#JOKING about the evil energies. and yet

[liuisi]

whenever i go downtown i Have to be listening to hymns. to repel the evil energies

[mythicalmaven]

Gotta Be You - Charles Leclerc (ONE)

Let's go for a new series! <3 I always love writing friends/enemies to lovers, so that's what this is, yet again lol😂❤️ For my inspiration I got to give lots of credit to @vroomvro0mferrari, because her series Vexing Vacation gave me lots of inspo for the shared vacation thingie!

masterlist | promptlist ↳pairing: charles leclerc x female!gasly!reader ↳word count: 6,3K ↳warnings: not much yet honestly, arguing, tension maybe ↳side info: friends to enemies to lovers, semi slow burn? (not really slowburn, but it has build up until the actual lovers things unfold), the reader is Pierre's younger sister, reader is Arthur LeClerc's childhood best friend, Charles is her former crush, Charles is a jealous ass sometimes, age gap between reader and Charles (5 years, 22 and 27) ↳summary: In which you go on a shared holiday with both your and your brother's friend group, forced to be confronted with your former teenage crush Charles LeClerc yet again. The only problem is? You can't stand him nowadays, until you suddenly can.

Arthur’s apartment was as chaotic as ever, half-packed bags and discarded jackets strewn across the floor. You threw yourself onto the couch with a dramatic groan, your face buried in a pillow.

“I regret this already,” you whined, the words muffled against the soft fabric.

Arthur’s laugh carried from the doorway. “You’ve been here two minutes, and you’re already complaining? Impressive.”

Rolling onto your back, you shot him a glare. “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this. A whole month of dealing with your insufferable brother? I must’ve been out of my mind.”

Arthur leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed and grinning like the Cheshire cat. “You’ll survive. There are enough people going to keep you distracted. Plus, you get to spend a whole month with me. What more could you possibly want?”

“Maybe a holiday without Charles,” you shot back, only half-joking.

Arthur smirked. “Come on, he’s not that bad. Okay, maybe he’s a bit… a lot.”

"Arthur... I can't think of one thing that's not annoying about your brother" You raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to dig his own grave further.

The Monegasque chuckled and rolled his eyes "Nuh uh! I do remember very vividly how you were gushing about, and I quote 'astonishingly hot' my brother looked in that suit during christmas"

You huffed and coughed, throwing the pillow that was under your head towards Arthur "First of all that was 2 years ago" you said, rolling onto your back, staring up at the ceiling “Besides, the only thing worse than Charles, is Charles knowing he’s handsome. He’s insufferable, and he’s fully aware of it. That smirk of his? Pure evil.”

Arthur snorted. “Yeah, he definitely knows. But let’s be honest, you’re not wrong. The guy could probably charm his way out of murder if he tried.”

You groaned again, flopping back onto the couch. “Can't I just stay here, and watch the house? Doesn't your fake plant need a plant sitter, to fake water it?" you joked.

Arthur plopped down beside you, his grin softening slightly. “You’ll be fine. I’ll protect you. I’ll even create a no-Charles zone if it helps.”

You laughed despite yourself, shoving his shoulder. “You’re an idiot.”

“An idiot you’re lucky to have,” he replied with a wink.

You smiled at him, rolling your eyes once again. He was true, you were lucky to have him, but you also weren't so lucky with who his brother was.

“But you have to admit,” Arthur continued, “you kind of love how much he gets under your skin. You wouldn’t have this much energy to complain if you didn’t care.”

Your gaze softened as you looked at him, and for a moment, your mind wandered back to where it all started. You and Arthur had been inseparable since you were kids.

The first time you met Arthur, you were eight years old, tagging along with Pierre to one of his karting races. Arthur, ten at the time, had been sitting on a crate, furiously tinkering with his kart while Charles shouted something from across the paddock. He looked up as you approached, his face smeared with grease, and grinned like he’d known you forever.

“Hi! I’m Arthur!” he announced, shoving his hand out for you to shake.

From that moment on, you were glued to his side. Arthur became your partner in crime, the one you told all your secrets to, and the brother you never asked for but somehow desperately needed.

Of course, being best friends with Arthur meant spending time around Charles, too.

You were fifteen when it happened—when you realized you had a crush on the unattainable Charles Leclerc. He was nineteen then, fully immersed in his F1 career and everything that came with it. He had this effortless charm, a confidence that made it impossible to look away.

You knew it was silly, that he’d never see you as anything more than Arthur’s kid best friend. But the crush lingered, stubborn and unrelenting.

By the time you were sixteen, you and Charles had started spending more time together, moments where the age gap didn’t feel so insurmountable. He’d joke with you, tease you about your karting attempts, and you couldn’t help but think… maybe. Maybe if you were older, it could be something.

“Maybe if you were older,” he’d said once, his voice light but his words heavy. “But you’re Pierre’s little sister, and Arthur would kill me. Besides, you’re like family.”

The words stung, but deep down, you understood. And then there was that night when you were eighteen—too many drinks, a shared laugh, and the moment you almost kissed. But it was over before it began, cut short by the sound of someone calling Charles’ name.

You never talked about it, burying the memory alongside the growing ache in your chest.

When you were eighteen, you finally let it go. You and Charles were just friends, so it seemed. You started dating other guys, convinced that the feelings you had for Charles were a thing of the past, which they seemed to be. But that was when Charles started to change.

He became distant, colder. His teasing shifted into something sharper, tinged with something you couldn’t quite understand. You started arguing more, getting annoyed by the weirdest little things. The playful insults and your arguments became the foundation of your relationship—barbed words masking unresolved tension.

Now, years later, it was all just… frustrating. You didn’t understand him, and you didn’t want to. Yet you both couldn't seem to let it each other be. Even though you were now respectively 21 and 26, you both had this childish need to keep pushing each others buttons.

The sound of the doorbell snapped you out of your thoughts. Arthur jumped up, grinning. “Showtime. Come on, let’s get this circus started.”

You followed him to the door, your heart sinking as soon as it swung open. There he was—Charles Leclerc, the devil himself, smirk firmly in place. Beside him stood Pierre and Kika, both smiling warmly.

“Great,” you muttered under your breath. “Let the torture begin.”

Pierre and Kika made their way in, following Arthur to the living room, leaving you standing there alone with Charles.

Charles’s eyes flicked to you, his smirk widening. “Miss me already?”

You rolled your eyes at the Monegasque driver, scoffing "I’d miss you more if you came with a mute button."

Before Charles had the chance to reply to your comment, Dennis Hauger appeared behind Charles, greeting both of you with a smirk. Saved by the bell

"HAUG!" you exclaimed happily, making your way over to him, embracing him.

Dennis returned the hug immediately, settling his arms around your waist "Hi there, frenchie" he chuckled back at you, using of his standard nickname for you.

You tucked your head in the crook of his neck "You just saved me from the devil, thanks" you whispered jokingly to him, low enough for Charles to not hear.

What you didn't notice tho, was the way Charles clenched his jaw at the sight in front of him, or the way he immediately made his way out of the hallway, trying to get away from the interaction in front of him. It was jealousy, pure jealousy. Something he was trying to deny with all his willpower.

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The house had been buzzing with activity for the past hour as everyone settled into their rooms. Most of the group had scrambled to claim their ideal space as soon as they walked in, leaving you and Kika to handle the grocery run. You didn’t mind—there wasn’t a room you particularly wanted, and you figured Arthur would sort it out for you while you were gone.

When you returned and put everything away, you made your way to the living room, where Arthur was lounging on the couch next to Dennis. You perched on the armrest beside him, your hands on your hips.

Arthur didn’t even look at you before sighing dramatically. “I’m sorry in advance,” he muttered, sounding uncharacteristically guilty.

You raised an eyebrow. “I haven’t even said anything yet, and you’re already apologizing. That’s reassuring.”

Arthur finally glanced up, a smirk creeping onto his face. “You weren’t going to ask me about your room for the month?”

You narrowed your eyes at him, catching the teasing tone in his voice. “Okay, and if I was? I already told you I don’t care which room I get. I’m not picky.”

Dennis snorted from his seat. “Oh, you’ll care soon enough.”

Confused, you glanced between them, their smirks only growing. “What are you two on about? Just tell me where the room is, and I’ll figure it out myself.”

Arthur shrugged, clearly enjoying himself. “Upstairs. There are two bedrooms on that floor. Yours is the one on the right.”

“Thanks,” you said, pushing off the armrest. “Honestly, boys, it can’t be that bad.”

As you walked away, you heard Arthur mutter behind you, “Sweet, innocent girl.”

The comment made you roll your eyes, but you brushed it off. Surely they were just being dramatic. When you reached the room, you stepped inside and surveyed the space. It was far from bad—it was actually quite nice. The room was spacious, with large windows that let in plenty of light. You noticed a set of balcony doors and walked over to them, opening them to find a stunning view of the beach. The balcony extended to the next room, but that wasn’t anything that bothered you.

Everything about the room seemed perfect. What were they even talking about?

Feeling satisfied, you turned your attention to the rest of the space, spotting a door near the wardrobe. It must lead to the bathroom. Curious, you opened it, stepping inside—and froze in your tracks.

There, in the middle of the bathroom, stood Charles, unpacking his toiletries into the cabinet. His back was to you, but the sight of him was enough to make your stomach drop. You quickly scanned the room and spotted another door on the opposite wall, clearly leading to his bedroom.

Oh. That’s what they meant.

“No way. This is not happening,” you huffed, throwing your hands in the air.

Charles turned at the sound of your voice, his expression shifting from surprise to irritation. “What are you doing here?” he snapped.

"About to murder either you, or the idiot that came up with the clever idea to put me in a room next to most insufferable person on mother earth" you snapped back at him.

Charles felt slightly hurt at your insult, he knew he caused this himself, but he figured that trying to get over you was easier when you hated him than when you were your way too sweet self.

Charles rolled his eyes, going back to his unpacking. "Might as well consider killing Joris then, because up until you came barging in, I thought he would be staying in that room" he said, rolling his eyes, mindlessly continuing to unpack his stuff

You crossed your arms, glaring at his nonchalant attitude. “Well, congratulations on your little upgrade. This arrangement is absolutely not happening. I’m switching rooms.”

“Good luck with that,” Charles muttered. “But if you’re planning to kill Joris, I’d like to watch.”

You ignored his sarcasm, muttering curses under your breath as you stormed out of the bathroom and downstairs into the kitchen. Your frustration was boiling over as you barged in, startling the group gathered around the table. Pierre, Kika, Arthur, Dennis, and Joris all looked up at you in varying states of confusion.

“Joris,” you snapped, pointing a finger at him. “I will kill you.”

Joris blinked, holding his hands up in defense. “What did I do?”

“Apparently you figured it was a good idea to take the last decent room, and left me with the one upstairs,” you hissed. “Which, by the way, shares a bathroom with Charles.”

Arthur burst into laughter, nearly doubling over. “You just figured that out? Oh, this is gold.”

Joris’ confused expression turned sheepish. “Okay, wait. I didn’t know that if I didn’t take the upstairs room, you’d end up with it. I thought the downstairs one was just the last one left.”

“And you didn’t think about who would be upstairs with Charles?” you snapped, your tone laced with sarcasm.

Joris shrugged, an amused grin tugging at his lips. “I mean... I thought you’d appreciate the proximity to him.”

You groaned, turning to Pierre, who was clearly trying to stifle his laughter. “Pierre, switch rooms with me. Please.”

Pierre leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Yeah, no. That’s not happening. Kika and I have a nice setup downstairs, and I’m not about to share a bathroom with anyone. We need our privacy.”

“I need privacy too!” you argued, your voice rising in frustration.

“It’s different,” Pierre said, shooting you a pointed look. “Couples need privacy for... other things.”

“Ew. Stop. I don’t want to know,” you groaned, covering your ears dramatically.

You spun around to Arthur, narrowing your eyes. “You. Switch with me.”

Arthur raised his hands, laughing. “No can do. Charles would murder me. I snore too loud, and he’s all about his beauty sleep. He’d kick me out within a day.”

Your gaze shifted to Dennis, who immediately held up his hands. “Don’t even think about it. I’ve got the best room in the house—big bed, balcony, bubble bath. I’m not giving that up.”

You groaned loudly, throwing your head back. “You’re all useless.”

He leaned back smugly, grinning as if he’d just won the lottery. Then, as if to soften the blow, he added, “Well, I would’ve offered to let you stay in my room with me, but I think that would be the cause of my death.” His eyes flicked pointedly to your brother.

“Fair point,” Pierre said flatly, without missing a beat.

You rolled your eyes, exasperated. “No, that’s off-limits. But sharing a bathroom—with connecting doors—with the one guy you’ve always said was ‘off-limits’ is somehow not an issue? You’re a hypocritical ass.”

Pierre shrugged, a smug grin tugging at his lips. “First of all, sleeping in someone’s bed is completely different than sharing a bathroom,” he countered, folding his arms.

“And second,” he added with a knowing look, “the only reason I ever said that was because you had a little teenage crush on my best friend. And let’s be honest, at the time, he was way too old for you. But...” He trailed off, chuckling to himself. “I guess sticking to that would make me a bit of a hypocrite, considering I’m dating one of your friends now, and our age gap is even bigger.”

You groaned loudly, knowing you couldn’t win this side of the argument. “Whatever,” you muttered, crossing your arms. “That doesn’t change the fact that you know he’s the one person I want to avoid the most. You know I hate him,” you complained. “I can’t even stand the idea of his existence, let alone sharing a goddamn bathroom with him.”

“Relax,” Pierre said with a smirk. “It’s just a bathroom. There’s a lock on the door. You’ll survive.”

“Exactly,” came Charles’ voice from behind you. You spun around to find him leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed and an infuriatingly smug look on his face. “It’s not like sharing a bathroom means we’re obligated to shower together.”

“Oh, don’t tempt me,” you snapped. “It might be worth it just to drown you.”

The group erupted in laughter, and Charles rolled his eyes. “You’re acting like a child. Just knock before you go in. Problem solved.”

You glared at him, furious “Why are you even meddling, you weren't even part of this conversation, are you just lurking around waiting to butt in on conversations?” you snapped.

Charles smirked, clearly enjoying your frustration. “Not my fault you’re loud enough to hear from every other room,” he replied, his tone light but with an edge of sarcasm.

Your hands balled into fists at your sides as you shot him a glare. “God, you’re insufferable.”

“And yet, here we are,” he quipped, unfazed by your fury.

You sighed loudly "See, this is what I mean, this is what y'all are burdening me with" you complained, glaring at him once more, your frustration bubbling over. “You’re the last person I’d ever want to share a bathroom with.”

Charles smirked, stepping further into the kitchen, inching closer to you, until he was close enough to whisper in your ear. “Good thing it’s not up to you, then.”

Your hands balled into fists at your sides as you shot him a glare, your voice sharp and dripping with annoyance. “Fuck you, Charles.”

He raised an eyebrow, his smirk growing wider as he tilted his head slightly, feigning innocence. “Tempting,” he drawled, his voice low and teasing, “but I don’t think you could handle it.”

Pierre clapped his hands together, interrupting the argument. “Alright, enough. Give it a try for a few days. If it’s really that bad, we’ll figure something out. But I doubt it’ll be the end of the world.”

You huffed, crossing your arms. “Fine. But if I end up committing a murder, just know it’s on all of you.”

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After the heated argument downstairs, you stormed up the stairs to your designated bedroom, Arthur trailing behind you with his ever-present smug smirk. His long strides brought him into the room before you could even process your frustration fully. He flopped unceremoniously onto your bed, bouncing slightly as he sprawled out, his arms behind his head like he didn’t have a care in the world.

Meanwhile, you busied yourself with unpacking your suitcase, each item you placed in the wardrobe an outlet for your simmering annoyance. The rhythmic sound of hangers sliding against the bar was oddly soothing—until you caught Arthur watching you with that infuriating grin plastered across his face.

"What?" you snapped, not even turning to face him.

Arthur’s eyes twinkled with mischief. "Oh, nothing. Just waiting for you to protest again"

You rolled your eyes so hard it almost hurt. Before you could even begin to voice your frustration, Arthur sat up, one hand raised in mock surrender. "Nope! Let me stop you right there. This wasn’t just on me.”

Without thinking, you grabbed a pair of joggers from your suitcase and lobbed them at him. The fabric smacked him square in the face with a satisfying thwack.

“Merde!” he exclaimed, his laughter spilling out as he dramatically tossed the joggers aside. “Violence is not the answer, you know.”

“Neither is being useless,” you shot back, crossing your arms. "Arthur, you could have at least tried something! Anything would have been better than this.”

He leaned back against the headboard, folding his arms as if settling in for a long discussion. “Trust me, I did. But there wasn’t much to work with. Your brother doesn’t want to switch because—well, come on, you know why. He’s here with his girlfriend, and honestly, he made a fair point.”

You made a disgusted face, wrinkling your nose. “Fair point or not, it still sucks for me.”

Arthur shrugged nonchalantly. “And then there’s Joris. He’s obviously got a thing for Gigi, and guess what? Gigi sleeps downstairs. Perfect excuse for him to ‘accidentally’ run into her more often.”

“Gross,” you muttered, shoving another shirt into the wardrobe.

Arthur grinned, clearly enjoying your irritation. “And let’s be real: Inès and Gigi met Charles today. Can you imagine how awkward it’d be for either of them to share a bathroom with him? What if they walk in each other accidentally. That’s like… social torture. At least you’ve known him for years.”

You spun around, throwing your hands in the air. “I’M UNCOMFORTABLE TOO, ARTHUR!”

“Yeah, but that’s just you two being… you two,” he quipped, gesturing vaguely between you. “It’s a highly unlogical—”

“Illogical,” you corrected sharply.

“Whatever.” He waved a hand dismissively. “It’s an illogical issue between the two of you. At least you know him well enough to, I don’t know, coexist?”

You exhaled sharply, knowing he wasn’t entirely wrong but unwilling to admit it. “Fine. But Dennis? He’s my friend! He could have helped me out instead of hogging the nicest room in the house.”

Arthur snorted. “You know Dennis and Paul! I’m pretty sure they're just quietly rooting for some ‘enemies to lovers’ drama between you and Charles. Probably think it’s entertaining"

You stared at him in disbelief, heat rising to your cheeks. “Oh my God. Why do you all think this is some slow-burn romance novel? I’m not in love with him anymore. That was just a stupid teenage crush!”

Arthur grinned wider, clearly delighted. “Sure, sure. But that doesn’t mean you two don’t have… something.”

“Ugh!” You grabbed a pillow and launched it at him, but he easily dodged, laughing as he slid off the bed to avoid further projectiles.

“Relax, I’m just saying what everyone’s thinking,” he teased, leaning casually against the wall. “And for the record, I would have swapped with you. But Charles would kill me. You know how I snore, and—let’s be real—we’ve already lived together long enough. He’d probably prefer sharing a bathroom with you than enduring that again.”

You groaned, rubbing your temples. “I just don’t get it. He hates me just as much as I hate him. Why would he rather share with me than you?”

Arthur raised an eyebrow, his knowing smirk returning. “Oh, I have my theories. But I’m staying out of it.”

“That’s not helpful,” you muttered, exasperated.

Arthur chuckled, pushing off the wall. “Look, you could always sleep on the couch. But if you do…” He paused, tilting his head thoughtfully. “You’re letting him win.”

“Fair point,” you admitted begrudgingly.

Arthur patted your shoulder as he walked toward the door. “Good luck surviving the week. Don’t kill each other—well, at least not where anyone can see.”

Once he was gone, the silence of the room felt heavy. You sighed, glancing toward the adjoining bathroom door—the one that connected your room to Charles’.

As if on cue, the faint sound of running water reached your ears. You groaned inwardly, already dreading the inevitable awkward encounters. Maybe Arthur was right. Maybe this was all just some cosmic joke meant to test your patience.

But as you sank onto the edge of the bed, you couldn’t help but feel a flicker of something else—something unsettling that you didn’t want to name. Whatever it was, you shoved it aside, determined to prove that you could handle this without giving anyone the satisfaction of watching you squirm.

For now, you focused on unpacking the rest of your things, trying to ignore the quiet tension creeping in through the bathroom door.

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Later that day, the dinner table was alive with chatter, forks scraping plates, and glasses clinking as the group settled into an easy rhythm of conversation. The garden outside glowed under the string lights Pierre had painstakingly strung earlier, their warm light casting a soft glow over everyone seated at the table. Plates were piled high with food, the occasional burst of laughter cutting through the gentle hum of evening crickets.

You sat between Dennis and Arthur, trying your best to ignore the magnetic pull of Charles, seated directly across from you. He was deep in conversation with Joris about the best overtaking strategies, his hands gesturing animatedly as he spoke. You told yourself you weren’t paying attention, but your eyes betrayed you, flickering to him more often than you’d like.

Arthur leaned over, breaking your reverie. “You’ve barely touched your plate,” he teased, nodding toward your half-eaten dinner.

“Maybe I lost my appetite after sitting across from that,” you said pointedly, your fork gesturing vaguely in Charles’ direction.

Charles, sharp as ever, caught the jab immediately. His green eyes glinted with amusement as he leaned back in his chair, resting an arm lazily on the table. “Careful,” he drawled. “That attitude of yours might scare away any remaining appetite you have.”

Dennis snickered quietly beside you, earning a glare from you and a soft punch to his shoulder. “Don’t encourage him,” you muttered.

“Who, me?” Dennis asked innocently.

The banter escalated as the evening wore on. Drinks began to flow more freely—wine for most, a few beers for the others—and snacks were passed around as the group moved to the garden chairs scattered across the lawn. The stars above provided the perfect backdrop, but you were too caught up in the ebb and flow of conversation to appreciate them fully.

You and Charles kept up your usual sniping, each comment sharper than the last. It wasn’t long before Pierre, clearly exasperated, threw up his hands. “Enough, you two. I swear, if you keep this up, we’ll have to start taking bets on which one of you snaps first.”

“I’m not snapping,” you retorted, crossing your arms.

Charles smirked, taking a leisurely sip of his drink. “Neither am I. I’m having the time of my life.”

The group burst into laughter, easing the tension momentarily. But across the garden, Dennis leaned toward Arthur, his voice dropping low enough to stay out of earshot.

“Am I the only one seeing it?” Dennis asked, his gaze darting between you and Charles.

Arthur followed his line of sight, frowning slightly. “Seeing what?”

“Come on, Thur,” Dennis said, nudging him. “The tension. The way they bicker? That’s not just hate. That’s something else.”

Arthur hesitated, his brows furrowing. “I don’t know. With her? I can’t tell. She used to have a thing for him, sure. But now? One moment I think she’s over it, and the next…”

Dennis grinned knowingly. “She’s not over it. And Charles? He’s head over heels. Look at the way he watches her when she’s not looking. The guy’s smitten.”

Arthur laughed at him "I've had my suspicions about him for a while, but he's difficult to read"

“Just saying, the sexual tension is insane.” Dennis laughed.

Arthur groaned, leaning back in his chair. “You’re talking about my brother. Ew.”

"Hey, in all honesty. If he indeeds feels that way about her, I don't judge him.." Dennis laughed at the disgusted face that Arthur was pulling "Because, come on, you gotta admit it, she's hot"

Arthur shook his head, laughing despite himself. “Yeah, she’s hot. I'm aware of that, but I don’t see her that way. Never did, to be honest. We kissed a couple of times, but it was never like that" he said, a laugh present on his face as he thought back to the memories "I guess like once or twice during drinking games, and I remember one time when we were just young and hopeless, so we tried kissing like once, but it honestly was like… kissing my sister. Just weird.”

Dennis nodded, a sly grin spreading across his face. “I know that, Thur. But your brother? He doesn’t seem to think it’s weird.”

Dennis was watching you and Charles with barely concealed amusement, his eyes flicking between the two of you like he was watching a slow-motion car crash. He leaned a little closer to Arthur, smirking. "I mean, come on," he said under his breath. "Do they think they’re fooling anyone?"

Arthur chuckled, shaking his head. "They’ve been like this for ages. It’s exhausting just being around it."

Gigi, sitting nearby and clearly picking up on their hushed tones, laughed softly and joined in. “It’s mildly funny, though. They’re trying so hard to keep up this weird act of hating each other. Like, come on—it’s obvious they don’t actually hate each other.”

Dennis grinned, nodding toward Charles. “Right? The guy looks like he’s about to break his neck just to glance at her without being obvious.”

Gigi shrugged, leaning back in her chair. “What I don’t get is what caused all this. They used to be great friends. Back when she was still in love with him” she explained “they were actually kind of inseparable. So, what changed?”

Dennis tilted his head, considering her words. “Do you think she's still in love with him?”

Gigi paused, her brow furrowing slightly. “Honestly? I don’t think so. I mean, she still thinks he’s hot—because, let’s face it, he is hot—but she doesn’t act the way she used to. Back then, she was constantly hopeful. And let's face it, he was her first ever proper crush, so he might have a special place, but I don't think she's still in love with him. Now it's just different"

Arthur raised an eyebrow. “Different how?”

“She just seems... done. Like she gave up on him a while ago.” Gigi shrugged again, her tone thoughtful. “And honestly, I don’t blame her. If Charles does feel something now, he's probably too late. She’s waited long enough. Sure, when she was younger, the age gap made sense. She was too young. But by the time she was, like, 20, she was old enough. She still had feelings for him then, and he never even did anything about it.”

Dennis tapped his chin dramatically. “That’s rough. And if he does admit something now, what do you think? Should she go for it?”

Gigi frowned, her gaze shifting toward you briefly. “I don’t know. It would feel... weird. Like, if he didn’t see her that way before, why now? It might just feel like he’s choosing her because it’s convenient.”

Arthur sighed, rubbing his temples. “Can we not psychoanalyze my brother’s love life, please?”

Gigi shifted her gaze to Dennis, a sly grin spreading across her face. “What about you? You and her seem close. Maybe something’s blossoming there?”

Dennis raised an eyebrow, a surprised chuckle escaping him. “Me and her? Nah, come on.”

Gigi tilted her head, still smirking. “What? I’m just saying, you two seem to have this... vibe.”

Dennis laughed, shaking his head. “Look, she’s hot. I’d hook up with her in a heartbeat if she wanted to, but something serious? Nah. We both know it’s not like that.”

Gigi rolled her eyes, clearly amused. “You’re an idiot.” she laughed.

Arthur leaned back, groaning dramatically. “Why are we even having this conversation? Can we not dissect every potential romantic possibility?”

Gigi laughed. “Oh, come on, Arthur. Admit it. It’s entertaining.”

Arthur shook his head, muttering under his breath. “You all need help.”

Both Gigi and Dennis laughed out loud at Arthur's comment, finding it funny how Arthur reacted.

Before anyone could say more, their conversation was cut short when Charles, who had clearly overheard snippets of their hushed tones, called out from across the garden. “What’s so funny over there?”

Arthur, Dennis, and Gigi exchanged a quick look before Arthur spoke, his tone far too casual. “Oh, nothing much. Just debating which one of us would survive the longest if we had to endure one of your lectures on strategy.”

Charles narrowed his eyes, clearly unconvinced. “Sure,” he muttered, turning back to his conversation with Joris. But the faint twitch of his lips betrayed his amusement, even as he pretended not to care.

