#I’ll be your roof caving in?

[solxamber]

1800-Curse-Control || Lilia Vanrouge

You decide to open a hotline for curing curses with Lilia. It goes exactly how you imagined it would—maybe even a little better.

“Lilia,” you said, rubbing your temples as you leaned against the counter in Ramshackle’s disaster of a kitchen. “Grim’s eating me out of house and home, literally. If I can’t afford the repairs soon, the roof will cave in. But all he cares about is premium tuna! Do you know how much that stuff costs?”

Lilia, who was casually floating upside down for no apparent reason, looked entirely too entertained. “Ah, the plight of a homeowner,” he said, grinning. “Why not turn your misfortune into opportunity? I’ve been told I have exceptional customer service skills, and I’ve been dreadfully bored. Let’s open a hotline for removing curses!”

You blinked at him. “A hotline. For curing curses.”

“Yes, my dear beastie,” he said, flipping upright midair and landing gracefully. “Think about it! This school is crawling with fools who drink unlabeled potions, poke magical artifacts, and anger vengeful spirits just for sport. You’d be rich in a week!”

“…I hate how much sense that actually makes.”

“It’s a foolproof plan,” Lilia continued, already pulling a notepad from somewhere to scribble down ideas. “I’ll handle the exorcisms and the cackling, naturally. You, my dear entrepreneur, can be the charming face of the operation. We’ll call it—hmm—‘Curse-B-Gone.’”

“Absolutely not.”

“Fine, ‘Hex Hotline.’”

You considered it. On one hand, it sounded completely ridiculous. On the other hand, there was that third-year who accidentally swapped his voice with a frog’s last week and the freshmen who kept mysteriously sprouting feathers.

“…How much are we charging?”

“Ah-ha! I knew you’d come around!” Lilia said, clapping his hands together. “Let’s see, we’ll need tiers. Minor hex removal? Hundred thaumarks. Major curses—hair-growing hexes, spontaneous transformation curses—those will start at Five Hundred.”

“And what about something, like, really bad? What if someone’s whole body turns into a pumpkin or something?”

“That’s a premium package. One thousand thaumarks.”

You nodded slowly. “Okay. Okay, I’m in. But if this flops, you’re buying Grim’s tuna for the next month.”

Lilia smirked, his fangs glinting mischievously. “Deal.”

By the end of the day, you’d set up a magical hotline using some weird orb Lilia “borrowed” from the library, a vaguely threatening poster campaign across the campus (“Cursed? Hexed? A jackal-headed god show up at your dorm? Call us!”), and a suspiciously well-stocked supply of anti-curse materials Lilia claimed were “leftovers” from his youth.

You weren’t sure whether to feel excited or like you’d just signed up for the most bizarre mistake of your life. Either way, you couldn’t wait to see how this would go down.

The orb hotline rang for the first time, glowing ominously on the rickety desk in Ramshackle. You and Lilia exchanged glances.

“Answer it!” he whispered, like this was some spy mission and not a cursed customer service line.

With a deep breath, you picked it up. “Uh… Hello, this is the Cursed and Confused Hotline. How can we—”

“YOU HAVE TO HELP ME!” Ace’s voice screamed on the other end. “HE’S GOING TO KILL ME THIS TIME!”

You winced, holding the orb away from your ear. “Ace? What happened?”

“I DON’T KNOW! I WAS JUST TRYING TO MAKE TEA!”

“Okay, and?”

“And I might’ve…accidentally used that weird sugar in the Heartslabyul pantry, the one that glows in the dark? And now Riddle’s head is covered in, like…peonies. Big, pink peonies. They keep growing whenever he gets mad, which, uh, is always.”

You slapped your forehead. “You cursed your housewarden?!”

“I DIDN’T MEAN TO!” Ace wailed. “I thought it was sugar, not cursed fertilizer! Look, can you just fix this before he declares ‘off with my head’ for real?”

“Ugh, fine. Where are you now?”

“Hiding in the rose bushes. He hasn’t found me yet, but I think I heard him sharpening a guillotine.”

“Classic Heartslabyul,” Lilia said cheerfully, already packing his so-called emergency kit.

When you and Lilia arrived at Heartslabyul, it was pure chaos. Riddle stood in the center of the garden, his face as red as his hair—and also half-obscured by an explosion of giant pink peonies blooming out of his head like some cursed bouquet.

“TREY!” Riddle bellowed. “GET THE GARDEN SHEARS!”

Ace was crouched in a rose bush nearby, whispering frantically. “Please tell me you brought an anti-cursed-flower spray or something!”

You ignored him and approached Riddle cautiously. “Uh, Riddle? You’ve got—”

“I KNOW WHAT I HAVE!” Riddle shrieked, a few more flowers blooming on his head. “I demand immediate remedy! Or else—”

“We’ll fix it,” Lilia cut in, grinning like this was the most fun he’d had in centuries. “Now, let’s see…” He pulled a vial of glowing liquid from his kit. “This should do the trick.”

“Are you sure?” you asked, eyeing the suspiciously fizzing vial.

“Of course not,” Lilia said, popping it open.

He dumped the liquid over Riddle’s head without warning. The flowers immediately shriveled up and disappeared.

Riddle blinked, touching his head in astonishment. “…It’s gone?”

“You’re welcome,” Lilia said with a dramatic bow.

Ace peeked out from the bushes. “So…he’s not mad anymore, right?”

Riddle’s death glare answered that question.

“RUN!” you yelled, dragging Ace out of the garden as Riddle shouted about punishment for “sugar crimes.”

Back at Ramshackle, you slumped against the desk. “We’re never doing house calls again.”

Lilia just laughed. “Oh, but the drama! I live for it!”

The hotline orb began glowing again, pulsing with a foreboding, bluish light.

You groaned. “If this is Ace again, I swear—”

Lilia waved his hand. “Come now, it’s probably another entertaining disaster! Answer it!”

You reluctantly picked up. “Cursed and Confused Hotline. What’s your—”

“FIX. THIS. NOW!” came Azul’s shrill, panicked voice.

You blinked. “Azul? What’s—”

“I CAN’T EVEN DESCRIBE WHAT HE’S DONE THIS TIME!”

“Oh, come on, Azul!” Floyd’s voice cut in, cackling in the background. “It’s a masterpiece!”

“Masterpiece?” Azul screeched. “You flooded the dining room and filled it with—WHY ARE THERE EELS IN THE SOUP POTS?”

“Because it’s hilarious!” Floyd howled, clearly having the time of his life.

Jade’s calm voice joined in, oozing politeness as always. “To be fair, Floyd has a point. The eels are thriving in there.”

Azul sputtered like a broken faucet. “THRIVING?! THEY’RE STEALING PEOPLE’S FOOD!”

“Sounds efficient to me,” Floyd said. You could practically hear him smirking. “Dinner and a show!”

Lilia perked up. “Eels in soup pots? How creative!”

“Don’t encourage him!” Azul barked. “Do you know how much it costs to repair the water damage he’s caused? The walls are dripping! The chandelier is dripping! I AM DRIPPING!”

“That’s not cursed,” you said, trying to hide your amusement. “That’s just Floyd being—well, Floyd.”

“Oh, no, it’s cursed,” Azul hissed. “Every time I try to remove the eels, the water level rises. They’re like aquatic squatters! Fix it or I swear I’ll—”

The sound of something massive splashing cut him off, followed by Floyd’s uncontrollable laughter.

“HAHAHA! He slipped into the soup pot! Jade, did you see that?”

“I did,” Jade replied, his voice as smooth as ever. “It was quite elegant.”

“AZUL’S AN EEL NOW!” Floyd cried. “Eel bros for life, baby!”

The orb started vibrating violently.

“Get. Over. Here. Now.” Azul’s voice was barely a whisper, the tone of someone seconds away from an aneurysm.

You sighed and grabbed your bag. “Let’s go before he implodes.”

When you arrived at Mostro Lounge, it was exactly what you expected—and somehow worse. The entire dining area was flooded, eels swam lazily in the soup pots, and Azul was perched on a chair, drenched from head to toe and glaring murderously at Floyd, who was happily paddling through the water like it was his personal playground.

“Finally!” Azul barked, waving his wet hand. “Do something! Anything!”

Floyd, half-submerged in a soup pot, waved at you. “Hey! You wanna join the eel party? First rule—no rules!”

Lilia clapped his hands. “This is magnificent chaos!”

Azul groaned, burying his face in his hands. “I’ll double your pay if you fix this immediately.”

You glanced at Lilia, who was already pouring a suspiciously glowing liquid into the water.

“This should work,” he said cheerfully.

The water started to drain, the eels vanished in puffs of smoke, and the room returned to normal—except for Floyd, who now floated upside down in midair, spinning like a cursed top.

“Whoa, this is AWESOME!” Floyd laughed, twirling like a maniac. “I’m a flying eel!”

Azul sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as you said “I’m charging you extra for emotional damages.”

The hotline orb flared up again, casting a frantic purple glow. You groaned, mid-sip of tea.

“I don’t know if I can handle more insanity.”

Lilia, perched upside down on the couch, grinned. “Nonsense! Chaos keeps the heart young. Answer it!”

Reluctantly, you picked it up. “Cursed and Confused Hotline. What did you do, and how bad is it?”

“It’s me! It’s Epel!” came the desperate, whisper-shouted voice of the Pomefiore freshman. “I need your help—immediately! I’ve got the worst curse of all on me.”

“Worst curse?” you asked, frowning. “What’s going on?”

“Vil,” Epel said, voice shaking. “And Rook.”

“...Epel, those are people, not curses.”

“They are when Vil finds out I repurposed his limited-edition face mask jars as apple cider mugs for the guys in Savanaclaw!”

Lilia burst into a delighted cackle. “Oh, that’s fantastic!”

“Not fantastic! Vil’s gonna flay me alive!” Epel hissed. “And Rook’s hunting me down like a rabbit in the woods. Please, ya gotta help!”

You tried not to laugh. “How exactly do you want me to help? I can’t exactly—”

A loud thud echoed through the call, followed by Epel screaming, “He found me! NO! PUT THAT BOW DOWN!”

“Bonjour, my friend~!” Rook’s voice came through, as smooth as velvet and disturbingly cheerful. “Ah, how beautiful the chase! Like a fox cornered by the hounds, our petit pomme has finally been found!”

“ROOK, NO! DON’T HAND ME OVER!”

“Oh, petit lapin,” Rook said, unbothered, “the punishment will only make you stronger. Think of it as a trial by fire!”

“I DON’T WANT TO BE STRONGER, I WANNA BE ALIVE!” Epel shrieked.

You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose. “Rook, what exactly are you planning to do with him?”

“Ah, worry not,” Rook replied. “I am but a humble messenger delivering him to justice. Vil has been most patient.”

“HE CALLED ME A PEASANT AND THREW A HEEL AT ME, THAT’S PATIENT?” Epel howled.

Lilia leaned forward, thoroughly entertained. “Rook, at least let us have a word with Epel before he meets his doom.”

“But of course!”

“HELP ME!” Epel screamed the moment Rook handed him the phone. “Distract them, hex me, I dunno, CURSE ME INTO A TREE OR SOMETHING—”

“Epel,” you said firmly, trying not to laugh, “you’re going to have to face Vil eventually. What’s the worst he could do?”

“THE WORST? Oh, I dunno, exile me to a skincare bootcamp for the rest of my natural life?”

Rook’s voice floated in. “Imagine it, petit pomme: cleansing facials, detoxifying baths, and no more cider mugs. A new you!”

“YOU STAY OUTTA THIS!”

You sighed. “I can offer one thing.”

“Anything!”

“An apology. I suggest you start practicing now.”

“An apology?! I called Vil’s collection overhyped snake oil. I’m DOOMED!”

“Not if you run fast enough,” Rook chimed in cheerfully. “Shall we test your stamina?”

The call ended with Epel’s scream, followed by the distinct sound of someone bolting at full speed.

“Well,” Lilia said, smiling. “That was worth every second.”

Jamil’s voice crackled through the orb strained and absolutely done.

"Hi, yeah, it’s me again."

You rolled your eyes. "Let me guess. Kalim tried to throw a party?"

"And Cater," Jamil growled, the sound of something crashing in the background. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to manage one chaos gremlin? Now imagine two. They’ve cursed half the dorm—random objects are coming to life, and singing. And I don’t mean pleasant singing. I mean like if a banshee and a kazoo had a love child."

Lilia leaned in beside you, eyes glittering with delight. "Oho, this sounds entertaining! What did they do this time?"

Jamil sighed deeply, as if he’d just aged ten years in the past ten minutes. "Kalim thought it would be fun to 'spice up' a party by enchanting the decorations. Cater encouraged him, saying it would make a great Magicam post. The result? The curtains are now tap-dancing, the chandelier won’t stop singing old sea shanties, and the punch bowl tried to bite me."

Lilia clapped his hands. "This sounds like an excellent way to spend the afternoon! Let’s go!"

You groaned. "Why do I have to go?"

"Because you’re the only one who can keep Lilia from making things worse," Jamil deadpanned.

Arriving at Scarabia was like stepping into a fever dream. The furniture was waltzing around the room, the ceiling fan was chanting, "Spin me right round, baby, right round," and the aforementioned punch bowl snarled at you as you walked in.

Kalim, of course, was having the time of his life, clapping to the rhythm of the furniture parade. Cater was filming everything, laughing as he tried to get the chandelier to do a TikTok dance.

"Do you see what I have to deal with?" Jamil hissed, his hair practically frazzled.

"Let’s fix this before someone dies," you muttered, pulling out the anti-curse toolkit Lilia had handed you on the way.

"Or before someone posts this to Magicam and the entire world sees it," Jamil added grimly, glaring at Cater.

It started smoothly enough—well, as smoothly as any curse-breaking session with Lilia could go. The two of you worked to unravel the enchantments while dodging flying pillows and shrieking party streamers.

Then, of course, you made the mistake of touching an enchanted lamp.

It burst into song—loud, off-key, and somehow extremely personal. The lyrics were all about your lack of a love life and questionable fashion choices. Before you could fight back, it tangled itself around your arms and legs, dragging you upward toward the chandelier.

"Hey, uh, Lilia? Little help!"

Lilia, ever the dramatic savior, leaped into action. With a mischievous grin, he sliced through the magical binds with a well-aimed spell and caught you mid-fall.

You blinked up at him, heart hammering in your chest. His crimson eyes glimmered with amusement, his fangs showing in a victorious smirk. He cradled you with an ease that shouldn’t have been possible given his stature.

"You alright there, my dear?" he asked, voice low and teasing.

"Yeah, I’m fine," you muttered, face heating up. "Just…you know…trying not to die."

But your brain wasn’t focusing on that. It was too busy processing the fact that Lilia was holding you like you weighed nothing, and you could feel your pulse quickening. Damn it, why is my heart beating so fast?

He tilted his head, studying you with an unreadable expression. "Are you sure? Your face is a bit flushed."

"Nope! Totally fine!" you squeaked, scrambling out of his arms as soon as your feet touched the ground.

Jamil, watching the whole thing from across the room, rolled his eyes. "Great. Now you’re cursed too."

"Shut up, Jamil."

It took another hour, but the dorm was finally back to normal—or as normal as Scarabia could be. Kalim apologized profusely, Cater promised to delete the footage (he didn’t), and Jamil looked like he might snap at any moment.

As you and Lilia walked out, you tried to calm your racing heart, but he leaned in with a knowing grin.

"Quite the adventure today, wasn’t it?"

"Sure," you replied quickly, hoping your face wasn’t still red.

He hummed thoughtfully. "I wonder what’s got your heart racing so much. You’re not catching feelings for your favorite partner-in-chaos, are you?"

"Not a chance," you lied, your heart betraying you with another treacherous thump.

Lilia just chuckled, and you couldn’t tell if he believed you—or if he was just letting you stew in your own embarrassment for fun.

The enchanted orb buzzed frantically, and you groaned as you reached for it. The second you accepted the call, you heard Deuce.

“HELP! WE MESSED UP BAD!”

“Deuce?” you asked, already dreading the answer. “What did you do this time?”

Jack’s voice came through, exasperated and growly. “It wasn’t just him. I was there too.”

“Great,” you deadpanned. “So, what kind of mess am I cleaning up now?”

Deuce gulped. “We, uh… were practicing some spellwork for exams—”

“Right by the Spelldrive practice field,” Jack added grimly.

Your eyes widened. “Please don’t tell me you—”

“Destroyed the field? Yeah,” Deuce admitted miserably. “But we didn’t mean to! The explosion was an accident!”

You heard a sharp, angry voice in the background: “AN ACCIDENT?! YOU DESTROYED HALF THE FIELD, YOU LITTLE—”

“Leona’s there?” you asked, already standing up.

Deuce nodded frantically. “He’s so mad. Please come before he kills us!”

“Stay put,” you said, grabbing your things. “And pray he doesn’t finish you off before we get there.”

The Spelldrive practice field was a warzone. One goalpost was completely obliterated, sand smoldered in random patches across the ground, and an entire section of the bleachers looked like it had been hit by a tornado.

Leona was standing in the middle of the chaos, arms crossed, glaring daggers at Deuce and Jack, who were huddled behind a tipped-over bench like it could save them. His team stood a safe distance away, clearly too smart to get involved.

You arrived with Lilia in tow, who was already grinning like he’d just stumbled upon the most entertaining show of the year.

“Oh, this is delightful,” Lilia mused, surveying the carnage. “It’s like an abstract painting of destruction.”

“Not helping,” you muttered, jogging toward the scene.

Leona’s sharp green eyes locked onto you. “Finally. You gonna fix this mess, or do I get to turn these two into sandbags?”

“Leona,” you said, stepping between him and the disaster twins, “We’ll handle it. Just… don’t murder them. Yet.”

Leona snorted. “You’ve got five minutes.”

Lilia hummed a jaunty tune as he began waving his hands over the destroyed sections of the field. Slowly, the sand settled, the goalpost reformed, and the bleachers stopped looking like they’d gone through a blender.

Meanwhile, you kept Leona from pouncing on Deuce and Jack, who were watching Lilia work with wide eyes.

“You two better hope I don’t find out about another ‘accident,’” Leona growled, looming over you.

“Relax,” you said, holding up a hand. “They’re idiots, not criminals. Save your energy for your team.”

Leona rolled his eyes but stepped back, muttering something about “babysitters.”

When everything was finally back in order, Lilia dusted off his hands with a satisfied smile. “That was quite fun. We should let those two cause chaos more often.”

You shot him a look. “Please don’t encourage them.”

Leona, arms crossed and clearly annoyed, stepped closer. “You’re done? Good. I’ll send Ruggie with something to pay you later.” Then he smirked, eyes flicking between you and Lilia. “Now keep your lovesick asses away from my practice field.”

Your brain short-circuited. “Wha—?! Lovesick?”

Leona just walked off with a lazy wave, leaving you standing there, half-mortified.

Lilia leaned in, clearly enjoying your flustered state. “Oh my. He really has a way with words, doesn’t he?”

“Don’t you start,” you muttered, your face burning.

But when you turned to walk away, Lilia was by your side, chuckling softly. He caught your wrist gently, pulling you to a stop for just a moment. “For what it’s worth,” he said, voice quieter and more serious, “you were quite impressive back there, keeping Leona from turning them into mincemeat.”

Your heart did a flip. “Uh… thanks?”

He let go with a grin, stepping back and returning to his usual playful tone. “Now, let’s see if we can avoid the next disaster, hmm?”

You weren’t sure if your face would ever cool down.

Potions class with the first-year gang was never uneventful. Today was no exception. The room smelled faintly of burnt caramel as Grim waved his tiny paws at Ace, who was leaning smugly on the table.

“I told you not to put that in!” Grim yelped.

“I barely touched it!” Ace shot back.

“It doesn’t matter who did it!” Sebek barked, slamming his hands on the table. “What matters is that our potion is—”

“About to blow,” Jack growled, pointing to the cauldron bubbling ominously.

“Wait—WHAT?!” you yelped, but it was too late.

The cauldron erupted, spraying a shimmering pink mist over everyone. The class erupted into chaos as Sebek shouted about “inferior techniques,” Epel coughed dramatically like he was dying, and Deuce tried (and failed) to douse the sparks with his coat.

You, unfortunately, caught the brunt of the potion to the face.

You thought the effects were mild at first—just a faint warmth in your chest and the echo of the sugary-sweet scent in your nose. But when you sat down at lunch with Lilia and Malleus, the symptoms became impossible to ignore.

Lilia was chatting animatedly, laughing at his own jokes and waving his fork in the air, while Malleus nodded thoughtfully. But you weren’t hearing a word.

Your brain had decided that the only thing worth focusing on was how kissable Lilia’s lips looked.

Wait, what?

You shook your head, trying to clear it, but it only got worse. Now you were noticing how nice his voice was. And his smile. And the way his hand brushed yours when he passed the salt—

Oh, no.

“Child of man,” Malleus said, pulling you from your internal meltdown, “you seem… distracted.”

You blinked rapidly. “Uh. Yeah. Distracted. Totally fine. Definitely not—uh—totally infatuated with Lilia or anything.”

Lilia looked up, smirking. “Oh? How flattering.”

You nearly choked on your drink. “IT’S THE POTION!”

Malleus watched you pace back and forth in the hallway, his expression somewhere between amused and curious.

“You have to fix me,” you begged, grabbing his shoulders. “This has to be the potion talking. There’s no way I just—randomly—started thinking about Lilia like that!”

Malleus tilted his head, his eyes studying you intently. “You truly believe you are under an enchantment?”

“Yes! Of course!” You gestured wildly. “I mean, it’s Lilia! He’s my partner in crime! He’s—he’s—”

“Kissable?” Malleus offered, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

Your hands dropped to your sides. “You are so not helping.”

He stepped closer, his presence calm but commanding, and placed a hand on your shoulder. “Very well, child of man. Allow me to assess your condition.”

Malleus leaned forward, his magic swirling faintly around him as he studied you with eerie precision.

After a moment, he straightened, folding his arms. “The potion you were exposed to was a failure. Its intended effects are nonexistent.”

You froze. “What are you saying?”

Malleus raised an eyebrow. “I am saying that you are not under a spell. Your feelings are entirely your own.”

You stared at Malleus in horror.

“So… you’re telling me… I’m not cursed?”

“Precisely.”

“And this… this whole… wanting to kiss Lilia thing…” You paused, voice dropping to a mortified whisper. “That’s just me?”

Malleus nodded sagely. “Indeed.”

You covered your face with your hands. “No. No, no, no. This can’t be happening.”

Lilia’s voice drifted from the next room. “Are you done conspiring with Malleus, beastie? Lunch is getting cold!”

You peeked through your fingers at Malleus, who looked like he was thoroughly enjoying your suffering.

“Good luck, child of man,” he said, patting your shoulder.

You groaned. “I’m going to die.”

And yet, as you returned to the table and sat down next to Lilia, who greeted you with his usual teasing grin, you couldn’t help but wonder if maybe—just maybe—this wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

You didn’t think it could get any worse than being late for class, but that was before Grim decided to experiment with potions unsupervised. Now, you and Lilia were sprinting through the halls of NRC, dodging a cursed army of flying spoons.

“I told Grim not to use the potions lab as a snack bar!” you gasped, barely ducking as a spoon zoomed past your head with terrifying precision.

Lilia, running beside you, was grinning like this was the most fun he’d had all week. “I must admit, this is an impressive level of chaos. Even I wouldn’t have thought to curse cutlery!”

