, without expectations. She's also discovered that she likes to give as much as she likes to receive.

Lorenz: Acts of service. Things people do that they don't have to do, that show thought and care or help extend the time they have to do nothing together. Asking makes it responsibility, and so by his measure it is not something he can ask for. He respects when people hold true to their word, but then they really have to be earnest and Do The Most for him to feel like it's an act of love.

Part B: Sexual Responses below the cut

Fae: Being trusted with their partner, whether that means topping or (soft) domming or just taking point. If they feel comfortable enough to do so and their partner is clear about wanting to be guided, they will be enamored with their partner and their relationship through this private lens. They would ask.

Claude: Okay so I've not explored it as much as I see some fics exaggerate a praise kink as being ... everything to some characters. But I feel obligated to bring it up here, to say that being praised in a sexual setting would only be sexually gratifying, it wouldn't make him feel loved Specifically. Claude wants attention. I think saying his name in bed, letting him know that he's being centered and accepted, is what makes him feel loved. He would ask.

Hilda: To be indulged! In conversation, in position, in attention. Without judgment. This isn't to say she can't take no for an answer, but to be understood and involved rather than either used or appreciated. It's embarrassing to be known, but the alternatives are worse. She would ask.

Lorenz: To be kissed. During. After. For love to extend into and without the act of sex through tired kisses of assurance. To feel appreciated and romanced. He may have asked at one time, but in the scope of the ot4 he generally doesn't have to. This is given without reservation.

[muchadoaboutbucky]

Baby, Just Say Yes

Bucky keeps asking you to marry him… but you want him to do something before you say yes.

PAIRING: Bucky x Native American!Reader

WARNINGS: fluff, implied smut

NOTE: Edited by @crispychrissy​. Do not save or repost my work without my consent. My prompt was: “I want to do something for her… but what?” / “Well, there’s the usual things: flowers, chocolates, promises you don’t intend to keep…” -Beast and Cogsworth, Beauty and the Beast

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Bucky has no idea how he’s gone two years without marrying you. It’s been sweet and charming, being able to wake up next to you every morning, nestled in soft, warm sheets and dot each other’s cheeks and lips with sticky kisses. And then to make love in the same bed hours later and fall asleep entangled in each other’s arms. It’s been two years of that, living as lovers destined to never grow apart, and you’ve been happy. 

But Bucky wants more. He wants rings, a white chiffon dress, a black tux, a pretty bouquet of flowers, a three-tier cake, the words “I do...”

No matter how many times he jokingly hints that he wants to marry you, it always gets brushed aside. He understands why—weddings are expensive and anything could throw a wrench in your plans. Missions, injuries, the nightmares of moving too fast, babymaking, baby raising… ugh, fuck.

He’s been trying for a while, playing with the little jokes: “you know, if we got married we could…” and “the Bahamas look like a good honeymoon destination.” Each time you play along, working into his fantasies only to push them away for the right time. 

After six months of playing around proposals, too scared to go for some huge romantic gesture that might pressure you into saying “yes,” Bucky’s stuck. He has no idea what he has to do to get you to marry him, and it’s driving him nuts. 

He finds you in the library, curled up on one of the large couches with a cup of coffee and a heavy astronomy book Thor had brought from Asgard that you’ve been infatuated with for weeks. With you being one of the few non-Asgardians able to read the text, Bucky makes sure to praise your intelligence every opportunity he gets, taking pride in being able to get in on the who-has-the-better-girl thing that Thor and Tony always have going on. 

“Hey, smarty-pants.” He plops down next to you, leans in to give you a smooch on the cheek, and takes a peek at the symbols etched on delicate paper. “What’s going on?”

“Reading some deep-space astronomy facts.” You turn to face him, smiling wearily. “Why?”

“Just wondering.” Bucky slings his arm across the couch behind you. “I was thinking, if we got married we could have our cake made with all these little symbols on it.”

“That would be so tacky,” you giggle, “they’re pretty, but they don’t belong on a cake, babe.”

Bucky groans and drops his head on your shoulder. “You could design the cake, then?”

“What if I want pie?”

“Who has pie at their wedding?”

You lean forward to set the book on the coffee table. “My aunt did.”

“Blegh.” Bucky buries his face in the crook of your neck and kisses the sensitive spot that always makes you squirm. “Nothin’s better than cake. This bakery in Brooklyn used to make this vanilla spice cake with buttercream. I bet you’d never taste anything better.”

You laugh as he leans forward, pressing you down into the couch and sitting himself on top of you, hips lazily slotted between your thighs. “I don’t know, the cupcakes Wanda made the other night were pretty top notch.”

“Maybe she could make our cake.” Bucky kisses you, long and deep, not stopping until your palms press against his chest. “What do you think?” he continues, “chocolate or vanilla?”

“Why do you want cake so bad?” You giggle when his fingers creep under the hem of your sweater. “I think there’s still some cupcakes left.”

Bucky grumbles. “I want wedding cake. Probably as much as I want you to marry me.”

“Babe—”

“What do I have to do to get you to marry me, honey?” Bucky gazes down at you, pulling the best puppy-eyed expression he can muster. “Please, just tell me.”

You cock an eyebrow, gazing up at him with the mysterious, wicked gleam in your eyes that he loves so much. “I think you’re smart enough to come up with something.”

Bucky frowns. “What?”

“I trust your imagination.” You rub your foot along the side of his thigh.

He lowers his head to bury his lips against the side of your neck. “You’re playing with me.”

You giggle in his ear. “I’m not.”

Lifting his head, Bucky rakes his eyes over your face. There’s the playful tease there, of course, it always is, but there’s something else… desperation, maybe?

“Hmm.” He kisses you again and pulls away. “What kind of surprise d’ya want?”

“Any kind.” You reach for your book and flip back to the page he’d interrupted. “Pizza for dinner tonight okay?”

He nods. “Definitely. Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

***

He finds Tony an hour later, busy in the lab with a new piece of technology for Pepper’s suit. Tony barely glances up as Bucky enters, but sets down the tools in his hands.

“Your arm need fixing, again?” Tony casts a quick glance at the black and gold glint of Bucky’s left arm. 

“Not this time,” Bucky replies. “I, uh, I need your help.”

Tony reaches out in front of him, swiping through the suspended display hovering over his work table. “Y/N giving you trouble again?”

“A little,” Bucky replies with a nervous chuckle, “I need to get Y/N to marry me.”

Tony chuckles. “She hasn’t said yes yet? You’ve only been asking her for the last… how long has it been?”

“Six months.” Bucky tucks his hands into his pockets. “All I did was ask her what I have to do to get her to marry me, she said to surprise her, so… I want to do something for her… but what?”

Tony pulls a heavy leather glove off his right hand and rummages in a half-finished bag of trail mix. “Well, there’s the usual things. Flowers, chocolates, promises you don’t intend to keep…” 

Bucky sighs, shaking his head, and braces his hands on the worktable. “I don’t know what she could want. Not a car, we have one that we barely use… maybe a vacation?”

“Well, the Bahamas are nice,” Tony suggests. “You can always use the jet.”

Bucky bows his head, racking his brain for all the little hints you could have made. Sure, you’ve made hints about wanting a vacation someplace nice, or mentioned staying abroad the next time you went on an international mission… maybe you’re tired of being around people almost twenty-four seven. Maybe you want a place to call your own, where you and Bucky can be as messy and loud and as free as possible…

“A house.” He steps back, flexing his fingers by his sides. “I should build her a house.”

“Then build her a house,” Tony finishes. “Lemme finish this thing for Pepper, then we can talk. I got some old blueprints for safehouses I never finished.”

“Got it.” Bucky steps back as Tony picks up his tools to resume work on the piece of armor in front of him. “D’you mind not telling her? I wanna keep this a surprise.”

“No problem.” Tony waves him off. “See you ‘round, Barnes.”

***

It takes almost two weeks to get everything organized. After a long night of indecisiveness, Bucky settles on plans for a two-bedroom cabin and starts flipping through catalogues of furniture. It becomes a little easier to spread things out and organize when you and Natasha head off on a weekend getaway to the city.

By the time you return, Bucky’s got everything settled. Steve and Sam jump on the bandwagon to help get the place built just a little faster, and Tony works on constructing a false month-long mission, just as an excuse to keep you and the others unaware. 

As usual, you wake Bucky early the day he’s supposed to head out, kissing him long and slow as he slowly flickers into consciousness, one hand working on his morning erection until he flips you over and settles inside with long, slow strokes that have your toes curling. After the third alarm goes off, you finally stumble out of bed and into the shower, where you spend more time kissing and touching than actually showering. 

“I don’t want you to be gone a whole month.” You perch on the edge of the bed, hair wrapped in a towel, one of Bucky’s henleys shrouding your torso. “Not fair that Tony didn’t ask me to come along.”

Bucky smiles, bending down to kiss your forehead. “Just think ‘bout how much fun we can have when it’s over?”

“You’re only making it worse.” 

“Mmm.” Bucky hikes his jeans up around his waist. “It’ll be over before you know it.”

***

It takes the better part of their given month, but the moment the final stone on the front steps is laid into place, Bucky’s heart soars. The house had come along much better and faster than they’d expected it to, and the construction crew had been more than happy to have the help of two superhumans to move heavier materials into place. 

With the crew finally cleaned and gone, it’s down to the four men to set up the furniture. It takes the better part of the day, but eventually the empty house is left full of brand new furniture, the greatest piece (in Bucky’s opinion, at least) being the massive bed perched in the bedroom. Tony had graciously contributed a plush foam mattress as a housewarming gift, complete with soft linen sheets and pillows large enough to serve as backrests for the couch. 

They head back to the tower after proclaiming the house fit to live in, and Bucky pockets the key to the front door with a smile on his face.

You spring into his arms the minute he steps off the Quinjet, peppering his cheeks with kisses as he cradles you against his body.

“How was your mission?” You cup his face, stroking the growing beard on his cheeks. “You haven’t shaved.”

“Mmm.” Bucky leans in to press a scruffy kiss to your lips. “Lemme take a shower and I’ll tell ya all about it.”

***

The following day is spent mostly in bed. Bucky doesn’t have a care for anything in the world other than reconnecting, and you only leave the privacy of your bedroom to grab snacks from the kitchen. Bucky admires the way your nightshirt falls to cover the tops of your thighs, but he can’t wait for you to not have to dress at all.

When the sun begins to set, Bucky swipes the keys to his personal car from the hanger by the door and slips the little black velvet box into his back pocket. He finds you in the kitchen, bickering with Sam and Steve over the best way to prepare the sauce for spaghetti night.

“Babe.” He winds an arm around your waist and presses his lips to your temple. “Get your shoes on.”

“Why?” You turn in his arms, watching him give Steve and Sam pointed looks. “These guys don’t know how to prep sauce, I’m trying to teach ‘em.”

“I wanna go for a drive.” He pats his metal hand against your ass. “Let’s go.”

You grumble and step into a pair of flip flops, following him obediently down to the garage. The Mercedes Bucky had bought the year before sits in the furthest stall, holding three months’ worth of dust on the silver paint and tinted windows. 

“Where are we going?” you ask, sliding into the passenger seat. “You hate driving in the city, are you sure you don’t want me to—”

“Nope.” Bucky lowers himself into the driver’s side and slides the key into the ignition before rummaging in his jacket pocket and handing you the sleep mask he’d snagged from your bedside drawer. “Put this on.”

You giggle, accepting the blindfold and slipping the band over your head. “I wanna know where we’re going.”

“It’s a surprise.” Bucky leans across the console to kiss you and tugs the blindfold the rest of the way down. 

“Well, how long do I have to keep this thing on?”

Bucky glances down at the ETA on his phone. “An hour. I’ll let you know when to take it off.”

He waits for the garage door to open and watches traffic almost instantly come to a stop behind the automatic red lights Tony had build in front of the tower. The city’s still wildly lit, and he clenches his fingers on the steering wheel as he turns down the road, heading to the closest highway onramp. 

***

He pulls onto the newly paved driveway just over an hour later, heart pounding hard in his chest. The lights in the house are off, and he parks far enough away for you to not hear the sound of the front door opening. 

“Stay right here,” he directs, “and no peeking. Got it?”

“Got it.” You duck your head down, overcompensating for the no-peeking rule, and Bucky climbs out of the car, jogs up onto the porch, and unlocks the front door as quietly as he can. The lights flicker on in each room, and he makes his rounds to check for cleanliness before coming back out. You’re still hunched over in the passenger seat, and he opens your door, reaching in to help you out.

“I smell grass,” you remark, “don’t tell me you’re gonna kill me and bury my body out in some field. I deserve my own mausoleum.”

“I would never.” Bucky pecks your cheek and pulls you back, standing far enough away from the house to get a full view. “There we go… on three, you can take your blindfold off.”

You giggle and bounce excitedly. “I’m beyond ready, get to counting.”

“Okay.” Bucky wraps his arms around your waist and presses a kiss to the shell of your ear. “One… two… three.”

Lifting the mask off, you blink several times to let your eyes adjust, and then you let out a little squeak and cover your mouth.

“Is this…” you gasp, fanning your face excitedly, “holy shit, Bucky, is this….”

“Our new house?” He hums and lets you turn in his arms. “Definitely. You really think we went on a month-long mission?”

Tears bloom in your eyes, and you cup his face, stretching up to kiss him. “I can’t believe you built a house, babe.”

“Well, I did,” he replies proudly, reaching into his back pocket. “Laid each stone on that porch myself. And since I got that out of the way…”

You let out a sniffle as he drops to one knee, flipping a little box open to reveal the small silver band nestled inside. “Oh, Bucky…”

“I’ve loved you for the last two years of my life,” he says, “I wanna spend every minute I have left with you as my wife. Will you marry me?”

You nod, and Bucky breathes a sigh of relief, slipping the ring onto your finger and discarding the box on the ground as he rises to scoop you into his arms. “I love you so goddamn much, honey,” he murmurs as you bury your face in his shoulder, your body trembling with sobs. “Wanna go inside?”

You nod excitedly and squeal when Bucky hoists you up, carrying you bridal style up the stairs and over the threshold. He turns, gives one last look at the darkened sky, and kicks the door shut, sealing you alone in a brand new chapter of your perfect little life.

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[justthehiddleswrites]

Destiny Has Other Plans | Loki x OFC (Alexis Randall) | Chapter 3

Pairing: Loki x OFC

MASTERLIST IS HERE

Summary: When Loki goes to ask his father for permission to marry, he is shocked to discover his destiny has already been made for him.  He is already betrothed to Sjofn, the daughter of the King of Vanaheim.  An arranged marriage to bring the two kingdoms closer together and strengthen the bond.  Never mind that Sjofn and Loki can’t stand each other.  

After The Battle of New York, Loki is sent to live at Avengers Tower as punishment for his misdeeds.  But it doesn’t mean he has to like it.   A year later, he has adjusted to life on Midgard but has avoided any romantic or emotional entanglements, still bitter over his lost love.  Dr. Alexis Randall is skilled at helping others fix their relationships as a couple therapist, but can’t help her own love life.  A chance encounter with Loki in a dive bar has life altering consequences for both of them.  Now, Alexis and Loki must figure out a way to co-habit without killing each other in the process, plus navigating impending parenthood and other roadblocks along the way.

This Chapter:   Now that Alexis is definitely pregnant, Loki insists that she stays with him in the Tower. And the Avengers find out about the whole thing. Loki and Alexis must now navigate a most unusual relationship.

Warnings: Arranged Marriage, Forced Marriage, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, Smut, Angst,  Semi-Public Sex, Mentions of law enforcement, Oral Sex, Cursing, Vaginal Sex

Taglists are Open, please let me know if you wish to be added.

-

“No fucking way!” Alexis screamed at the top of her lungs as the two of them made their way back to Loki’s quarters.

“Can you keep your voice down, please?” Loki hissed as he did a poor job of ushering her towards his quarters.

She sidestepped Loki’s arm. “WHY!? Are you embarrassed for your friends to see me?”

Loki’s eyes darted around the room to see if any of the Avengers come out of the woodwork. So far nothing, but that wouldn’t last long if Alexis kept it up.

“That’s not it. Now if you follow me to my room, we can discuss this like calm and rational adults.” Loki tugged on her arm, but she pulled away.

“But I’m not calm and rational, am I? I’m a hysterical pregnant woman you want to lock away like your crazy uncle who thinks he can talk to Elvis through his toaster!!”

Doors opened as the sound of the two of them reached down the corridor. Tony appeared first, slipping off to side, soon joined by Steve and then Bruce.

“What the hell—” Steve started.

“—lover’s spat. Saw her with Horny earlier today.” Tony sipped from his coffee mug.

“Did I hear that she’s pregnant? How does that even—” Bruce asked.

“YES YOU HEARD RIGHT!” Alexis stomped towards the three men. “Is there a fucking problem here? I thought the Avengers had better things to do than stare mouths open like wide mouthed bass at a pregnant woman having a mental breakdown?”

Loki had never seen those three men move faster than they did in that moment, not even when being chased by HYDRA agents. Had he not been fearful for his own well-being, Loki would have been impressed by the short order in which Alexis handled them.

“Good luck, man.” Steve clapped his shoulder as he hustled out of sight.

Satisfied, Alexis stomped off to collect her things from Loki’s apartment.

Loki rubbed his temples. “What have I got myself into?”

“It would seem you have got that young woman pregnant with your offspring. But how you anger her so is a mystery. Not that I blame her, you seem to bring the rage out in others, Brother.” Thor sat up from where he was lying on the couch, eating Pop-Tarts, unfazed by the outburst earlier.

“Have you been there the entire time and said nothing?”

“Yes.” Thor bit into the manufactured pastry, crumbs and frosting catching in his facial hair. “Why would I make my presence known and incur the wrath of Lady… what is her name?”

“Alexis.”

“Lady Alexis. So what exactly did you do to receive such a tongue lashing?” Thor smiled smugly at his brother.

Loki took a deep breath. “I suggested she stay here with me for the duration of her pregnancy.” Loki squared his shoulders. “For her own protection.”

“Suggested or demanded?” Loki threw a withering gaze at his brother. “Well, that explains it. You’re lucky to still have your head.”

Loki fisted his hands. “Do you not realize that enemies of the throne would love to get their hands on Odin’s only grandchild? She needs protection.”

Thor finished up his snack and rose to join his brother. “On the contrary, I realize all too well the threats that hang over both our heads and those we hold dear. But strong-arming her is not the answer.”

“Then what do you suggest?” He overheard a door slamming in distance.

Thor held up his hands. “Let me speak to her.”

Alexis stormed into the room, stopping in front of them. “Don’t stop me from leaving.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Lady Alexis.” Thor stepped in front of Loki, who rolled his eyes.

“My brother, Thor.”

“Pleasure.” She extended her hand. “Dr. Alexis Randall, would be prisoner.” She threw daggers at Loki.

“A doctor?” Thor glanced over his shoulder. “Loki, you never mentioned the mother of your child was a doctor.”

“She never told me.” Loki muttered.

“You never asked!” Alexis responded, lunging at Loki, who ducked back behind Thor. “You’ve been too busy either accusing me of lying or trying to lock me away.”

“My brother is only concerned for your safety, as am I.”

Alexis rolled her eyes. “There are enemies who would seek to do me harm, blah, blah, blah.”

“I’m afraid that in this instance my brother does not exaggerate, and as you carry Odin’s only grandchild, you would be a valuable bargaining chip to any enemy of the throne. Not to mention whatever other enemies Loki has picked up along the way.”

“He was serious?” Alexis leaned against the back of the sofa. She assumed Loki was lying to trick her into staying.

