#I'm so excited that I don't even know what to tag this

[wandanatsub]

At least once more, as always

Wanda Maximoff x Reader

Summary: Wanda finds a new spell in the Darkhold and wants to try it out.

Tags: Somnophilia, dub con (is reader there voluntarily? I don't know), magic (cock), stretching, overstimulation, breeding kink, pet names for reader (sweetheart, baby, angel), mommy kink, slight dacryphilia, no pronouns used for reader

Words: 3k

Find it on AO3 or others like it

I was thinking about how Wanda would wake you with morning sex and then my brain just did its thing at 2am. This took way longer to edit than I thought, but I'm happy with this for now so posting before it stays in my draft for another month..

The bed was warm when Wanda finally joined you, but sleep was the last thing on her mind.

She pulled the sheet off the bed and was rewarded with the sight of your naked body. Even asleep, Wanda knew you were always ready and waiting for her, whether you were aware of it or not.

She began with lightly brushing her fingers over your naked body, making sure you were still fast asleep. Then she pressed a bit harder, especially around your thighs and hips. Her hand snaked around your throat and massaged your pulse points. She teased your nipples and pulled on them.

Your breathing changed, but you were still sleeping. She checked, loving that her treatment was reflected in your dream.

After a while, she let her fingers drift down to your folds and pushed through them, feeling the wetness seep out of you. You were wet enough for her to put her plans into action.

And now for the second part of her plan. Wanda spoke another short incantation and started to slowly thrust into you. She wondered at what point you would wake and shiver of excitement ran down her back, making her thrusts a little deeper. Would the continued stretch of your hole would wake you up before her cock became thicker than her fist?

Before she pulled you close, she spoke the incantation and rubbed her clit. With the last word, a cock appeared between her legs. Her hand easily fit around it, as planned.

She turned you on your back. Your face was beautifully calm, a small smile on her lips if Wanda saw it correctly. Her fingers slid down to your thighs, grabbing hold at your knees and pulled them apart to slide closer towards you. She settled your legs over her hips, her cock right at your seeping entrance. She pushed in easily, groaning as she could feel her cock inside your warm and soft pussy.

Every passing second made her cock expand, slow enough to not be recognizable at the moment, but soon you'd notice the stretch. The slow process also gave her the chance to fuck you for a while before you'd wake up.

Wanda started with easy slow thrusts. You were so wet that she felt no resistance at all., though she could feel it starting to build. She fingered your clit to keep the abundance of wetness coming, not wanting to hurt you. Yet. She kept thrusting, checking in on your dream to find her dream-self lazily fucking into dream-you, your blissed-out face mirroring reality.

Wanda kept fucking into you. Once her cock had grown enough, the resistance was noticeable, your walls gripping onto her.  Gods, she loved the way you felt around her, the pressure gradually increasing, turning her on more every second.

She had to put more strength into her thrusts, holding onto your hips to push into you. Your dream-self had started to moan her name, slowly bleeding into reality, as she could hear you trying to form words. On a particular powerful thrust, going as deep as she could, your eyes suddenly popped open with you screaming out her name.

Wanda kept thrusting into you with all her power, relishing in the squeeze of her cock while pushing your hips into the mattress. Your hands came up to claw at her. To make her stop or will her to keep going, you weren’t sure.

Waking up to Wanda pushing into you with her thick cock had left you reeling, barely comprehending what was happening. But Wanda gave you no time to catch up. The squelching sound of Wanda forcing herself into your pussy filled the air.

"I've been fucking you for a while, but I’m glad you've finally decided to join the show."

"Yes, take me, pet."

She leaned down to pull your wrists above your head, brushing her nose up your throat to whisper in your ear.

"Gotta get you so wet for me, baby, more than ever before. I'm trying this little spell. Can you figure it out?"

Shivers ran through your whole body. Your hips tried to press up into the witch above you, desperately looking for more friction but Wanda slowed her thrusts, though only because she struggled to push into you all the way.

Her hand flew back to your clit, feeling your pussy give way to her. You squeezed your eyes shut, there were too many sensations. You needed to cum, because you needed this to be over. It was torture, lighting your body on fire, raw pleasure coursing through your veins.

And she kept thrusting into you, your brain nearly exploding while trying to make sense of her words and not pass out from the heavenly pressure between your legs.

You felt your orgasm creeping up on you. It hadn't been the first time Wanda had stretched you out, and it always felt great. But her waking you up already inside you felt intense. You wanted to cum so badly. Cum for her. Stretched around her cock.

"Please, more. I need-"

"Oh, don't worry, sweetheart, more is what this is all about. I'm gonna stretch you out until all you can do is cum on my cock."

You were glad Wanda had let you come so easily, not even making you ask for permission. Your hands let go of the headboard and found her hips, trying to push her off of you. The orgasm hat felt amazing but you needed a break.

The thought, paired with Wanda's hard thrusts, sent you over the edge easily, squeezing her cock like a vice. She moaned, her hips temporarily thrusting out of rhythm.

She slowed down until you stopped clenching around her, not wanting to cum until she had you at your breaking point. It helped you catch your breath. Though you could still feel the stretch, you felt relaxed, the pleasure-high fogging up your thoughts.

Wanda took hold of your wrists again and kept pushing into you.

“What makes you think I’m done with you, baby?” Her overly sweet voice made you realize you might be in trouble.

Wanda quickened her thrusts again, pleasure filled your body without your permission though you knew better than to fight it or her.  You would enjoy her treatment so much more when you gave into her fully. If Wanda’s thrusts kept coming, so would you. Might as well enjoy it.

Something felt different though. Like she had gotten bigger, stretching you more and-

Oh.

Now her words made sense.

A loud whine escaped your lips.

"Yes, more, please, more, Wanda. Please, please, make me stretch for you."

Wanda knew you had finally understood.

By now, she was almost as thick as her fist. Her thoughts drifted back to a week ago, when you had asked her to fist you. Wanda pushed the image and feeling of you squeezing her hand, only her wrist visible between your legs, covered in cum and lube to the elbow, into your thoughts.

The mental image and the pressure of her thick cock pushed you over the edge again. Your whole body went rigid, muscle tension pulling your body away from the mattress, pushing into the pleasure and overstimulation.

Wanda kept up her rhythm this time, pounding into you, holding onto your hips, pushing herself as deep as possible. You didn't know when your second orgasm turned into the third, but you wouldn’t care if you lost all feeling in your physical body as long as the fireworks of pure ecstasy kept exploding.

"One more, baby, give me one more." The words pushed through the haze in your mind. And you felt yourself nod. One more orgasm and you could rest.

Wanda blew hot air on your clit, not wanting to overstimulate you, but you writhed underneath her anyway.

Wanda had paused her thrusts, waiting for you to return to reality, but her cock had gotten thicker again.

Your orgasm had spread your wetness over your thighs, her thighs and the bedspread, but neither of you cared.

"More, Wan, please." Your words were slurred, but Wanda understood them anyway.

"I'm so proud of you, sweetheart. You are doing so well. Just give me one more. Can you do that for me, baby?"

You nodded again, moving your hips against hers, pushing yourself onto her thick cock.

Wanda was in awe. She had trained you so well.

"That's it, baby, keep going, fuck yourself on my cock. You can't get enough of it, can you? You're so wet and open for me, made to be stretched by my thick cock."

You whined, not able to push yourself all the way onto Wanda's cock anymore, resulting in quick, shallow frustrating thrusts. You were stretched beyond anything you had ever experienced. You wanted more, needed more. Needed Wanda, her help, needed her to push deeper into you. All thoughts had left your head. All you could think about was Wanda. The witch liked it that way.

"Aww, my pretty baby can't do it without my help? Don't worry, sweetheart, I'll show you how to fuck a precious little angel like you."

You winced at the first deep thrust. Wanda's thumb found your clit and swept over it again and again. The stretch became easier to handle but it couldn't quench the frustrated arousal sweeping through your whole body. With all your strength, you wrapped your legs around Wanda's back and pulled her as close as you could.

"Harder. Please, Wan. Please, mommy, fuck me."

Hearing that title from your lips nearly pushed Wanda over the edge.

Nails dug into your hips, making you cry out. Wanda pushed into you as hard as she could, slamming her pelvis into yours with every thrust, but you didn't care. The pleasure exploded in your body, reaching every tiny nerve ending.

"Come for me, baby. Come on mommy’s cock."

Your orgasm ripped through you, only increasing once you felt Wanda's cock erupt in thick spurts of cum, stretching you even more. Your breathing stopped while your body tried to contain all the pleasure. All your nerve endings were fired up, sending ecstasy back to your center, the sensations concentrated on the stretch of your walls around Wanda's cock, pulling you into another orgasm.

It took a while to free yourself from the haze in your brain. You barely registered Wanda speaking words in another language, then the continued stretch stopped.

Wanda waited until your eyes fluttered open again, finding hers.

"Good morning, baby. Sleep well?"

Her lips pulled into a grin. You opened your mouth to say something, anything, if at all possible. But as soon as your brain found words, her thumb swiped over your clit, circling it, shooting pleasure through your abused nerves. You whined, your hands shooting out to grip her wrist. Wanda was still inside you, stretching your pussy to its limits.

"Ah ah ah, baby, hands to yourself. I just want to make this easier for you."

Your grip on her wrist didn't lessen, but you didn't have the strength to stop her anyway. Wanda brushed quick little circles over your clit, making your eyes roll back. Your hips lifted of their own volition, still chasing her touch, but she chose that moment to slowly pull out of you.

Your eyes nearly bulged out of your head. Stretching you out had been ecstatic, but this feeling was agonizing. Her thumb pressed over your clit, your walls releasing her cock, bit by bit. Using magic could’ve definitely make this process easier for you, but Wanda wasn’t really looking to make it easier for you.

She pulled out slowly, slower really than she had to, but she loved seeing your walls all stretched around her, your clit fluttering under her thumb.

"You're doing so well for me, sweetheart. Be good, and don't fight it, baby."

Your body couldn’t decide between whines, cries and moans, letting it all out. Wanda basked in the display of pleasure and pain. She loved how your body writhed underneath her, constantly switching between pulling her closer and pushing her away.

Wanda was in total control of your body, just the way she liked it. Her fingers slid up your stomach to your breast and started to toy with your nipples, squeezing and pulling on them. All the painful sensations combined into a pleasure wave, slowly drifting over you.

She paused the movement of her hips for a few seconds, cruelly tracing your thin walls around her cock. Your whines turned into sobs, your body practically vibrating with all the sensations, until she finally took pity on you. Her thumb returned to your clit, the other hand held onto your squirming hips. Her lips found your ear, praising you in hushed tones as she finally pulled out of you.