“Glad you’re enjoying yourself,” you panted, grabbing his arm as another wave of spoons turned the corner. “Hide!”

The two of you dove behind a nearby tapestry, pressing against the wall as the spoons zipped past, their metallic clinking fading into the distance.

For a moment, it was quiet—except for the pounding of your heart.

Your breathing slowly steadied, but your heart didn’t. Not when Lilia was so close, his eyes gleaming with excitement and his cheeks flushed from the chase.

You couldn’t take it anymore.

“Lilia,” you blurted, voice trembling but determined, “I’m in love with you.”

Lilia blinked, his surprise evident for a split second before a soft smile curved his lips. “Ah, I see. Was it the spoons that gave me away, or my undeniable charm?”

You groaned, burying your face in your hands. “I’m serious!”

He chuckled, gently pulling your hands away to meet your eyes. “So am I. I’ve felt the same for quite some time.”

Your breath hitched. “Really?”

“Really,” he murmured, leaning closer. His lips brushed yours, soft and fleeting, but it sent your heart racing like you were being chased by a thousand cursed spoons.

He pulled back, his grin mischievous. “Now, let’s survive this first date, shall we?”

He grabbed your hand, pulling you from your hiding spot just as the spoons began circling back like a swarm of metallic bees.

“Run!”

You laughed despite yourself, sprinting hand-in-hand with Lilia as the chaos erupted around you once more.

And yet, as you glanced at him—his hair wild, his smile unshakable, his fingers warm around yours—you couldn’t help but think:

I want this forever.

Masterlist

[girllblogging777]

𝐹𝑅𝐼𝐺𝐻𝑇 𝐴𝑁𝐷 𝐹𝐿𝐼𝑅𝑇𝐴𝑇𝐼𝑂𝑁

↳ mattheo riddle x fem!reader (best friends, flirting)

↳ 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 : 1.4k

𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑦 : exploring a haunted house isn’t very pleasant… except when your flirty best friend mattheo is with you.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

you never should’ve let the boys convince you to sneak out after curfew.

the slytherin common room had been buzzing with energy earlier, filled with laughter and stories about the supposedly haunted house at the border of the forbidden forest. you’d been reading your book, half listening to what your friends were saying as they argued about whether or not they believed in these rumours, or if it was just another one of the castle’s unsolved mysteries.

“it’s not even that far,” theo had said casually, grinning. “we’ll be back before anyone notices.” and of course, you didn’t wanna be the only one to back out. not when you were the only girl in the group, always trying to prove yourself to them. not when you wanted to keep that confident and fierce image you had. and especially not when mattheo riddle was watching you with that usual smirk of his, his dark eyes practically daring you to say no.

✩✩✩✩

so here you were tonight, standing outside some old crumbling building that once had been called a house. the full moon hung high in the sky, casting eerie shadows around you and the boys. the air was colder here too, sending shivers down your back and under the knitted sweater you were wearing. but, of course, you weren’t gonna let anyone know that.

enzo and blaise were already thrilled when they pushed open the door, making plans and chatting excitedly about the little nighttime adventure you were having. draco and theo strode confidently behind them, following them inside and leaving you standing next to mattheo, who was staring at you with crossed arms, looking calmer than you’d even seen him.

“scared yet ?” he asked, his voice low and teasing. you rolled your eyes and scoffed, pretending you didn’t notice the way your heart rate sped up - from the alluring boy or the frightening house next to you, that you didn’t know. “please. this place is barely standing. the only thing i’m worried about is the roof caving in.”

he chuckled at your answer and leaned closer “don’t worry. if it does, i’ll protect you.”

your stomach flipped, and this time you knew it had nothing to do with whatever ghosts were inside that house. the brunette boy was the only human being who had such an effect on you, and you hated it. “ghosts be damned,” you muttered, shaking your head as you followed the others inside. “i don’t need your protection.”

“that we’ll see, love” mattheo said behind you, barely above a whisper.

inside, the house was somehow creepier than you’d imagined. there was dust everywhere, and when the floor creaked beneath your steps, you understood why all these rumours had been invented in the first place. despite the darkness, you could see the faded paintings on the wall, following you as you walked down the narrow hallway. at some point you could’ve sworn one of the figures on the portraits moved, but when you turned to look at it, nothing.

a couple of feet away, blaise was laughing at something draco had said, but you were too busy scanning the dark corners of the house to listen to their conversation. theo was already taking about splitting up, which of course, only managed to make the anxiety tighten in your chest.

“everyone, make groups !” the boys declared, clearly excited and proud of their idea. “makes it more fun”

before you could protest, mattheo was at your side again. you’d been hyper aware of his presence behind you for the past couple of minutes, and now there he was, grinning down at you as your shoulders brushed. “well, looks like we’re partners, then.” you shot him a look. “convenient.”

“hey, you’ll thank me later,” he said with a wink, and it took everything in you not to make another sarcastic remark. still, you couldn’t help but feel a little relieved now, knowing you wouldn’t walk through this scary place alone.

the two of you silently ventured down another hallway, away from where the others were heading. the floorboards creaked with every step you took, the shadows of your tall figures stretching out against the wall as you moved deeper into the house. it was unnervingly quiet, but the sound of mattheo’s steady breaths and confident footsteps reassured you a little.

the brown eyed boy glanced at you, his pupils gleaming with amusement. “you’re quiet, getting nervous ?” you muttered a barely audible “i’m fine” though you couldn’t ignore the quickening of your pulse. you hated haunted places, or even darkness in general, but you’d rather get crucio-ed than admit that to him.

he moved closer, his warm breath hitting your neck, and you found yourself unconsciously leaning towards him when he spoke, “you can hold my hand if you get scared.” you glared at him, grateful the obscurity of the scene hid the blush on your cheek, “in your dreams.”

he laughed softly but he didn’t push it, still, his presence was oddly comforting. it made you feel a little less like something was about to jump out from the shadows, and a little more like you wanted him even closer.

somehow, the air in the house seemed to grow colder the further you walked. every once in a while, you’d hear something : a creak, a whisper, maybe just the wind, but it sets your nerves on edge.

suddenly, a loud bang echoed from one of the rooms down the hall and you jumped, grabbing mattheo’s arm without even thinking. your heart raced, and you cursed under your breath when you realised what had just happened.

“told you” he said, a grin slowly spreading across his face as he looked down at where your hand gripped his hand. you scowled, quickly letting go. “that was just instinct.” still smiling, he nodded “sure, sure…” but then his gaze softened, and his voice dropped. “don’t worry, i’ve got you.”

something in his tone made your breath catch, and for a second, you forgot where you were. the haunted house, the cold, the creepy portraits, all of it faded as you stared up at him, trying to figure out if he was being serious or if this was more of his usual flirting.

before you could say anything, another loud sound echoed from upstairs. this time, it wasn’t just a bang. it was footsteps. slow, deliberate footsteps moving across the ceiling. you froze, every muscle in your body tensing as you looked up. riddle stepped in front of you, his usual playful expression gone and replaced by something more serious.

“stay close,” he whispered and you nodded as you followed him up the creaky stairs , ignoring the tightening in your throat. each step felt heavier than the previous one and the closer you got to the top floor, the louder the sound became. you couldn’t shake the feeling that someone, or something, was watching you.

mattheo’s hand brushed against yours again, and this time you didn’t pull away. you were too focused on the shadows that seemed to move on their own, on the way the cold seemed to press in on you from all sides.

“do you trust me ?” he asked quietly. you looked up at him, surprised by the seriousness in his voice. he’d always been flirty and playful when it came to you, blurring the lines between friendship and more. however, tonight, things felt different. despite everything, you nodded “yeah…”

he squeezed your hand lightly, his hand never leaving yours. “good, because i’m not letting anything happen to you.”

“oi !” theo’s voice echoed through the hall, startling the both of you and shattering the blissful bubble you were in. you quickly dropped mattheo’s hand and stepped back, but it was too late.

theo was grinning, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed, looking far too amused for someone in a haunted house, and for your liking. “well, well, well… look at you two getting all cozy up here.” your face heated up immediately, but mattheo just smirked, clearly unfazed. “jealous ?” theo proceeded to snort, “of you ? never.”

he glanced between the two of you, and the teasing look in his eyes made you wanna disappear. “we’re heading back, this place is more boring than we thought it would be. meet us downstairs and don’t get lost… or, you know, distracted.”

with that, he turned around and disappeared back down the dusty stairs, leaving you and mattheo standing there in awkward silence. you could feel your chest thumping as you tried to figure out what to say, looking at the old wallpaper that was falling apart instead of meeting his gaze.

“see ?” he whispered, leaning down just enough for you to hear. “told you i’d protect you. even from theo’s terrible sense of humour.” you groaned and pushed him slightly, the banter between you settling back down, “shut up !”

you may have hated haunted houses, but the truth was, you kind of liked the way his hand felt in yours.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

a/n : hey ! this is me making my weekly appearance on this app, cause i just HAD to write about this request

please comment and reblog ! tag list (comment if you wanna be added) @tateshifts @redeemingvillains @helendeath @jolly4holly @larmesdevanille @dexoq @reys-letters @shiftingwithmars @shiftingwithleah @fbvreadingblog @moonlightreader649 @bellatrix-lestrange5 @sp7-mr @sunkissedscribbles @chelawrites @myunperfektstorys @iris-qt @yikesitslush @clar2aa @deadsnakey @deadghosy @slut-for-fictional-men @romantasyreader28 @witchsrecs

[neferaskingdom]

♡ So Kiss Me | OP81

NEFERASKINGDOM

Summary: McLaren's annual Christmas party means failed gingerbread houses and confessions in the snow.

SERIES MASTERLIST | MAIN MASTERLIST

The McLaren Technology Centre was buzzing with excitement. Fresh off the high of their constructors’ championship win, the annual Christmas party was in full swing. The sprawling MTC was unrecognizable, decked out with garlands, fairy lights, and a massive Christmas tree standing proudly at the entrance. It was festive, loud, and decidedly not where Y/N wanted to be at the moment.

She leaned against a high-top table near the edge of the room, nursing her drink and watching the crowd. As a PR coordinator for McLaren, she’d spent months working tirelessly managing their socials and was supposed to be enjoying herself. Instead, she was contemplating the pros and cons of sneaking out early when a familiar voice cut through her thoughts.

“Y/N, you’re not entering the gingerbread contest?”

Caroline. The thorn in her side. Caroline worked in marketing and had perfected the art of weaponized politeness. Tonight, she was wearing a sparkly red dress and an infuriatingly smug expression.

“Nope,” Y/N said flatly, hoping the conversation would end there.

Caroline tilted her head, her smile sharpening. “Oh, I see. I guess some people just don’t have the creative touch for it.”

Y/N’s grip tightened on her glass. She didn’t care about the contest… except now she absolutely did. Caroline’s subtle digs always had a way of lighting a fire under her.

“Actually, I’ve decided I’m entering,” Y/N said, forcing a smile.

Caroline blinked in surprise, but she recovered quickly. “Oh, how fun! Can’t wait to see what you come up with.”

As soon as Caroline walked away, Y/N’s bravado crumbled. What was she doing? She didn’t even have a teammate.

She scanned the room, hoping to spot someone who wasn’t already paired up or too deep into their drinks. No luck. Her usual work friends were either tipsy or engrossed in other activities. After a fruitless search, she retreated to a quieter corner of the room, sulking.

“Why do you look like someone stole your Christmas cookies?”

She looked up to see Oscar Piastri standing in front of her, hands in his pockets and a curious smile on his face. He looked effortlessly good in a suit, the tie slightly loosened around his neck.

“It’s nothing,” she said quickly, not wanting to admit her predicament.

“Doesn’t look like nothing,” he said, stepping closer. “Come on, Y/N. Spill.”

With a sigh, she relented. “Caroline made some snide comment about me not entering the gingerbread contest, so I decided to prove her wrong. But I don’t have a partner, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to embarrass myself.”

Oscar’s brows lifted in amusement. “That’s it? Easy fix. I’ll be your partner.”

Her eyes widened. “What? No way. You don’t have to do that. This is your party. You should be… I don’t know, celebrating.”

“I am celebrating,” he said with a grin. “And what better way to celebrate than helping you crush Caroline?”

She hesitated, but the sincerity in his eyes won her over. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. I’m terrible at this stuff.”

“How bad could it be?”

Very bad, as it turned out.

“This wall won’t stay up!” Y/N groaned, holding a piece of gingerbread that stubbornly refused to stick to the icing.

“Maybe we didn’t use enough icing?” Oscar suggested, frowning at their rapidly deteriorating structure.

“I think the problem is that we’re bad at this,” she said, trying not to laugh.

“Speak for yourself,” he shot back, his smirk widening. “I’m an innovator. This is modern architecture.”

“If by ‘modern’ you mean it looks like it’s about to fall over, then yeah, you nailed it,” she shot back, rolling her eyes but unable to hide her grin.

They both burst out laughing as the roof caved in, sending a handful of gumdrops skittering across the table. Around them, other teams were building masterpieces: sleek houses with intricate frosting designs and perfectly placed candies. Meanwhile, theirs looked like it had survived an earthquake.

“This… this looks like something a five-year-old made blindfolded,” Y/N said, choking on laughter as she gestured at the crumbling mess. “It’s somehow defying gravity in all the wrong ways!”

Oscar wheezed, leaning on the table for support. “Hey, it’s abstract. We’re pushing the boundaries of what a gingerbread house can be.”

“Right, because ‘falling apart’ is such a bold statement,” she teased, wiping tears from her eyes.

They tried to salvage their creation, but every attempt made it worse. Oscar’s attempt at adding a candy cane chimney resulted in the entire roof collapsing again, while Y/N’s decorative icing turned into an unintentional Jackson Pollock painting.

“This is a disaster,” Y/N said, though she couldn’t stop laughing.

“The best kind of disaster,” Oscar said, his tone warm. “Seriously, who cares what it looks like? We’re having fun, right?”

Y/N looked at him, her laughter fading into a softer smile. “Yeah, we are. Thanks, Oscar. You’re a really good friend.”

His expression shifted slightly, like he wanted to say something more, but the moment was interrupted by Caroline sauntering past with her flawless gingerbread mansion.

“Oh, Y/N, it’s so cute that you’re trying. It’s all about having fun, right?”

Y/N forced a tight smile as Caroline walked away. “I hate her.”

“Hey,” Oscar said, nudging her gently. “Forget her. Look at what we made. It’s got… personality.”

Her smile returned, though it wavered slightly as she glanced at the crumbled mess of icing and gingerbread. “Personality is one way to put it.”

Noticing the flicker of disappointment in her eyes, Oscar leaned in, his voice lower and more earnest. “Hey, don’t let her get to you. She’s not worth it.”

Y/N gave a half-hearted shrug. “Easier said than done.”

Oscar studied her for a moment before straightening. “Come on. Let’s get out of here for a bit. Fresh air might help.”

The chill of the night air was sharp against Y/N’s cheeks as she and Oscar wandered the grounds of the McLaren Technology Centre. The party noise had faded into the background, leaving only the quiet sounds of leaves crunching beneath their shoes and the soft rustle of wind against the nearby trees. Y/N hugged her arms around herself, her thoughts drifting as she glanced over at Oscar. He had his hands stuffed in his pockets, his posture relaxed but his gaze attentive.

Oscar broke the silence first, his voice warm and conversational. “You’ve been quiet. What’s on your mind?”

Y/N smiled faintly. “Just… everything. The party, the season, life. It’s been a crazy year.”

“Tell me about it.” He shot her a small grin. “But hey, at least we’ve survived.”

She laughed. “Barely. Some days I wasn’t sure I would. Between the endless PR work and trying to keep up with you drivers, it’s a miracle I’m still standing.”

“Oh, come on,” he teased. “You love it. Admit it.”

“I do,” she admitted, her tone softening. “It’s exhausting, but it’s worth it. Especially when I get to see moments like tonight. You guys deserve it, you know?”

Oscar’s smile turned bashful. “Thanks. It still feels a bit surreal. I keep thinking I’ll wake up tomorrow and it’ll all be a dream.”

“If it is, it’s a pretty damn good one,” she said.

They fell into a comfortable rhythm, their conversation meandering from the highs and lows of the season to lighter topics. Y/N found herself laughing more than she had all night, her usual guardedness slipping away in his presence. It was easy to talk to Oscar, too easy, and she felt a familiar flutter in her chest every time he smiled at her.

Snow began to fall, light and gentle, dusting their hair and coats. Y/N’s eyes lit up as she stopped in her tracks, tilting her face upward. “It’s snowing!”

Oscar chuckled, watching as she spun in place, arms outstretched like a child. Her laughter rang out, clear and bright, and he couldn’t help but smile at the sight. She was beautiful, her joy infectious, and for a moment, he forgot about the cold entirely.

“You’re going to freeze,” he called out, amusement lacing his tone.

“I don’t care!” she replied, still twirling. “Look at how perfect it is. It’s like something out of a Christmas movie.”

Her spinning slowed as she stumbled slightly, and Oscar stepped forward instinctively, steadying her with his hands on her arms. She looked up at him, her breath visible in the cold air, and suddenly the world seemed to shrink around them. The snow fell quietly, the moment suspended in time as their eyes met.

“You’re shivering,” he said softly. Without waiting for a reply, he slipped off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders. His hands lingered for a second, his touch warm against the cold fabric.

“Thank you,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. Her heart raced as she stared at him, the closeness between them making her acutely aware of every small detail—the flecks of gold in his eyes, the way his breath hitched slightly as their gazes locked.

Her mind raced, a chaotic swirl of emotions. She’d always felt something for Oscar, but she’d buried it under layers of professionalism and self-doubt. Now, standing here with him, she couldn’t deny it any longer. She liked him. She more than liked him. And judging by the way he was looking at her, the feeling might just be mutual.

Before she could overthink it, Oscar leaned in. The kiss was sudden, catching her completely off guard, but she melted into it almost instantly. His lips were soft, warm against the chill of the night, and the world seemed to blur at the edges as her heart pounded in her chest.

When they broke apart, her breath came in shallow gasps. “Oscar…” she began, her voice shaky.

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly, stepping back slightly. “I shouldn’t have—”

“No,” she interrupted, reaching out to grab his hand. “Don’t apologize. I… I’ve been wanting to do that for ages.”

His eyes widened in surprise. “You have?”

She nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah. I just didn’t think you…”

“Are you kidding?” he said, his voice tinged with disbelief. “Y/N, I’ve liked you since the day we met. I just didn’t want to mess things up.”

Her heart swelled at his words, and she felt a giddy rush of joy that made her want to laugh and cry all at once. “You’re an idiot, you know that?” she said, her tone playful.

“Yeah,” he admitted with a sheepish grin. “But I’m your idiot, if you’ll have me that is.”

She didn’t reply with words. Instead, she pulled him into another kiss, this one deeper and more urgent. His hands found her waist as hers tangled in his hair, the world around them fading into insignificance. She pressed against him, her back meeting the rough bark of a nearby tree as their kisses grew more heated.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathless, their faces flushed despite the cold. Oscar rested his forehead against hers, his hands still on her waist.

“So,” he said, his voice low and teasing, “do you want to head back to the party, or…?”

She hesitated, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. “But this is your celebration party. Everyone’s here for you.”

He grinned, his eyes sparkling. “I’d rather celebrate in a different way.”

She stared at him, half in shock and half in amusement, before bursting into laughter. “Oscar Piastri, I didn’t know you had game.”

He laughed with her, his hand slipping into hers. “Come on,” he said, tugging her gently toward the parking lot. “Let’s get out of here.”

As they walked away, hand in hand, the snow continued to fall, blanketing the world in quiet magic. For the first time that night, Y/N felt like she was exactly where she was meant to be.

[superbat-lmao]

Tim and Jason AU

Scene 1

Jason makes it look like he’s doing something shady on a nearby roof, something that Tim thinks the Bats would want to hear about. And only Tim notices. He wants to be useful.

He starts to follow Jason and there are some mechanical closets on the top of the roof, and Jason is being very obvious in his direction, so when Tim turns a corner he isn’t expecting Jason to be behind him suddenly.

He’s not dressed in any sort of identifiable style, definitely not League or gang affiliated and not a mask. Tim doesn’t scream and Jason picks him up by his jacket and shakes him in minor frustration.

“I swear you had better instincts than this. Seriously kid, tell me you’re not this reckless. I’m surprised the Bats haven’t already had to clean you off pavement.”

“What are you doing up here?”

“Bzzt, wrong question. Actually, no questions, you shouldn’t be up here and following a shady guy in the dark.”

“What’s the right question?”

“What am I gonna do with you?”

Tim freezes, maybe sinking in a bit how stupid that was but the guys seems to be asking himself more than telling Tim that was the question.

“That’s the right question?”

“What? Yes, if your cover’s blown it’s important to assess how you’ll be appraised and know what the person will do with you. Also called a secondary cover or ploy. Always make sure you have a plausible reason for where being somewhere you shouldn’t be. And if you can’t, have a quick escape.”

“Why would you tell me that?”

“Second tip kid, the questions you ask a suspect inform on what information you have. Don’t get too close to the topic you’re most interested in or you’ll give yourself away.”

“A suspect?”

“How else would you describe me?”

The guy’s grip changes and Tim feels something sharp prick his neck. He feels true panic and hears vaguely, “control your response next time because adrenaline makes your heart spread a sedative in your blood stream faster if you’re panicked. You’ll thank me later, kid.”

When Tim wakes up, it’s to two gloved fingers pressed beneath his jaw. Checking his pulse He can’t get his eyes open yet, but he can hear voices.

(Jason tied Tim up, lit the batsignal, and left a flash drive pinned to Tim’s chest. It explains his home situation, how long he’s been following the Bats, and that he knows their identities.)

*Scenes from a fic I’ll probably never write. Mostly just notes app things. Outtakes below the cut.

“Seriously?! The Batsignal?!

“It was that or leave you in the cave for Alfred, and the Batsignal was less confrontational.”

“And lazy, what, you couldn’t wipe the feed?”

“I can wipe the batcomputer faster than you, I’ve been hiding shit from Bruce since before you were in spandex. But tipping our hand that early? You’re not usually this stupid, Timmy.”

“Just shocked by your self control by not picking the most nuclear option.”

“The most nuclear option would have been holding you hostage and having a good ol’ fashioned stand off with the Bat. Maybe mail him your spleen as motivation.”

“Fuck you. I already took care of Ra’s - he’ll keep his spleen this time.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.”

[miniwheat77]

Lust. (141 x Reader.)

The gang bang version to this is here

!CW! NSFW, Smut, mutual masturbation, dirty talk, porn without plot, read at your own risk. (Lemme know if I missed any.)

(Summary): After a hard mission, task force 141 has to find creative ways to relieve tension.

This was a requested story, you can find the ask here

The small room everyone was in was filled with the smell of rotting wood and dust. Everyone was covered in dirt and sweat, a little dried blood.

“Exfil can’t get to us until morning, settle in.”

Those were your Captain’s instruction, so everyone did. You took up one small corner of the room you were in. The house you were in was in the middle of the desert, the furthest thing away from any threats. Most of the house was leaky and some parts of the roof had caved in, leaving the entire task force to one room. There was an old couch, and everyone had set up around you, almost in a circle. All you had was a sleeping bag and an emergency blanket for comfort so you laid them both out. It was still too warm so you were sitting on top of it. You tried getting comfortable but it was a little hard. Everyone had a couple emergency MRE’s and first aid kits. You tended to your wounds, patched up, and ate one of the MRE’s.