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As the night wore on, the group began to disperse, some heading to bed while others lingered to enjoy the cool night air. You made your way up to your room, feeling restless. Grabbing the cigarette Inès had reluctantly given you earlier, you stepped onto the balcony, the cool breeze brushing against your skin.

The first drag burned your throat, a harsh reminder of why you’d quit. But tonight, the weight in your chest felt heavier than usual, and this seemed like the only way to breathe again.

The quiet was short-lived. The soft creak of the balcony door opening made you stiffen, and when you turned, you found Charles stepping out.

“If you’re planning to mock me for smoking, shut up,” you said, not even trying to hide your annoyance.

Charles raised his hands defensively. “I wasn’t planning on anything.”

He leaned against the railing, his gaze fixed on the view rather than you. For a moment, the two of you stood in silence, the tension ebbing into something softer.

“Are you going to keep standing there, or are you taking a seat?” you asked, nudging a chair toward him with your foot.

He sat without a word, the quiet between you stretching but not uncomfortable.

“I thought you quit,” he said finally, his voice soft.

You took another drag, exhaling slowly. “I did.”

Charles chuckled, shaking his head slightly. “Figures.”

“But then my best friend decided it was a good idea to take me on a holiday and make me share a bathroom and connecting rooms with his brother" You smirked faintly "Don’t know if you’ve met him, but he’s got a massive ego and loves getting on his brother’s best friend’s nerves. Pathetic, really.”

Charles laughed, the sound low and warm. “Can’t say I’ve met him. But he probably has a good reason.”

The two of you shared a quiet laugh, a rare moment of peace between the insults. You held out your cigarette to him, a small gesture of truce.

Charles hesitated before taking it, his fingers brushing against yours briefly. The touch was fleeting but electric, sending a jolt through him that he didn’t entirely wanted to administer. He took a drag, exhaling slowly, his eyes on the stars.

“For someone who claims to hate me this much, this seems pretty generous,” he said, handing it back.

“Maybe I’m trying to ruin your lungs so you screw up your next race,” you replied dryly, leaning back in your chair.

Charles hummed in mock agreement. “Hmm. If you say so.”

The silence lingered between you and Charles, stretching into something neither of you was used to—quiet, companionable, and strangely comfortable. You stared out at the darkened garden, the faint glow of the string lights from below casting soft shadows across the balcony. The cigarette burned low between your fingers, the occasional ember flaring as you took a slow drag.

Charles shifted slightly in his seat, his arms resting casually on the chair's arms, his eyes flicking to you when he thought you weren’t looking. The lines of his face were softened by the night, his usual sharpness replaced by a contemplative calm.

“You’ve gotten quieter,” you muttered, breaking the silence. “What? Run out of things to argue about already?”

He smirked, glancing at you. “Just pacing myself. Don’t want to exhaust all my good comebacks in one night.”

You rolled your eyes, fighting the small smile that tugged at your lips. “Oh, please. I’ve heard them all before. You’re not that original.”

“Maybe I’m just giving you a chance to catch up,” he quipped, a faint grin playing at the corner of his mouth.

You laughed softly, shaking your head, and for a moment, it almost felt easy—like the walls you’d both carefully built were thinning, letting something more natural seep through.

The two of you lapsed back into silence, the occasional sound of the night filling the void. Charles tapped his fingers lightly against the chair, his rhythm steady, almost soothing. He tilted his head back slightly, staring up at the stars.

“What do you think they’re talking about down there?” he asked suddenly, nodding toward the garden where the others were still chatting.

You shrugged, leaning back in your chair. “Knowing Arthur and Dennis? Something dumb. Probably debating the best flavor of chips or some other nonsense.”

Charles chuckled softly. “Sounds about right.”

Minutes passed, the quiet stretching comfortably between you. Occasionally, your gazes met, and though neither of you spoke, there was an unspoken exchange—something in the way his eyes softened just slightly when he looked at you.

Finally, you stood, brushing ash from your hands. “I’m going to freshen up in the bathroom and go to bed.”

Charles didn’t respond immediately, his eyes following your movements. Just as you reached the doorway, he called out softly, his voice cutting through the quiet.

“You know,” he began, his tone uncharacteristically serious, “aside from all the arguments… you know I don’t actually hate you, right?”

You froze in the doorway, his words hanging in the air between you. Slowly, you turned, your hand resting on the doorframe. “You have a shit way of showing that,” you said, your voice quieter than usual.

Charles gave you a small, almost rueful smile. “I’ll work on it.”

You stared at him for a moment longer before nodding. “Goodnight, Charles.”

“Goodnight,” he replied, watching as you disappeared inside.

In the bathroom, the scent of him lingered—subtle but unmistakable. It was maddening how easily it unsettled you, making your chest tighten with an unspoken weight. You closed the door behind you, locking both his and your side with care, as if the physical barrier could somehow keep your thoughts at bay.

You stared at your reflection in the mirror, the faint steam from the earlier shower still clinging to the edges of the glass. “Get over it,” you whispered to yourself, your voice barely audible. “You hate him. Remember?”

But the words felt hollow, even to your own ears.

The shower’s warm spray hit your skin, washing away the tension that had settled in your shoulders, but it couldn’t quite cleanse your mind. Images of his face lingered—his small, almost shy smile when he’d said he didn’t hate you, the way his fingers had brushed against yours earlier when you passed him the cigarette.

You lingered longer than usual, hoping the heat of the water would somehow dissolve the confusion swirling inside you. When you finally stepped out and dried off, you felt no closer to clarity, only exhaustion.

Back in your room, the muffled sounds of movement from the adjoining space made you pause. You could hear him faintly—the soft creak of his bed, the shuffle of fabric as he adjusted his position. It was strangely intimate, knowing he was so close, separated only by a thin wall.

Sliding into bed, you stared at the ceiling, the room’s quiet amplifying the sounds next door. Your mind drifted despite your best efforts, and with a sigh, you reached for your phone.

You: Bathroom’s free

You'd typed it quickly, hesitating for a moment before pressing send. Before you could even process your message, the reply already came.

Charles: Thanks.

You put your phone on your nightstand, plugging it in the charger, before crawling deeper beneath the covers. You tried to fall asleep, but it felt impossible. Every movement he made, every creak of his bed, echoed faintly. It made you realize once more, in what close proximity you both were, keeping you awake longer than you’d like. Eventually though, sleep claimed you, surprisingly peaceful despite everything.

next part

[bucketgetter535]

This is not a cry for help (but it might be) PART 3

WC:4.2k CW: None Notes: what's up guys. plz leave thoughts on this one.

So Azzi was being mean on purpose now.

Not like mean mean. Not like mean in the way girls at school were when they told you your outfit looked brave or when they smiled too big at the guy you liked. No. Azzi’s mean was different. It was intentional. Targeted. Kind of quiet and terrifying. Like she was trying to get a specific reaction out of Paige and always knew exactly how to do it.

Like right now.

They were in their room, which was technically a break day from practice, and Paige had been on full Annoying Azzi Mode since sunrise. No real reason. She just felt like annoying someone. She felt like poking at something warm until it cracked a little. Because her phone had been weirdly silent all morning. No texts from her dad, no accidental family group chat blowing up, no passive-aggressive messages from her stepmom about the “adult decisions being made”. And that was like… good. Sort of.

Good but also not.

It felt like getting ghosted by chaos. Like maybe the whole house had finally burned down and no one told her. Or maybe they were just pretending she didn’t exist for today. She couldn’t tell which made her feel worse.

So now she was pacing. In socks. And a hoodie that wasn’t hers. And talking. A lot. Loudly.

“Okay but think about it,” Paige said, standing on Azzi’s bed while chewing half a granola bar. “What if I started rapping during warmups? Like not real rapping, just like… you know. A beat. Like a personal hype loop. Paige bars.”

Azzi was sitting on the floor doing something with her ankle brace, face completely neutral. She didn’t even look up. “That’s the worst idea you’ve ever had.”

“I haven’t even said the best part yet. You could be my backup dancer.”

“No.”

“Azzi.”

“No.”

“Azzi, come on—”

“You’re literally insane.”

“I’m not insane,” Paige said, flopping dramatically onto her bed now and hanging her head over the side so she could still see Azzi upside down. “I’m just high-energy. You should be grateful. I’m a gift.”

“You’re a plague.”

“I’m your plague.”

That made Azzi look up. Just long enough to raise one eyebrow, smirk faintly, then return to taping her brace like she hadn’t just absolutely ended Paige’s life with one look.

Okay. So this was what Paige was talking about.

This.

Azzi knew. She knew what she was doing. She liked doing this. Liked flustering her. Liked catching her off guard and watching her trip all over her own stupid words. Like some evil magician with great skin and freakish core strength.

And Paige... Paige was letting it happen.

Paige wanted it to happen.

Sort of.

But also it wasn’t fair. Because she was supposed to be the annoying one. That was the whole thing. That was her role in this friendship-flirting-enemy-rival-something zone they’d landed in. Paige was supposed to be the one causing problems. Throwing off the rhythm. Climbing Azzi like a jungle gym and trying to get her to laugh at objectively dumb jokes. Not this. Not the other way around.

She pouted. “Why are you so good at that?”

“At what.”

“At like… doing whatever it is you’re doing to my brain.”

“I’m literally just sitting here.”

“Exactly,” Paige said. “It’s not right.”

Azzi sighed and tugged her brace tighter. “Do you ever stop talking?”

“Rarely. But for you? Maybe. I could be bribed.”

“I’m not bribing you.”

Paige gasped. “Wow.”

Azzi looked up again, except this time not smiling. Her eyebrows were tight, mouth pressed flat. “Seriously, can you just chill for two seconds? I’m trying to do something.”

And well.

Oh.

That tone was real. That was Real Azzi. Not Play Azzi. Not fake-irritated, not smirking or flirty or sarcastic. That was actually annoyed Azzi.

Paige blinked. “Oh,” she said. “Sorry.”

And then she was quiet.

Like really quiet.

Which wasn’t her strong suit, but she sat there on the edge of the bed, fingers fidgeting in her lap, chewing her lip, not saying a single dumb thing while Azzi finished whatever ankle-brace ritual she had going.

The silence was heavy. Not awkward, just thick. Like a fog had rolled in and was sitting on her chest a little. Like she had to breathe slower so she didn’t mess it up worse.

Her phone buzzed once on the bed beside her. She looked. Nothing. Not her dad. Not her stepmom. Not Drew. Just some spam text from a number labeled “URGENT INSURANCE NOTIFICATION.”

Cool.

“Do you want me to leave?” she asked finally, voice small.

Azzi sighed again, but less sharp this time. “No. Just… let me finish this, okay?”

Paige nodded. “Yeah. Okay.”

She laid back on the bed, eyes up to the ceiling.

Maybe if she stared hard enough, it would open up and suck her into some dimension where no one ever got annoyed, and there were no text messages, and you could just hang out in your friend’s room and annoy her without the mood shifting like a thunderstorm outta nowhere.

But Azzi didn’t ask her to leave.

So that was something.

-

Okay so here’s the problem:

Paige had this thing. Like… a pattern. Like some inner switch that was all messed up and wired backward. She was loud. Always loud. Always cracking jokes, bouncing off walls, talking too much, talking fast, fake-annoying people on purpose because it was fun and because she could and because it made things feel… lighter. Less suffocating.

But the second someone actually got annoyed with her?

Dead. Silent.

Like the switch flipped in reverse and suddenly she forgot how to be loud, forgot how to be funny, forgot how to be a person who didn’t accidentally make other people feel like this.

It’d been like that ever since the whole war-zone-at-home situation started. Since her dad and her stepmom started fighting like they were both trying to win a medal in Most Public Divorce of the Year. Ever since the yelling got weird and the house stopped feeling safe. Ever since she started annoying people a little too hard on purpose because it made her forget that she was sort of falling apart.

And then when it didn’t land, when the person she was annoying actually got mad, Paige didn’t know how to fix it. She’d just go quiet. Floaty. Sensitive. God, she hated that word. Sensitive. Like some sad wet tissue of a person.

That’s how it felt now.

Dinner was over, but she hadn’t really eaten. Her tray had one of those mystery chicken things on it and some broccoli that smelled like boiled foot, and Paige just picked at it the whole time until it got cold and gross. Azzi didn’t say much. Not after this afternoon. Not after the ankle brace and the “can you chill” and the very real tone that had hollowed Paige out like a trash can with legs.

So now she was just… wandering.

Not outside, because obviously that was against the rules and Paige didn’t feel like dealing with a lecture if they got caught, but she could roam the halls. Walk the same loop on repeat like a Sims character with no free will.

The fluorescent lights buzzed above her head. Her socks made no sound on the old tile floor. Every door she passed was a muffled world full of girl-noise and dumb laughter and random FaceTimes and inside jokes and perfume spray. She didn’t belong in any of them right now.

She didn’t belong anywhere.

She circled back eventually. Her feet took her to the dorm without her asking.

Azzi’s side of the room was all calm and glowing and folded. Paige’s side looked like the inside of a gym bag. She liked it that way. Maybe.

Her backpack was leaning against the bed, still zipped. She hadn’t done anything school-related in, like, four days. Maybe more. Who was counting.

She flopped onto her stomach, yanked the bag open, and pulled out her math worksheet. It looked fake. Like someone had printed it out just to make her feel bad.

She tried to focus.

One problem.

Then the next.

What even was slope-intercept again?

Is “Y” the one that moves? Or the line?

God this sucked.

She stared at it. Read it five times. Did nothing.

Pretended.

Paige was so good at pretending. You didn’t even know.

She clicked her pen. Wrote the date on top. Underlined it.

Fake progress.

She could do this for hours.

The shower in the shared suite bathroom shut off.

A few minutes later, Azzi walked back into the room, wrapped in one of those white towels that only rich people owned and girls in movies wore after beach scenes. Her hair was tied up. Her face looked soft and clean and perfect, which felt unfair.

Paige didn’t say anything. She just kept pretending to do math.

Azzi didn’t say anything either.

She went to her side, put on her lotion like she always did—Paige swore she used five products in one night and all of them smelled like clouds—and started her whole quiet bedtime routine.

There was this calmness about her. The same calmness that had made Paige like her at all. Like even if the world exploded, Azzi would just calmly raise one eyebrow and be like, “Really? That’s your apocalypse outfit?”

Paige peeked at her. Just a little. From behind the curtain of her bad homework.

She wasn’t sure if she should say something. Apologize again. Crawl under the bed. Make a new joke. Try to be the girl from this morning. The loud one. The one with the granola bar and the bad rapping ideas.

But the switch was still flipped. And Paige didn’t know how to flip it back.

The math worksheet was stupid.

Paige stared at it like it owed her money. It didn’t. It owed her nothing. It was just a piece of paper with dumb numbers on it and instructions she wasn’t going to follow.

At some point, her pen rolled out of her hand and off the bed with a tiny clink. She didn’t go after it. Didn’t even twitch. Just let her hand hang off the side like she was some Victorian woman dying dramatically of heartbreak.

And then, because she needed a new way to punish herself, she reached for her phone.

She didn’t need to check it. She knew what was on it.

Nothing.

No texts from her dad. Which was new.

No texts from her stepmom. Which was… blessed honestly.

No texts from her mom, even though Paige had triple texted her earlier just to say “u alive?” like that was totally casual and not code for “please tell me I’m not the only sane adult in my bloodline right now.”

No texts from Drew.

No texts from anyone.

It was just the void.

Her phone lit up with a notification, and her chest did this embarrassing jump thing like maybe—maybe—

It was just Duolingo reminding her she was losing a 14-day streak in Spanish.

Paige turned the whole phone off. Like off-off. Like black-screen, no-vibes, don’t-talk-to-me-ever off.

She dropped it next to her on the bed and flopped again, this time on her back, arms out like she was about to be crucified by whatever gods managed teenage emotions.

The ceiling was ugly. Her thoughts were worse.

She didn’t wanna sleep. She didn’t wanna do homework. She didn’t wanna cry, but her eyeballs were kind of dry and stingy, and her chest was tight in that ugh-I’m-definitely-feeling-something-but-I-don’t-know-what-so-let’s-shove-it-down-and-do-nothing kind of way.

She just wanted to zone out. That was the goal. Just totally emotionally power off. Like the phone. Like a robot. Or an unplugged toaster.

It was working, sort of. She was halfway into full shut-down when Azzi spoke.

Not loud. Just a little quiet “Hey.” Like a casual footstep into her headspace.

Paige’s throat made a weird sound when she tried to answer. Not words. Just, like… air and dust.

She coughed once. Swallowed. Tried again.

“Yeah?”

Her voice cracked.

Like, boy-hitting-puberty cracked.

Paige immediately sat up and made a face like the world had wronged her personally.

“Okay, that was… that was not real. You didn’t hear that.”

Azzi blinked at her from across the room, sitting on the floor by her bed like she always did after her whole skincare cult routine.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“But you thought something.” Paige pointed a dramatic finger. “I heard it in your face.”

Azzi tilted her head. Her mouth curled just a little. “Your voice cracked.”

“Rude.” Paige pulled a pillow over her own head. “I’ve been silent for like five hours. That’s a medical condition.”

“Mmhm.” Azzi’s voice was dry, amused. “It’s called being dramatic.”

“Wow,” Paige said, muffled under the pillow. “Backstabbed in my own bed.”

There was a pause. A quiet one, but not the heavy kind. Not like earlier. Paige peeked out from under the pillow and saw Azzi still sitting there, knees pulled up, watching her like she was trying to figure something out but wasn’t in a rush about it.

“Did you finish your math?” Azzi asked.

Paige groaned like the answer had physically hurt her.

“No. I gave up and stared at my phone like it was gonna cure me or something. Spoiler alert: it didn’t.”

Azzi nodded. “You turned it off?”

“Yeah. I was over it. It was either that or throw it across the room.” Paige flopped again, arms splayed. “But I feel like that’s frowned upon in government housing.”

Azzi snorted lightly and leaned back against her bed. “You’ve been quiet.”

“Tragic, I know.”

“No, I mean like…” Azzi paused, thoughtful. “You only go full ghost when you’re overthinking.”

Paige blinked at the ceiling. “Weird theory. Bold of you to assume I think at all.”

Azzi didn’t laugh this time. She just looked at her. That soft-but-solid look Paige had come to know by now. Like Azzi was both not pushing and still noticing everything.

It made Paige feel… itchy. Seen in a way she didn’t know what to do with.

“I just—” Paige started, then shut her mouth.

She didn’t know what she was going to say. Didn’t have something to say, exactly. She felt too full of words and too empty at the same time. Like all the thoughts were trying to form a single sentence and it was getting jammed in the output pipe.

Azzi didn’t press. Just stayed where she was. Existing.

After a second, Paige rolled to face the wall. Not mad. Not sad. Just done.

“I’ll be funny again tomorrow,” she mumbled into the blanket. “Probably. Don’t hold me to it.”

Behind her, Azzi just said, “Okay.”

And somehow, that was exactly the right answer.

-

It started with some kid.

Not a real one. Not even Drew. Just a little boy Paige didn’t know, crying in a hallway with flickering lights, begging her not to leave. His voice sounded like her brother’s sometimes. Other times, like her own.

There was a door slamming. Then another. Then another.

Someone was yelling... maybe her dad, maybe someone else. It didn’t matter. Paige was running and trying to help, but her legs weren’t moving right. They were underwater, or glued to the floor, or both.

When she looked down, her hands were covered in marker. Just big, thick black scribbles, like someone had tried to cross her out.

She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t fix it.

And then—

She snapped awake.

The room was dark. Way too dark. Too still.

Her chest was doing that tight thing again. That awful, sharp, crushing kind of tight that made her want to crawl out of her own skin.

She sat up slowly. Her hair stuck to the side of her face, damp with sweat. Her pillow felt gross. Her shirt stuck to her back.

Azzi was asleep, perfectly still, bundled up in her blanket like a very serious little cocoon. Paige stared at her for a second. Like, just stared. As if watching someone else breathe would teach her how.

Then she got up. Quietly. Carefully. Like the floor might shatter if she stepped too hard.

She padded out into the hallway barefoot and made it to the bathroom without even knowing where she was going. The tile was cold under her toes, and the overhead light buzzed just faintly enough to make her feel like she wasn’t totally alone.

She sat on the floor with her knees to her chest.

She stared at her phone again. It was past 3 a.m. The kind of time when the whole world feels sideways and blurry.

Her mom still hadn’t texted back.

Paige had tried earlier—three whole texts. Dumb ones. Just “u up?” and “you alive?” and a “lol if u care ab me blink” like it was a joke, like it was whatever. Like she didn’t mean it.

But she did.

So now she typed again. And erased. Then typed again.

Paige: hey

Paige: idk if ur up

Paige: but like. can u text me

She stared at it. Added another line.

Paige: just want to know ur there

Her thumb hovered. Then she hit send.

Immediately, she turned the screen over. Face-down. Like that would keep it from hurting if nothing came back.

She curled into herself a little more on the floor, wrapping her arms tighter around her knees.

It wasn’t just the dream.

It was everything lately. The not-talking from her mom. The yelling from her dad. The “why are you being so dramatic?” from her stepmom. The way Drew had sounded tiny on the phone when he’d whispered, “It’s really loud tonight.”

And now, the silence.

All this silence in all the wrong places.

She didn’t even like asking for things. But right now, she wanted one thing. Just one stupid thing. Just for her mom to answer. Just a single little ping, a digital “I see you,” even if there were no words.

She sniffed. Not like a sob. Just a quiet, tired little sound. Like her nose giving up on dignity.

“God, I’m so lame,” she muttered into her own knees.

No one answered.

The tile stayed cold. Her heartbeat slowed eventually. The bathroom stayed too bright. Her phone stayed quiet.

Still, she stayed sitting.

Still hoping.

Just a minute longer. Just in case.

Paige didn't even want to send another text.

Like, she really tried.

Like, Paige was actively telling herself, “don’t be weird,” and “chill out,” and “she’s probably asleep, it’s fine, it’s not personal.”

But it was also three-something in the morning, and her brain was doing that thing where all logic had left the building and everything felt ten times heavier than it actually was.

So. She typed. Again.

Paige: it’s dumb

Paige: u don’t have to say anything

Paige: i just

Paige: i feel kinda weird rn

Send.

Immediate regret.

Immediate: what the hell is wrong with you.

Immediate: delete your whole phone, throw it in the toilet, move to Canada.

She buried her face in her knees again, blinking up at the ceiling like that would stop the burn behind her eyes. It didn’t.

And that’s when the door creaked open.

She froze. Literally... like a racoon in a hoodie on the bathroom floor. Her heart jerked into her throat.

And then she heard soft footsteps. Socked feet. Azzi.

Azzi stepped into the doorway, squinting through the light, her hair messy and damp from sleep. She was wearing the dumbest socks Paige had ever seen. Like, full-on yellow ducks.

Paige’s breath caught. Not from the socks. From the fact that someone was seeing her like this. On the floor. At 3 a.m. Looking like a peeled banana left out in the sun.

Azzi blinked a few times. “Paige?” she asked, still half-asleep.

Paige made the fatal error of looking up.

Which meant Azzi could see her face.

Which meant Azzi could see the way her nose was pink and her eyes were glassy and that thing she did with her jaw when she was trying not to cry.

And Paige—oh God—Paige felt her whole chest cave in.

She waved her hand like, I’m good, don’t worry, abort mission, and looked down at the tile. “I’m fine,” she croaked. Her voice did that crack thing again. Total betrayal.

Azzi hesitated.

Then, quietly: “You’re not.”

And she turned and walked out.

Which, like, Paige did not expect.

Which, for a second, made Paige feel so embarrassingly rejected she almost stood up and ran.

But then Azzi came back.

Carrying her giant green water bottle with all the stupid stickers on it.

And a pack of tissues.

She didn’t say anything. Just sat down next to Paige. Cross-legged. Close, but not too close. And handed her the water.

Paige took it.

Tried to drink. Failed. Her throat was too tight. Her hands were shaking now, which was so not fair.

And then the first tear slid out.

And then the second.

And then her whole face just betrayed her.

She turned toward the wall and curled into her knees like maybe she could keep the tears contained, like if she hid her face no one would notice she was breaking.

But Azzi stayed quiet.

Just sat there. Not moving.

And that? That made it worse. Somehow. The quiet made it real.

“I’m sorry,” Paige mumbled into her hoodie sleeve. “I don’t— I didn’t mean to— I’m not, like—”

Her voice cracked again, and she covered her face completely with her sleeve and swore under her breath.

Azzi just nodded. Still not saying anything. Still just sitting beside her, like Paige wasn’t some huge inconvenience or some emotional disaster.

Which. Felt weirdly nice.

Which. Made her cry more.

Not loud. Not dramatic. Just quiet and leaky and exhausted, like the tears were slipping out of her ribs without permission.

Azzi handed her a tissue. Didn’t say anything dumb like “it’s gonna be okay,” or “you’re strong,” or “talk to me.” Just… sat. Existed. Offered water again.

And eventually, when Paige could finally breathe right again, she whispered, “Thanks.”

Azzi leaned her head back against the wall. “It’s cool. I cry all the time.”

Paige looked at her. “Liar.”

Azzi grinned. “Okay, not all the time. But sometimes. It’s whatever.”

And just like that, Paige let out this tiny, pathetic little laugh. Just a breath, really. But it was something.

She wiped her eyes. Drank the water.

And didn’t feel totally okay.

But at least she didn’t feel alone.

-

Azzi didn’t say much when she helped Paige up. Just kind of stood and offered a hand, like they were teammates on a court instead of two girls in a quiet dorm hallway where one of them had cried into her own hoodie sleeve. The tiles were cold. Paige’s knees cracked a little when she straightened. Azzi didn’t laugh. Just led her back down the corridor, sleepy and barefoot, duck-sock steps echoing soft under the dim lights.

Their room was dark except for the weak glow from Azzi’s side-table lamp. Paige blinked a few times, squinting through the blur that came with tired eyes and a nose still stuffed from leaking like a loser. She felt heavy. Tired in that full-body way like her ribs and knees were tired too.

She stood there awkwardly for a second in the middle of the room, not really knowing what to do now. Like… thanks? Goodnight? Should she cry again or just pass out or start talking about her childhood trauma or—?

Azzi sat down on Paige’s bed instead. Crossed her legs and waited.

“C’mere,” she said eventually, soft. A little tilt to her head. “You look like you’re gonna collapse.”

Paige frowned. “I don’t wanna—”

Azzi held out her arms.

Paige stared at them like they were a trap.

But she moved anyway. She always did, with Azzi. It was something dumb and unspoken and automatic, like gravity or electricity or muscle memory.

Azzi pulled her in with no drama, no big emotional scene. Just: here, be here, you’re safe.

And Paige landed right against her chest, arms kind of awkward at first, like she didn’t know where to put them. But Azzi wrapped around her anyway. All calm and warm and steady like that’s just how she was built. Her sweatshirt was soft. Her heartbeat was in stereo. Paige could feel it under her ear.

She exhaled so slowly it felt like deflating.

“I’m gonna fall asleep if you don’t move,” she mumbled, too tired to lift her head.

Azzi’s hand moved up and down her back. “Dude,” she said, low and warm, “that’s literally the point.”

“Oh.” Paige’s voice was a whisper now. Like a guilty child. “Okay then.”

And Azzi didn’t say anything else. Just let her be still. Held her like it was normal. Like Paige didn’t have ten thousand feelings clattering around her chest like a junk drawer of broken stuff.