A final small orgasm pulled out of you, relief flooding your whole body.

Without her cock inside you, your combined cum started flooding out of you, soaking the sheets underneath you.

Wanda's finger swirled through it and pushed some of it back into your stretched entrance. You whined and tried to pull away from her.

"Stay still, baby. I can't have all of this sweetness go to waste. Have to plug you up next time, to make sure to keep all of my cum inside."

Your struggle quickly faded. Your body was overwhelmed, unable, and unwilling to fight Wanda. After all, she knew what was best for you.

Four wet fingers easily pushed the cum back into you, her thumb finding your clit, overstimulation sending you into another quick orgasm, squeezing weakly around her fingers.

"Good job, baby, let me fill you up."

Wanda pulled you closer by your hips, propping your ass up onto her thighs. Your legs fell open, exposing your wide entrance to Wanda's hungry gaze. Your body felt heavy, too heavy to really move, but you knew Wanda would handle your body into any position she wanted it. You didn’t have to think about moving or anything besides breathing, though your body mostly managed that on its own.

"You're perfect like this, sweetheart, all open and ready for me."

Even though you were still incredibly overstimulated, Wanda's praise could easily push you into compliance.

"Wanna be good for you, mommy." Your whispers were barely loud enough to be heard, but Wanda would've caught them over the sounds of bombs raining from the sky.

"Then just lay still and let me fill you up, baby. Gotta make sure my seed takes root."

Your eyes fluttered, and it became difficult to keep them open. You caught glimpses of Wanda stroking her cock eagerly, staring at your freshly fucked pussy.

"Fill me up, mommy, want you to breed me."

Wanda loved you. She really did. Especially when you were fucked-out exhausted but still so incredibly horny. She was glad she hadn't managed to fuck that out of you yet.

She stroked herself while slowly circling your clit, delighted to see your pussy quivering, trying and failing to squeeze around anything. You couldn’t move a muscle even if you wanted to. Wanda would fuck you for as long as she wanted to, so there was no reason for you to move anyway.

The sight in front of her and the thought of breeding you finally pushed her into her second orgasm of the morning. The first ropes of cum landed over your stomach and hips. She kept fisting her cock and aimed at your still gaping entrance, the rest of her cum dripped into you.

Her thumb brushed your clit, making you squeeze around her cum.

Another short but intense orgasm made sure her cum stayed where it should and brought silent tears to your eyes.

"So good for me baby, you did so well. I love how hungry your pussy is for my cum. Love to see my little angel clench around nothing but my cum."

A smile bloomed on your face, and Wanda brushed away the tears from your cheek, mixing with the cum still on her thumb.

"Such a pretty angel. Cry for me, baby."

Crying after an intense orgasm wasn't new for you. And this had been the most intense experience of your life, so Wanda wasn't surprised by your reaction. The fact that it turned her on even more was also a benefit. The tears kept falling, and Wanda kept brushing them away, smiling down at you.

"Getting my thumb all wet, baby, and wet fingers are only good for one thing."

Her featherlight touch had barely left your face when you felt it once again on your clit. You stiffened. You couldn't. Not again. It was too much.

"Can you give me one more, angel? Just one more, and then you can sleep, I promise. Just have to make sure that you take mommy's cum as deep as you can."

Somewhere in the back of your mind, you were sure this wasn't necessary to get you pregnant, whether she had cum inside you, tip pushed against your cervix, or masturbating over your gaping hole.

Your body fought against overstimulation. You wanted to be good for Wanda. To give her what she wanted. She was relentless, brushing over your clit. Quietly praising you. Telling you about all the other ways she wanted to breed you until you were finally pregnant and maybe even after that.

Your body slowly came alive again, pleasure reaching out its fingertips.

"Look at me, baby."

Wanda waited until your eyes fluttered open and anchored onto her own. She smiled at you, then looked down at your abused pussy and let her spit drip onto your clit. Your eyes rolled back, and your body quivered under her presence.

With the last vestiges of her sanity intact, Wanda pulled up your hips until her tongue could reach your clit. It barely took a few licks to catapult you into one last orgasm, long and intense, Wanda sucking on your clit throughout until you finally lost all strength in your body.

She carefully lowered you, pulled a pillow under your hips to keep them inclined, and finally laid down next to you, pulling you into her arms.

"Sleep, baby. You did so well for mommy, I’m so proud of you."

You barely registered the praise before you lost consciousness and drifted into a dreamless sleep.

[sweetflanfiction]

Asymetrical Symphony - Part 20

Universe: Arcane (LOL)

Pairing: Viktor x reader

Summary: You had been on the rooftop with Jayce and the Herald and somehow you were sent to a place where things can be different with your help

Disclaimers and Warnings: If you want me to tag you on the chapters let me know! Also leave a comment with your thoughts :D Not finished, not proofread. English isn't my 1st language. All I know about LOL is from google and all I know about Arcane is taken from the show, so inacuracies will be plenty. I have a sort of idea on how to I'm gonna go with magic and runes, so bear with me. The reader will be written as GN (going by they/them) to get everyone involved, but if you see any discrepancies let me know.

Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7 • Part 8 • Part 9 • Part 10 • Part 11 • Part 12 • Part 13 • Part 14 • Part 15 • Part 16 • Part 17 • Part 18 • Part 19

• ··········· • ············ •

Alena's amused chuckle made you feel a little at ease when she placed her hands on the sheets and pulled them away after adding a mint medical mask on her face.

“So…” She started talking at the same time her gloved hands touched skin, and you took a deep breath. “...you go from wanted criminal to the heir of an up-and-coming minor house. And if that's not enough, you are buddies with the great founders of Hextech, one of whom is a councillor.”

"You forgot that I am also the center of a lot of gossip." You kept your eyes on her hands, almost willing them to keep being human.

"I know!" Her eyes squinted in delight, and she let her hands stay there for a moment. "Rags to riches!"

“What can I say?” You relaxed as the weight, warmth, and feel of her hand became normal against you.

She subtly nodded, her eyes becoming soft and then shifting to a more jovial and casual gaze. Her hands slowly made their way towards the bandages on your wounds. 

“Mmm…How about... how's the view from up there?” She joked, and you felt her slowly peel off one of the bandages.

“Heh...Not particularly exciting. A lot of egos and dinner parties." You rolled your eyes, and Alena inspected the wounds, poking at the one she had unbandaged. 

You nodded, signaling you were alright, and she kept going.

"I would love to be a fly on the wall." She stopped prodding and looked straight at you, eyes swimming with humor.

"Trust me...It's not that thrilling. You go to one, you go all. After a few of those, even the gossip becomes stale."

"I don't believe that." She pushed a small wheeled tray that one left next to the bedside table and started to clean the wound. You flinched at the sting, and she looked at you. 

Alena grabbed a new sterile bandage and glued it in place, moving towards another. It didn't hurt or make your mind jump through the hoops of panic, but it was uncomfortable, mostly because the wounds felt foreign. Like when you'd discover a paper cut that you didn't know you had. 

"I've heard the story that I am the illegitimate daughter of my mother about a hundred times. Or that I am only here for her money."

"They tell you that to your face?" She sounded shocked.

"Nah...but they say it to Mel's face, who then tells it to Jayce, who then tells it to Viktor, who then tells it to me." You rolled your eyes. "Sometimes, Jayce just skips the Viktor part and goes straight to me."

"Imagine that... Having the councilors of this great city doing your dirty work." You both laughed at her tone. 

“Sky Young.” You looked up at Alena. “Do you know how she is? Viktor told me she was a little shocked with what happened, but nothing more.”

“Miss Young is a little shaken up, yes, but other than that, healthy. The doctors are advising her to stay at home for a couple of days." Alenas restarted her wound inspections, her hands no longer feeling strange to your skin. "I believe that seeing someone get shot by three bolts is not exactly in her job description. She was brought in with you. According to the two hex-heads, she fainted." 

Alena started on the last wound and took a deep breath, and you noticed she was looking at the last wound with curiosity and doubt.

"Hex-heads?" You asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The heads of Hextech." She winked at you, and you shook your head.

"Ah! I gotta keep that one for next time."

"I'll be here all night." 

“Well, whatever they got in the water over on the top Topside, it got you healing fast." You moved your neck to try and peek at the wounds, Alena moving her hand to let you see. "When they admitted you, you were on the straight and narrow to get a blood transfusion ASAP."

They looked like ugly brown holes in your skin, scabby and slightly angry. The edges were still red, but they looked healthy from where you sat. Your eyes shifted to her questioning.

"They look like they were healing for a week; it's been 2 days. You should start selling whatever they have been giving you to eat or drink." She sounded like she was laughing, but something in her voice told you there was something there, a little ping in her tone that gave it a twang of suspicion. You've heard it in Viktor's accent before; it was unmistakable.

“I felt them go through me.” You lied easily with one hand pointing to the back, and Alena nodded.

"Those are healing just as well, if not faster." There it was, the little hint that there was something she wasn't telling you. "I saw them before you woke up when your knight in a shining cane went to the cafeteria."

She resumes her ministrations, cleaning and redressing the remaining wound. Her fingers were gentle but efficient, not lingering more than needed.

“They look almost cauterized." She poked one harder, and you flinched. "Sorry."

You shook your head, dismissing it, now more interested in what she was thinking than the discomfort. There was a glint in her eyes, and you were the best friend of two scientists; some of their curiosity was bound to rub off on you.

She sighed and redressed the last wound, then she looked at the clock in the room and leaned a hip on your bed.

"Is that one special?" You joked when she took more time on that one than the rest.

"Oh. No... Sorry." She straightened up, and you raised both your eyebrows.

"Oh come on now, don't keep me in suspense here. What's going on?"

Uh-oh.

“Councilor Tallis...Jayce...says it was in did cauterized by the bolt because he was working on some crystals."

“You don’t sound very convinced.” She gave you a one-shoulder shrug very similar to those that Viktor gave when he knew something and he wanted to tell you, but you had to fish it out of him. “Go on…”

“What do you know of magic?” She asked, looking at the last wound and refreshing it with the whitest bandage you’ve ever seen. 

“Well, my Babička…Grandmother…Knew someone who had magic. He had come to Zaun when my grandmother was still a child, and he was already very old, and that’s how she knew he had to be magic.”

“That's not a type of medicine you study in nursing school.” You tried to make a joke, quickly hiding your shock at her question.

"Well, you wanted to know." She shrugged and started to clean up the tray, taking off her mask in the process.

"Alright. I don't know much." You lied, flexing your scarred hand under the sheets. "I know fairytales and old stories.”