“I don’t have sweats or extra clothes in my bag so you’ll all just have to be okay with me sleeping in my boxers.” Soap calls out.

“That’s fine, no one cares.” You call out. “Use a buddy system if you have to go outside to relieve yourself or for any other reason.” Your captain calls. He’s laying on his own sleeping bag a couple feet from you. Soap starts removing his clothes, tucking them near his bag and laying down. The room fills with an awkward silence and everyone shifts uncomfortably. It was clear no one would be getting much rest. A deep sigh brings everyone out of their own thoughts. “Maybe we should do something. Like.. play a game.” Soap says. “What, like one of those ridiculous games you played in grade school?” You laugh. “You got any better ideas?” Soap rolls his eyes. “Not really. I’m in.” You shrug. 

“Truth or dare?”

“Can’t really do many dares, Soap.” You laugh. He smiles. “Alright alright, truth or truth?” You laugh, sitting up in your sleeping bag. Everyone follows suit. “I think I seen some old bottles of vodka in the kitchen. Maybe we can do a drinking game like never have I ever.” Gaz suggests. You nod your head, standing up. “Captain could probably pick out good liquor. He’d be able to tell which is good to drink and what’s bad.” You smile. “Damn right little lady.” John pushes past you, you follow him into the dingy kitchen and he opens up a couple cupboards, finding 2 unopened bottles of liquor. Gin and Vodka. “Alright. We’ll just pass around the bottle.” You nod your head. “Before we start I’m ditching my clothes too.” You complain. They were dirty and had blood all over them. “Yeah me too.” Gaz complains. Pretty soon everyone is just sitting in their undergarments. Most of you were pretty beat up. Bandages and cuts and bruises all over.

Each of you form a circle and John picks up a bottle.

“Alright so.. if you don’t already know, never have I ever works like this. Someone asks a question, and if you’ve done it, you drink, if you haven’t, you don’t.” You explain. Everyone nods.

“Alright, I’ll go first. A warm up question.” Gaz sits up. “Never have I ever… been stuck in a dingy house in the middle of a desert.”

Each of you pass around the bottles of liquor.

“Bloody hell that is shite.” Captain Price flinches. He lowers the bottle of gin from his lips and shivers. “Steamin Jesus that is horrible.” Soap laughs, passing the bottle of vodka to you. You take it, tipping it back. Flinching as you set it down. “Alright. Soap, your turn.” Soap laughs. “Alright uh..” he pauses, thinking to himself. “Never have I ever gotten into a fight.”

Everyone passes around the bottles again.

This goes on for a few more times and everyone is starting to feel buzzed, loosening up. “Okay, Y/N.”

“Never have I ever had a dirty dream about someone in this room.” You smile. “Ooooh. That’s a good one.” Gaz laughs. Your captain, Soap, and Ghost each take a drink.

The game goes on like this until most of the liquor is gone. Everyone settling into their own little worlds. Playing on their phones, reading. Or just relaxing. The same tension is still thick in the room, everyone can read it. “Alright. I hate this. Let’s try something else.” Your captain says, sitting up. “What do you mean?” Gaz laughs, taking a breath. “I was thinking we find another way to relieve some tension.”

“What, a gang bang?” Gaz jokes. “Hate to break it to you cap, but I don’t think poor Y/N could handle that.” Your mouth props open and your cheeks burn. “I like your taste Garrick, but that’s not what I meant. I mean.. similar. But.. less hands on.” Ghost pulls off his mask, this wasn’t the first time you’d each seen his face. “Are you suggesting we.. touch ourselves?” Soap asks. John nods his head. Everyone steals glances at each other. “If everyone is okay with it, I suppose.” Everyone makes a silent agreement and relax into their sleeping bags. You swallow hard, seeing each of them release their throbbing cocks from their refinement. You play with your fingers, hiding the fact that your cotton panties are soaked in arousal. “You alright lass?” Soap laughs. His hand is already pumping the shaft of his cock. “Uh.. y-yeah. I just..” you pause. “It’s okay to be nervous sweetheart.” Gaz breathes. By now, even Ghost has shed his boxers. You’re the only one still wearing any clothing.

“Let us guide you yeah? No need to be nervous.” Your captain smiles. He’s closest to you, so he moves himself near you. “May I?” He asks, fingertips moving toward your panties. You nod your head. He grasps them, sliding them down your legs. “You touch yourself before?” He asks. You nod your head skeptically. He smiles. “S’alright. Just pretend like the room is empty yeah? You don’t have to if you don’t want to though.” You nod your head. He moves back to his sleeping bag, starting to glide his own hand over his cock. “Start slow.” Simon is looking you in the eyes as he pumps his cock slowly. You nod your head, fingers skeptically gliding along your stomach. “Rub small circles over your clit. You can slide lower if it’ll help.” You’re surprised how vocal Simon is to you. But he can see how nervous you are. You start slow like he said, body relaxing as you spread your legs further. When you look up, you can see that each of their eyes are fixed on you, making you a little self conscious, crimson creeping up your cheeks. You need to relax, so you let their small groans egg you on. Your fingers dip inside of your soaking hole, a collection of moans filling the room as you do. Simon spits into his hand, the squelch of it drawing moans from your mouth.

“Fuck.. so pretty.” Soap gasps, eyes on you. You’re breathing hard, your free hand moving to rub at your clit. Simon tilts his head back against the wall he’s leaning up against, a groan leaving his lips. Soap is leaning up against the couch, thumb gliding over the tip of his cock to gather the precum from the tip. Gaz watches you intently, hips bucking with each jerk of his hand. Your captain has his eyes on you as well. Hand working up his cock steadily. He keeps the same pace, stomach clenching up. A mewl falls from your lips and your body starts to shake slightly, a chuckle falling from each of their lips. “So eager to cum.” Gaz laughs. “Yeah she is. S’quite the sight.” Simon let’s out a deep chuckle. “Relax Y/N. No need to rush.” You try to let their voices soothe you, slowing your movements. “Slow down, try curling your fingers.” Soap instructs.

“Ah- like this Johnny?” You whimper. The way his name rolls off of your lips has his dick jumping in his hand. “Yeah sweetheart. Just like that.” He growls. His eyes are burning into you, you’ve collected the stares of each of them as you bury your fingers into your wet cunt. “Regretting not taking Garricks gang bang idea.” John chuckles, drawing small laughs from everyone in the room except for you. You’re too focused on the way your fingers are moving into yourself. “Almost busted when she said my name like that.” Soap laughs. Hand still steadily stroking his cock. Simon laughs, adjusting his position. “Y/N, you feeling good sweetheart?” He tests the waters, trying to get you to say his name. “Y-yeah. Feels so good Simon.” You pant, He raises his eyebrows slightly, groaning out. Soap chuckling when he catches onto what he’s doing. “Fuck that’s hot.” Simon groans.

Your moans are getting louder, unsteady. Your fingers are working at your pussy faster than before. You were getting close, they could tell. “S’alright love. You can cum for us. Show us what a good girl you’ve been yeah?” John breathes. Your chest is rising and falling at a rapid rate and you’re working at your clit with your free hand, a mewl leaving your lips as you buck your hips into your hand. “Ah- I- I’m-“ you can’t finish your sentence, a cry leaving your lips as you reach your high, soaking your hand and your emergency blanket beneath you. Moans still spilling from your blushing lips. “Oh fuck-“ Gaz groans. He’s the first of the men to reach his own high, ropes of cum spilling from his cock and coating his front. He jerks himself off faster than he intends, bucking his hips as he pumps himself through his high. He relaxes, head tilting back as he pants, coming down from his high. Soap is next. Unsteady pants, each louder than the last as he finishes up his own front, he’s a lot more vocal than Gaz, groaning out as he finishes. “Fuck!” He gasps. Relaxing back into the couch. Your eyes draw from Soap to your Captain, hearing him moan out. He reaches his high, gritted teeth holding back the moans that desperately want to leave his lips. His cock throbs against his hand with each spurt of his cum that covers his thighs and stomach. “Fucking hell-“ he gasps.

Finally, eyes fixed on Simon as he pumps his cock. Your clit is still throbbing as you stare, watching the cum spill from the tip of his cock. His head is tilted back and you’re watching as his adams apple bobs as he swallows back the whimpers he’d usually let out. He hisses as his hips jump, finishing up his front.

Each of you relax into yourselves, the room feeling hot and thick with arousal. Nobody says anything as each of you clean up, settling into your makeshift beds for the night. The silence is a comfortable silence, and everyone seems much more relaxed than before, leaving your captain feeling better about the welfare of his team. Each of you fall asleep with no words exchanged, and every single one of you had a new secret to take to the grave.

Or maybe, another game of never have I ever.

[noicevibes]

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧?

originally a commission, repurposed for readervision! writing about the ladies is fun and i should really do it more often, mhm.

notes -> pls i always forget she's 6'1", that's so frickin hot, my gawd

pairing -> quanxi x afab!time-traveler!reader*

warnings -> nsfw (18+, mdni), praise/nicknames used (*good girl), thigh riding, oral sex (reader receiving), orgasm denial, scissoring/tribbing; partial inebriation (alcohol consumption); light editing.

wc -> 4.5k

The modes of transportation in this place are… dated.

So used to seeing the various Tesla models zipping about, or the suddenly extremely common Honda Civic models, you found yourself staring a little harder at the ones that lined the street. All too obviously, the dilapidated street signs around you indicated your new location being somewhere in China. Still, there’d been an aged familiarity about the place, about all of it, from the specific way the splits in the sidewalk crackle from one end to the other, to how the trees willow overtop of them like old, gnarled hands. The glow from the street lights are all equally dull, and do little to highlight the filth the asphalt roads hold. The houses, in their decaying, years left untouched glory, are still cookie cutter enough to say that it once might’ve been a place that people both lived and thrived in— if anything, they might just exist there now. The bare minimum for any species.

But then you look in the distance, past the caved-in roofs, past the loose, swaying electrical lines and through the smog, find the fluorescent lights of the city resting just outside the horizon of this dystopian suburbia, and find that you feel at home, your own having been bright just like that. 

You suppose that being at arms with a stranger in the middle of what you can only deem some kind of cacotopia must not be real. A dream or a hallucination— a nightmare, perhaps. The fact that you’ve never been to this place, this time or era, and yet, it’d been familiar. This partial hell scape with its scarred roads and patchwork housing, stuck in its darkened stasis of a temporary ceasefire? Wondering what kind of dream beasts this realm holds was unavoidable from the start, but at the very least, it still includes those in human form.

Your foe is formidable-- or, your predator, you should say. Armed thrice and practically naked in consideration for their lack of armour, wearing a thin shirt that exposes her midriff and tight black trousers, and with their one eye obscured by an eyepatch, they’re still as swift as a shadow when they charge forward, one blade extended, the other held in reverse against their forearm— usually a predictability. But they’re enough of a threat to you that you don’t bother to analyze much else any further.

If not for obeying modern physics, the stone at your feet would’ve split from the impact of your own harsh landing— without a weapon or defense of your own, you scamper out of the way of the woman’s sword, gasping at the close call. If anything, being in this strange place for so long, and being targeted by strange looking creatures and even stranger humans, has made you adept at avoiding harm.

You’re not entirely sure you can avoid it any further. You watch the attacker sheathe their defending sword and reach up toward their one exposed eye to— to… extract an arrow from within her skull, so easily as if it’d been normal to “store” it there.

“Don’t lose focus now,” they call — she calls, you finally learn, from your own language; she’d recognized it when you’d cursed at her earlier. A couple of obvious tonal sounds and inflections double down on you being somewhere in China. “I’ll be disappointed if you suddenly let me kill you, stranger.”

Slim, yet muscular. Long blonde hair. A gaze most distant, yet she still smiles, even in the middle of battle. Human? With that ability of hers, it’s unlikely; you’ve learned to differentiate that much, as short a time as you’ve spent here.

Amidst their game of cat and mouse, you can’t help but wonder if the area had been evacuated prior to Quanxi’s arrival, as if she’d been prepared to give chase, or even worse, as if she’d been prepared to fight. You don’t doubt the possibility of the woman having some kind of pull or authority in this time; as perhaps unprepared and bare as she appears, her skillset had quickly been proven. Being locked in at a coward’s stalemate for as long as you’d been, Can’t this end already?

“Please,” you pant, a hand poised in a pleading gesture. “Please stop.” The woman’s one visible eyebrow raises, her expression remaining placid. A moment later, she’s sheathing her blades.

“That’s fine with me,” she says, straightening up. “I’m pretty fond of this outfit and I’ve already scuffed the knees; it would be a shame if I tore anything else. You seem like… the civilized type, when you’re not running away. And if that’s the case, we should introduce ourselves.”

You give yours first, eager to catch your breath. The woman smiles.

“I am Quanxi. Now, tell me. The name of the Devil you’ve contracted with.”

Your expression hardens. “Devil?” you repeat. 

Quanxi does not doubt further the woman’s seemingly earnest confusion. She already looks like she’s not from the area, and certainly not necessarily a native from China, either. In fact, it’d been more like she’s stepped out of one of those futuristic, science fiction movies. Your entire existence did not belong here.

Your tired vision sweeps along the street before rising to stare at Quanxi. “Where is this place?”

Testing, “Do you mean this street? This… neighbourhood? Or this world?” You don’t answer, unable. The silence, accompanied with the difficult read on the foreigner’s partial expression, is an answer enough. “It’s called Earth.” 

“I know this is Earth.”

Quanxi’s lip quirks. “Then this place that you’re currently standing in, is in China. And this street, well… I’m not sure the name matters anymore. No one’s lived here in years.”

She watches you, a silence spread taut like a fishing line through the middle of your conversation as you ponder, before cutting it. 

“Listen. I’m glad you decided to stop running away,” your lip curls slightly at the curtness in her words, but you don't interrupt, “but since we’ve established that you’re not from the area, and since I don’t see a… spaceship… parked anywhere… you’re probably not an alien. But, you’ve also probably got nowhere to go, hm?”

“… that’s, unfortunately, correct,” you murmur, sighing. What a headache…

“And it doesn’t seem like you’re looking to cause any trouble. Right?”

“I’m kind of in some trouble of my own, if you haven’t noticed,” you point out.

“Fair enough. Then, I’ll do you a favour. If you’d be reasonable enough to not do something as stupid as try to murder me in my sleep, I’ll invite you into my home.”

Try? I could barely run away from you. 

“I’ll have to attend to some business in the morning outside the country, but, if you’re a good girl tonight, you’re welcome to stay there while I’m gone.” Your lips part to speak at the woman’s condescension, but by the absurdity of your situation, you find yourself unable to spit the words dancing behind your teeth back at her. Good girl?

“Do you need a physical invitation?” Quanxi says; you hadn’t realized she’d already begun to walk, and soundlessly trails after her. “Good.” Again? “I’ve parked several blocks north of here; it’s about a five minute walk if you’re fast about it.”

“Okay.” True to her estimation, once they’d picked up their pace, they found a sleek black automobile awaiting them only four blocks away. Compared to the older modeled cars you’ve passed, this one is at least twenty years ahead of their design.

Quanxi enters on her side before you can even open the passenger side door, and by the time you sit and shut the door behind you, the car has already belted to life, a soft rumbling heard from within its metal shell. A gear shifts, and they move.

The drive out of the dark neighbourhood where you first appeared, and into the glowing city you’d seen from afar is about three times as long as the walk had been. The luminance of the artificial light happens to be intense enough to make you squint so hard that your eyes become slits.

“Depending on how long you’re here for, you might end up getting used to it,” Quanxi says. You turn your head toward her. “Ah, well, I shouldn’t assume you don’t have these in your own home; apologies. Just, don’t stare at these ones directly. They’re definitely not up to code.”

You nod, glancing forward again.

“You aren’t very… chatty, are you,” Quanxi speculates, lowering one of her hands from the wheel to rest in her own lap.

“It’s… hard to think of something to talk about in my situation,” you say, wringing your wrists a little. “Small talk and idle conversations… is even harder.”

“You could always ask more questions.”

“I… can’t think of any.”

“Or ask if I know of a way to return you to your home.”

“And do you?”

“No. I can do a lot, but time travel?” Quanxi scoffs lightly. “Science fiction, for now. Maybe there’s a Devil out there that can do that. But, you could still have bothered to begin that conversation to see if I did.”

You pause. “Is this all a condition of me staying with you? Talking, asking questions…”

“Not at all. Simply makes for better company.”

You scoff, too, and fold your arms over your chest. “Aren’t you worried I’ll destroy your home while you’re gone? Or rob you?”

Quanxi chuckles. “Not at all. You might be lonely when I do, however. By how you greeted me earlier tonight, I should at least make sure my housekeeper doesn’t spook you away into, I don’t know, jumping out the window.”

“If I didn’t value my life, I wouldn’t have run away from you like I did. Why would I jump out the window…” The question hangs in the air, apparently a rhetorical quip.

The rest of the drive is completed in one-sided silence, Quanxi filling it with her own voice when she explains, unwarranted, the existence of Devils and what she’d meant when she’d asked you about a “contract”. It does make sense (and perhaps your interest in the subject did prove that you did have some curiosities), but you still had found yourself verily unwilling to engage in conversation, leaving your thoughts to race wildly beneath your skull.

In contrast to the surrounding buildings, Quanxi’s is not nearly as vibrant. The only lights come from the large fixed windows pressed tight between the dark brickwork; signs of life that neighbourhood from before had sorely been missing. Even the streets, despite the time, are flooded with chattering humans.

“We’re here, get out,” Quanxi says, putting the car into park and exiting it, herself. You join her on the sidewalk, where she’d just given a man a set of keys. In the corner of her vision, you watch him replace where Quanxi once sat, and drive off with her car, while the two of you enter the building.

“I’m on the penthouse level,” she tells you after pressing a button on the wall of the elevator. “It’s nothing fancy. Comfortable enough when I come home from an assignment, and for my—” Quanxi goes silent. You notice, but don’t press. The elevator chimes, announcing their arrival to the topmost level, and the doors open. “This way.”

There’s a keypad on the door, for which Quanxi types a particularly long code into before it beeps at them to enter. Whereas you take off your own boots and set them aside, Quanxi toes hers off and kicks them to the side, knocking yours over.

“A drink?” Quanxi offers.

“… water is fine.”

The penthouse is minimalist and simple, as its owner mentioned it would be. A simple living area full of couches and irregularly shaped chairs; a simple bedroom, raised up, across the room in a loft space. The bathroom and kitchen end up being the fanciest of the space, full of shining metal appliances and smooth surfaces, as white as the moon, itself.

There are but a few adornments and decorations, and you find that across the apartment, there are only a handful of photographs framed and sitting atop a long cabinet, two of which had been turned down— you recall Quanxi doing so as she’d entered ahead of you. Not one to pry — you know just as well as anyone what dredging up old memories does to a person — and with Quanxi busying herself in her kitchen, you cross over to them and quickly tip them up. Both have the woman pressed between four other girls, all with varyingly unexplainable appearances — why are her brains exposed? — but they all easily express their fondness for Quanxi.

“It’s like you’ve never been invited into someone’s home before,” Quanxi suddenly calls from around the corner. You flinch, and without making eye contact, set the frames back down with care. “It should go without me having to say the words “don’t touch anything unnecessary”.”

“Sorry,” you say.

Quanxi sighs, and extends her arm to hand the stranger a glass of clear liquid. “It’s fine. Just don’t touch them again. And try not to get curious enough that you want to ask about… them.”

You accept the glass, nodding, and take a generous gulp from it, immediately reeling.

“This isn’t water,” you say, swallowing thickly, your throat catching from the burn.

“It’s baijiu. Figured you could probably use some to relax while you’re here.” You instantly cough.

“Relax?”

“It’s not like you’ll be able to figure anything out tonight, not this late. And, not if you’re still wired into fight or flight mode. Drink this. If you’re hungry, there’s food in the fridge you can help yourself to. The bathroom is around the corner. Go and shower. I’ll grab you a change of clothing.”

Not that it’d been so severely important to, but you silently admit to her observations. Being sent stuck here and almost immediately thrust into one-sided combat against this strange woman, to being invited to her home for reprieve, has kept you tiptoeing on a jagged edge, teetering more to one side than the other. It’s discomforting. Unfamiliar.

You down the clear liquid in the glass before stalking into Quanxi’s bathroom, quick to strip yourself of your clothing before stepping into the shower. Beginning to scrub away the day’s grime from your body with a sudsy cloth, you realize you’ve yet to feel this calm thus far— must be the baijiu, you assume.

With the glass of the shower all fogged up from the steam, you don’t notice Quanxi standing in the doorway when you finally exit it. Unfocused, you jump, the towel in your hand almost slipping out of your grasp.

“I’m beginning to think,” you start, huffing out a flustered breath, “that you’re the lonely one between us.”

“Perhaps I am.” The ice in her own glass clinks against it when she takes a sip, watching you start to pat yourself dry. “I won’t argue with you. I never thought I would feel like this, even after losing them. They were only Fiends, after all. Not entirely human.”

“... does one have to be “entirely human” for someone to love them?”

“… I forgot who I was saying this to,” Quanxi muses, mostly to herself. “You’re young, after all. Insightfulness comes easier to each new generation of life.”

“Something like that,” you halfheartedly confirm, dragging the towel down each of your legs. You sigh— avoiding certain conversations may not be as easy as you’d once thought with this woman, the involvement of alcohol perhaps making it even more of a difficult probability. “Where I’m from… in my time… in my version of Earth, we don’t have different species of humans. But to be loved by anyone, by anything, even by someone non-human, is a joy, and an honour. Don’t justify them being Fiends so you don’t have to grieve over them. And… just be glad you can remember everything about them.”

She smiles back, but it’s distant; spurious. You know full well what the look is for, and decide it’s unfair to call the woman the only lonely one between them, after all.

Quanxi pushes herself off the door’s frame, stumbling very slightly out of her awkward stance.

“I was only in here for ten minutes. How did you manage to get drunk so quickly?”

“Oh, I’m not drunk,” Quanxi swears. “This is my first glass… and I’m a bit of a heavyweight. I just figure I should share some of my vulnerability with you since you’re naked in my home right now. Seems like a fair trade to me.”

You look up at her, having wrapped your head in the towel, and around the washroom.

“Your clothes. Right. I forgot to bring them in. They’re out here.”

“Could you go and grab them?”

“You’re coming back out here anyway, right? Just come and change out here.”

Your eyes narrow. The woman’s already seen her as nude as the day she’d been born, and from her own words, she now lives alone, the existence of those four girls in the photos seemingly otherwise erased from the apartment save for those photos. Being on the penthouse level on one of the tallest buildings around, it’d be unlikely for any of the neighbouring buildings to see—

“You’re overthinking it,” Quanxi calls out. “Is that something you do when you drink alcohol?”

Your attempt at sliding past her in the doorway fails, the taller of the two having lifted her arm to stop you.

“Is it?”

You sigh. Quanxi’s lip lifts into a small smile, and she drops her arm to let you pass and enter the kitchen.

“Is this where you assert yourself on me, and I lower myself into showing you my “gratitude”?” You slip on the folded burgundy tee from the counter, mentally cursing at the woman for supplying you with such a useless piece of fabric, the offending material barely reaching your navel; you shiver. “I’ve read enough fiction in my lifetime to recognize this cliché.”