Eventually, Paige’s arms found their way around Azzi too. Not tight. Just… enough. Enough to say please stay like this a little longer.

Azzi didn’t let go. Not even once.

And Paige?

She fell asleep in two minutes flat.

[claramelooo]

WOVEN FATES (15/20)

I'm late, but I'm sure! Sorry guys! My routine is crazy, really. I'm still trying to adapt. But I think I needed this as much as you did!

Cliffhanger, huh?? You didn't see anything yet muhahahaha 😈

Enjoy <3

MINORS MUST NOT INTERACT

Pairing: AgathaRio x Fem Reader

Summary: After Billy's speech, you end up finding out what was wrong and you have to fix it or not.

Hey! Now I've a masterlist

The Truth

You were frozen. Your eyes, slightly widened, and your exasperated breathing locked onto theirs as they searched yours like you were a case to be studied.

Source?

What the hell was this, anyway?

You ran your tongue over your lips nervously, debating whether you should ask the question burning on the tip of your tongue. After releasing the breath trapped in your chest, you spoke:

"The what…" You started, your lungs tight. "What is a source?"

The word echoed in your mind, an irritating hum clouding your thoughts.

"Someone from whom everything originates?" Yelena said, trying to sound obvious, only to receive a reprimanding look from Alice.

The young woman stepped closer to you, feeling your growing desperation drowning you. "So, do you remember the legend?" she began, her tone cautious as if you were fragile glass about to shatter. "A mystical being, vast, powerful, that drains energy—life itself."

She finished with careful precision, and you let out a disbelieving laugh.

"Oh, come on, Alice?! What kind of stupid joke is this?" You laughed, but the lump in your throat still scraped at you. "That was our dumb school project, Alice! It has nothing to do with—" you narrowed your eyes, fighting back the tears threatening to spill.

"I lied!" Alice’s voice broke, sharp and desperate, making everyone in the circle flinch. "I lied, okay? It's real. And Rio Vidal is that ." Her voice cracked at the end.

The ground disappeared beneath you.

Rio.

Your Mama.

No. No, that couldn’t be.

"This is bullshit." The words were thick in your throat. You wouldn’t believe this. "Oh, let me guess—Agatha is the woman who saved Rio from herself and was turned into some horrid monster?!" Your sarcastic tone made Alice clench her jaw.

"A witch. Agatha Harkness is a witch," Billy interjected.

"And how the hell do you know that?!" Anger flared in you—pure, burning rage. They were talking about your mothers.

You wanted to kill them.

Sew their mouths shut so they could never speak these atrocities again.

So they could never hurt you like this again.

"It's what they say." He shrugged, completely unfazed. He didn’t care. And that only made you angrier.

"And who the fuck are ‘they’?" You took a dangerous step forward, breathing hard through your nose.

Billy kept twirling a card between his fingers, annoyingly calm. His eyes were sharp, like a cat toying with its prey. "Have you never felt it? The constant exhaustion. The need to always be near them. The way your body feels… drained whenever you're away?"

Your stomach churned.

You had felt it. You always had.

Because there had always been something. Something you could never name, but that slithered under your skin every time you were apart from them.

A weariness that wasn’t just physical. A hunger that wasn’t for food. An emptiness that only faded when Rio touched your face or Agatha whispered soft words into your ear.

The lump in your throat tightened.

"This doesn’t make sense," your voice came out weaker now, less certain. "Are you trying to say that—"

"That they’re more than you think," Billy finished, tossing the card onto the table.

You looked down at the deck, the symbols shimmering as if laughing at you.

"So what?" Your own voice surprised you. The rage had faded, replaced by something more fragile, more dangerous. "If Rio is this… If Agatha is this… then what does that make me?"

Fuck this!

They were yours, and you would defend them with everything you had.

Alice hesitated.

She finally moved, placing a trembling, cold hand over yours. "We’re not telling you this to scare you."

"Then what the fuck is the point?" Your voice was sharp, but your heart pounded wildly.

Jennifer let out a low, nervous chuckle. "We want to help you."

"Help me?" You laughed.

You didn’t want their help. You wanted them.

"With the truth."

The words hung heavy in the air.

Billy flipped the card toward you. The image depicted a pure, shining spring of water, but around it, dark shadows drank from it, draining its glow until the source became shallow, dull.

"Sources don’t last forever, you know..." he said, his voice disturbingly gentle. "Eventually, they dry up."

It felt like the air was stolen from your lungs.

Your chest clenched. Your mind refused to accept it, but your body betrayed you—your skin prickled, your stomach burned.

"You’re saying that I…"

"That you’re being used," Jennifer finished bluntly.

The world stopped.

No.

No, that couldn’t be true.

But the gears in your mind began turning.

The exhaustion. The heat. The overwhelming need to be near them. Agatha holding you in her lap as if cradling you after a nightmare. Rio always knowing when you were about to break.

Dread clenched your chest like a fist.

"No." You shook your head. "This is insane. You don’t even know what you’re talking about!"

Billy leaned back, crossing his arms. "We can prove it."

Alice bit her lip, hesitating.

Tears stung your eyes as you stood up abruptly. Alice followed, grabbing your hands in a futile attempt to calm you. "Breathe," she said, her fox-like eyes watching you closely.

"I know it sounds crazy. But this… This force exists, and now it’s in you."

You tried to yank your hands away, but Alice held on. Not forcefully, but with a gentle insistence, as if she feared you’d disappear if she let go.

"This doesn’t make sense." Your voice cracked. You swallowed against the bile rising in your throat. "I’m nothing. I’m not special. I don’t even know what you’re talking about!"

"But they do."

Billy spoke quietly, his dark eyes locked onto yours. "All four of them. Agatha, Rio, Calderu… Wanda."

Her name hit you like a slap.

"I—" You stepped back, only to feel the edge of the table press against your back.

Alice loosened her grip slightly. "Breathe."

But you couldn’t.

They knew.

They had always known.

The things that once made sense—the overwhelming affection, the intense looks, the way it felt like you were being absorbed by them—now felt wrong. Stained.

You shook your head, struggling to inhale. "This… This can’t be real."

"Then why are you reacting like this?" Yelena asked, raising a brow.

Alice stepped closer, eyes locked onto yours as if watching a wild animal about to bolt.

"Because, on some level," she whispered, "you already knew."

The silence in the room thickened, heavy and suffocating. You could feel the weight of their gazes pressing into you, burning your skin, as if they were waiting—no, hoping—you would understand.

But you didn’t want to.

The air felt too thin. Your lungs refused to work, as if something dense and invisible wrapped around your throat. Your heartbeat was erratic, too fast, too wild.

"This doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t. It doesn’t." Your voice was a whisper, broken and pained, a desperate mantra that still echoed through the stifling room. You looked around, waiting for someone to laugh, to say this was some cruel joke.

But no one laughed.

Billy just watched you, arms crossed over his chest. Jennifer averted her gaze to the table, her fingers tapping anxiously against the carved wood. Yelena sighed, like she had seen this moment unfold before.

But it was Alice who stepped closer again, her fox-like eyes locked onto yours, filled with something you couldn’t name.

“Breathe,” she whispered again.

But you couldn’t.

You swallowed hard, your knees threatening to buckle, and everything seemed to snap inside you. Like your mind was trying to connect the dots. Like something was whispering in your ear, but you couldn’t understand it.

Agatha. Rio. Calderu. Wanda.

The four of them.

Always close. Always present. Always touching, watching, calling your name like a prayer.

Always taking care of you.

Protecting?

Or feeding?

After all, that’s all you were, right?

Your stomach twisted, and you had to grip the edge of the table. Your vision blurred for a moment.

They knew.

They always knew.

The wave of emotions was too much, too raw, and the words slipped out before you could stop them:

“How is this possible?” Your voice shook, and you hated it. “Why me?”

Alice sighed, as if she had been expecting that question. The others remained silent, but you could feel the electricity in the air, the dense tension between them.

Billy was the first to break it.

“The pure, untainted energy of a good heart is one of the most valuable resources in existence,” he said, spinning a card between his fingers. “It’s more than enough to make hidden beings desire it.”

You frowned, not understanding.

“Why?”

Alice squeezed your hands. Her gaze was intense, sharp, like she was measuring how deep she could go before you broke.

“Because it invigorates them,” she explained. “It strengthens, sustains, rejuvenates. You’ve heard stories of how ancient gods were nourished by the worship of their followers? How their temples were centers of energy, rituals, sacrifices?”

You nodded slowly, your own breath coming unevenly.

“It’s possible through sex too,” Jennifer said, her voice light but cutting.

Your insides turned to ice.

“You—” You stopped, your throat dry.

Billy leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “There are many kinds of hunger, and this is the most primal. The oldest. The most powerful.”

You shook your head. No. This was madness.

“But…” Alice hesitated, touching your face, forcing you to meet her eyes. “What worries me isn’t what they do with your energy. It’s how long you can last before it consumes you.”

You swallowed hard, your chest tightening. Every word they spoke made your mind spin, like it was trying to piece together a puzzle you never realized you were assembling.

“And…” You tried to speak, the words stuck in your throat, cutting like glass. “How do I get rid of it?” Your own voice came out unsteady, almost a painful whisper.

You couldn’t believe you were even asking, feeling the weight of the words on your tongue.

You felt like you were betraying them.

Billy and Yelena exchanged glances. Jennifer looked away, suddenly focused on spinning a ring on her finger. Alice, however, didn’t.

“That depends,” Billy finally said.

“On what?” Your impatience coiled tight in your throat.

“On how deep the connection is,” Alice murmured, still holding the small glass vial between her fingers. “If it’s just a superficial bond… it’s simple. Getting rid of it wouldn’t be difficult.”

You swallowed hard. Something in the way she said that made your skin prickle.

“But if it’s deeper…” Jennifer finally spoke, her voice low and measured. “If they’ve already rooted themselves in you… then there’s no easy way.”

“Rooted?” you whispered, the word foreign in your mouth.

Billy leaned in, pushing the vial toward you.

“If you want the truth, drink this before you sleep.” He held your gaze. “And pay attention to the sounds around you.”

The object felt ten times heavier in your palm. You stared at the dark liquid, a shiver running down your spine.

“What will happen if I drink it?”

Alice hesitated.

“You’ll notice things you normally wouldn’t,” she finally said. “And hear… what has always been there.”

Your heart pounded against your ribs. You wanted answers. You needed answers.

But were you ready to hear them?

The way home was a blur of lights and shadows. The cold wind bit at your skin, but it was nothing compared to the ice spreading in your chest, suffocating, cruel.

Your mommies. Your women. The only ones who ever loved you, the only ones who ever protected you.

And what if it was never real?

You felt each heartbeat like a sharp blade. Every memory—Agatha holding your face with firm, warm hands, Rio pulling you into a lazy hug on the couch—felt like poison now. You wanted to push them away. You wanted to rip them out of you, but they were buried too deep.

You almost laughed, a dry, humorless sound.

Rooted. Just like Jennifer said.

They were inside you. Feeding on you.

The glass vial burned against your skin in your pocket. Your hands trembled.

When you arrived home, everything felt even stranger. There was no usual comforting silence. No familiar scent of Agatha’s woodsy perfume or the expensive candles burning around the house.

There was something else.

A voice.

Familiar.

Rio.

Your stomach dropped. She wasn’t supposed to be here. Not this soon.

She was still supposed to be in Paris, preparing for the exhibition. You checked the time on your phone. Not even close to 9 PM. What was happening?

Well, did you miss me?

Walk on water just to kiss me

Oh, come and get me

Drag me out, destroy me

I've been expecting you, I'm ready

Deliver me that bad news baby

Your feet hesitated as you approached the living room, trying to make as little noise as possible. But it was pointless.

“My baby!” Her voice, warm and naturally mischievous, hit you. And it hurt so much. It hurt to imagine she was deceiving you.

Using you.

You forced a surprised smile, but you felt the burn behind your eyes, the frustration-laced tears that weren’t allowed to fall.

“Mama,” the word came out strangled from you. “What are you doing here?”

Rio gave you a lazy smile, the kind that always made you feel safe.

Your heart clenched with confusion. She stood up in one fluid movement, walking toward you as if there wasn’t an ocean of doubt and betrayal between you. Her strong arms wrapped around you in a warm, perfumed embrace.

The familiarity of her touch nearly made you crumble.

“Well, Mommy had an unexpected issue here, so of course, I had to come. I left Vision in charge. I didn’t really want to go anyway.”

You pulled back slightly to look at Agatha, who was sitting on the couch, a glass of wine in hand. She sighed, watching you with forced patience.

“An issue?” Your eyes narrowed slightly.

“Nothing you need to worry about, darling.”

The words should have been comforting. But you felt the weight of them, the unspoken truth behind them.

Am I your dream girl?

You think of me in bed

But you could never hold me

You like me better in your head

Make me evil, then I'm an angel instead

At least you'll sanctify me when I'm dead

You sat down beside Rio, feeling her warmth against you. She seemed relaxed, her fingers tracing idle patterns on the hem of your sweatshirt. Before, you would’ve adored this gesture. Now, it felt like a magician’s trick—something beautiful and deceiving, meant to distract you from what really mattered.

The wine on the table reflected the soft glow of the fireplace, the clink of ice against Agatha’s glass the only thing filling the momentary silence.

You had to act normal.

You had to deceive the deceivers.

They couldn’t know what you knew.

The knot in your throat doubled in size, but you swallowed it down along with your suspicion. You forced a small smile and stood up.

“I’m going to take a shower,” you said, making yourself sound casual.

Rio runs her fingers lightly along your arm, her lazy blue eyes meeting yours as she nods. Agatha merely tilts her head, watching you like a puzzle she’s trying to solve.

You step away, feeling your back burn under their gazes.

With every step toward the bathroom, your heart pounds harder.

You needed to get out. Needed to think. Needed to understand what was happening before they realized something inside you had already shifted.

Hot water cascaded down your skin, washing away the weight of the day—but not the weight of your thoughts.

You braced your hands against the damp tiles, inhaling deeply, trying to ignore the small bottle sitting on the sink. The dark glass seemed to pulse toward you, demanding a decision.

Should you drink it? Unravel the truth once and for all?

Dream girl evil, dream girl evil

Dream girl evil, dream girl evil

Your heartbeat thundered in your chest. If Alice and the others were right, drinking it would shatter the illusion. It would be like opening your eyes for the first time—but were you ready for that? Could you bear the truth that came with it?

You swallowed hard, fingers closing around the bottle. The dark liquid inside swirled like ink, thick and opaque. Slowly, you twisted the cap… but your hands trembled. The temptation to take a sip was there—but so was the fear.

What if this was a mistake? What if it was just another trick to pull you away from the only people who had ever truly mattered?

You exhaled sharply, snapping the lid shut and shoving the bottle into the bathroom cabinet.

Not now.

Stepping out of the shower, you wrapped yourself in a towel and glanced at your reflection in the foggy mirror. Your eyes looked different. You couldn’t tell if it was just exhaustion or something deeper—something already changing inside you.

Drying your hair quickly, you left the bathroom and stopped in the hallway. In the silence of the house, you found yourself standing between two doors.

Your room or theirs?

Your grip tightened on the towel, chest rising and falling with hesitant breaths. Your room meant safety, distance. But theirs…

You could almost smell Agatha’s familiar perfume, feel the warmth of Rio’s arms—the place where you had always felt safest. The weight of that longing made you waver for a moment.

Should you keep your distance?

Did I disappoint you?

Did mommy make you sad?

Do I just remind you

Of every girl that made you mad?

Make me perfect, make me your fantasy

You know I deserve it

Well, take it out on me

Or should you go to them, curl into the space that had always been yours, and pretend nothing had changed?

You pushed open their door and found everything... normal.

Too normal.

Am I your dream girl?

You think of me in bed

But you could never hold me

You like me better in your head

Make me evil, then I'm an angel instead

At least you'll sanctify me when I'm dead

Rio sat in the corner chair, the cold glow of the iPad illuminating her face as she scrolled through the screen, seemingly absorbed.

Agatha stood at the vanity, massaging floral-scented lotion into her arms with slow, meticulous movements. The sweet, woody aroma filled the room—a scent that once brought you comfort but now felt suffocating.

They looked up at the same time when you entered.

“Finally,” Rio murmured, eyes still on the screen. “You were taking your time, baby.”

“I think I relaxed a little too much,” you replied, aiming for casual as you walked toward the bed and sat down.

Agatha smiled at your reflection in the mirror, rubbing lotion along her neck. “Did you relax… or did you need some time alone, sweetheart?”

Your stomach twisted.

“How was Alice?” Rio asked, closing her iPad and crossing her legs.

You shrugged. “Fine.”

Silence.

Agatha turned to face you directly, one brow arched. “Fine?”

Rio smirked, the corner of her lips curling like she was enjoying this.

“You know,” Agatha continued, stepping slowly toward the bed. “Calderu mentioned she’s quite the troublemaker.”

You forced a neutral expression. “Is that so?”

“It is,” Rio answered before Agatha could. She leaned forward, elbows resting on her knees. “Great ideas, but sometimes too much creativity… affects her in ways it shouldn’t.”

Agatha sat at the edge of the bed beside you, her perfume weaving around you like a web.

“She might start seeing ghosts, for example.”

Your heart skipped a beat.

You forced a laugh. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Rio stood, walking toward you at an unhurried pace. “It means some people are easily influenced. They pick up bad ideas. Start believing things they shouldn’t.”

Agatha’s eyes gleamed with something unreadable. “Oh. And I bet she’s filled that silly little head of yours with the most filthy nonsense.”

Dream girl evil, dream girl evil

Dream girl evil, dream girl evil

It happened too fast.

The grip.

Her fingers found your throat—firm, demanding.

You gasped, not from the force of it, but from the shock.

“And I think we deserve to know the truth, don’t we, sweetheart?” Agatha murmured, leaning in close until your faces were nearly touching.

Watch me shimmer (shimmer)

A projection of your mother (mother)

But don't come crying (crying)

I am nobody's moral center

Rio moved behind you, her hands sliding over your shoulders—cold, chilling.

“Let’s have a real conversation, baby…” Rio whispered against your ear, her warm breath drawing a shaky sigh from you. “Just the three of us.”

Agatha’s fingers tightened around your neck, the floral-scented lotion making the grip feel almost intimate, at odds with its brutality.

It cannot hold, it cannot hold

It cannot hold, it cannot hold

The room—your safier sanctuary—was now a cage.

And you… you were trapped inside it.

~*~

Another cliffhanger chapter cuz I know my babies love that.

Tell me about your theories!!

Mommies always know.

Tag List <3

@vyvvycg @rosekjsses @3liyuh @indentity0018 @beggingonmykneesforher @reginassecretlover @trying-to-do-good @imjustvibingsworld @mbxoxo @jazzyxqzl @eternallyconfuzed @ctrlaltedits @sheriffhaughtearp @lesbiansweet @i-luv-w1men @htinha157 @syssmin @wandasslut3000 @fuzzygiantlamphorse @imaginaryblogger01 @aboutcustardcreams @upsidedowndanvers @starbucks-06 @absolute-memegarbage @trinity2k @greyella @angel-kitten-babygirl-u-choose @whitelotus00 @dandelions4us @creaturesaphique @warpdrive-witch @sweetmidnights

[osmanthus-wine-addiction]

18 Evil Twin

Zhongli x Reader / SFW / established relationship / Zhongli has an evil twin and he's a yandere / canon was hijacked again for plot purposes / this was supposed to be sexy, I don't know why he turned out so babygirl, like poor thing just needs a hug and some good loving

"Zhongli…"

The name slid off his tongue like some sort of titillating joke. The velvety quality of his voice and the deep timbre was so eerily familiar, it was hard to imagine that it did not belong to your lover.

"So he's given himself yet another name." The man remarks.

"Who are you?" You ask warily.

Your captor's gaze returned to your face, a curl tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Morax, or if you prefer to call me by the new name, I suppose I can be Zhongli as well."

"You're not him." You dared to point out.

His eyes might be the same striking amber, but something was missing. Perhaps it was the gentleness and affection that always seemed to spill over whenever your lover's gaze falls on you.

At first, you wondered if Zhongli had succumbed to erosion like his old friend Azhdaha. Perhaps he had lost a chunk of his memories. It would explain the jarring differences in his demeanor. However, you simply couldn't accept the possibility of this person being who your lover used to be before you had met him.

Zhongli had always been the kind and patient man you had met all those years ago and even if he had lost his memories of you and held no love for you in his heart, you'd have no trouble falling for him all over again. This only left you with one explanation, the person standing in front of you could not be the same person.

"I'm every bit him as he is me, sweetheart." The imposter chuckles. "But since you find that hard to believe, why don't I make the truth easier for you to swallow?"

The ground beneath your feet began to tremble. Your eyes darted around in apprehension. Once the shaking was over, the two of you were surrounded by a ring of stone pillars. Elemental energy resonated between them, forming a rippling wall. He had just formed a seal, something you had witnessed Zhongli do on multiple occasions.

So this imposter was capable of the things your lover is capable of doing. That does not make him the same person. The more this person revealed about himself, the more uneasy you became. There was now a seal around you and despite making his point already, the pillars were still standing.

"What do you want with me?" You asked.

"What do I want with you…" He mused, as if he himself had no idea what had compelled him to kidnap you and bring you here to this mysterious place.

Amusement glinted in his eyes. He took a step towards you, then another. You had no choice but to back up, right into one of his pillars. With your back pressed up against the pulsating construct, the vibrations rippled through your body with mind-numbing intensity. Your body began to tremble and your knees involuntarily buckled as you struggled to stay standing.

"Don't touch me." You swatted away his hand which had instinctively reached out to steady you.

He places his hand against the pillar behind you instead. Despite the lack of physical contact, his looming presence threatened to crush you like a mountain, an impression your lover never once gave you.

"I appologize for the forwardness. It appears there are certain inclinations I cannot hold back in regards to you."

"Who are you and what do you want with me?" You ignored his apology and demanded answers to the two questions you had been asking ever since he appeared.

"I believe we've already had this conversation, dear. Whichever name you prefer to call me by is irrelevant."

"You're not him!" You shouted as you attempted to push him away.

He caught your hands and pinned them against your body, rendering you immobile with little effort.

"How shall I prove it to you then, hmm?" He hummed, amusement returning to his tone. "The person you call Zhongli, he and I are simply two faces of the same coin. For every moment of unfettered peace he reaps, who do you think pays the unsung price?"

"Let go of me!" You hiss as you struggled against his bruising hold.

"Have you never once questioned why the Geo Archon is immune to karmic debt despite slaying countless gods and bloodying his hands during the Archon war?"

Your eyes widened as the words hit your eardrums.

"Do you not find it unusual how he is able to resist abyssal corruption, despite clearly having encountered it multiple times as recorded in Liyue's past?"

"He must've had his ways…" The sound of your voice fell to a wisp.

"Have you never wondered how he deals with erosion, which indiscriminately affects every living being on Teyvat?"

Once again, you could only succumb to speechlessness.

"How well do you think you actually know your past archon, the god you've been calling Rex Lapis for the last three millenias?"

"I…" You started, but the words wouldn't come to your lips.

"You know nothing of his cruelty, his deceptions, or his hypocrisy and yet you claim to love him." His words bleed into your mind like murky ink as he tilts your chin up to meet his gaze. "Everything he does not wish for you to see, he simply siphons off, seals it away so that you may be blissfully ignorant."

You shutter as his breath fans over your skin.

"Everything that he knows, I know." The corner of his lips curl as he says this. "Everything that he feels, I feel too."

You stared at him, blinking so innocently.

"You do not understand." He sighs at your lack of response. "We are one in the same, yet I have been sealed away in this godforsaken place ever since the day he carved me out of him, left here to fester in perpetual solitude. Do you not find that insidious?"

Although his tone did not reflect his bitterness, his words were clearly spoken with the intent to garner sympathy from you. He was no longer sealed, which you were only now beginning to weave into your understanding of the situation you were in. The implications were many and none of them were good.

"So you're lonely?" You raised a brow. "That's why you kidnapped me? Because you need someone to vent to?"

He shook his head, a gentle but unsettling smile playing on his lips. "While I appreciate a good listener, that is not why you're here, dear."

"I'm bait then." You voiced your other suspicion.

His grin widened. "I can see why he fancies you."

"He'll just seal you away again." You said with as much confidence as you could muster.

"Not if I have you in my hands." He reminds you of your place by wrapping his fingers around your neck. "You make quite the lovely hostage."

"I'm just one of his many lovers." You bluffed. "He's not going to fling himself into your trap for me."

"Do not underestimate yourself, darling. He chuckled. "I hear his thoughts. They are inescapable, just as are his emotions. I know exactly how valuable you are to him."

You sucked in a breath. He had a point. Your relationship with the Wangsheng funeral consultant wasn't exactly a secret. His affections could be visible even to a stranger with the way he looks at you and holds your hand every time the two of you take a stroll through the bustling streets. It'd be a lost cause to try and convince him otherwise when Zhongli's thoughts are filled with adoration for you. As soon as you let go of that notion, another alarming one emerged in its place.

If Zhongli was that in love with you, could there be a tiny sliver of a possibility that his evil twin was susceptible to your charms as well? Just now, he couldn't help but reach out and hold you when it looked like you might fall.

"If you and him are so connected, then…" Your eyes rake his face, so reminiscent of the man that you're in love with.

If he says he's every bit as Zhongli as the Zhongli you know, then he can't exactly use you to gain any leverage. Zhongli's weakness would be his as well. You just had to confirm it. How would you go about that?

You gestured for him to lean in closer with a curl of your finger. Surprisingly, he followed your beck. It was almost as if his body was subconsciously accustomed to respond in this manner. You swallowed, still a bit unsure about what you were about to do.

The theory was, if he is affected by Zhongli's feelings for you, then he's pretty much wrapped around your finger. He'd react to you exactly the way his counterpart would if you make a move on him. He might be surprised and flustered because he doesn't see it coming, but once the initial shock fades away, you'll have him eating out of the palm of your hands. In your right mind, you'd never do this to a complete stranger. He was the one who claimed he was the same person as your lover, so naturally, it's his burden to prove it. You were simply conducting an experiment!

Without warning, you pressed your lips against his. As expected, he immediately tried to withdraw out of pure alarm, but as soon as your hand reached up to stroke his face, it was like something inside him recognized your touch. Your fingers threaded through his hair as if you were kissing your lover. He even sighs the way Zhongli does, readily melting into your kiss like his body was responding on its very own, chasing the fleeting intimacy like a beast starved.

A mere few seconds was all you needed to coax this hunger out of him, but once it had surfaced, stuffing it back into him was another matter. You gasped as the kiss took an unexpected turn. His hand cradled the back of your head against the stone pillar behind you as he kissed you back with a fervor you never anticipated. Pent up desire and desperation possessed him. His lips were already against your neck and his hands glided along your waist as he sought further closeness to you. You had thrown yourself at your captor to see if he'd give chase and he didn't disappoint. As indulgent as this experiment was, it had served its purpose.

"I— I believe you now." You panted after pushing him away.

"So you needed a kiss to be convinced that I was telling the truth." He remarked with muted disdain. "I am glad you got the result you seek, however," he paused to catch his breath, "I do not appreciate being subjected to an undisclosed trial."

