#Lions Breath Carts

[werewulvs]

ill never forget when carts were first a thing ppl make jokes now about hitting "the mario cart" or "gas station carts" but back in the day tht was all there was. had me doing like a catholic cross on myself before hitting the "LIONS BREATH ULTRA CCELL EXTREME LUNG SMASHER INDICA" cart and coughing so hard i threw up bc all carts were just some jit scraping reclaim and syringing it into ccells

[austinbutlerslovers]

Lazy Day 69

Label Mature 18+

Austin returns home to you from an extensive international Masters of the Air press tour exhausted. He is so tired he lays on the couch all day just enjoying your company. Once he regains his strength he sets all his intentions on sexually gratifying you in a unique way a 69.

Established relationship girlfriend

Domestic bliss • fingering•69 (oral/ hand /male/female) •double simulation sex•suffocation• double cum eating• after care

Inspo: Private DM

lol this is so wild I will try to piece it all together 😂🙏🏻

📍 Austins house, Los Angeles CA

Lazy Day 69

You had Austin all to yourself again after a week of him being away for work. You were both in the living room of his Los Angeles house. He was laying comfortably on the couch resting with his hand across his abdomen as he watched TV.

He had just finished his press tour for Masters of the Air. Traveling from London to New York and finally back to Los Angeles. This was his first day home and he was completely exhausted. He would be starting his Dune press tour in 3 days heading to Mexico to start the rounds all over again

He wanted to do absolutely nothing but lay on the couch with the remote in his hand. He made it very clear to you in the morning after you showered and brushed your teeth together that he would be highly uneventful today. It made you smile as you wrapped your arms around him while he stood at the sink, he could entertain you with just a look.

He turned in your arms breaking your hold on him to hold you in instead. You looked up at his handsome face and his weary eyes. You carted your hands through his soft blonde locks. He gave you a quick kiss then you both continued your morning routine. He got dressed pulling on a soft white tee and sweats then clicked his phone on airplane mode as he went to the living room.

You replenish his snacks every few hours and bring him refreshed cold water. He says very little just polite thank yous and returns to his movie or show.

It was now late afternoon you had been engaged in your phone for over an hour. You stood up and stretched across from him in the living room yawning. You lifted your arms high over your head and tilted your body to the left then to the right.

You planned to run a few errands but he insisted you stay. He wanted your company, spending as much time with you as possible before he left again on his Dune press tour in a few days.

You were now throughly bored because he hadn’t interacted with you or moved a muscle in hours. You stare out the window into the central courtyard thinking maybe you could go to his favorite restaurant and pick up dinner for him. In the meantime you wanted to enjoy the fresh air outside.

You click the latch to unlock the glass door finally grabbing his attention. “Can you come lay with me for a minute” he asks gently. A smile spreads across your lips he is past the resting lion phase and now wants your physical touch phase. You turn around and gingerly walk to the couch climbing on top of him as he opens his arms to you.

You press your face against the soft fabric of his white tee on his firm chest. You place your hand on his bulging bicep and the other behind his neck.

He rests his hand lovingly on top of your head. One of your legs is straight between his, the other is up at his waist. He grabs your thigh at his waist holding it there. He rests his chin on your head. You can smell his sweet masculine scent from his neck as you listen to his slow breaths and his soft heart beat.

“Mmm I needed this” he says trailing his fingers through your hair. He plants a kiss on the crown of your head as he cradles you against him. The longer you lay together in silence the heavier your eyes get. The calming energy of each others closeness finally lulling you both to sleep.

When you awaken it’s dark outside and well past dinner time. You must have been asleep a few hours. Austin really needed the rest he still hasn’t stirred even after you remove his hand from your head and sit up in his lap.

You smile looking down at him sleeping his eyelids begin moving rapidly. His hand suddenly twitches and he grits his teeth dreaming. Maybe from all the traveling, maybe from all the interactions and stress. You place your hand on his caressing it until his face softens and his eyelids remain still.

You take your time carefully climbing off of him to make a quick dinner for your both. Mafalda pasta with vegan sun dried tomato sauce.

You turn on the burner and boil water then add the pasta to cook. You collect the jar of sun dried tomatoes in soaking oil and drop them in the processor with cashew nuts, nutritional yeast and tomato paste. He is sensitive to dairy so you’ve adapted all your recipes.

You click the ‘on’ button and the machine whirs to life blending the ingredients together making the sauce a beautiful fresh orange color.

The sound awakens Austin immediately and you feel awful. You watch as he sits up on the couch and groggily rubs his eyes then stretches into a yawn.“Austin I'm so sorry, I wanted to cook for us I didn’t mean to wake you” he smiles over at you it doesn’t bother him at all. He is very hungry and grateful you are cooking. He lumbers over as he wakes up and stands behind you hooking his arms around your waist and planting a kiss on top of your head. “Thank you baby I’m super hungry” his voice a deeper baritone from just waking up

When you don’t respond he watches you work seeing you are mid production. He takes a step back resting his hands on the counter top behind him to observe you cooking.

It’s one of your simple dishes when you can’t be bothered but want something yummy and satisfying. You drain the boiled pasta and pour your blended sauce in to the pan then add the pasta with a dash of seasoning mixing it all together until it’s coated nice and creamy.

Austin always helpful opens the cabinets getting to work setting the table. He goes to the wine cabinet and pairs a Cabernet Sauvignon. You bring the pan to the table and delicately tong the pasta onto each of your plates, setting the empty pan to soak in the sink. He uncorks the wine and lets it breathe before pouring you a glass. You taste it and love the full bodied flavor eagerly approving, he fills your glass then his own

You both sit down to enjoy the meal. It’s a quiet dinner you smile at each other as you eat. Austin is not his usual chatty self so you indulge in more wine. He refills your glass twice before cutely grinning knowing that you are going to get tipsy. He’ll have to match your pace. You smile at him sweetly and sip your glass slowly this time.

You watch him eat, it’s the cutest thing his cheeks puffy as he chews, he looks so adorable enjoying the meal you prepared he was so hungry. Once his plate is cleared you collect everything and put it in the sink as he finishes his wine.

Feeling quite full and mellow from the wine. You walk to his record player and unsleeve a disc putting the needle on gently and the song begins to play. You sway and dance around the living room sensually for him as he watches you with an enamored smile on his face. The wine clearly taking effect.

You extend your hand to him and he stands to wrap you in his arms before releasing you in a spin. He took dancing classes for a movie or play once you can’t remember which one but you love his effortless confidence and tricks when he slow dances with you.

He pulls you back close and brings your arms to wrap around his neck. You stare up at him loving the look of infatuation for you in his gentle blue eyes. He does a slow affectionate blink that he does when he’s enraptured, like he’s taking a mental picture.

You don’t know what he wants to do next but you see the thoughts forming in his pretty head as his lips form a little smirk. The song ends and you separate from him going to take the needle off and put the record away.

When you turn back he’s staring at you with quite the naughty look in his eye. “what is it baby?” You ask smile beaming as you walk over to him. He looks you up and down and grabs your waist pulling you in so close you are almost touching lips “Do you want to 69 with me right now ?” He asks so casually it catches you off guard.“Yea” you respond quickly as grin instantly forms on your face from his exciting request.

He takes your hand and leads you back to the master bedroom. He immediately begins stripping off his shirt pulling it over his head as you stare at his chiseled body. When he quickly pulls off his sweats you start pulling off all of your clothing too, down to your bra and panties.

He removes his boxers and you love the sight of his small naked hips with his large cock in between. You grin and bite your lower lip he is very hot just standing there letting your eyes wander over him. He turns and climbs onto the middle of the bed resting back on his elbows. He looks at the reaction on your face as he shows off his impressive cock standing tall between his muscular thighs waiting for you.

You unhook your bra and slide it down then pull off your panties stepping out of them. He stares at you eyes lidded with sexual attraction especially looking between your legs. He licks his lips knowing where he wants to taste ”You look so good come climb on top of me baby” he says it very seductively making you shiver.

You eagerly climb on the bed all the way up and over him flipping around directly over his face to start the 69. He extends his large hands and collects your thighs tracing his thumbs on your ass as you kneel above him inches from his face.

Your arms hold you up, your face lingering directly over his cock. “Fuck your pussy looks so good ” he says in worship and spreads your folds open inspecting with one hand and tracing circles on your tight entrance with the other.

You feel so vulnerable yet so aroused already becoming wet for him. He slides his fingers in surprising you. “OH!” You gasp. He reaches one hand around your hip pulling you back to rock in time with his fingers plunging in and out of you. It gives him a close up show making his cock swell harder beneath you. His tip is now blushing red from the sight of his fingers fucking you between your legs.

You hold his shaft and flick the head with your tongue. He’s so sensitive from arousal a small moan escapes his lips . You begin to stroke him off and lick the tip. He slips his fingers in and out of you in time with your hand. You both begin moaning in unison.

He pulls his fingers out and uses both hands to hold your hips and guide your pussy down onto his mouth “oh my god” you cry out when he connects between your legs.

His lips are so slippery and soft against yours. You try so stay focused as he eats you out but his wet hot licks and tight sucks have you clenching inside repeatedly. You are so distracted you realize you have just been holding his cock as you moan in satisfaction.

You want him to have pleasure too and dip your mouth onto the head of his cock. He makes a muffled moan against your folds loving the feel of your mouth as you finally begin to suck him.

He sticks out his tongue and licks circles around your entrance before sliding his face up and down licking your folds. You let out a pleasurable scream on his cock feeling it twitch your mouth as he moans in ravishment beneath you.

Your body is tingling ready to cum for him. You guide your mouth up and down on his legth until you are bobbing on his cock. His licks and sucks get sloppier as his groans get louder. He begins hotly panting against your folds as he licks trying to pleasure you as he falls into sexual ecstasy. Your nipples brushing against his abs each time finally break you into a climax. You release his cock from your mouth “Baby I’m going to cum!” you cry out.

He pulls you down to suffocate him wanting to completely devour you as you orgasm. He begins lifting his hips up thrusting his cock all the way in your mouth while pulling you back down on his face urging you to use him and ride his mouth until he cums.

It’s a cornucopia of pleasurable sensations for you both your core tightens as his dick pulses needing release. He licks you in just right spot that finally has you let go grinding down on his wanting mouth not caring if he can even breathe or not, just using his pretty face. He begins thrusting up into your mouth harder and faster feeling like his cock will explode as he gets dizzy from lack of oxygen.

The orgasm starts at the crown of your head tingling and pulsing through your entire body making your pelvis muscles contract. You are clenching inside from his tongue and lips as your clit presses against his firm chin. You cry out his name as you feel the tightness snap and you cum directly in his mouth. It makes him moan so deeply it vibrates your entire core. He slurps it out of you turning your legs into jello as you moan his name repeatedly.

You feebly try to lift off of him your legs so weak after the orgasm but he places his hand on your mid back holding you steady. He rams his cock into your mouth so hard you are gagging on it. You seal your lips around the head and wrap your fist around the shaft to soften his aggressive jutting.

He whimpers feeling your tight hand squeeze around his shaft as your mouth sucks his tip hard enough to draw cum. He makes depraved whimpering sounds against your folds and finally orgasms bursting rope after rope of cum coating your entire mouth as you moan and take it in one thick swallow. You release your mouth from his empty cock and immediately lift your hips. He takes a big breath, his chest expands and contracts as he regains oxygen to his lungs.

You come to his side and quickly check to make sure he is okay. A lazy smile is plastered on his glistening face looking like a cat who got into the cream. When your concerned face relaxes seeing that he is fine you both laugh.

You quickly grab a towel and clean him up gently wiping each side of his handsome face to make sure he looks perfect. You climb in bed next to him as he pulls the covers over you both laying face to face. You trace your fingers from his forehead through his hair with your nails “mmmm” he sounds out loving it as he closes his eyes. While he enjoys your loving touch a burning question forms in your mind.

“Austin after I came why wouldn’t you let me go?” you ask in amusement. The same lazy smile spreads across his face as before. He opens his eyes as he answers “I just felt so high, like I was seeing stars, you’re pussy is that good ” he confesses. He closes his eyes again reminiscing the moment. You interrupt his thoughts “Austin you almost passed out, so yes you could definitely say you were seeing stars” you both burst into laughter again. Once your laughing subsides he pulls you close and kisses your forehead smiling, he was eventful today after all.