“Then you must’ve read a crazy amount of sapphic erotica throughout your journey across the stars.” You shake your head and reach for the pants, ignoring Quanxi’s presence at your side. “No,” she answers, “though, I’m glad my intentions go without me having to say anything. A harmless, wordless invitation to share in a little bit of skinship with me. I won’t force you into it, but…”

In still being bare from the hips down, Quanxi dares to smooth a hand across your waist that curls an arm around your middle, and you freeze, your cool skin quick to grow warm under her touch.

“Quanxi—””It’s not lowering yourself to enjoy yourself,” she muses, right next to your ear. You blame your immodesty for the chill that sweeps down your spine. “Let me take your mind out of the stars for the night.”

It’s the alcohol. You’re drunk, too. That’s the only reason. Trying to rationalize your acceptance of the situation with false realities only embarrasses you further— you aren’t drunk. You can’t even call yourself slightly inebriated, not yet. 

Then perhaps it’s your subconscious telling you to cave to Quanxi’s suggestion. To give into the strange offer of reprieve this Earth finds itself willing to give to you.

Her hands travel, soft and featherlight, across your now scalding flesh, and beneath the waistband of the sweats she’d intended on giving you. Loosening them from around your hips, she pushes them down until they slip around your ankles, and with a hand poised at the toned sculpt of her abdomen, she presses you into leaning against the counter behind you.

“Just stand there and stay pretty for me.”

Quanxi doesn’t waste another moment; not particularly keen to stop her, you lean into the hand that cups your jaw, allows her to fit her lips between yours, tries to remember the last time you’d ever kissed or had ever been kissed, and fails. With no other thoughts to keep you tethered to creating distractions for yourself, you keen forward and shift your weight onto a single foot. A small laugh huffs against your lips.

“You are enjoying yourself, aren’t you,” she murmurs. You’re about to argue the opposite, that you’d only been acting agreeable for their best interest, and open your mouth; ever the opportunist, Quanxi is quick to curl her tongue to sweep along the inside of your lips before you get the chance to utter a single word. You flinch, but your own hand stays holding Quanxi’s hips against your own.

Her thighs are thick, discovering them to be more muscular than you’d first presumed when one of them press between your own and shift upward. You gasp, a soft sound, when the coarse material of Quanxi’s denim begins sliding back and forth along your bare clit; you tremble, and grips her sides just a little firmer.

“Ah, see? You don’t have to use your words to show it.”

A hand slips around to hold your neck, Quanxi pulling her mouth hard against yours, and you moan, your breaths shared with each tilt of their head and each swirl of their tongues around the other dense, purposeful. Was it the alcohol making your mind fuzzier? Making your judgment clouded? You hadn’t yearned for something this hard in much too long a time, though it did go without saying— yes, I’m enjoying myself.

You shiver at the sudden soft pecks and harsher licks at the curve of your neck, and Quanxi grinds your crotch against her bouncing thigh a little more insistently when you’d begun to shudder.

“You’re close, right? So soon?” Reluctantly, you find yourself nodding. Quanxi hums. “Not here.” She lowers her knee almost too abruptly, and releases. Your head snaps her way, frowning.

“This isn’t how I want you to come,” she explains, decidedly tugging down her own pants and kicking them away. “Too simple.”

“Why did you stop?”

“It’s only for a moment,” Quanxi assures you. She takes one of your hands and begins pulling you toward the staircase to the loft, quick to guide you along to sitting at the edge of her plush bedding. “Don’t look so frustrated, hm?”

You scoff, but it’s choked, heart still racing from your formerly impending, now lost, orgasm.

“More condescending words of yours,” you mutter, “just like earlier.”

“Condescending words from earlier…” Quanxi pauses. “Do you mean when I called you a “good girl”?”

“Yes. It was patronizing.”

“And… if I were to call you a good girl now?” Quanxi releases her hold around your wrist and, before you can pull them back (whether you were going to or not), fits her fingers through both of yours and kneels between your legs, spreading them further apart with her shoulders. Your entire body flinches, and your arms both jerk upwards with nowhere to go. “Is that still me being condescending? Or…” Quanxi tilts her head forward once more, and licks a stripe upward against your quiver. “… maybe it’s patronizing now?”

“Y-You’ve… well surpassed the definition of both of those words,” you groan.

“Maybe.” Quanxi’s tongue curls, catching on the hood of your clit. You gasp. “But look at you, my little time-traveling friend, behaving so well for me. I think this deserves a little bit of praise; a small reward.”

“Stop talking about it and give it to me, then.”

Quanxi doesn’t speak again, having suddenly busied herself with the wet kisses she supplied to your cunt. Your eyes fly upward to meet hers, tongue flicking so frustratingly calculated between your folds. You stir, arms twitching impatiently in her hold with nowhere to go— until she releases them again. Unable to help herself, you lurch forward, one hand pressing the woman between your thighs deeper into you, the other clawing at the sheets beneath you. When Quanxi goes to mumble something, not bothering to remove her tongue from against you, you send a hazy glare her way.

“Don’t talk, j-just—!” Quanxi’s grip shifts, instead to wind her arms around your thighs when your squirming becomes too uncontrolled. You cry out, a sharp noise that ends up startling you back into biting down on your own lip, as Quanxi suckles on your swollen bud. It’s impossible to stop her, to want to stop her; your hold on her head lessens, though it’s only when your legs begin to tremble in their attempt to fold shut, and when your voice catches in her throat that Quanxi finally pulls away, lips and chin glistening under the moonlight and hair slightly disheveled, and you groan again, a noise that grows progressively louder and more frustrated as the blonde rises back onto her feet.

“I never specified if you’d be the only one getting rewarded,” Quanxi points out, chuckling. “Keep your legs open.”

You manage a frown, but still hold your thighs apart for Quanxi to straddle you. Your hips buck, feeling the sudden pressure, the sudden heat and slick press against her; Quanxi doesn’t waste another moment, having been denying even herself the pleasure she’d now twice ripped away from you— punishment for the frustratingly short answers you’d provided throughout the evening.

Hands falling next to your head to grip the blanket, she rocks forward, lower back instinctively arching upon the friction finally reaching her— Quanxi moans, and you, impatient and shuddering once more, reach behind Quanxi to grab at her ass to pull her tighter into you.

“So eager,” Quanxi groans. Jerkily, she forces your shirt up over your breasts, nipples pert from your arousal, and dips her head down to wrap her lips around one, tongue swirling.

“Quanxi, I—” she pops away, gasping, hips still gyrating and pelvis grinding into yours with such a desperate fervour; she suddenly swivels herself and takes hold of your leg from under her knee, bringing it upwards. “Quanxi—”

“Go on, then,” Quanxi pants. Both mouths dripping, she takes her tongue and drags it up your calf. “Come for me, my little time-traveler.”

You choke on your breath, and your hands seize for Quanxi to hold her in position while you suddenly flip her around, grinding down on her, instead. Teeth gritted, Quanxi pulls and tugs at the sheets, moaning with the sweet relief of her own orgasm, and you tremble, crying out soft and low from the washing over of — finally, finally — your own pleasure.

Spent, you huff at the one-eyed woman when you lower herself down fully onto her pelvis. “Don’t… call me that ever again.”

Quanxi’s laugh is one of disbelief, and has you reddening above her.

“I was supposed to have an early night… I can always sleep on the plane.”

© nc-vb 2024 please don’t repost! reblogs & comments are always appreciated.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

just a girl 4

Warnings: this fic will include elements, some dark, such as possible cheating, low self-esteem, noncon/dubcon, and other untagged triggers. Please take this into account before proceeding. It is up to curate your online consumption safely.

Summary: you move in with your sister when your luck turns for the worst.

Characters: Walter Marshall, possible Andy Barber

Author’s Note: Please feel free to leave some feedback, reblog, and jump into my asks. I’m always happy to discuss with you and riff on idea. As always, you are cherished and adored! Stay safe, be kind, and treat yourself💜

You stare out the window as time ticks by. You’re restless. You can’t go far out of your room for fear of running into your brother-in-law and you’re in no hurry for Walter to follow through on his promise. It doesn’t matter that you said no, he’ll be back. Just like everything you say, no one hears you. 

The job boards leave you even more deflated. You’re about to give up. Every email is spam or the notification that a posting has closed. That means you didn’t get that either. You barely even both opening the new messages. 

You watch how the sun casts a shadow of the tree branch and leaves. The rustle is dreamy and your head is hazy with detachment. You close your eyes and drop your head. Andy’s right, you’re just a burden. You owe Rhiannon so many apologies; for being useless, for crashing her newlywed year, for being her sister. Chance has cursed her with you. 

A thump comes at the door, “get out here.” 

Andy’s voice has you on your feet. You grab your satchel and your phone. It’s 6:23pm. You open the door and meet his icy glare. 

“That loser is here. Heh, you might be a better match than I thought,” he taunts. 

“Thanks,” you step out and go to pull the door shut behind you. He reaches past you and stops the door, closing in and forcing you to press your shoulders to the wood. 

“Hiding something in there?” He challenges with a flick of his lashes. 

“No,” you babble, “I’m just...” 

“What do you even do in there all day? Like a troll in a cave,” he mocks. 

“I... nothing.” 

“Nothing. Obviously,” he scoffs. “As always.” 

“Please,” you look past him. “I’m trying to leave.” 

“You live under my roof, you go when I say,” he sneers. 

“I don’t... understand,” you eke out. 

“Understand this,” he pulls back and wags his finger in your face, “you stay out past midnight and don’t wake us up when you get home. Hell, if you hear us, plug your ears.” 

“Right, I... I’ll be quiet,” you whisper. 

He narrows his eyes and hovers his finger before you. His gaze slowly descends and he touches the strap of your satchel. He follows it down, just next to your chest. He reads your tee shirt. 

“You dress like a goddamn teenager,” he flicks your tit cruelly and you wince, letting out a yelp as you cup your chest, “act like one too.” 

You’re in disbelief. You can’t believe he touched you there. Sure, it was mean. It hurt. Yet it feels like a violation. 

“Honey,” Rhiannon’s voice trills through the house and Andy blanches. He wipes the anger from his face and raises both hands, lowering his arms slowly as he backs up. He stares you down as he puts on his mask, “hey, Walter is waiting outside. Did you have to go to the station?” 

Your sister appears in the kitchen archway and you glance past Andy as she looks around. She sees you and smiles. She wears a polka dot wrap dress that hugs her figure. 

“No,” Andy backs up, “he’s waiting on her. I was just dragging her into the light.” 

“Oh?” Rhiannon’s face brightens up, “for you!” She claps and flutters over, “that’s wonderful. Is it a date?” 

“No,” you utter. 

“She’s being modest,” Andy snorts, “of course, it’s a date. You always said it’s about time she gets out, finds someone, didn’t you, honey?” 

You frown. Of course she would say that. She wants you gone too, she’s just too nice to say so. 

“I’ll just... go,” you sidle out from between Andy and the door. 

As you do, he reaches past you and pulls it shut. You wince. He doesn’t make sense to you. If he hates you so much, why is he bothering you? You mind your business, stay out of his way, but he’s always lurking, ready to torture you. 

“Oh, do you need to take anything with you? What are you doing?” Rhiannon buzzes with excitement as she blocks the doorway. “Ooo, do you want a dress?” 

“No, this is fine. We’re just... having burgers, or something. I don’t know,” you explain flatly. 

“How about dessert? I made some cookies. Oh, wait,” she twirls and floats across the kitchen. She slides a pink bottle from the wine rack and brings it to you, “here. You can’t go over without a gift. Right, Andy?” 

“Sure, it is the courteous thing to do,” Andy agrees, “rude to show up empty-handed.” 

You don’t miss the insinuation. What did you bring with you to his home but a grey cloud and failure? You thank Rhiannon and take the bottle. You don’t want to argue. She’s so happy, you can’t bring yourself to insist that it’s nothing. Like Andy said, Walter is just trying to get to him. You’re not that interesting. 

“Have a great night,” Rhiannon sings and surprises you with a hug, crushing the bottle against your stomach, “I hope you have so much fun! Eeh, tomorrow, I’m taking you to lunch and you’re going to tell me everything.” 

“Okay,” you agree with a squeak, “um...” you glance through the archway, “he’s waiting.” 

“We won’t wait up,” Andy assures you and steps up next to his wife, slinging his arm across her shoulders, “have fun.” 

You leave them and make the death march down the hallway. The only positive you see is that Andy won’t be around to stomp your spirit into the ground. You stop to step into your Vans and open the front door. You emerge into the evening sunlight and blink around the yard.  

Walter waits with his arms crossed as you descend the steps, not looking at him as you slouch. He comes closer and drops his arms, “thought you didn’t drink.” 

You shrug, “my sister sent it.” 

“Ah, she is a sweetheart,” he says, “here, let me carry it.” 

You don’t resist as he slips the long-necked bottle from your grasp. He turns and gestures you toward the gate. You precede him through the open picket floor and he shuts it behind him as he follows. He comes up parallel to you as you head down the sidewalk. 

He holds the wine out to read the label, “rose. Hm, should go with chicken burgers.” 

“I don’t know,” you mutter. 

“Hmm,” he hums and lowers the bottle. 

You walk along in silence. You’re too hot in your denim and cotton. He’s changed. His hair is slightly tidier and he wears a short-sleeved button up with shorts. You’re embarrassed that you didn’t even both to put on a different shirt. 

“Must be hard living with that jackass,” he scoffs, “working with him is a pain in the ass and a half.” 

“Huh?” You blink against the angle of the sunlight. 

“Andrew Barber. Asshole at law,” he sneers, “always wondered about your sister. Seems too nice for someone like him. Young too.” 

“I guess,” you agree. “He’s... She loves him.” 

“You don’t gotta lie to me,” he insists, “but we don’t gotta spend all night talking about him either. I’m sure you’re happy to get outta there.” 

“Sure.” 

“Woman of few words. Respect that,” he comments, “so, what do you do? For work?” 

“Nothing, er, right now. Looking.” 

“Oh yeah? Well, what do you usually do?” He asks as you feel him look over at you. “Don’t seem the secretary type.” 

You stroll by one of the blonde women from Rhiannon’s club in her front yard. She waters lush roses as she fails to hide her intrusive stare. You twist the strap of your bag as you watch the lines in the pavement pass beneath your soles. 

“Woodwork. Carpentry,” you answer. “Tryna get in at a shop.” 

“Oh, good with your hands,” he chuckles, “I like that.” 

“I... guess,” you bring your hands together and mash your palms against one another. 

“Sorry, that came out wrong,” he laughs again, “well, if you’re still looking for a while, you any good at shelves?” 

“Shelves?” You echo. 

“I’m redoing my garage. Making a mancave. My daughter likes to have her friends over and I try to stay outta their way so.” 

“I can make shelves,” you answer. “Not hard.” 

“Install?” He wonders and you nod. He’s quiet. “Great, what’s your rate?” 

“My rate?” 

“I’ll pay materials plus labour,” he offers. 

“Oh, okay,” you chuff out, surprised.  

“We’ll figure all the numbers out later,” he affirms, “oh, and don’t worry. My daughter’s at a sleepover so it’s just us.” 

“I... wasn’t worried,” you say. 

“Sure,” he gets closer and stretches his arm around your back, resting his hand on your hip. You pass another housewife in her garden as she gapes in your direction. You go rigid, feet nearly tripping as he keeps his arm around you, “well, if you were...” 

You want to pull away but you can’t. You don’t want to make a scene or make him angry. Not after Andy’s sheer hatred. So, you stay quiet and walk on, his fingers curling into your hip, one slipping through a loop in your jeans. Your overly aware of the watching eyes of the HOA, you know Rhiannon will hear all about this, even if you don’t tell her. 

[d0youc0py]

Warnings: fluffy, meeting for the first time, making plans for a date, GN reader, storms, too long, not proofread

Maybe renting a cabin in-almost- the middle of nowhere wasn’t there best idea. It had been storming for the past four hours, making it impossible to take advantage of the beautiful world outside. You should’ve brought your rain boots.

You were pacing back and forth across the hardwood when your light flickered twice before going out completely.

“No!” You growled. You flickered the switch on and off as if that would do anything. “Fuck.” With a huff you tugged on your coat and slipped into your shoes, using your phone light to guide you. You went around the back of the house fiddling with the power box. “I better not get electrocuted.”

The thought of that alone was enough to make you close the power box. You turned on your heels making your way to the other rental house down the road.

“Hi Mrs. Collier, is your power on?” You smiled at the older woman as she opened the door.

“What’d your roof cave in?” She questioned, taking in your soak appearance. She moved out of the doorway, silently welcoming you inside.

“It’s been on and off for the past hour.” She sighed pouring you a hot drink. “I’ve got spare clothes in the hall closet- don’t want you to get my carpet moldy.” She shooed you off.

“Thank you Mrs. Collier!” You did as she had told and found a nice oversized shirt and sleep shorts.

“So what do we do? Just wait it out?” You questioned sitting at the counter. She pushed the hot drink towards you, then added another candle to the fifty she had on the counter.

“I do what everyone does when something goes wrong. Call John.”

“Who’s John?” You asked. She looked at you with furrowed brows.

“You’ve been living here for how long and you haven’t met John yet?”

You took a sip of your drink and shook your head.

“Well I guess that makes sense.” She sighed. “He’s in the military- high up I think and he does those special agent type things, Y’know like the things you see on TV- anyways he’s gone a lot, never too long but you can always tell when he is.”

“How so?” You pressed.

“The town falls apart, physically. I almost feel bad for the man, never seems to have time to relax.” Mrs. Collier continued. “Someone’s water heater is always going out, or there’s a storm and one time the Hathaway’s fence completely collapsed- sheep got out all over town. It was quite the sight.” She smiled to herself and you wondered for a minute if she remembered you were there. She shook her head breaking herself out of her trance. “Drink up honey, don’t need you gettin’ everyone sick.” She gave a gentle smile.

Suddenly the lights flicked on. You closed your eyes quickly not ready for the burst of light.

“You alright in there.” A gruff voice called from outside. There was a knock at the front door, before the person outside let themselves in.

“Thanks, John. What do I owe you?” Ms. Collier asked, sliding off the stool.

“I’ll take a muffin if you have any.” The owner of the voice suddenly appeared in the kitchen doorway. He paused for a moment when he saw you. His face softened and he offered you a polite smile. You were too flushed about his your appearance to return it. “I don’t think we’ve met. John Price. I live about a mile up the road.” (I know he’s British) He extended his hand towards you, not before wiping it on his pants. He wore a black rain coat, with his hood pulled up over a black beanie. The beanie was far too low for your liking, nearly covering his vibrant eyes. As if he read your mind he tugged it up slightly.

“Y/N, L/N.” You shook his hand, pulling away quicker than you probably should. “You said you lived up the road? That pretty cream colored house?” You asked. He chuckled at you. It was warm and inviting.

“Never been one to think my house was pretty, but yes that’d be the one.”

“Order up.” Ms. Collier handed John a large ziplock filled with muffins.

“Thank you, Doll.” John smiled. Ms. Collier let out a giggle swatting at him and you couldn’t help the smile that grew on your own face at the interaction. “Where you staying? Need a ride back?” John turned towards you.

“Y/N’s power is out too.” Ms. Collier spoke for you, smirking at your flushed appearance. “They’re staying one house over.” Ms. Collier pointed towards the direction you came from.

“Let’s get you settled then.” John said, nodding his head towards the door.

“Are you sure?” You asked hesitantly. John nodded his head in assurance and you wondered what it was like to be someone with such a comforting aura. “Thank you.” You stood up, grabbing your wet clothes from the laundry room. “Thank you Ms. Collier.”

“Anytime, Honey.”

You started out the door but John pulled you back.

“Umbrella?” He raised a brow at you. You shook your head. He quickly unzipped his jacket, sticking his hand in his pocket and holding half of his jacket above your head. You instinctively shuffled closer. He was warm and smelled like pine- and a little something else that you couldn’t quite put your finger on but it was smoky. You both began your track to your house, breathing a sigh of relief when you entered almost completely dry.

“Where’s your power box?”

“On the side of the house.” He nodded his head starting towards it. You began digging around your house for some sort of payment for him. He already had some baked goods and who knows what else he earned on his travels. The lights flickered on in no more than five minutes. Heavy footsteps thudded against your porch and John stopped in the doorway, not wanting to wet your entire house.

“Thank you so much!” You praised. “Now I unfortunately don’t really have any food, well anything substantial at least, but I have some cash.”

“Don’t know if you should be telling strangers you have cash in your home, love.” He scolded, shaking off his coat on the porch. You gave him a sheepish smile, to hung up on the endearment to fully take in his words.

“Yeah.” You sighed, still waiting for an answer from him. “So how much?”

“Dinner with me?” He said suddenly. You began to head over to your bag but stopped.

“I’m sorry, what?” You could hardly believe he wanted anything to do with you. Your hair was plastered to your face and you were wearing the worst clothes the 80’s had to offer. “Are you sure?”

He furrowed his brows at you. “Am I sure?” He repeated..“Something wrong with you?” He hummed. You nodded your head, but quickly shook it.

“No. I mean nothings wrong with me. Well that’s not true there’s probably a lot of things- somethings that I’m probably not even aware of. I’m sorry I shouldn’t say there are a lot of things wrong with me but”-

“Breathe, Sweetheart.” He interjected. “I’ll take dinner or you can just call this one free as a ‘welcome to town’ favor.”

“I like dinner.” The words came from your lips before he had even finished his sentence. He chuckled at you again.

“Good, I’ll pick you up tomorrow. 7:30 sharp.” He began making his way down your porch steps, back to his truck.

“Okay!” You shouted after him. “Thank you.” You knew he couldn’t hear you, so you decided it was a thank you meant for the storm.

[sanjoongie]

𝔻𝕒𝕪 𝕊𝕚𝕩: 𝔸𝕦𝕣𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕞/𝕊𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕠𝕣𝕪 𝔻𝕖𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

🥀Pairing: Beta! Mingi x Alpha! Reader (f)

🥀Genre: Smut

🥀Rating: 18+, Minors Do not Interact 

🥀Au: a/b/o au, werewolf au, supernatural au

🥀Trope: poly, established relationship

🥀Summary: one the full moon, you play a game of Find and Fuck, where you hunt down Mingi with only the sound of his noises as he masturbates

🥀Kinks: auralism, sensory deprivation, Dom! reader, sub! mingi, background poly ot8, masturbation (m), cock ring pussy (it'll make sense just wait), getting tied up/restrained

🥀Word Count: 1,243

🥀Betas: @mejuii

🥀Day Five: Dacryphilia 🥀Mini Masterlist 🥀Day Seven: Voyeurism

You could hear Mingi masturbating, like a siren call to your senses. The lewd skin slapping noises as his cock fucked his hand had you wet in anticipation. But it was the choked moans, that deep voice echoing in the empty castle, desperately calling for you, that made you struggle in your chains. 

“This is fun,” Wooyoung said in a stage whisper to Yeosang. The other wolf hushed Wooyoung, who made a face of his fun being ruined. 

“Turn the hourglass,” Seonghwa instructed. “Heart, you have exactly ten minutes to break your chains and fuck Mingi. And if you’re not able to do so…”

Hongjoong chuckled darkly. “Then you have to suffer and watch as we have our fun with him.”

Jongho nudged San in the ribs. “Wish you had pulled the short straw tonight, huh, old son?” The younger provoked the older wolf. San silently snarled back.