"What are you going to do once he comes running? Are you going to seal him down here or something? You know, he's retired and is working at a funeral parlor right now. Are you going to go to work in his place?" In order to distract him from the kiss, you could only throw a pile of questions at him.

"I may kill him, but that must've crossed your mind already."

"If you and him are the same person, then it's obviously not going to be that simple."

Your captor narrowed his eyes at you, slightly perturbed that you were taking it so lightly.

"Like you said, you hear his thoughts and feel everything he feels. Can I assume that if he gets hurt, you also bleed?"

"That could be possible."

"You're not denying it, so I'm not far from the truth." You smirked. "It's not that you don't want to kill him. You can't, because you'll die too."

The amusement on his face melted away when you finished speaking. It must be unsettling to him how easily you figured him out, but that was a given. If he was Zhongli, then you also knew him well enough to hear what he was not putting into words. Your lover has always been a long-winded man, but even he clams up once in a while when it comes to information he doesn't wish to disclose. Rather than wring it out of him, you had learned the art of picking up on his subtle cues and body language in order to piece together a vague idea of what he was not telling you. This was how you had gotten him to admit his identity as the supposedly dead Geo Archon. You had gotten so exasperatingly good at peeling back his layers, both metaphorically and literally speaking, Zhongli now hardly has anymore secrets, save for this one standing in front of you.

"You can kill me out of spite, but you won't, because all that pain and grief is just going to get funneled into you. Am I right?"

Instead of yielding to you immediately like your lover so habitually does, this person grins even wider. A trace of unhinged excitement flashes in his eyes.

"Kill you?" He finds the thought entertaining, but abandons it without hesitation. "I would much rather propose a contract to have you imprisoned with me instead."

Your heart leapt in panic. "I'll take death over getting locked up in this hell hole with you."

A hint of genuine sadness rippled underneath his mirth. Being the perceptive person you were, you caught it before it disappeared.

As soon as the contradicting emotions sprouted up inside you, you had to stomp them out. You weren't about to get yourself emotionally attached to your kidnapper and you can't let him manipulate you into taking pity on him. Unfortunately for you, the brief waver in your gaze also didn't escape his eyes.

"It wouldn't be completely unfair as he has me imprisoned for much of my existence." He reminded you.

The distance between you shrunk once again as he leaned in. You already had your back against his pillar, with nowhere to escape, confined in this little play pen comprised of elemental constructs.

"Eleven months in a year."

You made an odd face. Was he trying to negotiate with you?

"I'm not staying with you."

"You can name your terms now or you can be my unwilling companion." He whispered against your ear. "I don't mind keeping you here against your will, as long as it makes losing my mind a little less unbearable."

"So choice is just an illusion?"

"I would prefer you to offer your freedom and company to me as opposed to having no say at all." He smiles.

"In other words, you get what you want either way."

"Precisely." He replied. "Ten months. I can spare you two months to finish whatever unfinished business you have."

You ignored his disingenuous offer. "How exactly will you keep me against my will if Zhongli can just march in here, reseal you, and take me back?"

"He will not take you if you agree to a contract before he gets here." He reminds you. "Must you keep testing my patience in this way?"

"I'll just wait until he gets here." You shrug.

"Nine months." He demands, slight irritation in his tone.

As if to demonstrate his irrefutable mastery over the environment, the ground beneath your feet began to shake again.

"Surely eight months in a year is not too much to ask." He says after your silence.

The entire subspace pulsated with Geo and began to churn as if a giant wheel were being turned in the distance.

"You don't frighten me, if that's what you're trying to do."

After that little test, you were certain that even if he had the power to end your life right here and now, he could never actually pull through with it. This was a beast with all his claws and teeth intact that could not lay a single finger on you.

"Are you truly so unwilling?" He brushes the back of a finger against your cheek.

"It's not like I'll get compensated for the time I'm going to be kept here against my will."

"I did not say you will receive nothing in return." A knowing smile crept into his lips. "You would consider it if I compensated you in some way?"

You should've kept your mouth shut. Now this bastard was onto you like a beast hooked on the scent of fresh blood. You wondered if Zhongli had already discovered your absence. How long would it take for him to find you?

"I'm not for sale." You crossed your arm. "You can haggle all you want, but I'm not selling myself to you."

"Anything can be bought, my dear."

"You don't have anything to offer that I'd want." You retorted. "At least nothing that Zhongli wouldn't be able to give me."

"I loathe the thought of harming you, truly…" The corner of his lips curled ever so slightly. "It's a pity that this affection does not extend to those around you."

"You're resorting to threatening me now?"

"If I must." He grins. The fingernails ghosting over your neck elongated into sharp claws. "Am I finally detecting a sway in your resolution?"

"Once he finds me, you won't have the chance." You huff, trying to keep up an unbothered front.

"Oh, I have quite the time to persuade you, darling. You can rest assured that he will not find you so easily. While I can hear his thoughts, he cannot access my mind. Such is the nature of our bond, so that what I carry on his behalf does not find its way back to him. While he can sense that my seal is broken, it will take him some effort to uncover this location."

Your lips parted in shock as his words dawned on you. This entity in front of you was at one point a part of the man you call Zhongli, your lover. The reason the person you met was such a selfless, considerate, and pleasant presence was because his darker, more troubled side had been literally cut away and sealed off from the rest of Teyvat so aa to not disturb the peaceful harbor he had painstakingly raised along the baron cliffs.

"Those things he'd never do…" The words drifted from your lips as they formed in your mind, slow and unsure. "They don't extend to you, do they?"

"You may consider my very existence an intentional loophole." He supplied.

You swallowed nervously. "What about the contracts he makes?"

He raises a hand to stroke his chin in thought. "I have been sealed away for as long as I could remember. When I had gone to fetch you, it hadn't occurred to me to challenge any of the contracts that he had bound himself to. Perhaps I can slaughter a few of his subjects to see if—"

"No! Absolutely not!" In a fit of panic, you pressed the palm of your hand against his lips to stop the rest of his sentence from spilling out. "You will not be killing any innocent people!"

He chuckled, but the sound was muffled underneath your hands. The warmth of his breath caused your skin to tingle so you quickly removed your hand from his face.

"How exactly do you intend to stop me if you are trapped here?"

A pair of stone cuffs emerged from the stone pillar behind you, molding around your wrists. Another pair wrapped around your ankles, effectively restricting your movements. His question had effectively shut you up as well.

"Precisely. You cannot." He smiled ominously at you.

"Wait!" You shouted after him as he walked off.

He stopped in his tracks, but didn't turn around, waiting for your explanation.

"Did he split you off before or after he became the Geo Archon?"

"After." Came his reply.

"Then that means you're still bound by his contract to protect Liyue. You can't hurt anyone even if you wanted to."

He turned around to face you, walking back at a leisurely pace. Once he was close enough, he reached up to stroke your face, a doting gesture, but it sent shivers up your spine.

"I'm afraid you are misinterpreting what a contract is and what it is not. A contract simply ensures that the party who chooses to dishonor an agreement faces the stipulated repercussions. It does not prevent one from breaching it if they wish to do so."

"Oh." You gave a dejected sigh.

"Not to worry. As long as you give me your word to keep me company for eight months out of the year, I will promise you that no harm shall come to the people of Liyue."

"Eight months is too long."

"Very well, then. Seven months."

"Six."

"I accept your terms. You may back out of this contract now, but this would be your last chance."

"Half a year." You muttered under your breath. "As long as you keep your end of the agreement."

A part of you still hoped Zhongli would barge in at any moment and put an end to this ridiculous hostage situation. Would he really let you be sealed away with his evil twin for six months in a year? You didn't even want to imagine what life would become for you during those six months of involuntary confinement. Was Zhongli really that inflexible when it comes to contracts?

"Why do you even want to keep me here in the first place?" You narrowed your eyes at him.

"Why would I not?" He simply laughed.

There was nothing sinister about the sound this time. He looked so harmless, innocent even. For a moment, you could not tell the difference between this individual and the retired archon you so adored.

"You seem rather confused still as to why I have gone out of my way to bring you here, my dearest. To say that I am simply fond of you is putting it lightly…" His tone softened as he neared. He leaned in, brushing his lips against the sensitive rim of your ear.

You drew in a shallow breath as his words simultaneously tickled your mind and your senses.

"There is no need to overthink it. Now that you've agreed to give me your precious time, I promise that your stay would be most fruitful."

He pressed a kiss to your forehead. A tingling sensation bloomed underneath your skin, spreading throughout your body. Suddenly, a chill shot up your spine. Your head was stark clear. You fell forward, right into his waiting arms as the stone cuffs released their hold on your limbs.

With the contract a reality, you were now only able to spend six months of the year with Zhongli. The other half of it, you were bound to his twin. It can't be that bad, since he proved he was just as fond of you as his more level-headed counterpart. How would your lover take the news of having to share you?

[cowboysanddragons23]

While the Van der Linde gang is an outlaw gang, it operates more as a cult:

-Zero tolerance for criticism and questions: Dutch can't stand when someone questions or doubts him (ex. When John starts questioning him at Clemens Point, Dutch tells him that doubting means the end, aka weakness and forces him to say "Yes, Dutch." or when Uncle calls him out in a humorous manner, he threatens to kill him under the guise of following the joke).

-A belief that former followers are always wrong for leaving and there is never a legitimate reason to leave: Javier and Bill call John and Arthur traitors for abandoning them and Dutch, even though it was clear that Dutch was losing his sanity, he was going to get them all killed and both of them were trying to salvage what's left of the gang, a train of thought that lasts even after the gang disbanded.

-Lack of meaningful financial disclosure regarding money: Dutch constantly prattles about the fact that they need more money and at one point, he hid a box of money in one of the gang's hideouts.

-Abuse of members: While Dutch is not physically abusive of members, he is an abuser of the psychological variant (ex. When Molly raises legitimate concerns about how he is ignoring her and not paying her attention, he always dismisses her as delusional, even outright saying "I never met a woman with so many needs.")

-Absolute authoritarianism without accountability: If there is one thing that Dutch shows the most is his inability to take responsibility for his actions (ex. When he blames John for being the reason why the Saint Denis Bank heist went wrong, accusing him of being a rat, even though the main reason it went wrong was because Dutch was too reckless with his robberies to the trolley station and the boat, along with his kidnapping and killing of Angelo Bronte, the most powerful man of Saint Denis).

-Unreasonable fears about the outside world that involve evil conspiracies and persecution: Dutch fears civilization because it represents everything he hates and instills very irrational fears amongst them (ex. When Dutch tells John the law chases them because the gang represents everything they fear, yet ironically, after the gang disbands, Tilly has a happy life married to a lawyer and John has a normal life as a member of society).

-Cult of personality: The most obvious one. Dutch is seen like a father and a messiah amongst the gang (ex. In Red Dead Redemption, John tells Reyes that Dutch saved him, Bill and Javier.)

-Illegal and dangerous behaviour: The van der Linde are a gang of outlaws at first, but they ended up becoming the Wild West equivalent of domestic terrorists, with their attacks on the Cornwall Train, the Saint Denis Bank, a US Army Train....

-Charismatic leader: Dutch oozes charisma anytime he speaks, albeit of the superficial kind that has an iron hand on the people of his gang, which Kieran lampshades.

-Us VS Them mentality: Dutch enforced a very black and white view about their enemies, even outright admits so when he killed Bronte ("It is us or him.").

-Isolation and love-bombing: Once again, Molly is the biggest victim of this, with Dutch charming her into going with him and making her feel isolated on the gang, in order for her to depend on him and him alone.

-Time and energy: In the camp, you are expected to upgrade Dutch's tent first before upgrading the rest of the camp. And Dutch demands that money is put on the box, yet he himself never contributes to the box.

[aquaholicsanonymousworld]

Two Sides, Same Coin | Austin Butler x CoStar!Reader

The press junket was hell. You’d both said as much—half-joking, half-serious—while seated side by side for yet another back-to-back interview circuit that felt like an eternity. The lights were hot, the air stale, and yet, when the cameras turned on, you and Austin flipped the switch like pros.

"Okay, next question," the interviewer chirped. "Fans love your chemistry. I mean, TikTok has gone crazy—"

Austin grinned, lazy and slow, tipping his chin toward you without even glancing your way. "Oh yeah?"

You smirked, elbow grazing his as you leaned forward. "We’re just really good at pretending we don’t hate each other."

Austin barked out a laugh, head tilting back, and the interviewer laughed too, oblivious to the charged energy snapping between your glances.

"But seriously," they pressed. "People are shipping you guys hard. Any chance of art imitating life?"

Austin raised his brows and turned to you with that smirk that had become a little too familiar lately. "You tell 'em."

You licked your lips—bad move, the internet always caught that—and shrugged. "Wouldn’t work. We’re the same person. Two sides of the same coin. We’d implode."

Austin’s grin widened. "True. She'd kill me in my sleep."

The room laughed. The cameras clicked. The fandom on Twitter prepared to go feral. But beneath the jokes, under the smooth PR lines and polished smiles, you both knew better.

Later that night, there was no camera when his hand found yours under the table at the after-party. It was instinctual now. A brush of fingers here, a squeeze there, small enough that anyone watching wouldn’t think twice. But you felt it—every pulse of it.

"You wanna get out of here?" he muttered against the rim of his glass, pretending to sip. You didn’t answer. You just stood up, and he followed like it was the most natural thing in the world.

The car ride was silent. Charged. His thigh brushed yours once, twice. Neither of you moved away.

At his place, the door barely clicked shut before you were on him. His hands found your waist, rough and familiar, as you shoved him back against the wall, lips crashing together like you’d been holding back all day. Because you had. Because you always did.

"You’re an asshole," you panted against his mouth.

His grin was dangerous now, all teeth and tongue. "Takes one to know one."

You pulled him down by the collar of his shirt, claiming his mouth again. This was the pattern—public distance, private chaos.

The next morning, TMZ had pictures of you both leaving the same restaurant, hours apart but unmistakable. DeuxMoi had an anonymous tip about "seeing them at a private booth, looking cozy."

Your phone blew up. Your publicist texted: "Keep it flirty but deny, deny, deny."

Austin's text came in right after: you see this shit? lol. they’re convinced we’re in love. we’re not, right?

You rolled your eyes and sent back: please. i’d eat glass.

But the next text from him was: dinner again tonight? come over. no glass eating required.

And you said yes. Like you always did.

The world kept watching.

Every interview, every press event, every grainy paparazzi shot only added fuel. You leaned into it, because it sold tickets. He leaned into it, because he liked watching you squirm under the spotlight.

On Jimmy Kimmel, you called him your "evil twin." In GQ, he called you "the only person who can keep up with me."

The internet dubbed you "Hollywood’s last real movie stars." Edits of your red carpet touches and stolen glances trended weekly. Fancams soundtracked your interactions to Lana Del Rey songs and whispered captions like "they’re so obvious."

But behind closed doors? It was messier.

It was late nights at his place, tangled in sheets you pretended didn’t mean anything. It was arguments that turned into kisses. It was whispered confessions at 2 a.m. about how exhausting it was to always play the game.

"You know this is bad, right?" you muttered once, head on his bare chest. His fingers traced lazy circles on your spine.

He hummed. "Yeah."

"We’re gonna fuck it all up."

His hand stilled. "Probably."

And then he kissed your forehead like it was the most normal thing in the world.

By the time the movie premiered, the rumor mill had reached a fever pitch. You both walked the red carpet separately, per studio orders. But inside the theater, he found your hand in the dark, fingers lacing like muscle memory.

No cameras caught that part. No fans made an edit of how tightly you gripped him during the love scene that played on screen. But you felt it. Deep in your chest.

The world saw two actors with insane chemistry, two sides of the same coin. Too alike to last. But you knew better.

Because when the lights came up and the crowd roared, Austin turned to you, blue eyes bright, smile soft just for you. And you squeezed his hand back.

[notapradagurl7]

By Your Side.

BlackFem!Witch!Reader x Terry Wizard!Richmond from Netflix film Rebel Ridge.

Taglist: @lovedlover @avoidthings @nahimjustfeelingit-writes @brattyfics @soft-persephone @planetblaque @sageispunk @megamindsecretlair @theblacklewinsky @sweettea-and-honeybutter @melaninpov @keyera-jackson @browngirldominion

Summary: You were a gifted professor for all black magic academy, teaching your students alongside Terry, where you discover a strange flower and leaves you alone with him.

A/N: don’t forget to re-blog, comment and like to support your favorite writers, and press the button for a request, So I was thinking in order to get back in the zone of writing, I combined Harry Potter but made it with only black people. Why not? Enjoy!🫡

Warning: +18, dirty talk, sex pollen, profanity, nipple play, violence, praise, spanking, use of magic, soft Terry, protective Terry, aftercare, brat reader, Terrybrat tamer! Slight corruption kink, masturbation,

—————

You stood beside Terry underneath the tree with your almond brown eyes watching the young adult melanated students of various shades standing side by side with their indestructible wands rested in their hands, pointing straight for the Greek god statues, the yellow energy crackling from their fingertips and spreading towards it, creating their own versions of art. Making the statues into themselves.

"Look at them go," Terry said, his voice smooth and playful, as he leaned closer to you. His cloak moved slightly with his movements.

"I think they’re actually going to turn that statue into a giant version of themselves. I mean, who knew they had such big egos?" he joked, rolling his green eyes at them.

You chuckled, nudging him playfully with your elbow. "Well, they certainly have the talent to back it up. Just look at how they’re channeling their energy. It’s fucking impressive!”

You couldn’t help but smile at their joy, laughter bursting from their lips, their hair styled in small afros, low fades, in locs, box braided to their elbows, starighted and lastly, dressed in black, red, yellow, green hooded cloaks dawned to their ankles, black loafers and Mary Ann shoes.

“Remember when we were students at Willowstiff? Professor Anderson almost caught us passing notes in Potion class?” Terry mentioned with a grin, his tone was deep yet gentle.

You were a professor at the Wiilowstiff Academy alongside Terry Richmond, many other professors and your students talking about whatever crossed their mind, unfortunately gossip and rumors spread like wildfire on campus.

“Thankfully, I used that Change Emotion and Time Spell, he forgot immediately,” You chuckled, and your eyes landed on him.

You nodded at the fond memory of being a student at the same academy, where you and Terry became professors, the two of you had been good friends since you were students. Ready to conquer the world and defeat evil.

“I’d always liked that about you, your quick thinking and wit...”

Your teeth sunk into your bottom lips at his words, watching the students float in mid-air while doing back flips. “And I always liked your honesty and kindness Terry..”

Standing behind the castle, located in the spacious backyard, the castle painted grey nestled in the middle of the vast forest, hidden from human eyes, danger and free to be themselves without judgment, without the ridicule of the world, the green grass underneath their shoes.

“Terry...” you began, your voice soft. “Do you ever think about how far we’ve come? From those awkward kids in class to where we are now?”

He met your gaze, the warmth in his green eyes making your heart flutter. “Yes. And I wouldn’t want to be doing this with anyone else. You’re the best partner a guy could ask for.”

His words washed over you like a gentle wave, and you felt a rush of affection for him. You smiled back at Terry.

The school was built by a married black couple with magic, wanting young black witches and wizards to harness their magic and embrace their identity. It was a sanctuary, a home where they could grow their powers and learn the rich history of their ancestors.

It was a luxury that you cherished forever, being yourself in various ways, even the forest was magic, hidden away in the depths of somewhere.

The ink black sky decorated with sparkling stars hovered the both of you, you pointed out to one student that asked for help, trying a different spell and it worked perfectly, Terry stole glances with his green eyes, smirking at the man as you walked back to his side.

The buzzing rumor in the air was Terry had a crush on you ever since you both became professors at this campus.

You were dressed in a black cloak with a dress, your black box braids pulled back in a ponytail. Your melanated skin glistened underneath the moonlight, your pretty face on cue.

The college students were young after all, often showing insouciance in some schoolwork, but loved doing the magic part of the school, you were like that but they changed over the years.

“Good job Faith! I see your technique, and Jordan! Don't show off because you like her!”

The brown-skinned young male rubbed the back of his neck and looked the other way. The wind brushed across your face and you exhaled the warm breeze.

Until one of your students discovered something growling near the stump of a bulky tree, your eyes quickly stopped her, “Amaya! Don't touch that!” you yelled out.

Amaya backed up immediately until the flower growled at her, eyes glowing red and growing larger, “well..well..time to eat!”

Amaya ran toward you and hid behind you, gripping your cloak. The young dark brown-skinned woman closed her eyes shut in fear, her locs pulled back.

“W-what is that?!” she exclaimed, you wrapped her in a protective manner.

“It’s a dangerous creature that kills witches and wizards, he spreads sex pollen, hopefully you won’t get affected..” You warned softly.

Terry’s eyes landed on you, “I'll assist by your side, Professor..”

You clapped twice and caught their attention, “Okay, students time to head in your dorms!! You too Amaya!”

The students groaned in unison and said “Yes, Professor L/N!” in a cautious tone, they walked in groups and, you rolled your eyes at them once again. Running off in separate groups and saying their goodbyes.

Being the ex-Marine he was, Terry's arms gathered around the students and made a motion with his hands for a swirling portal, the students jumped through the portal and vanished quickly.

“Thank you, Terry..”

“You’re welcome Y/N..” he said, standing by your side.

With a flick of your wrist, you summoned your own energy, feeling the warmth of your magic flow through your body. Terry did the same, bursting beams of light while Terry struck it with lighting.

The petals clutched around the yellow stem, throwing pollen at you. It exploded and the pink specks of pink pollen, fallen down near you and Terry until blew it away with a wave of his hand. Winds blew it into thin air.

“Are you alright?” He asked with concern, quickly turning to you.

You shook your head from side to side, “Unfortunately, the residue of the pink pollen doesn’t have to just touch you, it spreads like a virus.” You coughed, covering your mouth with your cloak.

“I should’ve acted quickly enough then you wouldn’t be affected, I’m sorry..” Terry replied softly, his face turned toward the flower that changed to a man.

Terry zoomed toward the flower man, his hands gripping the collar of his shirt and punched him in the stomach, lighting dancing around his fist. His hands gripped his ankles and flipped the man over, Blood trickled from its gut and sent the man sprawling into the ocean.

After the battle, your knees shaking weakly and almost fell to the grass, until Terry caught you with his hands. A heavy fever washed over you rather quickly, your breath became heavy.

The pollen made heat pool all over your body, your heart beating faster than usual, and an ache between your legs that started to hurt. You gazed at Terry and your breath hitched, clenching your legs again.

Your eyes fell to his lips, body, and face. Terry was so pretty, you whimpered softly but he kept asking you if you were okay, all you could do was shake your head. Familiar wetness pools between your thighs.

“T-Terry…I feel aroused and..” before you say another word, Terry lifted you carefully and carried your bridal style, snapping his fingers and a swirling green portal appeared before you, he stepped through it and you were in his spacious bedroom, your eyes roamed the place.

The four walls in sage green surrounding the two of you, The dim light from the candles flickered around the room, casting playful shadows on the walls. You could smell the rich aroma of incense wafting through the air, mingling with the scent of fresh herbs and a hint of something sweet like citrus.

The ex-Marine turned wizard professor carried the trauma with him but teaching the students helped subside it, seared in his brain for battle.

It was very clean from what you saw, with not much decoration but a regular room with the walls painted in sage green, rock music was his favorite genre. Deftones, Paramore & Radiohead were both of your favorites.

His head leaned in closer slightly, enough to give you space and his face softened, this wasn’t supposed to happen, he should’ve been more responsible. “This is so fucking bad, I gotta help you,” he said softly.

“The plant must've had some kind of aphrodisiac,” He spoke to you, catching your body shake from his touch.

“W-we can go back to the castle, they can help but I forgot that you don't live near the campus,” you said weakly, coughing still.

“I already notified the professors about the problem Y/N through a call, Genevieve is already up my ass about it..” Terry sighed, rolling his eyes.

Terry gently laid you on his bed, the blanket sprawled across the edge of the bed. He lifted your ankles and he looked at you with worry, “May I take off your shoes?” He asked gently.

Genevieve would usually scold Terry about anything when it came to you, she understood that he was an ex-Marine and you were friends but she was your sister. Like two peas in a pod, it seemed like no matter what happened, Terry was there to protect you.

“Gen is very protective, you know that,” you giggled.

“I get that but she’s always blaming me..” he mentioned with a soft tone.

You nodded at him, “its not your fault. Yes, you may. I'm starting to become hot in these clothes,” watching the man gently unzipped your black boots.

“Y/N, are you alright? The pollen…it can have some intense side effects.”

You could feel the heat radiating from your skin, and for a moment, you were lost in the warmth of his gaze. “I’ll be fine, Terry. Just a little… overwhelmed,” you admitted, your voice shaky as you tried to sit up.

“I’m a delicate flower, you know,” you huffed, trying to sound tough despite the heat coursing through your body. “I can handle myself.”

He raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Oh, I know you can. But right now, you look like you could use a little help. Let me take care of you for once, alright?”

You watched him as he knelt by the edge of the bed, his strong hands gently untying your shoes. The tenderness in his movements made your heart race, and you feel a flutter in your stomach.

He looked up at you, his expression serious yet playful. “Maybe I just like having an excuse to be close to you,” he teased, a smirk playing on his lips as he tossed your shoes aside to the corner of the room.

Your feet rested on the bed, You felt your cheeks warm. “You’re such a dork.”

“A dork who cares about you,” he retorted, a hint of sincerity in his tone. “And I’m not going to let you down when you need me.”

Your eyes landed on his ass, it was really nice. “Stop staring at my ass, girl.” he shot back.

You giggled softly, and your cheeks grew hot while you bit down on your lip. Was this pollen or only you alone? Maybe it was you, you liked Terry but the rules said that professors shouldn’t have a relationship.

You took off your cloak and tossed your dress aside, grabbing one of Terry’s oversized tee shirts, sliding it down, dawning to your thighs. “T-Terry.. I’ll be in the bathroom..”

You rushed into the bathroom and locked the door, you sat on the closed toilet lid. Gently pull down your panties and pull off the oversized tee shirt. Your fingers sunk between your folds and you moaned loudly. “Fuck!”

You rubbed your left titty in a circle and fingered yourself for the past fourteen minutes, thinking of Terry made it worse and pleasuring yourself wasn't working, fuck. This is embarrassing, you couldn't cum.

You stood up from the toilet and washed your hands clean, drying them with a towel. You sighed in irritation. “Y/N? Are you

You opened the door and pouted again, Terry

Terry carefully peeled away the layers of your cloak, revealing the soft fabric of your dress beneath. He paused, his eyes lingering on you for a moment longer than necessary, a hint of something electric passing between you.

“How come you didn't get affected by the pollen? This is unfair..” you grumbled, unbuttoning the front of your dress and you allowed it to fall to your sock-clad feet.

“I'm pretty good at what I do..” he bragged, shrugging.

“C-can you pass me one of your tee shirts please?” you asked him in a gentle tone.

Terry’s gaze widened for a moment as he processed your request, and a teasing smile crept onto his lips. “You really know how to make a guy feel special, don’t you?” He stood up, his tall frame casting a shadow over you as he walked to his closet.

“Just a shirt, Terry. Not a marriage proposal,” you shot back, trying to sound playful, but the heat in your cheeks betrayed your attempt at nonchalance.

He chuckled, pulling out a soft, oversized orange tee that bore the logo of a band you both liked. “This should do the trick,” he said, tossing it to you. “But I might need to charge you for it later.”