~*End *~

Masterlist

.🏷️

@jessica987 @abswifey @austiebuttbutt @obsessedvibee @elvismylove04

[christinebloodwrittings]

To hunt or be Hunted

Alastor x reader x Lucifer

Chapter 1:

Warnings: Violence.

(Image: Dunes by Logan Feliciano. Source: Pinterest)

The dust kicked up every time you jumped to avoid the thrusts of her trident. It was becoming more and more difficult for you to move, with the blood falling down your side, your vision becoming cloudy, your back getting closer and closer to the destroyed foundations of what was once a building, until you were trapped.

Falling onto your knees, you looked up at her red glowing eyes, the two beasts fell to her side, their growl resonating deep within your bones. “I gave you a chance” she sure did, “I wanted us to be friends” her trident fell against your side, only one of the three knives grazing your skin, “But you just had to, right?” tears fell down her eyes, straight into the dirt under her heels.

“I…I underestimated you” you coughed out blood with a smile, “But I'm not dying here” she proved to be more of a challenge. No regrets, but you should’ve picked your fights a bit wiser. “This just can’t go on” she stilled the trident, trying not to deepen the already open wound, “We went through all the trouble of fighting, and you are going to let me live? Are you insane?” you growled annoyed and sore.

In between heavy breaths, she had an idea, “How about a bet?” one that made your lion ears perked up.

“Ten years, you'll work for me in my project, I believe I can manage to convince you to find something good to do with yourself” she ignited a warm yellow flame on her hand, it danced around her palm without hurting her, “What makes you think I will make a bet with you, or a deal for that matter?” you pushed her hand away, “This” she ignited her trident in the yellow flame.

With the blade she cut through your body and took your soul from you, just as easy as cutting butter. “I will kill you!” you yelled, a roar washing over your voice. She limited herself to smile triumphantly, as her eyes relaxed and shifted colors, “Now you kind of screwed, aren’t you?”.

“If I play along with your bullshit, you promise to give me back my soul?” you used the rubble behind you to push yourself onto a standing position, ungracefully so. “I promise” she offered her hand, the flame dancing in between her fingers. 

You finally took her hand, the light shifted into a dark hue going up both hers and your arm, the deal sealing itself on your eyes, changing them from red sclera to a black ones, your pupils remaining a white-silver hue.

It was a big relief when the trident wound started to heal with a hiss. “You’re awfully confident” you shrugged, placing your hand over the burning flesh. “Well, we have a long time ahead of us, don’t we?” she took it upon herself to support you on your opposite side, helping you walk away from the debris.

7 years later

When the hotel fell apart you received an order, “Take everything inside and take it to safety” and so you did. All that was pictures, pets, luggage, everything, you gathered it far from the fight, then she told you to stay put until further notice.

You took a walk around, trying to go unnoticed as you were ordered, going into your phone adding a lot of new kitchen supplies into a virtual cart, when a groan made you look towards the Radio Demon’s crashed studio. After taking a hit of Adam’s guitar-axe, you thought it was amazing that he remained alive.

“Princess, Smiley is alive” your connection through your deal was truly an advantage when far away, “Go see if he’s okay, try to stay out of sight, and if he needs assistance, help him” he was obviously not okay, but you had an order, so you made your way across the sulfuric smelling debris, until you reached the door of his studio, pushing it lightly, shadow launched at you, attempting to scare you away, failing terribly.

“I have an order to check if you are, quote unquote 'okay', demon” the shadow smiled and moved away, allowing you in. Shadows painted over your body a veil, which he could not see through, only the silver light your eyes emitted.

You peeked to your right from the door to see Alastor sitting on the floor, back against his desk, trying to hide a big gush on his chest with his hands, “Are you ok?” he shot you a look that you could call a ‘Fuck you’ and a ‘You have to be kidding me’ mix.

“Are you in need of assistance?” again he didn’t answer directly, he just growled making his prongs a lot bigger, “This intimidation skit will not work on me sir, so answer, yes or no” his ears bent down and stayed flat behind his head, “No” he muttered, refusing any help from your part, “Okay then” his shadow opened the door for you, after a small curtsy to the gesture, you moved away from the rubble, the rocks making tiny crushing sounds under your heel.

His shadow caught up with you, mimicking a stop sign with his arm, “What?” then he made a figure with Alastor’s shape, a needle closing up his wound and then the same demon all smiling and walking, “So you want me to patch him up” the shadow nodded, the smile wider and cheery, “What’s in for me? He refused help, why would I go through all that trouble for free?” then he checks-mate you with Charlie’s shape. He threatened to tell on you, “Good try joker, but you ain’t got shit on me”.

“Alright” you heard the plea from the echo that the radio cabin made.

You made your way back to the demon, as soon as he saw you he took a look at his shadow before his prongs grew any bigger, then at you taking off his shirt, he continued growling and making static noises, it became louder with every step.

As you took his coat and shirt off he noticed the tips of your fingers were a burned black color, your hands a much lighter color in contrast, light yellow, he would dare to even call it pastel, but due to the poor light he couldn’t decide on hues. 

Your nails were retractable ones, he noticed how you stopped before you touched the fabric of his coat, your nails went back into your fingers and then you proceeded.

“I’ll stitch it up, but that’s all” you took in the raw hatred in his eyes before continuing. “If you shower, avoid extreme temperatures, and apply alcohol near the edges to keep it from infections” you instructed while partially removing his garments, leaving both his dress shirt and coat hanging down his elbows. The shadow provided you with a curved needle and suture thread, a very resistant one at that.

“What the blazes!?” he shrieked when you undid his belt, only to tie his hands behind his back with it, “I don’t want you messing my work up” you explained, making a pop with your mouth at the end.

As the needle went through his skin, you found it weird not hearing a single peep off of him, then you discovered he was biting his lip, to the point it bled down his chin. “If you need to yell, do so, you’ll only hurt yourself if you continue doing that” his ears went back again, like a plea to make the pain go away, at the same time that embarrassment shot against his spine like a lightning. Then he yelled into the opposite side, to avoid receiving another smack.

When you finished closing the large gash, the shadow wrapped it up in bandages, “There you go” you stood up, dusting your knees before turning on your heels. He cleared his throat bitterly to draw your attention to the fact that he was still tied up, only to receive a disinterested giggle and your utter lack of concern.

“I’ve killed pests for less than this attitude you’re insulting me with” he thought that with an implied threat he would get rid of his binds and also get a little sign of fear from you, sadly his magic was weak, and so was the remaining strength he had, so he couldn’t free himself no matter how much he tugged on the leather.

He had a little bit of hope he could induce some authority toward you, but all he got was his hair pulled backwards and the cold steel of an ax pressed against his neck.

He took a couple of seconds to ask himself, how come you were behind him in less than a second? And also swallow the fact that now he was the one being threatened.

“Knowing how to pick your fights, may save your life one day” The edge of the blade made a sharp noise while being dragged up slowly up his neck, stopping under his chin. “You’ve chosen badly twice in a day, and barely walked alive off the first one” you tugged just a little bit harder on his hair, just to place your authority over his will.

“Tell me, are you dumb enough to bite the hand that stitched you, and die because your bruised ego and your big mouth are taking control of your rational thinking?” you couldn’t measure the amount of hate his stare held, but he attentively took your advice at heart, so he relaxed his eyes and his smile turned less demonic, only answering your question with a soft no with his head.

Withdrawing the ax from his neck, you used the point to let the buckle lose without breaking it, allowing the belt to fall down his wrists. “Start picking your fights more wisely, boy, afterlife 101” you mocked while ruffling his hair right in between his ears.

“Now, I don’t think someone will ask, but if they do, we never had this conversation, rep wise” he nodded, “You better-“ his tongue tied on itself, he reckon your face being inches away from his, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell a soul, deer-est” you chuckled at your own wordplay, while all he could do was stare at your eyes.

“Who are you?” You assumed for a long time that hell had already forgotten you, after thirty years without making yourself present, who wouldn't?  Plus, he looked a lot younger than you, he lived on earth at least ten years longer than you, lucky bastard.

“No one” before he could make an attempt to grab your hand, you jumped out the door, disappearing from his sight into the mountain of rubble.

When Alastor made his way back to the new Hotel, he felt tempted to ask around about what he just witnessed, but preferred to keep his mouth shut. He wouldn’t admit in front of the others that the Radio Demon got assisted and handled as a whiny child, so instead he remained the smiley guy he is.

All the rooms got sorted later in the night, with a snap of his fingers everything in the new room looked exactly as it did in the old one. He placed the ruined coat and dress shirt on a chair, resorting to a gray suit he had lying around, “I should start broadcasting” he muttered to himself, making his way to his brand new station situated in the left wing of the Hotel.

After a few hours he came back to his quarters to refresh. He inspected his chest just to reassure himself, his scar had been closed with an almost religious delicacy. It almost felt like lace.

No one would catch the Radio Demon blushing while tracing his wound, but Alastor didn’t mind at the moment.

---

Hazbin Taglist: @mysterypotatoink @sibsteria @cherry-cola-100 @readergirlstuff @phoenixica24 @martinys-world @alientee @jellyroom2 @jewelsrules @zealousllamawolf @kittycat246 @littlebluefishtail

[sky-kiss]

Dying female tav with Raphael

“Ah, what’s this?” The devil folds his hands at the small of his back, walking a slow circle around his prey. The little creature is curled in on herself, both hands pressed over her belly. Blood trickles over her fingers. And oh, she’s so deliciously pale. “No lion, no mouse, but a sacrificial lamb.” 

She tries to laugh. There’s fluid collecting in her lungs, and it the sound is unpleasantly wet. “Good to see you too, devil. Going to ask me to bleat?”  

Raphael surveys the scene. So many dead. It’s an admirable showing, certainly, but the lives of bandits had less than no value. An aspiring hero, on the other hand? Room to negotiate. The cambion screws up his nose, kneeling in front of her. “I’d considered it. Though, I advise conserving what little energy you have left, pet.” 

“Noted.” Tav winces. “Is it too much to hope you’ll help me?” 

“Mm, it springs eternal.” The cambion taps his chin in consideration. “Unfortunately, I have a reputation to maintain. What would it look like? Raphael, playing favorites?” 

Something is charming in watching frustration play across her face. The devil can see her hold on life slipping away, her soul blackening around the edges. It's tied to her flesh so tenuously, the threads snapping one by one. Tav coughs. A worry trail of blood trickles from the right corner of her mouth. “I’m your favorite?” 

“But of course, lamb! And I do so want to help you,” he leans forward, lifting her hand from the wound. The flesh around her belly has begun to blacken, angry red lines licking outwards and stretching up towards her heart. Poison. An effective, if boring, solution to one’s adventurer problems. “We have only to discuss terms. I promise they shall be ever in your favor.” 

“What do you want?” 

“Oh, don’t be like that. No fun at all!” He rocks back on his heels. “The joy is in the process. The give and take…” 

“I’m bleeding out, devil.” 

“Simplified, then. For your benefit, pet.” Raphael smiles, shifting to kneel beside her. Close enough to hear her stuttering little breaths, feel the sickly feverish heat from the poison roiling through her veins. “I will play savior once more; in return, you will answer my call when and if the need should arise. A mutual exchange between friends.” 

Tav hisses, chewing her lower lip. So pale. Fading so fast, so mortal. “Give the devil a favor? Carte blanche?” 

“You are free to make your decision. But your time.” He touched her side. “Grows short.” 

She purses her lips, tipping her head back. And while he is fond of the little creature, in his way, he will not deny the innate pleasure in watching the dawning realization cross her face. There is a sweetness in that final moment: the trap swings shut. The only viable option is Raphael. 

“Save me then.” 

“Oh, my dear. I thought you’d never ask.” 

[lazorbeanz]

Late Night

Unbreakable Bond

Headcanons and indirect quotes :p #4

🔶 Tails: You ready for tomorrow’s history test?

Sonic: Yea

Tails: What ended in 1896?

Sonic: 1895

Tails: Yea you ready…

🔷 Tails: So, who did ya learn about today?

Sonic: Errr some guy called ‘Martha Luker King Jr.’