It was the night of a full moon, but instead of being tortured and pulling your clothes apart to be free in your wolf form, your pack played a game. “Find and Fuck” is what Yunho crudely called it but really it was a game of strength and skill. The beta’s of the pack volunteer if they wish to play, consenting to  being the prey for the night--and all the sex afterwards. As the predator, you need to break free from the titanium steel chains, and with only your sense of hearing, you were to track down your ‘prey’. Tonight it was Mingi and now you knew why; everyone in the damned ruins would be able to hear that wolf while he pleasured himself. 

You focused inward, connecting with your wolf side and poured that supernatural strength into your human body. The links on the chain began to groan in protest. But it still wasn’t enough. 

To make matters worse, Mingi was getting more and more vocal. “Oh, yeah, Heart.” With your evolved hearing, you could even hear his frenzied swallowing. “Fuck me just like that, yeah, you feel so good, hnnnnn, fuck, squeeze me just like that.”

You growled deeply, making the chains twinkle to the vibrations. “I’ll show you squeeze.”

“Time’s ticking,” Yunho taunted you.

“Just thinking about those plush lips around my cock is getting me hard,” Yeosang commented. 

“Oh yeah mmmmmm gonna cum, gonna cum for you Heart,” Mingi cried out, “Make a mess of me, make me squirt inside of you, hnnnn, that’s it--yesssssss.”

That was the last straw, with a howl, your head cast back, you broke the chains and then you were dashing down the hallway. You’re practically skidding around corners, banging into the walls and then launching yourself more. You follow the beautiful moans of Mingi until you finally locate him in a room where the roof caved in and the moonlight focused on Mingi, making him glow. There was a blindfold around his head, empowering his anticipation of either you finding him--or the other’s gangbanging him. 

“Heart!” Mingi, who clearly caught wind of your smell, smiled lazily at your approach. You saw his cum all over his hand and the ground. 

You didn’t know how much time was left in the hourglass but you needed to get Mingi inside of you as quickly as possible. You grabbed his wrist and yanked him upwards. Naked for everyone's pleasure, Mingi gasped when his ass kissed the cool stone of the castle ruins. You took his wrist and pinned it above his head. You then used your free hand to grab his cock and then crooked your leg around his waist. Your underwear was impatiently pushed to the side so that you could take Mingi’s length within you. 

“I love it when you’re rough with me,” Mingi admitted.

“Because you’re a little beta whore,” You growled.

Mingi’s tip was barely inside of you when you started to rock your hips to work him into you. He moaned loudly and you could hear a hoot from the other side of the castle. You must have arrived within the ten minutes you had been allotted. 

You pushed Mingi’s face towards his arm being pinned against the wall and then started to nose his neck. Mingi always smelled like the deep scent of the evergreen tree to you, accompanied by the sweetness of the citrus fruits. He was clean and fresh and simply delectable. 

You squeezed your cunt around Mingi, pulling fresh moans from his plush lips. “Heart!” he cried out for you.

“I’m going to make you cum so many times, Mingi, you’re going to be begging me to stop,” You threatened.

“Hhhhnnn,” Mingi whined, “Don’t threaten--oh fuck--me with a--yes, just like that!--good time!”

You bite down on Mingi’s shoulder, careful to not draw blood, but enough to make his dick twitch inside of you. You growled and then uttered, “Mine,” against his skin.

“Oh, yes, make me yours,” Mingi begged. You expected him to act out, to buck up into your heat, but his ass stayed against the stone’s, like a good little beta was supposed to. He wasn’t like San or Wooyoung. 

There was a rope hanging from some broken rafters, and quickly wrapped them around both of Mingi’s wrists. Then you grabbed the rope to hold your weight as you braced both of your feet against the wall and started to work overtime. The new lewd noises of your ass against Mingi’s pelvis was exactly what you wanted.

But the deep, desperate noises of Mingi’s, the small puffs of air hitting your neck as he buried his face there, that was truly what kept you going. The fact that your beta couldn't shut up about how fucking good it felt while you fucked him urged you on. 

Mingi truly was the perfect submissive for an alpha. 

“Oh shit,” Seonghwa hissed as he entered the room. 

“I told you she was going to be fucking him into tomorrow,” San sulked.

“Don’t make him raw,” Hongjoong cautioned you.

“Fuck off,” You cursed at the other alpha. 

As your own orgasm approached, Mingi’s long cock hitting that good good spot inside of you, your female alpha anatomy kicked in: a ring of your vaginal muscles clamped down on Mingi, to stop him from ejaculating inside of you. You were an alpha, not a body to be bred, but to rule. So this was nature’s response to halt such progress. 

You howled again, your orgasm hitting you like a ton of bricks. The pleasure washed over you, and soon all you could hear was your own heavy breathing and Mingi’s disappointed whimpers. 

“C-can I still cum?” Mingi softly kissed your neck, begging, pleading with you. 

Eventually your ring of tight muscles released Mingi, and still he held himself in place. You carefully untied him and climbed down. Yunho approached behind you and you sent him a look of warning. He was not about to claim your prize when you had won the contest. 

You pulled off the blindfold around Mingi’s head and felt a need to take care of the beta. His eyes were so very big and pleading. You ruffled his hair. “I’ll let you cum in my mouth, how about that?”

Mingi’s face broke out into a sunshine grin. “Really?!”

“A good beta should always be rewarded,” You replied.

Mingi folded himself into your body, and you were thankful for your supernatural strength. “You’re the best,” he whispered in your ear.

“Hey,” Yeosang protested half heartedly, “We heard that.”

🥀Day Five: Dacryphilia 🥀Mini Masterlist 🥀Day Seven: Voyeurism

[yall-batman-fanfic]

“I’ll Always Be Here for You, Kiddo. Always.” | Dick Grayson & Magician!Reader

Synopsis: Unlike the younger members of the Bat family, Dick was the one to witness all the stages in Bruce and Vivian’s relationship. From being “just the girlfriend” to being Bruce’s partner and wife. But to Dick, Vivian came from a friend to his mother. As the “first son”, everyone is making mistakes, both parent and child, and it takes a slap of reality to fix those mistakes. Literally. 

It was one of those days when Vivian decided to take the long commute to Gotham University by sleeping in Wayne Manor after going on a date with Batman after he finished his patrol. Of all the dates she went with Bruce, last night topped it off as Batman went back to the cave just to drop off Dick after finishing for the night and get her to take her on a drive across Gotham and bring her to the tower where he would be perched and have a good view of Gotham. 

Sitting on top of a gargoyle with only her coat and a cup of coffee to keep her warm, along with Batman’s arm around her while they watched over Gotham’s view was a whole level of romance. Hell, this was way more romantic than the photo of Lois Lane being carried by Superman in midair. 

Besides, who doesn’t find gargoyles romantic? 

Their night on that spot didn’t end with just coffee and a talk while drinking coffee and watching the view. Batman had to turn off his comms for a while and hope no patrolling chopper would fly by as Vivian rode him on that roof.

Yeah, rooftop sex by the gargoyle and the sunrise just set a new standard of romance for Vivian.

When they returned to the cave, the two had a quick shower before joining Dick upstairs where he was already sitting at his place on the table, eating breakfast. The poor boy was still sleepy and kept dozing off while he ate his toast. 

“Did you just come up from the cave?” Dick asked.

“Thought I worked more on the Croc case,” said Bruce, which had Vivian smile and kiss his cheek before sitting to his right at the table.

“You up for school, kiddo?” Vivian asked Dick when he missed his mouth when he ate.

“Yeah, about that, I was thinking I skip today and focus more on the Croc case. We’re making really good progress lately,” Dick shrugged.

Vivian raised her brow at that. She was about to tell him that he shouldn’t but she reminded herself that Dick wasn’t technically her ward, he was Bruce’s. And while she and Bruce were in a serious relationship, she still had no say in these matters. So, she held her tongue and drank her coffee.

“Absolutely not, young man!” Alfred came in, still holding Dick’s Robin costume.

“Come on, Al, it’s not like what they’re teaching me there even matters. This does,” Dick had a lazy smile.

“Your extracurricular activities can wait until after school and after your homework, Young Master Dick. Don’t you agree, Master Bruce?” When Bruce acted as if he didn’t hear, Vivian kicked him under the table, and Alfred repeated, “I say, don’t you agree, Master Bruce?”

Alfred turned to Bruce, expecting him to say something, even Vivian waited for what he was going to say. Bruce saw their stares and placed down the paper he was reading and said, “Let him stay home if he wants. This is more important than whatever they’re teaching him in Gotham Academy.”

Alfred wasn’t having it, and Vivian decided that the man was enough to say what was also in her mind about this conversation and continued with her meal. “The Headmaster has already called your parenting into question, Master Bruce! We are at least going to try and keep up an appearance as something resembling a normal family.”

That comment had Vivian almost choking on her coffee.

“He is not normal, Alfred. We never will be. He’s special,”  Bruce said.

This time Vivian wasn’t able to hold the eye roll.

“He can be special after school,” Alfred then tossed the Robin uniform at Bruce’s face. “And the next time he gets his gloves and tunic full of blood, how about you clean them?”

With that, Alfred stormed out.

“Get ready for school,” Bruce told Dick.

“But –”

“But nothing. Croc can wait. No one’s seen him in weeks anyway. He’s probably skipped town. Now, go to school.”

“It’s not fair,” Dick muttered and got up to prepare his things and get in his uniform.

“Nothing is. See? You’re already learning.” 

That only aggravated Dick more and continued to mutter under his breath as he stormed out the same direction as Alfred.

Alone at the table, Vivian continued to eat in peace, enjoying the meal prepared by Alfred and the sight of the Robin uniform on Bruce’s shoulder.

“I saw that earlier,” Bruce said as he continued to look at the paper. “Is there something you want to add to that?”

Vivian got up from the table with her empty plate. “Nothing,” she shrugged. “He’s not my kid, Bruce. So, you do you. And I think Alfred made his point for both of us.”

Bruce looked up at her and saw the smirk on her face.

“Also, don’t use hot water on that,” she pointed to the shirt. “It’ll cook the blood and it’s impossible to get it off.”

“I know that.”

“Do you?” She teased him. “I need to get ready too, and maybe I can drop off Dick to school.”

“You can take one of the cars.”

“I think we’ll take the bus this time,” Vivian shrugged.

“It’ll be longer and you both might be late.”

She thought for a while and then sighed in defeat. “You’re just finding a way to trap me here.”

This time it was him who smirked. “Look at that. You’re learning too – seriously?” Vivian threw the table napkin at his face.

“I’ll bring the car back later and then take a cab home. See you later, Wayne!” Vivian called out as she went to the kitchen to fix her plate and then upstairs to get ready for work and knock on Dick’s room to tell him of their plan to go to school together.

~*~

The next encounter similar to the one during breakfast, Vivian decided to step out of the room entirely, seeing it was a family matter. It was best to not assume she had a say when she was just Bruce’s girlfriend and wasn’t part of the whole Batman operation, despite her knowing the secret. She had strong opinions about Dick’s education and part as Robin, especially when she had to be the one to drag her siblings out of bed and bring them to school for a long time, and take part-time jobs to help with the bills and their allowances, but kept them to herself.

She knew Bruce could feel her silently disagreeing with how he was parenting Dick, especially when it came to putting Robin first than school, and asked her about it but all Vivian said was: “This is a very sensitive topic, Bruce. I don’t want to meddle. My only advice is listen to Alfred.”

It was the most passive aggressive response Bruce got and didn’t go too deep about it. He’s a new parent after all and he’s bound to make mistakes. And mistakes seems to be the one he’s been making recently as Alfred kept reminding him on what to do and what not to do when it comes to parenting Dick. 

Alfred and Vivian.

There are nights when he would find Vivian in Dick’s room helping him with homework or simply talk to him whenever the boy got too angry and was lashing out. Vivian wouldn’t meddle when it comes to Bruce’s parenting but she was there to help Dick when the boy needed her.

On one of the nights Dick wasn’t called to join Batman for patrol, he slammed the door of his room and laid in bed. Vivian, who was in the manor for some research on her paper about the Wayne family history, heard the whole exchange and decided to see Dick once he’s calmed down.  Sneaking to the kitchen, she made him a hot coco and took a biscuit from Alfred’s biscuit jar.

Knocking on the door, Vivian waited until she heard Dick call out, “not now, Alfred!”

Chuckling, she opened the door and revealed to him it was her.

“Grounded?” She teased him.

Dick glared at her. “Funny.”

Vivian entered the room and handed him the drink. “When you grow up, you’d enjoy these little breaks from work – and before you say anything about the whole Robin thing, not ‘work’, trust me. It is. Even Bruce calls it his ‘night-shift’.” Vivian took a bite of the biscuit. “So, what’s up, kiddo?”

“He got a call from school,” Dick muttered.

She urged him to continue.

Dick sighed. “I missed a couple of homeworks and skipped a couple of classes. Big deal! It’s not like we were learning anything anyway.”

“You wanna know a secret?” Vivian took another bite. “They don’t really give a shit about that. After school,  they know you won’t remember why the fuck Edgar Allan Poe wrote The Bell or when the fuck was gravity discovered. What they care about is the whole principle of school. It’s the idea of you showing up and complying with the rules. School is modeling you to be a good citizen, not a fucking genius. Trust me, I don’t even remember half of the shit they taught us then.”

Dick raised a brow. “You’re a professor in history and art, and you know more about Edgar Allan Poe than me.”

“Okay, I don’t remember half of what they taught me in math and science. History and lit, that’s a personal interest. Now, I get that the whole Robin thing is like a calling, but the hard truth is, people need to go to school to get the requirements that life needs to get a freaking job and pay your bills. And when the time comes that you decide to leave this big ass house and start on your own, you’ll need something to keep the roof over your head and buy all those chips that you like. And to do that, you’ll need a job, and to get a job you need a degree or at least a high school degree. Also, disclaimer, whatever we teach you in uni is important for your job. Okay?”

Dick laughed. “I get it.”

“So, how about we sit here and go through all the things you missed,” Vivian dragged the extra chair and went to Dick’s study table where his homework was piled up. “I can’t promise you an A for math and science, but I can get you a good grade for history and english.”

“I think a B is more than okay, Viv,” Dick sat beside her and took his pencil.

As Dick started his homework with Vivian helping him through it, Vivian poked his cheek, catching his attention and making him stop knitting his brows together.

“Come on, Viv! I’m trying to focus here!” He swatted her hand away.

“I know… hey,” she whispered softly, capturing Dick’s attention fully. “I know that there are times when Bruce is being too harsh or something, just remember that you’re both new to this. He’s also learning how to raise a kid,” Vivian brushed back his hair.

Dick scoffed. “How about he takes parenting classes from you?”

“It’s not that simple, bud… I’m just the girlfriend.”

Dick stopped with his scribbling and turned to her. “Then he’s fucking blind.”

Vivian laughed.

“I'd marry you right now if I was old enough to,” Dick muttered.

Looking at the boy, Vivian saw the light blush on his face and she sighed. Reaching out, she messed with his hair and placed a kiss on his cheek. “That'll do for now,” she joked. “And don’t let Alfred or Bruce hear you saying that word.”

Dick grinned. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

~*~

“Viv, hey, I kind of messed up.”

Vivian didn't think twice when she pulled the old spell books and cast the locator spell to get her to Dick. She almost vomited at the feeling of fatigue and the warping vacuum that brought her to the alley where she saw Dick lying on the ground, beaten half to death. Running to him, she skidded on the ground and checked the boy's state.

“Di – Robin! Robin, open your eyes!” Vivian was about to carry him but he let out a whimpering sound of pain. Racking her brain, she tried to remember the spell to heal his injuries but all she could do was a simple one that would ease the pain. As her magic took the form of golden flames surrounding Dick, Vivian reached for her phone and called Alfred.

Alfred arrived not long after, full of worry as he saw her cradling Dick in her arms. He helped her take the boy into the car and drove them back to Wayne Manor where he patched up the boy, and Vivian got herself something from the nauseating fatigue of using her magic again. She has been practicing but progress was slow, she needed to pick it up if she wanted to keep up with Batman and Robin – not to fight crime but to be there to help.

“Will he be okay?” Vivian asked Alfred as she watched Dick sleep soundly on his bed, all bandaged. He was all black and blue, and it broke her to see him like this.

“Yes, whatever you did helped with the improvement of his healing,” said Alfred. “Thank you, Ms. Vivian.”

“Anytime,” Vivian managed to smile but it soon fell as she looked at Dick once again and tears welled up. Reaching out, she took his hand and squeezed it gently. “You'll be okay. Please be okay…”

The hand on her shoulder had Vivian turned to Alfred, she saw the man smile sadly at her and placed a blanket on her shoulders.

“I suppose you'll be staying here tonight, Ms. Vivian?” He asked.

“Yeah, but I'll just be here with him, if that's okay.”

“Of course. If you will excuse me, I must see to Master Bruce.”

“He's back?” Vivian asked.

“Yes, I was notified of his arrival not too long ago.”

Alfred left, leaving Dick in her hands, and went to see Bruce, but Vivian didn't hear him leave the door at the other side. Instead, she heard Alfred's voice calling out to Bruce to calm himself.

“Alfred, I told him not to engage,” Bruce spoke, his voice full of rage. It brought a shiver down her spine as it brought back memories of the time her mother dated a harsh man.

“Master Dick did what he felt was right, and he saved a life.”

“Step aside, Alfred.”

“No. We could have lost him tonight andI know that scares you. But for once, you are not to turn your fear into misplaced anger. You can direct as much fury towards me as you need to, but Master Dick is hurt. He needs comfort. Not admonishment.”

“He knows the consequences! He agreed to do whatever I tell him when out there!”

Unable to stand it, Vivian got up from her seat and marched out of the room. Her presence startled Bruce as he didn't expect to see her in the manor. He must have said her name or maybe it was the wind, it didn't matter to her. As soon as she closed the door, she turned to him and –

SLAP!

Bruce was stunned at what happened. He held the cheek where Vivian had slapped him and left a stinging pain.

“Get that fucking cowl off right now,” she told him. “Because I'm not talking to Batman, I'm talking to Bruce. I understand that Batman has this war against Gotham's criminals and Robin is your soldier, but right now Dick is hurt and you are not gonna lash out like an asshole because he did what you taught him to do. Which is to help people. I said, take it off.”

He looked at her for a moment before pulling off the cowl and cape, letting it fall on the ground.

“I was wrong to stand by and let you treat him harshly whenever he messed up,” Vivian began. “I was wrong to tell him to be the understanding one here whenever you lash out. You're the fucking adult. Not him. I kept out of your business because I know that I'm just the girlfriend, but I will not let you subject that boy to this verbal battery because you were scared.

“I was scared. I was scared when I saw him in that alley beaten to a bloody pulp. Alfred was scared when I called him but he didn't berate him on how he was disappointed. Dick has had enough of this treatment. He's not just Batman's soldier, he's a kid. I wouldn't have agreed to this little arrangement of yours but we're here already, and there's nothing stopping it.

“So the best thing you can do is to know when to be Batman and when to be his father. Whether you’re wearing that cowl or not. If you don't change, I swear, Bruce, I will leave. I will leave you and I will take Dick with me. Do you understand?”

Bruce was silent as he looked at her. She couldn't read his face, and the longer he looked at her like that she felt a little bit of fear.

And Bruce saw that, and it scared him too.

“If you don't leave this whole mission in that Cave, and be the father he needs right now, do not enter that boy's room.”

She turned her back to him before he could say anything and went back inside Dick's room. She let out a shaky breath as she slowly realized what she did. It scared her a bit but she knew she was in the right this time.

“Viv?” Dick spoke.

“Dick,” Vivian ran to his side and saw him trying to open his swollen eyes. “Hey, kiddo, you took quite a beating.”

“You think?” He chuckled but ended up wincing in pain.

“How are you?” Vivian sat beside his bed and held his hand.

“I'm okay now… okay, I'm not gonna lie, it hurts. Everything hurts.”

Reaching out, Vivian placed her hand on his chest and cast an incantation: “Nediam, rehtom, enorc reah ruo reyarp. Dnem siht nekorb yob. Leah sih sdnuow, tink sih senob, eruc sih ssenlli. I kees ruoy rovaf, Nediam, rehtom, enorc, leah sih niotcilffa.”

Dick let out a sigh of relief as Vivian's magic crept through his body and did its work: healing his bones, lessening the swelling which helped him see more. But as he looked at her, he saw her pale and sickly. 

“Viv,” he croaked.

“It's fine… just a little rusty. When I perform that spell, I'm actually giving you my energy to heal and it takes a toll.”

“I'm so sorry.”

“Don't worry, I did this to myself,” she pulled up her sleeves and showed her forearms, at first there was nothing then a pale yellow glow appeared that formed some sort of seal. “I bound my magic years ago.”

“But why?”

“Because I did something that hurt someone… and it killed someone. And I got so scared, so I thought it's best if I don't use it anymore. But I didn't bind all of it. I can't really erase my magic from me, you know. I’m still a witch. Oh, kiddo, it's alright,” she brushed away his tears as he tried hard to not cry. “It's okay,” Vivian scooted closer and held his hand. “It's okay.”

“I'm sorry, I made you worry,” Dick sobbed. “You and Alfred… and I disappointed Bruce, I –”

Vivian brought him to an embrace and let him cry. So, he heard everything, she realized. She brushed his hair to try and calm him down, and it worked as his sobs slowly softened.

“Do you really mean it?” Dick asked her.

“Mean what?”

“That you'll leave Bruce if he… I don't want you to leave him because of me…”

“Dick, listen to me,” she let him lean back on his pillow and made him face her. “I know Bruce is a good man, he just doesn't know how to handle his emotions. He doesn't want to show he's afraid so he lashes out in anger. When I told him that, I didn't mean it because of you. I told him that because I don't want to be with someone who hurts people because they’d rather be angry than talk. I've already lived that life, kiddo, and I don’t want that to happen again, and I don't want you to experience that too.

“I'm not leaving him, alright? But if he doesn't change and I see that he's turning out like that person, then, for my sake, I have to. And I will take you with me.”

More tears fell from Dick’s eyes and he held her hand as tight as he could. “Thank you,” he cried. “Thank you for…” he was crying too much to say what but Vivian understood and brought Dick to an embrace again. 

“I’ll always be here for you, kiddo. Always,” Vivian let him cry on her shoulders. “Remember, it's okay to make mistakes. It's okay to mess up, that’s part of growing up. If you don't make mistakes, how will you learn? Right?” Dick nodded but still cried.

“Will I ever be like him? Will I ever be good enough for Batman?”

“You will be greater than him,” she told him and kissed his head. “So much greater. But you'll have to be strong because this path isn't going to be easy. You will make mistakes, a lot, and get your ass beaten a shit ton too,” Dick laughed but then coughed. “But I'll be here for you, kiddo. So will Alfred. And I know that you're scared now but Bruce won't ever abandon you.”

Dick held onto Vivian for dear life as he finally cried out all of the things he's been so scared about, all the doubt, the insecurities, and even the grief of losing his parents and missing them everyday. He's been hiding all of that by being Robin, drowning himself with fighting crime but now he was finally able to let it all out and be Richard Grayson. A teenage boy who feels like he’s been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

~*~

Bruce entered the room when he heard silence for the past hour. Inside, he saw Vivian lying beside Dick on the boy's bed, asleep, and Dick was just staring at the night sky where the sun’s rays were slowly penetrating the horizon. 

“Bruce?” Dick croaked. His voice was all hoarse after crying.

Before he took a seat, Bruce put the blanket on the chair over Vivian, and then acknowledged Dick. 

“Hey, chum,” Bruce said. “How are you?”