Alena looked at you, her eyes bright with excitement over telling this story to someone. With every word, her accent became closer and closer to the Zaunite lilt. You noticed her tidying up task became more of an excuse to be here than anything else. 

 “Your grandmother knew someone was a mage because he was old?” You hit the button to bring your bed head upwards slightly, your neck already in pain from craning it up.

“No…Well, yes. Because every time she saw him, he was always old.” She grabbed a small cotton ball and embedded it with alcohol, slowly cleaning anything she could find on that tray. “She would talk to him sometimes, and he never denied he was magic.”

“Did he ask her for money? Because that sounds like a scam to me.” You grinned at her.

“That’s because you are a topsider…” She joked, and you nodded after a while, recognizing the jab as true. “Anyway, he wandered around Zaun for a while carving strange symbols into the stone of certain places in the Undercity. Not just stone. Some people say they saw him write things in the air. Sometimes he would disappear for years at a time and then reappear, carve another symbol, and puff…gone.”

“Sounds like an asshole…leaving your grandmother hanging like that.” You joked, and she snorted, shrugging nonchalantly.

It amused you to no end that her accent became deeper and more pronounced with each word, and at the same time you were apprehensive about the old man.

“Yes, but one time she says she asked him what the symbols were, and he just said ‘kouzelnictví’...magic...”

“He answered that with that exact word? He was a Zaunite?!”

“Well, I’m sure Zaun is not the only place in Runeterra with that tongue. Besides, if he is magic, I suppose he can talk in any language, no?"

"Anyway, she asked him what the last symbol he had carved was, and he said 'oheň'...fire.” She became more excited, leaving the tools on the tray and starting to talk with her hands. “And my grandmother got scared. Most of Zaun at the time was very flammable. But he told her that fire is not always bad. It is what people in a snowstorm desire the most, the warmth of a fire. It could destroy but also be used to weld and create beautiful, perfect things.” 

“...Fire heals more than it destroys.” She said with finality and showed you the skin on her wrist. "Grandmother opened an apothecary not long after, and after that everyone in the family became a healer."

You frowned, pensive, your eyes unfocusing on her for a moment. 

The ceiling in red tones, the soft boiling sound, the black cracks, the burning sensation in your abdomen. All fire-related.

Your eyes focused on her exposed wrist and widened, a single breath caught in your throat.

Tattooed on her wrist was a familiar shape. In bright reds and oranges was a mirrored and smaller version of the rune that had appeared on the ceiling of the lab. You wanted to touch it but were afraid you would unwillingly speak it, making it jump out of her skin and do something.

“And how can you heal someone with fire?” Alena turned her sleeve back down, and you looked at her, eyes still wide. “Cauterizing. You can stop something as dangerous as a lost limb by burning the stump. Your body temperature flares up to fight infections.”

For a second you just blinked at her, your mind reeling at the thought of this old mage going around Zaun drawing runes. 

"You think I was healed by magic?" You managed to splurt out in your state of astonishment. 

"I don't know, but... I saw the wounds when you arrived; they were burned on the edges, and then the healing process? It's too quick to be natural." She came closer to you and whispered. "If you ask me, they were doing something with magic... real magic! The ancient kind, not their usual kind."

"A twelve-sided—" 

"What other runes... did your grandma know?"

"Oh..." She stopped for a while, her eyes searching for an answer. "She didn't mention it anymore, but as she got older, she got obsessed with dodecahedrons, and when we asked her about it, she always talked about the old man."

Your face dropped when a memory of a blackboard with twelve bullet points on it flashed into your brain. 

You laughed as naturally as you could, and she grinned back at you. The casual conversation was interrupted by someone calling Alena on the hospital speaker. You found out then she also didn't have a last name.

"Twelve facets of the arcane." You mumbled, and Alena's eyes narrowed. "The arcane has twelve basic facets, sides...like a dodecahedron..."

"So you do know about magic..."

"I only connected it now. They use it in hextech. Or tried to...I don't know..."

"Oh, spilling secrets now are we?" She joked, but when your face didn't accompany her humor, she paused. "Are you alright?"

"Yes. Sorry." You tried to quickly put yourself together. "Viktor and I were talking about it the other day, and now you talked about it... I was just surprised by the coincidence."

"Oh! Well, maybe I am right and you were healed by it...You call on it, and it answered."

"Duty calls." She patted your knee. "I'll check back on you later. You should rest before visiting hours; I'm sure at least your mother will want to barrel in here."

You laughed softly and nodded.

Alena opened the door and waved back at you, clipboard in hand, and waved at you, completely oblivious to the running thoughts in your head.

“Oh... Wait..." You called when she reached the door. "Do you…Can you tell me where these symbols are?”

“Mmmm. Sorry. I wouldn't know. They probably built over them. If it's even true." She gave you a sad smile.

“Yeah, you're right.” 

You hadn't lied to her...not completely. You and Viktor had indeed talked about this. Just not in this dimension.

• ··········· • ············ •

@marshy-moo @victormydarling @blueesmiski @th3stup1dcat @22carolina08 @httpstes @that-one-shitty-blog @disa-pointment @sseleniaa @moons-lighttrail @aysluxe @fae-doodle @kitewa @local-mr-frog @bakusquadobsessed @cherry-cola-100 @optimistic-but-very-realistic @seeksrsnn @thecordelialetters @notsaelty @lansy-4 @ayupfrogg @sammypotato @wnbrw @lucycarlisleswife @noxturnalmoth @ren-ren23 @furblrwurblr @kapitankarate @mynicknameisgasoline @octo-octopie @birbwithhat @kneelarmhstrung @dedicated2viktor @elvishstudies @iamfandomnerd

[shivayagojo]

ITALY GP, italian heritage

masterlist

avaflorence

Channeling my Italian heritage with these idiots so I can win in Imola.

tagged: charlesleclerc , oscarpiastri

see comments below

senatorbiff: Does this mean Leclerc adopted Ava too? 😲 ↳avaflorence: No, I'm Seb's daughter. ↳fernandoalonso: Excuse me? 🤨 ↳avaflorence: Sorry, you too, old man (but you're more like my grandpa)

fernandoalonso: If I don't win, I'm rooting for you to win. 👍 ↳tedestry: nothing to see here. just nando supporting his two kids (max and ava)

florence4ever: MAMA I need you to win. I wanna hear the Belgian anthem again. ↳funeralfrost: A Porsche win in Italy would be the ultimate last laugh

charlesleclerc: No pic credits? ↳oscarpiastri: You said were you going to fill the gas and you just took that picture. ↳charlesleclerc: It looked good, no? ↳avaflorence: Be lucky you even got tagged.

porschef1: @scuderiaferrari truce? ↳scuderiaferrari: 1-2 finish and a truce. ↳porschef1: Understood (as long as we win)

f1

We're backing racing in Imola and it's sure to be nothing but excitement.

see comments below

funeralfrost: Norris went from challenging to Norris to letting Max through ↳bmb: Bottling his second place just like his race starts 💀

alexin: Lewis and Ava both know the camera is on them. Just in different ways. ↳avafanpage: I saw a yt compilation of her chasing down the camera man for like five minutes

cobretti18: pls Max win and make this is a close battle 🙏 ↳d_silva: Ava's too far ahead for the dutch man ↳pie4july: Even if Max won, Ava would somehow still be on the podium.

bootsncats: How tf have we only had one Ferrari podium? ↳prex: That Hamilton signing looking real bad now 🤣 ↳teamLH: What do you know about the 8 time champion Sir Lewis Hamilton? ↳yugi: pls just hop off

swissgirlie: She's been on the podium every single race. Ava's going to win! ↳florence4ever: Manifesting a win for MAMA

WHAT IS QUALIFYING without a bit of struggle for Porsche? In Q1, Vettel barely was able to squeeze into the next session, being a tenth faster than Colapinto in 17th. The only glimmer of hope for Porsche was that Ferrari had found pace, and not the McLarens. Leclerc and Hamilton was climbing back into the heights of the top 3 after a disastrous start to their seasons. Now, the stage for Q3 was set. The drivers included: Hamilton, Leclerc, Verstappen, Piastri, Florence, Vettel, Russell, Norris, Antonelli, and Hulkenberg.

PIASTRI went out first. For the next three minutes, he was the quickest man on the timing sheets. Leclerc got the closest, but was still two tenths off the pole sitter. It was all smiles in the McLaren garage. Until their fretted nightmare came. Lewis Hamilton, a man who was written off that the beginning of the season, snatched pole position by a tenth of a second. Cheers erupted from the Ferrari pit crew. A pole position. The first of the season. This could be the beginning of the turnaround. For the next set of laps, no man could challenge that time. However, who dared challenged next was not a man.

"We ride on board with Ava Florence - her first lap in Q3. Hamilton on pole, Piastri second. Where is Florence is going to finish in the pecking order? Her teammate is in fifth. That could be a good indicator where she will land. Martin, let's see this lap, shall we?"

"She's just making her away around the final corner of her out lap. Open the DRS hatch and now we begin! The pit straight is anything but straight. A slight left bend for Turn 1, approaching the Tamburello Chicane. Sweep left, nice right, a bit further and left again. Accelerate the whole time. Beautiful exit out of Turn 4. Short straight and now we're at Villeneuve. Turn 5, flat out. And then drop a couple gears for Turn 6."

"My goodness. First sector, faster than anybody by three tenths. Amazing."

"Indeed as past Tosa she goes and uphill for Piratella. You need total bravery for this corner and total bravery she has. Brilliant speed carrying uphill. Now for Acque Minerali. Easy to go wrong here. Keep the throttle planted through the first right bend then on the brakes for the second. Be careful of the gravel and she is. A quick left kink, Turn 13. Then Alta - tight, technical, but fast right-to-left chicane..."

"And sorry to interrupt you there, Martin, but another fastest sector for Florence. At Rivazza, the double left handers. No lock up for her. She sails smoothly through and the final corner. She crosses the line. She goes... ALMOST HALF A SECOND! HALF A SECOND FASTER THAN LEWIS HAMILTON! And Fred Vessuer did not expect that at all. Neither did Hamilton, I'm sure. And this is another masterclass to add for what is surely shaping up to be a sensational rookie season."

HENRY And that is pole position, Ava! What a lap!

FLORENCE Haha! Yes! Finally!