Tails: *tryna hold it together* u-uhm okay…and what did he do?

Sonic: *with all confidence* He died for our sins…

Tails: Wait no that’s- *wheeze*

🔶 Sonic singing along the Chorus of Speed Life (he doesn’t know French): 🎶“Something something speed life…SOMEBODY’S WATCHING MEEEEEE”🎶

🔷 Sonic and Tails have this challenge they do at karaoke nights where they attempt to sing a song that’s not in English, which really just ends up as a big laughing fest as they fail miserably. Sonic tries to make up for it by dancing to the music (cuz mind you, it’s catchy) but his legs turn into spaghetti from his fit, and faceplants onto the floor. Tails attempts to help him up but his knees do a funny and falls on top of him, leaving the brothers immobile and gasping for air.

🔶 Sonic: is the pink panther a lion?

Tails: say that again but slower

Sonic: I don’t get??

Tails: he’s the pink PANTHER

Sonic: okay?? But is he a lion?

Tails: 🤦..*grabs the landline phone* hello is this the brain replacement store-

🔷 The brothers have a war going on in their Snapchat stories, where they would steal awkward pics of each other…whether that’s Sonic eating a really messy chilidog or tails after an experiment gone horribly wrong, with the caption being like ‘look at this loser lol’ or something meme related…yes they turn each other into memes

🔶 Sonic would randomly decide to attach tails to a lead every now and then to see his reaction, which at first was pretty vicious, but now he’s just like “rlly bro? -_-” but either one would send Sonic in hysterics

🔷 Tails: hey Sonic, what word starts with “f” and ends with “u c k?”

Sonic: Fu- WAIT TAILS NO-

Tails: it’s firetruck! 😊 uhh sonic?

*cue sonic getting carted away in an ambulance…i think he stopped breathing*

🔶 Since Sonic doesn’t give a toss, tails would somewhat keep an eye out on his brother’s quill care (you could say Amy has talked to Tails about the matter) so after heaps of reasoning and the last resort - the cute fox eyes, Sonic reluctantly gives in to letting his younger brother brush his quills for the first time. It’d go down something like this…

Tails: one~

Sonic: ow-

Tails: two~

Sonic: OWWW…how many of these (brush strokes) do we have to do?!

Tails: like a thousand or something…thre-

Sonic: AAAAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEE!!!!🦅🦅🦅

ANOTHER LIFE IN THE DREAMHOUSE REFERENCE IM SORRY IM SORRY-

🔷 Tails was so sleep deprived that he almost mistook liquid petroleum for coffee one morning (somehow)

🔶 Tails loves planes…in all forms…and THAT INCLUDES the one used to be fed…

Sonic: Tails, you are 8 years old, with an IQ of about 300…and you still want me to do…this?

Tails: b-but…aeroplaneee 🥺

Happy wholesome Wednesday!

Whilst you’re here, we have an Unbreakable Bond Discord server out for all you folks who love the brothers just as much as us! 💙💛 It’s a totally chill place where we can chat, share art or fics, and most importantly, hyperfixate over that hog and fox duo we love so much! (There’s even a place for boops!)

Created by @suzienightsky ✨ If you’re keen on joining, flick her a DM and she’ll give you an invite.

Sorry for the ad lmao

[book-place]

A Million Dreams

Warnings: slight violence, mentions of dying, let me know if I missed any :)

Pairings: Marauders x reader platonic

*not my gif*

Summary: The school years go by a lot faster with a solid group of friends by your side

A/N: Welcome to book place’s one year event!!

Inspired by: A Million Dreams by The Greatest Showman cast

Please don’t plagiarize my work, you may reblog if you like but I’m asking that you don’t steal my hard work

I close my eyes and I can see

“Hello there,” Your head shifted over, eyes locking onto a nervous looking boy, standing at the door of your compartment.

“Hi!” You piped back happily, fully turning your body away from the window to face him.

His cheeks tinted a slight pink as his eyes averted to the ground, where he was shuffling his feet back and forth shyly, “All the other carts are full… is it alright if I sit here?”

A wide grin spread onto your face, “Of course!” You beamed, glimmers of hope shooting through you at the idea of being able to make a friend- on your first express ride nonetheless.

Relief sagged onto his face, “Oh, thank you,” He gushed, scurrying over and plopping down onto the cushioned seat across from you, a large trunk with the Hogwarts emblem on it in tow.

“I’m Y/n, by the way,” You informed him, smile yet to drop.

“Peter.” He responded, reaching over and gently shaking your hand.

“Are you a first year as well?” You asked curiously, leaning back in your seat.

He nodded, “Yeah, I’m kind of nervous, though-“

Before he could continue his thought, another knock sounded from the door and the two of you looked up, being met with the sight of two more boys peering through the doorway.

One of them had round-framed glasses and shaggy hair that seemed to stick up every which way while the other had similar black hair that went down to his shoulders.

“Hey there,” The first boy greeted with a toothy grin, “Me and this bloke just met, we’re looking for somewhere to sit. Do you mind?”

“Not at all!” You chirped, glancing at Peter for confirmation. The boy was smiling politely, so you took that as a yes.

“Wonderful!” The boy dove forward, plopping down on the cushion next to Peter rather quickly, sticking a hand in his direction to shake, “I’m James by the way.”

“And I’m Sirius.” The other boy spoke up for the first time, moving to sit across from James and next to you.

“I’m Y/n and this is Peter, we just met as well!”

The bespeckled boy allowed his grin to widen as he settled back in his seat, “I have a feeling that we’re all going to be great friends.”

“Here, here!” Sirius pumped a fist in the air.

A world that's waiting up for me, that I call my own

“Wow,” You breathed out, spinning in a small circle as you took in the room before you, “This room is way different than mine.”

After meeting the three boys on the train, you had all been taken to the sorting ceremony, only to realize with extreme delight that you were all placed into the house of the lion. Now, you had already unpacked your stuff in your dorm and had wandered over to the boys to see what theirs was like.

“I wish we could see yours,” James pouted and crossed his arms, “It's blatant unfairness that boys aren't allowed in the girls dormitories, but girls are allowed to come into ours as they wish!”

You giggled, reaching over and ruffling the boys' already unkempt hair, “It’s only because we’re better than you.”

Just as he opened his mouth to protest in offense, the boy's door crept open and in walked a tall boy with faint scars running over his face.

He blinked once in surprise when all of you stopped what you were doing and turned to face him, “Oh-erm- sorry,” He cleared his throat, “This is my dorm as well,”

Sirius didn’t miss a beat, grinning widely and bounding across the room, linking his arm around the boy's shoulders, “Well then, welcome, roomie!” He exclaimed excitedly.

“Welcome!” Peter piped up as well.

You gave the boy a wave when his eyes landed on you, “I’m not your roommate, but it’s nice to meet you.”

He gave you a small smile before letting his eyes flit over to the others, “I’m Remus.”

“Nice to meet you, Remus.” James greeted happily.

Through the dark, through the door

“Is class always going to be this boring?” You asked with a dramatic yawn.

You and the other boys were in your first class of the school year, History of Magic, and you couldn’t even fathom the idea of sitting through this class almost everyday.

“Normally I’d disagree,” Remus muttered, leaning farther back in his seat, “But I’m about to fall asleep.”

As if right on cue, James let out a quiet snore. His head was propped up in one palm, but slipping slightly.

“Is it almost lunch time?” Peter whined under his breath.

“We’ve only been here for fifteen minutes,” Remus informed him sorrowfully. His words made Sirius look close to tears.

On the other hand, you were extremely happy that the five of you got along so well, you were almost always hanging out with each other.

It made you feel slightly less anxious about the future of your time at Hogwarts knowing that you had a solid group of friends.

Through where no one's been before

“Come on, Remus, don’t be a downer.” Sirius teased with one of those grins of his that promised nothing but trouble.

“I’m not being a downer,” The boy lectured, “I’m trying to keep us alive.”

“Being alive is overrated!” James cheered, jumping up and wrapping an arm around Remus’s neck to bring him into a playful chokehold.

“You say that until we’re dead.” He grumbled in return, easily slipping out of the boy's hold.

“Now, now, guys,” You mockingly scolded, “If Remus wants to go back to the castle and stay with Peter, then he’s more than welcome.”

Said poor boy had fallen asleep while you all waited for the prefect rounds to finish so you could sneak out of the castle and onto the grounds surrounding it.

Lupin rolled his eyes, “Someone has to stay here to keep you bloody idiots out of trouble.”

You and James let out identical whoops of celebration, high fiving and continuing to skip joyfully towards the Forbidden Forest when the bespectacled boy let his grip loosen on Remus.

“We have to be the only first years to ever do this,” James gushed excitedly, “We’re doing something no one our age has ever done before!”

“Maybe that’s because others our age aren’t downright daft enough to even consider this.” Remus hissed, “It’s one thing to sneak into the professors lounge, this is completely different.”

“Cheer up, Remus,” Sirius swung an arm over the boy's shoulder as you all strode through the trees that blocked out all moonlight except for the occasional ray.

“This is going to be so fun,” You surged forwards with a hop in your step.

“Nothing about this is fun!” Remus insisted, beginning to try and chase after you as you got farther and farther away.

But it feels like home

You yawned loudly, trying to muffle it with a hand to the mouth, but still snuggling back farther into the couch cushions.

Around you, your friends were spread out around the great fire in the common room, just hanging out during the very early hours of the morning after having stayed up all night. There was no doubt the sun would be rising very soon.

“You know,” Sirius spoke, “I overheard some Hufflepuff fourth years talking about us,”

���What did they say?” Peter asked curiously from where he was curled up on an armchair with a blanket wrapped tightly around his shoulders.

“They were just talking about our prank in the Great Hall the other day,” He smiled slightly, “They called us ‘The Marauders’”

James perked his head up, “What does that mean?”

“It means ‘raider’.” Remus mumbled sleepily. Of course he knew.

A light smile played on the ends of your lips as you let your eyes flutter shut, “That’s badass.”

“I like it,” James agreed, “We should use it.”

That was the last thing you heard before sleep swept you into its embrace. A feeling warmed your heart as well, a feeling of belonging. Of love. Of home.

They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy

“Hurry up!” Remus hissed, “Finch’s gonna be here at any moment and you’re all moving slower than Pete after the Halloween feast!”

“Hey!” Peter whined in complaint, but nobody paid him any mind.

“Remus, this is our first prank of second year, it has to be good.” James insisted, “And might I remind you that you’re the one who thought of it.”

“But I didn’t think we would be setting the dungbombs off in the Slytherin common room!”

There was a glint of mischief in your eyes, “Again, your idea. Not to mention the fact that you’re also the one that figured out the password to their dormitories.”

He shot you a glare, “You were encouraging it!”

“And I will continue to,” You grinned in his direction.

“Shh,” Sirius shushed you, “You’ll wake the bloody snakes up.”

You carefully set the last dungbomb in place and immediately turned on your heel and began sprinting towards the door, the sound of thundering footsteps from the rest of the marauders on your heels.

The door successfully shut behind you right as the first one had gone off.

You all- even Remus- had to try to muffle your cackles of delight all the way back to your own common room after a shout of disgust came from one of the Slytherins and somehow made its way to your ears.

They can say, they can say I've lost my mind

“I’m worried about him, guys,” You mumbled, crossing your arms over your body as you all walked side by side on your way to the infirmary.

James ran a tired hand down his face, letting loose a sigh, “I know, I am too.” He admitted.

“He would tell us if something was wrong, right?” Peter asked timidly, toying with the end of his sleeve.

“I don’t know,” Sirius had a lost look in his eyes, one he almost never had. It was unsettling to see.

“He’s in the hospital wing too much to just be a sickness,” You commented softly, “It’s too much like clockwork- always happening at the same time every month.”

Sirius blanked once in surprise, “I hadn’t thought about that.”

Just then, the four of you quieted when you neared the doors, James holding one of them open until all of you had been able to make your way inside, eyes falling upon Remus, sitting upright against some propped up pillows on the first bed.

His eyes widened when he caught sight of the four of you, “What are you doing here?” He hurriedly rushed out, scrambling to sit even straighter on the bed.

“We came to see you,” Your eyebrows were furrowed as you all drew nearer, “We’re worried about you.”