You caught the shirt, a laugh escaping your lips. “I’ll pay you with my undying gratitude,” you quipped, pulling the shirt over your head. The fabric was warm and comforting, but the heat from the pollen still simmered beneath your skin.

As he settled back on the edge of the bed, his eyes studied you with a mix of concern and something deeper. “

You didn't want either of you to lose your jobs because of one night, he was only taking care of you at the moment. You were nervous around him.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he murmured, causing your heart to skip a beat.

“Terry, focus,” you said, trying to maintain your composure. “I’m not in the mood for flattery.”

“Y/N. Let me make the antidote.” He turned to stand up and faced his bedside table.

Terry snapped his fingers, a book appeared in front of him and turned the pages, took off his cloak and revealed his body clad in a suit, his body through the clothes was memorizing.

“Sex pollen, the side effects are heat in the body, fever and weakness. arousal, I'm making the antidote and the other cure is physical contact..” Terry trailed off, his voice deepened.

His hand grabbed the steaming cup from the air, a hint of honey and rosemary, bringing it to your lips. The bitter taste seething on your tongue, you covered your mouth. It was disgusting, did he put a goblin’s shit in the cup? Rose petals atop the tea.

“Look at me, I know it's not good but it's gonna help with that fever, just swallow and then breathe..” Terry reassured softly, humming lightly.

Swallowing it immediately after you made a gagging noise, taking a breath as he said “That was fucking gross, what did you put in that?!” you exclaimed, drinking from a cup filled with water at the beside table.

He chuckled lightly, he held up his three fingers. “In three…two..one..” he counted with a stren tone.

Your fever finally faded away, but the heat pooling between your thighs made it worse, clenching them close and your clit throbbed again.

You looked up at Terry and suddenly went silent, pursuing your lips. “My fever is gone..” you said softly.

His arms are crossed, showing off a few of his tattoos, “See what happens when you listen to your professor?” he teased with a deep tone.

Your heart raced as you tried to regain your composure. “Okay, Mr. Richmond, you’ve done your job,” you teased back, attempting to inject some levity into the moment.

“You're still flushed..”

But the heat in your body was not just from the fever; betraying you with the way you responded to him, “You know I’ve always wanted to take care of you in more ways than one,” he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Your heart raced at his words, and you could feel the heat radiating off him, mingling with your own. “Terry, we shouldn’t...” you started, but the words died in your throat as he took another step closer.

“Why not?” he challenged, his voice low and sultry. “We’re both adults. We’ve been dancing around this for far too long.”

Your mind raced. You knew the rules about professors, but the thought of Terry wanting you, needing you, sent a thrill through your body. The heat between your thighs throbbed painfully, begging for attention.

“What if… what if someone finds out?” you managed to say, though your body betrayed you by leaning slightly into him.

Terry’s hand reached up, brushing a stray braid behind your ear, sending shivers down your spine. “Let them. I’m tired of hiding how I feel about you.” His eyes searched yours, filled with longing and determination.

“I want you, Y/N. Right here, right now. I'm sure will still have our jobs, the campus was made by a married couple after all,”

Your heart raced at his confession, and the heat pooling in your core intensified. “But what if it ruins everything?” you breathed, your gaze darting to his lips, torn between desire and caution.

He stepped even closer, closing the distance between you until his body was mere inches from yours. “Sometimes things have to change to be better. I care about you too much to hold back any longer,” he said, his breath warm against your skin.

Before you could respond, he leaned in, capturing your lips with his in a soft yet demanding kiss. Pulling away from him, “T-Terry…uh..can you fuck me please?” you begged him, clenching on his shirt.

His hand wrapped around your neck, making sure he kept your gaze on his. “A good girl is supposed to listen and you've been a brat, the back and forth, the teasing, finger fucking yourself in my bathroom..” he shot back, smirking.

Terry carefully unbuttoned the back of your dress, falling down to your feet while it was tossed aside, he unbuttoned his shirt and zipped his pants. Clothes riddled across the brown hardwood floor.

No panties but no bra, you hated bras with a burning passion. You weren't big-chested but you loved your body. Terry pulled down his boxers, his dick hung out. Long and thick, veiny.

“I'll be good this time Terry..” you pouted with a soft tone.

He gently pushed you down on your back, he hovered over you and the tip of his dick rubbed across your clit, rubbing his dick across your folds with sweet torture. “Are you sure? You're gonna behave for me?” he teased.

“Yes…Please…fuck me! Fuck me!” you cried out, your nails left marks on his shoulders. Your pussy clenched around nothing desperately for friction and whimpering. You rubbed your clit in circles and moaned again.

Terry moved your hand out of the way, smirking at you. Resuming to rub his dick across your wet folds, “Did I say that you could fuck yourself?”

“N-no…Terry! I’ll be good, I promise!” you cried out, tears rolling down your face.

He kissed your lips, “Here’s your reward, princess..”

He flipped you on your stomach and pushed his dick between your folds from behind, you gasped softly at his dick filling you completely, the ache fading slightly after each thrust.

“Oh fuck..Terry!” you cried out, balling up the blanket. Drool trickled from your lips. The more pleasure, the less ache was there. Crossing the line with him was a bad move but you needed him.

Terry's hands gripped your hips tightly as he thrust deeper, his breath coming in warm bursts against your skin. "That's it, Y/N. Let me hear you," he urged, his voice low and deep.

You felt the heat radiating from him, mingling with your own, creating a storm of sensations that sent pleasure coursing through your veins. Each thrust made you feel fuller, more alive, as though every part of you was awakening to the moment.

“Just like that,” he continued, his pace quickening, “You’re doing so fucking well.” His words wrapped around you, igniting a fire within that made you push back against him, longing for more.

“Don’t stop, please!” you begged, your voice breathless and desperate. You could feel the tension building within you, that sweet, sweet pressure begging for release.

Terry’s grip on you tightened as he leaned over, his breath brushing against your ear. “You want to fucking come? You’ve got to ask for it,” he teased, his voice dripping with playful authority.

“Please, Terry! I need it! I need to fucking come!” you cried out, the words spilling from your lips as he continued to pound into you, each thrust sending shockwaves of pleasure coursing through your body.

“Good girl,” he praised, his tone sultry and deep, making your heart race even faster. "Let go for me, Y/N. I want to feel you cum on my dick."

With that, you let yourself fall into the pleasure, your body arching as waves of bliss washed over you. You cried out his name, the sound echoing in the room as you felt yourself unraveling, the tension finally snapping as you came hard around him.

“Fuck!” Terry groaned, his pace becoming erratic as he chased his own release. “That’s it, Y/N. Just like that.”

You felt him thrust deep one last time, his body shuddering against yours as he pulled out of you, tendrils of his cum landed on your stomach, the warmth filling you completely.

As you both came down from the high, Terry pulled you close, his hands tenderly stroking your back. “You okay?” he asked softly, concern lacing his tone as he looked down at you, his eyes filled with affection.

You nodded, your heart racing from both the intensity of what just happened and the warmth of his embrace. “Yeah, I’m okay… better than okay,” you replied, a smile spreading across your face.

Terry chuckled softly, brushing a strand of a braid from your face. “Good, because I’m not done yet,” he said, a playful glint in his eyes.

You raised an eyebrow, feeling the heat rise again within you. “Oh really?”

He grinned, leaning in closer. “You’ve got to be ready for round two then,” he whispered, his lips brushing against yours as he captured your mouth in a lingering kiss.

————

[dreamersworldduh]

Omg hiii, firstly, I really like your two workss so far they're soooo good 😩. Hopefully, you continue writing, and secondly, I want to request for Dick grayson at one of those parties he has to attend with his friend that he liked for a while, and he sees reader getting hit on by a person he hates so he gets jealous, and he holds it for awhile till he couldn't anymore. If you can complete this, thank you for your time spent on my request. If not, it's completely fine. 🙏. Thank you for even reading my request. Keep up the good work, and have a good day/night!

JEALOUSLY, JEALOUSY

• Dick Grayson x Male!Reader

SUMMARY — Jealousy is an evil disease that most people deny having, but it can also be a great motivator if used properly.

WARNING! FLUFF. Suggestive Langauge.

WORDS! 3.6k

AUTHOR’S NOTE! Thank you so much for putting in your request! I appreciate you so so much—I hope you enjoy! 😚

The Titans' Tower was a beacon of light against the night sky, its glowing windows revealing the lively scene unfolding within. Inside, the air was charged with excitement, the kind of energy that came from heroes finally allowing themselves a moment of reprieve. The main hall was transformed into a party space, with colorful lights casting vibrant patterns across the walls, the music pulsing in time with the rhythm of the crowd.

You stood near the entrance for a moment, taking it all in. The sight was almost surreal—heroes you'd fought alongside, legends in their own right, were here in their most unguarded states. Starfire's radiant laughter rang out as she teased Beast Boy, who had just shapeshifted into a parrot to mimic her voice. Raven, ever the observer, sat in a corner nursing a drink, her normally stern expression softening as she watched the festivities. Even Cyborg, the tech genius of the team, was manning a makeshift DJ booth, nodding his head to the beat as he expertly transitioned between tracks.

You weren't used to seeing this side of them, but it was a welcome change. The Titans weren't just warriors—they were people, and tonight, they were letting themselves be exactly that.

When Dick Grayson—Nightwing himself—had invited you, you were a little surprised. Sure, the two of you had been close for a while, colleagues who had become genuine friends through countless missions. You'd spent hours fighting side by side, but more recently, you'd found yourselves sharing moments outside the chaos—grabbing coffee after a long night, cracking jokes about patrol mishaps, or just enjoying each other's company. Yet, an invitation to the Titans' private party felt personal, almost intimate.

As you stepped further into the room, the music grew louder, the bass vibrating through your chest. Dick wasn't hard to spot—he had that presence that naturally drew attention, even when he wasn't trying. Dressed in a simple black button-up with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, he moved through the crowd with an ease that was almost magnetic. His sharp blue eyes scanned the room until they landed on you, and a grin spread across his face.

"There you are," he said as he approached, his voice warm and familiar despite the music. "I was starting to think you weren't going to show."

"Miss a party at Titans' Tower? No way," you replied with a smirk. "Besides, you're the one who said I needed a break."

"And I was right," he said, nudging your arm playfully. "You deserve a night to relax. Just... don't let Beast Boy drag you into one of his dance-offs. He's surprisingly competitive."

You chuckled, already feeling more at ease. Dick had that effect on people—his presence was grounding, even in a room full of larger-than-life personalities. Before he could say more, someone called his name, and he gave you an apologetic smile.

"Duty calls," he said. "But stick around, okay? I'll find you later."

With that, he disappeared into the crowd, leaving you to explore the party. You grabbed a drink from the refreshment table—something fruity but deceptively strong—and started making your way through the room. Everywhere you turned, there were little snapshots of joy: heroes laughing, friends reconnecting, moments of normalcy in lives that were anything but.

It was in the middle of this whirlwind of activity that you found yourself drawn into conversation with Brandon, one of the Titans' newer members. His easygoing demeanor made him instantly likable, and you found yourself relaxing even more as you chatted about everything from patrol stories to how strange it was to see the team like this.

What you didn't notice, however, was the way Dick's gaze followed you from across the room. Standing near the edge of the crowd, he watched as you laughed at something Brandon said, the two of you leaning in closer to hear each other over the music. His smile from earlier had faded, replaced by a subtle but unmistakable tension in his expression.

For the first time in a long while, Dick Grayson felt something unfamiliar twist in his chest—jealousy.

Brandon was mid-story, his hands flying through the air as he described a mission that had apparently gone off the rails in the most chaotic way possible. His voice was animated, carrying over the music and noise of the party as he recounted the moment he had to leap from a collapsing rooftop to grab a fleeing criminal.

"And just as I'm mid-air," he said, his grin wide, "I'm thinking, 'If I miss, this is how they're going to write me off the team.' But somehow, I managed to grab the guy's ankle, and the two of us went tumbling into a dumpster. Starfire still hasn't let me live it down."

You couldn't help but laugh, the image of Brandon sprawled out in a dumpster vivid in your mind. His enthusiasm was contagious, and his self-deprecating humor made the story all the more enjoyable.

"What about you?" Brandon asked, leaning casually against the counter. He took a sip of his drink, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. "What's the craziest thing you've seen out there?"

You paused, your mind flipping through the mental catalogue of wild missions you'd been on. Finally, a grin tugged at your lips as you landed on one that stood out. "Okay, so there was this time I ended up dodging missiles while trying to stop a rogue drone. It was absolute chaos—explosions everywhere, smoke, the whole nine yards. And, of course, Dick was there, just doing his thing, making it all look effortless."

Brandon let out a low whistle, his eyebrows raising in mock disbelief. "Missiles and a rogue drone? That's next level. I swear, with him involved, it always sounds like a movie."

You chuckled, nodding. "It felt like one. But yeah, Dick's like that—calm under pressure, always two steps ahead. It's kind of ridiculous how good he is at this stuff."

Brandon grinned, leaning in slightly. "Must be cool, working so closely with someone like him. I bet you've picked up a thing or two."

You shrugged, a warm smile spreading across your face. "Yeah, it is. He's a good guy—one of the best. I've learned more from him than I ever thought possible."

As you spoke, you glanced over at Brandon, but your words brought Dick to the forefront of your mind. It wasn't just his skill you admired—it was his unwavering dedication, his ability to lead, and the way he always seemed to have your back no matter how dangerous things got. It was easy to talk about him, easy to share the respect and appreciation you'd built for him over the years.

Brandon nodded, clearly impressed. "I get that vibe. You two must make a hell of a team."

You smiled, raising your glass slightly. "We do."

Across the room, Dick leaned against the wall, his silhouette partially obscured by the shifting colored lights of the party. His sharp brown eyes, usually calm and calculating, were locked onto the two of you, his gaze unwavering. In one hand, he held a drink—something dark and untouched, the condensation dripping down the glass as it warmed against his grip. His free hand clenched at his side, the slight twitch of his fingers betraying the tension he was working hard to suppress.

You were laughing at something Brandon had said, your face lit up in a way that seemed to magnify the ease between the two of you. Brandon leaned closer, his posture open and relaxed, his confident smile suggesting he was thoroughly enjoying your attention. You leaned in as well, your head tilting slightly to catch his words over the pounding music, your body language unconsciously mirroring his. It was a small detail, but it didn't escape Dick's notice.

A knot twisted in his chest, sharp and unwelcome. He couldn't pinpoint the moment it had started—this feeling that clawed at him every time Brandon was near you—but tonight, it was undeniable. His jaw tightened as he forced himself to look away, but his eyes betrayed him, darting back to you within seconds. He told himself it was nothing, that he was overreacting, but the rational part of his brain was no match for the jealousy simmering just beneath the surface.

Dick had never liked Brandon, though he'd never said it aloud, not even to himself. He'd brushed it off as a clash of personalities, an instinctive distrust of the newcomer. But as he watched Brandon lean closer, his laugh carrying easily over the music, it became clear: it wasn't just Brandon. It was Brandon with you.

His usual composed demeanor was faltering, the effortless confidence he carried on and off the field slipping away as his emotions bubbled to the surface. His chest felt tight, his thoughts an uncharacteristic jumble. Was it jealousy? Frustration? The fear of something unspoken slipping out of his grasp?

The answer didn't matter, not in that moment. All that mattered was the impulse driving him forward. Before he realized it, his body was already in motion, his steps purposeful and direct. Each stride carried the weight of his emotions, the tension in his shoulders palpable. He weaved through the crowd without so much as a glance at anyone else, his focus entirely on you.

Dick didn't have a plan, no rehearsed words or carefully crafted excuses. All he knew was that he couldn't stand there any longer, watching you laugh with someone else, seeing the effortless connection that wasn't with him. He wasn't even sure what he was going to say when he reached you—all he knew was that he had to do something. Anything.

The music and laughter of the party hummed around you, a lively backdrop to your conversation with Brandon. You were mid-sentence, describing one of your wilder missions, when a familiar voice cut through the noise like a blade.

"Hey," Dick said, his tone even, but carrying an unmistakable edge.

You turned, surprised to see him standing there. He was close—closer than usual—his sharp brown eyes flicking briefly to Brandon before settling on you. His presence seemed to suck the air out of the space, a silent tension rolling off him in waves.

"Mind if I borrow him for a second?" Dick continued, though it wasn't really a question.

Brandon blinked, clearly caught off guard. His usual easy grin faltered for a moment as he looked between you and Dick, before offering a hesitant nod. "Uh, yeah. Sure. Go ahead."

"Dick, what—?" you began, but before you could finish, Dick placed a firm hand on your shoulder and started steering you away. His grip wasn't rough, but it was unyielding, his fingers curling just enough to make it clear this wasn't up for discussion.

You glanced back at Brandon, who shrugged and turned to mingle with someone else, his confusion evident. Meanwhile, Dick's hand remained on your shoulder, guiding you through the crowd and toward the staircase.

"What's going on?" you asked, your voice tinged with confusion and growing irritation.

Dick didn't answer. He stayed silent, his jaw tight, his pace quick. His grip on your shoulder tightened slightly as you reached the stairs, and he led you upward, away from the noise and light of the party. The music and chatter faded with each step, replaced by the steady hum of the tower's systems.

You could feel the tension radiating off him, his normally composed demeanor slipping with every second. It wasn't like him to act this way—so abrupt, so on edge.

When you reached a quiet hallway, you finally pulled free of his grip, stopping in your tracks. "Dick, what the hell?" you snapped, your confusion now mingled with frustration. "What's going on with you tonight?"

He turned to face you, his expression unreadable. His shoulders were rigid, his lips pressed into a thin line as if he were struggling to find the right words. For a moment, you thought he might brush it off, make some excuse and leave you wondering.

But then his expression softened—just slightly—and he stepped closer, his movements slow, deliberate. His piercing gaze searched yours, as though he were looking for something, some unspoken reassurance.

"I couldn't take it anymore," he muttered, his voice low and raw, almost like he was speaking to himself.

You frowned, still not understanding. "Take what? Dick, you're not making any sense."

For a second, he hesitated, his breath hitching as if he was caught between moving forward or retreating. Then, as though something inside him snapped, he closed the distance between you in one fluid motion.

His hands came up, gripping your face with a kind of desperate urgency. Before you could say another word, his lips were on yours. It wasn't tentative or uncertain—it was firm, almost overwhelming, the kind of kiss that left no room for doubt.

You froze, your mind racing to catch up with what was happening. The feel of his lips against yours, the heat of his hands holding you in place—it all hit you at once, a wave of intensity that left you breathless. There was a weight behind it, a frustration, a longing that spoke of something he'd been holding back for far too long.

The hallway seemed to shrink around you, the hum of the tower fading into nothing. All that remained was him, the kiss, and the unspoken emotions that seemed to pour out in that single moment.

When Dick finally pulled back, his forehead gently rested against yours, his breath ragged and uneven. The heat of his hands lingered on your face, his thumbs barely brushing your jawline as if he couldn't bring himself to let go entirely. His eyes were closed for a moment, and when he opened them, they burned with an intensity that made your chest tighten.

"I couldn't stand seeing you with him," he admitted, his voice low, raw, and unsteady in a way you'd never heard before. It wasn't anger or frustration—it was something deeper, something vulnerable. "I've been trying to ignore it for so long, but I can't anymore. I like you—more than a friend. I needed you to know."

His words hung in the air, heavy and charged, as if the world itself had paused for this one moment. Your heart was pounding, each beat louder in your ears than the faint hum of the tower around you. You felt like the ground had shifted beneath your feet, your balance precarious in the wake of his confession.

You stared at him, trying to process what had just happened—the kiss, the weight of his words, the raw emotion in his eyes. All the nights you'd spent together came flooding back to you. Fighting side by side in the field, your movements always in sync. Late nights eating takeout, his laughter echoing in your ears as you shared stories. Quiet moments after missions, when he'd patch you up with a care and focus that seemed almost too much for a friend. All of it suddenly took on a new meaning, the threads weaving together into something you hadn't allowed yourself to see before now.

"Dick..." you began, your voice soft, barely above a whisper, your chest tight with the weight of everything you wanted to say. But before you could get the words out, he shook his head, his forehead still pressed against yours.

"I get it if you don't feel the same," he said quickly, his voice filled with quiet resignation. His hands dropped slowly from your face, as if letting go was physically painful. "I just... I couldn't keep it in anymore. Not after tonight. Not after seeing—" He cut himself off, shaking his head again, as if the thought alone was too much. "You don't have to say anything. I just needed you to know."

You stared at him, the man who had been by your side through thick and thin, who had earned your trust in ways few ever had. And for the first time, you saw something behind the confidence and control he always carried—a vulnerability, raw and unguarded. The man who was always so composed, so unshakable, was standing in front of you now, his emotions laid bare.

He wasn't Nightwing in this moment, the hero who always had a plan and a backup plan. He was just Dick—a man who had taken a risk, who had laid his heart on the line for you. And in that moment, as you saw him so clearly for the first time, something inside you shifted.

You stood frozen, your thoughts spiraling as Dick's words echoed in your mind. Your longest, closest friend—someone who had been by your side through countless battles, sleepless nights, and quiet moments—had just confessed feelings you had never seen coming. It felt like the ground beneath you had shifted, leaving you unsure of how to regain your footing.

Your breathing was shallow, your chest tight as you replayed his confession in your mind. "I couldn't stand seeing you with him. I've been trying to ignore it for so long, but I can't anymore." The rawness in his voice, the vulnerability in his eyes—it was all so unlike the Dick Grayson you knew, the man who always seemed so steady, so composed.

You opened your mouth to say something, anything, but the words wouldn't come. How could they? This was Dick—your partner in the field, your confidant, your constant. The person who had always been there, who had stitched you up after injuries and made you laugh when things felt too heavy. And now he was looking at you, his heart laid bare, waiting for a response you weren't sure how to give.

Your mind raced through the years you'd known him. The late-night missions, the quiet moments after a battle, the inside jokes only the two of you understood. You'd always thought of him as your rock, the person you could count on no matter what. And now, he was telling you that he saw you as something more—had seen you as something more for a long time.

The weight of his confession pressed down on you. This wasn't just a casual admission—it was the culmination of something deep, something that had clearly been building within him for years. The thought hit you like a freight train: while you'd been leaning on him as a friend, he'd been feeling this all along. How had you missed it?

Dick's expression was impossible to read now. He was standing there, his forehead no longer resting against yours, his hands hovering by his sides like he wasn't sure whether to reach for you or step back. His eyes, normally so guarded, were wide and searching, as if trying to gauge what you were thinking.

But you didn't know what to think. You didn't know how to react. Part of you wanted to speak, to reassure him, to tell him that this didn't change anything—but that would be a lie, wouldn't it? Because everything had already changed.

Before you could fully register what you were doing, instinct took over. Your mind was still spinning from Dick's confession, from the raw vulnerability in his voice, from the way his hands had trembled ever so slightly when he let you go—as if he'd already braced himself for rejection.

But you couldn't let him walk away—not like this. Not when your heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst from your chest.

In one swift motion, you closed the space between you, your fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. The material was soft but sturdy beneath your grip, grounding you in the moment as you tugged him toward you with a sudden urgency that surprised even yourself.

Dick's eyes widened, his breath hitching, but he barely had a second to react before your lips met his. The kiss was fierce, intense—a collision of bottled-up emotions finally set free. Your fingers clenched tighter in his shirt, pulling him closer as if you were afraid he might vanish if you let go.

For a moment, the world seemed to fall away—the distant hum of the tower's systems, the muffled bass of the music still thumping from the party below—it all dissolved into nothingness. There was only him, only the warmth of his mouth against yours, only the heat of his hands finding your waist and holding on like he'd been waiting for this as long as you had.

Dick let out a sharp breath against your lips, a sound caught somewhere between relief and longing. His arms wrapped around you fully now, one hand sliding up your back, the other cupping the side of your face like he couldn't bear the thought of letting you go again.

The kiss deepened, fueled by everything unspoken between you—years of trust, shared danger, late-night talks, and quiet moments when words had never been enough. Every suppressed feeling, every glance that had lingered too long, every touch that had meant more than it should—everything finally broke free.

When you finally pulled back, breathless, your foreheads rested together, your fingers still clutching the front of his shirt like a lifeline. Dick's eyes were half-lidded, dark with emotion, his chest rising and falling in rhythm with yours.

"...Quite the confession, Grayson," you voiced, your voice low and shaky.

A slow, disbelieving smile spread across Dick's face, softening the sharp intensity of his expression. His thumb brushed your cheek gently, almost reverently. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that."

His words sent warmth flooding through your chest, and before you could respond, his lips found yours again—not desperate this time, but sure and steady, like he was memorizing the way you felt in his arms. This time, there was no hesitation, no fear—only certainty.

[fandomfluffandfuck]

Concept: Completely, disarmingly charming, smooth, and slick-tongued Bucky who's the perfect, well-mannered gentleman with everyone... except for Steve.

Bucky is the polished shoes, slicked back hair, close-shaven, and buttoned-up dreamboat that any gal would wanna take home to momma. Or, at least, he seems that way around everyone. His Ma never has any complaints about his behavior. She never has to remind him to do his chores or help with his sisters. His teachers fall in love with such a little gentleman, pointing to him as the model student. The fellas at the docks think he's no fun, snickers from dirty jokes fading when he comes within earshot. And the gals he strings along on dates don't even care that he takes so many girls out. He's just that sweet and caring and, well, look at that face. Nobody can say no to that face. A face like that gets a girl's heart racing. Yet. There's always Steve.

Steve.

With Steve, Bucky is--and there's no other way to say it--foul mouthed.

Steve tells Bucky again and again that he's a dirty minded bastard; he doesn't tell anyone else that, though, but that's because Steve's smarter than he looks, and he knows no one would believe him if he told them so.

Bucky's filthy mouth is to the point that Steve has to slap a hand over Bucky's mouth to get him to shut up some of the time. He's incessant, going on and on about the filthy things he wants to do to him, whispering in his good ear, nibbling the flushed-hot shell of his ear, kissing lushly down the side of his neck, licking across his sharp collarbones, and using those big eyes and soft mouth for evil, a.k.a. convincing Steve to do anything he wants. Everything he wants. It's all bad enough to make the seediest back alley, boys-boy blush.

Steve has no idea where he gets his ideas.

They're always fresh. New and newly filthy. He steals the breath out of his thin chest, he makes his slow, cold blood run hot, he gives Steve fevers that have nothing to do with his piss-poor immune system.

And.

By God, does it only get worse when they're out on the front and Steve's got the serum. Steve thought the war and dire times might dampen Bucky's dirty mouth. It doesn't. Maybe it's being surrounded by men who openly talk like dogs all the time. Maybe it's his new body. Maybe it's the franticness of the entire precarious situation. Whatever the reason, it's bad, Bucky talks and talks, during the day he murmurs under his breath, just enough for Steve to hear, and at night he tells him in their tent, stolen moments at night, conserving energy by pressing their fiery bodies together underneath both their bedrolls, breath hanging like fog in the air, the rasp of his filthy words so unspeakably arousing that Steve thinks he might finish without a finger laid between his clenching, trembling legs--

He talks so damn much.

With his throat constricting around a whimper, Steve doesn't know if he should beg him to stick a sock in it, for once in his life, or if he should beg for him to please please please keep going.