"That's her second pole position of her career. Her first, Suzuka, Round 3. I'm sure she'll be delighted for this after many rounds of struggling in qualifying."

porschef1

Ferrari, you still up for the 1-2?

tagged: scuderiaferrari, avaflorence

see comments below

scuderiaferrari: We're up for negiotiations ↳@porschef1: Hamilton x Ava coming soon ↳acidtrip: Don't do this to me! Don't give me hope!

delulu: Whatever magic voodo Ava got in Italy, keep giving her more ↳chemical: Saint Leclerc has blessed another driver but himself

florence4ever: POLE POSITION! ↳gigi: Someone check up on Ferrari fans. They're dying ↳lulu: Nah, even Ferrari fans like me love her ↳coolblonde: Everybody is a Ava fan.

ance: A German team in an Italian nation. I've seen this before ↳distro: german engineering just better

IMOLA GRAND PRIX STARTING GRID

AVA FLORENCE

LEWIS HAMILTON

OSCAR PIASTRI

CHARLES LECLERC

MAX VERSTAPPEN

SEBASTIAN VETTEL

GEORGE RUSSELL

LANDO NORRIS

ANDREA KIMI ANTONELLI

NICO HULKENBERG

CARLOS SAINZ

FERNANDO ALONSO

GABRIEL BORTOLETO

LANCE STROLL

ALEXANDER ALBON

PIERRE GASLY

FRANCO COLAPINTO

ISACK HADJAR

ESTEBAN OCON

OLLIE BEARMAN

YUKI TSUNODA

LIAM LAWSON

"Imola, where Romans first settled, and where the gladiators have returned. Ava Florence, her second pole position of her career, will be looking forward to continue her tremendous season, but she's got the more experience Hamilton behind her. This afternoon, it's a 3.05 mile track and it is wet at the moment. We had some showers coming in before the race schedule. One DRS zone on the first straight of the track. 63 laps ahead of us, let's see what comes out of this race."

"Rain is always an unpredictable factor in Formula 1. We get so many exciting moments in the rain. This one is going to be no different. We've got most of the grid starting in Inters, except for the likes of the Audi of Hulkenberg and the Redbull of Lawson."

"Tire strategy is going to play a key role here as rain is expected to last for a good portion of the Grand Prix. But now, the cars line up at the end of the formation lap. It's Ava at the top of the pack, followed by Lewis Hamilton, Oscar Piastri, and Charles Leclerc. And now it's five lights.... AND IT'S LIGHTS OUT AND AWAY WE GO! Oscar got a good start on Hamilton, he's side-by-side already. Florence leading the pack. Down Turn 1 they go - OSCAR GOES PAST HAMILTON. Verstapen on Leclerc. AND OH AN AUDI GOES OFF THE TRACK!"

"It's Hulkenberg. Hulkenberg went off the track. And now that's giving Sainz the clear move on Antonelli. He pushes to the inside and he moves on ahead."

"Already, we've swapping positions. Piastri had that beautiful start on Hamilton. He's in second. He's going to try and pass Ava. Behind it's a rivalry we've been asking for. Leclerc and Verstappen. It's going to Verstappen on the outside of Tosa. Round they go on the hairpin, Leclerc just having that edge. Verstappen not giving up though. He's alongside his rear right wheel... Leclerc cuts him off at Turn 8."

"Exciting stuff we're seeing. A lot of drivers are failing to find grip on these wet conditions. As there goes Esteban Ocon on Isack Hadjar. He's in P18 now. Like I was saying, staying on the track is going to be the most important thing because there's a lot of gravel and- Oh, Norris spins out. Just like I said. You have keep on the track."

"Lando Norris stuck on the gravel pits. He's going to try and find a way out. We have yellow flags out and this is reminding me an awful lot like the race with 2021. And if you're Hamilton, you don't want it to be like 2021 Imola. As now, past Turn 19, they hit the pit straight. Hamilton has the slipstream. No DRS, but he doesn't need it. He pulls past Piastri. Hamilton back into P2."

LAP 3:

"What's this? This is Nico Hulkenberg coming into the pits. So, obviously, the wet tires did not work out for the Audi. The track just not wet enough for it. We're watching Bortoleto and Alonso. And that's not much of a competition there. Bortoleto gets past the Aston Martin."

"Hamilton has cut down the gap to Florence to just five tenths. So, he's going to get a good chance the next time they come down the pit straight. Oh what is this? Russell goes a little wide on Tosa so that's Lando Norris coming through. He's gained an easy position."

"Sorry to cut off there, Martin. I said it was going to be an easy position for Bortoleto. I lied. Alonso is coming back through Minerali. Alonso has the better line, and he's going to swoop past Bortoleto. So, that is the difference between a rookie and a 43 year old F1 veteran. Alonso makes it very easy to get back into P12. There's also Esteban Ocon. He gets past Colapinto in the same corner Alonso got past Bortoleto. So, Ocon, finding very good pace in these inters. He's not that far off from the leaders."

...

"We said it earlier. Hamilton less than a car length away from Florence. Still no DRS. The stewards don't think its safe enough to activate. But Hamilton doesn't care. He's popping down the inside of Turn 2. Side by side! And Florence is off the track. Oh she had to cut it! HAMILTON IS UP INTO THE LEAD! And it's not over! Florence struggling to get back onto the track! Piastri moves up int P2."

"They didn't make contact, but it looked like Hamilton had to force her wide and then she went off the track. We might need a replay to see what happened. But, yeah, Crofty. She had trouble getting it back and Piastri took that chance to swoop in."

FLORENCE The chicane is way too wet!

HENRY Understood, Ava. But we don't think it's ready for wets.

"So, it wasn't Hamilton. The track is just too wet for her stay on it. But apparently, not wet enough for wet weathers. If you're just joining us, Ava Florence, the pole sitter, the race leader is now sitting in third with Hamilton leading for the first time this season."

BEARMAN Why are the shifts not working?

"That's Ollie Bearman complaining about the gears on his steering wheel. Hopefully, that won't become a persistent problem later in the race."

LAP 15:

"It's revenge season for Ava Florence. She's been chasing down Oscar Piastri for 13 laps. Down the pit straight. Still no DRS, but this track is proving you don't need to overtake. Down the inside, she goes. Is she going to recreate the move Hamilton did on her? Piastri backs off, Ava moves up. She's into P2."

"I think Piastri knew the track was still too wet. He saw what happened with Ava. He was right behind her. So, he doesn't want that happening to him."

"Ava is now clear of Piastri. The gap to Hamilton: 4.5 seconds. And what's happening here? Contact between Lawson and Stroll! Lawson clips his front wing! He tried to swerve on the other side of Turn 1, but calculated it wrong. And Lawson is definitely going to have to pit. That is going add another bad omen to his already bad weekend."

LAP 16:

"Verstappen has been slowly gaining on Leclerc. Or shall I say, Leclerc seems to be losing some pace. He's getting slower and slower with every lap. Is his inters starting to lose some grip?"

"I think so. He's been spending a lot of time in the opening stages defending against Verstappen so that might have cost him as now Verstappen tries on the outside of Tosa again."

"This time, Leclerc does not have the exit speed he needed. Verstappen, oh so close, storms on ahead. Verstappen up into P4. After the last couple of rounds, he's moved up into P2 of the championship standing and now looks like the real front runner to challenge Florence, if there is any."

LAP 26:

"There's Vettel coming out of the pit lane. He's behind Lando Norris. A bit of a hit and miss weekend for Vettel. Not a strong qualifying, but finding some sort of pace to keep it running. And now we're going to past the chicane. And I think from what we've been seeing, the rain is increasing, so we might see some cars coming into the pitlanes for wet weather tires... And, yes, we do. It's Piastri coming into. So Verstappen is now third, but none of top three have stopped, and I'm pretty sure they will."

"Yeah, let's just look at this stop by McLaren. Mighty fast. Gets him in, gets him out. Just what Piastri needs because he certainly has the pace to fight for the win. The top three have all exchanged places this race."

"We ride on board with Sebastian Vettel and WOAH! THEY RUNS INTO THE SIDE OF LANDO NORRIS! THAT'S A BIG CRASH AND SURELY BOTH DRIVERS ARE OUT OF THIS RACE!"

"That looked dangerous there. Just how fast they came crashing into the wall. What happened? Let's see... so it looks like Vettel and Norris are side by side. So, Vettel is looking for the overtake and I think his rear wheel just clipped the grass and it caused him to spin. And that took it out Norris in the process as well."

VETTEL I'm sorry there guys. Hit the grass.

RUDI That's okay, Sebastian. Confirm you're okay.

VETTEL Yeah, I'm fine.

"And that's going to be heartbreak for Porsche and Mclaren. They two teams on top of the constructors championships. Luckily for them, their others drivers are running into the top ten."

"There's a safety car... No, the race has been red flagged. Red flags on the track so we're going to have to pause the race for a while as they clean up this mighty crash. Luckily, both drivers are okay."

"Ava, how's this race been for you so far. You started on pole, lost it to Hamilton and Piastri. Moved up and now you're second. What are you discussing with the team?"

Ava: We were just discussing what happened with Norris and Seb because I was just told on the it's yellow flag, No, it's safety car. No, it's red flag. Bring the car back. So, just looked at the accident and good thing everyone is okay. Obviously, not the greatest for us. Seb didn't have pace but he was running in the points. So, now it's a bit more pressure to put up a good result.

"You have Hamilton ahead, but you're going to benefit hugely from the restart. What are your plans for that?"

Ava: This does benefit us hugely. I don't have to worry about catching up with Hamilton, but I mean the rain is increasing and so I'm not sure if I'm going to have the straight line I need to take Hamilton on the restart.

"And we are back! The red flag is lifted, and it's going to be a standing restart! Hamilton leads the pack as they return to their grid positions, but don't forget, Florence has been relentless all weekend and now she's right behind him. This restart will be crucial. Can Ava capitalize on this opportunity? The rain is still falling, and the conditions aren't getting any easier. It's a slippery surface out there as the cars get ready for another battle. The lights are going out again—AND WE'RE OFF! Hamilton with a clean getaway, but Ava Florence is right on his tail. She's pushing, pushing hard down towards Turn 2, and OH, SHE'S THROUGH! A brilliant move from Florence! Hamilton tries to defend but she's already past him by Turn 3! And there it is—AVA FLORENCE BACK INTO THE LEAD!"

"What a start for Florence. You can see Hamilton already trying to fight back, but it's Florence who leads as they headed into Turn 3. Florence just has to build this gap and keep it steady. Hamilton is not going to let off easy."

"Piastri, Verstappen, and Leclerc all looking to take advantage of any slip-ups ahead. Verstappen is already eyeing up Piastri. He's looking to make a move into Turn 4, not quite! Long straight. Plenty of time to catch up. Ocon, making up lots of positions on the restart. He's up into the points. A brilliant race Ocon is having. So is Fernando. And now, Verstappen, on the outside of Tosa! Again, he gets the overtake done on Turn 7. Verstappen is in P3."