“You don’t have to be.” His answer came far too quickly for your liking.

“Well, what kinds of friends would we be if we didn’t worry?” James tried to lighten the mood with a smile, but no one joined in.

Remus sighed through his nose, and you suddenly realized how exhausted he looked. How his skin was so pale that his scars were more prominent than normal, and how there were bags under his eyes dark enough to be bruises.

“Just…” You moved to gingerly sit on the end of his bed, “Just tell us what’s going on, Rem, we’re your friends and we deserve to know.”

The boy hesitated, “I… I’ve been keeping something from you all.” He finally muttered out, averting his eyes so stubbornly that nothing could have made him raise his focus from the sheets in front of him at the moment, “I-I’m… I’m a werewolf.”

It was silent.

Remus cringed- or maybe flinched- eyes screwing shut as if in pain.

None of you said anything for a very long time.

“Oh, Remus,” You finally breathed out, reaching across the bed and gently wrapping your arms around the boy.

He blinked in surprise upon impact, “W-what- what are you doing?” He stuttered out, “I-I’m a monster. You shouldn’t be hugging me right now, you should be running away screaming.”

It almost sounded as if he was trying to convince you to do just that.

James appeared at your side, joining in on the hug after a moment, “You’re not a monster, Remus.”

“You’re our best friend.” Sirius came over as well, closely followed by Peter.

The werewolf’s breath seemed to hitch in his throat as tears welled up in his eyes and he hugged every single one of you back tightly, “T-thank you. Thank you all so much.” He began sobbing quietly. You all just held him tighter.

Eventually, Madame Pomfrey came in and shooed you all out, claiming that Lupin needed some rest. So you four began trekking back to the Gryffindor dormitories, silent for a little while.

“You know,” You spoke up after a little while, “I think there might be a way that we can help him.”

Everyone's heads snapped over to you so fast that you were surprised that they didn’t get whiplash.

“What do you mean?” Sirius asked quickly.

“Well,” You began to explain, “One of the only times I ever paid attention in class was when we had a lesson about werewolves in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and we learned that werewolves won’t hurt other animals.”

James furrowed his eyebrows, “What’re you saying?”

“Animagus.” You stated, “That’s what Professor McGonagall is, she turns herself into a cat. If we can do that, then we can stay with Remus during full moons and we can help him.”

One by one, each one of your three friends' faces lit up.

“That’s bloody brilliant,” Sirius gushed, “And we can turn into our favorite animals. I want to be a dog.”

“Deer!” James cheered.

“I’ve always liked rats and mice.” Peter mused.

“And foxes are nice.” You said dreamily.

“This might just work afterall.” James said with a wide smile.

I don't care, I don't care, if they call me crazy

You sniffled, trying to muffle your cries with a shaky hand resting over your mouth- to almost no avail.

Thankfully though, you were around a corner in a corridor that nobody ever wandered into because it was just a dead end with no doors, so hopefully nobody would come by and see you in your pathetic state.

You tried not to let their words get to you- you really did- but the merciless students just made it so hard to do so.

Freak. Disappointment. Good for nothing. Trouble-

Their voices just kept bouncing back and forth inside your head, ringing on and on like an endless bell. Never once giving you a moment of peace.

Kids from all different houses had been picking on you for a while now. And at first, you just let it bounce off of you, you remained uncaring- never even finding the need to tell your friends about it. But it didn’t take long for their words to begin to wear you down, break through your barriers and begin getting to you.

“Y/n?”

Your head snapped up and your eyes got went at the sight of your four closest friends approaching you with just as much worry as there was hesitation within them.

Quickly, you swiped at your face with the back of your sleeve, trying too late to rid of the tear stained evidence.

“G-guys,” You stuttered out, staggering to your feet, “What are you doing?”

“What happened?” James ignored your question as he walked closer with furrowed eyebrows.

“Nothing, it’s nothing,” You quickly cleared your throat.

“It doesn’t seem like nothing,” Peter piped up, concern shining in his eyes.

You released a shaky sigh, falling backwards against the wall and dropping your head, unable to keep up your already flimsy charade any longer.

“Kids are making fun of me,” You mumbled, “It’s stupid, and that’s all. Nothing I can’t handle.”

Looks of rage immediately took over all four of their faces.

“Who?” Sirius seethed, already curling his hands into fists at his sides, “Just point me in their direction-“

“Us in their direction,” James corrected, jaw clenched in a way that left for an unsettling sight.

“Oh, n/n,” Remus sighed, anger washing away momentarily as he quickly moved forward to bring you into a hug, “I’m so sorry.”

He rubbed your back comfortingly and you greatfully relaxed into his hold.

“Don’t listen to any terrible thing they say to you,” He murmured into your ear, “I can guarantee you that every single one of them is a lie.”

You sighed, “Thanks, Rem.” You sniffled.

The four of them exchanged looks over your shoulder. Those kids would get what was coming to them- eventually. But for now, you needed them.

We can live in a world that we design

“We need new names,” James announced suddenly, leaning his back further against the tree behind him.

Peter looked up with a small frown pulling at his lips, “But I like my name.” He mumbled.

The black haired boy shook his head, messy locks of hair bouncing back and forth at the action, “No, I mean like nicknames. Everyone is already starting to call us ‘The Marauders’ so why not fit into it even more?”

You grinned, throwing your head to the side to look at him, “I like your thinking, J.”

“Well, I was thinking maybe they could have something to do with our animagus’s.” James had a wild grin on, “You know, so it would be like our own little inside joke.”

Remus paled, “Nope, no way, nope. That is far too risky.”

Sirius threw his head back and groan, “Oh, come now, Remus! It would be so much fun!”

“I agree,” You spoke thoughtfully, “It’s not like anyone even has a small indication about what we are, so what’s the harm?”

The tall boy still hesitated, so you all threw your best pleading faces his way- James and Sirius even going as far to put their hands together and shake them in a begging way.

“Please, Rem, please!” The two chorused.

“Oh, all right,” He finally gave in, sighing and running a hand down his face, “But don’t come crying to me if you get caught because of this.” He warned.

After much discussion and debate, the night ended with each of you being able to settle on a nickname that was subtle enough, but also downright hilarious to those who knew your secret- the five of you.

James was Prongs, Sirius was Padfoot, Remus was Moony, Peter was Wormtail, and you were Vix.

'Cause every night, I lie in bed, the brightest colors fill my head

“Pst… Y/n… hey, Y/n, wake up!” A voice whispered directly in your ear like an annoying fly that couldn’t be swatted away.

“Shut up,” You mumbled sleepily, wrapping your blanket tighter around yourself and burying your face further into your pillow.

“I told you we shouldn’t wake her,” Peter’s voice had a somewhat frightened tinge to it, “She’s gonna be angry if we do.”

A scoff came from James, “What are you, mate, five?” He shook your shoulder gently but firmly, “Come on, Vix, wake up-“

You quickly backhanded him in the face, causing a yelp to escape from his lips and his grip to loosen on you as he fell back with a cry, clutching his nose.

Remus snickered, “He tried to warn you, Prongs.”

Your eyes finally forced themselves open, and you glared at your four friends that stood above you, bickering back and forth with one another.

“What do you bloody idiots want?” You hissed.

Sirius held his hands up in mock surrender, “Hey, you’re the one that fell asleep in our room.”

“We wanted to sneak down to the kitchens and get some cookies!” Peter was bouncing on the balls of his feet excitedly, eyes wide and glistening with glee.

“You couldn’t have done it yourself?” You grumbled, slowly sitting up and stretching your stiff bones.

James pouted, finally relinquishing his hold on his nose to cross his arms over his chest, “It wouldn’t be the same without you.” He paused in mock thought, “Although, I don’t entirely see how deserving you are of joining us on our expedition after you attacked me in my own dorm.”

“You had it coming, mate.” Remus clapped him on the back, clearly fighting back an amused smile.

A large eye roll made its way out of you as you threw your legs over the side of the bed, “Enough of the dramatics, Prongsie, it’s time to go steal some cookies.”

Peter let out a cheer of happiness, only to be quickly shushed by the four of you in fear of waking any nearby dorms.

A million dreams are keeping me awake

“It’s beautiful,” Your mouth was gaped open slightly in awe as your neck was craned back to stare at the starry sky.

Sirius hummed in agreement, lowering himself so he was laying on his back with his arms folded under his head.

“I bet you can name all the constellations up there,” You teased.

He made a show of mockingly shrugging his shoulders, “No, not all… just most.”

You laughed lightly, falling backwards so you were next to him on the floor of the astronomy tower.

Neither of you had been able to sleep so you had snuck out of the dorms to climb up here and silently enjoy the view.

“I can't believe we’re already fourth years,” You said offhandedly, “It feels like only yesterday we were being sorted.”

“I know,” The boy sighed, “The years are flying by.”

Both of your heads turned to look at each other for a few moments, only a few blinks exchanged together, before you burst out in laughter, holding your stomachs and you rolled around on the ground.

“We sound so old,” You snickered after a little while once you had sobered up a bit.

“Perhaps we finally are,” Sirius grinned, “Give it another year and we’ll be looking like Dumbledore.”

That was followed by another fit of giggles that evidently led the Ravenclaw head girl on patrol to finding you and docking points off of Gryffindor house.

I think of what the world could be, a vision of the one I see

“If you could be anything,” James spoke suddenly, breaking the silence that had encompassed all of you, “What would you be?”

You were all spread around the boys dorm rooms, each minding your own tasks when he asked the question.

Remus had been trying to do some homework, Peter had been nibbling on a snack, Sirius had been dozing off and on, James was throwing a snitch up and down, and you were trying to read a book that Moony had recommended.

“You’re too random for your own good, Prongs,” Remus muttered.

“A unicorn,” Sirius answered immediately, ignoring the other boy, not taking off the arm he had draped over his eyes as he lay stretched out on his back atop of his bed.

“Then why isn’t that your animagus?” You asked curiously.

The boy's face dropped, “I hadn’t thought of it at the time.”

“Perhaps you would have been a lot cooler if you did,” James teased, tapping his chin in mock thoughtfulness.

“Oi!” Sirius bolted upright on his bed and glared at the boy, “Take that back!”

The bespectacled boy grinned, “Never.”

“Oh, Merlin, here we go,” Remus closed his eyes with a groan.

You excitedly scrambled over to where Peter and Remus sat, “I’ve got five gallons on Sirius.” You whisper-yelled to the two as said boy lunged at James, tackling him to the ground.

Peter giggled, taking another bite of his treat, “It’s hard to say.”

Both of you turned expectantly towards Remus, who only blinked at you both for a moment.

“My moneys on James,” He finally gave in after a moment, turning his head towards the fight.

“Hey!” Sirius whined from where he held James in a headlock nearby, “I heard that!”

Lupin rolled his eyes in amusement as you and Peter burst into a fit of laughter.

“Distraction!” James let out a war cry as he shouted it, elbowing his friend in the stomach and gaining the upper hand in the fight.

A million dreams is all it's gonna take

“Minnie!” You, Sirius, and James squealed simultaneously.

The professor had a frown pulling at the edges of her lips, “Potter. Black. L/n.”

“Oh, Minnie!” You cried dramatically, throwing yourself across a chair near the front rows of desks in her classroom, “How I’ve missed you!”

“I has been two hours since we’ve last seen each other, Miss. L/n.” The woman deadpanned, then gave a pointed look, “Remember? When I gave you this detention?”

You tapped your chin in mock thought, “It rings a bell.”

She tutted and rolled her eyes disapprovingly, “Just take a seat.”

The three of you immediately plopped down in the row right in front of her desk.

“It’s not fair,” Sirius muttered into your ear, “Remus was the one to come up with the prank and the bloke doesn’t even have to be there.”

“That’s because he wasn’t stupid enough to get caught.” You grumbled with a huff of breath.

“This is the third time this week you all have gotten a detention,” Minerva scolded, “I expect better from you.”

You and Sirius burst out into laughter and James raised a single eyebrow whilst snickering, “Better? Minnie, you ought to know us better than that by now.”

She rolled her eyes, “Yes, I suppose I must.” She muttered to herself.

Oh, a million dreams for the world we're gonna make

“Let’s go James! Let’s go Sirius!” You cupped your hands around your mouth in hopes that your cheers would somehow magically make its way through the other screams and cheers of your peers and into your friends ears.