Don't stop. Stop. Don't stop talking about the filthy things he wants to do to him with his big--fucking huge--dick, his hot-as-shit cum gutters, his gorgeous thighs, his hulking muscles everywhere yet his tight little wasp-waist, his sculpted ass, his meaty hands, his everything. Don't. Do.

Ugh.

Squirming in his makeshift bed, sweating through all their covers in the piercing cold, Steve's gonna get killed by Bucky before the war touches a hair on his head. Especially when Bucky looks at it as if it isn't his problem, it's actually Steve's because if he didn't blush like that while remaining immune to his gentlemanly courtship, then Bucky could be normal over him. That way, he could tell him sweet nothings and croon at him and buy him flowers. He wouldn't have to resort to telling him how he wants to sink his teeth into the pillows of his fuckin' tits. Bucky's perfectly innocent here!

[recklesssezon]

𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱

𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 | alessia russo x mma!fighter

𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 | Alessia encounters an unwanted attention and tries her best to hide it from you, knowing that you would absolutely do anything to keep her safe.

𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 | blood, assault, violence, ptsd, cursing, maybe attempt of murder

𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 | ik its been two months almost thre-anyways. this is 9 thousand something words and it took a lot of brain capacity.

The night was young, streetlights lit the city as rowdy adults filled London with joyous laughter. It was like any other Saturday night to most but not to Alessia.

She was leaving you home alone to attend Kyra's birthday party along with the other gunners. Usually, you'd be by her side through it all, but you were still healing from your previous fight.

Patched-up cuts and bruises here and there. None that you deemed bed-rest worthy, yet remained home to steer clear of the scolding you would get from your coaches.

So, here you were sitting with a large bucket of popcorn and the latest season of Love Island. It took a great deal to convince Alessia to leave your side for the night, refusing to go firsthand as the urge to smother you with love and care surged as time went on.

After countless reassurances and kisses, Alessia reluctantly switched out joggers for jeans and a pullover for a top. She stood in front of you, twirling to give you the 360. Deep down, you started to regret inducing her to go. While Alessia had a full blowout, you lounged on the loveseat with shorts and a sports bra. "And to think you didn't want to leave."

Alessia grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it, pointing a non-threatening finger at you. "Do not start teasing me. You were the one who was so adamant about me going. It's your fault I'm in this vest instead of my jumper."

"Love, if it makes you feel any better. I prefer you in nothing at all."

Alessia rolled her eyes, crossing her arms in annoyance. You grinned, beckoning her over, even when you managed to annoy her Alessia could never resist you. She trudged to you, pursing her lip when you patted your lap.

You grunted as she plopped down on you, the unexpected force taking you by surprise. It was Alessia's turn to grin, hooking her arms around your neck, yours to her hips. "I take it you didn't like my joke."

You were unfazed by Alessia's evil eye, more than used to it. "You do not get to make jokes like that. You're forcing me to go to a party I don't want to go to and you're watching Love Island without me. You're being mean." You snorted, and with a click, the game show switched to one of your old fights.

Alessia turned her head away, your fights always made her a bit queasy hence why she never watched them. "Yes, how can I be so cruel to my lovely girlfriend? I should be punished for my crimes." Alessia slapped your chest, not a fan of your mockery.

"Quit the sarcasm. Save that for someone else other than the love of your life."

You pecked her cheek, a quick apology. "You're right. The love of my life only deserves respect and devotion." She nodded her head in agreement, her pride growing as she had the big bad fighter everyone knew lay down the treatment she deserves.

"That is correct but don't think this sucking up made me forget what you've done to me."

You groaned, throwing your head back. "Love, you haven't left my side since my fight, normally I wouldn't mind but you've been cooped up all week. And it's Kyra's birthday, imagine the headaches she'll give you for missing it."

Alessia could already see it, Kyra having a kick at her for not showing up. The Australian was known for her little sister energy that never ran out, much to the unlikes of her teammates. Alessia recalled Kyra's recent mischievous act.

A week ago, Steph forgot to grab Kyra's favorite candy when making a store run and a childlike Kyra took it to offense. She hadn't stopped yapping the entire day, Steph departed training with ringing ears that lasted the next day.

Alessia didn't want to have a similar outcome.

"That rascal hid my boots last time because I refused to prank Katie. A nuisance she is." You smiled, Alessia's annoyance that wasn't targeted towards you was amusing to watch. You slipped a hand under her top, rubbing the warm bare skin a contrast to your cold hands.

"So, what I'm hearing is that I'm right."

Alessia gave you no acknowledgment, gasping when she felt your thumb dip below her waistline. You leaned in for a kiss, though you were met with a flat palm to the face. You pulled back, scrunching your nose. Alessia smiled widely, "No messing up my lip gloss, darling."

For the very first, you scowled at Alessia's bright pink lips. The desire to botch Alessia's perfectly applied lipstick grew by the second. You exhaled sharply, leaning back to put some distance between you and her restricted lips. "That's unfair. You look ravishing and you're saying I can't kiss you? Must you tease me?"

Alessia giggled under her breath; she kissed your neck, unapologetic about her teasing. "Oh, my big baby. Have the consequences of your actions come to play?" You frowned at Alessia's mocking pout, the way she spoke as if she were speaking to a child stirred something within you.

You roughly tugged her closer, inches away from her lips. You removed one hand from her hips, gripping her jaw in a tight-loose hold. Your thumb swiped her bottom lip to the corner. Her once-perfect gloss now smudged and not in the way she would have liked.

You brought your thumb to your lips, putting on a little show, humming at the taste of strawberries on your tongue.

Alessia froze, she didn't expect you to turn the tables on her so fast. You grabbed Alessia's phone out of her back pocket, hearing a ping. You opened her phone, purposely ignoring her. "Vic's here. You should get going if you don't want to be late."

Alessia remained unmoved, stuck in a trance you led her into. You chuckled, no emotion behind it, standing up causing Alessia no choice but to do so as well. You took her chin in between your two fingers, "A little quiet, aren't we? What's the matter, Alessia? Have the consequences of your actions come to play?"

Alessia gulped at the bite in your tone, she shouldn't have baited you. It always ended with her pinned to the bed, a position she loved yet a lesson she never intend to learn. Alessia's phone pinged once again, she paid it no mind too focus on your little stare-down. "Better get going before Vic comes up and knocks down our door."

Alessia hesitantly took her phone, squinting as if she was trying to figure out your plan. "Just like that?" You raised a brow, ignoring the pinch of pain as your stitches stretched.

"I can do worse than a smeared gloss, you of all people should know that. I suggest you leave now before you don't at all." Alessia's finger hovered over her lips, she could feel the slight stickiness at the corners of her lips. You hadn't done much to taint them, but Alessia wished you did.

Your eyes began to soften at Alessia's timid stature, tipping her head up with a finger. Wiping away the small mess you created. "Have fun tonight, okay? I love you."

A smile grew on Alessia, puckering her lips for a kiss. "I thought you didn't want to ruin your makeup" She rolled her eyes at your cockiness, pulling you down to finally bring you into a kiss you both craved.

Alessia was the first to separate, "I love you too. Don't wait up." She gave you one last peck, grabbing her purse on her way out. Swaying her hips side to side, mindful of your wandering eyes.

"Not having the time of your life are you, Less?"

Lia winced as Alessia's head snapped to her, "I am. Why do you ask?" Lia didn't believe the young girl and it showed, Alessia stuck herself at their rented-out booth, doing nothing else other than sipping on her club soda.

"You haven't moved since we got here. What? Are you not used to having your little bloodhound with you?"

That got a laugh out of Alessia, Lia grinned cheekily. You were always a topic used to tease Alessia, two total opposites that fit together like a puzzle. She pushed the national captain as she poked fun at her. You were deemed 'The Bloodhound' early in your career by the media after endless fights where you left the cage a bloodbath.

"You can say that. She's still heal-" The boisterous of their teammates cut Alessia off, stumbling and cackling at whatever their drunk minds thought was funny. Leah threw herself next to Lia, pointing to Katie, her finger unsteadied as a result of her tipsiness. "I got it last time, McCard. It's your turn."

The Irish childishly shook her head, throwing up the bird, "No." Leah huffed, her infamous frown appearing.  She turned to the person next to Katie. "Fine. Caitlin, you go."

"She's not going."

The blonde threw her arms up in frustration, so much for being capitan. "Someone had to go, Katie! You've been weaseling your way out of rounds for the last two months!" The said weasel denied it, though the smirk on her lips said otherwise.

Leah's glare intensified, she wasn't a quitter, far from it. Even as a drunk, giving up was never in her dictionary. She stood up, ready to drag the queen of reds to do her go.

Lia, being the only sensible one there, quickly sat the Williamson down, giving her a warning not to start a fight.

"What about our depressed lover over there? She hasn't done anything. No dancing, no drinking. A little mood killer if you ask me." Katie winced as she received slaps from all around, unable to pinpoint who exactly hit her. Alessia cleared her throat, dumbfounded by how she got dragged in.

Lia held out a hand, stopping Katie from going off her rockers and possibly digging her own grave if you were to find out about how she spoke to your fiancé. "Hey, now. Alessia isn't in the mood, we should respect that and be happy she's even here." Alessia squeezed Lia's hand, thanking her for coming to her defense.

However, the people-pleaser side of Alessia won. She moved to stand, but Lia's hand halted her from doing any further. Her concerns made Alessia glad that she had someone in her corner for the wild night. "It's fine. She's sorta right, I've been a killjoy. Maybe this will loosen me up."

"Are you sure?"

Alessia gave Lia the okay, slipping out of her hold, and down to the crowd. Internally gagging at the stench of body odor hitting her unexpectedly. Fresh air welcomed her as she exited the crowd, breathing deeply, the cool air traveled through and around her body.

She rested her arms on the bar, calling the bartender for the round she volunteered to collect. Alessia daydreamed as she waited, snuggling up against you after tonight sounded like the perfect dream to make into a reality.

"Hi."

Alessia didn't flinch at the new voice, too caught up with herself to realize that she was being spoken to. She jumped slightly at the tap on her shoulder, surprised by the close proximity. "Oh, hi." It was small and brief, a simple acknowledgment of him. That's all. At least Alessia thought it was.

"Are you here alone?"

Alessia shook her head uninterested, looking back at the bartender to see if he was preparing her order. He wasn't.

"Who are you here with?"

She sighed, annoyed that he couldn't get the hint. Unbothered to look at him, Alessia answered, hoping the mentioned presence of her team would scare him off. "I'm here with my mates."

"Brilliant. Would your mates mind if I tag along?"

Alessia isn't the type to be easily angered, she grew up with two brothers by force she learned how to have more patience than the average person when it came to men and their small minds.

But something about this stranger irked her. So, she bit her tongue of what she really wanted to say, 'fuck off' and instead said, "They would actually. It's a girl's night and they'll be really upset if it was intruded."

Her saving grave, the bartender came back and he wasn't alone. Alessia quickly picked up the platter, leaving without so much of a goodbye.

There were no cheers or clicking of the shots, as everyone threw their head back to down the hard liquid. Kyra emerged from the crowd, eyes blown and a big smile that stretched cheek to cheek.

She latched onto Alessia's arm, "You're being boring tonight! It's my birthday!" Kyra tugged her to the middle of the room, an area Alessia tried to avoid.

Alessia grabbed onto the nearest person, drawing them along, soon enough a chain of gunners were trailing behind her. Alessia took shot after shot, shortly after, her body relaxed into the rhythmic beats.

She neglected to notice the unexpected hands on her waist as the hands closed around her, squeezing tightly, Alessia instantly knew that these hands weren't a friend of hers.

She roughly pulled away, spinning to see the stranger from the bar. He wore a smirk, smug that he got as close as he did with her. "What the hell are you doing?" He threw his arms to the side, showcasing a little dance of his.

"Dancing, dear. Come back, we were just having some fun."

Alessia shook her head, disgust seeped under her skin. She felt repulsed at some stranger touching her. "No, leave me alone. I am not interested."

"It looked like you were pretty interested. What was that move you did? The one where you were moving your hips side to side. Do you mind doing that again?"

Alessia turned away, thinking it would be best to take her leave rather than speak to him any further. Alas, the stranger couldn't care less. He followed Alessia, shoving bystanders out of his way. "Wait! Do not run off!" She ignored him, scurrying to the booth of gunners.

Just as Alessia was about to reach the table, she was pulled back. She gasped as a huge body engulfed her, Alessia mustered up the strength to push away but the attempt was too futile. "Get off!"

Alessia curled up as much as she could in his hold, his efforts to land a kiss on her neck was challenged by her strong resistance. "I'm a nice lad! Don't be so difficult!" He laughed in disbelief as Alessia struggled, the scene began to gather the attention of nearby clubbers.

"Let me go! Fuckin prick!"

Everything happened in a flash, Alessia was yanked away, bodies meddled between him and her. Mixture of brunettes and blondes filled Alessia's sight.

"You're okay. They're handling it."

Alessia could hardly register Viv's soft voice, the tall Dutch led her out the club, withdrawing from the chaos as the fight got bigger. Viv rubbed circles on her back, trying to calm the shaken girl.

She ignored the security guards that rushed into the building, faint sounds of glass breaking reached her ears. "I'll take you home as soon as Beth is done."

Panic swept through Alessia, red eyes going wide at the thought of returning home. "No! If I go home, she'll know something happened. I can't- I can't-" Viv hushed Alessia, hugging the younger as she spiraled.

Alessia didn't have to specify who she was talking about, only one person was waiting at home for Alessia. That person is you.

"Less, are you scared of yn?"

It was a question Viv didn't want to ask but did. Alessia's reaction to going home wasn't normal especially if it held the person who loved you and you, her. It's a red flag that Viv wasn't so quick to brush off.

Alessia flinched, staring at Viv as if she said the most absurd thing known to man. "What? No! No! Never! I'm scared for her! If she finds out what happened tonight-" Alessia suddenly stopped, she didn't want to believe what happened, happened.

How close he was, how his hands were all around her, how she felt his front pressed up against her. It physically and mentally sickened Alessia to the core.

She collected herself the best she could, staring straight into Viv's eyes. "She'll kill him. Viv, those beatings she does in the cages are nothing. That's her having fun. But this will set her off. You have to promise me that yn wouldn't hear a word about this. Viv promise me."

You couldn't find out, not when Alessia knew the lengths you'd go to protect her. Not when she knew how ill-tempered you were and how easily you got lost in your fit of anger. Alessia was your weakness, she knew that you knew that. Which is why you couldn't know, Alessia had no doubt you'd go on a manhunt to track down whoever harmed her.

Viv gazed into the abyss, unable to comprehend the fear Alessia had for you. You were someone with physical power, that Viv knew, you had the skills and scars to prove it. It was what you trained for, nearly two decades you've been building up your skills to hurt people for a living.

The active terror Alessia showed let Viv know that you were lawless by your own rules. "Okay, okay. I promise. And the others will too." That calmed Alessia down a bit, she leaned into Viv's side watching the passing cars as they waited for the rest.

"Fuck off!"

Katie came out first, followed by the rest of the players and security guards. Yelling and cursing lingered in the air, Viv ignored it, guiding Alessia to the car. "Let's wait in the car. It'll be a while before they quiet down."

The unfortunate events replayed in her mind like a broken record, it kept playing and playing. If she was lucky, sometimes it'd short-circuit. Then, all she could see was you, it felt like a dream. Like you weren't real, and that she was simply imagining someone to protect her to the very end.

But you were real.

You were real and Alessia had a tough time believing that. Believing that you her knight in shining armor. Whispers of promises in her ear at night, how you engraved that into her. But, you were nowhere to be seen when Alessia needed you the most. Instead, you were at home resting.

Part of Alessia wanted to blame you, yet she couldn't, she wouldn't. Not when you were her person, especially not when Alessia understood very well that if you were with her, you'd be in a jail cell by the time the sun rose.

You lost the ability of control when it came to Alessia, if someone were to so much as trip her, you'd return the favor tenfold. The more Alessia thought about you, the more she desired to go home.

"Hungry? We can go to Greggs."

Beth peered over at Alessia, the young striker hadn't made a peep since arriving at the couple's flat and that was hours ago. Beth and Viv stayed up the entire night nurturing Alessia to a certain extent, she allowed. Which wasn't much.

She inhabited the couch corner, not even a slight inch off. She hadn't spoken, eaten, or moved, her brain going haywire, and they couldn't do anything about it.

Beth kneeled, placing a comforting hand on Alessia's knee, gaining her attention without spooking her. "Why don't you take a shower? I imagine sticky sweat isn't the best feeling on the body."

Ease rippled through the couple as Alessia finally moved in the last eight hours, though it was short as Alessia's movements were slow and calculated. Beth patiently waited for her, directing Alessia to the awaiting shower that called her.

The shower did more than just cleanse Alessia of sweat, the overwhelming emotions of the night washed down the drain never to be seen or felt again. Alessia preferred it that way, it was better to believe that it was gone rather than it be stuck on her.

She'd rather be numb than feel what she felt in that dreadful encounter.

Alessia avoided looking into the mirror, squeezing the towel around her tight as she exited the warm steam. The coldness of the early morning greeted her, she walked over to the bed, holding up the Arsenal pull-over Beth set out for her.

She quickly put it on, brushing it down only for her eyes to catch the coloring on her hips. Her fingers lightly grazed the finger-print bruises, her breath hitches as flashbacks of his firm grip on her were physically felt in that second.

Alessia wanted to cry, she didn't want to feel as if someone was standing behind her, she didn't want to feel as if she was being touched like some sort of pet.

Alessia pushed down her tears along with anything else rising to the surface. She walked out the room, the conversation hushed as she came into view, and Alessia didn't care to bring it up knowing fully well it was about her. She sat next to Viv barely returning a smile, "Feel better?" Alessia ignored her, that was the better option.

The truth would raise more questions than she could handle right now. "I'm going home. Yn probably stayed up for me and I don't want to keep her waiting any longer." Understatement of the century. Alessia couldn't grasp the fact that time passed, only assuming, too stuck in her void to feel time's existence.

"Don't fret. I called her and told her you were too tired to make it home. She knows you're here."

Stunned, Alessia sent Beth a nod. "Thanks, but I should really get going." Viv and Beth got the obvious hint that Alessia didn't want to be there anymore, she quickly shoved her phone in her pocket, zipping past them.

The couple hastily followed behind, catching Alessia right at the door. "Let us drive you. We can get Greggs on the way." They didn't give Alessia too much room to argue, Viv grabbed her keys as Beth pushed her out the flat.

"You can ride front seat."

Alessia carefully closed the door, releasing a breath now that she was alone. Beth and Viv had been absolutely sweethearts to Alessia during her stay, but she needed time to herself, time away from eyes that were waiting for her to break.

Slowly and quietly, she shuffled to the kitchen, not a single object out of place since she left. Alessia grabbed a water bottle, the first source of intake she allowed her body to have. The Greggs paper bag perched on the counter, dismissing what Viv had gotten her.

In the safety of her own home, Alessia felt her body ease into itself, the familiarity of these four walls secured her protection and well-being. Something Alessia never thought she'd crave so much.

She went in search of the only person wanted, needed. Weights were lifted off of Alessia's chest when she caught you sleeping in bed, looking ever the most peaceful. A state that she wasn't going to ruin with the truth.

Alessia brushed loose strands out your face, laying on her side, snuggling up in your arms absent from the scary world. Her breath hitches as you pull her closer, "You're back." Your voice husky, eyes still shut half-asleep. Alessia's fingers found your dog tag, turning it over to see the engravement of her name and jersey number. A chain you wore proudly. "I'm back."

"Did you have fun?"

Her fiddling stopped, a small shutter of breath escaped her as the haunting hours came back, this is where Alessia was supposed to spew a little white lie. But she couldn't. Never has Alessia lied to you, never thinking she would need to. This would be a lot harder than she thought.

"Less, is everything okay?"

Your eyes barely opened, the bright light peaked through the curtain nerved your sensitivity. Alessia used her finger to soothe your wrinkles, humming as she tried to lull you back to sleep. "Can't remember much of it. I had too much to drink."

Two lies in one.

Alessia remembered everything and frankly, she didn't drink enough to forget.

You patted her back, comforting, "That's alright. You're home now." Your words brought her more comfort than you can imagine. Alessia was home now; she was home with you, within these four walls. She couldn't be more safer than she is right now.

In your upcoming years as a fighter, you were taught to control your emotions going as far as to eliminate them. The human instinct to feel sympathy for beating another wasn't an option when it came down to winning titles.

By default, you suppressed them to the alternatives outside the cage. Thus, you didn't experience the depths of anxiety or stress like many others did.

But, in recent times it seems as if you're experiencing life in a new manner. You've never been more uneased as you have in the past week. Even minutes before your matches were you never this stressed.

And the main reason for it all is Alessia. The only person in the world to cause you to feel things you normally wouldn't. A blessing and a curse.

Alessia wasn't acting like herself lately, a bit distant something she never was before. Alessia, by nature, was clingy. She clung onto you like a koala does a tree, cuddles, hugs, anything to make your bodies become one, she did. Which is why, her being so distant with you was concerning.

It's been a couple of days since her behavior shifted, at first you thought it was due to the rough start of the week, you were back in camp for your next fight thus your time with Alessia was shorten, she as well was dealing with some tension at work, none she was willing to elaborate.

You figured she needed some alone time to get through.

You tried to be there when she seeked you, yet she hardly did. And you didn't want to push her during a tender time, so you let her be until she was ready. Though, that didn't stop you from actively caring about her, little things such as making her breakfast, washing her uniform, nothing excessive in your mind. Still, Alessia appreciated it all.

Curiosity spiked when she began to wear long sleeves as if it were a second skin, typically you'd brush it off, thinking she hopped on some sort of fashion trend, but the summer heat had her drenched in sweat.

Your attempts to get her into your shirts-which she loved to steal and wear-was useless. Refusing constantly, Alessia stuck to her long-sleeves. You didn't push further, despite your worry each time she went out.

The electricity bill was off the charts that month in turn to keep her cool.

Your agitation heightened when Alessia started to spend more time in the guestroom, it was odd at first considering she rarely stepped foot in the room, in the two years you've lived there.

Guests sleeping over wasn't common therefore your guestroom remained unoccupied most of the time. Not anymore now that Alessia had taken the room for herself.

Aside from the guestroom, it appeared as if you were living alone. You were the only one occupying the common spaces, Alessia nowhere to be seen unless you looked for her. Eventually, your small time together doubled down to nil.

It pained you to see Alessia isolate herself, the last time she acted in such a way was when she was coping with body issues. An unpretty chapter in Alessia's life that none of you spoke about. To prevent a defense lock if confronted, you did whatever you could to build Alessia's self-love without addressing the matter upfront.

It was a bit difficult at first since Alessia's determination to avoid you persisted. You were limited to passing compliments, soft touches, and love letters that you laid in the middle of the bed for her to read when she got home.

Your brief time didn't stop you from showering your girl with the love that she needed and deserved.

The rough week passed and Alessia semi-returned to her normal state. She went back to stealing- your shirts, a more fitting attire for the summer- and her time in the guestroom lessened. She still retreated to the room here and there for an hour or two, nothing you were too worried about now that she seemed better.

Everything was going back to place that is up until, the festival incident.

It happened on a Wednesday afternoon, you and Alessia had gotten caught in the middle of a London festival. One you were aware of too late and thanks to your ignorance, Alessia faced the consequences.

You pushed through the busy festive, pulling Alessia by hand. Bodies pressed up against each other tight spaced, trumpets and cheers blaring in your ears. Rising temper balancing on the cliff's edge as you kept trying to find an escape route, the provoking factors placed you and Alessia on the brink of disaster.

You stood at a whopping six feet using the height advantage to look for an outlet, naive to the shifts in Alessia's breathing. Behind you, Alessia felt her mind and body going haywire.

She could feel her heart beating against her chest, head whipping side to side anxiously seeking for an out. Her throat closed up at the multiple touches on her, she shut her eyes to block out her surroundings but that only made it worse as she instinctively focused on her senses.

Alessia's eyes snapped open, feeling you tug on her. She instantly found your figure, taking her all to concentrate on you. Alessia internally struggled to not think about the prying flashbacks at the back of her mind.

It fought so hard to come forward, to torture her in broad daylight, but Alessia fought harder. She tried to pinpoint the difference between then and now.

The sun was the first she identified, the sun gave her clear view of everyone and everything around her, unlike the colored lights in the dark club. Then there was you. You were the major detail that differed to Alessia, you were there to protect and love her, that's all Alessia needed.

Yet, it didn't stop the strength draining from her body, replaced by what Alessia could distinguish as emptiness. It was in her best efforts to push down the vile feelings, but it was all in vain.

You stumbled back as you felt a cease in Alessia's step. You looked over your shoulder to see her head down, her form shaking like a madman. Without thinking, you closed the distance, calling out to her, but she made no sign that she heard you.

You lifted her head, eyes gaping when Alessia's red teary eyes made contact with yours. Less than a second, you wrapped Alessia in your arms, forcibly pulling her through the crowd, recklessly pushing people out of your way.

You sighed in relief as you and Alessia finally broke free of the bustling street ducking into a small alley. You leaned up against the building, Alessia sobbed into your neck as you settled her. Tears flowed nonstop, you ran your fingers through her hair, humming to tune out the festival's band.

"Can we go home please?"

Alessia looked up at you with her big blue puffy eyes, your heart broke. Your thumb wiped away the lone tear, pecking her forehead. The answer was a no-brainer, you pulled down your hood on Alessia's head, guiding her out the alley and to a taxi, keeping her as close as possible through it all.

For the next few days, you and Alessia isolated yourselves from the world. Alessia didn't want to speak further about it and as much you wanted to, you knew better than to push. You were just glad she wasn't shutting herself in the other room like before.

And Alessia hated it, she hated that you were walking on eggshells with her. She didn't want you to treat her as if she's fragile. Alessia's strong, she knew that she believed it, so why didn't she feel like it?

Instead, she felt suffocated. Alessia began to loathe herself because of it. The constant looks over her shoulder, checking her body as if bruises will appear, it's been two weeks and she can't move on.

A concern started to brew in Alessia's mind, she feared that your relationship may be the cost of her erratic paranoia.

In attempts to salvage or drag out the inevitable, Alessia spent more time with you, she no longer went on your daily walks, but rather to sit on the balcony for her daily fresh air. You didn't mind, she knew that you only went on those walks because Alessia suggested it first, couples' cardio she said.

In all her years, Alessia didn't know what to do, she didn't know how to save herself.

Too stuck in her head to feel Kyra poking her, the Australian entertained herself jabbing the mindless blonde. Giggling when Alessia didn't flinch at the dirty towel thrown at her face.

The younger picked up her water bottle spraying at Alessia, bursting out laughing when she screeched. "Kyra! Go away!" The mischievous player dodged the towel thrown back at her, running away before Alessia could do worse.

Alessia wiped the wetness with her shirt, thankful for Kyra unintentionally pulling her out of her prisoned thoughts. Leah patted the striker's shoulder, pitiful that Alessia had been chosen to be on the end of Kyra's pranks. "So, is the hound coming next week?" Alessia's lip twitched at your alias.

"What's next week?"

"You forgot? The sporting event remember, Jona told us two months ago."