"Verstappen gets the traction out of the corner, and Piastri is forced to concede the position. And that corner has just been magical for Dutch driver."

LAP 30:

"Hamilton is not letting up. The gap is anything but large. He's right there behind Florence, just half a second separating them. I'm sure her engineer has told her, Hamilton is faster on the first sector. The one they're heading into right now. Verstappen, meanwhile, is hunting down Hamilton and has his sights set on that second place spot. Quite a while to go, bu this is heating up nicely."

"As we go through the tight corners of the chicane, Hamilton is a little faster through there, but Florence's consistency on the brakes is keeping him at bay."

"You can feel the tension building between these two—it's like they're waiting for the other to make a mistake. And here we go again into Turn 2—OH, HAMILTON SLIDES! He loses a bit of time! Florence takes advantage!"

"Hamilton got too trigger happy. The track was too wet for a move like that. Florence is being cautious. She has to be. She doesn't want to go off the track."

LAP 35:

"Max Verstappen has now found his rhythm and is closing the gap to Hamilton. It looks like Piastri's battle with Verstappen has allowed the Dutchman to find some space to work with. Up ahead, Florence and Hamilton are still nose to tail, but Verstappen is gaining, gaining fast. Could we see another change in the lead soon?"

"Piastri is holding on, but I don't think he has the pace to challenge Verstappen right now. The McLaren is struggling to stay with the Red Bull, especially through the high-speed corners. And look at the grip—Verstappen's tires are working wonders!"

LAP 40:

"Well, looks like McLaren found some magical pace. Either that or Verstappen is falling. Because Piastri is right here into Tosa. And there we go—Oscar Piastri back into P3. The same move Verstappen did on him. He returns the favor."

"The rain is still falling, but the drivers are handling it better now. We've reached a relative stability in the race."

"Esteban Ocon is on an absolute charge! He's now up to P9. Ocon has found a groove."

LAP 58:

"Oh no! We've just heard over the radio—Ollie Bearman has pulled off to the side of the track. He's having a mechanical issue, and it looks like this could be a big one. Bearman is forced to retire from the race. What a shame for the young Brit, who had been running solidly in the midfield."

"I think it's the gears he was talking about earlier in the race. So, the team really should've done something about that. But with Bearman on the road like this. It means, the safety car will be brought out."

"And here comes the safety car—just as we approach the final laps. We're close to the end here so I'm wondering if the race will finish under the safety car."

"I think it will. We might get at best, one or two laps, but I think it's safe to say this is the end of what has been an exciting Grand Prix in Imola."

LAP 63:

"As we cross the line to begin the final lap of this thrilling race, it looks like the safety car will be leading the way to the finish Ava Florence will take the win here in Imola—her second victory of the season, and what a way to do it! The rain, the battles, the drama—it's been a race that had it all. Behind her, the same top 3 that made up qualifying, but the order had changed multiple times through the race. Hamilton secures P2, his best finish yet. And Piastri back on the podium after his win in Miami."

HENRY That's another race in the books, Ava!

FLORENCE Woo! That was stressful. I never want to be in that position again.

HAMILTON That was a tough race. I thank everyone back at the factory. Wonderful job here. Congrats to Ava, too. That was a good race from her.

f1

From pole to third to second to first, that is certainly an exciting way to win. Ava Florence wins the Imola Grand Prix.

see comments below

sirduke:If she isn't the best rookie we'veever seen, I don't know who is! ↳teamlh: Sir Lewis Hamilton ↳avafanpage: We'll see. If Ava wins the title, she'll take that crown!

delulu: The Florence-Hamilton 1-2 actually happened! ↳digi: I think I've got tears in my eyes 🥹

kiatra: RAH! HAMILTON ON THE PODIUM BABY ↳pcman: He really cooked this race 🔥

florence4ever: The manifestations worked! ↳prettybun: This is the greatest podium I've ever seen! Florence, Hamilton, and Piastri! ↳viscold: Imagine a Hamilton-Florence lineup ↳thebrow: Constructor Champions by round 5

idanz: Between her pole lap and this race, this is surely going to be an iconic f1 race in the future ↳lordshark: Future? It's iconic right now!

avaflorence

Pro tip: honor your (maybe not there) Italian heritage.

see comments below

k2gs: Oh she's an icon ✨ ↳vogue: We told you so ↳millie: Put her on the next cover pls

fernandoalonso: You deserved this one, chica ↳avaflorence: Thank you el senior (citizen) ↳tango23: Not the senior citizen ↳goldtrain: put some respect on the rookie alonso

lewishamilton: Incredible race. Pleasure to race against you ↳teamlh: GOAT 🐐 ↳delulu: Hamilton is about to go on a tear

charlesleclerc: How come they didn't work on me? ↳avaflorence: Try eating six pizzas before the race ↳charlesleclerc: Slices? Or... ↳avaflorence: ... no comment

WORLD DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP

WORLD CONSTRUCTORS CHAMPIONSHIP

A/N: Every time I feel burnt out from writing, I read all your comments and it gives me the motivation to continue writing this series even faster. Thank you so much for your kind words. This one is for you.

P.S: I'm curious. What's your favorite race so far?

[elicypher]

“ 10 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 I'LL 𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏 GOING 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 „

SYNOPSIS: GOING TO AN AMUSEMENT PARK WITH YOU? OH, HE'S GIDDY ALRIGHT. OF COURSE IT'S NOT A DATE. WHAT MAKES YOU SAY THAT?

TAGS: DATE WITH GOJO, AMUSEMENT PARK, BANTER, FLUFF, GOJO REALLY LIKES YOU, FLUFF, ASPECTS OF ROMANCE SLOWLY BUILDING UP.

series masterlist : next chapter

SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR EYES — 𝐈𝐈

Late calls were the norm now. The clock on your desk blinked 4:30 AM in angry, red digits. "Don't you ever sleep, Gojo?" Your eyes were bleary, voice groggy and sleep was catching up.

On the other hand, Satoru Gojo chuckled from his end of the phone—his voice as annoyingly bright as you'd expect from someone who treated four in the morning as prime socializing time. "What? Tired of talking to me already?"

You couldn't help but scoff in amusement, rubbing your eyes. "Tired in general." You muttered. "But you can say that as well."

"Oh come on," He said. And you could hear his pout. "Tomorrow's the weekend anyway. You'll have time to rest."

"Go to sleep already."

"Nah, sleep is for the weak."

A sigh escaped you. And Gojo, upon hearing it, felt a little guilty.

"Hey," His voice dropped lower, becoming softer. "You know you don't have to keep me company staying up, right? You don't have to ruin your sleep just because I can't have mine."

"Which is pretty romantic, if you ask me." Gojo added, looking up at the ceiling of his room. "And they say chivalry is dead."

"Mmm," You hummed, letting out a breathy laugh. "It's fine, y'know. I actually enjoy talking to you. And like you mentioned, there's the weekend too. Plenty of rest for me to take."

Gojo hesitated. "Actually..."

"You're planning by yourself again, aren't you?"

He flipped over in bed, lying on his stomach. The pad of his index finger drew lazy patterns on his pillow. "You know me so well, don't ya?" He said in a sing-song voice, smiling to himself.

"Like the back of my god damn hand." You grinned.

Gojo and you had been talking for months now. Conversation between the two of you was always easy—and it was as if you never ran out of topics whilst talking with one another. The chemistry between the two of you was great. Even perfect.

"Anyway," Gojo started, focusing on tracing patterns, hoping it'd somehow calm his nerves. "Got any plans for tomorrow?"

"Other than being busy sleeping after this?"

That made him laugh. "You won't be sleeping all day, c'mon."

"Try me." You said, and Gojo hummed lightheartedly. He loved talking to you. After a brief silence, you spoke. "No, I won't."

"That's great!" Gojo exclaimed. You could hear the excitement in his voice—how enthusiastic he was at the notion, his voice tinged with a hint of relief. "So.. would you want to meet up?"

"I don't know," You chewed on your lower lip, turning to lie on your stomach as well and observing your cuticles. "Where to?"

"How does the amusement park sound?" Gojo prayed you wouldn't hear the nervousness in his voice. He wasn't one to nitpick between what words to use and what sentences to say—but with you, it was different. With you, he wanted it to be perfect. "I won't bore you, I promise." He winced.

Did that sound desperate? Too much? He stressed too much about stupid things with you—his voice, his words, the way he carried himself. You had a way of making him self-conscious.

"I'm just playing with you." You swang your legs absentmindedly, chewing on a nail. "I'd absolutely love to go with you."

And oh—how happy that made Gojo Satoru.

"What should I wear?"

"Anything." His cheeks hurt from smiling, but it was as if he couldn't make it stop. "You'd look good in anything."

"That's not helping, y'know." You grinned.

"But I mean it."

You sighed, a little amused. "Alrighty, then. I'll wear whatever."

"Alright." He repeated. The call was coming to an end, it made him a little sad. But he knew he'd see you tomorrow. To say he was happy was an understatement to how he really felt.

"Goodnight, Satoru."

Gojo opened his mouth to say something, but then paused. A long silence ensued. His heart thumped in his chest. "What?"

"Hm?"

"You.." His voice sounded weird. "You said 'Satoru', didn't you?"

You giggled. "I have no idea what you're talking about." You feigned ignorance. "Now goodnight for real."

"..." He bit his cheek, suppressing his laugh. "Goodnight (Name)."

Click. The call ended. But Satoru Gojo stayed like that for a while, in the darkness—simply staring at nothing. Then, he buried his face into his pillow, sighing. You left him a giddy mess—a legion of butterflies taking flight at the pit of his stomach.

“ 10 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 I'LL 𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏 GOING 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 „

Gojo found himself second-guessing his choice of clothes. Sure, he'd gone on dates before, but it didn't mean his nerves were any less frayed. What if he was trying too hard—or not enough?

It's not even a date, he thought—trying to convince himself to calm down, even if just a little. He just wanted to impress you.

Gojo wore a white Stüssy graphic tee, a vintage black leather jacket with racing stripes, and gray cargo pants. Black Converse and chunky silver jewelry add style, while wraparound sunglasses to complete the look. He hesitated for a moment, then took off the glasses. Too much. He checked his hair one final time in his phone's camera—and seemed fairly satisfied.

Just as he was about to look at the time, wondering if he'd come too early—you called out his name. "Satoru!"

His heart jumped a little. He turned around—and broke into a smile when he watched you wave at him. He waved back.