Peter clapped loudly from beside you and Remus smiled, wrapping his scarf tighter around himself as the wind harshly whipped against the sea of students.

“Kick their arses, you two!” You screamed again, ignoring the glares from nearby Ravenclaws at your words.

The match against Ravenclaw would decide who won the house cup for the year, and you along with the rest of Gryffindor were more than ready to accept the trophy.

It had been going on for about three hours now and Marlene as well as the Ravenclaw seeker had yet to catch the snitch and end the game.

The chasers for both houses were pretty tied up, James, of course, having the most points scored for the red and gold house.

On the other hand, Sirius was having the time of his life, whacking the bludger at any blur of blue that flew around him.

All of a sudden, Marlene looked like she was practically doing a free fall on top of her broom, arm outstretched and going so fast that the Ravenclaw seeker never even stood a chance of catching her. But it would be too late to try anyway, because her fingers wrapped around the golden snitch and ended the match before anyone could so much as blink.

Like a roaring chorus, all of your house mates around you broke into screams that no doubt were making everyone’s throats scratchy and raw, but that didn’t matter. You had won the house cup.

Your grin was so wide that it even rivaled Sirius and James’s, who had flown down into the stands to celebrate with everyone.

Every person was jumping up and down in pure excitement, shaking the stands in a way that no doubt could be concerning and lead it to fall over. But nobody could find it in themselves to care.

There's a house we can build, every room inside is filled with things from far away

“This place is bloody magnificent.” Sirius breathed out in awe, leaning back against a hammock that hung between two pillars.

“I can’t believe it took us so long to learn about it.” You added.

“This could be like our new hang out!” Peter chatted excitedly.

“Not to mention the fact that it doesn’t even show up on the map,” Remus said, “It’s incredible.”

“The Room of Requirement,” You mused, “I like the sound of it.”

“Do you think a lot of people know about it?” James asked excitedly, jumping up and down a little bit on a nearby couch.

Peter gasped, “Maybe we’re the first ones to discover it!” He practically squealed.

You laughed, leaning back in your own hammock across from Sirius’s, “I think I could get used to this.”

Special things I compile, each one there to make you smile on a rainy day

“Hey, guys,” You smiled weakly as you glanced up at them, “How’s it going?”

James and Sirius grinned widely at you, coming to a stop in front of the couch you were sitting at and dumping arms full of cookie bags onto the cushions to your sides.

“What the-“ Your eyes widened as you stared at the treats, “What are you guys doing?”

James shrugged, plopping down beside you and offering you a bag while taking one for himself, “You weren’t having that great of a day, so we decided to try and make you feel better.”

“And what better way to do that then bring up some junk food for us all to share.” Sirius added.

Your smile turned genuine this time, “You… you guys didn’t have to do that.”

“We wanted to,” James shrugged as if it was nothing.

“And besides,” The other boy wore a playful grin, “It’s an excuse to eat cookies.”

They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy

“You’re insane, James Potter.” You crossed your arms over your chest, “I hope you know that.”

He threw you a grin, “Insane? Or just a hopeless romantic?” He asked.

“Insane.” You confirmed, letting loose a sigh when you realized he had already diverted his attention to where Lily Evans sat across the library, reading out of a large book.

“Look at her,” He sighed dreamily, “She’s perfect.”

You bit back an amused smirk, “Come on, Prongs, just go talk to her. Give her the flowers.”

James’s face immediately dropped, “Wait-uh-no… maybe- maybe this was a bad idea after all.”

“Hey,” You gently scolded, “It was my idea, remember? I thought of it to try and help you to finally get you to shut up about it?”

The black haired boy gulped and looked down at the bouquet of beautiful wild flowers he had picked specially for her- with your guidance, of course.

“Deep breaths, Prongsie.” You reminded him, placing a calming hand on his shoulder and offering him a reassuring smile, “You got this.”

He attempted his best grin, “I got this.” He repeated somewhat shakily.

You gave him a gentle shove forward and he made his way over to Lily, gently tapping her on the shoulder and flusteredly presenting the bouquet to her, all while you watched from afar with a proud smile resting upon your face.

They can say, they can say we've lost our minds

“To the Marauders,” You raised a glass.

“Here, here!” The four boys echoed back, clinking all your glasses together before taking sips out of their own.

You smiled, sitting down at the table of Three Broomsticks with them, admiring the way they all chatted and laughed amongst one another.

You couldn’t be more happy that there weren’t any empty carts that first day of Hogwarts on the Express.

My Little Bit of Magic 🧙- @your-local-questioning-agender @its-hell l @i-writes-things @etanordoesbullsh1t @wolfmoonmusic @kiyomi-uchiha777

[galactickle]

Last Resort

Teddy Lobo x reader

summary: You're from a rival crime family, Bella Lobo isn't a fan, what happens when you change her mind?

Masterlist

“Uhhh… Dad?” you ask, eyeing the gold pillars and lions.

“Yes dear?” he responds, not even bothering turning to look at you.

“What are we doing at the Lobo’s?”

“There’s just a small matter of business we need to deal with here,” the way he was withholding information from you made you uneasy, your father was always honest with you, ever since you committed your first act of defiance.

The car rolls to a stop, and the door is opened for you by one of the Lobo's henchmen, you eye him wearily as you exit the car, following your father into the ostentatiously decorated building.

“Anthony, dear!” Your father is greeted by Bella Lobo with a hug. “And Y/N, how lovely to see you again!” She approaches you and you shoot her an intense look that says you don’t forget the last time you saw her. “Sit, please,” she gestures to the table behind her, and you slowly move towards it, taking a chair near your father.

You sit in the Lobo’s club, observing the way it was decorated like a shitty themed Vegas casino, reminiscing about the last time you saw the woman who was now sitting opposite you and your father.

It was a sunny summer day, you sat in your golf cart staring at your phone while you waited for your golfing tutor to arrive for your lesson. The golf course was empty besides you, but that wasn't uncommon, it was quite elite.

The sound of another golf cart slowly wheezing towards you drew your attention. While you had never met the tutor you were supposed to meet with before, you instantly knew the man who arrived wasn't him. This man was clearly trying to hide tattoos with a long sleeve polo shirt and full length khakis, you could see the edge of one peeking out of his collar.

“Y/N! I’m Jason, are you ready for your lesson?” he approached trying to seem normal but you still knew something was off.

You smile, hopping off your golf cart, “Of course, it's nice to meet you Jason!”

“You as well,” he grabbed your golf bag for you and led the way to where you would tee off. Setting down the bag, he pulled a club from it, handing it to you, “This is a driver, it allows the ball to travel the farthest.”

You accept the club, and he proceeds to set the tee down in front of you, placing a ball on it gingerly. You take your stance in front of the tee, and he adjusts you into a better one. You take a few practice swings, and he notes a few things you could change. Though the whole time you could see him fiddling with something in his pocket out of the corner of your eye.

When you’re finally ready to hit the ball, you set up your stance, taking into account the notes given, and you swing the club back, Jason stands behind you, out of sight. As you take a deep breath, and exhale, about to swing, you hear the undeniable -shink- of a switchblade. You swing your club swiftly and with grace, missing the ball, and doing a 180 to club Jason in the head. As he collapses to the ground the blade rolls out of his hand.

You sigh, looking out from your spot on the hill, and in the distance on a hill adjacent to you, you see a woman with dark brown hair and clean style drive away in a golf cart with another man.

The stomps of someone running down the grand staircase excitedly snaps you out of your memory. Teddy Lobo appears, looking down at his phone.

“Mom, I'm heading out for a b-” he stops short at the sight of you.

“Teddy dear, lovely for you to join us, have a seat,” Bella interjects when he doesn't finish his statement.

He sighs, pushing a hand through his gelled hair, and takes the seat opposite to you, “What's uh, what's going on?” he addresses his mother, though barely taking his eyes off you.

“Well dear, me and Mr. L/N, have some business we need you and Y/N here to take care of,” the two of you eye everyone suspiciously.

“A few years ago, I’m sure you remember, our two families were on different sides,” your father starts, “but after your mother tried to kill my dearest Y/N, we struck a deal,” Teddy gapes at his mom, and she brushes him off, “A deal for peace,” your father continues. You were still waiting for the ball to drop, “That our two families would work together so long as I provided your mom with a suitable candidate to take over her dynasty.”

The looks of confusion you and Teddy wore must not have shocked them. “Teddy, you are to marry Y/N, she will help you lead our family to be one of the greats!” Mrs. Lobo finishes. You head shoots to your father who solemnly nods, not looking you in the eye.

“Can we talk for a minute?” you ask your father.

He nods again, guiding you out of earshot.

“You sold me to the Lobos? For what? Money? Power? I-” you go off on him.

“-Your life,” your father butts in, “Bella was going to have you killed, I would rather you be alive and a Lobo than dead.” You stare at him sternly, “You're the only thing I have left Y/N, after your mother passed there's no one else I care for other than you..”

You soften, reaching out to your father to pull him into a hug. “I'll never forgive you for this.”

“I know.”

While the two of you talked, Teddy was questioning his own parent. “Mom, what do you mean I’m ‘to marry Y/N’?” Teddy looks to his mom with puppy dog eyes, they worked on occasion but not often enough.

“Dear, I love you, you know that, but look at you,” Bella frowns, “and look at her,” she points to where you stand, scolding your father. “I need someone strong, who will do what needs to be done to continue my legacy, and you don't have the heart for it…” She places a hand on his shoulder, “but she does.”

“But she's the enemy!” he whines.

“She used to be, but now me and her father have grown to get along and so will you. Otherwise you will be shunned from this family.” Teddy frowns aggressively but nods nonetheless.

[wishitweresummer]

Now What Do We Use (Dream x GeorgeNotFound x Sapnap)

Word count: 4819

((This is from my series Glass House!! Next part is Now Let Me Explain.))

Warning: Restraints and intense tickles! Safeword use. Feet tickling. Tickle tools.

Dream cursed under his breath. He had snooped again. It was an accident like last time, but he still felt a little bad. He stared at the tab he had just clicked out of and analyzed the scenario he was in.

What were the chances George had left this open on his computer specifically for him to find? Pretty high, he decided. He clicked back onto the tab and scanned the contents, forgetting entirely what he had even needed the other boy’s computer for.

It was George’s Amazon wishlist. Dream’s eyes scanned the items. They were…a strange mix of items. At first glance he had assumed a few of them were things George would want to be tickled with, but he huffed in amusement when he realized it was every single thing.

With a few clicks, he shared the wishlist to his own account. He headed back to his own room and sent a quick text to summon Sapnap.

On his own phone, he pulled up the wishlist and moved the entire thing into his shopping cart. He whistled at the total.

“Bougie bitch…”, he whispered.

Amazon Cart 6 Items

Subtotal: $750.01

Sun&Lion V2 Deep Tissue Massage Gun

Natural Eagle Feathers 10-16 inch Turkey Pheasant

PHILIPS Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 Connected Rechargeable Electric Power Toothbrush 2-Pack, Black + White - Bluetooth

Glamzy Baby Massage Oil 100mL with Almond Oil, Aloe Vera, Calendula Oil, and Macadamia

WYNDEL Comb Silicone Hairbrush Shampoo Brush Scalp Massage

RHOS Paddle Hairbrush

“What’s up?”, Sapnap asked from the doorway. Dream grinned and waved him over, tossing him his phone when he got close.

“Gogy let me use his computer but accidentally left open a tab with his Amazon wishlist on it.”, he used air quotes for ‘accidentally’ to make Sapnap grin as he joined him on the bed.

“He’s rich, he can just buy th-whoa! This is almost a thousand dollars with shipping Dream!”, Sapnap laughed and leaned against him as he scrolled through the cart. “Baby oil?”.

“Pretty sure it makes you more ticklish.”.

“What about the hairbrush?”.

“I think for his feet.”, Dream said as he made a scrubbing motion. “Same as the scalp massager thing.”. Sapnap cringed with his entire body at the thought.

“Holy shit.”, he muttered. The idea of either tools being pressed to his own sensitive soles made him shake his head. “George is crazy.”. Dream laughed and nudged him.

“Imagine how he would react if we did it to him.”.