Loki leaned beside her, arms crossed. “I don’t wish to disrupt your life, but it the only way I can assure your safety.” He took her hand and squeezed. A slight gesture of sympathy. “Please stay. If anything were to happen to you or this child…”

Alexis sighed and squeezed Loki’s hand back. “I guess I could stay.” Loki beamed. “On a trial basis.” Even as she said the words, she knew there was no trial basis. But lying to herself comforted her.

Loki nodded. “Absolutely.”

Alexis pointed a finger in Loki’s face. “And be nice. And don’t be one of those overbearing fathers to be. I am not some porcelain doll.”

Loki held up three fingers. “Scout’s honor.”

Alexis cocked her head. “Do they even have scouts on Asgard?”

-

Tony insisted on moving them to another apartment on the same floor, but tucked away from the rest of the team.

“Away from prying eyes.” He commented when Loki informed him of the new living arrangements.

The new apartment had two master suites with a door connecting them. “I get the impression the two of you might need some space. And if not, nursery!” Tony threw his hands up and grinned.

“Thank you, Mr. Stark. For everything.”

Tony waved her off. “It was nothing. Anything for this horny little devil. And call me Tony, you’re basically family now.” He gestured at Loki, who scowled in return.

“Now to get used to the commute to my office.” she commented more to herself than anything.

“There is no way you are traveling across town five days a week.” Loki scoffed.

“But my clients…” she protested.

“… can travel here.” Tony interjected. With a few phone calls, Tony arranged for her entire practice to move into one of the offices in the Tower and never even left the room. Alexis handed over the keys reluctantly to both her apartment and office to Tony. He said the movers would be here with boxes from both places by the afternoon.

“Looks like you met your match, Trickster.” Tony whispered once Alexis left the room.

“What does that mean?” Loki scowled at Tony.

“I’m just saying I sense a bit of a connection between the two of you.” Tony wiggled his shoulders back and forth.

“You’re mistaken, Stark. Our only connection is the fact she is carrying my child. Anything else is the machinations of your overactive imagination.”

Tony shrugged. “Suit yourself.” Alexis stepped back in the room. “Alexis, it was lovely to meet you and I will have someone call when your stuff arrives.”

“Thank you, Mr... uh Tony.”

Tony threw a knowing glance at Loki before leaving the two of them alone.

“What is that you even do?” Loki asked, crossing the room to settle into one of the leather club chairs he had brought over from his place down the hall.

“I’m a couple’s therapist.”

“Ironic.”

“How is that?” Her voice grew more tight.

“You help others to salvage their relationships, yet you can’t manage to keep on of your own.”

“You and I are not in a relationship.”

Loki chuckled as Alexis sighed and flopped onto the couch.

“I was speaking about whatever mouth-breather you broke up with that night in the Whiskey Front Room. Come to think of it, it is his fault we are in this predicament.”

“The mouth-breather’s name is Eric, and he broke up with me.”

“Even worse.”

Alexis stared around the empty apartment. “So this is my cell for the next nine months. There are worse places to be trapped.” Her voice sad. The tears brimming in her eyes.

Loki fiddled with his bracelet. A constant reminder of his past misdeeds. A debt he could never repay. “I felt much how you did when I first arrived. My brother advised me to make the best of things. If I thought it would bring you comfort, I would do the same.”

Alexis chuckled as tears fell. “It wouldn’t.” Her finger flicked his bracelet. “What’s that?”

“A tracking device. My prison cell. I’m not here voluntarily. After my failed attempt to gain power and overthrow my father, he sent me here. To repay my debts.” He sneered.

“I’m sorry.” She stood and walked over to grab his hand and squeeze.

Loki moved to leave. “It is a prison of my own making. I expect you have people you need to contact about your move. I will leave you to it.”

“Not really. My parents died when I was little in a car crash. My aunt raised me. She lives in Florida now. Hannah is my only friend. I struggle with relationships.”

“Says the couple therapist.”

“It is like you said. I can help others, just not myself.”

Loki rose and extended his hand. “Then help me find some lunch.”

Alexis smiled and took his hand.

-

When the boxes arrived from Alexis’s apartment, Loki refused to allow her to help, ushering her to a chair.

“What did I say about being overbearing?”

Loki stopped mid-lift. “Not to be.”

“And what are you doing?” Alexis tapped her foot.

“Being helpful?” He smiled hopefully.

She grabbed the box and tugged. Loki held tight. “Things will go much smoother if you don’t treat me as though I will break in a strong breeze. I got along just fine before you and I will after you’re gone.”

Loki would have dropped the box had Alexis not been holding it.

“Am I going somewhere?”

Her lips curled in a slight smile as she pulled books out of the box and placed them on the bookshelf in her new bedroom.

“Loki, come on, who are we kidding? This is no love match. We bicker as it is. Adding a child to the mix will not make that better. Probably make it worse. I see it all the time, having a child to save a relationship.”

“It is my child and I will do everything in my power to make sure it and its mother are cared for and protected.”

“Which does not require us to be in a relationship. Or even living together, technically.” she mused. Loki opened his mouth to protest. Alexis sighed. “I am more than willing to stay during this pregnancy if it eases your mind, but I do not expect you to change your life for me. And I would hope you grant me the same courtesy.” She turned her back to finish unpacking the box. Loki’s hands lighted on her shoulders, timid.

“If that is what you wish.”

“Thank you, Loki.” She twisted to smile at him. “Now I am famished and the kitchen is empty. I am going to grab a snack.”

“We just ate lunch.”

Alexis rubbed her stomach. “Blame him. Or her. Think you can unpack these boxes without me?”

“I believe I can manage. Will you bring some food for me as well?”

“Sweet or savory?” She asked, heading for the door.

“Sweet. Pop-Tarts and chocolate of some sort.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

Loki turned his attention to the boxes.

-

Alexis rummaged through the pantry when Natasha snuck up behind her. The perks of being an assassin.

“If you are looking for Pop-Tarts, they are on the third shelf on the left, behind the granola.” Nat commented, leaning against the counter.

Alexis reached up and pushed the canister away to reveal several boxes. “Jackpot!” Alexis cleaned out the pantry of Pop-Tarts, grabbing a bag from one cabinet to hold everything. She added a couple of chocolate bars, a jar of creamy peanut butter, and then some chips and cookies for good measure.

“No problem. My name’s Natasha.”

“Alexis Randall.”

Nat smirked. “So you’re Loki’s girl.”

Alexis dropped the bag onto the counter. “I’m not… Is that what people are calling me?” She reached over Natasha to grab a few apples to add to the bag.

“What would you prefer we call you?”

“Alexis. What should I call you? Natasha? Nat? Black Widow?” Alexis rummaged through the fridge for a few Diet Cokes, tossing them into the bag.

“Nat.” Alexis went for the bag, but Nat got to it first.

“I’m capable of carrying my own bag.”

“I know you are. It’s an excuse to keep talking to you.” She glanced around the room suspiciously with narrow eyes. “I don’t know if you realized, but this place is testosterone city. Another woman on the floor is a breath of fresh air.”

The two women giggled while they walked down the hallway. A loud metallic thud echoed above.

“What the hell was that?”

Nat laughed. “Barton. Clint. He prefers the vents. But don’t worry, he sticks to the common areas. Says he thinks better up high.”

Alexis swallowed hard and nodded. Eyes darted up to the ceiling as she started walking again.

“Any morning sickness?”

“Not yet. But I am getting some cravings.”

Nat shook the bag. “I can feel. Is there anything left for the rest of us?”

“Some of it is for Loki.”

“The ultimate sweet tooth.” Nat nudged her shoulder. “Hide your candy stash from that one.”

Alexis chuckled nervously, tucking her hair behind her ears. “Good to know.”

“So how did you exactly meet? I haven’t seen you at any of Tony’s parties.”

Alexis flushed. How to explain all of this is a one-night stand, not even that, a fuck in a bathroom, gone horribly awry?

“Well, it’s an interesting story…” They reached the door, and she grabbed the bag from Nat. “… for another time. Got to go, can’t leave Loki waiting, Bye!” She opened the door and slammed it in Nat’s face, Alexis leaned against the door still holding the bag.

Loki peeked around the corner, holding a pair of high heels.

“Should I keep these in their boxes or—” Loki dropped the shoes and rushed to Alexis’s side when he spied her panting. “Are you hurt? Who did this to you?” Loki clenched his fist.

“I’m fine. I’m fine. Stand down, Tiger.” Alexis held out a hand as she moved to the kitchen. “It was just Natasha.”

Loki frowned. “What did she do?”

Alexis sighed. “She didn’t do anything. She asked how we met.”

His expression softened. “What did you tell her?”

“I didn’t. I ran like hell.”

“Why?”

“Because I didn’t think the truth sounded great, and I panicked. What would you have me say? I was depressed at getting dumped, so I let a stranger fuck me in a bathroom stall of a bar?”

“When you say it like that…” Loki commented before moving to help her unload the bag. “Perhaps we should agree upon a plausible story?”

“I would appreciate that.” Alexis fished out a box of Pop-Tarts and threw them at Loki. “Think fast.”

Loki caught the box mid-air and placed it on the counter.

“You said you wanted Pop-Tarts.”

“I can’t stand the things, processed pastry? Why, when fresh baked is better?” Loki wrinkled his nose, rooting around in the bag and extracting a large chocolate bar.

“Then, wh—”

“They are Thor’s favorite. I hope you grabbed all the boxes.”

“You lied to me! I trusted you!”

Loki popped a cookie into his mouth and grinned. “Your first mistake.” And he walked away.

-

The rest of the Avengers grew accustomed to Alexis and Loki arguing with each other about anything and everything. Tony only added fuel to the fire by providing Loki a copy of What To Expect When You Are Expecting. Anonymously, Tony didn’t have a death wish. Loki took the book less as an informational book, more of aspirational goals, much to Alexis’s chagrin.

“You can have my bodega deli sandwich, Loki, or my Diet Coke, but you can’t have both!” Alexis screamed as they passed through the common area one evening.

“But the book says…” Loki grabbed his already dog-eared book from a pocket dimension. Alexis snatched the book and hurled it across the room, narrowly missing Clint’s head.

“I am fucking sick of that goddamn book! If I find out who gave that to you…” She shot daggers at everyone in the room. “… they will pay.”

“I want the best for my… our child.”

Alexis narrowed her eyes at Loki. Steve, who had been moving to intercede, stopped in his tracks and backed away. “Then I would think you want the mother of your child to be happy! Do I look happy, Loki?”

Loki raked his eyes up and down Alexis’s body. “Decidedly not. If anything, I would say you look a little bloated. The book—”

Alexis lunged for Loki’s throat, only to be pulled back by Tony, who stepped between the two.

“Hey, hey, Killer.” He gestured to Alexis. “Don’t kill him now. I just had the carpets cleaned.” He whipped around to point at Loki. “And you… It’s not exactly Manners 101 that you never say that a pregnant woman looks anything other than glowing. Even I know that!” Tony spun around to grin at Alexis. “Have I mentioned you are glowing?” Alexis rolled her eyes through the tears.

Loki huffed and leaned around Tony to see Alexis, sniffling. “I am sorry. I will try harder to be more considerate of your feelings.”

Tony leaned in and whispered in Loki’s ear. “Invite her to dinner.”

“What?” he hissed. Tony elbowed him. “Will you accompany me to dinner tonight? As an apology.”

Alexis wiped her nose. “It would be a start.”

“Is that a yes?” Tony interjected.

“Yes.”

“Great. You two lovebirds head home to get ready and I will make all the arrangements!” He clapped the two of them on the shoulders and gave a shove towards the hallway.

Once they were out of earshot, Steve snapped at Tony.

“What the hell are you playing at, Tony?”

Tony gestured in the air. “A bit of matchmaking, nothing more.”

“What matchmaking? They hate each other.”

Tony scoffed. “No, they don’t. Pepper and I used to argue like that all the time and look at us now.”

“Still arguing like that all the time.” Natasha piped in.

“Et tu, Romanoff? Trust me guys, I’ve got everything under control.”

[needtherapy]

soaring, carried aloft on the wind...continued 17

A story for Xichen and Mingjue, in another time and another place.

The Beifeng, the mighty empire of the north, invaded more than a year ago, moving inexorably south and east.

In order to buy peace, the chief of the Lan clan has given the Beifeng warlord a gift, his second oldest son in marriage. However, when Xichen finds out he makes a plan.

He, too, can give a gift to the Beifeng warlord, and he will not regret it.

Part 1: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13  Part 2: 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 … HOME

It’s complete on AO3 here.

Notes: Check the tags if you’re concerned about the pairings ;)

For translations of the entirely fictitious Beifeng language, you’ll have to scroll to notes. I’m only going to translate something that’s not clear in the text. Sadly, there’s just not any other good way to do it on Tumblr!

Chapter 17 Earlier

Xichen didn’t see Jin Guangyao again for days, largely because Mingjue barely let him leave his tent, as though trying to reassure Xichen that Jin Guangyao’s presence created no change. It was less reassuring than he intended, because Xichen thought that if his position here with Mingjue was wholly secure, perhaps he wouldn’t need so much reassuring.

Still, he couldn’t pretend he didn’t enjoy Mingjue’s presence seeping into every empty space of his life. Xichen had already learned that it was as earth-shattering to give pleasure as it was to receive it, and he had spent the winter months making a very thorough exploration of Mingjue’s body. There was almost no end to the things Mingjue was willing to let Xichen try, and he was, himself, remarkably inventive.

But he loved the small domesticity of Mingjue in the morning almost as much, of waking next to him, listening to the way his breathing shifted so suddenly from asleep to awake. He always seemed surprised to find Xichen with him, surprised and delighted, stretching his arms and pulling Xichen to him the same way every day.

With the siege temporarily eased, Mingjue was less busy, and most of what he did was familiar to Xichen, the work of running a city rather than commanding an army. There were internal conflicts to settle, supplies to organize, and plans to make for the future. Mingjue did most of it from the comfort of Xichen’s bed, to the great amusement of his generals. As Mingjue’s grasp of Yuyan and Xichen’s skill in Orera improved, Mingjue began asking Xichen’s opinion about everything, from the small issues of disagreements between the horse trainers and romantic entanglements gone awry, to the bigger and less exciting problems of crop rotation, food storage, and waste removal.

It wasn’t all work. In the down times, he fed Xichen rare mountain plums, massaged his back with jasmine cream and sweet-smelling oils, and braided Xichen’s hair in complicated twists and plaits, as doting a lover as Xichen could ever have imagined, and he reveled in being cared for. The only indulgence Xichen truly felt guilty about involved the copper tub.

Prior to winter, the huge tub had been used mostly for washing clothes. When it had been warmer, Xichen had bathed the way the rest of the Ikarahu did: very quickly in the cold river. Once the weather shifted, bathing tents were set up near the river and a team of Ikarahu mages moved and warmed water for baths. It was still cold, but warmer than Xichen’s bathing at home would have been in winter.

It was not, however, Mingjue’s preference. He liked hot baths and decided to convert Xichen to his point of view.

It took dozens of people to move water from the river on the eastern side of the camp to the huge cauldron that sat on a magical fire in the center of camp. No one seemed to mind obliging their commander, although Xichen found it embarrassing that everyone knew when he bathed. Mingjue had just laughed and asked how it was different than bathing in the communal tents, and Xichen didn’t have an answer for that.

He was immediately won over when he sank into water hot enough to sting, and he nearly cried with happiness. Apparently, the sound he made was such that Mingjue stripped and joined him, settling Xichen in front of him and washing his hair with gentle fingers until Xichen could no longer stand the positively provoking way his body was rubbing against Xichen’s under the water. Xichen rolled over to provoke him back, sloshing water over the sides of the tub in a flurry of kisses. Mingjue’s solution was even messier, pulling Xichen out of the tub and tossing him onto the bed, which made Xichen laugh and shiver at the heat in Mingjue’s eyes. Luckily, the copper tub kept the water warm enough to still be enjoyable after their not-so-brief interlude.

It was almost enough to make him forget the flutter of Jin Guangyao’s long eyelashes when he looked at Mingjue.

Despite Mingjue’s efforts to keep him distracted, Xichen had seen and even talked to Guangyao in the common areas of camp, usually with Huaisang hovering nearby. But sometimes Jin Guangyao was sitting alone, always watching the men and women around him but never interacting. Xichen couldn’t help wondering what Jin Guangyao did to occupy his time.

Xichen finally decided to take the initiative. He couldn’t ignore the man forever. The next time he saw Jin Guangyao alone, leaning on a hitching post and watching the munaku training, he stopped.

“Jin-gongzi, I notice you are fond of the munaku. Have you seen the eagles hunting as well?” Xichen asked, and Jin Guangyao’s smile filled his face.

“Zewu-Jun, this one has only seen them in the distance. Oringa’anhu Ikira says they are too dangerous to approach. They are magnificent, even from afar, although this one would be willing to take the risk.”

He seemed to be watching Xichen’s face carefully, as though gauging his reaction, and Xichen wondered what he was looking for. He made an impulsive decision.

“Jin-gongzi, would you allow me to share a pot of Zhao tea with you tomorrow? I do not know if you have had Ikarahu tea yet, but...it is likely not what you are used to, and it is always a pleasure to drink good tea with someone who appreciates it.”

Jin Guangyao blinked in surprise and then chuckled. “Indeed, Zewu-Jun, this one has tried the...tea. It would be an honor to avoid sampling it again.”

Xichen laughed despite himself. At least they had that in common.

He’d taken Jin Guangyao one of the many potted plants Mingjue had gifted him in the autumn along with the tea. When he arrived, Jin Guangyao was writing at a table piled high with books, something else they had in common. Even though Xichen still found Jin Guangyao more cautious than necessary, always correcting his course to avoid any offense, he was easy to talk to, never at a loss for words, and Xichen’s dislike thawed. It was harder to hate someone he didn’t know.

However, the first time Jin Guangyao visited Xichen, more than two weeks after he arrived, was entirely without warning on a bath day. Jin Guangyao had shown himself to be so unflaggingly proper in every other way, his unannounced appearance at the tent entry came as an unwelcome shock. It wasn’t precisely rude, but it set Xichen off balance, and he had to scramble to recover.

“Zewu-Jun, the camp is so large! There must be a thousand tents. This one struggled to find this tent, only to discover how near it is after walking down many other rows,” Jin Guangyao laughed, bright and winsome as he shook snow off his clothes, and it helped erase Xichen’s annoyance at being interrupted.

And then Jin Guangyao saw Mingjue sitting cross-legged on the bed, his still-damp braids loose around his shoulders. It was obvious the moment Guangyao noticed him, because his posture changed slightly, as though a rope was pulled taut inside his body, and he bowed respectfully.

“Ipira’orhew Ikira, this one did not expect such an honor.”

Mingjue was eating a plum, cutting into it with the sharp blade of a small curved dagger, and he nodded at Jin Guangyao with a smile. Xichen took that to mean he didn’t mind Jin Guangyao’s presence, so he invited the man to join them. Xichen had been playing the guqin before Jin Guangyao arrived, and he wasn’t sure if he should continue, but Mingjue grinned beseechingly at him.

“Edas ahora, will you finish the song?”

Xichen sat back down behind the instrument, settling his fingers against the strings. Jin Guangyao chose one of the large cushions in front of Xichen to sit on, but only after darting an assessing look at Mingjue that was altogether too interested.

“Zewu-Jun is a master musician,” Jin Guangyao exclaimed, his dark eyes alight with what looked like genuine admiration when Xichen finished a song about peonies fading in summer.

“Thank you, Jin-gongzi,” Xichen replied, unable to be informal in the face of this man’s unflinching politeness.

“Do you play?” Mingjue asked, laying back against the bed pillows and crossing his ankles.

He popped a piece of plum in his mouth and raised his eyebrows curiously. He looked relaxed and decadent, and, in Xichen’s opinion, gorgeous. Xichen was not surprised by the minute flare of Jin Guangyao’s nostrils and fleeting lift of his eyebrows before he shook his head regretfully.