"Hey."

You smiled up at him. "Hi."

His eyes flickered down for a moment, taking in your outfit for the day—and god, you looked so... "Gorgeous."

"Hm?" You tilted your head. "What's up?"

"You look gorgeous." He cleared his throat. "Really pretty. I like the..." His words left him. Because how could he pick just one, when every aspect of you was beautiful? "...hmm. Everything."

You raised a brow, feigning suspicion. "Uh-huh."

"What?" Gojo grinned, smiling down at you. "Don't believe me? But I'm being serious, I promise. You look really nice."

"You look great too." You linked your arm with his, causing his pulse to quicken. The two of you were in closer proximity—more than you'd ever been before. "Hurry—I'm excited."

“ 10 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 I'LL 𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏 GOING 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 „

"Need me to hold your hand?" Satoru shouted over the clatter of the track. "I wouldn't want you to feel scared or anything."

You snickered, rolling your eyes. But you decided to play along. "You're the one who'll be begging for my hand halfway through."

"Yeah, right." He gave you a toothy smile. "We'll see about that."

As the rollercoaster climbed to it's peak—anticipation built up with bated breath. "Ready?" He looked over with excitement.

"Always!" You shout back, laughing—right before the coaster descended speedily. The ride was full of twists and turns, and by the end of it, the both of you were laughing so hard your sides hurt. Gojo wiped a tear of laughter away, smiling widely down at you. "Told ya I could handle it. How about you? Need a break?"

It took you a while to regain your composure. "Not a chance," You grinned up at him—grabbing his hand. "..What's next?"

As the evening progressed, the pace slowed down. Satoru Gojo insisted on winning you something at the carnival games, but after three entire tries at the ring toss—all disastrous—things didn't seem to be looking too good for him. You stifled a laugh.

"Stop laughing at me," Gojo pouted, dramatically placing a hand on his chest. "This is sabotage. The rings are cursed."

"Maybe you're just bad at this." You teased.

"Me? Bad?" He feigned offence. "Impossible. Watch this."

Another fail. But Gojo kept on trying anyway—he kept trying until he finally, finally succeeded (after umpteenth tries), and the over-the-top celebration had you in stitches.

"See?" Gojo stated proudly. Man, was he sweating. He really thought he wouldn't be able to acquire you anything, and thus making a fool of himself. "All skill." He gave you, what probably was his brightest smile yet—one that stretched from ear to ear. "For you. But we can call it a joint effort."

"Right." You grinned, hugging the large stuffed panda close.

“ 10 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 I'LL 𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏 GOING 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 „

The Ferris wheel was the perfect way to end the day. Gojo leaned back against the seat, his long legs stretched out casually—but his gaze was locked entirely upon you and you only. He watched you silently as you looked outside, small 'ooh's and 'wow's leaving you at the view outside and below.

"You've been smiling all day." His tone was softer. Quieter. A departure from his usual tone. It's as if his eyes wouldn't leave you; they were so gentle and relaxed. As if his eyes had found their place and respite—as if all his eyes were meant to do was be on you, admiring every inch. "I like seeing you like this."

You glanced at him, a little caught off guard by his sincerity. "It's been a really good day." You settled back into your seat from your kneeling-on-the-bench position. "All thanks to you."

"Good." He murmured, leaning in closer. He laced his fingers with yours. "That's all I wanted. To make you happy."

The Ferris wheel stopped at the top, leaving you both suspended in the air. The scene was breathtaking—but all either of you could do was focus on each other. Gojo leaned in further to push back a few strands of hair behind your ear. "Let's make this a regular thing." He whispered. "Just you and me."

You couldn't help but smile. "I'd like that."

“ 10 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 I'LL 𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏 GOING 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 „

The walk home with Gojo was quiet, the dull chitter chatter filling the space between you. He was uncharacteristically mellow. Every now and then, he sneaked a glance at you, his lips quirking into a small smile when your eyes met.

When the two of you finally reached your house, he turned to you—eyes gentle as he looked down at you. "Well.. this is your stop, (Name)." He teased. "Back to your boring, Satoru-less life."

You giggled, rolling your eyes "It’s not boring." You paused, then silently admitted: "But it might be a little quieter—yes."

Gojo's eyes lit up at your confession, something akin to childlike happiness in him. "See? You’re already admitting you’ll miss me." He teased, smiling down at you with a soft expression.

For a moment, you just looked at him—the playful glint in his eyes, and the soft smile tugging at his lips. It was a rare, quiet moment. You couldn't help but feel something stir in your chest.

And before you could overthink it—you stood on the tips of your toes—and then you pressed a small, soft kiss to his cheek.

The playful grin on his face vanished in an instant. His mouth parted slightly and a faint, pink blush spread across his cheeks— creeping up to the tips of his ears. He was stunned.

"Goodnight, Satoru." you say softly, pulling back and walking up to the stairs before he could say anything. "Get back safe."

"I..." Gojo was stunned. "Hey— Wait—" His voice cracked slightly, and you stifled a little laugh, turning around to wave.

"I had fun." You called, disappearing into your house.

Gojo stood there for a moment—utterly baffled, his hand slowly coming up to touch his cheek where your lips had just been.

"..." A soft laugh escaped him. He didn't move an inch for a while — too busy grinning like an idiot and replaying the moment in his head over and over "Well…" He sighs. "That wasn’t fair."

@ELICYPHER — do not plagiarize, repost or retranslate.

[lynnieverse]

undertow // collision

Rafe Cameron/OG Female Character

✰ first chapter!

✰ 3.8k words

✰ chapter song -> control by halsey

✰ tags: morally grey, one-sided rivalry, mystery, mutual pining, tension, redemption

✰ a/n: this is the first chapter of my fic I’ve been writing…let me know if you like it and want more!! thank you :)

Going back to Figure Eight was the absolute last thing Lennox Thornton wanted to do. She had escaped it for roughly three years, and now that she was back...she was less than enthused. Dragging all her bags up the driveway, she braced herself for seeing her family again.

The large white door of her parent's house swung open, revealing her beaming mother. Lennox was immediately engulfed in a bone-crushing hug, taking in a sharp breath upon impact.

"Lennox! You're home!" she gushed, pulling back slightly to get a good look at her daughter. Lennox noticed her lack of makeup, glasses, and blonde hair twisted up into a bun. That, along with the navy scrubs her mother was sporting, told her it was an in-office day at her practice.

"Hey, Mom," she smiled. "Gotta work today?" she was still holding on to her, like she was afraid she'd disappear.

"Unfortunately, yes. I have to head out right now actually, but I wanted to be home when you got here." Lennox smiled fondly at that; she loved her mom. If there was one thing she hated about moving away for college, it was the distance.

They both shuffled inside and Lennox took a look around, noticing more unfamiliar decor than when she was there last.

"Looks great in here." Lennox commented, earning a happy gasp from her mom.

"Thank you! I was trying something new." They chatted for a few more minutes before her mom made a face, seeming to remember something. She turned towards the stairs and yelled, "Topper get down here and say hello to your sister!" Turning towards Lennox, she went on to say, "He was taking a nap and told me to wake him up when you got home." Lennox nodded in understanding, shifting the bag on her shoulder uncomfortably.

Footsteps pounded against the floor above them and down the stairs; suddenly she was on the floor. Her bags splayed out around her as she tried to squirm out from under him.

"Topper!" She groaned, pinned to the ground. Their mom laughed and shook her head, ignoring her only daughter clearly dying in front of her.

"Alright you two, I've got to run, don't kill each other please!" she said before speed walking out of the house, Topper still crushing her on the floor.

"Hey, sis! How's it going?"

"It'd be a lot better if your fat ass wasn't on top of me," she groaned, definitely feeling bruises start to form. He laughed and jumped up, offering her a hand. As she steadied herself, and collected everything off the floor, Topper was practically bursting at the seams to tell her something.

"You ready for tonight?" he asked, clearly excited.

"What's tonight?" Lennox asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow at her brother.

"You. Me. Party." She internally groaned; this boy partied like it was his life support.

"Uh, no. I just got here, I'm exhausted."

"Oh come on! You've been gone for forever, and we can finally go out. Please?" He looked at her with puppy dog eyes, the ones he knew she couldn't resist. Lennox huffed and rubbed a hand down her face.

"Fine. But I probably won't stay long." Topper pumped his hand in the air in victory.

"Yes! I don't even care, we're going to have so much fun." Lennox chuckled, he was so goofy.

"Grab one of these and come on," she gestured to the bags surrounding them. Topper, for once, didn't even pull a face. He just did what she said willingly; it was every big sister's dream. He must have really wanted her at that party. She watched him carry her stuff up the stairs with ease, a brief moment of sadness hitting her at how grown up he was.

She hadn't been the best at coming home for the holidays recently, and he'd really shot up in the past couple of years. He actually looked like a man...gross.

They finally made it to her door, and he haphazardly threw everything on her bed. Lennox rolled her eyes, but followed suit, then collapsed on the ground dramatically. In her defense, there were a lot of stairs.

"Alright I guess I have to get ready for this party then...who's hosting?" she called up at him, squinting her eyes against the light. Topper scrunched his eyebrows.

"I actually have no idea, let me go figure that out!" Lennox snorted as he ran away, probably texting all his friends. She forced herself to sit up, looking around at all her luggage. She shouldn't have really been surprised, she had packed it all, but having to face it was a different story. She let herself have one breath before she got to work, the next hour a blur of hangers and storage bins. When she finally felt accomplished enough to move on, she got to work on her makeup, hair, and outfit for the party.

She was just finishing slipping on her shoes when Topper once again appeared in her doorway. This time he had donned a button down shirt and khaki shorts–the standard uniform for OBX. She grabbed her bag and stood in front of him expectantly.

"Ready?" he asked absentmindedly, typing something out on his phone. She hit the back of his hand, making him juggle the device before catching it.

He glared at her. "What was that for?"

"Get off your phone and be present, Topper," she scolded. He looked at her in disbelief, slowly sliding the phone into his pocket.

"Did you just go all 'Mom mode' on me?" he asked, voice rising in pitch. Lennox shrugged, shoving past him.

"Yep, now let's go." Still confused, Topper followed her to his Jeep, unlocking it quickly before they both hopped in. Lennox smoothed down her white dress and sat quietly as Topper peeled out of their driveway. The drive was mostly filled with music, until the route started to feel very familiar.

"Why are we driving towards the Cameron's house?" Lennox turned towards him slowly in her seat. Topper flinched slightly, guilt seeping into his expression.

"About that..."

"Nope, take me home." Lennox crossed her arms, shaking her head back and forth.