“He’d be so loud.”, Sapnap grinned. “Buy it.”.

“Huh? We can split it.”.

“Buy. It.”, Sapnap shoved him.

“Fine fine.”.

~•~

Two day delivery.

In the meantime, Dream and Sapnap brushed up on their knowledge for a few of the tools they were confused about. Where exactly to put the baby oil. Places they could use the scalp massager. Where the vibrating toothbrushes would work best.

After a loose strategy meeting on a lazy afternoon, they ambushed George.

“What are you doing?!”, he yelled as he fought against the two of them. As always, his strength was nothing compared to them. He shrieked in fear as one of his wrists was captured in a cuff and attached to the top corner of his bed. Instantly, he broke into giggles. “No no please no!”, he begged.

Of course, it fell on deaf ears. In no time, the boy was writhing helplessly in his restraints. In a t-shirt and shorts, but feeling naked. He scrunched his, newly freed, toes in the open air.

“Hush now. We gotcha.”, Sapnap said. George was wracked with nervous giggling as Dream left the room.

“Is it just us?”, he asked in a delirious haze.

“No, idiot. He’s getting your gifts.”.

“Gifts?”.

Dream came back with a big Amazon box. George’s giggles faded away into silence.

“Does that look mean you know what’s in here?”.

“No way.”, he whispered. His cheeks flamed and he squirmed helplessly in their gazes.

“Oh yes, Georgie. We found your Amazon wishlist.”. George was stunned into silence.

~•~

Dream waved the massage gun in the air. George shuddered in his restraints. He had never actually felt the tickle of a massage gun before, but it looked brutal in the videos he saw online.

“Alright so…I think it will work here.”, Dream said as he grabbed George’s knee and pressed the head of the gun into the sensitive muscle of his inner thigh. The boy whimpered. Dream grinned and switched it on.

George’s vision nearly blacked as every nerve in his leg was lit up with an intense pulse of ticklish electricity. The spot the head was pressed into pulsed quickly and his entire leg shook with the force. A stunted yelp slipped from his lips, but his lungs weren’t able to keep up with the force of laughter trying to break out. Nothing had ever tickled this badly. He convulsed silently, completely mindless to the feeling. And then…it stopped.

“Oh, it died?”, Dream asked as he pulled back the gun. George burst into hysterical cackles, the feeling in his leg still making him buzz. Sapnap chuckled and creeped closer to the head of the bed.

“No no!! No way! Fuck! You can’t do that again!! No! That was crazy!! Oh god! Guys, seriously!!”, he blubbered through his laughter. There was no fucking way he would survive that evil thing touching him again.

“Huh? No way! George, this thing was so expensive and you wanted it!”. The boy squeaked in embarrassment, unable to calm down at all.

“Return it!!”. The two laughed at the dramatics. George dropped his head back against the pillow and let the dizzy giggles bubble out of him. Dream plugged the massage gun into the wall and left it charging on the bedside table.

“We’ll have to come back to that later.”. George whined through his giggles.

“Please, I really can’t handle that. You have to listen to me.”, he had a cute little tinge of delirium to his voice.

Sapnap leaned over the side of the bed and popped back up with two long feathers.

“Should we start out soft then?”.

~•~

Soft might have sounded nice, but George truly thought he was going to die. With one delicate feather being flossed through his toes and the other teasing under his shirt sleeve into his armpit, he was shaking with desperate laughter. His nerves sparked under the teasing touch and he squirmed as wildly as he could. It was no use.

“Please please oh god please!”, he babbled through his laughter.

“But Georgie, it’s so soft!”.

He squealed loudly as Sapnap teased it against his ear, flushing in embarrassment at his own reaction.

“Oh, that’s right!! Your ears!!”. Sapnap put his palm on George’s forehead and pressed his head back into the pillow. “Here we go!”. George let out a wail of anguish, then collapsed into high pitched laughter. Dream grinned as he came to a stop and started crawling up George’s body to get a better look.

“Please!!”, he cried. He was shaking at the gentle torture.

“So cute…”, Dream coo’ed. The feather traced around and around the inside of his red ear. He bucked and squeaked, burning with humiliation.

“Fuck you!!”. He tried to shake his head, but it was impossible with Sapnap’s stupid hand clapped over his forehead.

“Oh, Georgie…”, Dream tsked and teased his own feather along the creases of the squirmy boy's neck. He squealed loudly, making the other two giggle. “Wow, your fancy expensive feathers were worth it huh?”.

“Shut…up!!”, he managed through his bubbly laughter.

George’s forehead was released and he jerked his head up, then dropped it back to the pillow with delirious giggles, rubbing his ear against it. The feather was waved teasingly in the air over his clothed chest and tummy before Dream tugged up his shirt to reveal it. He whimpered.

Normally, he was tortured with a rough touch. Mean squeezes and grabs to make him scream. The idea of a feather against his skin had never really scared him, but was interesting enough for him to look at online. He’d never bought it though. He figured it wouldn’t actually do much.

Now…well what the fuck was he thinking? Since the moment one of those dumb feathers traced his skin he hadn’t stopped jumping or shaking for one second. It was a sharp feeling. His sensitive nerves prickled underneath it and he could feel his senses heightening in defense. Not only could he not handle this, but he knew it would make the rest of his night worse.

He squealed when the tip of the feather teased into his bellybutton. He jerked his hips to the side roughly, but a large hand grabbed hold and pressed him to the bed. When he wasn’t able to squirm away from the feeling and it persisted, he threw his head back and burst into squeaky laughter.

“The feathers make him like…a squeaky toy.”, Sapnap noted amusedly. He cried out at the tease, making them both laugh.

“Please!”, he whined out the plea. Sapnap’s feather joined Dream in clumsily trying to shove into his bellybutton and his entire body jolted as he giggled hysterically. The noise was light and frantic.

“I thought soft tickling didn’t work that well on you?”, Sapnap asked. George was gasping through his giggles and shaking his head. “He’s so cute like this.”.

They trailed the feathers all over his body. When teased behind his knees, he squealed every single time. Dream and Sapnap giggled as they took turns poking the feathers under his knees and making him make funny noises.

~•~

“C’mon Georgie let us in!”, Dream giggled as he fought with the wiggling toes.

“Please! Please!”, he cried out frantically as he jerked his feet around and scrunched his toes in defense. Were they trying to kill him?

Suddenly at the same time, Dream and Sapnap both got their vibrating toothbrushes in between the last two toes on both of George’s feet. The sounds he made were incredible. They dropped their jaws in awe as they watched George convulse on the bed. The laughter pouring out of him was unlike anything they had heard before. It was shamelessly loud and desperate.

The vibrating sensation was unfamiliar and startling. No amount of squirming could free him and he felt himself lose his mind to the feeling. The toothbrushes were decidedly evil. They both prodded around curiously between his quivering toes and he screamed in ticklish agony.

“Whoa!”, Sapnap laughed. George thrashed in his restraints and fell into uncontrollable laughter. His body and mind screamed for him to beg for mercy, to beg for them to go one at a time, to beg for them to stop. But, he didn’t.

“Fuck!”, he squeaked out. His face was a pretty shade of crimson.

“These work pretty well, Georgie.”, Dream said with a grin. He quickly touched the head of the vibrating brush to each of George’s toe pads and he let out a stream of high pitched cries and squeaks.

Sapnap turned and started climbing up the bed, waving the still-vibrating toothbrush at George.

“Nonono!!!”.

“Oh, yes.”, he smirked. The vibrating head touched inside George’s little bellybutton and he screeched. “Ooh!!”.

“Get out!!!”, he yelled, then burst into hysterical giggling. Dream peeked around Sapnap’s shoulder.

“Oh he sounds so cute when you do that.”. George squealed and bucked, but Sapnap was relentless in twisting the head around slowly to find the best reactions. He threw his head back into the pillow and bubbly laughter poured out. “He sounds happy!”, Dream exclaimed.

“Well, he is. He’s getting his tickles!”, Sapnap smirked back at Dream while he twisted the head of the toothbrush just right to make George squeal again.

“Shut up!!”, George shrieked, horrified at the words. A panicked burst of squeaky giggles escaped him as he jerked back and forth. “Sapnap!!”.

Dream laughed and leaned around Sapnap, trailing the vibrating head of his own toothbrush up George’s ticklish side. He squealed helplessly. He teased it closer and closer to his armpit and the boy screamed in terror.

“I hate you guys!!”.

“Oh, well that was rude.”, Dream scoffed and dove his toothbrush right into his armpit. Sapnap followed quickly. They both laughed at George’s violent reaction. Silent screams wracked his chest as he bucked and convulsed helplessly. He finally caught a little bit of air and wailed with laughter. It was frantic and beautiful. “Cute…”, Dream murmured.

The two made sure to thoroughly treat every inch of George’s ticklish armpits to the little vibrating heads of their toothbrushes before moving on. The tickles were so intense and focused, it made it hard for George to catch any air to laugh or beg. Mercilessly, they smiled on as he gasped and choked and cried.

Luckily, they knew this was what he truly wanted. As crazy as that might seem to them sometimes.

Eventually, they flicked off the toothbrushes and allowed him a break. George’s body went limp against the bed and flustered giggles broke free. Dream shushed him gently and pet his damp hair. Sapnap almost started to help get rid of the ghost tickles, but thought better of it. He poked the tip of George’s red nose.

“The ghosts are tickle tickle tickling you, huh?”, he teased. George nodded through his delirious giggling. The words were feathery and lined with sugar, sparking excitement across his nerves. Against his will, he squirmed at nothing. Sapnap coo’ed, making everything worse.

“Silly…”, George mumbled between giggles, barely thinking. Dream and Sapnap laughed.

It was so freeing to be known like this. George relaxed into the fluffy feelings and let his bubbly giggles take over. Here, he could be light and dumb and young. Dream wiped his tears away and he closed his eyes, humming. The cold thumbs against his burning hot cheeks felt refreshing.

“Sweet boy.You are silly.”, Dream grinned. George nuzzled up into the hand. Sapnap and Dream looked at each other in surprise. Soft little giggles were sneaking out from between his lips. Sapnap whined.

“He’s being so cute.”, he murmured.

Suddenly, he grabbed hold of both of George’s sides to make him squeal loudly.

“Stop being so cute.”.

“Sap!!!”, he cried and burst into crazed laughter. “No!! Please!!”. Dream laughed and poked into his ribs, making him shriek. “Dream!!”.

“We won’t stop unless you stop being cute!!”. George threw his head back into the pillow and cackled loudly.

Sapnap held up the electric toothbrush and turned it back on, making George scream in terror. They both laughed.

~•~

“Alright, what’s next?”, Dream asked as he got off the bed and stretched. Sapnap dug through the box. They both ignored George’s breathless giggles and whimpers.

“Hairbrush and this super fancy baby oil.”, Sapnap said as he held up the items. George whined loudly. “Oh, you excited?”.

“Shut up.”, George said quietly. He scrunched his toes at the sight of the hairbrush being inspected by Sapnap. He had only ever felt a hairbrush against his foot once before and he had nearly hurt both himself and Dream at how hard he thrashed and screamed. He snuck a look over to the boy in question and then closed his eyes and shoved his face into the pillow at the shit-eating grin he was met with.

“Oh Georgie.”, he coo’ed. “George loves the hairbrush! Wow…we’ve never tried it with the oil though have we? Huh, Georgie? You must be so excited!”.

“Dream, shut up.”, he gritted out, horribly flustered. Dream peeked back and laughed at the nervous toes.

“Stretching out your piggies in preparation?”, Dream asked. George squawked at the words. He laughed and ruffled his hair. George was giggling frantically, unable to calm down. His sweaty hair stuck up everywhere from the ruffling and he tried to squirm away, but failed.

“There’s only one.”, Sapnap added.

“He can only handle one. You use it and I’m going to sit on him so he doesn’t squirm too much and hurt himself.”, Dream said as he climbed back onto the bed and straddled George’s waist facing his legs. George whimpered, giggles finally calming down as the sudden reality of his situation set in. He wiggled his body a little in protest and earned a quick squeeze to his thigh.

“Dream!”, he screeched. His butterflies were never going to go away at this point. “Fuck, I can’t do this.”, he cried desperately.

“Sure you can!”.