“Only a little. This one’s skill is minor by comparison. My talents lie elsewhere.” He looked away with a flush, and added, “I write poetry, sometimes.”

Xichen played through two more songs before Mingjue stretched, back arched, arms above his head, catching both Xichen and Jin Guangyao’s full attention. He got up and kissed Xichen’s forehead, touching a thumb to his lips. “Da iko auha, Ahora’ipa.”

To Xichen’s surprise, he ruffled the top of Jin Guangyao’s head on his way out. “I see you, too, Guangyao.”

The look that passed over Jin Guangyao’s face was mostly baffled. But not entirely.

“He does have that effect,” Xichen murmured, trying to repress the flare of irritation.

Jin Guangyao instantly schooled his expression into neutrality. “He is different than this one expected,” he said flatly, and then added with a deferential tip to his head, “Zewu-Jun, may this one ask? What does Ahora’ipa mean?”

It was an interesting question, as Xichen was quite sure Jin Guangyao knew precisely what the endearment meant. But perhaps he was asking for the deeper understanding of the phrase, which Xichen himself was still not fully sure of.

“It means ‘well loved,’ and it seems to be the Ikarahu equivalent to Zewu-Jun. When my family arranged the treaty with the Ikarahu, one of the terms was that I would be given…” Xichen paused, trying to be mindful of the lie he is about to tell. “I would be given ‘equal status.’ I believe it is in acknowledgement of my rank as my father’s heir and commander.”

Although it was true that the contract specified that he was “given in equal status,” Xichen had never understood why he was granted a title, as he knew perfectly well the title was not part of the agreement for Wangji, nor was it part of the rewritten contract Xichen created. Perhaps it had been in an earlier draft of the negotiations, but to ask would make it clear that he deceived the Ikarahu without his family’s knowledge, and he was still not certain how that news would be received. If nothing else, it would disclose how he had lied to them, and he was not eager to face that revelation.

Jin Guangyao nodded thoughtfully, a small crease between his eyes. “It is a title, then. Undoubtedly one that has been earned, given the way it is said around camp.”

Xichen felt his cheeks heating, and he was quick to soften the possible insult that, despite their similar status and station, Jin Guangyao was given no title by the Ikarahu, “Ipira’orhew Ikira is fond of endearments for people he knows well. Ahora’ipa, treasured one, beloved man…it is just his way.”

Jin Guangyao smiled, wider than Xichen had seen before. “You are different than I expected as well,” he said, creasing the dimples into his cheeks.

The shift to informality took Xichen by surprise, as did the implication that Jin Guangyao had expectations of Xichen. How could he have known anything about Xichen other than gossip?

“Your brother sends his regards,” Jin Guangyao said softly, and Xichen jolted upright, standing before he could take a breath.

He dropped to the ground next to Jin Guangyao and gripped his hand. “You have seen Wan...Hanguang-Jun?” he asked, hoping, hoping.

“No, Zewu-Jun,” Jin Guangyao said kindly. “I wrote to him to congratulate him on being made heir of the Lan clan and again when my father...when I was asked to come here.”

He has already been announced as heir. Of course his father would not delay. Wangji must hate it, Xichen thought, and his heart sank when he realized that all he had done was lock his brother in a second prison instead of the first.

No, he could not believe that. At least at home, Wangji would have the chance for happiness with his archer. Here, there would have been no hope. Wangji was fair and just, and he would learn to be a fine leader of the Lan clan.

“Did he...send anything...for me?” The question feels childish, and he knew it was unfair to expect his brother to send a message when Xichen had not, but he was filled with an overwhelming sense of loss for the conversations he would never have with his brother. This was the closest he had been to Wangji in months; he couldn’t help asking.

Did he imagine the hesitation?

“No, Zewu-Jun, but he did say he had not heard from you since you left?” Jin Guangyao said tentatively, the question in his voice inviting Xichen to explain.

Xichen felt guilty for suspecting him of hiding something. It was Xichen who was hiding. He couldn’t even explain it. He couldn’t explain all the letters he wrote and discarded, the words he did not dare share with his brother. Wangji would never believe him. I am sorry I deceived you. I am happy here. And even if I was not, you are safe.

In the end, he had written only once to his father, shortly after his birthday, saying the words he knew would protect his brother and the Cloud Recesses. This is my choice. I am safe. Evidently his father had not chosen to share that with Wangji, which is an anger Xichen can not show Jin Guangyao. For the first time, he wonders if he made a mistake in not trying to convince Wangji that he was happy. He hadn’t wanted to drive a wedge between his father and brother, and he hadn’t been certain if Wangji would believe anything he said. No, he knows Wangji. He would be angry with Xichen for deceiving him, but he was prudent and thoughtful, and he would never endanger the Cloud Recesses. A contract was a contract, no matter how much he might hate it. Understanding of the ramifications and his natural cautiousness would keep Wangji from taking any action.

“I left abruptly and...I was angry,” he said, hoping Jin Guangyao would accept his equivocation. “Anything I said now would be a disappointment to them.”

Jin Guangyao’s peals of laughter sounded forced from him, and he covered his mouth. Xichen raised his eyebrows, puzzled.

“Oh, Zewu-Jun,” he finally managed, “It is only that...I have never considered what it would be like to not disappoint my family.”

It was such a terrible thing to say, Xichen felt it must be the truth. He wanted to reassure Jin Guangyao, but he didn’t know this man or his family, and he didn’t want to appear either cruel or condescending.

“My brother would not be disappointed in me, but I did not want to put him in the position of having to tell my father that I was not unhappy,” he said, exchanging a truth for a truth.

“No, you do not seem to be.”

Jin Guangyao looked around the tent speculatively and Xichen flushed. He was not ashamed. He was not. He had not expected to ever feel anything but loneliness and resentment, and what he had found was, at the very least, friendship and acceptance. Xichen didn’t think there was any nobility in seeking out unhappiness, but it was difficult to admit his contentment to this man who was his countryman.

“Of course, I mean no judgement, Zewu-Jun,” he added, understanding Xichen’s reaction. “But if you would like the company of someone who can, perhaps, appreciate your situation, I would take comfort in having a friend who can appreciate mine.”

The words meant one thing, Xichen thought. But the slow smile and the sidelong look said something quite different indeed.

Notes: Da iko auha, Ahora’ipa. = I will return, Ahora’ipa

[missdaviswrites]

Fic Writer Intro--MissDavis

I just got back from @ficwritersretreat2019, where we talked about ways to support and promote other fic writers. One idea was to write introductory posts for ourselves, then reblog each others’ posts to spread the word to all our followers. Below I have tagged the other writers who went to this year’s retreat, but even if you’ve never been, feel free to introduce yourself and your own writing. If you tag me, I'll reblog your post, too! 

I’m MissDavis and I've been writing BBC Sherlock fic since shortly after s3. Most of my work is Johnlock with some occasional Johnlockary thrown in for good measure. Here’s the link to all of my writing. If you’re looking for something specific, here’s a breakdown by ship and length, along with summaries from AO3:

Johnlock:

Long fics (50-100+K):

Breakable rated E After John is seriously injured, Sherlock struggles to figure out how to help him, keep himself sane, and maybe, just maybe, get their life back to the way it’s supposed to be. Part 1 of the Breakable Not Broken series.

Full Court Press  rated E College basketball AU: Sherlock is the team’s best shooter. John is the team’s best ball-handler.

Side Effects rated E WIP, currently 10/17 chapters now complete! Sequel to Breakable. Life is a lot better for Sherlock and John than it was a year ago. Yes, John still can't walk and Sherlock is still on antidepressants, but they're married now, and almost everything else is back to their version of normal. They have a dog. Sherlock's solving cases again. But when Moriarty learns of their marriage, he escapes from prison and takes it upon himself to make their lives miserable. Is Sherlock really up to the challenge of catching a criminal whose only goal is to make sure that he and John don't live happily ever after?

Mid-length fics (10-35K):

Chaperones  rated T "You want to pretend to be a couple so we can chaperone a trip to Disney World with Rosie’s class and you won’t have to share a room with a stranger?“

Christmas With You rated T Watch Sherlock, John and Rosie over the years as they celebrate the season as only they can.

Welcome Christmas  rated T Join John and Sherlock at Baker Street as they celebrate Rosie's first Christmas and beyond. From Rosie crawling around the flat as they tiptoe around each other en route to their first kiss, to a happy retirement with a young grandson who wants to be just like Grandad and Papa, this fic shows how Sherlock and John celebrate Christmas together through the years.

Breaking Christmas rated M Join me in some established relationship Johnlock as I attempt to make Sherlock and John participate in some Seasonal Fucking Cheer. Ficlets that are part of the Breakable Not Broken series.

So This Is Christmas rated T Sherlock, John and Rosie celebrate the Christmas season with the rest of their family. It's not always perfect, but they all do their best. Most of the time. AKA the Christmas ficlets that include Eurus.

Clutter-Free rated E 5 times John made Sherlock clean up the flat and one time he didn’t have to.

Short fics (2K-9K):

The Librarians of Baker Street  rated E Sherlock is a cataloguer who's forced to work the reference desk once a week. Which he hates. Or at least, he used to hate it, until the library hired a new reference librarian. Guess who?

Just a Touch rated E John has trouble falling asleep these days. There’s one thing he can do that always seems to help, but he’s stuck in this hotel room with Sherlock and doesn’t think he’ll get the chance. How will he ever find relief and a good night’s sleep?

If You Lead Me rated M Enough time has passed since Mary’s death that John is finally ready to start a new relationship. With Sherlock, he hopes. But given Sherlock’s stated aversion to romantic entanglements, John is a bit worried about being rejected, and doesn’t know how to proceed. Fortunately, there’s someone who can help him along.

Sherlock Is Actually a Cat Person rated E John brings home a kitten. Sherlock is not okay with it.

The Last Time Alone rated E But it wasn’t enough, not for John. He needed more. He needed someone to hold besides a child, and someone to kiss on the lips and not just the top of the head. He needed sly looks across the dinner table and to know if he put Rosie to bed early he might emerge from her room to find a candle lit and dessert served just for two.

The One Where No One Proposes rated G Sherlock inherits his parents’ wedding rings. It’s ridiculous that they mean something to him. He doesn’t plan to do anything with them. Sentiment.

Equal Footing  rated E Sherlock had certainly never shown any interest in women’s footwear, or in seeing John appear as anything but fully male. But five extra inches—that opened up all sorts of interesting possibilities.

Very short fics (under 2K):

Dirty Laundry rated E If they got far enough along, John knew he would stop noticing the steady clanking thump of the washer, but so far he’d been unable to keep himself from being distracted.

A Boyfriend in Need rated G John's in medical school now, but it's Sherlock who's taking care of him today. A sequel to Full Court Press.

Rosie and the Rainbows rated M Sherlock isn’t exactly opposed to Rosie joining the Girl Guides, but he doesn’t really see the appeal, either. It ends up being much worse than he imagined.

To a Better Year than Last rated G After the life-altering events of the last twelve months, John is more than ready for the new year to begin. Short sequel to Breakable, from John's POV.

Training  rated G Sherlock had terrible running form; they would have to work on that later. For now, John just ran, happy that for once Sherlock was the one chasing after him.

Honey Bee rated G Rosie gets stung by a bee. It’s not a big deal, except that it is.

He Sees You When You're Sleeping rated T Sherlock and John return to the Holmes’ family home for Christmas to find that Mummy has redecorated.

Wrong Disc rated G Two years later and DVDs that Mary made before she died are still showing up every now and then. Thankfully.

The Cute One  rated G "This post says that whenever there are three people, there must be one who's the clever one, one who's the cool one, and one who's the cute one.” Rosie looked from John to Sherlock and back again. “So which of us is which?”

Better  rated G Sometimes the world just calls for a bit of comfort. A 221B ficlet.

Let's Go on a Family Holiday (& Then Not Leave the Room) rated T Sherlock looked up, noting that John’s bare chest lacked the glossy sheen of suncream that he had been anticipating. A 221B ficlet

Johnlockary

Could Be Fun 36K words, rated E This is the first fic I started writing when I got into the Sherlock fandom. John, Sherlock and Mary embark on a new stage of their relationship. Nine chapters of smut and snark, canon-compliant through series 3.

The Life We Choose 16K words, rated M Based on the "30 Days of Sherlock Challenge,” a series of ficlets from the points of view of Sherlock, John, Mary, and, of course, Alice Watson: I have three parents. Some of my friends have three, too, or even four, but none of them has three who all live together, which makes me the luckiest out of all my friends.

Imagine the Christmas Dinners 15K words, rated M A series of Christmas-themed ficlets, featuring Sherlock, John and Mary over the years, with appearances by Baby Watson, Mummy Holmes, Mrs. Hudson and Lestrade.

Better Off Together 9K words, WIP, now complete at 16K! Rated M What if everyone lived happily ever after? Yes, I’m still writing this, maybe 1 or 2 chapters left to go!

An Afternoon Interruption 7K words, rated E Still the only John/Sherlock/Mary/Sally fic on AO3!

The Clothes You Once Wore  4K words, rated E Mary took a deep breath and conceded to herself that maybe she did want to put on the assassin outfit and tie him to the bed and have her way with him. Maybe Sherlock had just known it before she did. Possibly my favorite short fic I’ve written.

Got You Pegged 2K words, rated E Sherlock could think of six different ways they could make it fit using common household items he had in the flat, but he didn’t think he could wait that long.

The Space Between 2K words, rated E This one is really more Johnlock than Johnlockary. Written as part of the Come At Once 24-hour porn challenge.

Safe Not Sound   2K words, rated E "Oh, come on. I'm willing to put up with all this 'gun safety' nonsense you and John are insisting on, the least you could do is give me what I want in return."

Brand New Day 1500 words, rated T Breakfast, babies, and three people trying to do their best.

While You Were Sleeping  1K words, rated E “We—” Mary started and Sherlock pressed his fingers a bit harder against her leg. She inhaled. “He’ll wake up.”

Storage Space  695 words, rated M Sherlock has his own space at John and Mary’s house now. The first fic I ever posted!

Bed rated T It’s a bit tight, but they all fit. A 221B ficlet.

Other Ships or Ship-free

All We Have  5K words, rated T, Gen. My angsty, pre-series 4 interpretation of what might have happened to a third Holmes brother.

One Night, Twenty Weeks 4K words, rated E, Mary/Molly. Mary has a problem. Molly helps her out.

Actually, the Baby Sits on You 3K words, rated G, Gen. Sherlock watches the Watsons’ baby for the first time.

Tea for Three 2K words, rated E, Mrs. Hudson/Mrs. Holmes/Mr. Holmes. Mrs. Hudson had been with many men over the years—older, younger, single, divorced, married and seeing her on the side either secretly or openly—but this was the first time she had ever been with a man while his wife lay right beside them.

Tiny Little Pieces 1594 words, rated G, John/Mary. They watched to the end of the DVD; Sherlock smiled and winked at them and John flicked off the screen again. “So. That’s Sherlock.” He gave her a smile that was even more forced than the one Sherlock had just displayed. “It’s funny. I’d almost forgotten what he sounded like.”

Not in the Job Description 1,505 words, rated E, Sherlock/Sally. The case has Sherlock stumped, and John’s not around to help him focus. Someone has to step up and help him clear his mind.

Once He Is Gone 1K words, rated T, Gen. John is fine at Sherlock’s funeral. Of course he is. Why wouldn’t he be? He’s been to funerals for so many of his friends. Why would Sherlock’s be any different?

When Mary Met Sally 766 words, rated G, Gen. Sally stops by Baker Street with a case but finds out that Sherlock isn’t home.

Kick  Gen, rated G. Mary is pregnant, John’s not speaking to her, and Sherlock’s still in hospital. A 221B ficlet.

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

Tagging: @hubblegleeflower @pipmer @pippn-frodo @totallysilvergirl @daringlydomestic @prettyrealisticjohnlockfanart @cumberqueer @addictedstilltheaddict @disaronnus @weneedtotalkaboutsherlock @quantum-sparrow @blogstandbygo @amindamazed @fearlessdiva930 @onwallsiwrite

and tagging *anyone* else who wants to share--really, feel free to promote your fic!

[svubloods]

Imagine Peter meeting your family and them not knowing you’re dating

(A/N: This is long because I don't know when to stop. Also, I’ve decided that all my Peter imagines taking place in the same timeline with the same Y/N. You don't need to read all of them but they are all connected so they offer background. I just really like the Y/N and the dynamic! I hope you enjoy this. I know I’m doing a lot of peter stuff but I’m currently obsessed. EDITING LATER. I’M TIRED SO I’M SORRY IT SUCKS!)

WARNING: CONTAINS SEXUALLY SUGGESTIVE CONTENT! NOT N*FW BUT BORDERLINE 

Imagine Peter meeting your family and them not knowing you’re dating

You’d seen many of the different sides to the illustrious ADA Peter Stone over the time you’d known him. His usual stern, cold and sarcastic demeanour that he adorned during work that rarely ever faltered, his cheekier, carefree and flirter side when he was off the clock or had a couple of drinks I'm him. The in-between that only ever appeared when you had worn him down with he described as your ‘sparkling personality’ a comment almost always followed by an eye-roll. His utter heartbreak and hopelessness. To his pure pleasure and desire whenever it was the just the two of you. You’d seen all of him but you couldn't honestly say that you had ever seen him completely relaxed and content.

Until this morning that is.

You’d woken up and found yourself in his arms. You were on your front, your head resting on his firm chest as well as your right shoulder and arm that was wrapped loosely wrapped his torso. The rest of your body pressed comfortably into his side. Your legs entangled though it seemed like Peter had eased his limbs off yours so you wouldn't have to deal with the pressure. You couldn't move as Peter had a strong hold on your right hip, his arm resting lightly on your back to keep you in place. Right next to his heart. You couldn't move, but you didn't want too.

He was still sleeping and when you looked up at him. He was content and completely relaxed. His sharp features light and at ease but what convinced you the most was the small smile he had as he slept. It was small almost smirk but a smile all the same. He looked peaceful. Happy…You couldn't help but smile back up at him.

You eased your hand up to touch his face gently, barely applying any pressure because you didn't want to disturb him, your heart swelling with joy, after everything he gone through it was nice to see him like this. You weren't convinced that you were the reason, you were just a contributor.

You shifted as best as you could.

“Stop moving,” A gravelly voice murmured above you before pulling you even closer to him, his grip on you strong but you were undoubtedly comfortable.

You lifted your head up to look at his face. His expression remained the same and his eyes were still closed. He dipped his head to the crook between your neck and shoulder, his face in your messy hair and the tip of his nose and breath tickling the sensitive skin of your neck.

“So you are awake?” You questioned playfully, the sensation making you shudder slightly.

“No, I’m still sleeping,” He mumbled into your skin as he pulled even more of you on top of him and he continued to bury his face into your neck, moving your hair out the way and placing a small kiss on the exposed skin.

“Then why are you talking?” You countered, adjusting to your new position.

“Talking in your sleep is actually a very common occurrence and is not usually considered a medical problem,” He began to lecture but his voice still remained husky in tone.

“Peter, it’s 10am,” You announced, lifting your head off his chest to glance at the clock on his bedside table

“It’s Sunday,” He countered, his voice restless and thick with sleep, which he seemed to be falling back into it.

“You’re the one that likes to wake up early!” You reminded, with a breathy chuckle.

“I’m aware but when you’ve been kept up all night…” He argued, whispering now, obviously exhausted by last nights activities.

“It wasn't all night and need I remind you that you’re the one who invited me over,” You defended, enjoying how easy it was to argue with Peter while he was basically asleep.