“Better. Vivian did her magic spell to help – she even sacrificed the bat that came in as an offering to help heal me.”

Bruce chuckled. “I guess I deserved that…”

Dick shrugged. “I know that what I did was wrong – going against your orders and making you worry. But Bruce, what's the point of all of this if I can't help people? I know that you don't want me to get hurt like now, but why have a Robin if you’re just going to do it all on your own?”

“I know… I thought I was doing the right thing by bringing you into this so you don't turn out like me.”

“Do you regret it? Making me Robin? Taking me in?”

“No. Never.”

Dick smiled. “But we're here now, and hell no am I gonna give up the cape and mask.”

“I know. So, it means we just have to practice more.”

“And make mistakes,” Dick glanced at Vivian’s way. 

“I guess so… get some rest, Dick. I'll tell the Headmaster that there was an accident on our trip outside Gotham and you couldn't go to school,” Bruce patted him on the leg and got up to leave.

“Bruce.”

“Yes, Dick?”

“You forgot something,” Dick nudged at Vivian's direction, his sly grin growing.

“Right,” Bruce went back to pick up Vivian and carried her out of Dick's bedroom. “Get some rest.”

Leaving Dick's room, Bruce carried Vivian all the way to the master bedroom so she could sleep comfortably. He didn’t join her in bed after placing her there, and even after he took a bath and changed out of his suit. He sat on the leather seat in the room and watched her sleep, thinking back to what happened earlier.

Vivian was a strong woman who could probably move on if she left him, and no doubt someone would come and sweep her off her feet as soon as she was available. But him… what then? Another chase with Catwoman that leads to nowhere? Flings left and right? Talia wasn't even something to consider with her and her father's agenda. 

After Vivian it would just be solitude because she will take Dick with her. Good, she would give him a normal life. A better life than what he could give him.

“Are you done sulking?” Vivian spoke but she didn't move from where she laid on the bed. “Just come to bed.”

Maybe it was witchcraft or maybe Bruce was just glad that she was talking to him that he got up and went to bed to be with her without realizing he was actually moving, he only did when he saw Vivian's face.

“How long have you been awake?” Bruce asked.

“I heard the shower,” Vivian yawned. “I'm calling in sick. I have no energy to teach a class today.”

Bruce smiled but it fell immediately. Reaching out to caress her cheek, he whispered, “I'm sorry… you were right about Dick being more than just Robin. And you were right about be being too harsh with him.”

Vivian hummed, neither in agreement or disagreement.

“I promise, Viv, I'll change. I'll do better.”

Vivian held his hand and brought it close to her heart. “The last time I heard those words was from one of my mom's ex-boyfriends. He was an asshole who hit her and said harsh things to her. He would always say those words whenever he hit her and was begging for forgiveness, but he'll do it again the next day.

“I was so young then but I can never forget that, and I can never forget how I felt then. Please, don't ever say those words.”

Bruce felt his heart drop and for a moment he felt like he was standing on those trap doors and the lever was pulled, and he was just falling into this pit of darkness without anything to grab hold on.

“Don't say those words. It just brings back those memories. Just promise me now that you'll try to be patient. That you'll learn when to be Batman and when to be a father. That you won't lash out on Dick when he disobeys you. That, despite this crusade, you'll let him have a bit of normalcy. 

“I know that you just want to protect him, but you can't always do that. And you can't expect him to just follow you like a damn robot because he's his own person… and he looks up to you, Bruce. So much… and he's afraid that he's failing you.”

Bruce nodded. “I promise.”

Vivian sighed and brought Bruce to an embrace, letting him nuzzle to her neck. “I'm not leaving you, Bruce. Not now, not ever.”

His hold on her tightened. His way of saying: neither was he. He wasn't going to let her go. “Dick is as much as mine as he is yours.”

“He even asked me to marry him,” Vivian jokes.

Bruce smiled against her neck. “I guess I got some competition.”

“I know that Dick didn't want to be adopted and agreed to be your ward, but you are the closest that he will get to a dad. Remember that, okay?”

“I will.”

~ Many Years Later ~

“Nice place,” Vivian entered the loft. “Is it just me or is the entire building empty?”

Dick smiled at the sight of his surrogate mother entering his apartment. He didn't tell her that he left Gotham, that he left Bruce after that falling out, yet here she was at his new place in Bludhaven. A two-hour drive from Gotham. 

“Alfred?” He said.

“I'd wanna say mom-senses, but yeah, I guess Alfred counts as that.”

Dick laughed. “Yeah, I bought the whole place.”

“Oh. Can't say if that's a good real estate decision or…”

“It's for the best, especially when I'm going to continue what he trained me to be,” he still wouldn't say Bruce's name. He felt like if he did, he'd show that he was alright with everything that happened. That he and Bruce were still okay. They weren't, and he wasn't sure if they ever will after that.

Vivian sighed. “I won't give you the whole speech about reconciliation because your angry new-adult-head won't understand that yet, but I do hope that you both would talk about it.”

Dick pouted. “Him first.”

“Yeah, like that's ever going to happen. It's like you didn't live with him for years… but promise me, when the anger has gone, and when you're in trouble, you'd call for help.”

“I'd call you first,” he shrugged.

“I'll put you on hold then.”

“What if I'm dying?!”

“I'm sure you know Bruce's number, but just in case he's too busy to answer,” she tossed him a flashlight. 

When Dick turned it on, he frowned when he saw the shadow it made on the wall. It was the Bat signal. Turning to Vivian, he saw her mischievous grin. “Haha, very funny, Viv.”

Vivian shrugged. “I'll leave you to unpack. Remember that you still have family in Gotham, okay?”

Sighing, Dick walked up to Vivian and brought her to an embrace. He's grown taller than her now, so he was engulfing her in his body. “I know. Thanks… Mom.”

He felt her flinch but then her embrace around him tightened. It was the first time he ever called her that, and he regretted never doing so all these years. Maybe it was because he was scared of forgetting his own mother, but growing up, he realized that he can have two mothers. The one who gave birth to him and loved him until her dying breath, and the one that picked up the pieces of this broken boy and made him feel whole again. Vivian was his mom too. And he should have made those Mother’s Day cards for her all these years too. He’ll just make up for it now.

After a while Dick finally released her to say, “I can't promise you but I’ll try to reach out to him. But not now.”

“Understandable.”

“And don't think that you failed. Your husband's one stubborn bastard.”

“I know, and he's my stubborn bastard. And I'm stuck with him.” Dick laughed. “Don't worry, I won't leave him because of this. It's part of life, people grow apart, and kids like you grow up and realize that it's time to make it on your own.”

Walking her to the door, Dick was about to say that he'd walk her to the very exit but then Vivian gave him a present from her bag. A bottle of whiskey and –

“ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!” He blushed in embarrassment at the sight of the box of condoms in her hand.

“I will never forget the memory of me walking in on you, in your dorm, with that girl. While, I will give you points for using your skills as an acrobat–”

“Vivian!”

“I don't want to get a call saying that you knocked up your girlfriend unplanned. Got it?”

“I can't believe you right now! I told you not to bring that up again!”

“I won't be here to keep watch on you! Gotta make sure you’re safe in every way possible,” she laughed.

“I get it, I get it… please, just don't. It took me weeks before I could look you in the eye or even look at you during class in uni after that,” Dick dragged his hand down his face.

Sighing once more, Vivian took one good look at Dick before getting on her toes to mess with his hair and say, “I'll always be here for you, kiddo. Always.”

“I know,” Dick said. “See you around, Viv.”

[moxfirefly]

"Of course I want them. I want them so much I can barely breathe but I'm not going to force it. If they come to me, it'll be on their terms. Not mine."

For Donnie or Mikey x reader (F) please? Maybe reader is the one saying that line 👀 jealous, fluff or smut scenario, you can choose! Thank you for opening your requests, you always deliver great pieces! ♥️💫

Oh this line hits! And I think Mikey is the guy for it and I think I’ll tweak it a bit if you don’t mind. Thank you for your kind words! Means a lot 🖤

Rated Feels

Mikey wanted to believe that his eyes were deceiving him at most, maybe not working at worst.

Because he really saw some peculiar stares on your behalf.

This whole crush thing was trickier now as an adult. When he was younger, crushing after April had been easy and fleeting.

Now? Some days he couldn’t chase away your scent to safe his life, he couldn’t remember what life before your proximity to him used to be. When had a song sounded better than the ringing of your name, carefully collected consonants and vowels crafted to melt on his tongue.

What had life been before the ache of watching you leave? The insane joy of watching you come home to grace his presence with honeyed bliss?

He felt silly, somewhat dumb, over all hopeless.

This all felt like a curse some days too. Not having the luxury of being topside with you, getting to experience the city night through you.

The wind picked up, cold little pin prick reminders of what he was. Mikey was fond of this roof, maybe because your building was across it, maybe because if he squinted hard enough he could see what your little life in your little apartment was like, and how he could fit into it.

“You plan on sulking all of patrol?” Raph’s deep baritone carried the chilly air as he sat on the ledge.

“I’m not sulking, that’s your job bro.” He was hugging his knees, chasing away the chilly air or maybe because he was truly sulking.

“That broad’s got you bent outta shape, you never got like this with Ape.” Because that had been childish puppy love, and somehow Raph couldn’t see that this ached for real.

It especially ached because there were too many moments where he swore you’d say something first, that you’d cave in and say something about the elephant in the room.

“I like her, she’s—she’s different.” It doesn’t do it justice but he doesn’t want to get mushy with Raph right now, not when his head isn’t cooperating and his heart feels heavy.

“Different alright, wants to hang around with a brat like you, laughs at your shitty jokes, caught her staring at your biceps once.” Raph numbered the facts on each of his fingers, nonchalant but aware of the gas he was pouring.

“Where ya going with this dude? Aside from giving me hope.” And hope was a tragic little word for their kind, something more akin to a light sprinkle of salt on a small wound.

“What I’m saying is, just go after her, tell her the truth. Ya want her, right? She probably wants ya.” Raph popped a toothpick in his mouth, an old habit dying too slowly.

“Of course I want her. I want her so much I can hardly breathe but I’m not going to force it. If she comes to me, it’ll be on her terms. Not mine.” It hurt to say it, it hurt to admit out loud that this was a luxury he couldn’t afford due to what he was.

Raph’s gaze soften, it wasn’t fun seeing his baby brother going through something that had his head spinning this badly. He reached out and clamped a hand on his shoulder, an affectionate squeeze of sympathy.

Mikey watched the building, swore he saw the light on your apartment come alive. Flooding the modest little living room, he could picture you tossing your stuff with a huff and a sigh, before settling into the normalcy of your routine. He felt his phone vibrate, pulling it out to see your name on the screen. It was enough to lift the black cloud.

Not enough to chase the storm away in his chest.

“Hey, angel, outta work finally?” He greeted you, that perfectly timed sigh of ‘fuck yes’ not (yes) sending a jolt through him.

“Are you still out on patrol? I got those disgusting heart attack inducing burgers from the bodega you like, wanna come over when your done being a superhero?” You cooed affectionately, he could hear the rustling of the bay.

Raph watched the smile, a smile only you were capable of sculpting out of Mikey.

He hoped, he hoped for a chance.

A chance at you two enjoying this little life.

[hidden-ember]

homecoming

🗯 pairing: captain john price x gender neutral reader

🗯 tags: nsfw - mdni, oral sex, penetrative sex, biting kink (giving), teasing, praise

a/n: baby's first fic!! i've been a long time smut and fic reader for several different fandoms, but thanks to captain price brainrot i have finally caved and started my own writing journey with this one. any feedback is welcome.

Captain John Price of the SAS found himself homebound after what was supposed to be a low stakes intel gathering operation went south and left him injured. The injuries he sustained were thankfully non life-threatening but were going to keep him out of commission for a while regardless. After nearly two months away from home, the captain was more than willing to take the excuse to be reunited with you. 

Flashes of light occasionally illuminated the otherwise dark room, television tuned into the late night news as they reported a convenience store robbery in the town over, warning about a potential spike to cases of theft as the holidays were approaching. Rain thrumming on the roof and the low droning of the news anchor threatened to lull you to sleep. You stretched your arms and legs, hoping to shake off the sleepy feeling, knowing your boyfriend would be home any minute now.

The sound of a car door slamming pulled your attention away from the television. Headlights beamed into the window as a taxi rolled away from your flat. Heartbeat pounding in your chest, your eyes locked onto the door expectantly. 

The knob twisted and in staggered your boyfriend, looking weary from travel. His cheeks red from the cold, beanie pulled over the tips of his ears, you couldn’t help but find the state of him pitiful as he dropped his bag on the floor with a thud. He carefully closed the door behind him, gentle eyes taking in your form as you rose from the couch.

“Thought I told ya to keep this locked when ’m not ‘round, hmm?” he murmured. The sound of Price’s familiar, gruff voice felt like it was actively soothing the ache in your heart that formed whenever he went away.

“Was expecting someone,” you smiled brightly, pattering over to him.

“That so?” The corner of his lips curled upwards, his own smile growing the closer you got to him. 

“Mhm. And a pretty special someone, I might add.” You wrapped your arms around the back of his neck, drawing him nearer.

“Lucky someone, more like,” he replied, his voice cracking, tears welling in his eyes as he felt your touch for the first time in weeks. Slightly chapped from the harsh winter air, but soft and warm all the same, his lips came crashing down onto yours. The taste and smell of tobacco filled up your senses as Price’s tongue made its way into your mouth.

Within minutes of his arrival you found yourselves on the couch hastily stripping each other of clothing. You placed sloppy, errant kisses on each newly uncovered area of skin until all of your clothes lay discarded on the floor. Your eyes roamed his naked form, mouth slightly agape as if you were in disbelief that he was actually sitting next to you right now.

Price couldn’t help but chuckle at the way you ogled his muscled chest like you were seeing him for the first time. Taking your time to study the peaks and valleys of his toned torso, your fingers ran lightly through his chest hair. You noticed him not-so-subtly flexing his muscles under your touch, and your eyes darted up to meet his.

“Conceited bastard,” you shook your head, laughing at him. 

“I’ll have you know I prefer the term egomaniac.” He matched your playfulness with a smirk. “Besides, ya seemed rather pleased with the show. Now c’mere, you.” 

You clambered onto his inviting lap and his smirk split open into a delighted grin. Wrapping his good arm around your waist, he pulled you tightly against his torso. 

Feeling his warmth surround you, your body began to ache for more of him. As if sensing your thoughts, his erection throbbed from where it sat wedged between your stomachs.

You kissed him with purpose now, tongue slipping between his parted lips. Before long you were lowering yourself onto his engorged cock. The sounds of your simultaneous moaning drowned out the television as the head of his cock pushed into your entrance. 

Warm hands grasped your hips with such strength it caused you to let out a gasp. He guided you slowly down his length, praising you all the while for how good you were taking him, telling you how adorable you looked when his words of approval caused your cheeks to flush.

Price thrust up into you lazily, matching your pace as you rode him. Not wanting to be too aggressive with your injured boyfriend, you braced yourself on the back of the couch, nails digging into the cushions.

Price could practically feel his exhaustion dissipate as he lost himself to the sensations. He was home now —  deep inside of you, your walls enveloping him better than any house could. Neither of you lasted very long before you felt your climaxes rapidly approaching.

Your eyes slammed shut once your orgasm hit, moaning in ecstasy as you felt his body tense beneath you. Price groaned as his thick, warm seed spilled out of his cock.

“Did so good,” he managed between breaths.

Chest heaving, you buried your face into his neck. He cradled the back of your head with his large hand, fingers splayed through your hair. His hot breath tickled your ear as he whispered to you affectionately. 

“Missed you somethin’ awful, darlin’.” Your heart swelled at the sound of your favorite pet name, and in that moment you were certain you would never tire of welcoming him home like this. 

After reluctantly pulling out and disentangling his body from yours, Price awkwardly reached down to the floor for something out of your view. He sat back up with his crumpled boxers in hand. You let out a sigh of contentment as he gently patted your entrance, carefully cleaning his spend from you so as not to make a mess on the couch.

Once you had caught your breath and the aftershocks of your orgasm subsided, you anxiously looked him over. You asked him several times if he was alright and if you had hurt him, not stopping until he grabbed your chin, angling your face to have you look directly into his eyes.

“Stop worryin’, okay? I’m not so fragile, love.” He spoke the words with confidence to reassure you, but the look in his eye suggested he needed the reminder himself. 

Price stretched awkwardly, letting out a big yawn as he stood up from the couch. Some of his joints cracked as he extended them. He reached down to gather his clothes, handing you his t-shirt before tugging his sweats back on. 

A puzzled expression spread across your face as you looked down at your own clothes strewn about the floor. Price followed your gaze, letting out a hearty laugh at your confusion.

“No need to bother with those. ‘M not done with you yet, pet” he winked, pushing the shirt further towards you. “This’ll do for now.”

Your heart skipped a beat at his insistence. The intensity of his gaze while he watched you pull his t-shirt over your head sent shivers running down your spine. Your lover gave you a once over, giving a satisfied nod as the shirt fell to just above your knees.

He tugged delicately on your hand, pulling you along behind him before letting go to grasp the railing as he started up the stairs. You watched nervously as the old stairs creaked, Price relying heavily on the railing for support when his braced knee threatened to buckle under his weight. 

It hurt your heart to see the man in such a state. No matter how minor the knee sprain and dislocated shoulder were, they were reminders to both Price and yourself that he was not as invincible as you’d like to believe. 

Perhaps even worse than the physical damage was the hit his pride took. You knew he needed to take it easy and had the perfect idea for tending to his bruised ego.

Price was a dominant man, both in combat and out. Giving him head normally turned into a sloppy mess, tears and drool streaming down your face as he stuffed your throat with his thick cock. 

He wasn’t the only one who initiated these kinds of blowjobs; you quite enjoyed getting your face fucked— as often as Price was willing, as a matter of fact. The way the older man would take control of you, holding your head still as he took what he wanted from your obedient mouth turned you on to no end. 

Price always returned home from deployments worked up and desperate for your attention, unsatisfied until he had used each of your holes. As thrilling as a rough face fucking sounded after going weeks without it, you settled for suggesting he lie back and let you suck him off. 

He sat on the edge of the bed, an eyebrow raising at your proposition. Price brought his uninjured arm up, fingers running through his thick facial hair as he scratched his chin, as if deep in contemplation over the matter. 

“Well, love, if that’s what ya really want then what kinda boyfriend would I be to not indulge you?” His amusement reached the corners of his eyes, highlighting the crow’s feet that you had come to adore. He shuffled backwards further onto the bed, the strain his movements placed on his injured limbs causing him to wince slightly. 

Your brows furrowed with concern, but he cut you off as you opened your mouth to check on him. 

“‘M fine.” He gestured with his head toward the bed, “Get over ‘ere.” 

The mattress dipped further under your weight as you crawled up to him on your knees. You placed a soft kiss on his lips once you reached him. Price hummed contentedly when you broke the kiss, tugging at his bottom lip with your teeth. 

He tugged his t-shirt off of you before tossing it onto the floor. 

“Now that’s a better view,” he winked at you.

Taking care to not disturb his injuries, you planted your hands on his bare chest and pushed him back into a lying position. 

As you lowered yourself down to his abdomen, he lifted his hips at an awkward angle, trying not to place too much pressure on his injuries. 

Making quick work of pulling sweats down to his knees to spare him any unnecessary pain, you eagerly watched as his semi-hard cock fell free from its confines. 

“Someone’s excited,” you teased before bringing your mouth to his happy trail. You planted tender kisses along it, slowly working your way lower. When you reached right above his hardening length, you nuzzled your face into the coarse hair. 

You were very grateful that your boyfriend was not one for “manscaping;” the thick hair running from his belly button down to his genitals was one of your favorite features of his, and you let it be known on numerous occasions. 

“You have no idea how much I missed this,” Price let out a low long breath as your lips trailed lower, your pace tantalizingly slow. 

To his credit, he remained patient for quite some time as you lost yourself in the sensation of his body hair prickling your face, but when you showed no signs of beginning the blow job you promised, his restraint faltered. 

“More,” he groaned — the word a command rather than a request. 

“Be patient, baby,” you hummed softly against his skin, planting a firm kiss on his pubic bone. 

Price’s breath hitched as your gaze met his. He brought his large hand down to grab a loose fistful of your hair, urging you on.

“You’ve had enough fun now,” Price grumbled before softening his tone in an attempt to level with you. “Please.”

“Oh, you sound so pretty when you beg.” You couldn’t help but smirk as you echoed words you’d heard from him several times before. 

Price would argue that the way his face flushed red was due to his frustration, but you knew he was blushing from being called pretty. 

Turning your attention to his inner thighs, you nipped lightly at his sensitive flesh, earning another moan from your beloved boyfriend. You kissed the spot softly in an effort to soothe the now tender skin, glancing upwards to meet his gaze. Icy blue eyes shot daggers back at you. 

In your periphery you could see his now fully erect cock standing at attention, but you weren’t done playing quite yet. You grinned wickedly once more before burying your canines into his thigh, this time using more force. 

“Fuckin’ hell.” Price arched his back off the bed, his hand moving from your head to grip the sheets tightly. His cock twitched expectantly, beginning to leak pre-cum.

“Come now, darlin’,” he panted, voice ragged with need. 

“We both know those pretty little lips belong wrapped ‘round my cock.” 

It was almost enough for you to give in. Almost. 

You chuckled at his attempts at flattery and grabbed his thighs, taking care to not disturb his leg as you spread them further apart, granting access to your mouth’s next target. 

You brought your lips to his scrotum, sucking on the bit of skin between his testicles before popping one into your mouth. Your tongue swirled around it as you sucked gently on the sensitive appendage. 

“Aaahhh, fuck," Price moaned as he felt your warm mouth wrap around him, though it wasn’t where he wanted your mouth most. "Don't tease me like this, darlin’.”

You chuckled, sending vibrations through his balls. It startled you when Price let out something similar to a growl, the sound rumbling deep in his chest. Eyes widening, you pulled away from him, a string of saliva trailing behind.

“Okay, okay,” you surrendered as you could sense his frustration threatening to boil over. 

Grabbing the base of his shaft, you moved to lightly swirl your tongue around the head of his cock. The lack of pressure was killing Price. His hips jerked upwards, begging for you to take him into your mouth.

“Ah ah,” you tutted, pushing him back down onto the mattress. 

“Don’t strain yourself, baby,” you said in mock concern. 

You let go of his cock and placed your tongue at the base of his shaft before slowly dragging it up his length. Halting at his slit, you held your tongue in place while looking up at him teasingly.

Price’s hand shot up to grasp the headboard behind him, knuckles whitening and jaw clenching.

“Sweetheart, you’re not bein’ very nice,” he hissed, ignoring the pain in his leg as his hips bucked again.

He began rutting against your tongue, the tip of his cock pushing against your top lip in a steady rhythm. 

“Be good for me, won’t you?” He pleaded, his voice hoarse with desire.

Taking a deep breath to regain his composure, Price stopped his movements, allowing you to start to slowly take him into your mouth.

Teasing him was fun, but above all else you wanted to please him. You loved when your boyfriend would praise you and were determined to earn them the best way you knew how. 

Your eyes never left his as you continued to wrap your mouth around his needy cock. His hand found its way down to grasp your hair once more, this time gently holding the back of your head as you lowered yourself down his shaft. 

“That’s it, sweetheart,” Price whispered, head falling back onto the pillow as he felt you start to take his cock into your throat. 