Alessia racked her brain, trying to remember the said event. Then, it hit her, it was a small thing some organization was having to spread the word of football, gain some investors, nothing Alessia wanted to do with. She shook her head, tying up her laces. "I'll skip out. Not in the mood for socializing."

Leah gave her a look, "Mate, it's mandatory. You can't get out of it." Alessia groaned, her plans to laze around with you was a bust. Alessia liked the small bubble, you and her built in your time together, and she wasn't planning on leaving it so soon. But, it looks like she didn't have a choice.

"I'll ask her."

"Is there really a point to? We all know what she's going to say."

Alessia pushed Leah, the captain grinning cheekily at her, a teasing underlining in her words. Everyone who knew you and Alessia's relationship personally knew that you'd do anything she asked.

If Alessia wanted food from a place a town a way, best be known that you're driving all the way there. If she wanted a new car, you're taking her to the dealership within the next hour. In this case, you'd be attending before you were even made aware of it.

"Okay, I'll stop with the teasing...for now. We'll see you there, oh, and it's a white-themed dress code. So, tell the missus, no black. It's not a funeral." Alessia snorted, waving to Leah as she left the locker room. The drive home was about as peaceful as one can be after a long day at work.

Alessia pulled into the lot, funny enough, catching you as you stepped out of your car with a takeaway bag. She kissed you, your favorite way to be greeted by the love of your life.

You swung her gym bag over your shoulder. "What did you get?"

"A protein bowl from that Japanese restaurant down the street and your usual."

Alessia grinned, pecking you on the cheek. "You're the best." You hummed tiredly, holding the door open for her. "I have to speak to you about something." You perked, thinking that she would finally be open about what's happening these few weeks.

"There's this thing, me and the girls are attending. It's obligated that we go but on the bright side, we can bring a plus one. So, darling will you be my plus one?"

You deflated, disappointed but smiled nonetheless. Setting the bag aside, wrapping an arm around her waist, "I would love nothing more. Now, let's eat up. I'm starving."

"It also has an all-white attire. So, no digging deep in your closet for your black suits, darling."

"Son of a bitch!"

"Damn, mami!"

Alessia fought back a smile as you exclaimed loudly, she placed her hand in your reaching one, unable to fight a growing grin any further. She squealed as you spun her, her dress flowing in the air. "You look so good. Are you trying to put me to shame?"

Alessia rolled her eyes, slapping your chest, passing over to the mirror to put on the finishing touches to her outfit. "You flatter me too much." You looked at your girlfriend through the mirror, clearly offended by her words.

"If this is too much, then I'm not doing a good job. Because my girl deserves all the compliments in the world."

You rested on her shoulder, Alessia applied her red lipstick, in your mind she did it too slowly. "You do an excellent job, my love. I can promise you that." Alessia handed you her necklace, beaming at the sight. It wasn't just any necklace, but a 23-karat diamond necklace. One of its kind, personally designed for her.

You gifted to her on your first anniversary, a token that she belonged to you, an object of your love for her.

You clipped it, staring intently as she stroked the diamonds around her neck. Alessia's eyes flickered up to you, blushing, instantly recognizing the emotion swirling in your eyes. You bowed down to kiss upon it, your gloss sticking to her neck painting it with the outline of your lips.

Alessia tilted her head to the side, eyes closing in bliss. You pulled her closer by the waist, your fingertips resting on the zipper. Alessia pulled away when she felt the dress loosen around her, "We can't." You huffed at her breathless words, drooping your forehead on her uncovered back.

"Why? No one will notice us missing."

"Kim will. She'll have me running laps next practice."

You rezip up Alessia's dress, creating some needed distance. "We can't have that now, can we? Let's get going before I rip that dress off." You led her out of the flat, focusing on the numbers as the elevator went.

Internally fighting the urge to drag Alessia back to bed and have your way with her.

You grunted, feeling the hovers of Alessia's fingers dancing across your chest as she played with the buttons on your shirt. You wore a white pantsuit, two out of five unbuttoned, revealing your cleavage and dog-tag.

You looked too good, the longer Alessia studied you, the more regret bubbled in her stomach. She jumped at the elevator chime, you chuckled removing her hand from your chest, intertwining them. 

You opened the car door for her, bending down to match her height as she sat in the passenger seat. The proclaimed passenger princess. "You gone a little quiet, Less." She ignored you, texting whoever was on the other end of the line.

You mockingly pouted, "Don't be bratty with me, love. You're the one who didn't want to take one for the team and run laps." You chuckled at Alessia's silence, walking to the driver side.

You cleared your throat, sipping on a glass of bourbon. Classical music played while businesswomen and men spoke as if they'd do any actual work outside this meaningless gathering. You scanned the room; blinded by the bright white all around. Not an interesting thing in sight.

You concluded that white parties sucked, and parties hosted by old men sucked even more. Them and their greedy ass money, you grimaced as the cheap liquor coated your throat, their inability to buy a good brand irked you.

You hid away in the corner with Alessia and her team, hanging off Alessia's shoulder like a piece of meat. You had no business being there, other than being her eye candy.

Usually, you'd be talking to Katie about her newly collection of red cards that never seemed to stay consistent, but she was too busy sucking up to her girlfriend and there was no way you'll get in the middle of that.

You prepared yourself as your eyes caught Kyra walking over after being shooed off by Leah, the mischievous smirk on her lips let you know that she found her next target, you.

Kyra plopped beside you, instantly ambushing you. You smacked Kyra's prying hands, "Kyra down! Down Kyra!" The little tussle wasn't fair, you refused to remove your arm from Alessia, but even with one hand, you were stronger than Kyra.

The younger girl ignored your demands, continuing her attempts to wrangle your drink out of your possession and into her mouth. "Kyra! I'll buy you a fucking drink! For fuck sakes!" Immediately, like an obedient puppy, Kyra unlatched herself from you, hands intertwined in her lap as she smiled innocently at you.

You whispered your departure to Alessia, well aware that you were doing everyone a favor by taking Kya away. "Follow me, you brat." She trailed behind you, sticking her tongue out at Steph when the older Australian caught her shadowing you to the bar.

As you left with the little troublemaker, the atmosphere in the Arsenal corner became a little calmer. Alessia giggled At Vic's story, the Dutch dodging the slap Alessia delivered, poking fun when she missed.

Vic's laughter died down as her eyes caught on something or someone. Alessia of her own subsided, curiosity knocked on her chest as Vic's body language changed into something Alessia couldn't identify.

"Less, is that the guy from the pub a few weeks back? The one who-"

Vic couldn't bring herself to finish, the effect still remained with Alessia, it was evident to all the girls. Alessia slowly and surely began to act like herself again, but the Arsenal girls knew better. They knew better than what Alessia was leading on.

She squinted as if it would help her see better through the vast crowd, a few bodies shuffled to the side revealing the reason for her all her recent troubles.

London was a big city, the percentage of running into the same people is less than one. The world had to be playing some sick joke on Alessia, as though it wanted blood to be spilled tonight. Something Alessia's been terribly trying to avoid.

Warmth drained out her system, suddenly everything felt chilly yet sweat lingered near her hairline. Alessia struggled to allow oxygen into her lungs, head snapping left and right,desperate to find you.

Vic tried to calm her, speaking in hush tones to get Alessia's attention. But it was useless, Vic called Leah over. Despite yelling for Leah, the entire team heard the urgency in her voice.

They rushed over, huddling over Alessia's shaking figure. Leah kneeled, cupping Alessia's face in her hands, coaching her through her panic. "Less! Alessia! Breath! Mate, breath!"

You shoved Kyra when she blew in your ear, rubbing the ticklish feeling away, never have you met someone so fearless of you. Granted everyone knew you wouldn't hurt Kyra despite her annoying antics. "You little shit, I swear-"

"Are you that MMA fighter? The Bloodhound, right?"

Kyra snickered, you pursed your lips giving her a look, one that meant that you're little fued wasn't over. You turned to the man in suit, he looked like every man in the room...dull. Can no man dress to save their life?

"Yeah, what's up?"

Kyra peeked over your shoulder, wanting a look at who took your attention away from her. Dread, that's all Kyra felt at the sight of him. She couldn't forget him, the bastard that hurt her best friend, someone you didn't know existed until now.

Kyra was aware of Alessia's severe desire to keep what had happened at her birthday celebration a secret.

Steph and Caitlin practically drilled it in her mind, not to slip up when you were around. Kyra didn't expect to see him again, no one did. But, to have him up front and center talking to you freely after what he had done to Alessia, sickened Kyra.

The Aussie searched for her teammates, hoping to catch someone's eye to tell them of the presence of their number one hit list. And Kyra did, however, it wasn't as she had hoped. Laura frenetically waved her over, pointing to you urgently.

"Do you mind if we took a picture?"

Before you could answer, Kyra wasted no time, pulling you away in the direction of her team. You let Kyra do as she pleased, taking in her hurried steps and anxious expression to mind. "Kyra, what-"

"Yn!"

You rushed past those in your way, cupping Alessia's face in your hands. Deja vu hit you like a truck, red teary eyes staring deep into your soul. You placed her on your lap, coaxing her to take deeper breaths. "I'm here, baby. I'm here."

You looked at the Arsenal women for answers, their troubled aura triggered the heap of anger lying underneath your skin. "What the hell happened?"

Some stared at you and Alessia with sorrow, others avoided your eyes, looking at literally anything else.

Out of everyone, the only person who had the galls to look you in the eyes was the captain herself. "Mate, it's not for us to say." Leah glanced over to Alessia, silently telling you that if you wanted answers it would have to come for her.

Leah loved Alessia like her own sister and she couldn't watch her be destroyed by what happened and as your friend, she couldn't allow you to suffer in the dark, clueless.

"Less?"

Alessia's refusal to meet your eyes remained, your jaw clenched. You loved her with all your being, but the anger brewing was too hot to handle. Everyone knew something you didn't, something regarding Alessia, and it didn't take a genius to know that it was serious.

"Alessia." Your voice stern, you were no longer allowing Alessia's excuses to fly over your head. Alessia shook her head, "Please. Please don't make me." Your heart clenched at her pleading, deep down you didn't want to pressure her, but she left you no choice.

"Alessia, what am I missing? What are they hiding? What are you hiding?"

Alessia looked at her friends for help, at the back of her mind, she knew they couldn't. But it was worth a try. Lia nods in encouragement, something so small but so powerful for Alessia.

She cradled your jaw, leaning in your ear, unwilling to see your murderous anger spiral to what she knows will end in crime scene.

The gunners observed as your face hardened, concern switched to rage in seconds. Your brows deepened, jaw and lip tight, what caught their attention was your clenched fists. Veins popped out from your arms to the back of your hand, knuckles ready to take some action.

Alessia pulled back, caressing your pale knuckles. Her lips moved but nothing was coming out of them. You couldn't hear her begging you to not do anything, you couldn't hear her tell you she loved you. You couldn't hear anything but your blood pumping in your ears.

You abruptly stood up, bringing Alessia up with you. You passed your fiance to the nearest person, Beth. "Get her out of here." You pecked Alessia's forehead, ignoring her calls for you to come back. You head to Katie, the sole person on the team who supported violence. "Where is he?"

Wordlessly, Katie pointed him out and what do you know? It's the same dude that asked you for a photo, you scoffed at the sheer audacity of men. You pushed past Katie, sidestepping Leah's hand.

You expertly navigated through the crowd, stalking up to him. Even at a distance, you could make out his figure, he was lean and scrawny, nowhere near your built physique.

You sized him up as you approached, just in time, he turned to notice you, overlooking the smoke coming out of your ears. "Hey! Back for that pic-" His words cut with a right hook to the cheek, and in no time, he dropped to the floor.

You climbed on top of him, balling his collar in your fist, the other delivering strike after strike.

The feeling of your knuckles connecting with his jaw was exhilarating, with every punch you imagine his bones cracking. You grunted as he fought against you, but he was weak.

The first blow was enough to knock him on his back, the countless you landed after offered multiple hospitalization conditions.

You yelled as you felt hands pulling you off. You shoved the random men off you, glaring them down as they took in your physical state. "Touch me again! I'll fuck all of you up!" You momentarily forgot that this was a sports event, the people surrounding you most likely knew who you were.

You watched recognition hit them now that you were in your true form. They heed your words standing back to let you do what you were trained to do. They couldn't save a man getting beaten, but they can definitely save themselves from you.

Huffing, you quickly grabbed the bleeding man by the throat, slamming him onto the bar. The sound of glass pierced everyone's ears, but you paid it no mind. Holding his upper body against the bar, smashing his face in.

You were aware that even your worst opponents didn't get this type of treatment, he was different. He touched your girl, he hurt her, and he was going to pay for it with his life. "Why did you touch her?! Huh?!" An answerless question, you didn't want an answer.

And it wasn't like you were going to get one, the amount of blood flooding his mouth limited him aside from his faint pleas for you to stop.

That only angered you further. "I'm gonna fucking kill you!" You let him fall to the floor once again, neglecting the slippery coat on your hands.

Alessia watched from afar as you mounted the stagnant body, repeatedly bashing his face. Beth tried to drag her out of the venue, but Alessia's too stubborn.

You did so much critical damage in a short span period, even from where she stood Alessia could see the blood streaks on the bar and floor. Leah took off first, Katie, Stina, and Steph following behind.

They all knew that you weren't going to let up any time soon and if you weren't stopped now. You were actually going to commit homicide.

Leah and Katie hook their arm around you, yanking you off. "That's enough! He's down!" It was a struggle for the two, you were too strong for them. Steph eventually aided in holding you back, and Stina helped push you four towards the exit.

Alessia quickly ran after you, the rest of the gooners chasing behind, unable to fight the curiosity to check the result of your wrath. When they got outside, they were met with you kicking a poor trash can into the road.

The four that dragged you out stood a safe distance away. The street bustling with dim lights and occasionally passing cars.

Alessia joined the four girls, knowing better than to interfere in your fit of rage when it was at its peak. Alessia studied your new appearance, growing breathless.

Hair ruffled; shirt wrinkled...stained with red patched. It was what Alessia was afraid of, you covered in red. You had blood splattered across your face; blood handprints swiped across your neck, your fists being the most coated.

You rubbed your hands together as if you were moisturizing, the blood quickly drying due to the cold night air. You sighed, a bit calmer now, muttering nonsense to yourself as you paced up and down the sidewalk.

Alessia took it as her cue to walk over, none of the gunners tried to stop Alessia. Wise enough to know that you would never hurt Alessia even in a foot of rage. "Baby. Baby." Her voice was soft, not to startle you.

Your wide eyes darted to her, unexpected by her presence. You were too lost in your fury to be conscious of your surroundings.

She tried to reach for you, but you retreated, shaking your head. "I'm okay, darling. You won't hurt me." You swallowed the lump in your throat, Alessia tried once more, pleased when you didn't move away.

She grabbed your hands, inspecting the cuts on your knuckles, it was hard to see but Alessia managed to pick out the open wounds.

She ignored the blood on her hands, roughly pulling you into a hug. The weighing of all these weeks came crashing down on Alessia, relief flooded her. However that relief was cut short by the sound of sirens, "We have to go! Now!"

Alessia balled the bloodied clothes, throwing them in the trash, it consisted of your entire outfit along with her dress. Its beauty gone as soon as another color tainted it.

Alessia didn't want a reminder of what happened tonight, even though it represented the degree you'd go for her. You nearly beat a man to death for her, guilt tormented Alessia.

The last thing she wanted was for you to run into problems because of her, Alessia roused from her mind upon hearing the water ceasing. Alessia walked into the bathroom, leaning against the doorway.

You sat in the tub, steam rising from the water. You held out your hand, silently offering her to join.

Alessia didn't think twice before she began stripping from her undergarments. She hissed at the heat, lowering herself deeper into the water until it reached her collarbones. Alessia rested back into you, your arms wrapped around her nude waist, burying your face in her neck.

You two sat in silence, embraced by the steam and contents of the hot water. There were no words to explain tonight, Alessia wasn't going to scold you and you weren't going to apologize. You both knew that tonight was needed for both your sanity.

When you passed Alessia over to Beth, the separation that you placed between you and her signified that you were going to do something she wouldn't like. Your attempts to get her out were for her sake, not yours. You weren't keen on her seeing the monster you become.

"I love you, you know that?"

Alessia rested her head back as you peppered kisses on her skin, her eyes fluttered open staring right in yours. Eyes that held love, more than she's ever seen in her life. "I know."

Alessia didn't need to say those three magic words back, you knew, you always knew. What you need to know is that if she knew. If she knew that you loved her more than the world could imagine. 

[sinnisterlight]

𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙮 by bts

wc: 2,313 emotional yearning with a side of emotionally constipated caleb please!

Caleb had always been like this. So oblivious it was almost a talent. Back in high school, girls would fall head over heels for him, and he wouldn’t even notice. Not a clue! And yet—he’d look at me with this softness, this quiet kind of attention that felt different. Obvious. Painfully obvious. To everyone but him. And somehow, it never changed. Years passed, and he’s still the same—still looking at me like that, still not realizing what it means.

Which brings us to today.

We were in his apartment in Skyhaven—Caleb, Gideon, and me—just hanging out, doing nothing and everything at once. Caleb had been buzzing around like usual, pouring tea for us like he’d been raised in a royal court, fussing over whether we were too cold or too warm, and teasing me about how I always stole his side of the couch. It was the kind of domestic comfort that made it really hard to remember we weren’t a couple.

Gideon, for once, was quiet. Watching. His eyes kept darting between me and Caleb, and I could almost hear the gears turning in his head. I knew that look. He was about to start some nonsense.

But then Caleb stood up and grabbed his jacket.

— I’m just gonna run to the store real quick, to make us dinner, shouldn’t take long. You two behave.

He gave us a grin and ruffled my hair—again with the hair—before heading to the door.

— Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, — he called over his shoulder.

The second the door clicked shut, I let out a long, dramatic sigh and sank down into a crouch, burying my face in my hands.

— How can he be so stupid!? — I groaned into my palms, muffled but loud enough for Gideon to hear.

I heard a low chuckle above me.

— I’ve been asking myself that for years.

I looked up at him, completely exasperated.

— It’s so obvious! I mean, you see it, right?

— Please, I’m not blind. The way you two act? I thought you were already dating until, like, ten minutes ago.

— Exactly! — I stood up, throwing my hands in the air. — He looks at me like I hung the stars, but he’ll never admit it. Never cross that line. He’s so sure we’re just friends.

Gideon leaned back on the couch, arms crossed, smirking.

— Honestly, I thought he was being subtle on purpose. You know, some kind of long game.

— Oh no. There is no game. That man genuinely believes “platonic cuddling” is a thing.

Gideon raised an eyebrow. — He cuddles you?

I narrowed my eyes. — He calls it “keeping me warm” and then drapes himself over me like a human blanket.

Gideon whistled, clearly amused. — Damn. He really is a lost cause.

— I’ve dropped every hint in the galaxy, and nothing. I could wear a shirt that says “I like you, idiot” and he’d probably say “nice shirt” and move on.

Gideon tilted his head, thoughtful. Then he smiled. That mischievous Gideon smile that always meant trouble.

— Well... what if we gave him a little push?

I folded my arms, suspicious. — What kind of push?

He grinned.

— Let’s see how he likes it if I start acting like he does with you. All the little touches, the inside jokes, the laughs. Let’s see if it finally hits him.

I blinked. — You want to pretend we’re each other?

— Not completely. Just... mirror the energy. Give him a taste of his own medicine.

I narrowed my eyes, then slowly, a wicked grin formed on my face.

— You’re evil.

— I prefer “brilliant.”

— Alright, but we keep it subtle. I’m not risking an actual scandal.

— Subtle is my middle name.

(Which was a lie, but I let it slide.)

And so, we waited.

ᯓ★

When Caleb came back, he pushed the door open with the ease of someone who lived in a constant state of mild chaos. One hand full of grocery bags, the other already reaching to close the door with his foot.

— I’m back—wow, what did I miss? You two look suspicious.

I was sitting closer to Gideon than usual. Not by much, just enough to make Caleb blink. Gideon was mid-laugh, and my hand was resting casually on his arm as if we were sharing some ridiculous inside joke.

— Oh, nothing, — I said, way too casually, as I leaned into Gideon’s shoulder just enough to make Caleb’s brow twitch. — We were just talking about that show I’m obsessed with. Turns out Gideon watches it too!

— You watch Starflame Eclipse: Rebirth? — Caleb asked, raising an eyebrow at Gideon as he carried the bags into the kitchen.

Gideon shrugged. — Guilty. Huge fan of the whole space-opera-messy-romance genre.

— I thought you said it was "galactic soap with laser guns." — Caleb peered at him from behind the kitchen counter.

— It is, — Gideon grinned. — But I love it.

I nodded enthusiastically, turning to Gideon with dramatic passion in my eyes. — Finally! Someone who gets it! The character arcs, the betrayal, the outfits—!

— The emotional damage, — Gideon added, dead serious. — The emotional damage, — I echoed, grabbing his hand in a mock solemn pact of pain.

Caleb dropped a spoon.

Just a spoon, but I heard it. And the silence that followed felt heavier than it should have.

He emerged from the kitchen with two mugs of tea, one for me and one for Gideon, his expression unreadable. Still that same polite calm, but I could see it—the micro-glitches in his routine.

He handed Gideon his mug first.

That never happened.

— So... when did you two start bonding over this? — he asked, walking around the couch to sit across from us, his voice light but edged with something else.

I tilted my head innocently. — Just now. It was fate.

Gideon took a sip of tea. — She was ranting about Episode 19 and I said “yeah, that scene wrecked me” and it was over.

I leaned into Gideon again, giving Caleb a sweet, almost teasing smile. — Honestly, I feel so seen.

Caleb nodded slowly, his gaze flicking between us. — Yeah. That’s... great. Glad you finally found someone who understands your weird obsession.

There it was. The smallest frown. The barely-there shift in tone. A flash of something he didn’t recognize in himself.

I bit back a smile. Step one: successful confusion.

Then Gideon turned it up a notch. He bumped my knee with his, then looked at me and said, completely deadpan: — Want to rewatch that scene later? I’ve got tissues ready.

— You know the way to my heart, — I sighed dramatically, hand over chest.

Caleb inhaled slowly and stood up, stretching as if he just so happened to need a moment. — I’ll uh... be in the kitchen. Yell if you need anything.

He walked away, but not before shooting one last look over his shoulder. His eyes flicked to where my hand still rested lightly on Gideon’s knee.

Gideon waited until he was out of earshot before whispering:

— He totally noticed.

I grinned, wickedly pleased. — Told you.

And so, Operation Make-Caleb-Feel-It had officially begun.

ᯓ★

Gideon leaned in slightly when Caleb disappeared toward the back of the apartment again, pretending to inspect a cereal box or something equally unimportant.

— You should go grab some napkins or something, — he said under his breath, far too casual. — Y’know… kitchen’s probably missing you.

I shot him a look, but he was already grinning.

— You’re enjoying this way too much.

— Can you blame me? This is the best kind of drama—other people’s.

I sighed, stood up, and made a show of stretching.

— I’ll go get some napkins, I guess, — I said just loud enough for Caleb to hear.

I found him in the kitchen, leaning over the counter, reorganizing grocery bags like he was prepping for war. He was a little too focused on flattening a tea box.

— Need help? — I asked, already opening the drawer where I knew he kept the napkins.

— You? — he said without looking up. — I thought you’d be too busy bonding with your new soul-twin over space soap operas and dramatic kisses.

I froze for a second, napkin in hand. Was that… jealousy?

— Wow, — I said, raising an eyebrow. — That’s a very specific summary.

He finally turned, leaning back against the counter with his arms crossed. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes… they were trying to read me.

— Just saying. You two looked pretty cozy. I didn’t know you liked Gideon that much.

— We’re getting along, that’s all. He’s funny. Easy to talk to. You know that.

— Sure. A pause. — Just… didn’t know you two were that close.

The way he said it—it wasn’t sharp. It wasn’t cold. But it lingered. Like something he didn’t understand and didn’t quite like.

I shrugged, placing the napkins on the island.

— I mean, I thought you’d be happy. I’m finally making friends in Skyhaven.

— I am happy, — he said immediately. But something in his voice didn’t match.

— It’s just... you’ve always been mine, you know?

Silence.

I blinked.

So did he.

— Wait— I mean, not mine mine. Not like that— I just meant—like—my person. You’ve always been... around. With me. You get it, right?

He looked at me with that face. The one he used when he’d pass me his jacket without asking. When he’d wait up just so I wouldn’t walk home alone. When he’d remember things I said once, a long time ago, and pretend it wasn’t a big deal.

He didn’t say it. But he did it. Always.

— Yeah, — I said softly. — I get it.

Our eyes held for a beat too long.

Then he cleared his throat, breaking the moment.

— Anyway. I got that tea you like.

He handed it to me like nothing had just happened. Like he hadn’t casually dropped an emotional grenade.

I took it, my fingers brushing his, and smiled. — Thanks.

From the living room, Gideon called out, — Are the napkins made of silk or what?

Caleb smiled, too. Still unaware of why his chest suddenly felt tight.

I left the kitchen with the napkins in hand, my thoughts a mess of Caleb's voice echoing in my head — you’ve always been mine — and the way he’d said it like it meant nothing when it meant everything.

I handed the napkins to Gideon and gave him a look that probably said more than it should.

— I’m gonna go to the bathroom real quick, — I said, more distracted than I meant to.

Gideon raised an eyebrow but nodded, tossing me a silent “good luck with your feelings” look as I slipped down the hall.

The moment the bathroom door clicked shut, Caleb stepped back into the room. He carried two bowls with chips, one in each hand — his usual distraction tactic.

Gideon didn’t look up at first, just accepted one of the bowls when Caleb handed it over.

— Thanks, Captain. You survived napkin duty?

— Barely, — Caleb muttered, settling onto the couch.

A moment passed in silence. Then:

— She seems… comfortable with you. Lately.

Gideon smirked, not bothering to look subtle about it.

— Comfortable? Is that your word for it?

Caleb frowned slightly, eyes flickering toward the hallway as if he could see through walls.

— Just... she’s different around you. And you’re different with her.

— Maybe she just finally realized I’m charming as hell. He took a long sip of his tea. — Why? Bother you?

Caleb scoffed, too quick.

— No. Just noticing. That’s all.

Gideon leaned back, eyeing him over the rim of his mug. — Huh. And here I thought you’d be relieved she had someone else watching over her for once.

That hit something.

Caleb shifted slightly, brows knitting.

— What’s that supposed to mean?

Gideon tilted his head, considering. Then, lightly:

— It means you’ve been acting like her personal guardian angel since forever, but the moment someone else steps in — someone she laughs with, someone she leans on — you start asking questions.

Caleb didn’t answer. Not right away.

Gideon leaned forward a bit, tone softer but still teasing:

— You’re not jealous, are you?

Caleb’s eyes narrowed, defensive out of instinct more than certainty.

— Of course not.

Gideon raised both hands in surrender.

— Alright, alright. Just checking. A pause. — I mean, I’d get it. If I were in your shoes… and I saw her with someone else, I might start realizing a few things.

Caleb stared at him. Not angry. Just… lost in thought.

And that was new.

Very new.

ᯓ★

By the time I came back from the bathroom, they were both pretending like they hadn’t just paused the world in my absence.