"Len, please."

"No, Topper! I refuse to step foot in the same room as him. I won't do it."

"Then I'll make sure he stays away. Please? It would mean a lot to me if you came," he glanced over to her, hopeful. She thought about it for a moment, weighing the pros and cons. She could let loose, have some fun with her brother, but she could also run into him.

Not wanting to rain on his parade, she conceded. "Fine. But you better keep him away."

"I will, I promise!"

Topper did not keep him away. Topper disappeared as soon as they entered the house. Topper was going to die tonight.

The Cameron's house was crowded to say the least. Lennox had bumped into countless amounts of people, and although she was tucked in a corner, she was no less than an arms length away from someone at all times. She had decided upon nursing her beer by herself, seeing as there were almost nobody she was friendly with there. Instead, she entertained herself with people watching.

Everyone was stumbling around, drinks sloshing out of their cups, or dancing to the loud pop music coming out of the speakers in the corner. Some couples were making out on the couches, and there was a beer pong table set up in the next room over, which she could see through the doorway. It was entertaining to say the least.

The only thing off about it was the heavy cloud that had been hovering over her all night. She hadn't seen him yet, but it was like she could feel his presence, suffocating her almost as much as the thick air. It was the anticipation that gave her goosebumps, knowing that at some point, he would have to make himself known.

"Princess! Funny catching you here." The deep voice came from her right side. Lennox cursed, closing her eyes briefly to collect herself. She should have known, speak of the Devil and he will appear. Lennox groaned and turned, narrowing her eyes at none other than Rafe Cameron.

"Fuck off, Rafe." He moved closer, towering over her with a much larger frame than when she left. Her heart rate stuttered as she looked up at him. He was wearing a white polo shirt and shorts, his hair was buzzed, and he was smiling at her wolfishly.

"Can't talk to me like that anymore, Princess. Haven't you heard? I'm crazy." He moved his finger in a circle by his head and rolled his eyes with a smirk, taking a sip from the solo cup in his hand. Lennox actually had heard of his behavior recently. It was one of the many things that worried her about Topper hanging out with him.

"I can talk to you however I want. You're all bark." Rafe snickered and looked away briefly before suddenly pushing up against her. The breath left her lungs as she felt his toned chest pressed to hers. His cologne filled her nose—clean and woody.

What was he doing?

His head lowered to her height, breath tickling her ear.

"That's what you think," he whispered, sending shivers down her spine. He gave her a once over before pushing off the wall, finally drifting back into the crowd. The interaction left her feeling exposed and alone, suddenly aware of every part of her body. He had always had a way of doing that to her–catching her off guard.

Lennox had disliked Rafe for as long as she could remember. There was no specific incident, not really, but she hated the way he treated people.

Nobody really remembered, but it was Rafe who started all the hatred between the Kooks and the Pogues. Sure, there had always been some tension, but it rarely ever went farther than some choice words. She remembered how he'd gone home the summer after fifth grade, a perfectly nice kid, but when he came back he had changed completely. He started influencing others to follow him, picking fights with kids from The Cut. Everyone listened to him because of his name. Lennox never bought into all that bullshit, and she'd always been better friends with the Pogues anyhow. That's when her beef with Rafe started, and she clearly still held a grudge.

Knowing her position had been compromised, Lennox decided to move outside, finding an unoccupied bench by the pool house. The humid air did nothing to help the stickiness of her skin, but she relished the faint breeze. Lennox's head fell to her hands, the alcohol flowing from her feet to her fingertips.

"Rough night?" a deep voice called from a few feet away. Lennox forced herself to look up, seeing a silhouette backlit in the yard. The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place it. Whoever it was, they were walking closer.

"Uh, you could say that I guess." The mystery guy sat down on the bench, and Lennox straightened, suddenly much more aware.

"You don't remember me?" She nervously racked her brain, trying to place the voice; it was only when they locked eyes a breath of relief escaped her.

"Oh my God, little Rutledge, what're you doing here?" John B smiled and ran a hand through his hair.

"We're kind of crashing; Kie's parents made her come." Lennox laughed, of course they were. She marvelled at how grown he looked––a little worn, sure, but he looked good.

John B and the others held a special place in her heart. She was four years older than the group, but she babysat Pope when he was younger, and the rest fell in line. Of course, Sarah, she grew up with. She just couldn't believe they were all adults now.

"What're you up to now, any more treasure hunts planned?" John B laughed, a deep rumbling laugh she'd have to get used to. Topper had filled her in on a lot of the OBX drama via phone call while she was away, but she still had a hard time believing it.

"Definitely not. You didn't hear? I'm going to be a father." Lennox gasped, her eyes widening. John B, a dad? Was he not still a teenager?

"Oh wow, congratulations...who else knows?"

"Pretty much everyone. The group found out on our last...adventure," he shot her a look. "and Rafe was surprisingly cool." Lennox rolled her eyes at the mention of Sarah's brother. John B noticed immediately, snickering. "Still have it in for him, huh?"

"He's a dick. I don't like dicks." John B cackled. "You know what I mean!" she shouted before dissolving into her own fit of giggles.

"Well, that's no reason to isolate yourself from the party. Come hang with us, I know JJ would love to see you." He made kissy noises and dragged her to her feet.

"Oh please, I'm sure he's over his school girl crush by now."

"He is, him and Kie are going strong, actually." She raised her eyebrows, impressed.

"Unexpected, but hell yeah." They both head back inside, into the living room where the Pogues were occupying the sofas.

"Lenny?" JJ called, jumping up from where he was sitting. The other heads snapped in her direction, while she stood and awkwardly waved.

"The prodigal daughter returns!" JJ shouted, running over quickly to wrap her in a bear hug. She grunted in surprise at the force, but wrapped her arms around him.

"Hey, JJ, I missed you," she smiled from ear to ear. As he stepped back, Lennox noticed a faint blush on his cheeks. She glanced over to Kie who just rolled her eyes.

"JJ, get back over here," she shouted, but there was no anger in her tone, only fondness.

Lennox chuckled and took a seat next to Pope.

"Hey kid, how've you been?" Pope playfully rolled his eyes, holding out his hand for their not-so-secret handshake.

"Not a kid anymore, Lenny."

"Yeah yeah, sure P," she said, noticing an unfamiliar face on his other side. She had long braids and a lost look on her face. "Oh, I'm sorry. I don't think we've met!" she said, offering her hand. The girl shook it, smiling at her politely.

"I'm Cleo, nice to meet you." She had an accent, but Lennox couldn't place it.

"Nice to meet you too! How'd you get stuck with these goofballs?" Cleo looked down at her lap, chuckling softly.

"Saved their asses a few times." There were protests throughout the group, everyone starting to argue about who actually saved who. Lennox watched, laughing along with them.

"It's good to see y'all again, been too long," She said after everyone had gone quiet.

"What brings you back?" Kie asked, leaning against JJ. He tucked her into his side, kissing the top of her head. Lennox hesitated with her answer, not sure how to.

"Well, I graduated, so I'm officially ready to start taking over Dad's company." That had been the plan since she was an infant. Go to college, major in business, then integrate herself into Thornton Real Estate. Topper was meant to go to medical school, like their mother.

"That's awesome Len, are you excited?" Sarah asked, leaning forward to grab her hand. She was already glowing, and Lennox felt a burst of happiness for her friend.

"Yeah, of course!" she nodded, squeezing her friend's hand. Who wouldn't be, right?

The night progressed with endless chatter and the occasional drinking game, leaving Lennox very intoxicated and very happy. She had just finished telling each individual around her how much she loved them when her brother made his entrance.

"Lennox, what're you doing hanging out with the trash?" She rolled her eyes. Stupid Figure Eight boys and their stupid rivalry.

"Dude, just go back to the party," John B said, looking over Topper's shit already. She silently wondered everything that had gone down between them, knowing she didn't hear the full story from her brother.

"Why? 'Cause you said so? Nah, I'll pass." Lennox saw his eyes drift over to Sarah, a look of sadness in his eyes. But as soon as she noticed, it was gone, replaced by a cruel smirk.

Before John B could reply, she interjected. "Top, please. Not tonight. You're quite literally killing my buzz." Topper gave her a look, one she didn't catch due to her head spinning.

Despite her drunken state, she still saw Rafe lurking behind him and rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. I'm headed home anyway, let's go." Topper responded, clearly annoyed and obviously more drunk than she was.

"Absolutely not, neither of us can drive," she looked around quickly, trying to find anyone sober. All the Pogues had a beer in their hand except for Sarah, and she wasn't about to drag her away.

"I'll give you a ride, Princess." He was smug, arms crossed as he peered down at her.

"No," she spit, refusing to even look in Rafe's direction.

"Nobody else here is sober. I'm driving you home." Lennox opened her mouth to argue, but he was already walking away, dragging Topper behind him. She threw her hands up and stomped after them, throwing a quick goodbye over her shoulder.

"Rafe!" She called, trying to catch up. She must have screamed his name throughout the entire house before he finally turned around outside.

"Lennox. Will you stop being so goddamn stubborn for once in your life and get in the car?" Rafe said through gritted teeth. His jaw was set as he supported Topper's entire weight on his left side. Someone clearly decided to pass out as soon as he got outside. She huffed, but did as she was told, sliding into the passenger seat of his black Jeep. He wrestled Topper into the back, giving him a random takeout bag to hold onto, and jumped in the driver's side.

"I didn't think that would actually work," he said in disbelief, glancing at her. He shuffled some things around before twisting the key in the ignition.

"I'm nicer when I'm drunk. Listen better." She was starting to lose some of her cognitive thinking, because certainly she had not gotten in a vehicle with Rafe Cameron at the wheel. He gave her a once over before putting the car in drive and carefully exiting the neighborhood.

He was being nice. Well maybe not nice, but considerate, driving her drunk ass home.

No, Lennox, he is a bad person. He's doing this for Top, not you. He is an asshole.

She chanted those words inside her head, over and over, needing the reminder. Suddenly all thoughts of Rafe and his past transgressions started to flood her brain.

That time he humiliated JJ on the beach, bringing up his father and the new bruises JJ was sporting. How he used to pick on Topper, and now ropes him into all sorts of dangerous things. Every argument they had, every time he called her "Princess", it all bubbled up under her skin.

"You going to stop staring a hole into my head?" Rafe quipped.

"You are such an asshole," she narrowed her eyes, turning to face him.

"Why, for driving you home? I'm pretty sure that's the opposite of asshole territory."

"Not now, although I'm sure there's some ulterior motive, I'm talking about always." Rafe's jaw ticked and he shifted in his seat.