“For dinner,” He stated, even tired he could be on the top his game.

“You didn't complain last night when dinner turned into this,” You pointed out.

“Go back to sleep Y/N,” He mumbled, giving in.

“You know I have to leave soon, right?” You commented while counteractively wrapping an arm around him in order to get comfortable.

“No,” He moaned without thinking, his voice vibrating, “You have to stay here with me,”

“Why’s that?” You probed eagerly.

“Because you’re soft and comfortable and I am tired.” He began to list lazily as if he wasn't paying attention, “And I like you a lot. I like it when you’re here…a lot,”

“Are you always so romantic in the morning?” You teased, kissing the base of his neck.

There was silence as he hesitated and shifted. Waking up completely now and clearly registering everything he had just said in his semi-conscious state.

“No,” He said sternly, his voice adjusting and suddenly clear and stern like at work, obviously an attempt to hide his embarrassment.

“Nooo,” You whined, pouting as he opened eyes and adjusted so you could look at each other, “Give me sleepy romantic Peter back,”

“He doesn't exist,”

“I beg to differ,” You scoffed, jabbing a finger into his side as you continued, “Normal Peter is never romantic,”

“And yet he has so much success getting you to sleep with him,” Peter commented, lying back comfortably beneath you.

You sat up for the sole purpose of looking him in the eye when you glared at him.

“You’re one cocky bastard, you know that?” You scolded as he smirked.

“Would it make you feel better I pretend to be hurt?” He asked his voice laced with sickening sweetness, just to tease you.

“Now I’m glad I have to leave,” You huffed, getting off him completely sitting up fully beside him.

He rolled his eyes.

“Don't be like that,” He continued to tease, a stray hand running up the length of your upper thigh “What can I do to make it up to you, hmm?”

“Say something romantic,” You demanded, crossing your arms and huffing like a petulant child.

You watched with a sceptical gaze as you watched him compose himself. His expression turned mysterious, his eyes growing dark with desire, bringing himself up to a seated position. Not breaking eye contact with you, his stare so intense instantaneously that you didn't dare break it and despite your best efforts it made your heart quicken and breath stopped as he had the power to capture your whole being in seconds. He leaned in ever so slightly, his face inches from yours as he lightly brushed the hair from your face.

“So,” He began, his voice suddenly even huskier than before, low and alluring, “How much do I owe you for last night?”

“You bitch,” You exclaimed as he burst into booming laughter.

You shoved him back hard and fell back down on the mattress still laughing. His laugh was hearty and true that you couldn't help but join in despite him besting you. You raised your hand to swat him again playfully but he grabbed your hand and used to pull you on top of him. Your knees falling to either side of his torso as you looked directly down onto his face. Your arms still held above your head.

Still laughing he captured your lips in a searing kiss, his version of an apology, the intensity growing that your held fists were pressed against the headboard as all your attention was fully taken over.

“Why are you so mean to me?” You pouted playfully, break free of his hold so you could run your hands down the length of his chest and then even lower as you could feel from your position how excited he was getting.

Clearly, he wasn't that tried from last night or perhaps he just wasn't tired of you yet.

“You’re the only one who can keep up with me,” He responded sincerely, still panting from breathlessness beneath you.  

His words made you stop momentarily, sitting up straight on top of him as you considered what he said. Your heart pounded with content and something else that you couldn't quite figure out. A sensation of feeling overwhelmed but in a good way. You felt good. You could feel Peter was about to say something else but you interrupted him swiftly. Pressing your mouth to his hungrily a surge of passion taking you over as you moved against him, smiling as you did. Peter was taken aback, surprised by the sudden eagerness but there were no complaints. Moans escaping his mouth into yours as you ground your body against his, intensity rising to a level that your knees gave out and you just lay on top of him.

You half expected for him to flip you over and take over but he seemed content with letting you take the lead, surprisingly so as Peter liked to be in control in these circumstances.  Though he couldn't help his hands fumbling with the hem of your shirt…his shirt…pulling it off you promptly and tossing it across the room, leaving you bare besides your underwear. His hands roamed your back and the rest of your body for that matter as you began your trail of kisses down the front of his chest. He hissed the lower you got. He pulled you back up for another kiss before you could get any lower than his navel. His fingers now toying with your underwear. You nodded approval and he proceeded promptly.

Then there was a bang. And then another and another, in quick succession.

“Ignore it,” You panted, pulling away so his moan was audible, retracing your trail of kisses but making it lower this time.

“Y/N…” Peter breathed shakily.

Another bang, and then another and then another.

“I don’t think…” Peter began before stopping as you made no attempt to stop.

“NYPD!” A voice boomed followed by another succession of loud knocks.

Perhaps you should have recognised the policeman’s knock. Alas, the words caused both you and Peter to stop in tracks. Sitting up and giving each other a confused look. You fell back onto the bed in a huff about the interruption as Peter pulled on his boxers and grabbed his robe to cover himself.

“I’ll make it quick,” He promised, kissing you fiercely clearly as annoyed as you about the interruption, “Now If you’ll excuse me I’m about to go murder a police officer,”

You chuckled appreciatively, “It’s fine. I’ll go make some coffee instead,”

Peter went to go answer the door and you got dressed before making your way to his kitchen. You heard him talking to who you could only assume was the officer but Peter’s body blocked the view as you walked passed the front door from the living room.

You yawned and a large stretch before going to retrieve two mugs from the cabinet.

“It’s no problem at all, Officer Reagan,” You heard Peter say clearly.

You froze. No…it couldn't be. How would he even know that you were here? Maybe they tracked you? You wouldn't put it past any of them.

“Sorry to interrupt your morning Stone,” You heard what was most clearly Jamie respond.

Of course, they would send Jamie to catch you. Erin and Danny were weak and would never confront you directly.

“Sorry, for making you wait,” Peter added.

“You didn't curse, shout or swear so you really don't have anything to apologise for,” Jamie joked, “Take Care, thanks for the help,”

“See you around Reagan,” Peter concluded before shutting the door.

A silence filled the apartment as Peter made his way to the apartment to meet you, where you were still frozen in place.

“Was that?” You questioned, despite what you had heard you needed some sort of confirmation.

“Your brother Jamie,” He nodded, his look as puzzled as yours.

“How? Why?” You spluttered, almost in shock.

“There was a break-in downstairs and he was canvassing,” He explained.

“So a complete coincidence,”

He nodded.

“How is it that they can cockblock me without even trying?” You sighed before raving, “It’s just like in high school, one of my brothers always managed to interrupt me, though in a lot of those circumstances it was intentional…”

“Was this a common occurrence?” Peter inquired, his curiosity peaked, leaning towards you using the counter as leverage.

“What?”

“Sneaking boys back to your house while you were in high school?” He elaborated, smirking.

“Peter, you know who you are dating,” You stated simply looking up at him.

“I do indeed,” He chuckled an arm slinking around your waist, pulling you close before kissing you, you had to keep your arms outstretched as you were still holding two coffee cups, “Shall we get back to…”

“The moments over sweetie,” You winked, grabbing his face and giving it tight squeeze, “Plus I still do have to leave soon,”

“Right, it’s Sunday,” He nodded, plucking the coffee cups from your hands and gesturing for you to sit at the island.

“Which means its Reagan family time,” You added with a subtle eye-roll.

“Plus it’s your turn to help with the cooking,” He mentioned, as he began to make you both a cup of coffee.

You tossed him a confused looking, resting your chin on your hands and leaning forward, analysing him as he moved around the kitchen.

“What?” He demanded, “I listen when you speak,”

“And yet all my suggestions at work are always ignored,” You countered.

“Because they’re always illegal or inappropriate,” He reminded, before taking a sip of his back coffee, shooting a wink in your direction as he did, as he continued to make your preferred extra froffy latte.

A few minutes later he slid over your coffee before taking a heavy seat beside you at the island counter. Sipping in a comfortable silence. You lost yourself in thought and he seemed to notice.

“You okay?” He asked, peering at you over his mug.

You nodded with a sigh, “I just can’t believe out of all the cops that could have been put on canvas it happened to be my older brother who ends up knocking on your door on a morning when I’m here,”

“Maybe it’s a sign,” He offered with a shrug.

“You don't believe in that stuff,” You pointed out.

“But you do,” He insisted, “Personally I think it’s just a coincidence,”

“Hell of a coincidence,” You muttered.

“Stranger things have happened,” He offered, “Plus it’s not like he saw you. I imagine it would have been much worse if he did. No brother likes seeing their sister half naked emerging out of her new boyfriend's bedroom with sex hair,”

You patted your hair gingerly, before raising an eyebrow and smirking all while leaning into his space, “Boyfriend, huh?”

“It’s been two months, Y/N.” He stated, referring to the amount of time since you had engaged what could only be described as an exclusive relationship after your encounter in his office.

“I’m aware,” You responded, though admittedly you were hesitant, you knew that it was highly likely that he was only seeing you exclusively.

“I didn't think I needed to explicitly ask you to be my girlfriend.” He argued, “I thought it was obvious after what I said before,”

“Yeah,” You confirmed, quickly.

“So you don't mind if I refer to myself as your boyfriend?” He inquired with his usual natural confidence but there was a slight uncertainty laced in the tone of his words, nervousness, hesitation.

“Not at all,” You smiled brightly.

“Good,” He stated, concealing his own smile that was spreading across his features by taking a sip of his coffee.

“Though I personally wouldn't mind if we kept it between us for a little while longer,” You confessed, nervously, looking down at the bottom of your coffee cup, gripping it tightly.

“Oh?” He probed.

“I mean just…I really like where we are right now and just how it is, you know just us knowing…” You fumbled, “My family are really important to me and I want them to introduce you to them eventually just not right now because you’d be the first person…”

“You aren't the only person in this relationship that hasn't been in a serious longterm relationship in a while,” He interrupted, saving you, “I’m okay with taking things slow, keeping things between us and waiting until you're ready to met your family officially as your boyfriend. I’ve said it once and I’ll stay it again. I’m not going anywhere because I like you a lot,”

“Like like me like me?” You joked.

“I like you like you, like really” He empathised, playing along but rolling his eyes so you knew that he disapproved.

“I really like you too,” You beamed in response, “And I’m excited to introduce you to them even though you met them already but as my boyfriend…within the next couple of months,”

“Is that a timeframe I hear?” He mocked lightheadedly.

“You know what that is,” You reenacted, much to your own amusement “Growth,”

A deafening silence ensued.

“Was that a joke? Was I supposed to laugh?” He questioned. “And to think I was going to come back here after lunch to continue what was so rudely interrupted,” You sighed, dramatically.

“Oh you’re coming back,” He chuckled.

“You sound certain,” You commented, recoiling away from him.

“Need I remind you?” He teased, his eyes sparkling mischievously at you, “You really like me, like like me like me,”

After another round of coffee and a couple of long lazy Sunday morning makeup sessions, Peter finally let you go back to your own apartment to get ready for dinner. And despite his reluctance to let you go, even though you were coming straight back as soon as you were done whenever that would be, you still arrived early which meant you were most definitely on dinner duty. A few hours later you found yourself standing with your Grandfather Henry, peeling and chopping vegetables, while Linda cooking almost everything else. Your Dad was in his office, your brothers hadn't arrived yet neither had Jack, Sean or Nicky, who were all coming together. And Erin was running around the house packing Pop’s suitcase.

“Erin, will you calm down,” You sighed, impatiently as Erin strode into the kitchen for the umpteenth time.

“I’m looking for Pop’s glasses,” She exclaimed, shuffling through the sideboard in search of them.

“Have you tried his face?” You suggested, pointed exaggeratedly at his face with your peeler.

“Hey careful, you'll take my eye out,” He warned, concentrating hard on chopping his potatoes.

You stuck your tongue out at him which he responds to by jabbing you in the ribs, causing you to giggle.

“Okay, maybe, I’m going a little crazy,” She admitted, sitting heavily at the counter, “But I wouldn't be if this one could pack his own suitcase properly,”

“I did a fine job,” Pop huffed.

“You packed cargo pants and fishing rod for Barcelona,” She reminded.

“They fish in Spain!” He insisted, “And besides it was my top choice of vacation destination,”

“You didn't have a choice remember,” Erin chuckled, “This my vacation, you and Nicky are just tagging along because one of you is my daughter and the other is my Grandfather who claimed he wanted to see the world in his retirement,”

“I didn't realise Montana was on the moon,” He snapped.

Erin rolled her eyes at him.

“Notice how neither of us was extended an invitation though,” Linda pointed out teasingly, nudging you as she circled the kitchen.

“I noticed, it’s nice to know how she treats her sisters,” You joined in, dramatically, flashing a disgusted look in Erin’s direction.

“You’re both working,” She reminded, taking it seriously, “And besides the point of taking this trip is…” 

“Because you’ve been so dedicated to your job for so long and you’ve been so busy that you haven't taken a day off or vacation. And now that you’re the DA you finally able to take some time to rejuvenate and spend time with your daughter. Because you’re amazing. A martyr really who does nothing but tirelessly help others,” You interrupted before continuing for her, “Yes, Erin we know, you’ve told us fifteen times if not more.”

“I don’t recall referring to myself as a martyr,” She commented holding her arms and leaning back with an annoyed expression on her face.

“It was implied,” You stated, waving the peeler in her direction without thinking.

“Y/N,” Pop said sternly, “Don’t make me take that off you,”

“Please do,” You sighed, before turning back to Erin, “What I was trying to say before I was so rudely interrupted is that you’re going on this vacation to relax right,”

She nodded.

“Then stop stressing and chill,” You ordered, “Just sit and enjoy your last day in New York before you all leave tomorrow. Who cares if Pop hasn't packed everything he needs. There are shops in Spain,”

“You’re right,” Erin admitted in defeat.

“I still can’t believe you’re even going. Erin Reagan taking time off work to vacation no less.” Linda commented, taking your vegetables.

“I know I’m so proud,” You teased.

“I’m only going because I finally feel like I'm leaving the office in capable hands and it won’t fall to pieces without me,” She muttered, distracted as she began scrolling through her finger, with one finger no less.

“And whose hands are those?” You inquired, casually.

“Hands I’m sure you know very well,” She chuckled quietly, her eyes glued to the phone screen before flickering over to yours, “Peter Stone,”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” You demanded, defensively instinctually before immediately regretting it.

“That he’s your departments ADA,” She started slowly, taken aback by your reaction, “And that you work together. What did you think I meant?”

“I thought you were making a bad joke or something,” You played off, letting out a relieved breath.

“Anyway, he’s the only ADA we have that has at least some experience running the whole office. And he’s really been settling well especially the last couple months and considering what happened it’s really nice to see. I was worried but now I definitely feel able to let him be in charge while I’m gone and when I asked he graciously accepted and thanked me.” She explained.

“You like him then?” You probed gently.

“Y/N, I hired him!” Erin countered, “Of course I like him. He’s a hell of an ADA and man might I add,”

“Really?” You questioned, surprised. She nodded, still engrossed with her phone, “He has a high success rate, nice to work with on my end, handles your department well and from what I hear has really bonded with your department as well,”

“Oh yeah?” You entertained, “Who said that?”

“Peter,” She stated, clearly in her eyes it was obvious, “I do check in with my employees, you know? Your department is notoriously difficult so I took upon myself to make sure he was handling it. You know like most bosses,”

“No need for the attitude Erin. I’m making conversation,” You huffed, “I just don't want to hear you speak about your vacation anymore,”

“Swimming trunks!” Erin said in response, before jumping out of her seat before heading back up the stairs.

“She’s crazy if she thinks I’m going swimming,” Pop whispered in your ear making you laugh.

Thirty minutes later, everyone else had arrived and Linda had completely taken over dinner which was scheduled to start in around twenty minutes time. You were lounging on the sofa with Jamie, watching the game. You had made idle conversation about his morning and he mentioned ending up canvasing ADA Stone’s apartment. It was casual but the interaction made your heart race but forgot about it as soon as he finished, mentioning nothing about seeing you or anyone else in his apartment for that matter.

Much to your relief, might you add. It wasn't like you were afraid of your family finding out about you and Peter or even introducing them to him as your boyfriend, it was just that you wanted to take things slow. It was after all your first real relationship in a long time and you had forgotten truthfully what it was like. It had already been two months but you were enjoying it just being the two of you, right now. And you wanted to hold onto that for as long as could before introducing him to everyone. Your family was the most important thing to you and everyone else in your family so you knew that it was going to happen sooner rather than later.

“Aunt Erin, it’s for you!” Jack called into the house after answering the door.

You heard Erin rush to the door behind you but you didn't pay much attention concentrating on the game as you had bet Danny and you were about to cash in big time. You were so engrossed in the game that despite the proximity you couldn't hear who Erin was talking to.

“Come on. Come on,” You whispered before jumping up dramatically and hollering, grabbing Jamie and shaking him.

“Nooo,” Danny responded, rushing into the room.

“Suck it, Danny,” You shouted happily, spinning around excitedly to face him only to met with a sight that made you stop short.

“Sorry about them,” Erin apologised, giving the three of you disappointed looks before looking at Peter whose gaze was fixed subtly onto yours.

You widened your eyes at him only to shake it off, not wanting acting strange or make it obvious to the five other police officers and lawyer in your family that something was going on between the two of you.

“Hey Pet…Stone,” You greeted, trying to control the shakiness in your voice which you managed to do by the end of it, “What the hell are you doing here?” 

“Ada Stone,” Danny greeted, tipping his beer at him before returning to game nonchalantly.

“Danny. Jamie. Y/N,” He acknowledged in turn, “I just stopped by to get Erin’s signature on a couple of things before she left so she won't have to deal with it all when she comes back,”

“So you came all the way from Manhattan?” You questioned, still transfixed in place.

“I know, right,” Erin agreed, “It really could have waited,”

“They’re due on Wednesday and it would have been a massive headache for you when you came back,” He insisted.

“Well, thank you for taking the time and making the trip,” Erin breathed, “Here let’s go into my Dad’s office, it will save my siblings from any further embarrassment.”

The comment earned a snicker from your brothers while all you could offer was an awkward smile.

Peter gave you one last lingering look before following her out. You let out a breath and sat back down heavily. You needed to pull yourself together or you were going to be obvious that something was going on between the two of you. You could no longer focus on the game or engage in the conversation between your brothers. It had caught you off guard that’s for sure. Peter hadn't even mentioned that he would be working while you were gone or that he was in charge of the DA’s office for a week.

Your head continued to spin as you tried to get your head straight.

“Earth to Y/N!” You heard Danny say before jostling you, to get your attention.

“What?” You demanded, smacking his hands away playfully, scowling at him as you focused back on your surroundings.

“Dinner’s ready,” He stated, looking at you annoyed, “Didn’t think you’d want to miss it,”

“Thanks,” You snapped with a smirk, pulling yourself up.

As the three of you began to pile into the dining room, Erin popped her head around the door.

“By the way, Peter’s staying for dinner,”

“What, why?” You asked a bit too quickly.

“Because he came all this way to make my life easier. Least I could do was offer him lunch,” Erin shrugged, “Is that a problem?”

“No!” You insisted.

“Good,” She responded, though her eyes were suspicious, “And besides we have extra thanks to someones over chopping,”

“Well, if someone hadn't been distracting me,” You began before turning into the dining room to see Peter chatting to your Dad and Grandfather.

You both tensed up at the sight at each other momentarily. Everyone began taking their seats as the boys finished setting the table.

“Peter take my seat by Y/N,” Erin offered, pulling out another chair for myself. “Thank you,” He said graciously before sliding into the seat on your right while your Dad sat on your left at the head of the table as always.

Everyone was still settling so you looked at him pointedly before grinning willing and saying slightly louder, “So Stone you excited about your first Reagan Sunday lunch? Promise we don't bite…well except Danny,”

“You want to start, Y/N!?” Danny retorted quickly taking his seat opposite you.