Caleb was back on the couch, legs sprawled in that effortless way of his, tea mug balanced on his knee like he didn’t have a single intrusive thought in his life. Gideon, on the other hand, was biting the rim of his cup and definitely not making eye contact with me.

— Took you long enough, — Caleb said without looking up.

— There was a line, — I answered, settling next to Gideon. Or trying to.

But just as I was about to sit down beside him, Caleb shifted—very subtly, but deliberately—patting the empty spot between him and the armrest.

— Hey. Come sit here. It’s your show, isn’t it?

He wasn’t even looking at me when he said it. Just kept his eyes on the screen, casual. Too casual.

I blinked.

Gideon blinked.

I slowly turned to look at him, already halfway onto the cushion next to him.

Gideon, still mid-sip, caught my expression and followed my gaze to Caleb’s hand, still tapping the space next to him like I hadn’t just made a perfectly reasonable choice to sit anywhere else.

Then he saw Caleb’s face — calm, steady, but with the tiniest twitch at the corner of his mouth — and that was it.

Gideon choked on his tea.

— You good? — I asked, concerned.

— Peachy, — he wheezed, coughing into his sleeve and turning slightly away, clearly fighting for his life not to burst out laughing.

I hesitated, then stood back up slowly and walked over to Caleb, who, by now, had finally looked up at me with the most innocent pair of eyes I’d ever seen on a man who’d just marked his territory with a cushion.

He tilted his head.

— You are obsessed with episode 19, aren’t you? Thought you’d want the best seat.

I narrowed my eyes.

— I was fine where I was.

He shrugged, eyes sparkling with something dangerous.

— I wasn’t.

Gideon made a noise that might have been another cough or might have been a muffled laughing into his hoodie sound. Hard to tell.

I sat down slowly, still watching Caleb.

He didn’t even try to hide the smile that curled at the corner of his mouth.

And for the first time in a long time…

…I wasn’t sure if I was the one playing games anymore.

We’d barely made it ten minutes into the episode when I felt it — Caleb shifting just slightly closer to me. Not enough to make it obvious, but enough that I noticed the way our arms nearly touched. The way his shoulder leaned just a little toward mine whenever he laughed at a scene.

He wasn’t usually this... still. Or quiet. Caleb was always commenting, always gesturing, always doing. But tonight, he seemed content to just be there, next to me. Eyes flickering to mine every now and then like he was checking to see if I noticed.

I did.

Gideon, sitting to the side with his mug now cold, was watching both the screen and us. Less focused on the drama playing out in episode 19, and much more focused on the slow, subtle drama playing out right in front of him.

When Caleb reached for the blanket draped over the back of the couch and, without asking, gently placed it over my legs like it was the most normal thing in the world, I didn’t say anything.

But Gideon choked for the second time that night.

— You okay? — Caleb asked, turning toward him without moving the rest of his body, like even his attention had a radius now, limited to whoever was within touching distance.

— Yeah, I just… remembered I have to be up early. — Gideon stood abruptly, leaving his mug on the table. — Super early. Painfully early. In fact, I’m late for being early.

I raised an eyebrow.

— You’re spending the night.

— Not anymore. I wouldn’t want to, uh... interrupt your soap-based bonding ritual. Besides—he flashed Caleb a grin—seems like you’ve got things under control.

Caleb looked mildly confused, which only made Gideon smile wider.

— Anyway. Goodnight, lovebirds.

And with that, he grabbed his jacket and keys, and was out the door before either of us could stop him.

The door clicked shut behind him.

Silence.

I turned back to the screen, pretending my heart wasn’t pounding in my ears. Caleb stayed quiet for a beat longer before murmuring:

— He’s acting weird tonight.

I didn’t dare look at him when I said:

— You think so?

He hummed.

— You’re not cold, are you? — Not really. But he still tugged the blanket up, brushing his hand against mine and letting it stay there for just a second too long.

Then he shifted again.

Not closer this time — actually, a little farther. He leaned his head back, staring up at the ceiling with a loud, dramatic sigh that came out of nowhere.

— I don’t get it.

I blinked.

— Get what?

He stayed like that, eyes still pointed upwards, like the answers were written on the ceiling tiles.

— You and Gideon.

Oh. So that’s what this was.

I stayed quiet, because something in his voice told me this wasn’t a casual question.

— You barely know him, but suddenly you’re watching shows together and laughing at everything he says, and going to the kitchen for, what, serviettes together like it’s some kind of secret mission—

— Are you... jealous?

The words slipped out of me before I could stop them. Not teasing. Not light. Just… honest.

His head snapped toward me so fast I half expected whiplash.

— What? No. No. I just think—he’s not as funny as you pretend he is, that’s all.

I raised an eyebrow.

— Caleb.

— And he always acts like he knows everything about you, but he doesn’t. Not really. He just met you. He doesn’t know that you always skip the opening theme if you’re sad, or that you pretend to hate rom-coms but always rewatch the same three when you’re sick. He doesn’t know you freeze when you're anxious or that you bite the inside of your cheek when you’re holding back something. He doesn’t know—

He stopped. Too late.

The room went quiet again, but this time it felt loaded. Breathing felt different.

I turned toward him slowly.

— You notice those things?

He blinked. Then looked down at his hands like they’d just betrayed him in a court of law.

— Of course I do, — he muttered, softer. — I’ve always noticed.

My throat felt tight.

— Then why do you always act like you don’t?

He rubbed the back of his neck, as if trying to physically erase the words out of the air.

— Because if I let myself act like I do— he hesitated, then looked at me, finally, really looked. — I wouldn’t know how to stop.

I stared at him.

He wasn’t joking.

He wasn’t playing dumb.

He looked… terrified.

My heart ached. Ached in that stubborn, beautiful way only he could make it ache.

And still, he managed to sound defensive when he added:

— And maybe I didn’t like the way he looked at you.

— Why?

— Because you looked back.

Silence again.

And then—

— What if I told you, I only did it to make you jealous?

His jaw clenched, and he sat up a little straighter.

— I’d say you succeeded.

— And if I told you it wasn’t just to tease you?

That finally made him pause.

He stared at me like he was trying to figure out if he was dreaming. Then, voice hoarse:

— Then I’d ask what it meant.

I swallowed.

— You already know what it means.

He leaned in, slow and unsure, like he was waiting for a trap to spring.

— Say it anyway.

So I did.

And this time, he didn’t move away.

Caleb's breath caught, his eyes flickering between mine like he was trying to decide whether to keep holding back or just... let go.

I could feel the weight of it — the years of quiet feelings he’d buried, the distance he’d kept, the way he had always tried to pretend like none of this mattered.

But it did. And I needed him to know it.

I reached out, hesitating for a moment, before placing my hand on his chest. His heartbeat was strong, steady, and it made the room feel warmer, closer.

— Caleb... — I whispered, almost as if the word itself was enough to pull him back from whatever distant place he had been hiding in.

He swallowed, his eyes still wide, and his lips parted like he had something to say. But nothing came out.

And that was when I realized.

He wasn’t going to move.

So, I did.

I closed the distance between us in one slow, almost deliberate motion, until the air between us was too thin to hold anything back. I leaned in, and my breath mingled with his, the warmth of his lips so close, yet still an eternity away.

— I don’t want you to pretend anymore, Caleb, — I murmured, my voice barely a whisper. — I want you to feel what I feel.

And then, with all the courage I could muster, I pressed my lips against his.

It was soft at first, just a gentle meeting of lips, as if he couldn’t quite believe it was real. His hands came up to cradle my face, pulling me in closer, deepening the kiss as his uncertainty melted away.

I could feel him smile against my lips, and it made my heart flutter.

When we finally pulled away, his forehead rested against mine, and he was breathing heavily, like he’d just run a race.

— You’re sure? — he asked, his voice rough and vulnerable, something I rarely heard from him.

I nodded, a soft laugh escaping me.

— I’ve been sure for a long time, Caleb.

And then, as if on cue, his puppy eyes returned — soft, warm, full of something sweet and terrifying all at once. He smiled, his thumb gently brushing over my cheek.

— I’m a mess, aren’t I? — he said, and I couldn’t help but laugh softly.

— Just a little, — I teased, my hand reaching for his, holding it tightly.

He chuckled, shaking his head as if he couldn’t quite believe everything that was happening.

— So, what now? — he asked, still with that hint of uncertainty in his voice.

I smiled, tracing a line down his arm, feeling his muscles tense under my touch.

— Now? Now, we just… see where this goes. Together.

He grinned, his eyes lighting up in a way I hadn’t seen before.

— Together, huh? That sounds pretty good.

And for the first time in a long time, I felt like everything was excatly where it was meant to be.

[redeyeyuna]

WWDITS is not comparable with SPN or Sherlock

So, I did a little dive into Supernatural and BBC Sherlock. I had never seen the shows and only had a superficial view of what they were about (it is just not my cup of tea). After I read a few summaries and watched video essays, I can understand more why so many ppl were disappointed by the way the Dastiel and Johnlock ships were treated. It was absolutely awful, disrespectful and literally textbook queerbaiting. It is completely understandable that many queer viewers have become more critical of queer representation in the media as a result after they saw this.

But nevertheless, I think it is absolutely not valid to equalize What We Do in the Shadows with Supernatural or Sherlock.

SPN and Sherlock are both serious shows with random comedy influences. When queer characters appear, they are supporting characters, always portrayed as threatening or evil and/or are dying. There is a general mocking of being gay: whether it's a male demon in SPN killing other men with his kiss or the running gag in Sherlock that John Watson always has to say that he is not gay when someone asks him about a possible relationship with Sherlock Holmes.

WWDITS is a queer silly comedy show. All main characters are openly queer and the show makes fun of everything and everyone without attacking the queerness of the characters. And yet WWDITS also manages to use serious queer scenes, such as the heartbreaking coming out of Guillermo to his family.

And the sex scenes/mouthkisses in WWDITS are ALL to be seen as funny, whether same-sex or not (except for the kiss between Charmaine and Seanie – that was cute!).

When Jeremy has sex with one of the vampires, the joke is that the other vampires do not wanted to eat him anymore cause of his lost of his virginity. Nandor and Gail hump in a silly position on the hotel floor, which looks anything but passionate. Nadja and Laszlo crash into the floor while fucking on the sofa. The guide is hitting on Guillermo madly, which he obviously doesn't want. They make fun of Nandor and Marwa about Nandor coming too early (we all know why), Laszlo fucks Dolly-Nadja and Colin while they are both inside Vamp-Nadja's body at the same time, and the Monster fucks a fucking stuffed bear. Oh, and not to forget the kiss between Evie and Colin to suck energy and the silly tongue kiss between Colin and Nadja, etc...

WWDITS is thoroughly insane and hilarious, with morally questionable and fucked up characters who are all queer. This fact is never ridiculed or questioned! It is integrated into the show.

I agree that the homoerotic tension between the ships Destiel, Johnlock and Nandermo and the “will they, won't they” style are very similar and kind of comparable.  All three shows even have other characters who think they are a couple despite them not being together. In WWDITS, however, the subtext between Nandor and Guillermo is so obvious and jumps out at viewers that it is actually no longer subtext.

Unlike Destiel and Johnlock, we know that Nandor and Guillermo BOTH have feelings for each other, without either of them having to officially tell the other or anyone else. It was made clear so often in this show, right up to the very last scene of the final episode , where it was confirmed that they having a thing when the cameras are off and they just disappear into the secret underground lair together.

Of course, it would have been nice if Nandor and Guillermo had admitted their feelings to each other on camera. And I can understand that many were disappointed that this did not happen. But as has been said by so many others, that would simply be out of character.

And considering the style of WWDITS and the fun, wacky sex scenes, would that fit Nandermo? No! Would a serious passionate scene or even sex scene suit Nandermo? Yes! But that would break with the rest of the show's style. The writers knew what they were doing and they make fun of everything else and not about queer representations. Quite the opposite. We know that Guillermo has a problem even saying sexual things on camera and Nandor has a problem to admitt his feelings. So why should they choose to act out this sensitive topics on camera?

This also has nothing to do with Guillermo being fat. He is openly portrayed as a hot and desirable character (in case it wasn't visually clear to anyone anyway). He really nails it as a vampire slayer and several characters have a crush on him: a girl from the Celeste-Familar Clan in Season 2, the guide, Laszlo when he thought Guillermo was talking about his penis, Laszlo's father and of course NANDOR with many of his typical hints.

Stupid comments are made about all the characters, vampire or not, which should never be taken seriously. Guillermo is said to „look like an ork“ (which was just a failed attempt at flirting by Nandor anyway), Laszlo is the “king of pigs“, Nandor has an “ugly man bun” and Nadja has sat on her dolly with her “big ass”, etc.

And regarding Nandors comment in the Newhart Hypnosis „We were fucking each other all the time but not with you, Guillermo“: This is Nadjas hypnosis. Of course she is teasing. Nandor also said in that hypnosis that Nadja would be „more clever than him“. And she's actually right. Guillermo never was and wanted to be involved in an orgy. However, this does not exclude that Guillermo had Sex just with Nandor anyway, if Nadja even would be certainly sure about that.

WWDITS is a lovable show that manages to combine queerness and comedy. It is absolutely not comparable to SPN or Sherlock. These two shows were primarily intended for a heterosexual audience and were supposed to attract queer viewers with queerbait to increase the ratings. WWDITS was labelled as a queer show from second one and is in a completely different genre. And yes, even though there are mostly f/m relationships in WWDITS, the show is still queer.

I'm not saying that WWDIT is free of mistakes. No show is perfect. But the accusation of queerbait, that the creators would hate their queer audience or that the ending of Nandermo would be worse than Destiel is absolutely out of place.

If a straight viewer watches the series without realizing that there is something going on between Nandor and Guillermo, then that's because of the personal view of the person themselves. I've also seen posts saying that some straight ppl were surprised by Blackbonnet's kiss in OFMD... So there will always be ppl who can't recognize queer relationships in shows/films, even if it's right under their noses (Reference intended).

It's okay to dislike the finale, I just think it's sad to break down the whole show so negatively just because the ending was not that was has been expected. WWDITS doesn't deserve that.

[concreteangel92]

Noah With A Witch Girlfriend

Noah Sebastian x female reader

Warnings: none, all fluff

A/N: so I wanted to do something a bit different to what I’ve seen on here before and I thought a headcanon about Noah having a partner who practices witchcraft was such an interesting concept due to his upbringing and it’s also something very close to my heart haha hope you all enjoy 🖤

Masterlist

•although Noah was never a believer in witchcraft, he was open to learn from you as to why you do it and what it was all about

•would definitely find it fascinating comparing it to religion and seeing the similarities (of course you’ll tell him that it all comes from the pagans)

•loves watching your eyes light up when you talk about it

•Noah would soon have a new found respect for magic and its history

•but he will definitely crack the odd joke here or there but means no harm with them

• “you going to curse me if I piss you off?”

• “don’t tempt me”

•when you tell him that you work with your spirit guides/angels/universe (or whatever you prefer to call them) you know he’ll be making jokes like “so if I work with you, does that make you my angel?”

•corny jokes aside, you know he’s only teasing you

•he would soon perk up when you tell him that sex can be very powerful in spell work

•he’d be more then willing to help, I mean, what are good boyfriends for right? 😏

•if you gave him a tarot reading and it came true, of course he’ll try and find a logical explanation first

•Noah would also do that when any of your spells have worked, but you can definitely see the shock in his eyes at the outcome for whatever spell you’ve done

•he’d love to watch you work at your alter and loves how it looks and how personal it is for you

•would definitely buy you gifts and crystals, etc for your alter

•after some time he may even be inclined to join you in some of your work

•he’ll offer to cleanse the house for you to show that he’s learning

•he would definitely join you for meditation or your ritual baths to cleanse your energy/aura

•if it’s important to you, it’s important to him

•gets defensive at people who may laugh or make fun of you for doing it

•he will always have your back, no matter what

•I have no doubt you’d catch him reading some of your books, man loves to read and learn, this would be no different

•would also love the personal gifts you give him such as protection jars, crystals, amulets to ward off the evil eye, etc

•“Babe, why do we have so many empty jars in this cupboard, are they to be thrown?”

•“Leave them be!”

•Noah soon learns that a witch never throws good jars out

•in time Noah would ask you for certain spells for luck with the band or a project he’s working on

• “can’t hurt to have the extra luck right?”

•and you never know, you may just make a believer out of him yet ✨

[tawneybel]

YANDERE CARLOS WIP

Request: “yandere carlos oliveira resident evil 2 [sic] remake x neutral reader?” I hurt my hand/wrist, so here’s a WIP. Suggestive, haven’t gotten to the really NSFW yet. This part might get rewritten for the final draft if the rest diverges too much. 

Imagine trying to pinpoint when Carlos became obsessed with you. 

Carlos trailed you like Nemesis after Jill. You got the feeling he’d knock down walls if he could. It wasn’t stalking. Because you needed to be with him. For your own safety. That was something you both wordlessly agreed on. So you were always going to be together. Neither of you knew that yet, but Carlos was starting to warm up to the idea. 

“Hey! Fuckface!”

Later that night, after your tryst, after Carlos retroactively decided it’d been love at first sight, you decided against joking that’d been directed at you. “Fuckface” could be an apt nickname. But you didn’t want him to start thinking your face was his personal fleshlight. Or pillow. Being used that way sent a jolt of pleasure down past your waist. 

Only later would you come to regret being seen by Carlos. After hitting Nemesis with the rocket launcher, the mercenary’s eyes met yours. You were clearly not the target. You were just trying to help your… What was Jill to you? A roommate? Friend? God, he hoped she was just a friend. You pointed your chin at her, forced yourself to smile gratefully, and got to your feet. 

How were you not even singed? Well, he could check your skin for burns later. Right now you wanted him to help her. 

“Name’s Carlos and I’m saving you!” 

He had an easygoing way about him, even in an emergency. Even when it became clear there was some siphoning darkness in his heart, Carlos was charm personified. 

The two of you supported Jill until all three of you were underground. In the subway. It was hard to carry on a convo when everyone was trying not to stumble on the endless steps, Carlos carrying a rifle while you both helped Jill descend.  

“We’ve been bringing survivors here.” 

Jill finally caught her breath and stood unsupported. “‘Here’ where?” 

“My guys have converted some subway cars into a shelter,” he answered, checking to make sure nothing came down the stairs. He nodded at you and Jill, but made to put his arm around her shoulder again.  

“I’m fine.”

“Personal space. OK. I get it. Let’s go.” It came out jovial enough. Carlos didn’t want Jill to think he was hitting on her. Somehow he hadn’t been able to “accidentally” brush his hand against yours when assisting her, though. If she was a rival, maybe it would’ve been better to let that behemoth take her. Sure, Carlos’s cute new crush would be traumatized. But with Raccoon City burning and infested with the hungry dead, well, he’d love to be the shoulder you cried on.

“I don’t have an issue with personal space,” you joked. It just slipped out. The mood drastically needed lightening. A rocket launcher might not be enough to take down that thing hunting Jill. You wanted to make a joke about Nemesis’s feet being too big to take the steps; he’d have to roll down. 

That phrase was all Carlos needed to hear. He tapped your forearm and you smiled for the second to last time that night.

“Let’s go.”

Before obeying, you spotted the vending machine. Carlos shouted at you to be careful while you gingerly moved your hand past the broken glass. 

Out of reflex, you took his hand. Your vice-like grip. It didn’t bother him. 

“Sorry, Carlos. I’m just… It’s just really scary out there. And I thought you might need to replenish your energy.”

You loosen your grip and he squeezes your hand reassuringly, thanking you. 

Jill questioned Carlos on that monster. That’s what she called it. “That monster.” Personally, it made you think of a troll or some other humanoid from folklore. It probably didn’t calcify in the sunlight, though. Then you remembered the tentacles. How could you forget? They were scary as fuck. Why were they even there?

“...it’s no zombie, it knows what it wants and won’t stop till it gets it. Don’t you like that in a man?”

“Normally,” you responded to Carlos. You shared a smile behind his back. “That’s not Jill’s type, though.”

“He’s all yours,” she added, also directed at Carlos. 

______ liked the persistent type. Great. And if he’d looked over his shoulder, he would have caught you shamelessly checking out his backside. 

“Look, I promise you’re in good hands. I’m with the Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service. U.B.C.S. for short.”

Uh oh, you thought, a split second before fantasizing that Umbrella Corps gave butt plugs with their logo to their top employees. Any chance of Jill being taken in by this smooth talker was nil.  

“Are you kidding me? Are you fucking kidding me?! You guys are the ones who caused all this!”

Carlos woah’d four times. “What are you talking about? You don’t have to trust me, but we’re going to the shelter.” He opened the door to the subway’s station. “You comin’?”

Replaying that exchange in your mind later, you realized that if Jill had been outwardly angrier, she would have been a dead woman. Despite her tone, Jill’s body language hadn’t changed as she descended that penultimate flight of stairs. S.T.A.R.S. agent or not, Carlos only saw her as useful in the sense you liked her. Platonically. How would he have excused his actions to his fellow U.B.C.S. soldiers?

Following him to the train car, you let Jill hang back a moment. Something felt off. Maybe it was the creepy posters. Normally you’d be all over a Skull Stalker double feature. Trying to keep your friend safe from a real stalker quelled that desire. 

“Hey, Captain. ______ and this fine young lady could use our help.”

The peculiar introduction didn’t escape your notice. Mikhail, as he was about to introduce himself, nodded at you before admonishing his underling for not asking Jill her name. Turns out he knew of Officer Valentine. Carlos’s proximity also didn’t escape your notice. Despite the fact you were a civilian, neither he nor Mikhail expected you to join the others. You listened to the rest of the conversation on your feet. The other three were sitting down, or in Carlos’s case kneeling. 

Probably practicing proposing, you mused, unaware how not far off the mark you were.  

“...hey, it’s cool, we all want the same thing,” he said, dragging you out of your thoughts with a glance. 

“Alright, supercop,” he addressed Jill. “Here you go. We can use this to stay in contact.”

“I know what a radio is.”

And so Jill returned to the surface. Concluding the prologue of your romance with Carlos Oliveira. 

[myokk]

The Babbit siblings, Leonard & Eloise 🫶

Info about their dynamics/more about Leo:

This is also super dramatic😆 idk what sort of mood I was in when I made all of this up🙏

He’s one year older than Eloise. Ever since she was born, he’s been fiercely protective of her and loves her so much. His first year at Hogwarts, he kept sending her long letters about how amazing it was and how he was excited to show her everything the following year (even though it was all but assumed she was a squib, he still believed she would show magic & be admitted). Leonard was going to be such a proud big brother😭😭 not embarrassed about her at all but showing her off etc😭😭😭😭 The summer after his first year was the worst of his life. It was the summer Eloise was exiled from their family….he witnessed the whole thing…their mom completely lost it (á la Bellatrix) and would have killed Eloise if their father hadn’t intervened on time (but their father had watched and let it get to that point😔). Leo was left alone with a dying little sister and he didn’t know how to help her….he’d only JUST finished his first year of Hogwarts…and then she was taken away and their parents pretended like she had never existed. He had to as well…what else could a 12-year-old who’d been taught by birth to obey his parents do??

(it was IMPOSSIBLE to forget her…and yet he had to try bc the parents are really manipulative and emotionally abusive…and he was always raised to be the perfect son) And then when he returned to Hogwarts…he saw two twins who were also quiet and reminded him a lot of his sister. Their parents had just died and he kind of put his energy that he had been going to use to show Eloise everything etc into them and he became really close with them & Ominis. He and Ominis were also close because they have some experiences in common & honestly at the end of the day there isn’t that much difference in their ages) But then…after Anne was cursed Leo was DEVASTATED. He was going to lose another girl who was like a sister to him….bc of his parents he had never told them about Eloise (nobody except their family knew about her existence) and so he and Sebastian got into a HUGE fight. Because Sebastian had never heard of Eloise, when he saw that Leo was just as devastated as HE was… there was just no way that Leo could understand what he was going through, and Leo had no right to be affected as much as HE WAS😤

Like the dumb teenage boys they are, they couldn’t deal with their big emotions (Leo is also a lot like Eloise in that aspect probably bc of their parents…pushing away any uncomfortable emotions instead of dealing with them, until it builds and builds and he just explodes when they’re too much) and he and Sebastian took it out on each other and instead of talking they had a duel that almost killed each other😤😭😤😭 ever since then they’ve hated each other with a passion.

Pffffffff Eloise had no idea….she was really getting along with Sebastian but also wasn’t saying her last name at all and so the two of them had already started to kind of be friends before Sebastian found out that she was LEO’S SISTER😫😤😤 then he hated her too!! Bc he thought that she was in with her brother and they had worked together to TRICK HIM like a little evil inside joke…playing with Sebastian and his emotions like the previous yesr😔😔😔 (Obviously wasn’t the case, Sebastian just jumps to conclusions without thinking which is ALSO what happened when he and Leo had their huge fight😤)

But yeah now that Eloise is back Leo doesn’t know what to do….he recognized her immediately when she walked in the Great Hall to be sorted…🤯🤯 but he isn’t good with feeling emotions and neither is she and neither of them know how to recreate the close relationship they had as children😫😫

Leo is serious, quiet, bad with emotions, but when he lets someone in they are a part of his life forever (yes even Sebastian the dumbass)

Some excerpts from my fic that involve Leo 💓 it’s Eloise/Sebastian alternating POV, so this is all Eloise’s perspective:

“Leo had changed since Eloise last saw him. Of course he had, she thought to herself. It had been five years, after all. The same unruly black curls, same eyes. And yet…he almost seemed a stranger to her. He was taller, face more angular and defined than it had been at thirteen. Voice deeper. But, the expression of vulnerability and guilt written all over his face was something she recognized well. It was the same expression that he had the last time he saw her, the face she sometimes saw before falling asleep. Just as quickly as it flashed across his face however, it was gone, hidden behind a stony exterior. His expression hardened and he sat down just as quickly as he had stood up, averting his eyes. The students sitting around him were looking between the two of them curiously but before Eloise could begin to process this new situation, she felt a gentle push on her shoulder.”

“Her relationship with her brother had always had an undercurrent of fear running through it. No matter how hard she tried as a child, there was always something she had done wrong, and Leo was always there to protect her. Or try to, anyway. The two of them had always lived under the shadow of their parents’ abuse and didn’t know any other way of relating to each other.

But here, with Anne, Leo was murmuring apologies into her hair as she cried, reassuring and comforting her in a way he had never been able to with his own sister.

Eloise felt sick. Sick at seeing them, sick at her own jealousy. Had Leo replaced her with Anne - that year when Eloise was supposed to join Hogwarts - to try and cover the bitter disappointment of not being able to proudly show off his younger sister? They had spent so many nights that summer before her Hogwarts letter never came, sneaking out to the garden late at night, Leo reassuring her that she would be fine and telling her about all of the magic and wonder at Hogwarts that was waiting for her. He promised her that she could sit with him on the train, that he wouldn’t be embarrassed by her.

And then…

Turning away from the two of them, Eloise headed towards the apples. She hated the emotions roiling around inside of her. She should be happy. She had saved Anne, and now things were going to go back to normal, how they were before she arrived. Eloise trailed her hand on the back of the couch, trying to focus on the feeling of soft velvet, calm her racing emotions.”

If you read all of this….You’re amazing & I love you🥹💓🥹💓 tbh I have MORE about the two of them & their family, but this was already getting so long😵‍💫