"You know what your problem is?" she slurred, her voice thick.

"No, but I'm sure you'll tell me," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Lennox let out a sharp laugh, her head falling back against the seat. "You don't care about anyone. Like, at all. Not a single damn person." Rafe snorted, his gaze locked on the road.

"Is this supposed to be some drunken therapy session? If so, I'm not interested, Princess."

"No seriously," she sat up straighter, her words spilling out faster than she could think. "You think you're untouchable, so above everyone else, but you're not. You're miserable, and you make everyone else around you miserable."

"What the fuck did I do this time?"

"What haven't you done? You torment those poor kids! John B, JJ, Pope...even Kie! And for what?" Rafe scoffed, shaking his head.

"They're no saints, either. Maybanks held a fucking gun to your brother's head! You don't even know them." She didn't know about that; conveniently Topper left that out of their weekly phone calls.

"I don't have to know them," she shot back. "I see the way you treat people. The way all the Kooks treat people. They're just trying to survive on this shitty island, and you torture them for it! You're telling me you really had to almost beat Pope to death over a fucking boat?" Rafe looked surprised. "Didn't think I knew about that, did you? What is wrong with you?" Lennox was on a roll now, furious at the man beside her.

Rafe's eyes narrowed, but he didn't say a word. She kept going, her words tumbling out in a drunken blur.

"You drag Topper into your shit every single chance you get. He's supposed to be going to med school, not fucking around and taking the fall for you. And you don't even care what it's doing to him—or anyone."

"Alright Lennox, that's enough. You don't know what you're talking about," he growled, his knuckles tightening on the wheel. They swerve a bit, but he quickly corrects it. "You've been gone a long time, don't act like you know shit."

"Oh, don't I?" she shot back, her voice breaking slightly. "I've watched you ruin people, Rafe. You're reckless and selfish and cruel. You don't care about what it does to Topper, or Sarah, or—God, anyone who's stupid enough to get close to you." Her voice trailed off, and she turned to look out of the window. A flicker of regret flashed across his face.

"You're a black hole, Rafe. You suck the life out of everyone around you." Her breath fogged up the glass.

The car fell into silence, save for the low rumble of the engine. Rafe didn't say anything. Maybe he didn't know what to say. Or maybe he just didn't care.

Lennox let out a humorless laugh, leaning her head back against the window. "You know what? Forget it. I don't even know why I'm wasting my breath. Why do I even bother?" She crossed her arms and ignored him for the rest of the ride.

When they did arrive, she let him deal with Topper, immediately making a beeline for her room. She flopped on her bed, not bothering to undress and drifted off to sleep, leaving the most infuriating man she'd ever met behind.

[evilovesyou]

2025 TBR 📚

@haztobegood and @lululawrence tagged me to share the books I hope to read this year! 🩷 some of your picks have definitely made it to my list but i am limiting this to books I already own or have ordered

The last couple years I've really been slacking on my reading so I'm once again fighting to get to my goal of 12 books for the year. (I was two short in 2024 and I don't even want to talk about 2023...)

BOOKS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON MY NIGHTSTAND

I'm technically listening to the audio book of Percy Jackson, but I will still count it on my night stand 😅 I Iike listening to Percy Jackson while walking. I found this amazing girl who read all of them on youtube and she's been walking with me for a couple years. I started reading LOTR in German in autmn and I do like it, but it feels like something I need a bit more brain power for than other things maybe. And I recently started reading The Book of Doors and I find it very intruiging so far, though I think you can tell it's the author's first publication at some points.

BOOKS THAT I WANT TO READ AGAIN

I want to read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame again before I get into the new Onyx Storm! I had to message a bookshop that specialises in English language books to try and get a full set of them that match at least in size LOL (the copies I read first stayed with my ex)

BOOKS THAT I HAVE HAD FOR AN EMBARRASSING AMOUNT OF TIME WITHOUT FINISHING/READING THEM

You can see the book marks in Mythos and Stone Blind and I actually cannot tell you why I haven’t finished either of them. Stephen Fry maybe takes more attention than I can dedicate at the end of a long day but I’ve been reading that book for almost 3 years and I adore it. Pageboy I got for my birthday a couple years ago and it has been staring at me ever since. Same with the bottom one. I wanted it so bad because it’s a collection of fairytales retold in a more inclusive/feminist way and it’s by Hungarian authors which hits so many different spots for me. But I have been so bad about reading in Hungarian it’s actually embarrassing.

BOOKS THAT I ALREADY OWN THAT I AM EXCITED TO READ

From the top down, I listened to A Room Of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf a while ago and I liked her writing so I thought I should maybe give another one a go. The Color Purple seems like a book I would enjoy and that smart people have read so I picked it up. 😅 @fadeintolight recommended I Who Have Never Known Men (I think??? Pls tell me I’m remembering this correctly lol) so that one also ended up in my basket during some bookshop escapade. And the last two I also got for my birthday this year and my friends said they’re really good so I will sink my teeth into another series this year probably.

The attentive reader may have noticed that this is way more than 12 books but alas I have always been ambitious (some might even say ambitchous).

Tagging @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed because you’ve been plowing through books like nobody’s business. @fadeintolight because I wanna know how that book club is going! @chaotic-bells because you’ve read over a million words of fic already so I’m sure you have some books you wanna dive into as well! @fallinglikethis because you’re always reading.

Also @whatagreatproblemtohave @asmicarus @ddeerr @ialwaysknewyouwerepunk @reminiscingintherain and @hazzabeeforlou because I wanna know what you’re all up to 🩷

[egophiliac]

time for skeleman

with the lack of any other info yet, all I can focus on are those Charles Lloyd-looking sunglasses. they are absolutely sending me. I feel like we're gonna fall through a tree or whatever and this stitched-up boney gentleman is gonna pop out from behind a gravestone and start serenading us with some smooth jazz on the saxophone.

or should I say...the saxoBONE???????

[babacontainsmultitudes]

RIP Will Campos the only person who was murdered this episode.

[mercymaker]

i spent quite a bit of time thinking, considering my options and wondering if i should even respond to the 'apology' to begin with, but i feel like i've been here before, in this exact same position (i didn't respond to his original 'apology' because it felt off how he omitted the fact that he pretended to be the victim for a whole week, but even then i decided to not say anything and just let the dust settle and give him a chance to learn and do better) and doing nothing eventually just caused more harm. even if i can't reach the other side and find common understanding, i wanted to at least express what's been on my mind for such a long time.

i always try to approach people and situations with understanding and try to assume ignorance instead of malice when someone says or does something i consider questionable or wrong. but i also know we all have our limits. we are all human. and you can't take the heart out of the equation.

one thing in this 'apology' that really stood out to me was this:

how is it not malice to completely disregard another creator, hell, another person and their wishes and feelings when they have made it very clear that your actions are causing them harm?

how is it not malice to outright lie and misrepresent other people and situations in order to portray yourself in a better light?

how is it not malice to disrespect the people you've stolen from and then, after they (by your own words!) rightfully address it and try to bring your actions to light, you then turn around and vilify them to your friends and followers? portray them as bullies and gatekeepers?

all while repeating again and again how the whole experience made you stop creating? as if your actions didn't force people out of this space, this fandom? have you ever sat down to think how the person that made you a 40 minute video tutorial on gif making, the person that taught you so much, no longer makes anything at all because you turned your back on her and copied her sets? kept doing it after she blocked you? after she made text posts expressing how upsetting your behaviour was? you didn't care and kept doing it anyway. even saying things like 'i always credit where credit is due' in response to copying numerous sets from @minthara, down to the caption without ever crediting her.

and if that wasn't enough harm, you then took it a notch further and straight up lied to the people around you, trying to vilify petra and i by saying how the whole thing should've been dealt with in private. how is it not malice to omit the fact that I DID, in fact, reach out to you privately. that i did it in a civil manner. that i tried to explain to you how your actions were wrong and were rightfully upsetting other creators. how you ignored everything i've said and when i expressed that your response (or lack of it) made me uncomfortable and that because of it i couldn't give you permission to 'recreate' (copy) my work, you then insulted me and told me that it didn't matter what i wanted? that you would do as you please and there was nothing i could do about it? how you then immediately blocked me so i couldn't even respond? how is that not malice?

and then this was from your apology back in march:

and you insist that after this 'apology' you've learnt and were never doing anything wrong again and yet you are saying the same thing again in your new 'apology'. how after the march events you went to @galedekarios anyway, asking for permission, didn't wait for her response and posted your copy of her set anyway. which just makes me think that you've never learnt. it just makes it seem that asking people for permission never stemmed from a place of respect and understanding, but from the need to cover your ass in case someone brings the fact that you're still copying up. which someone did, apparently.

at the end of the day, this is my opinion and i might be wrong, but following all of your words and actions, it just seems like you chose notes and attention instead of people. that you kept lying and misrepresenting things and throwing us under the bus for your own gain. and that you only stopped because enough people eventually found out, not because you suddenly felt remorse. and this 'apology' was just another 'ask for permission from a creator', all just for optics. you couldn't even bother to unblock us before posting the 'apology' which just shows how little you were actually thinking about any of us.

[wispurring-moss]

i am so normal about him I Am So Normal About Him I AM SO NORMAL ABOUT HIM—!!!!!!;;;;;;;;;;;;;

[alfhildr-the-word-weaver]

Shoutout to Long Face by the Vampire Lestat for being an actual real song that actually made it onto my top 100 songs this year btw. Do you think Lestat will make one of those little "thank you fans" videos to thank all of us who streamed his music?

[b0nelessdoodles]

You alive man?

Just wanted to check as it's been bout a month or so since your last post

no i'm dead but don't worry about it. tis the season and all that shit ya know?

(all that shit includes, but is not limited to, seasonal depression, art block, retail and food service worker hell, the election, 5 stress induced nightmares in the space of a week, managing a new relationship [first time], living in a capitalist nightmare, etc.)

[more rambles in the tags, as i am often to do]

[milfbrainrot]

i feel like i type so much more than is reasonable when i do talk to people but i also don't get to socialize a ton so i just have soooo many words in me and if i'm like, tired or short on time, it is so much harder to restrain to the already-pushing-it point i can sometimes manage ;-;

[keeps-ache]

spillage.

[ + other things :D ]

[lit-in-thy-heart]

[ID: the train hitting a school bus meme. In the first panel, an empty school bus edges over train tracks and is labelled 'writing planned angst' with a train approaching. In the second panel, the train crashes into the bus and knocks it off the tracks. The train is labelled 'different angst suddenly writing itself'. End ID.]

[coquelicoq]

eva green is a native french speaker???