“I am,” He chuckled, relaxing slightly beside you, “Thanks for inviting me, Boss,”

“Don’t mention it,” Erin waved off.

“Besides it’s been a couple of years since we had a Stone round for lunch,” Your Dad added.

“What do you mean?” You inquired.

“Ben Stone was a regular at Sunday lunch back in the day,” Pop chimed in.

“Back when he was my EDA,” Your Dad smiled, reminiscing.

“Right,” You nodded.

“Thank you by the way for coming to the funeral. I knew it would have meant a lot to him,” Peter thanked, graciously yet again, your eyes meeting for a second as they swept passed you to look at your Dad.

“It was the least I could do,” Your Dad sighed.

“I didn't realise you guys had met before,” You commented.

“I’ve actually met most of you guys before except Danny, Linda, Nicky and the boys, of course” Peter divulged.

“You could have mentioned it,” You suggested, with exaggerated shrugged shoulders.

“Well, you keep me so busy that I don't have time,” He teased.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That I’m always fixing your messes to discuss anything else besides work,” He clarified, sweeping his eyes across the table to see everyone enjoying your display.

“My messes, get you your convictions,” You stated, both of you slipping into your work relationship easily and the teasing quickly followed suit.

“Is it always like this between the two of you?” Jamie asked, interrupting you both.

“Nothing like the relationship between a Detective and his ADA,” Pop grinned, gleefully, causing you to blush slightly.

“Tell me about it,” Danny commented shooting a false smile in Erin’s direction which she rolled her eyes at.

“Are they all like that?” Jamie asked, gesturing to the two of you.

“You would know if you took the Detectives exam,” Danny intervened which led the conversation away from you and Peter.

An argument erupted between Danny and Erin and you took the voice and distraction as an opportunity to speak to Peter.

“Why didn't you text me?” You whispered.

“I didn't even think about that. I didn't think she would invite me  in and especially not to dinner,” He responded in a hushed tone that only you could hear after leaning slightly into his side, “I’m sorry,”

“No, it’s okay. I’m just surprised,” You reassured.

“I know you don't want to say anything yet,” He relayed.

“Yeah, it’s just too soon you know,” You confirmed.

“Okay, whatever you want,” He agreed, “I can pretend, we do it at work well enough,”

“Why didn't you tell me that you’d met my Dad and Grandpa before?” You asked.

“I didn't think it would be a big deal. It was only briefly anyway at the funeral and I thought our first real meeting would be when you introduced me to them,” He offered, “I’m sorry it didn't turn out that way,”

“No, it’s good that you get a run-through before the real thing right,” You figured, “It will be less pressure next time or let you know if you want to end it all to avoid ever coming back again. I wouldn't blame you…”

“Hey, I’m not going anywhere…” He insisted.

“What are you to whispering about?” Danny asked, drawing the groups attention back to you.

“I was just trying to save your first impression after that embarrassing display,” You snapped, “We have guests Danny, try and control yourself,”

“I’m so sorry Peter,” Danny apologised with mock sincerity earning a laugh from the table.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve seen worse from another Reagan at this table,” He commented, looking at you.

“You talking about me?” You mumbled, your mouth filled with potatoes.

“Well, I’m definitely not talking about my boss also known as the woman who signs my paycheques,” He laughed.

“Oh, I see how it is,” You commented, folding your arms, instinctively, “Are we talking about the guy on the roof?”

“Yes!”

“What guy on the roof?” Jamie asked which caused Peter to launch into a long story about the time you had an unusual method of obtaining a confession from a suspect.

“I can’t believe you did that!” Linda burst out as the story concluded.

“I know right!” Peter agreed, engaging the whole table with his storytelling, like a true lawyer while you sulked and rolled your eyes.

“You’d think he knows by now not to try and stop me,” You interjected, “And he dangled me off the roof first!”

“Excuse me for trying to stop you from dying by trying that trick again,” He countered.

“You act like it’s a common occurrence,” You retorted.

“Oh, it is!” He insisted, “Let me tell them the story about Y/N and the carjacker,”

“Go ahead,” You encouraged, “They’ll agree with me!”

“Maybe not,” Erin chuckled.

“I will kill you,” You said with dead seriously.

For the rest of the dinner, Peter retold some of your greatest moments, cases and arguments you had had together over the time you had worked together. He always started telling the story but you always butted in along with everyone else in the family. As it wore on the more relaxed everyone was. It felt natural and Peter was a good fit with your family, very much neutral and offering a unique side to Danny and Erin’s sagas. They all seemed to like him and it put you at ease. So much so that you didn't even notice that you were subconsciously leaning closer and closer to him. You rested your elbow and on the back of his chair and often grabbed for his hand to draw his attention or to stop his hand gestures. His hand would also land on your knee occasionally as he spoke, he did it without even thinking. You were hyper-aware that everyone's eyes were on you but you were satisfied that everyone just saw you both as close co-workers, probably friends, even though you clearly argued like an old married couple.

There were no funny looks, suggestions or look so you figured when the dinner ended that you were both in the clear and that they didn't suspect anything more. Everyone scattered again and Peter was invited to stay back for a while. You, on the other hand, headed back to the kitchen alone as it was your turn to do the dishes.

You washed contentedly, unable to wipe the smile from your face when you heard the kitchen door shut and felt strong arms wrap around you.

“Peter!” You gasped, spinning around to face him in concern that someone might walk in after you.

He took the opportunity to grab your face and pull you in into a frenzied, urgent but long kiss before he pulled away and rested his forehead against yours.

“God, I’ve wanted to do that for the past three hours,” He breathed.

“Tell me about it,” You chuckled though your eyes continued to flick between him in the door before kissing his cheek quickly.

“Then kiss me again,” He suggested, pulling you closer.

“One of them could walk in any minute,” You reminded, half-heartedly trying to push yourself out of his grasp.

“They’re busy,” He promised, pressing a hot kiss to the sensitive skin on your neck.

“Peter,” You warned, failing to be stern as you were enjoying it, “It’s a glass window,”

“Okay, we’ll get out of view,” He winked, before casually pushing a pile of napkins onto the floor behind the island counter, “Oops,” You giggled as you both, dropped to the floor, completely out of view. You smiled at the mischievous look in his eye before kissing him again. Feeling like a teenager again with the threat of being caught hanging over you as you delved your hands through his hair. Though you eventually had to pull away or you knew neither of you would have stopped.

You brushed off your clothes before helping with Peter’s hair. He helped you finish up before you both headed back into the main room where everyone else was. They didn't have time to register you because as soon as you walked in, Danny pulled Peter away, to confirm a story Erin had been telling them while you and Peter had been occupied.

You hung back, unable to hold back your smile as you watched Peter continue to effortless blend and bond with your family. So much so you didn't even notice you Dad sidle up next to you.

“So, you and Peter…” Your Dad began, making you jump before you glanced to your side to see him standing next to you, watching over the rest alongside you, though he was nursing a drink.

“What about me and Peter?” You questioned defensively, yet again, making you cringe internally as you knew if anyone was going to pick up on something between the two of you it would be your Dad.

“Seem to get along really well,” He continued, eyes watching you carefully.

“I guess,” You shrugged, perhaps too nonchalantly.

“He seems nice,” he added.

“Yeah, he is. Some of the time at least,” You confirmed and then added.

“Smart too,”

You nodded.

“And he has a good job,”

“Yep,”

“Gets along with everyone,”

“Looks like it,”

“Treats you well. Clearly respects you and wants to keep you safe,”

“What are you getting at Dad?” You asked, directly.

“Nothing,” He responded, “Just that I’m glad you work with someone like him and he’s obviously lucky to get to work with you every day,”

“Damn straight,”

“You should invite him over for dinner again sometime,” He suggested.

“I will,” You agreed.

“As your boyfriend?” He questioned in the same tone, though you were taken aback.

Maybe you hadn't hidden it as well as you thought.

“Look Dad…” You began though words seemed to fail you as you couldn't think of what to say.

“You don't have to say anything. Not yet at least, I’m pretty sure no one else has guessed. But to me it was obvious. But I just wanted you to know when you’re ready we will be here. If you want to talk about it before then I’m here. And I know that it probably would have been your mother you would have gone to about this stuff but I just wanted to let you know that I am here. If you want,” He reassured.

“I know, Dad,” You smiled, leaning into his side after he wrapped a protective arm around you as you watched Peter happily laugh with your siblings.

“I like him for you,” You Dad finally added.

“You do?” You questioned, looking up at him.

“You sound surprised,” He chuckled.

“He’s a good man. Clearly in love with you. Why wouldn't I approve? Not that you need my approval,” He countered.

“I appreciate it though, Dad. It means a lot!” You grinned before your face fell, as you glanced back at Peter who caught your eyes momentarily and smiled covertly as he could see your Dad was watching too, “I don’t think he’s in love with me though.”

“We disagree on that point then,” He considered.

“We do,” You brushed off.

“You don’t sound so sure, Y/N/N,” He teased, good-naturedly.

“When am I wrong?” You played off, your heart rate accelerating as you let yourself consider the possibility momentarily.

“When am I?”

[ikhnyshy]

Then and Now

Fandom: Fairy Tail | Pairing: GRUVIA | Multichapter | Rated: M Link Fanfiction net

After 12 months separated for a betrayal, Gray will find himself wishing he had not been so stupid, so stubborn nor so coward (GRUVIA) (Translated Fic) 

Chapter One: 18 Months

He pulled the wet sheet with a violent movement, the object was entangled between the bare legs of both deconcentrating him of their intense activity. As he threw it to the ground, getting rid of the cloth, his hands clutched firmly to his partner's hips and lashed out with ferocity, continuing with the fervor that had been interrupted. She let out a moan of pleasure when she felt him enter her body and the exclamations increased as he accelerated his increasingly powerful thrusts.

"Oh yeah! Gray ... "She gasped, her cheeks flushed and a thread of saliva escaping her lips. He leaned forward, bringing his mouth close to her ear. His warm breath caressing the blond woman's neck.

"Tell me, Gray-sama …" He demanded with a hoarse whisper, while he made sure to enter forcefully into her making her feel his presence in all her interior.

"Gray-samaaaaah… "

...

Gray eyes flew open as he woke up. His body wet with sweating glistening his body uncomfortably. He tossed and turned, trying to get situated in his bed to go back to sleep only to find that he wasn't alone. Beside him, a mantle of golden hair spread over the pillow, covering the face of the girl who laid beside him, her back turned to him. He clicked his tongue and let out a long, distressed sigh. He didn't know who she was nor did even care.

He got up and walked to the kitchen, not even bothering to put on, at the very least, underwear. He was in his house and if he wanted to walk naked, he would walk naked even if he was with some random girl. Once in the kitchen, he opened the fridge, and taking the jug of milk, he drank directly from the carton and then made his way into the living room, finally stopping to lie on the couch. His dark eyes fell on the white ceiling as he frowned angrily.

His mind wandered back to the very moment that brought him to where he is now, it's not like it's the first time that a stranger invaded his sheets. Gray was a handsome, young man as well as well-known thanks to his status as S-Class Mage of the strongest guild in all of Fiore. He wasn't blind to the fact that many women wanted him, and who was he to deny them? There was plenty Fullbuster to go around for all who wanted it.

However, it only lasted for one night. He made that very clear and direct to all the women he'd been with. If they accepted that condition? Well, he made it a point to make sure that night was unforgettable. However, although they would remember, he certainly wouldn't. His body responds to the caresses and moans of his occasional companions, but his conscience abandoned him, leaving him with the memory of a night lost in the depths of his memory. The night he spent with the only woman he loved. The night he savored and enjoyed the touch, the taste, and the sweet lips of the sky-haired mage.

The water mage disturbed his thoughts. Her image came to his mind, filling him with contradictory sensations. She was his darkness and his light at the same time. The one who had once harassed him everywhere and professed her love whenever the opportunity presented itself, but now had a wound so deep inside that she could not even bring herself to look into his eyes. A wound that he himself had caused. He was the one who marked her feelings, ruining everything they had, destroying the relationship that, at the time, made him so happy that it ended up scaring him.

If only she would look into his eyes like she did before...

18 Months Before

He saw his house in the distance, and the road seemed much longer than it actually was. His tired, heavy steps along with pain buzzing in every muscle of his body made the long walk torturous. Gray sighed, dropping his travel bag and dragging it behind him as he walked the meters that separated him from his home.

"I'll eat something, take a bath, and go to bed," He mumbled to himself, trying to give a reason to keep moving forward instead of falling down where he was. He's slept outside before why not do it now, "I think I'll sleep all night and then all day tomorrow as well," He said, smiling as he thought about the blissful sleep that awaited him at his home in his comfy bed.

Little did Gray know, though, that fate had something else in mind for him.

As soon as he stepped into his house, he immediately felt like something was off. For one, his house smelled deliciously good. He dropped his bag at the doorway, and, with a confused frown on his face, he shut his door gently to avoid making noise and started his way into his house. Cautiously, he went to the kitchen, considering that was the main source of that delectable smell that made his stomach growl. However, before he could even have a chance to open the door, it opened itself revealing the intruder.

"Gray-sama!" The cheerful water mage exclaimed happily when she saw him, "You're back!" She said, a bright smile adorning her face as she threw herself at him, arms outstretched. Gray didn't have the time nor the energy to react, so he couldn't stop her when she pressed herself against his chest, her arms around his waist as she hugged his torso.

"Juvia," He said, placing his hands on her shoulders as he pushed her back a little to look in her blue eyes, "What the hell are you doing in my house?!" He asked, his voice coming out tired.

Juvia simply smiled at his antics, "Juvia was waiting for you, Gray-sama!" She said innocently, her blues eyes shining.

"How did you even get in here?" He asked her warily, he wasn't even sure if wanted to know to be honest.

"Juvia turned her body into water and went under the door," She said simply as if she hadn't just broken into someone's house as she turned to check what was in the oven.

Gray sighed resigned, "You know it's not right to do that," He said sternly, trying to pin her down with his eyes.

"Are you angry, Gray-sama?" Juvia asked, worry evident in her tone.

Gray crossed his arms as he opened his mouth to say yes, but...well that was before Juvia turned around with a tray of hot, steaming meat fresh out of the oven that looked better than it smelled. Gray felt his mouth water as his stomach roared in desperation, begging to have that delicious meal inside his body.

Juvia let out a giggle, "It seems like you're hungry, Gray-sama," She said teasingly, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she set the tray of meat on top of the counter, "It would be better if Gray-sama took a quick shower while Juvia finished preparing dinner,"

He wanted to say no, he was too hungry to wait, but it was true that he smelled awful. He cursed Natsu under his breath as he went to the bathroom to clean himself, trying not to think about that fact that Juvia was in his house.

When Gray got out of the shower he didn't bother putting on anything more than underwear. It's not like he would keep the clothes on for long so why go through the trouble when he would end up taking off any extra clothes that were on him?

He entered the dining room where Juvia had quite literally prepared a small feast as well as had set the table with so much detail Gray could hardly tell it was his table. There was the meat roasted in the middle of the table, two platters of salads off to the side, utensils for them were even arranged around the table, and there was even a vase filled with beautiful, red flowers that, mind you, the ice user didn't mind too much.

Gray heard footsteps as the water mage returned from the kitchen, holding a small tray of bread in her hands, only to freeze as her eyes glanced over Gray as she realized he was almost naked. Her eyes had widened in shock and her mouth had even parted in surprise.

Gray simply shrugged, ignoring her as went to the table. Juvia quickly awoke from her trance, shaking her head slightly, making her way to her chair at the other end of the table.

Maybe, Gray reasoned as he watched her, in her little fantasies Juvia did not count on him being naked in her version of their romantic dinner she'd prepared. However, the black-haired man had never told her that they would have dinner when he returned. In fact, he hadn't even bothered to mention when he would return from the mission.

"How did you know I would return today?" He asked suspiciously as she began to cut the meat. Although Gray was speaking to the blue-haired woman, he could not keep his eyes of the food. It was so smooth that the knife slid across the surface, cutting it easily as the sauce slid down the sides of his soon-to-be plate. Just the sight of it had caused Gray's stomach to churn anxiously, the shameful sound filling the silence between them

"Juvia only guessed," She answered simply, handing him his plate filled with food.

He nodded in response, deciding not to say more and just accept her answer.

"I hope you like it, Gray-sama," Juvia said softly as she looked at him, a soft, gentle smile gracing her face.

Gray could only nod dumbfounded, Juvia rarely spoke in first person so when she did, He was caught off guard.

While they were having dinner, he would look at her, not for too long, though, just small, subtle glances. He couldn't help but notice the radiant smile on her lips and her lightly colored cheeks. He knew that this dinner was feeding her (very active) imagination. However, he had to admit, her presence brought him some peace. He appreciated the quiet company after a long week of trekking tirelessly on an exhausting mission with his team. Besides, the food was delicious, if he had cooked something for himself, it wouldn't have been half as good as what Juvia had prepared for him.

I think I could get used to this kind of life, Gray thought fleetingly, but immediately his thoughts were cut off as he started to choke on his food, surprised that he'd even thought that himself, making him cough suddenly.

"Gray-sama!" Juvia exclaimed as she quickly jumped into action and patted him gently on the back as Gray struggled with the diverted food. When he managed to finally clear his throat, and airway, he sat up slowly in his seats. The slaps on his back had turned into soft caresses on his bare skin, which only sought to calm his outburst. He turned around only to meet the intense gaze of his companion. Feeling uncomfortable, he cleared his throat, diverting his eyes to the surface of the table.

"Sorry," He said quickly, his voice sounding hoarse. Then, he moved his shoulders, reincorporating himself as a silent message to her to stop caressing him.

"Are you all right, Gray-sama?" Juvia asked him, her blue eyes filled with concern as she stopped caressing his back. However, her hand stayed right where it was.

"Yes," Gray said, "I'm fine," He said, then once again returning his attention to the food.

Juvia nodded and then went back to her place...and they both continued their dinner in silence.

Luckily, the pleasurable taste of the meal soon distracted him from the discomfort that had settled between them as peace once again surrounded them, filling the room with the harmony he so badly needed. Vague memories began to arise of when they lived together, before his infiltration of Avatar, invading his mind, reminding him that this calm feeling had already embraced him long ago.

At the end of the dinner, they divided the task of washing everything they used (after Gray insisted that Juvia not end up dealing with everything alone). She washed the utensils while he dried them at her side. The scene felt like an everyday routine for them, and Gray felt comfortable doing it. It was as if they had done this every night of their lives, as if they still lived together, alone in a house in an abandoned town...

Gray hadn't realized until now how he missed it.

"It's too late," He argued with Juvia when they finished putting everything away.

"It's not a problem, Gray-sama," Juvia said, "Fary Hills is not far away," She answered with a smile.

Gray only looked at her sternly and let out a sigh.

"I can't let you go out alone at this hour, and I'm too tired to go with you," He said honestly, feeling torn between making sure Juvia's safe or getting him the much-needed rest.

"Do not worry, Juvia can-," Juvia began but was cut off by Gray.

"You will stay here," He snapped, already impatient as he walked to the room to find some blankets, "Now, we will not sleep together!" He exclaimed sternly when he heard her approach, and when he turned around, he saw the enthusiastic smile on the mage's face disappearing, "I'll sleep on the couch and you can take the bed," Gray told her.

"But Gray-sam is very tired. Juvia will sleep on the couch," She said stubbornly.

Gray let out a tired sigh, "Don't argue with me on this one, I really need to sleep," He said, his eyes drooping tiredly.

"Exactly," She replied simply, "That's why Juvia will sleep on the couch and Gray-sama will recover from his mission by sleeping in bed. It will do you good, it is really very comfortable," She said simply, as if she hadn't just dropped a bomb on Gray.