Price’s eyes rolled back in his head as he felt your warm, wet mouth engulf him. His hips bucked, this time meeting no resistance from you.

Tears welled in your eyes as he bottomed out deep in your throat. Holding your lips against his pubic bone, you moaned softly.

“Oh, god, yes,” Price groaned, the sensation of your moaning caused a shiver to run through his body. His hips jerked again and you gagged around his length, which only drove him more mad.

“Just like that,” he grumbled as you began moving your head once more. His hands slid down your back, gently kneading the flesh while you bobbed up and down on his cock. 

Price’s reassuring touch and words of encouragement fueled you further – you sucked more aggressively now, increasing your pace.

Unable to hold back any longer, the sound of Price’s rhythmic grunting filled the room as you continued to milk him. You enjoyed hearing how vocal he was becoming, enjoyed the power you held over him when you worked his cock like this. 

When you reached his head once more, you paused, briefly removing your mouth to catch your breath. You ran your tongue around the tip rapidly as you held Price’s gaze. The change in pressure and the sight of your drool running down his cock caused his head to start spinning. 

“Goddamnit,” he hissed. His hands quickly returned to your head. You shot him a look as he started to push your head down his shaft, but you obliged, taking him deeper.

Reaching your hands beneath him, you dug your fingers into his glutes with a firm grip as your mouth kept a steady pace on his cock.

A strangled moan left Price’s lips as he felt your fingers digging into his toned ass. It was the perfect combination of pleasure and pain, driving him closer to the edge, his cock throbbing in anticipation.

Price felt the familiar tingle at the base of his spine, the one that always signaled he was about to lose control. He thrust his hips wildly against your mouth.

“‘M close,” he rasped. “Don’t stop.” 

“Swallow it, yeah?” Price asked, his voice strained as he watched you obediently suck him off.

You hummed in response and you felt his body tense in your grasp. The tears flowed freely down your face now as you took him deeply time and time again.

Price’s body went rigid, his muscles tightening, eyes slamming shut. His hips jerked once more, pushing himself as deep into your throat as he could before he finally erupted with a long, low moan. His hot seed filled your mouth, his moans turning into gasps for air.

You swallowed, your throat working to accommodate the thick, warm flood of his release as his cock twitched. When he was finished, you didn’t pull away. Instead, your mouth moved up and down his shaft, cleaning him off until he was fully spent, his body shuddering.

His eyes opened slowly, meeting yours through the haze of lust and pleasure. 

“My god…” he groaned as you lifted your mouth off of his cock with a loud pop. “You’re incredible, love.”

You released your hold on his backside, moving to lie on his chest as he pulled you into a warm embrace. Price planted a kiss on top of your head before relaxing back into the pillow as he caught his breath.

“Welcome home, baby,” you murmured, nuzzling further into him. 

Price let out a small sigh of contentment, his fingers tracing slow, lazy circles on your back. He was sure to be sore in the morning after tonight’s exertion, but at the moment he couldn’t care less. Your boyfriend knew you’d have him back on the mend in no time.

“S’good to be back,” he whispered softly, feeling the exhaustion of the day and the aftermath of his release catching up to him.

He made promises to return the favor to you before drifting off into slumber, holding you tightly as he felt your warmth seep into him. The sound of Price’s slowing heartbeat and the rain falling lightly on the roof lulled you to sleep shortly after. The mess the two of you had made and his unpacked bag remained downstairs, now long forgotten.

[roguelov]

y/n playing minecraft with hob while dream watches them?

hob would go out and do all the farming for materials and slay the mobs and stuff while y/n just stays at the base and wastes all the material hob gathers on making a bunch of builds and getting as many pets as possible

(if it was me he'd also come save me all the time because I always get lost lol)

dream is just sitting there amused, watching hob fighting for his life while y/n is just chilling with the animals lmao

OH MY GOD THIS IS SO FUNNY AND ADORABLE

Dream is so amused as he watches you and Hob, he sits comfortably between the two of you watching the split screen. Hob who is deep in the caves mining trying to avoid skeletons and creepers meanwhile you’re humming a tune as you build a cute house. You already have a massive farm for all your animals along with what seems to be an army of dogs (each one with a different color for their collar and named too). You will have cats but you keep grumbling about how much fish they need and that they are being greedy.

…

“Love, where is all coal?” Hob asks.

You wince then peer around Dream, giving Hob a sheepish smile. “I used the rest to make glass.”

Hob’s eyebrows shoot up. “All of it?”

“… well I made a sun roof for our home … and a small sky light for the barn.”

Dream chuckles remembering your hesitancy when burning the last of the coal. He also remembers you leaning over and whispering to him, “Don’t tell Hob.”

…

“Where are you?” Hob asks. His eyes flicker to your side of the side, utterly confused.

“You said there was a small cave over here,” you said happily and continuing on your adventure.

“… love, it’s in the other direction.”

“…”

“Do you -“

“Yes please come find me.”

…

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” Hob swears under his breath. Dream’s cool eyes slides over watching him. Hob is fighting for his life as he tries to avoid more mobs.

“Hob, you seem to be in some trouble,” Dream points out.

“Yeah, no shit Sherlock - fuck!” Hob quickly seals himself in a hole eating as much food as he could to regain his health.

“… do you need some help?” You speak up. You are currently putting paintings up on the wall, and breaking them until you get the perfect one.

Hob sighs, “I’m fine, I’ll be home in a second. I just don’t want to lose all my stuff.”

You smile at him, “Ok.”

Dream held back his amused smile.

…

“Hob! Fuck where are you,” you shriek. Your character ran past a spawn of creepers.

“I - uh … hold on I’ll find you!”

Unfortunately for you, you and Hob accidentally split off in this cave leaving you alone and surrounded. Not to mention little food.

“Ok, I’ll just -“

A familiar hiss followed with a boom made you and Hob wince. Dream glance over at you. You let out a long heavy sigh. His eyes look back at the screen seeing the respawn button.

“Did you die?” Dream asks.

“Yup.”

Hob begin, “And your bed -“

“I brought it with me.”

“Should I -“

“Please find my stuff and come find me I have no idea how to get back to the house.”

[mulders-too-large-shirt]

fight the future part 1

AHHHHH, i’m so EXCITEDDDD!!!

it usually takes me an hour and a half to write up my initial thoughts on a 45 minute episode, PLUS more time to edit them before posting, so this 2 hour movie is probably going to take all night LMAOOOO

but after having some brief troubles with my laptop’s DVD player, here we are!!!! i cannot wait!!! i’m so excited!! everyone has really hyped this up. but i read the back of the DVD and it didn’t mention gibson at all? so are we just pushing that to the side for now?

okay. yeah. i’ll have to not worry about that little boy. 

oh, and yeah, i'm watching it on a DVD! the quality is... not great. which i suppose adds to the immersion.

post-movie thoughts: i can see shrimp colors and feel their secret emotions.

let’s GOOOOO!

theme music playing……………….. over some oily looking stuff…. YEAH BABY!!!!!

we are in a blizzard. two figures run. wait, it’s texas? oh, it’s ancient texas. a very different time from now.

let us enter a cave together, where we can start a fire and rest. and look around with torches. deeper and deeper into this labyrinth journey the cavemen. it looks like skyrim. i half expect a skeever to jump out

wah! who is this in the ice?

ALIEN ATTACK??? what is going on? alien vs cavemen! place your bets!!! one caveman down!!! the alien escaped?? other caveman wants to know where tf it went!

i get the sense a jumpscare is coming. WHAT IS THAT THING??? it looks like a flounder??????? surviving caveman stabs it and it bleeds. OHHH.... IS THAT THE BLACK OIL STUFF???? YEAH, it is!!! and it crawls all over the caveman!!!! 

wahhhh!!! abrupt jump cut to a boy named stevie falling into a cave. stevie, there may be monsters afoot, please be careful. stevie wants this skull for himself. please alert any local archaeologists of this find instead of stealing it or its historical context will forever be lost to time. NO STEVIE! the goop!!!!! it is upon him!!!

maybe this is what he gets for trying to steal archaeological remains. take notes, children. a lesson was learned today.

it crawls up his legs like evil slugs!!!! and into his eyeballs!! the other kids run!!!

they abandoned stevie in his hour of need… personally, i would not forgive them for this

some yellow firetrucks are here to save the day (and who has ever seen a yellow firetruck?). go, fetch stevie. the fireman up top can’t hear the ones down in the cave through the radio!!!

now, what is this helicopter doing at the scene? they bring out a pod-thing to store stevie in. and this other guy (later revealed to be named bronschweig- simply too many german names on this show) is watching the boy with grave concern.

THIS DUDE LEAVES THE FIREMEN DOWN THERE TO DIE?????

absolutely DIABOLICAL.

a ton more trucks pull in and block off the area while the doctor bronschweig guy calls someone to say that…. the impossible scenario that they never planned for??? well, they better come up with a plan!!

a week later, a helicopter arrives in dallas. the FBI says there is no evidence of an explosive in this building, but this other guy (michaud) says they had better check again. he sees something in the distance….. upon the roof....

SCULLY IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i cheered and screamed!

“mulder, it’s me!” “where are you scully?” “i’m on the roof” <- it was her on the roof!! oh, my heart is so happy to see her!!! she says she hasn't found anything. and you know she is good at observing

LMAOOOOO she wants to know what the fuck she is doing there!!! after going up 12 floors of stairs!!! they are not acting in accordance with the data on how to respond to terrorist threats!!! the bomb threat was called in ACROSS THE STREET!! lives could be lost!!! yes diva, monologue statistics!

BOO! mulder scares her LMAOOO LMAOOOOOOO aww. babies.

(her lecturing him on the statistics and terrorist behavioral analysis is so funny because he is the behavioral analysis guy... but i recognize that they are doing a sort of character introduction for the girlies who are just tuning in for the movie, and she is the one who likes to do things by the book)

(he pops a sunflower seed) “what are we doing up here, scully? it’s hotter than hell” <- many are asking this question...

NOOOOO, he’s bored because they’ve CLOSED THE X FILES 💔💔💔 and now they have to follow the rules!!! and do boring things like look for bombs! but at least they get to do it together? that has to be a plus!

“maybe we should call in a bomb threat to houston; i think it’s free beer night at the astrodome” (she glares at him) LMAOOOOO she’s mad as hell!!!! and so is he!!! but in a different direction!

OHHHHHH she pretends the door is locked…. and he goes into open it…. AHAHAHA, OH I JUST GIGGLED!!!

“it’s locked?” “so much for anticipating the unforeseen” (he opens it and turns to her, who is smiling, crossing her arms) “i had you” (he’s laughing) “no you didn’t” “had you big time"

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH i love when they write scully as a smartass!!! THAT IS MY BABY!! <3

SHE’S STILL TEASING HIM AS THEY GO INSIDE, BAHAHAHA! he says he saw her jiggle the handle; “i saw your face, mulder, there was a definite moment of panic” “you’ve never seen me panic. when i panic, i make this face” (he has no discernible expression)

BANTER!!! THE BANTER OF IT ALL!!!

OHHHH, SHE MAKES HIM BUY HER A SODA and she wants something SWEET... AGAIN, i say, that is my baby!!!!!!

15 minutes in and i’m already kicking my feet and giggling at their banter, oh my god… this is going to ruin me

LMAOOO what the hell did he just pull out of his pocket as he is putting the change in for a soda?!!

bro is slamming all of the buttons…. bro is kicking the machine… i have been there too, brother, i promise. 

aha! the machine was unplugged!

this DVD is skipping a little but i think he got locked in the drink room 💔 for what purpose??

he panics and calls scully on his nokia, and her number is 555-0113 btw, for those of you who keep track of these things

he says he found the bomb!!!! and she thinks he is joking, but he is absolutely not!!! 

OH SHIT!!!!! the bomb really is in there!!!! where the vending machine should be!! he starts counting down…….

so scully runs out, saying that she will get him out of there, but first: get everyone else out!!!!

YES, TELL THEM GIRL!!! “i need this building evacuated and cleared out in ten minutes. i want you to call the fire department and have them block off the city center and a one-mile radius around the building” “ten minutes?” “DON’T THINK! pick up that phone and make it happen!” <- YAAAAAAS EXACTLY RIGHT!!!

love when she raises her voice at men who doubt her. it brings me inner peace.

she needs to speak to michaud NOW…. tell him to deploy the FBI AT ONCE!!!!

oh, poor mulder, stuck in a locked room with the vending machine bomb….. he jumps when his cellphone rings. “scully, you know that face i just showed you? i’m making it again” <- NOOOOO his normally cool exterior is cracking 💔

she informs him to get away from the door because they are coming in. is michaud a welder????? or do they just keep one on hand for events like this?

michaud says to get out NOW!!! and mulder doesn’t want to listen, but scully forces him out. now why tf would this michaud guy know how to diffuse a bomb?? but he says he does.

okay, but he lies, because he’s just sitting there looking at it?????

mulder wants to run back in but she SCREAMS IN HIS FACE THAT THEY DON’T HAVE TIME!!!

(this was most pleasing to me as well. something about her screaming in his face to save him made me nod in approval)

they just barely get in the car, when the whole building blows!!!! poor limping agents emerge from the bombing as the place is in ruins. “next time, you’re buying”, mulder says. oh, this man, and his dumbass quips…

back to the FBI headquarters in DC. is scully in trouble??!?! but skinner is here!!!! surely he will defend her! oh no… mulder is here, too. there were 5 deaths in the explosion!!!

mulder rushes in, asking if the bodies really were found in the building, because they were told it was clear. but this lady tells him he was late and he better go wait outside… what is afoot at this moment…? skinner shakes his head ever so slightly

cut to him pounding sunflower seeds outside the door while the meeting takes place.

skinner emerges!!!!! NOOOO he gently informs mulder that they’re being blamed for this!!! he was so careful about the way he worded this news, too 💔💔

“if they want somebody to blame, they can blame me. agent scully doesn’t deserve this” “she’s in there right now saying the same thing about you” <- OHHHHHH……….. i fell to my knees in a walmart parking lot.

(metaphorically, of course. for in reality, i sit here, cozy in bed)

mulder says that he broke protocol by leaving the SAC, so he should take the blame, but she says she was the one who ordered him out. and he denies wanting to go back in.

poor scully :( she emerges

and now the people from the panel in the meeting room want skinner back :( she always calls him “sir” :(

NOOOOO, THEY’RE SPLITTING OUR AGENTS UP??? 💔 

“this is not about you scully, they’re doing this to me” “they’re not doing this. mulder, i left behind a career in medicine… because i thought that i could make a difference at the FBI, but it hasn’t turned out that way, and now if they were to transfer me to omaha, or cleveland, or some field office it just doesn’t hold the interest for me that it once did. not after what i’ve seen and done” <- OHHHHHH… his face while she says this…

and her guilt…. it’s like she wants to atone.

again, scully and her need to Do The Morally Correct Thing at all costs. and at this point, can she say that being in the FBI is the Morally Correct Thing to do? i don't blame her for wanting to go be a doctor instead, even though i am surprised she doesn't want to figure out who got her sick and killed her sister. maybe she thought if she cut her losses now, she could still make a life for herself somewhere else.

she looks so SAD, and she says she’s sorry, and when mulder walks away, she grabs his jacket that he left behind... ohhhhh my GOD, her standing alone in the hallway… someone please kill me

(post viewing note: i think he was trying to blame himself for the whole situation and assuage her guilt with the "this is not about you, scully" line, but it seemed like he was saying that he was the only one being persecuted for the pursuit of the great and noble Truth, which rubbed me the wrong way. i think i know what he MEANT, but when he said they were doing this to HIM, it was like, damn, pretty sure y'all have been a team... again with the hearing 'i' when he ought to hear 'we')

NOOOOO! mulder’s absolutely smashed at the bar. bro barely drinks and tonight he is going for the gold. 

AND THE BARTENDER ASKS WHAT HE DOES SO HE JUST. TELLS HER EVERYTHING??? so she cuts him off for the night. because his alien story seems to indicate his inebriation.

oh my god, it's like it doesn't bother him that he is a joke to his peers when he is getting results, but when he is separated from those results, being belittled hurts

“one is the loneliest number” <- SAID BY THE MAN who never wanted a partner….. oh my god…..

OH, the poor guy can’t even go to the bathroom in peace… which leaves him pissing against the wall… truly an all time low for my best friend mulder

this guy is talking to him while he goes to the bathroom. he says he has been watching his career for a while…….. since he was a promising young agent….. okay, who is this kurtzweil fellow? OH! HE CLAIMS TO BE “AN OLD FRIEND OF YOUR FATHER’S” EEK! i don’t think that will endear him to you 

HE CALLS THEM “FELLOW TRAVELERS”.... RED MR. MULDER CONFIRMED???

he’s trying to get away from this guy. kurtzweil heard he comes in there sometimes. huh, that’s interesting. i feel like we never see him drink. and he said he usually doesn’t, which he stated as much before. maybe he goes there on the tough nights. maybe he gets bored. maybe his general sobriety is being retconned in this film. very interesting.

bro is trying to get tf out of there… but kurtzweil says that michaud never tried to diffuse that bomb!! "they" wanted the medical quarantine office in that dallas building destroyed!! which is where the bodies came from!!! the dead they found were already dead before the bomb went off!!!!

ohhhh, mulder's eyes are alight again… he tells the doctor he thinks he’s full of shit, but i can see that spark in his drunk and pondering eyes.

he is now off to georgetown. where poor scully cannot sleep. in her white robe. sadly looking at the ceiling.

(i know nothing about DC. so scully lives in georgetown? then where does he live? how far away is that? you have to call a cab, so it's probably pretty far... how long are their journeys to work? and most importantly, how far are they from the museums?)

OH she immediately clocks that he is drunk and she is SUSPICIOUS. oh, i want to STUDY this interaction:

“oh, i woke you. did i wake you?” (he stumbles in)

“no”

“why not? it’s 3 in the morning” 

“are you drunk, mulder?” (i find it very fascinating she asks this without judgement- just very matter of fact)

“i… i… uh, was, until about 20 minutes ago, yeah”

“was that before or after you decided to come here?”

“what exactly are you implying?”

(she stares at him) “go home, mulder”

“no, get dressed”

“it’s late”

“get dressed”

“what are you doing?” 

“just get dressed, and i’ll explain on the way” <- ohhhhhh…. will she go with him?

she will, but only after a deep sigh

(post-viewing thoughts: i thought this was so fascinating because it felt like she thought he was going to break whatever tenuous barrier was between them. like, he was either going to try and sleep with her, or beg her to stay, and either one was something she couldn't handle. it felt like she assumed it was sexual, to me at least. and that firm rejection was very interesting. i shall unpack this for decades, i am sure)

back to texas, where the quarantine effort where stevie and the firemen fell in the hole is being resumed. AND CSM IS LIGHTING UP AS HE DESCENDS FROM HIS HELICOPTER!!! sadly and pensively smoking. 

the guy from before who we saw leave the firemen behind- bronschweig- has something to show CSM. AUGH, the fireman that they left in the hole is still alive, but he is very goopy??? why is this???

the black oil alien is eating him away!!! but they managed to slow it down by bringing him back to freezing!!!

he asks if CSM wants him to destroy “this one too, before it gestates” and he says no, no. we need to try the vaccine. and if it doesn’t work… burn it like the others. nasty.

AUGH....... the oil alien moved in the fireman's body a little bit. didn't care for it.

the agents are rolling up to the naval hospital at 4 am. i sure do hope mulder wasn’t the one driving. scully does not seem like the type to allow this.

LMAOOOO he is trying to get into the morgue by pushing around the young and inexperienced guard, and he does that thing where he calls him “son”, which makes me feel so weird, but the trickery of a guy named fox never fails to amuse me. he points out to scully once they're successfully inside that it’s pretty weird a hospital morgue is suddenly off limits on the orders of a general. yeah, seems sus.

mulder is unboxing this corpse, and it is horribly sticky!!! she’s gloving up to investigate. “god, it’s completely edematous”, she notes, and i giggled when she said that. scully using medical words makes my heart skip beats. i even giggled while gagging as she dragged her fingers through the human body that had become gel. and there was evidently absolutely no autopsy, she declares!!! the death report is obviously not true!!!

(shoutout to the props team)

STEALING A BODY with agents mulder and scully! but she is concerned! it takes a long time to conduct an autopsy! she’s worried they'll get caught!! “we’re being blamed for this man’s death. i’d like to know what he died of”, mulder points out, and you know what? i can’t really argue with that logic 

how is she gonna cut the body open if he’s goop?!?!

off to dr. kurtzweil’s apartment, where an outside investigation is taking place, and you bet mulder is going to crash it.

OH SHIT??? the cops who are in kurtweil's place accuse him of a very serious crime??? mulder also found a book he wrote about “global domination conspiracy” um… can we trust this guy? 

earlier when he said he was an OBGYN, my first thought was that he was one of those guys who works in the fertility clinics and makes the clone people… maybe he really is?

(after seeing the film, i think it was just a coincidence LMAO)

mulder make a joke about needing a pelvic examination and cracks the other cop up lmao. he has a way of charming people

GASP! as he tries to leave, he’s being summoned around the corner by kurtzweil!!! he says "they" know that he is talking to mulder. mulder is like how tf did you know all that about the goop guy in the hospital morgue?

well, let me tell you a story about a mouse disease, says kurtzweil.

and FEMA mentioned…. what are they doing in a mouse disease outbreak?? with their newfound powers? hmm.

MR. MULDER LORE!!!! they worked on a bio weapon together. “a plague to end all plagues… a planned armageddon” arranged with the aliens!! that's... not good.

so he says the president will declare a state of emergency when this plague arrives, and all power will come under FEMA/the secret government. and then i think he implies it will be transferred over to the aliens?

he says to go back to texas and dig… or else.

poor FEMA. always being blamed for something.

meanwhile, scully is working on getting an autopsy on the goopy body. but there are people approaching!!!

she hides!!! in the freezer!!!! but no!!!! her phone goes off!!!!

LMAOOOO!!! DESPITE the horrible timing, she picks up and says she can’t really talk right now- but mulder wants to know more about this infection she found. 

he wants her to come to dallas with him, but she says she can’t, she has a hearing tomorrow!!! OH SHIT!!! the army men are approaching, but just in time she hides under the bodies…… very gross

now mulder is in a lab far away. looks like she did not accompany him to texas.

JUST KIDDING!!! SHE DID!!! she walks in right as he is told about some archaeological bone fragments!!

she didn’t want to come, but whatever those men were infected with has a protein code she has never seen before!! and i KNOW scully knows her protein codes!!! it is a serious health threat!!!

time to look at the fossils with a microscope. oh, whatever she sees is crazy, judging by the face she is making

(i thought it was so funny how he tells the dude in the lab he wanted her to explore the bones because it was so conveniently timed AND because they were archaeological remains that were thousands of years old, and i'm thinking, is she trained in archaeology? or is that implied with a training in forensic pathology? at what age is a bone no longer in her area of expertise?!)

back to the texas site…. the scary government people are going to try the vaccine. BLEH, whatever was in that guy has come free through his chest!!!!!!!!!!! bronschweig is looking around all over the place, freaking tf out!!!! where did it go?!!!!!

bronschweig says he can see it?? in a cave.

it looks slimy. and kinda little? he’s loading up a syringe with some sort of liquid that must be the vaccine, but then it vanishes!!!

OH. IT IS NOT LITTLE. NOT LITTLE AT ALL!!!!