“No, it’s going to be too bad!!”, he whined and flopped his head back into the pillow a few times.

Dream and Sapnap froze and stared at each other, waiting for a safeword drop. One of George’s feet was shaking with nervous energy and Sapnap grabbed it to stop it. A flurry of excited squeaky giggles flew from George’s mouth and they both grinned.

“These little feet are already so ticklish! What’s gonna happen when I put the baby oil on George? Huh?”.

“Don’t!!”, he cried. No safeword, though.

“Let’s see what happens without it first.”.

“No! Get away!!”, he screamed. Still, no safeword. Dream and Sapnap nodded at each other; he was fine.

Despite his threat, Sapnap grabbed the baby oil and clicked it open. George yelped at the sound.

“No no no please!!! C’mon!!”. Sapnap coated his hands and started gently massaging the oil into his left foot. Instantly, George burst into frantic giggles.

“Get between his toes too.”, Dream added helpfully. George squealed as Sapnap listened.

“Alright Georgie, are you ready?”.

“No!! Oh fuck oh fuck!!!”, George thrashed as much as he could, but Dream’s weight was on his hips. “Please I can’t take it!!! Sapnap please!!!”, he begged. There was a real edge of panic to his voice. “Don’t do it!!! I’m begging you!!!”.

If anyone else was tickling him, George probably wouldn’t let himself get into that level of franticness knowing it would scare most people into stopping. His two best friends knew better.

Sapnap giggled as he grabbed a hold of the foot and scrubbed the hairbrush against the slippery sole. George screwed his eyes shut and screamed bloody murder. The ticklish feeling was intense and unstoppable. It shot up through his leg and threw his entire body into a squirming panic. Every nerve in his system spiked at the feeling. Before he could suck in a breath to laugh, his lungs were pushing out another scream. It was a desperate and helpless noise. The ticklish feeling was overwhelming. Fresh tears streaked down his hot cheeks as he shook his head uselessly. His lungs burned a little with the force of his screaming and he felt dizzy at the lack of air. Just as he thought he was going to die, Sapnap stopped. George sucked in a large breath of air and exploded with laughter. Dream smirked back at him.

“Wow! That worked really well! Georgie, are you okay?”, Sapnap laughed as he stood up to see George’s face. It was impossibly red and covered in tears. He could only shake his head ‘no’ as his laughter faded into delirious giggling. In Sapnap’s hand, the foot was still twitching from the aftershocks. He teased the brush across the toes and grinned as George let out a choked shriek. “So ticklish!”.

Dream grinned and tilted his head in the direction of George’s right foot. As soon as Sapnap grabbed it George was thrown into a giggly panic again.

“Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!!!”, he cried through his giggles. He squirmed as much as he could, but it was barely any. Sapnap had left the cap on the baby oil open so George had no warning before it was suddenly being massaged into his sensitive foot and the surprise made him yelp. Dream and Sapnap laughed.

“You have to be the most dramatic person on this planet!”, Dream said, amusedly.

“Do you wanna try this?!”, George asked, voice pitching strangely as he spoke through his giggling.

“No fucking way.”, Dream shook his head quickly. He looked over and laughed when he noticed Sapnap subconsciously responding with a head shaken ‘no’ as well. This would be way too intense for either of them. Maybe if he was prepared and ready, and definitely not restrained, he would give it a try. But, right now after the display George had just put on? No shot. He’s pretty certain it would kill him. He could almost feel the prickly tingles of ghost tickles along his soles just thinking about it.

George’s piercing scream broke him out of his thoughts. Sapnap scrubbed at the captured foot and grinned as the boy seemingly lost his mind.

This was something George was getting to experience more and more as Dream and Sapnap learned to put their mercy to the side for him. His brain switched off and he gave into his instincts, just screaming and crying. The ticklish feeling was maddening. The sensations were quick and startling, shooting through his body and making him squirm like a live wire. His foot flexed and twitched and trembled as Sapnap held it in place for his torment. He was helpless to it, to them. Just…tickles. It tickled. It tickled horribly.

A tortured scream tore through his body, sounding desperate enough to make Sapnap stop. It was unexpected, making him cry out with a shrill pathetic noise.

“Are you okay?”, Dream was asking somewhere above him. George opened his eyes and blinked away the tears. The room was bright. The question was confusing for some reason. He was still gasping for air and not sure how to respond. Yes? No? He was being tickled. “George?”, Dream tried again. Giggles spilled from his lips and he squirmed under the attention, confused and dizzy.

“It tickles.”, he squeaked out. Maybe that would be good enough? Dream smiled.

“Oh does it?”, he teased. The grip on his foot tightened and he was suddenly thrown back into his wild screaming as Sapnap touched that hairbrush back to his sensitive sole. Sapnap wasn’t going easy, really abusing his weakness. George gulped down air in an attempt to laugh, but the tickling was too intense. Screams tore from his throat before he could stop them and he was helpless to the feeling. His leg twitched violently, but was held in place by a large hand.

Together, they safely took him apart. George was allowed to thrash and scream to his heart's content without a thought.

Eventually, the feeling disappeared and George fell limp. Weak giggles broke through, but George couldn’t squirm at the ghost tickles anymore.

“So…what’s this?”, Sapnap’s voice asked from somewhere. A bunch of dull points pressed into his ticklish and over-sensitive sole and he squealed.

“What is that!!”, he yelled in panic. Both boys were laughing.

“It’s some kind of scalp massager for like, shampoo. But George wanted to be tickled with it.”, Dream explained.

Oh, they weren’t even going to let him recover.

George burst into laughter as Sapnap curiously pressed the massager all over his foot and toes. The sensation wasn’t as intense as the hairbrush, but it was driving him crazy.

“Fuck!”.

“It works pretty well!”. George shook his head through his laughter.

“That feels crazy!!”, he yelled.

“Look, Dream because they are a little pointy I have to be careful, but his ticklish little foot is totally freaking out!”.

“Shut up!!!”, George cried. Sapnap teased the shampoo massager across all of his toes, making him squeal.

“Be nice, Georgie.”, Dream warned and squeezed both of his thighs a few times to make him scream.

“Please!! Dream, fuck!”.

His thighs trembled in fear of another attack. Dream dusted his fingertips against them teasingly to make him jump. Sapnap paused his movements, watching curiously.

“I won’t get them too bad. Not before the massage gun.”, he purred. George shivered at the memory and glanced over where the device was charging. He whimpered.

Without warning, Sapnap teased the shampoo massager back down George’s sole and he squealed loudly.

“I wanna try!”, Dream said as he hopped up and moved to the bottom of the bed near Sapnap.

“No…”, George whined. Sapnap passed him the massager and he gently pressed it into George’s other sole. The boy giggled hysterically and squirmed. “No!”. Dream laughed and teased it along the wiggly toes.

“We gotta oil up these little piggies more often, huh?”. George threw his head back and cackled, affected by the words. “Oh, he’s such a goner.”.

“Get away!”, he cried through his laughter.

Dream and Sapnap passed the massager back and forth, tickling the bottom of George’s oily feet. When one didn’t have the massager, they would play with his toes or skitter their nails into the soles. Without a way to get used to the feeling, George just lost his mind again to the tickles. His laughter was bubbly and helpless. When he could, he would beg;

“Please!”, he tried. “Guys! No more!”, didn’t help either. “Why?!”, he cried. “Fuck!”, it was too much. He tried everything.

Everything besides what would actually stop them, of course.

~•~

“It’s time for the finale!!!”, Dream exclaimed as he unplugged the massage gun and gestured to it. George shook his head weakly.

“You can’t.”, he insisted.

“George, people use those all the time to massage themselves after working out!”, Sapnap said.

“Give it to one of them then!”, he shot back quickly, making them both laugh.

“You’re such an idiot.”, Dream said fondly and grabbed George’s knee. “Alright Sapnap, where do I press it in?”.

They both ignored George’s frantic squirming and begs for mercy as Sapnap scrolled through directions on his phone.

“Okay, try the muscle above his knee and kind of inner thigh.”.

“Got it!”, Dream said. He turned it on and George yelped in fear.

“Don’t do this to me!!!”, he cried.

As soon as the head of the gun touched his thigh again, he was thrashing against the bed with a silent scream. The pulse of ticklish vibrations went through his entire body and shook him to the core. Dream worked it down to find the most sensitive area and one spot tore a piercing scream from George.

“I’m such a good masseuse.”, Dream muttered amusedly, moving around the gun. A sharp laugh pierced the air as George found his breath. It was quick and loud, almost scaring the two. Mostly, he was just thrashing in silence as the overwhelming tickles took him over. Every laugh that fought its way out was strained and desperate.

He lifted up the gun and watched him carefully. Silently, Dream and Sapnap watched George shake with breathy giggles.

“I hate you guys…”, he managed out. The two grinned at each other; he was fine.

“Okay, anywhere else?”.

“Yeah, try higher up on the inside.”.

George couldn’t find it in himself to fight it, he just let himself scream and fall back into desperate silent thrashing as the vibrating head of the gun shook every nerve in his body. It was so intense in the one spot, it felt like he was being tickled from the inside out. His vision blacked so he squeezed his eyes shut, mind swimming in colors. Sharp cackles escaped him over and over again between his silent screams. This might be the worst tickling he’s ever felt.

~•~

If you asked, George would have no idea how long the two tickle monsters tormented his ticklish thighs with that massage gun. They tickled him out. Definitely.

His outbursts of crazed laughter were more and more spread out until he was just convulsing and gasping.

“Skeppy!”, he squeaked out, finally. And it came to a stop.

George went completely limp against the bed. His legs were still shaking from the vibrations, but he just let it happen. He kept his eyes closed and just let Dream and Sapnap take over for him. He relaxed and caught his breath while they un-cuffed him, put him under the covers, and snuggled up on either side of him.

“Wow Georgie, you really held out.”, Dream said softly. He finally let out a tired little giggle and turned his face into Sapnap’s shoulder in embarrassment. The two laughed at him.

“That was torture…”, he murmured quietly into Sapnap’s shoulder. He tried hiding his grin into the younger’s shoulder since he didn’t have the energy to fight it off.

‘He’s smiling.’, Sapnap mouthed to Dream. They both beamed.

Their adorable best friend. So sweet to trust them with this. Tickled to the brink of death, yet still cuddling with them and giddy. George snaked his hand back and grabbed Dream’s shirt, tugging him closer as he laid his head on Sapnap’s chest. He burned with embarrassment, but just nuzzled in and let himself relax. Dream wrapped around him and soon, he was pressed like he wanted to be between his best friends. The ones who knew him more than anybody. Here, he was home.

Together, they drifted off. Warm and happy. George, still buzzing from the events of the night.

[briefunknownnerd]

Chapter Three- The Lion and the Lamb

Hi Friends!! I know I promised a new chapter on the 16th. Well, I partied a little too hard, and not only did I get a bit of a hangover, I also caught strep. So as I sit here, waiting to go back to work, here's a new chapter for you, along with the link to A03 incase you'd rather read it there.

Thank you all so much for your support and patience. I had no idea the month of May would be so busy for me. I love you all so much. xoxoxo

The Lion and the Lamb - Chapter 4 - Emssssssssss - Call of Duty [Archive of Our Own]

Alarm bells rang out throughout the base as something entered the atmosphere. A boom shook the building, making clouds of dust rain down. Everyone was on high alert and changing into gear- and the 141 were no exception. Price wanted them to be the first ones on the scene, in fact.

Ghost shoved people aside, securing his mask on his face as he thundered his way to the vehicles. Price was in the driver’s seat of one, Gaz in the other with Soap in the passenger seat. Ghost hopped in next to Price, and only was his ass in the seat did he bother to bend down to tie his boots.

“So much for a fuckin’ day off,” he growled. Normally, Price would have chuckled, but his lips were set in a firm, grim line.

“They don’t know what landed,” was his captain’s only response. The Lieutenant nodded in acknowledgment, silently listening.

“It’s not a bomb, thank god. But whatever it is, Simon, we need to be extremely careful. All we know is that it might have high levels of radiation coming off of it.”

“Radiation?” Ghost questioned, an eyebrow raising from underneath his balaclava. “What in the bloody hell can bring off strong levels of radiation? This isn’t fuckin’ Chernobyl.” Price shook his head, fingers tightening on the steering wheel. “I don’t know. But we need to clear the area so we can have teams go in to see.” Ghost grunted in agreement.