"How do you know...?" He said before signing resided, as soon as he saw the expression in her eyes, he knew he didn't want her answer. Without another word from either of them, he went to his closet and took out a set of sheets and a blanket, then went back to the room. Almost immediately, Juvia took the items from his hands, her insistent gaze told him that she would not be accepting his offer to sleep on the couch.

"Fine!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air, "You win!" He said as he surrendered.

"Good night Gray-sama!" She said cheerfully, her voice soft and warm.

"Good night Juvia," He answered, turning to see her one last time before opening his door. Involuntarily, a smile played on his lips as he watched her prepare to sleep.

Once in his room, he closed the door behind him gently, not bothering to turn on the light. Tired, he let out another sigh as he walked to his bed. He felt the weight of the mission flow through his body, so he did the only thing he could do, he collapsed on his mattress, resting his head on the pillow. He could feel the dream wanting to quench his consciousness, his muscles relaxing as his mind lightened, remaining almost blank, surrendering to the fatigue. However, before he could indulge in his sleep, a particular aroma filled his nose from the pillow. Curious, he buried his nose in it and discovered a very particular perfume impregnated there...

Juvia...how many times did you sleep in my bed while I was not here? Gray thought as he smiled to himself, unconsciously sinking back into the soft pillow, falling asleep, surrounded by the sweet smell of Juvia's shampoo.

To be Continued... Read more: FFnet

[softscottlang]

Not At First (Lee Flynn )

Lee Flynn x Reader

Summary: Where you care for a boy more broken the he is fixed and he uses you to repair himself.

Request: “I saw you write for Lee Flynn and I got so excited because everyone is obsessed with Noah but I think Lee is a cutie! Maybe could you write a fic where reader is another best friend of Elle and Lee and at first Lee dates her as revenge for Elle dating Noah (toward the early stage of Elle and Noah’s relationship) but eventually actually falls for her. However, somehow reader finds out about him dating her for revenge. End it super fluffy because who doesn’t love some good old fashioned fluff! 💕” - @peachesandfangirling

warning- cussing

word count- 3.1k

~~~~

To say you were best friends with Lee Flynn and Elle Evans would be the understatement of the century. You had been friends with them since your older brother had teased Lee on the playground and Noah Flynn retaliated by giving your brother a wedgie. You had laughed your head off and walked over to the girl who was sitting on the slide introducing yourself and tell her how much you loved that your brother got what he deserved. Every since, the three of you had been inseparable.

When you had all reached high school, Lee and Elle created a rule about you

Rule 21: Y/N was off limits

Meaning that neither of them could try to get involved with you romantically. You weren’t in the know about the rules, except one.

Rule 9: relatives of your best friends are totally off limits. You had asked them about the other rules, but they wouldn’t tell you. They claimed that you wouldn’t understand or care once you knew, but you always had this nagging feeling in the back of your mind.

You had realized you had a crush on Lee when you were in the seventh grade, he had been flirting with the girl who sat next to him when you got this sinking feeling in your gut, you wanted to be that girl, the one who received that loving look in his eyes. You were angry that you felt this way, but you couldn’t help it, you had feelings for him.

Junior year had crept upon you and your friends very quickly, you had been so busy trying to ace all your AP classes that you were taking. You worked the kissing booth for Lee and Elle after millions and millions of pleas from the duo. You worked an hour and were given kisses from strangers, praying that one of them was Lee. But you never were going to find out, and that fact made you sad.

The weeks had passed, and Elle had become more and more distant from you and Lee, leaving the two of you to hang out and do things on your own. As much as you missed hanging out with your best friend, you enjoyed the one-on-one time you got with your crush.

“Elle is definitely the better dancer out of the two of you.” You said while you both stepped on the pad to the dancing game in the arcade. Normally you would take Lee’s spot and dance with Elle, but she hadn’t been there to dance with you, so it was just you and Lee.

“You take that back you liar!”  you verbally disagree with him, causing him to look at you and start running towards you. Your eyes go wide, and you try your best to out run the charging Flynn boy. You didn’t make it that far before a pair of arms were wrapped around you, pulling you into the person’s chest. You couldn’t help but chuckle as the sound of Lee’s laugh filling your ears. “Elle is definitely a better runner than you.”

“No shit Sherlock! I don’t play soccer.” You said before leaning more into his chest without realizing you were. His arms were still around you, laughing at the response. You both stood there for a moment before you look up at him, a fuzzy feeling started in your stomach. You felt the heat rush up to your cheeks in the form of a blush, Lee gave you a sly smile before looking at the clock on the wall. Lee pulled away before giving a quick swear when he realized what time it was.

“I have to meet Racheal, want me to drop you at yours on my way?” He asked while grabbing his phone and wallet from the booth they had been seated at. You forgot about Racheal, the girl who stole Lee’s heart by cutting you in line at the Kissing Booth. It made you mad to know that she stole your kiss with Lee, you couldn’t help but imagine what would have happened if it had been you to kiss him instead of her.

“Yeah, that’s fine.” You replied much quieter than you meant to. Lee obviously caught it and sent you a sympathetic look, one that made a pit form in your throat. It seemed like he genuinely cared.

“Are you okay Y/N?” He said putting a hand on your back in a concerned manner, causing a fuzzy sensation right where his hand was. You wanted to tell him the truth, that you wanted to be the one that got to go on a date with him. You wanted to tell him how lucky Racheal was to have him. But you couldn’t, he would never think of you as anything other than a friend.

“yeah, I’m fine.” You said, keeping your thought to yourself and your head down. “Can you just take me home?” He nodded and started to lead the two of you away towards his car.

 ~~~~~~

Lee had broken up with Racheal that night because ‘they didn’t click’ as much as you were mad at yourself about it, you were happy that they didn’t work out. But that wasn’t the problem at hand, the problem was that Elle and Lee weren’t talking anymore. You had been waiting in the car for them when you heard screaming and name calling.

You felt your heart speed up and the adrenaline kick in, you threw the door open and ran to where the source of the screams was taking place, only to find Lee being pinned down by his older brother in the grass and Elle a few feet away, yelling at them.

“What the hell is going on?” you said out loud, no one answered you or seemed to even acknowledge your being there.

“Noah, get off of him!” Elle screamed at the top of her lungs, making your heart hurt for her. Flynn climbed off Lee, the younger Flynn threw a quick hit at his older brother.

Lee held Elle’s gaze for a quick moment before grabbing your wrist and running towards his car. You felt a whirlwind of emotions fill your body as you heard Elle scream his name over and over again, begging him to come back, calling his name with so much pain and desperation in her tone.

“Lee, please don’t leave like this.” Elle said as you and Lee climbed in his car quickly shutting the doors.

“So much for rule number nine huh?” Lee asked through tear filled eye. It was then that you realized what had happened, Elle was in a relationship with Noah Flynn. You put your hand on Lee’s leg as a non-verbal sign of emotional support.

“I didn’t meant for this to happen.” The brunette to your right replied.

“You know, my whole life… Noah has gotten everything he’s ever wanted. The only things that I had that he didn’t was you and Y/N” he said before putting his hand on yours and squeezing it tightly, needing the emotional stability. “And now he has you too.”

“Lee…” Elle says, tears falling down her pale face. Lee gave your hand another light squeeze before continuing.

“It’s okay, you two deserve each other.” Lee retorted before releasing your hand and starting the car, quickly driving off.

You felt the wind rip through your hair, the sudden speed causing you to gasp loudly. You hand still firmly placed on his thigh. You noticed that he was speeding, recklessly swerving from lane to lane.

“Lee.” You said quietly, trying to get his attention. You noticed the tears still falling from his eyes and his knuckles turning white from his harsh grip on the steering wheel. “Lee,” you try again, this time a little louder. Still no response. “God Damn it Lee! Pull over!” you scream at him moving your hand from his thigh to slapping the dashboard. He finally listened, pulling over onto the side of the country road.

You both sat in silence, tears jerking from Lee’s face onto his already damp shirt. It pained you to see him like this, hurting in an extreme way. You wanted to reach out and hug him, but you didn’t want to over step your bounds.

“They- E=Elle and Noah they ha-“ Lee chokes out before collapsing into your chest, sobbing at an uncontrollable rate. Your heart ached for him, wanting to comfort him. You caringly ran your fingers through his hair, placing your mouth by his ear. You whispered soothing and comforting word to him.

“I know, they don’t deserve you. You’re going to be okay, you still have me.” You said, hoping that he knew that you were telling the truth, that you’d always be his.

 ~~~~~~

The next day, you and Lee were hanging out at the arcade when the most random question popped out of Lee’s mouth.

“Will you go to Prom with me?” Lee said before you had swallowed your drink of water, quite literally causing a spit take from you. You both had started laughing at your reaction before he continued, you started to clean the water up from around the table. “I mean, you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“No, I want to...” you began, snapping your head up as soon as he says that. But you knew you wanted it to be something else.

“then why didn’t you say yes?” He says, laughing nervously to himself.

“I don’t want to sound ungrateful or anything, but I always imagined going to prom with my boyfriend…” you couldn’t understand why the words had come out of your mouth, but they seemed to just keep rolling out. “It’s something I always thought about as a kid, slow dancing with my boyfriend, taking the cute yet cheesy photos beforehand.” You kept your head down, embarrassed that you didn’t just say yes to him.

There was a long pause, gears in Lee’s head turned. He visualized his brother and Elle, lips locked, and limbs entangles. He wanted Elle to feel the pain that he had felt because of them, do to this, the following words fell from his lips.

“Well. I’ll go as your boyfriend too.” You were shocked, you didn’t know if he was kidding or being serious. You felt your stomach fall in a pit of confusion and want.

“Wait, really?” you said, eyebrows raised in desperation.

“Yeah, I’d be honored to date a wonderful human like you!” He said, breaking the rule made by him and Elle when they were starting high school.

 ~~~~~~

The days where Lee didn’t talk to Elle, he had hung out with you. You guys went to movies, played at the arcade, went for pizza dates and cuddled on the couch talking about everything that happened to the two of you. You loved the feeling of being around Lee, he made you feel light-hearted and all kinds of smiley.

Lee had to admit that at first, he had started dating you as revenge on Elle, but he felt himself slowly fall for you. You made his stomach flutter when you leaned into his chest, hiding your face while you laughed at his smart remarks.

One day while the two of you had went to the arcade, you quickly suggested getting drinks, Lee gave you a couple dollars after arguing that you didn’t need him go with you, claiming independence. He gave you a quick kiss on the cheek before you rushed off.

When you got the drinks and started to walk back towards your boyfriend. You saw him and Elle dancing and laughing together, the sight made you smile with pure happiness. Them being back on good terms made your heart sing with content.

You placed the drinks down at the booth a little bit away from the dance game. You saw the two of them hug and smile at each other.

“I’m sorry for breaking rule number 9.” Elle says giving Lee an apologetic look. He nodded and replied to his best friend.

“I’m sorry for breaking rule 21.” He said keeping his head down, refusing to look up at the brunette girl facing him.

“So, you… and Y/N?” Elle said, causing you to snap your head up. They were talking about you and a rule, did that mean they had a rule about you? You see Lee nod, confirming your suspicion. “Did you do it to hurt me? Or because you actually like her?”

There was an awkward pause before Lee took his gaze off the dance pad to the wall décor across the way.

“At first it was to hurt you but then I realized that I love Y/N, I didn’t mean to. I really didn’t want to, but I did.” You felt the world stop and your heart along with it. A pit formed in your stomach and you felt your face contort in pain. You hadn’t experienced anything like this before, you knew your body was fine, but it felt so broken.

Without realizing it, you noticed you were crying by the tear that fell down your face. You reached a shaky hand up to wipe the traitorous water away, you watched the liquid  dissolve back into the grooves of your finger.  

You quickly got up when you felt more tears falling from your eyes and ran passed the duo to the bathroom. You heard Lee call after you, obviously from seeing you move passed him with a tear stained face.

“Y/N, babe!” He yelled, running after you and causing heads to turn in his direction. It only made your feet carry you quicker. Once you reached the bathroom door, you threw yourself into it. Slamming it shut. You fell to the floor, knees to your chest and head placed against the wall. The pain over took you, you cried more than you ever thought possible.

“Y/N…” you heard Lee’s broken voice say from the other side of the door. “Please let me help you, let me hold you. I hate seeing you hurt. Please…”

You’d have never heard him like this before, he seemed almost as broken as you felt. And that made you mad that you were more worried about that then how your heart was breaking. You quickly got onto your feet and threw the door open, seeing Lee stand almost exactly where the door was less than a second before.

“You know what, you don’t get to say that. You have no right when you started this whole ‘relationship’, if you can even call it that, you wanted to hurt someone else. You didn’t even like me! You didn’t know that I’ve liked you since I saw you flirting with Suzie Ellis in seventh grade. You didn’t know that I used to tell Elle about how much I wanted to tell you about my crush on you for five years. I liked you even when Racheal cut in front of me in the kissing booth and started dating you. I fell for you based on a lie, and I can’t help but not be mad at you. I want to be, I really do but I can’t be. I’m sad, broken even but I still love you.” You said while the tears rolled from your eyes onto the floor.

“Y/N, I love you too, as hard as that might be to believe I really didn’t mean to start this out with a lie. I know it sounds bad, but I really do like you. I want to be with you. I never in my life thought that I would be dating my childhood crush and taking her to prom.” You went to interrupt him, but he held up his hand. “Please let me finish. Elle and I both made a rule that we wouldn’t get involved with you after a few years of knowing you. I loved watching you laugh, fall in love with your passions and succeed in everything that you tried. I didn’t really know that I was in love with you until you had held me while I cried over Elle and Noah. You soothed me and proved to me that you were always going to be there for me and I loved you for it. I really do love you.”

He looked at you with a look of love but sadness. He wanted to pull you into his arms and show you that he wasn’t lying anymore. He needed you to believe him.

“I hate you, you idiot.” You said before wrapping your arms around him and holding him there. Lee slowly pulled you closer to him, nestling his head into your neck.