GIRL. IT EATED HIM!?!!!! bronschweig stabs the alien fellow with the vaccine, but the other scientists lock him down in the hole because he has been mauled!!!!!!! and they bury him!!!! damn!!! there are truly no alliances in this alien business!!!!

why are we in england now? OHHHHH! IT’S WELL-GROOMED MAN!!! his butler says he has a call….

(okay, yeah, his name is “well-manicured man”, as the subtitles show, but come on!! it’s been 5 seasons of me calling him the wrong name!! i can’t switch it up now!!)

CSM says there is an emergency meeting TONIGHT. and strughold called it- whoever tf that is.

i have a feeling i am supposed to be most sympathetic towards well-groomed man. especially as he runs for what i presume to be his crying grandchild who hurt their knee. he was also the only one to advocate for working alongside the resistance, which morally elevated him above the others. but still. he is IN the alien groupchat, which you do not enter by being a morally clean fellow

syndicate meeting time!! who is this strughold fellow? aww, well-manicured man’s grandson broke his legs :(

so, breaking news: the alien virus has mutated into a new entity! they need to reevaluate their role in the colonization! well-groomed man points out that they have been used this whole time!! and they dismiss all of his wisdom!

so, they are once again going to ignore his advice of trying to have any hope. but there have been complications… allow us to look at a TV to illustrate

it is mulder and scully on the security footage!!! someone must have tipped him off to what is going on!! and they suspect kurtzweil. so he must go. and so must mulder.

but if they kill mulder, they risk turning one man's quest into a wider crusade… so they must take away what he cannot live without… 

cut to scully!!!! NOOOOOO!

ahhhhh!! i left off at 54:52, i feel that this is an okay place to leave for the night, because my writeups take so long. i started this almost 2 hours ago, and i think a break is appropriate here. so! until tomorrow!!!

ahhhh… so many things to analyze. while trying to fall asleep, i couldn’t stop thinking about the following: scully teasing mulder at the very beginning of the film; how she doesn’t want to work for the FBI anymore without him, and how she no longer feels she can make a change there (and how she Needs to make change rather than simply earn a paycheck); how she is trying to find her place in life still; his sadness at this fact; how he went to the bar and got smashed to cope, spilling his guts out to the waitress, clearly crushed that the world thinks he’s a joke when he doesn't have the answers to dull the pain; how he showed up to scully’s place drunk and she was confused, and the careful line of their relationship was being walked upon when he did so, but she still followed him into the hospital; and then how she immediately started nerding out about the goopy guy, and then hid in the morgue to autopsy him!!!!! and then there’s the whole thing with the well-groomed man and the aliens and colonization and blah blah blah, but come on!! i want my babies back together!! kicking ass and taking names!!! so.

part 2 shall commence shortly!

[fateandfragments-fanfiction]

The Fixer's Dilemma - F!Reader x Thoma

Genshin Impact

Thoma and Reader find themselves sharing a single bed during a mission. SFW.

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[Name] had seen her fair share of awkward situations in her life. As a healer employed by the Yashiro Commission, she often found herself in strange places at strange times, treating all manner of injuries and ailments. But this? This might just top the list.

She was standing in the dimly lit lobby of a quaint but thoroughly overbooked inn in Ritou, staring at the innkeeper, who wore an apologetic expression that did little to ease the sinking feeling in her stomach.

“I’m sorry,” the innkeeper said, bowing deeply. “With the influx of travelers for the festival, we only have one room left—and one bed.”

[Name] cast a sideways glance at Thoma, her ever-cheerful companion and the Kamisato Estate’s fixer, who had been sent to escort her on this mission to collect rare medicinal herbs from the nearby forests. His face was a study in forced calm, though the faint redness creeping up his neck betrayed his discomfort.

“Well,” Thoma said with a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head, “it’s just one night. How bad could it be?”

[Name] pinched the bridge of her nose. “Fine. Let’s just get some sleep and pretend this didn’t happen.”

The room was cozy in the way that only old inns could be—wood-paneled walls, a crackling hearth, and a bed that took up most of the available space.

Ah yes, there it was, the bed.

[Name] stared at it as if it might sprout legs and walk out of the room, sparing them the ordeal. No such luck.

Thoma, ever the gentleman, gestured toward the bed. “You should take it. I’ll sleep on the floor.”

[Name] rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’d wake up with your back in knots, and I’d have to waste herbs making you a pain-relief salve. We’re both adults. We can share.”

Thoma blinked, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. “Share?”

“Yes, share,” she said firmly. “It’s not like we haven’t slept in worse conditions. Remember the time we camped in that cave with the leaking roof?”

“That was different,” he muttered, looking anywhere but at her. “There were separate sleeping bags.”

[Name] groaned, tossing her pack onto a chair. “Just get in, Thoma. I’m too tired to argue.”

The first ten minutes were bearable. They lay as far apart as humanly possible, the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. [Name] stared at the ceiling, counting imaginary cracks, while Thoma lay rigid on his side, his back to her.

“So,” she said finally, breaking the silence, “do you always sleep this stiff, or is this a special occasion?”

Thoma let out a nervous laugh. “I don’t usually share a bed with my coworkers, so… special occasion, I guess.”

“Relax,” [Name] said, turning onto her side to face him. “I’m not going to bite.”

“That’s… reassuring?” He glanced over his shoulder at her, his expression uncertain but amused.

She rolled her eyes. “You’re acting like this is some grand scandal. We’re just trying to get some sleep. I promise I won’t steal the covers.”

He turned onto his back, letting out a long sigh. “You’re right. I’m being silly. Let’s just… sleep.”

-----

They didn’t sleep.

Somewhere in the dead of night, [Name] found herself on her back again, staring at the ceiling. The sound of Thoma’s steady breathing filled the room, though it wasn’t entirely steady—every now and then, it hitched, like he was as restless as she was.

“This is ridiculous,” she muttered under her breath.

“What’s ridiculous?” Thoma’s voice came, soft and uncertain.

[Name] blinked, startled. “You’re awake?”

“Hard to sleep when I’m trying not to accidentally elbow you.”

She laughed quietly, the sound carrying an edge of exasperation. “You’re too polite for your own good, you know that?”

He turned to face her, his expression barely visible in the dim light of the hearth. “And you’re too stubborn to let me sleep on the floor.”

They stared at each other for a moment, the tension shifting into something lighter, easier. [Name] shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. “What can I say? Stubbornness is one of my more charming qualities.”

Thoma chuckled softly, the sound low and warm. “It’s definitely memorable.”

For a moment, the space between them felt smaller than it actually was. [Name]'s smile lingered, but her gaze flickered, taking in the way his features softened in the dim light—the way he looked at her, not with exasperation or humor, but something quieter. She quickly turned onto her back, focusing on the ceiling again.

“You’re staring,” she said, her tone teasing but her voice just a little too tight to be casual.

“Sorry,” he murmured, but he didn’t sound all that sorry.

The silence stretched, comfortable but heavy in a way [Name] couldn’t quite put her finger on. She closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep, but her mind betrayed her with memories of the day.

Ayato’s knowing smile when he insisted Thoma accompany her on this trip. The way Ayaka, usually practical and composed, had suddenly become bashful when wishing them well. The single-room reservation at an inn that always claimed to be able to “make room” for Commission guests.

Her eyes snapped open. “Thoma.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think Ayato set this up?”

He blinked, his confusion evident even in the shadows. “Set what up?”

“This.” She gestured vaguely at the bed. “The room. The ‘only one bed’ situation. You coming along instead of literally anyone else from the estate.”

Thoma hesitated, clearly reluctant to entertain the idea. “Ayato’s not… I mean, he wouldn’t…”

[Name] turned her head toward him, raising an eyebrow. “Wouldn’t he?”

His mouth opened, then closed again, and he let out a breathy laugh. “Okay, maybe he would.”

“Maybe?” she echoed incredulously, sitting up slightly. “This has his meddling written all over it. Ayaka too, come to think of it. I bet she encouraged him.”

Thoma groaned, covering his face with one hand. “Great. Now I’ll never hear the end of it.”

[Name]'s lips twitched. “From them or from me?”

“Both, probably,” he admitted, laughing softly.

She laid back down, letting the humor ebb into something quieter again. “It’s not so bad,” she said after a pause. “You’re good company.”

“So are you,” he said, the warmth in his voice unmistakable.

The air between them stilled, and [Name] swore she could hear her own heartbeat. Her thoughts raced—this was Thoma, after all. Kind, dependable, frustratingly selfless Thoma. The one who always went out of his way to help her, who never seemed to lose his patience no matter how much she teased him. The one who had, just now, sounded so genuine it made her chest ache.

She risked a glance at him. His eyes were closed now, his breathing evening out, but his lips were curled into a faint smile. She turned onto her side, watching him for just a moment longer before closing her own eyes.

Maybe Ayato and Ayaka were up to something. Maybe they’d seen something [Name] herself hadn’t fully acknowledged yet.

As she drifted off, she let the thought settle into her mind without protest, comforted by the sound of Thoma’s soft, steady breathing. The warmth of the hearth filled the room, and for all her initial protests, sharing the bed didn’t feel so awkward anymore. It felt… safe.

-----

When she opened her eyes, the dim light of dawn was spilling through the window. The first thing she noticed was the tickling warmth of a breath against her cheek. Her heart skipped as her gaze focused on Thoma, who was much closer than she remembered.

Too close.

Somehow, during the night, the carefully maintained distance between them had vanished. His face was barely inches from hers, his eyes still closed, his expression soft in sleep. His arm rested near her side, close enough to touch, and she was acutely aware of how their knees lightly bumped under the blanket.

She froze, her mind racing. Should she move? Wake him up? Pretend this wasn’t happening and hope he shifted on his own?

Before she could decide, his eyes fluttered open, hazy with sleep as they met hers. There was a split second where he didn’t seem to register the situation, but then his brows lifted slightly, and his face turned an unmistakable shade of red.

“Uh…” he started, his voice groggy and unsure. “Morning?”

[Name] swallowed the lump in her throat, determined not to let the awkwardness win. “Morning,” she replied, her voice steadier than she felt. “Sleep well?”

Thoma blinked, his blush deepening as he seemed to realize their proximity. He scrambled back slightly, almost falling off the bed in the process. “I—uh—yeah. Sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“Relax,” she said, sitting up and stretching, though her cheeks were warm too. “It’s not like either of us did it on purpose.”

He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “True. Still, I—”

“Thoma,” she interrupted, her lips twitching into a teasing smirk. “You’re overthinking it. Let’s get ready. I’m sure Ayato’s already planning his next move.”

Thoma groaned but didn’t argue, instead retreating to the corner of the room to collect his things. [Name]'s, meanwhile, hid her smile as she packed up. If nothing else, this morning had confirmed one thing, whatever Ayato and Ayaka had hoped to spark, there was definitely a flame worth tending to.

By the time they returned to the Kamisato Estate, the sun was high, and the siblings were waiting for them in the courtyard. Ayaka greeted them warmly, her usual reserved smile tinged with something suspiciously knowing. Ayato, on the other hand, was his usual composed self—though [Name] could swear there was a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“How was the trip?” Ayato asked, clasping his hands behind his back. “Uneventful, I hope?”

[Name] exchanged a glance with Thoma, who was doing his best to look composed but failing miserably under Ayato’s scrutiny. She decided to throw caution to the wind. If Ayato wanted to meddle, she could play along.

“Uneventful?” she echoed, tilting her head with a mock pout. “Not exactly. Your fixer here was a real lifesaver. I don’t know how I would’ve managed without him.”

Thoma’s head snapped toward her, his eyes wide with confusion. “[Name]—”

Before he could finish, she turned to him with a sly smile and leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. “Thanks for everything, Thoma.”

The courtyard went silent.

Thoma stood frozen, his face crimson, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Ayaka covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes sparkling with barely suppressed delight. Ayato, for his part, raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into an amused smirk.

“Well, well,” Ayato said smoothly. “It seems the trip was more eventful than I anticipated.”

[Name] shrugged, her smile innocent but her eyes dancing with mischief. “What can I say? Thoma’s a man of many talents.”

Thoma finally found his voice, though it came out in a strangled sputter. “[Name], I—uh—that was—”

She clapped a hand on his shoulder, cutting him off. “Relax, Thoma. It’s just a little thanks for being such a good sport.”

Before he could respond, she turned back to Ayato and Ayaka. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have herbs to sort and remedies to prepare. Let me know if you need anything.”

With that, she walked off, leaving Thoma standing there, still red-faced, as Ayaka giggled behind her fan and Ayato watched her retreat with an expression that could only be described as smug.

As she rounded the corner, [Name] allowed herself a small, triumphant smile. If Ayato wanted to meddle, she could meddle right back. And judging by Thoma’s flustered reaction, she had a feeling this was far from over.

-----Thoma POV-----

Thoma stood rooted to the spot, his mind spinning. His cheek still tingled where [Name] had kissed him, and he could feel the heat radiating off his face. He knew he must look like a complete fool, standing there slack-jawed while [Name] strode away as though nothing unusual had happened.

"Well, Thoma?" Ayato's smooth voice cut through his daze, the playful lilt unmistakable. "Care to share what, exactly, transpired on this 'uneventful' trip of yours?"

Thoma snapped his head toward Ayato, his hands shooting up defensively. "N-nothing happened! I mean—nothing like what you're thinking, my lord! It was just—there was only one bed, and—wait, no, that sounds worse—"

Ayaka's laughter, light and melodic, filled the courtyard. She covered her mouth with her fan, though it did little to hide her amusement. "One bed, you say? How terribly inconvenient."

"It wasn’t like that!" Thoma exclaimed, his voice a pitch higher than usual. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to compose himself. "It was a mistake. The inn was overbooked because of the festival, and we didn’t have a choice."

Ayato’s smirk widened. “Oh, of course. A complete coincidence. And yet, I couldn’t help but notice how... relaxed [Name] seemed when she returned.”

Thoma groaned, covering his face with his hands. “Please stop. You’re reading too much into it.”

“Am I?” Ayato countered, his tone unrelenting. “Because from where I’m standing, it seems that [Name] might have a certain fondness for you. And judging by your reaction, it’s mutual.”

Thoma lowered his hands, his blush deepening. “It’s not like that,” he muttered, though his voice lacked conviction.

Ayaka stepped closer, her expression softening. “Thoma,” she said gently, “it’s okay to have feelings for someone. [Name] is a wonderful person, and you’ve always spoken so highly of her. If there’s something there, maybe you should explore it.”

Thoma hesitated, glancing in the direction [Name] had gone. His thoughts raced with memories of the trip—the way she teased him to lighten the mood, her quick wit, and the rare moments when her smile softened, and she let her guard down.

“She’s… unpredictable,” he admitted quietly. “She keeps me on my toes. But she’s also kind, and brave, and so much more capable than she gives herself credit for.”

Ayaka smiled warmly, folding her fan. “That sounds like more than admiration, Thoma.”

“It does,” Ayato agreed, his tone gentler now but no less teasing. “And it’s not every day [Name] kisses someone on the cheek in front of us. That was a bold move, even for her.”

Thoma groaned again, covering his face. “She was just messing with me! You know how she is.”

“Perhaps,” Ayato said, his gaze thoughtful. “But it might not hurt to find out if she’s only teasing or if there’s more to it.”

Thoma lowered his hands, looking between the siblings. “You two are relentless, you know that?”

Ayaka giggled. “We’re only trying to help.”

Ayato clasped a hand on Thoma’s shoulder, his smirk returning. “Think of it this way, whether it’s teasing or not, you’ll never know unless you ask. And if you don’t, well… [Name] doesn’t seem the type to wait forever.”

Thoma sighed, his resolve wavering. “You really think I should say something?”

Ayaka nodded, her eyes shining with encouragement. “I think you’ll regret it if you don’t.”

Ayato gave him a sly grin. “And besides, Thoma, it’s always better to be proactive than reactive, wouldn’t you agree?”

Thoma shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips despite himself. “You two are too much some times.”

With one last glance toward where [Name] had disappeared, Thoma squared his shoulders. Maybe they were right. Maybe it was time to stop second-guessing himself.

And maybe, just maybe, there was more to [Name]'s teasing than he’d dared to hope.

~Fin~

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This was very self-indulgent don't mind me.

[wrightingdungeon]

BG3 Shielding them with yourself

Warnings: Angst, death, some canon some not, a lot of Tav getting hurt somehow, 

Note: I put Minthara with the Durdge just because I love my psychotic wife, that is all, enjoy the fanfics

Astarion: Looking around in a cave at the bottom of the well wasn't bad, the problem was the Phase spiders, they crawled around everywhere. Astarion cursed when his foot caught a web, spiders turning to face the party. “Darling I think we have to go now,” Astarion said turning to head back to the rope, the spiders coming quickly on your heels. Hearing a hiss you looked back and saw a swarm of baby phase spiders. “Move!” Gale yelled throwing back an Alcamyst Fire, his aim sucked and Gale had thrown it much closer to you and Astarion than he thought he had. Grabbing Astarion and shielding his body with yours, you felt the far too-hot explosion when the bottle shattered. Looking back Gales's quick thinking worked to save you from the small spider swarm, but he had successfully burned the shirt off your back as well. Getting out of the cave you peeled off the burnt fabric. “Darling, you are hurt!” Astarion whined as he helped you heal up, his fingers tracing lines on your back.”Are you sure this doesn't hurt? I’ll burn Gale back if you want Darling.””

Gale: Walking back down the sussur tree trying to head back to the Arcane Tower, you all heard the call of a Hooked Horror behind you. “Go, Go.” You instructed your team, pushing them ahead of you. Almost out you watched Gale get pounced on by a hooked horror, you pulled out your hand crossbow shooting at the monster yelling out to get its attention. It turned its attention to you moving closer to you ignoring the wizard lying prone on the ground. “Tav what are you doing!?!??” Gale called seeing the Hooked Horror had separated you from the group. “Other side!” You called before running back up the tree, leading the horror away. You had been killed, the horror had alarmed another in the area and you couldn't outrun both, luckily you had drawn them far enough from the flowers so your team could be useful when they got to you. You woke up with a gasp your body aching “Oh thank Mystra you're ok.” Gale let the used scroll drop, and pulled you close kissing you, “Never do that again! I can’t lose you again.”

Halsin: Laying out in bear form he was taking a nap on his back enjoying the bit of nature you had found for him to enjoy all his bear needs, you were sitting up in a tree reading a book that Gale had let you borrow. Both of you, just enjoying a rare quiet moment together, You look down hearing someone approaching underneath you. “See I told ya, a bear near the city” It was a few of the Gur people that Astarion had warned you about, watching them pull out a crossbow aiming it at Halsin, you jumped down in front of them. “Wai-” You tried to warn them that Halsin’s a druid, not a bear bear. Feeling the arrow lodge itself in your chest before you heard the twang of the string of the crossbow. “Oh shit….” Before your vision blacked out you heard an enraged roar behind you. “You will be ok, I have you my heart.” You felt warmth spreading over you. Opening your eyes and looking up at Halsin you saw him looking down at you, brushing your hair back. “Please do not do that again, I can take a hit as a bear, you can not.” He said touching where the arrow had pierced you.

Karlach: Smiling holding Karlachs hand you both decided to head to the top of Sharess's caress and enjoy a drink together before retiring for the night. Laughing together sharing stories of your lives before the parasites, out of the corner of your eye you saw a patron of the caress had joined you both on the roof. After an hour you both began to make your way down, your alarm bells going off you kept Karlach away from them. “For Zariel!?!?” The patron rushes you both, demonic dagger flashing in the moonlight. Sidestepping guarding Karlach with yourself taking the dagger to the clavicle. “Soldier!?!?!!” Karlach lit up like a bonfire grabbing the attacker holding them up. “Tell Zariel, that she may hunt me to the ends of the Nine Hells, but I will not yield. My path is my own, and I will walk it without fear." She growled throwing them to the ground, stomping on their knee, smashing it so they couldn't follow. “I got you, Soldier…” Karlach whispered picking you up and running off to get Halsin or Shadowheart.

Lae’zel: She had woken up to Shadowheart pinning her down a dagger to her throat. “You had every chance to look the other way, but here we are. You chose this.” Shadowheart’s words spilled venom and hate “Don't expect to be mourned.” Shadowheart said before Lae’zel smacked her in the head with a rock, watching the knife come down Lae’zel could at least die fighting, like a warrior. A hand came crashing into the knife stopping it from harming Lae’zel. “I said STOP!” Feeling Shadowheart being picked up Lae’zel watched you standing over her, your right hand stabbed to the hilt of the dagger, your left hand on Shadowhearts throat holding her up in the air. “Are you going to cooperate, or do I need to take care of you NOW!” You yelled up at her, your booming voice starting to wake up the camp. “O-Ok!” Shadowheart cried out, gasping when she was thrown to the ground. “Go to your tent.” You barked pulling the dagger out of your hand and throwing it at her feet. “Are you ok Lae’zel?” Yes, she was fine, you had taken what was to be a death blow for her.

Minthara: Minthara was skeptical about the Dryad, but you had insisted on wanting to have a bit of fun after having fought Kethric at Moon Rise. “I know my heart - and yours- better than this creature ever will. But we can indulge it if you wish.” She said looking to the Dryad, stepping forward to stand by your side. After the Dryad had asked her questions she began to speak in riddles. “But I know the truth. Only one face haunts your dreams each night. Close your eyes, sweetness, and she will come to you.” Mintharas vision cleared,  seeing the Dryad turn into Orin she froze lightly remembering her laughter when she had infected her with the parasite. Feeling herself get pulled back, she looked up at you, moving your body to block Orin and Minthara. “I could end it now - but I'll be patient. Father will see us together again. He will see you bleed” In a flash Orin was gone. “Bhall I hate her.” You growled, looking back towards Minthara. “I'll separate her head from her shoulders before I let her harm you again.”

Shadowheart: Walking out into the Underdark, you all saw the Minotaurs thinking you all came up with a perfect plan to dispose of them. Nope, the party had not been prepared enough, able to get rid of one but the second refused to go down. Time seemed to freeze for Shadowheart saw the Minotaur running straight at her, ready to skewer her on its horn. Hearing your yell of barbarian rage, the next thing she knew she was on the ground with you standing over her. Your mussels popping out tenfold, holding the Minotaur’s horns locking eyes with the creature. “Aaaaargh!!?!?!?” your yell was strained, your body trembling as you began to pick up the Minotaur off the ground. Throwing it to the side watching as it hit the ground, the creature dug its finger in the ground trying to find something to hold on to, the force keeping its large body moving and rolling, over the ledge and down deeper into the Underdark. Shadowheart’s heart flutters watching you kneeling at her side. “I didn't hurt you, did I? I’m sorry I pushed you… I needed you safe.”

Wyll: He had always had his eye on your back, protecting you from anything that dared to harm you. This fight should have been no different, it had been going well, your team holding the upper hand. That was till the last goblin disappeared “WYLL.” He heard you yell feeling you pull him back, he heard the arrow slicing through the atmosphere with a high whistle, landing with a dull thud inside your abdomen. Watching you rip it out and throw it back, aiming a bullseye in the goblin's eye, lucky that you had let Volo try to help you remove the parasite, your new eye coming in handy quite a few times. Looking around making sure the area was clean you sighed giving the team a thumbs up so they knew no more invisible goblins. “Tav!” Wyll pulled you close popping a potion into your hands and ushering you to drink it. “Don't do that! What if it hit something vital!” He worried out loud looking to make sure the potion was helping. “Says mister ‘Provoke the blade, and suffer its sting’” You teased him, but let him fuss and look you over