“I love you too.”

 ~~~

You and Lee walked into the Prom, hand in hand, both wearing blue as your accent color. Elle followed closely behind in an orange-pink dress, it flattered her skin tone and fit her figure perfectly.

The lobby of the prom was filed with different photos that sparked your memories, causing you to laugh. The one chick, whose name you couldn’t remember, gave a speech about remembering things that happened this year and making prom great. You didn’t really pay attention if you were being honest, you just stared at Lee as he smiled at the words falling from the teens mouth. You loved looking at him like this, happy and smiley.

Suddenly a door was opened, and everyone began to file through a hallway, pictures displayed all along the walls. You saw a picture of Lee and Elle laughing at something, bringing a large smile to your face seeing your best friends captured beautifully. You watched and admired the photos as they passed, until the pictures ended, and you saw the kissing booth standing exactly as it had in the fund raiser. Lee released your hand and went over to where Elle was and they both gave a quick bow. You hollered for the duo as they basked in the glory of the cheers.

Lee shared a look with you before walking over to the booths stand, grabbing the blindfold that was placed there. He held his hand out, offering it for you. You felt a smile find it’s way onto your face and a fuzzy feel place itself in your chest.

“I know we never got to do this last time, but it should have been you. Hell, Y/N, it was always you.” He said loud enough for the crowd to hear you, giving off an audible ‘awe’ in response. You laughed and mimicked the crowd and blushed as he put the blindfold on. He leaned in, you slowly doing the same until your lips met. His lips were soft, as they always were when you kissed. You both leaned over the bar to close the space between your bodies. When you both pulled away to breathe, you looked at each other with love-stricken gazes. “I love you so much Y/N.”

“I love you too Lee.”

~~

permanent tags- @softspideyboy 

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[eternityunicorn]

Elijah’s Eternity: Part Twenty Seven

Author: eternityunicorn 

Genre: Romance/Fantasy/AUPairing: Elijah Mikealson x OC

Pairing: Elijah Mikaelson x OC

Warnings: Violence, Smut (*Smut chapters marked +18)

Summary: Elijah Mikaelson didn’t know what to expect when he encountered the strange archer in the night, but he certainly didn’t think his whole world would be turned upside down by it. Yet, he quickly learns that she is more than what she seems, having come looking for an Original after a large spike in supernatural being populations started cropping up on Earth a thousand years ago. Now, he must help her decide if the supernatural community should stay on their home planet or leave it for good? A task that is made more complicated along the way, as his life is changed forever.

NOTE: OC and original elements are from my up and coming novel series!

SPECIAL NOTE: I am winding down this fic. Probably only a few more chapters to go, though nothing is definite, but will be continuing with a sequel fic that I haven’t quite figured out the title to yet. Thanks for reading!

———————————————————————————————————

On the way down to meet his brother, Elijah couldn’t help but wonder what it was about the hotel they were in that caused all hell to break loose. First, there was the Coexisters, in which some members were no longer a problem, but there would be others, if he was to think about it realistically. Of course he wanted to believe there wouldn’t be more trouble. Yet he knew that battle wasn’t over yet. Then there was now Niklaus of whom he had just seen hours ago and of whom had been promptly defeated by Eternity’s cousin. He was up to something else and whatever it was it couldn’t be good. Elijah was very suspicious of his brother’s presence at the hotel. 

Speaking of his brother, Niklaus was waiting just as he had instructed at the hotel bar when he came into the brightly lit place. Elijah took a moment to admire the rather beautiful room. There were large crystal chandeliers dangling low from the ceiling and skylights that shone down over them to make them shine brightly. There were large potted plants sitting sparsely around the room amongst the various table and chair arrangements, giving off an earthy, but pleasant aroma. Soft classical music could be heard playing from some unknown place, making the place classy as it should being part of a high end hotel.

I’ll have to bring Eternity here some time, thought Elijah offhandedly.

Going to his brother at the long bar, he noticed that Niklaus had already ordered a bourbon and was well on his way to finishing it before he even sat down beside his younger sibling. 

“Starting early, Niklaus?” Elijah quipped with a small grin, despite his wariness of his brother.

“Always,” he replied, a cheeky smile upon his lips. “Care for one, brother?”

Elijah nodded in acceptance as he sat in the stool next to his brother as his sibling called the bartender over, ordering a bourbon for the both of them. Once he had his drink in hand, he was quiet for a time, observing Niklaus as his sipped from the glass. His little brother seemed calm and unperturbed, yet thoughtful, though not necessarily in a good way. Yes, something was definitely going on.

“So, brother, what is it that you wished to talk about?” Elijah ventured finally, when it seemed his sibling wasn’t going to speak first. 

Niklaus shrugged, “Well, we already established that I wish to help you with the Coexister resistance you are sure to experience after to killed their elders, so that is established. Therefore, why don’t we speak about your lady? I am still rather fascinated with her, especially after you chose her over me before.”

Immediately was Elijah on guard when he mentioned Eternity. Before his brother had attempted to imply that he shouldn’t trust her, that she held secrets that could break his heart. He had said that in attempt to poison him against her or more likely to make him abandon her to rejoin Nicklaus’s side. So what exactly was he up to this time? 

Surely, he wasn’t really planning on helping with the Coexisters. Niklaus didn’t care about the supernatural community using and tormenting humans, of this Elijah knew for certain. Therefore, it was obvious that his brother was there in regards to Eternity...again. No doubt it had something to do with his partnership with Loki, whom was after his lady.

Could this be a distraction of some kind? Could Loki be near by, despite his banishment as he had been just hours earlier?

“What do you want with her?” Elijah growled protectively, his hand that had been resting upon the bar top curled into a fist.

“Nothing, brother,” Niklaus held a hand up in surrender. “I am only curious about her. I mean, in our thousand years on this planet, we’ve never encountered gods. Yet, you have met your lady love and I, well I have met the legendary Trickster from those old tales our villagers used to tell. It seems sort of odd that they would be here now, is all.”

“You’ve done more than meet Loki, you’ve allied with him,” he countered lowly. “You, brother, should be careful with whom you associate with. If Loki decided to betray you, there would be nothing you could do about it, but accept your fate.”

Elijah’s brother grinned humorlessly, “The same could be said of you and your lady, Elijah, except the repercussions would hurt all the more for you since you have given your heart to her. Loki might abandon or kill me, but I wouldn’t be left in misery as you would be. You see, I haven’t given Loki my heart. You’ve given your lady a certain power over you; the power to hurt you unlike any other, one that will surely leave you wrecked should she no longer find you worthy of her or should she choose another over you.”

“What the hell are you going on about?” He returned angrily, sensing there was something his brother wasn’t telling him, but hinted at with his babbling speech. “Speak plainly, brother!”

Niklaus put his hand up in surrender again, to quell Elijah’s quiet anger. When he calmed a bit, his little brother smiled slyly as he asked, “Has your lady ever told you about her other lovers?”

Elijah’s brows furrowed, “She has mentioned that Loki has killed others that she has dared to love. What does that have to do with anything? What are you getting at, Niklaus?”

“This is true, he has killed some of her affairs,” his brother replied, “but what she told you is not the entire truth. There is more to the story than that.”

“And what is the full story?”

“Not all her lovers were killed, some of them survive, abandoned by her in favor of Loki himself.”

“So, Eternity supposedly left some of her previous lovers to return to Loki? Am I understanding correctly? This is what you’re saying?”

Niklaus simply nodded, sipping from the glass of bourbon in front of him. 

“Why tell me this?” Elijah asked.

“Because I fear for you, brother,” Niklaus turned serious then, looking at him directly without mischief, but with seeming genuine concern. “I fear what will happen to you should your lady decide to leave you or worse should Loki decide to kill you, as he has others she entangled herself with. You are in danger, either of a devastatingly broken heart, one of which you might not recover, or of your death. You know not what you involve yourself with. Loving an immortal of your lady’s caliper is dangerous to us lowly Earth-based creatures. You could lose yourself to her, belong to her for the rest of your existence, and never be able to recover should she choose to return to Loki one day, as she has in the past. Actually, perhaps that is a fate worse than death.”

Elijah downed the bourbon in front of him as he processed what Niklaus was telling him. He considered his brother’s words. He believed that he was telling the truth, but to what end? Was it really out of brotherly concern? Or was there some other motivation? Perhaps Loki related? In the end, he wasn’t sure what to make of Niklaus’s motivation for telling him these things. 

Then he thought of Eternity. He had grown very attached to her very quickly, possessive of her and unable to imagine being without her in a short amount of time. However, he had chalked that up to the fact that as a vampire everything he felt manifested itself quicker and more profoundly than the average man. 

Yet, could it be more than that, as Niklaus said? Could he be losing himself to her because of what she was? Could that attachment really have catastrophic effects upon him should things not work out? Furthermore, was he alright with that, if what his brother said was true? Was he fine with being unable to truly move on, should Eternity decide to leave him one day? 

The answer was: yes! It was worth it, as the love he shared with Eternity was one of a kind. It was worth every risk, just to be close to her.

Smiling tightly at Niklaus, Elijah said, “I appreciate the concern, brother, but I would rather risk a broken heart or death than to never know Eternity or to never love her.”

“You are a sentimental fool,” his little brother practically growled, as he too downed the bourbon in front of him. “A hopeless romantic, an affliction that will surely be the death of you.”

“Perhaps, but I’d rather be that than a paranoid egomaniac like you, brother.”

A small grin tugged at Niklaus’s lips at his jab, before his expression turned pleadingly grave, “Elijah, don’t be so stubborn. I understand that you have found a connection that is unlike any other with this goddess, but surely you would not truly risk your death for such a love. Loki is powerful unlike anything we’ve ever seen and clever enough to get what he wants no matter what it takes. He will kill you for daring to love her.”

Elijah’s brows furrowed at Niklaus, “And you wish me to leave her.”

“Yes,” his brother replied insistently without hesitation, “I attempted to lure you away from her with a diabolical scheme and a threat of retribution before. Yet, you refused me. So now I am here to plead with you, as your brother, to leave. Come with me, leave here with me now, and you will survive. I can guarantee your safety, if you only heed me.”

Another bourbon was placed in front of Elijah and he quickly downed that one too. “You made a deal with Loki. What is it exactly,” he said, ignoring his brother’s plea.

Niklaus sighed exasperatedly as he sipped from the new glass of bourbon that was placed in front of him. “Loki came to me after he discovered that you were involved with the goddess queen,” he confessed. “He promised to give me the one thing that I want more than anything, if only I help him gain the one thing that he wants most; your lady. He also swore that you wouldn’t be killed if I assisted in this endeavor. So, to gain freedom from the binding spell our mother put upon me to suppress my werewolf heritage and to protect you, brother, I agreed. However, if you continue to be stubborn, I do not know if I will be able to achieve the latter.”

Elijah processed what Niklaus told him. It sounded as if the possibly of Loki using his brother to get what he wanted without keeping up his end of the barging was likely. It was obvious by the way his little brother spoke that the Trickster hadn’t given him what he had wanted first, when forging their bargain. If the Trickster had, then he would have gloated about being freed from the binding spell already. Elijah knew Niklaus was quite clever himself and certainly understood the same possibility that he did. Yet, he didn’t seem his usual mistrusting self, which was strange.

 Besides, how could Niklaus ensure Loki, whom was far more powerful of the two of them, kept his promise? Surely he had no way to retaliate if he didn’t. It seemed his brother was concerned with Elijah’s life, when he should be more concerned with his own.

His brother played a far more dangerous game than he did in loving Eternity. 

Elijah was concerned for his brother and thought maybe he could speak to his lady about this. Perhaps, she would be willing to protect Niklaus, despite his traitorous behavior in siding with her most intimate enemy.

“Well, brother, if that is all you wish to chat about, I shall take leave of you,” he said, getting up. “My lady awaits me. Thanks for the drink.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t head back to your lady just yet,” his brother called to him, mysteriously, this mischief returning to his features. “I don’t think my associate is quite done having a chat of his own with her.”

Elijah hesitated. Immediately was he terrified for Eternity and furious at Niklaus, despite not knowing what his brother meant. “What did you do?” He demanded in his typical quiet anger, approaching his brother in a threatening way.

This time, Niklaus didn’t put his hands up in surrender to appease him. Instead, he smirked in that devilish way that was cold, calculated, and cruel. “Loki requested an audience with your lady, so I created a diversion to get you out of the way,” he said. “Their conversations can get a bit...rowdy. I didn’t want my big brother to end up in harm’s way.”

Elijah felt foolish. Of course, there was some ulterior motive. There always was with Niklaus. 

He turned from his brother, momentarily acting as though he was leaving the bar, before turning back and punching his brother across the face with vampire strength and precision. Niklaus went flying backwards, skidding across the bar floor. Instantly was he back on his feet, using his own vampire speed and strength to retaliate, grabbing Elijah and throwing him across the bar top.

Just as it had been with Niklaus, Elijah was back on his feet instantly and attacking his brother. Back and forth they went like this, fighting like the vampires they were for any human to see. It was rare that Elijah lost control of himself, but it seemed that Eternity had that effect upon him. 

Their battle was rampageous, to be sure, but the situation grew chaotic when two bodies came crashing down through the ceiling. A giant cloud of dust plumed around the area, catching both Elijah’s and his brother’s immediate attention. They ceased their own fighting to witness a different one. 

When the cloud of dust cleared, Elijah saw a most unexpected sight. One of the ceiling crashes was Loki, whom was covered in scuffs, blood, and bruises. The other was Eternity, whom looked much the same way, except for one little detail. She was still bare of all clothing!

“Well, well, that is a sight that you don’t see every day,” Niklaus whispered to Elijah amusedly, his lecherous eyes on Eternity.

Elijah wanted to punch his brother across the face again. This time for daring to look at his lady the way he was. Yet, he refrained. The sight before him took priority at the moment. Loki being there wasn’t too much of a surprise. It was quick work for him to piece together that Niklaus had been a distraction this whole time. It also made complete sense as to why the two were fighting. That much was obvious.

 However, Elijah couldn’t quite grasp just what the hell was going on with his lady? Did Eternity go mad within the short time he had been away from her? She could conjure clothes upon her person faster than one could blink, so why had she not done so already?

The possessive side of him began to emerge. Other people aside from himself and Niklaus began to gather around them, including many observers with phones. Without hesitation, Elijah used his vampire speed to go around and crush every recording or picture taking device, much to the displeasure of the owner. Then he compelled the whole lot of them out of the bar, including the bartenders, whom he had also compelled to close the facility down. 

Once damage control was achieved, he returned to his brother’s side, while watching as Eternity threw Loki around the room with her psychic powers as if he was a rag doll. He had to admit that despite his displeasure at her revealing what was meant for his eyes only, he found that she was truly exquisite at the moment in the most primal at he had ever seen her. She was absolutely wild, animalistic even, as she opposed the Trickster. 

Her hair hung over her shoulders, covering parts of her face. Her sapphire eyes were bright with untamable fury and she bared her teeth with a growl as she tossed her enemy about. Her skin marred by debris and blood from her fall, as well as Loki’s counterattacks upon her. It called to his own primal self inside, but of course, he couldn’t act upon the indecent things running though his head as a result of that call.

Then after throwing Loki through one of the bar walls and then some, Eternity zeroed in on Niklaus. Before Elijah could even consider intervening, she was attacking his brother at close range. She grabbed ahold of the leather jacket that he wore and threw him into the many glass bottles behind the bar, shattering many of them in the process. 

Immediately, Niklaus was on his feet, but beyond snarling at her in response, he had enough sense not to engage her. Even so, it seemed Eternity was ready to end him, as she slowly moved toward with the graceful threat of a predator to where he stood on the customer side of the bar covered in various liquors.

“This is your fault,” she growled, her voice lacking it’s usual soft-spoken sound. It was instead rough and almost demonic. “You brought him here, like the little fool you are. You know not what you’ve done, siding with him. I should kill you for it, as the traitor you are!”

Beyond being faced with their father, Elijah couldn’t recall the last time that he had seen Niklaus look so afraid. Yet, he looked absolutely terrified now, in the face of a very angry Eternity. Even Elijah himself felt unpleasant chills course down his spine at the nearly blind ferocity she was displaying. 

Niklaus didn’t dare say anything and what could he say to her to appease her? Probably nothing at all. She didn’t seem in the mood to deal with anything he had to say for himself. 

Even so, Elijah couldn’t let her kill his brother, which seemed likely at the moment. He didn’t know what had been said between Loki and her upstairs, but it had set off a side of her he’d never seen; an animalistic demon out for blood. He had to attempt to calm her down, to bring her back to herself, before she did something she might regret later. 

“Eternity,” he called to her as authoritative as he could, slowly nearing her just as she was almost upon Niklaus. 

Immediately, she hesitated in her pursuit and looked over at him. That wildness seemed to fade a bit. Her sapphire eyes cleared a little of the blind fury that clouded them. Even her predatory stance slacked into a near nonthreatening one. 

“Elijah,” Eternity said his name in such a way that it was as if she was seeing him for the first time. 

Just then, Loki made a magical reappearance, calling Eternity’s name as Elijah had. She spun to face the Trickster and like a switch had been turned on, she returned to that furious demonic persona. 

Well, her focus is off Niklaus, Elijah thought with some relief. It was minimal since he was deeply concerned for his lady. He felt helpless and it was not a feeling he was accustomed to, at least not very much. 

“Come here, love,” Loki commanded her softly, in a way that rubbed Elijah wrong. 

She moved toward him, as if his words were spelled and tugging her to him. Her movements were slow, yet graceful. There wasn’t any hesitation as she came to stand so close to Loki that her body was nearly touching his. She then reached out to lay a hand upon his leather clad chest, in an almost tender fashion, making Elijah’s heart leap into his throat at the very sight of it. His hands clenched tightly at his sides in distress.

At first, it seemed that Eternity meant to speak sweetly to her once abuser or worse, to kiss him.  The moment was so affectionate, in spite of the violence of the previous one, that it seemed as if Niklaus was right all along. That she would return to Loki and abandon him.

Fortunately, in the end, that was not the case. At least, not this day. 

Energy built up beneath her hand upon the Trickster’s chest and Eternity spoke words in a language that he couldn’t understand. It didn’t sound Earth-based, whatever language she was speaking in. In mere seconds, Loki’s form burst into blue flames, yet he didn’t scream in the agony one would expect out of someone burning alive.

Once Loki was gone, Eternity turned to look at Elijah. Her eyes were again clear of that great demonic display. She seemed to have come back to herself, at last. She smiled slightly at him, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes, before glancing over to where Niklaus had been standing.

Elijah’s eyes followed hers and they both realized his brother had escaped them at the same time. He sighed heavily, worried for his little brother whom was in over his head. What was worse was that he no longer felt comfortable asking for Eternity’s protection after she had asked to aggressively against him just moments ago. His concern for his brother would have to wait, until he figured out another way to save him from his own stupidity in forging an alliance with the Trickster.

For now, he only concerned himself with Eternity. Elijah approached her, removing his suit jacket in the process to wrap around her naked form. She threw her arms around his neck when he did, holding his tightly in relief. Then she pulled back just enough to kiss his lips urgently. 

“I’m glad that you’re alright,” she murmured to him. 

“Same to you, Sweetheart,” he replied, cupping the side of her face tenderly. “Come on, let’s get back to the room.”

Eternity nodded. 

Then just as he was leading her away, Elijah noticed that all the damage the hotel had sustained was repaired as if it had never been broken in the first place. The many floors above had been restored as had the many bottles of liquor at the bar. Even the dust and debris had been cleared away. 

The wonders of magic, he thought to himself with amusement, as he lead Eternity out of the hotel bar.

To Be Continued....

[makistar2018]

Taylor Swift’s Netflix Special Is the End of an Era

By Amanda Petrusich January 3, 2019

While Taylor Swift isn’t the most instinctive dancer, she is practiced and spirited, and has surrounded herself with a crew of world-class athletes. Photograph by Matt Winkelmeyer / TAS18 / Getty

Last summer, the pop singer Taylor Swift began a stadium tour in support of her sixth LP, “Reputation.” It was a wildly successful jaunt, and, on its final night, in Arlington, Texas, more than a hundred thousand people filled A.T. & T. Stadium to watch Swift perform. The two-hour show was filmed for a Netflix special and released on New Year’s Eve. If it’s been a while since you witnessed that many human beings gripped by what appears to be complete and utter joy, “Taylor Swift: The Reputation Concert Tour” is a quick fix. Swift’s fans—beaming, sobbing, gasping in a kind of deranged ecstasy—receive her desperately and gratefully. Even through a screen, the heady, collective love is palpable.

Swift first appears onstage wearing dark lipstick, lace-up knee-high boots, and a hooded, sequinned black leotard. While she isn’t the most instinctive dancer, Swift is practiced and spirited, and she has surrounded herself with a crew of world-class athletes. Their routines are elaborate and inventive. Swift is constantly accenting her lyrics with physical flourishes (eye rolls, jazz hands, hair flips), all of which seem intensely pre-plotted; the relentlessness of her choreography allows us to briefly imagine a universe in which nothing plain ever happens and no moment is unproductive. Her tours have always felt more like elaborate theatrical productions than concerts, in part because Swift is not the sort of artist who is prone to spontaneity. Her limbs snap dutifully into formation, over and over. Pop music isn’t exactly predicated on bold expressions of authenticity—there is no reason why, in 2019, any grown person should be griping about the relative “realness” of pop stars—and stadium tours are always tirelessly rehearsed. Still, I winced when Swift and her backing dancers looked at each other and heartily fake-laughed in the middle of “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things.” Truly, I winced so hard.

Swift was an early adopter of the faux-intimacy afforded by social media, and she has mastered, if not pioneered, its weird, chummy cadences (“You guys!”). She is terrifyingly expert at addressing millions of strangers as if each were a cherished and familiar confidant. It’s easy to be cynical about this way of communicating, which favors a kind of dopey, manipulative warmth. In my darker moments, I fear that it portends some kind of societal collapse, in which we are all seduced into complacency by robots giddily announcing, “You guys!” It is more likely that this is simply what happens when powerful women are expected to be both sweet and savvy, nurturers and entrepreneurs—eventually the line between the two fades, and friendliness and salesmanship become inextricable. 

The narrative premise of “Reputation,” both the album and the show, is Swift either shrugging off the gossip and innuendo that have followed her for much of her career or leaning deeper into them. (The latter is represented by a large cobra motif.) But Swift never quite manages the snarling belligerence of Joan Jett, whose “Bad Reputation,” from 1980, remains the definitive text on not giving a shit: “And I don't really care if you think I'm strange / I ain’t gonna change,” Jett promises. 

Swift cares a lot, even when she’s strutting and flipping her hair. To be fair, she has been subject to plenty of sexist bellyaching—what might read as ambitious or confident in her male counterparts is derided, in Swift, as shrewd, conniving, callous. But the fact remains that she’s not exactly enduring endless, seething comparisons to Pol Pot, which sometimes makes her boundless self-pity feel odd. “Reputation” is a resurrection story—there is even a film-within-a-film that figures Swift as a kind of gossamer phoenix, overcoming persecution to stand and love again!—but it’s hard to know what Swift is rising above, exactly, beyond some moderate embarrassment and the usual celebrity hounding. A montage at the start of the film features inane chatter from entertainment hosts and radio d.j.s—the sort of idle, trivial taunting that every superstar contends with. The worst thing anyone says about her is, “All this drama is exhausting.” 

But drama is, of course, the pop star’s stock in trade. Swift has always been proud of the extent to which she transparently mines her own life for lyrical fodder. The songs on “Reputation” toggle between tender and boastful, as Swift recounts various professional and romantic entanglements. “I Did Something Bad” revels in the (satisfying) idea of being a jerk to a jerk (“If a man talks shit / Then I owe him nothing”) but nonetheless contains moments of real vulnerability—like when, in the second verse, she offers the deeply sad advice “You gotta leave before you get left.” 

One of the gentler moments of the film is Swift’s performance of “All Too Well,” from the album “Red,” from 2012. The song was never a proper single, yet it’s one of Swift’s most beloved ballads, and she plays it solo, on an acoustic guitar. The song is about being haunted by memories of a bungled love, maybe for a little longer than you should be. “I know it’s long gone / And that magic’s not here no more/ And I might be O.K. / But I’m not fine at all,” she admits—so go the scars of love. What’s most striking about “All Too Well” is how Swift validates and reaffirms her experience; when a complicated relationship ends, it’s easy to feel bewildered and betrayed, unsure of everything that happenedprior to the moment of collapse. Were you swindled? Or, worse, did you somehow invent the whole thing? Swift’s repeated assertion—“I was there”—begins to feel like a kind of corrective to whatever unkind maneuvering her ex (in this case, the actor Jake Gyllenhaal, according to Swift lore) was up to. Though later in her career she would become more brash about broadcasting her own empowerment, “All Too Well” might be Swift’s most quietly feminist moment. 

The show ends with a medley of “We Are Never Getting Back Together” and “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things,” two buoyant singles about holding your ground. It’s worth sticking around through the closing credits, both to watch the stadium empty out—enterprising fans stuff their bags with scraps of confetti or “Reputation”-themed newsprint from the floor—and to watch a few minutes of backstage footage, in which a surely exhausted Swift and her dancers climb into golf carts and zoom off. 

The critic Jon Caramanica, writing in the Times, recently argued that pop music—which he defines as songs that strive for “gloss, pep, ecstasy, spectacle”—has faded as a dominant cultural force. “Pop, the genre, is no longer pop,” he writes. Instead, pop music has been replaced on the charts by hip-hop and more niche or global sounds (which are usually inspired, in one way or another, by hip-hop). This shift was surely quickened by what Caramanica refers to as “the largely frictionless Internet,” which makes it easy for listeners to acquire precisely what they want and nothing else, and for smaller or regional genres to spread quickly. Pop, as a sound, has always been guileless and optimistic; these days, chart-topping songs tend to be morose, melancholy, and angry. The massive pop stars of yesteryear—Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake—are fading from the public consciousness. Their work seems corny and off-center now. In that context, “Taylor Swift: The Reputation Concert Tour” will soon either be regarded as a museum piece or as a testament to Swift’s era-defying longevity. I suspect it will be the latter. 

The New Yorker

[docholligay]

Everything I hated about Lesbian Bear Storm

@katrani‘s commission was a little odd this month--she asked that I condense my thoughts on Yuri Kuma Arashi, which she’d heard I’d seen part of. It was a little odd, but I was happy to do it! Warning: None of this is complimentary to the show. 

SHOOOOCK! KUMA SHOCK!

Shock is possibly the only realistic reaction to 99% of what goes on in Yuri Kuma Arashi, or, at least, the four episodes I committed myself to before remembering that I have a full and happy life with people who love me, and I don’t have to lash out in self-harm. So it may well be that after ⅓ of the goddamn anime is over, it actually starts to engage with the audience in ways that aren’t “Hey, check out me licking honey off a lily spurting from this girl’s body, in a way that you will be forced to remember is being written by a man constantly and all the time.”

This show is literally about predatory lesbians.

This show is about lesbian bears, who pose as schoolgirls, and literally consume girls. And kill them. By eating them.

And this is “what bears do” and the implications of it AREN’T GREAT and they didn’t think about it, or ask a helpful and honest lesbian, because I cannot imagine anyone with two fucks to rub together would greenlight this sort of thing.

And maybe that’s the trouble. Ikuahara is a man, a legend, and untouchable, and so that leads to ruin, most of the time. He doesn’t give a fuck because he doesn’t have to. He can make whatever her wants and no one is going to tell him no.

At the time, YKA seemed to be the answer to every one of our ineffectual tumblr posts asking why everything was not about lesbians, and in fact, the show helpfully tells you that apparently every woman we meet is (Yuri) and all the bears are also (Yuri) and it also like indicate that school is a (Place) and things are (History) because apparently we have lost the ability to identify things on our own.

I kept waiting for the show to do something with the concept, to tweak the parentheticals so we could see people change, or the definitions of how we see things change, but it never materialized, and I never had the faith in the show that it would.

And that’s the thing. I know Ikuhara can take his time getting running from Utena (Only up to episode 29 pls to not be spoiling!!!) and that gross-ass concepts are a part of some of his larger vision for a story. But by the time I got done with a third of the goddamn show, I WELL KNEW that stuff was happening here. Even in the first episode, the opening story essentially tells you “Utena is dumb about this, we know, wait for it.” Even when the show absolutely squicks the shit out of me AND IT DOES, I trust that it’s going to do something with the broad concepts because...it has.

And YKA never seemed to even dabble in doing anything--it was even more about pushing sexual lines and really bizarre lesbian fetishism than Utena, but it had all the formulaic boredom that Sailor Moon can have. There was always a Yuri Bear Transformation Sequence, for reasons that never fully made sense to me, and then it was just a great deal of plodding along with our main character. Which….you can’t do in a 12 episode anime. I tend to enjoy 12 ep animes more than others because you have to tell a story in an abbreviated fashion. But this never did that. Nothing is ever really revealed in 4 episodes that lends any kind of depth or interest to the storyline or its characters.

There is much more attention and loving detail lavished on the sexual content, up to and including sexual assault. This anime is SATURATED with a man’s hot take on lesbian interactions in a school setting, and it’s exactly as gross as that sentence just made it sound. There’s very little to be had of genuine affection (and the couple that may have had that has one of the girls get killed right off in front) but much to be had of ramming one’s knee between a girl’s legs, crawling on top of her, licking honey off her lily while she’s unconscious (I cannot make this shit up), and other various and sundry acts that read like the personal journal of that one guy whose house you stayed away from a teenage girl, because he looked at you THAT WAY.

And part of the sad and and frustrating thing is that when it is not being disgusting, it is hilariously dumb, so much so that it is TERRIFICALLY QUOTABLE, were you not having to quote an anime that you could not so much as mention to another human being lest they seek out the terrifying and hidden knowledge, opening Pandora’s box and allowing all the sins of the world to fall upon them.

The temptation to introduce myself as Doc Holligay (Yuri) is overwhelming. SHOOOOOCCCKKK! X SHOCK! Is a perfect way to react to anything that is not at all shocking, perfectly carrying over the mocking tone such things deserve. The desire of have and use the “Yuri Approved” gif forever and for all time (and from me! A person who does not respond in gifs to anything, ever!) is painful. But much like the Uranus and Neptune figures from Crystal, beautiful as they were, every time I saw them I would have to be reminded of the thing they came from.

I didn’t watch beyond four episodes, and have zero percent intention of ever doing so, because there are so many better ways I could be spending 4 hours of my life, up to and including underwater basket weaving, which is at least a source of stress relief and will create something functional, which is more than I can say for literally anything happening in this show, but I guarantee you Kureha (Our main girl) ends up fucking a bear, I KNOW this to be true in my senshi heart.

And this is not me being particularly clever. It’s that every single bear who meets her talks about what a ‘lovely smell’ she has, and how badly they want to eat her, because apparently Ikuhara read Twilight and was like “oh shit, this is fucking genius, NANAKO MY NOTEPAD AND HOLD MY CALLS.” So you know that sooner or later, she is going to end up romantically entangled with some bear, probably the tsundere little one named Ginko, who talks about basically nothing BUT eating her, and then will decide not to because true love or something something.

This is despite the fact that literally anyone Kureha has ever cared about in her life has been eaten by a bear, but true sexual assault conquers all. If you’re a bear and you stalk a girl long enough, she will forget every terrible thing that has ever happened to her and go with you instead.

I wish I could say something complementary about the anime, and I suppose the nicest thing I can say about it is that it IS hilariously quotable. Jill and I now occasionally say “Gau gau,” after a sentence (Apparently that is bear accent) and as mentioned, I want to throw the Yuri Approved gif everywhere. But in any part of character or story, I find it lacking. I don’t know why I really care what happens to Kureha, and there’s nothing in her that feels like she’s compellingly responsible for her own problems in the way of say, Utena, or Madoka, where you can be frustrated and interested in their story at the same time. It feels almost UNFINISHED.

I’m not saying this concept could literally never be good or interesting, but I am more than willing to say that Ikuhara seriously fell down here, and it feels like a really amateur effort from a man who wrote the most solid season of Sailor Moon and Utena. I know it doesn’t have to be like this, and it’s frustrating to see someone I know to have potential turn in something so pathetic and lazy and also GROSS.

All in all, I urge anyone reading this to give it a miss. There’s nothing to be gained by watching it, and if someone managed to find deeper meaning in it, you deserve your lit degree more than mine, because I never could get there despite being the queen of spinning literary straw into gold. Whatever you’re hoping to get out of YKA, you are going to be disappointed for, unless what you are hoping is to get a lot of lesbian assault and extremely weird sexual situations, in which case, congratulations, I’m not sure you could do much better.

I probably won’t try anything else by Ikuhara after this--he narrowly toes the line for me in Utena, and it appears time and success has only emboldened him. So I will sit and rewatch Sailor Moon S, and remember that, at one time, he was capable of showing some level of genuine affection between lesbians, making them complex and troubled characters, and not having them assault each other.

That is the sexy way. Shaba-da-doo.

[surrounded-by-superheroes]

Care to Prove Me Wrong?

For previous chapters, click here.

Summary; You and Steve have taken up your past relationship to cover up the explosion in the tower. Natasha isn’t too happy and you’ve been banished from her affections. Hopefully, temporarily. In the meantime, you and Steve must keep up the pretense that you’re together.

Warnings; None! Cuteness and fluff.

Author’s Note; This is the last chapter of this series! I know I promised more, but the end just kind of happened! I hope you all enjoy it and liked this series. Final installment for @imhereforbvcky ‘s challenge. @mylastnameisthe-fish I hope you enjoyed this!!

Words; 2,549

Chapter Four

The Public Eye

My cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but it’s a good hurt. The kind that comes from genuinely laughing and grinning like a fool. Ellen can really make anyone laugh. If I weren’t in a relationship and she wasn’t married, a hundred percent would pursue. Anyways, it’s been a couple days and I’m still exiled from Natasha’s bed. She’s the kind to hold a grudge, so I don’t think it’s going to get any better until this entire boyfriend thing has passed. I can’t even imagine how she’ll feel when she sees Steve and I on Ellen together, but at least it isn’t a surprise. I told a very cranky Nat this morning.

“Well, I have to say you two are a wonderfully attractive couple.” Everyone laughs lightly at her, including Steve and I. We’re sitting across from Ellen on a white couch. My legs are thrown over Steve’s right leg and his hands are entangled in mine while resting in my lap. Steve’s wearing a button down and khakis while I’m in a black, loose jumpsuit. With Ellen, you can never dress too fancy because there’s always a chance she’ll mess it up.

“As are you and your wife.” Steve instantly responds sweetly as I smile softly at how easy this all is to him. Ellen scoffs and looks at me.

“Is he always this sweet? My goodness, do you ever just punch him in the face?” She asks. I laugh along with everyone else before answering.

“As to the sweetness? Yeah, he’s basically always sweet. Luckily for me, we can spar in the gym and that gets rid of the frustration about his perfection.” I tease and smirk when he rolls his eyes.

“So, you both do argue?” Ellen asks as she crosses her legs. I nod as Steve shakes his head, eliciting another laugh from the audience.

“What about the other night?” I ask with a smile, knowing his discomfort about the subject. As suspected, his eyes bulge at me bringing up the topic.

“Do you really want to talk about that?” He asks, a pink tint coloring his cheeks. Beaming, I turn back to a very interested Ellen.

“See, Steve wasn’t backing me up in an argument I was having with Bucky and Tony. Now, I kept the reason why a secret just to be nice, but we argued later that night. See, what he didn’t want them to know is that I was the first person who took Steve to a strip club.” I pause as people laugh and gasp and exclaim.

“What?” Ellen asks, a huge smile on her face. I nod as Steve stares down at his lap.

“That’s right. He had never been to one! I wanted him to experience it at least once. So, I took him down to one.” I shrug, completely at ease with this information. Ellen’s eyebrows pop up as she looks to Steve.

“That is fantastic. What were your thoughts, Captain?” She asks, a laugh on her lips. I look to him for his reply. He chuckles and looks at me with a glimmer in his eye. From that I know I’ll be getting an earful later. I smile winningly at him and know he can’t help but return it.

“It was a learning experience,” the audience chuckles, but once again his eyes remain on mine. “but I really couldn’t take my eyes off her.” I bite my lip to keep from laughing while he smirks. The reason why that’s true is because shortly after bringing him it was my shift. He couldn’t take his eyes off me alright. Like I’ve said, I’m damn good at my job.

“You’re such a romantic.” I tease and kiss his cheek affectionately. The audience awws and we look back to Ellen staring at us kindly.

“On that sickeningly sweet note, that’s all the time we have for today. Be kind to one another, bye-bye.” She ends the show, then once the cameras turn off we all stand up. “Thank you both for being here.” She thanks us and shakes our hands individually.

“Thank you so much for having us. We appreciate it.” Steve responds in his cute, gentlemanly way.

“We like seeing you anyway, Ellen.” I add. She grins and nods.

“We’ll have dinner soon, right? And you’ll bring that fiery redhead?” She asks with a wink in my direction. I nod and smile back and follow Steve out and to the car.

“You just had to bring that up, didn’t you? Have you gotten enough revenge for that night yet?” He asks, but his tone is light and his lips are curved upwards. I hum in thought to torture him a little more before answering.

“I think this was enough. Do you think you’ve learned not to cross me yet?” I ask, buckling in on the way back to the tower. He sends me some side eye and I laugh. “Good. Now, you think Tasha is more or less pissed at me today?” I ask with a heavy sigh.

“About the same, I’d say. You think you and her are going to make-up before the ball next week?” He asks with a little frown. I pat his arm.

“No clue, but you have absolutely no reason to feel guilty. I made a choice and she understands that. She’s…I guess we’re both just a little irritated at still being in the shadows.” I explain and stare at the window at the passing traffic.

“It doesn’t have to be that way, you know.” Steve replies softly. I turn back to him and smile sadly.

“Doesn’t it?”

*          *          *          *          *          *         *          *          *          *

*Next Week*

I smooth the cloth of my dress and flawlessly apply my bright lipstick. It’s the night of the ball and Natasha is still pissed. On the up side, every team member has to dance with one another, therefore she’ll at least be forced to listen to me for a whole song. While that’s plenty time for her to kill me, I’m hoping I’ll just be able to convince her to take me out of the damn doghouse.

“You ready, princess?” Steve asks impatiently. I roll my eyes and turn towards him when I glimpse him leaning against the bathroom doorway. His eyes widen when he sees my full figure in a floor length black dress with a deep v in the back. I smirk and walk over to him, patting his cheek affectionately.

“Don’t drool, Captain.” I remind him and start walking out the door. After a couple seconds, he follows and offers me his arm like the old-fashioned gentleman he is. I take it and sigh in apprehension. Steve chuckles.

“She’ll come around, y/n.” He assures me. I look at his reassuring baby blues and shrug.

“I miss her a hell of a lot, Steve.” I admit, looking in front of me as the party lights dance through the crack between the floor and the opaque glass doors.

“I don’t think that’s one sided.” He says before the doors open, revealing people in their fancy clothes and champagne induced grins. Affixing a similar, less boozy smile on my face, I enter the fray with Steve close by. When I see a certain redhead in a shocking red dress, however, everything else fades as she comes into focus. She’s facing away from me, but I’ve kissed up and down her bare back to not know it on sight. A large oval is cut out of the back of her dress, ending at her lower back. It hugs her every damn curve, then flares out just before reaching her knees. As she turns I take a sharp intake of breath. Her make-up, of course, is smoky and flawless. There’s a deep v in the front of her dress showing off the curve of her breasts with a thin lace on the inside. The final touch is a long slit that stops at the top of her thigh. In short, she looks like a fucking goddess and she did it just to stab me in the fucking gut. “Don’t drool, y/n.” Steve whispers to me quietly and I can hear the smirk in his voice. I take this moment to punch him in the gut. He wheezes out some laughter and I leave him to catch his breath while I chase the girl who always manages to take mine. Finally, she looks up to see me. Her red lips turn up just enough for me to notice, then she’s off dancing in another’s arms. I huff and watch her, crossing my arms across my chest like a child. A man steps in front of me and my eyes flick up to his in annoyance, but that fades when I see it’s just Bucky.

“I figured you’d want to get our dance done and over with as soon as possible, so…” He offers his arm to me and I take it as I roll my eyes. He escorts me to the dance floor and we start dancing traditionally.

“You know, when you aren’t being a sassy, arrogant prick, I don’t mind your company.” I tease. He barks out a rough laugh.

“And when you’re not a moody bitch, I feel the same.” He responds quickly and I laugh, shaking my head at the two of us.

“I think we’re a little too much alike to get along all the time.” I propose and he smirks.

“I’m not sure if being compared to you is a compliment or an insult, but I think you may be right.” He concedes after I swat his shoulder. As the next song begins, Steve steps in, taking Bucky’s place after they nod to one another.

“How are you doing so far, y/n?” He asks and I follow his eyes to Natasha, dancing with a gentleman in a shocking blue suit. Looking back at Steve I frown.

“Have you danced with her yet?” I question him seriously. A small smile graces his face as he nods.

“I have.” He pauses and I glare at him for trying to be dramatic. He continues with amusement dancing on his tongue. “And I learned that you are certainly not alone in missing her. I’m sure she misses you just as much, but she’s even more stubborn than you are. That’s really saying something, by the way.” He teases me a little. I press my lips together in thought, but before I realize it he’s danced us over to Natasha and her obnoxiously dressed partner. He releases me and gives me a wink before heading off. I shake my head, but get his idea. I tap gently on the blue suits shoulder, but my eyes are on Natasha as she stares back at me.

“May I cut in.” I ask, but my words form a statement as I slip between the two. I take her hand firmly and guide her away, then let her lead as we begin dancing. “You look stunning.” I compliment her instantly, those green eyes staring into my soul. She smirks.

“I know.” She replies and I smile, exhaling in contentment at the feel of her hand on the skin of my back.

“So, how long are you going to be angry with me?” I ask idly, enjoying the way her curls move as we do. She sighs with that signature smirk still on her lips.

“I’m not angry, I’m tired.” She clarifies with an arched, perfectly manicured, eyebrow. I can’t help but huff a little.

“So, if we were to announce ourselves to the world right now you wouldn’t have a problem with that at all?” I ask her, searching her eyes for the answer before she gives it to me. Her lips purse in the way they do when she’s fighting a smile. “Fine.” I state before cradling her face in my hands and pressing my lips to hers. She responds instantly, both her hands moving to my waist and sliding up my bare back. Before we part, she smiles against my lips and that’s when I know I made the right choice.

“Time to deal with the crowd.” She whispers and I look around us as the circle of people staring at us. Three faces stand out though. Steve’s grinning from ear to ear, Tony’s mouth is open and he’s neglecting the drink in his hand, while Bucky is staring at the two of us with wide eyes. We disentangle ourselves and instead just hold hands.

“To sum up, Steve and I’s relationship was just a cover. Natasha Romanoff and I are in a committed relationship and have been for a while. Thank you and enjoy the rest of the party.” I explain curtly, turning in a circle to face everyone. As soon as he last word is out Natasha is dragging me through the crowd and into a private exit the team uses when things get too crazy. We pause after the doors close with a metal clang and meet each other’s eyes. Then we just start laughing. I make sure to treasure the sight of Tasha laughing and grinning. It doesn’t happen as often as I like. The men come barreling in a little after us and we instantly quiet, but I’m still beaming.

“What the hell?” Bucky asks instantly, looking between us.

“I’ve got to say, it now makes sense why the two of you could resist me. I should have guessed a long time ago.” Tony says in his sweet, egotistical way. I glance at Nat and she nods.

“We’re bi, Tony. Good try.” Natasha tells him with a smirk. He falters for a moment and Steve takes this moment to step forward and hug each of us.

“I am so proud of the both of you and happy you can live the way you want.” He says sincerely. I pat his arm affectionately as Nat rolls her eyes. Bucky and Tony are seemingly still shocked and I find that endlessly hilarious.

“Look, nothing is going to change. We’ve been together a long time. The only difference is that now you know.” I tell them gently, cognizant that this must be a shock for them. Bucky instantly shakes his head.

“I don’t care about the two of you, I’m just upset that I didn’t see it!” He says emphatically.

“You’re getting old, Barnes.” Natasha can’t help but tease, and that brings a small smile to Bucky’s face. We all look to Tony who still looks like he’s about to fall over. “Stark?” Nat calls and that wakes him up.

“Yeah, yeah. The two of you can do whatever you want. Really, I feel like it brings up our group average.” He ends with an easy smile. The circle of us chuckle and start heading upstairs. As soon as I can be I’m by Natasha’s side, her arm instantly finding its place around my waist. When we reach the gathering room we both head to the balcony. Nat’s lips hover by my ear and I smile at being free like this.

“I love you.” She whispers sweetly as we look out at the view, the sun fading and the city lights taking their turn lighting up the sky.

“I know.”