Once the task force arrived on the scene and cleared the civilians out, Ghost got a peek of what they were looking at. In the center of a large city street with car alarms still blaring and streetlights flickering, was a crater four times the size of a car. Whatever hit, hit hard.

“Think it’s part of a space station?” Soap asked, trying to get a look. Ghost shook his head. “Can’t be.”

The group made their way over with precision after rescue teams had carted out any civilians that had been injured or needed to be evacuated. After being shouted some orders, Ghost and Soap nodded to each other, pointing their guns over the side of the crater before poking their heads over.

In the center of the crater, was a woman. Dark black hair, hyacinth robes, and fluffy wings. One was bent at an odd angle. There was golden liquid on her, some of it trickling down into the dirt. As it seeped in, grass and flowers grew underneath the body, cushioning it gently.

“Bloody fuckin’ hell,” Ghost breathed.

“What is it?” Soap asked, trying to sniff the air to determine what it was. With the chaos going on, he couldn't identify the thing. “Some sort of harpy?”

Simon didn’t respond, only called Price over after he deemed the space all-clear.

Footsteps crunched on the loose concrete behind them. Price. He looked over the side of the crater and let out a low whistle. His hands braced on the sides of his vest, rolling his neck to the side.

“Hells bells,” he murmured. “An angel.”

-----

The girl made of stars woke with a searing pain in her left side, a pounding headache, a throbbing wing, something sharp digging into her hand- an IV- and the constant beep of a machine that she wanted to rip out of the wall. She groaned, trying to open her eyes. She had no clue what day, time, or even month it was. All she remembered was the demon attack, and a cool rush of air before everything went dark.

Slowly, her eyes opened and adjusted to the light. Her fingers twitched, curling into a small fist as she gripped the scratchy bedsheets underneath her. The lights were nearly blinding, but blinked until her eyes were clear. The room was odd, with many objects that she could only guess was metal, attached to the walls. Cabinets, a sink, a chair- those she knew, along with the uncomfortable bed she was in. Why were there bars on the side of the bed? Why was there an object digging into her hand? What was the beeping about?

There was a noise- a man clearing his throat. It had caused her to snap out of her stupor. The girl made of stars looked at the four men that crowded her hospital bed. One had wings like hers on his back, the other had dog ears, one had some sort of children’s mask on, and the other seemed to be a dragon. And every single one was either scowling or giving her a confused look. Apparently, as her body had adjusted to Earth’s atmosphere, the radiation that was coming off of her diminished to nothing. A phenomenon, the doctors had said with bright smiles when they were poking and prodding at the thing. Was this how they always greeted visitors coming to Earth? Maybe she was ignorant to be so fond of mortals…

“Morning,” the dragon-man said, arms crossed. “Care to tell us who you are and what the bloody hell you’re doing here?” He didn’t want to be rude, but with her just falling out of the sky… he had to make sure she wasn’t a part of enemy forces.

The girl made of stars sat up, wincing in pain. Everything seemed to be too loud, too bright, too much. She swallowed; her throat as dry as the deserts she had only seen from miles above.

“M-my name,” she rasped. A glass of water appeared in her hands a moment later from the werewolf, who gave her a small smile. After deeming it wasn't poison- one could never be too careful- she gulped it greedily, water running down her chin. Wiping it off on the back of her hand, she looked at the bearded dragon-man.

“My name is Lo-Ruhamah Elisheva, daughter of Mary of Nazareth. I am a Princedom- and angel- of the Lord, and protector of Earth.”

Simon rolled his eyes. What bullshit. The angel’s chin lifted, as if proud. There was no way this… thing… could be from a different realm, different galaxy, different planet. It just wasn’t possible. Not to him, anyways. Price let out a grunt as he thought, studying her.

“I see. How did you end up here, on our planet?”

The angel swallowed, a sigh exhaling through her nose. “My friend- Orifiel- and I were attacked,” she replied, that confidence and pride ebbing away. “We were just finishing up patrol, and decided to take another lap past Earth. A small group of them attacked us- we didn’t even have time to sense their presence. I- I think he got away… but my pride may have killed him.” Normally, she would never speak the truth to such strangers. But the dragon man seemed kind enough, and she knew in her heart that he wasn’t evil.

Price sighed. He and the whole group knew that they wouldn't know what to do with an interdimensional war, not with something as evil as demons. Russians and drug lords? Yes. Whatever she dealt with? Hell. No. With just a little bit of prodding, the angel went into a full description of what had happened.

Price ran a hand down his face.

“Well, how do we get you back to where you need to go?” He asked, weighing his options carefully. The angel thought, biting the inside of her cheek.

“Well… I am clearly injured,” she replied, wincing as she felt a shoot of pain up her wing. “I need time to heal first. Give me a few weeks, and I should be out of your realm. If it’s not too much trouble, of course. I will stay out of the way.”

A growl escaped from Ghost. He didn’t like this- not one bit. He opened his mouth to argue, but Price had already given the girl his nod of approval.

“You will be under constant observation,” he said. Not negotiating.

“Very well,” she agreed, head inclining to the side ever so slightly. "After all, you've never dealt with something like me before." Every single one of their eyes narrowed, some of them smirking a little. A challenge.

"I like you," Soap said, tail swishing behind him lazily. "You're going to be fun to handle."

[vixen525noms]

Defying Certain Death Part 9

Copied from my DeviantArt account, a non-sexual G/T vore story featuring adults along the lines of the lion and the thorn fable. There will be tons of hurt/comfort aspects, lots of safe vore. That is the primary focus in this.

Barrett is and adult giant standing 85ft tall and Hope is an adult human at 5ft 6. Barrett does not eat children at any point.

Warnings: Unwilling Prey, Soft Vore, Characters in Distress

Future: While this part is relatively tame, future parts include fatal vore and violence. Barrett, the giant, is not a good guy, so will be doing some occasional bad things.

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-----

Barrett froze a moment as he processed what she told him. He had been in such bad shape, so certain he would die... until she arrived and offered to help. Hope. Not only was it her name, it was exactly what she had become to him. She had been his only hope of survival... And now he learned her name defined what she was to him. It was a little funny. Well, more than a little. With how tense and stressed he’d been for so long, he was overdue for a good laugh or he may have had an easier time blowing off the humor of it. He tensed and focused, trying to keep himself from laughing at the situation. He succeeded for the most part, managing to bite back the sound, but very slight jerks and sharp breaths made it clear he was laughing despite the silence. Even though he had been mostly successful, her current location meant she would feel the movement associated with his attempt to not laugh.

“I knew you’d laugh,” she said softly. Hearing her speak broke his concentration, and ended the silence. Hope covered her ears at how loud his laughter sounded; it was really a rather bad place to be while he laughed, the volume bordering on hurting and the repeated jerks leaving her a touch dizzy. Barrett managed to quiet himself fairly quickly, knowing he probably shouldn’t have found it quite so funny, but he couldn’t help it. “I’m sorry about that... It’s a nice name, and really suits you, all things considered. So how far is your home from where you found me? Once I’ve gotten something to eat and rested, I can take you there, or if you don’t want me going there, I can always just take you back to the mountainside.” 

He was hopeful that talking to her would help keep her calm and reassure her that he genuinely meant her no harm and would make sure of her safety until she returned home. He listened to the silence that followed, wondering why she was slow to respond about her home. Did she have friends she feared he may harm? Did she think he was asking so he could use her town as hunting grounds? “Hope, I won’t go to your town to hunt or anything, I just want to be able to take you home after I have eaten and rested briefly. You don’t need to worry about me taking advantage of knowing where you live, and like I said, I can always return you to the area you found me instead.”

Concern for neighbors wasn’t the reason she hesitated to answer. She just wasn’t sure how to answer. It wasn’t entirely a simple answer. She thought a bit before saying, “Well, I’m guessing you left my cart back there. They aren’t exactly cheap or easy to make, so I’ll need to go back there to get it.” Barrett frowned slightly, realizing he hadn’t thought to grab it or any other belongings of hers back there. He started on his way once more as he replied, “Then the first thing will be to take you back there to retrieve it. Do you have very far to go from there? I can take you at least part of the distance to your home so you don’t have to walk far. It’s the least I can do for you.” 

He thought back on their conversations as he walked, trying to remember what he could about her. Suffering from starvation meant his mind hadn’t exactly been in top form... Strange for her to be in an area so near to where his kind was known for hunting. He remembered her gathering some sort of plants, and he knew he had asked her about it at some point. It took him a moment, but he eventually remembered. “You said you collect and grow rare and difficult plants for money, right? If it would help you, I can carry far more than you could handle...” He hesitated a bit, not fond of the idea he was about to suggest, but also feeling he owed her too much not to offer, “Or, I have a fair sized collection of gold, gems and the like... I could give you enough that you wouldn’t have to work any longer.” His kind was not typically inclined towards generosity... They liked the finer things, and having extra treasure around to be able to get what they wanted at any time. But Hope saved his life, and he needed to do what he could to repay her, to do something to improve her situation. But she was so quiet... She wasn’t responding to his offers or questions. 

He found it a bit strange. She gave no indication of how far she lived from where she found him, what direction, or if she might want his help in some way. “Hope, I give you my word that should you accept my help, I will cause no trouble near your home. You needn’t fear harm coming to any friends you have near there. So how about you tell me how far you need to go?”

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[multifics99]

A King's Choice Pt.3

➳ King!Seokmin x fem!reader x RoyalAdvisor!Joshua

➳ tags: angst, fluff, royalty!au, love triangle, childhood friends to lovers

➳ pt 3 wc: 5.1K

It had now been a week since you had been back in the palace, you simply put the first night in the back of your mind and threw yourself into working. It was an awkward exchange with Seokmin, nothing either of you were prepared for. You hadn’t seen him since then, you only heard from him through his advisor, Joshua. You could feel your head starting to hurt just thinking about Joshua, he was so arrogant, you could never imagine why the royal family was so loyal to him. The past week you had gotten in a few spats with him, he liked telling you how to do your job, and you didn’t like being told what to do by him. 

It was a particularly early morning, as you and Mingyu prepared things for the day when Joshua had found himself in the kitchen. Mingyu dropped everything and bowed to him, you pushed him back up by the shoulder. “He isn’t royalty, he’s simply their pet” You turned to Joshua, “what could be wanting right now at the crack of dawn?” 

“Well as his pet I am fulfilling an order by the king.” You felt your face get hot at the direct mention of Seokmin. 

“Oh” you replied. Joshua smirked, you hated his smug face. 

“You and the apprentice here are being summoned to prepare and serve afternoon tea today.” 

“We aren’t maids” 

Joshua’s eyes darkened as he stepped closer to you. Mingyu hunched his shoulders, feeling the air become thick with tension. You could smell Joshua’s musk, a particularly expensive perfume, as he leaned down to become eye level with you. He was intimidating and you could feel yourself shrinking under his gaze. “You will be whatever the king asks you to be, you will be whatever I ask you to be” He took a moment to look you up and down, like a lion sizing up his prey “is that understood, Miss y/n?” 

You felt your sense of strength break completely, you knew he was right, and he could see he had won today’s battle. 

“2 pm” that was the last thing he said before taking his leave, he didn’t even look back as he closed the kitchen doors. Mingyu let out a breath, had he been holding it? “I think he scares me more than the king and I haven’t even seen the king since we came,” he said, his eyes then widening, “oh my gosh i’m going to see the king.”  You just huffed as you got back to your work, and Mingyu followed suit without another word. 

You went about the rest of your morning as your father and more staff came in for work. You and Mingyu did as you were told and prepared the food and platters for tea. Soon enough the time came and you had to start making your way to serve it, you took a few deep breaths to prepare, you knew you would be serving the same people who had taunted you in your childhood. 

You stood in front of the doors to the drawing room now, behind would be multiple members of the court, and Seokmin. You knew you had to go inside but you could not bring yourself to ring the bell, the kitchen was your safe place, your old cabin was your safe place. This room held too much of your past that you would rather forget. 

 Mingyu could see your discomfort and reached behind you to ring the bell himself. As the door opened you took in a deep breath, of course though it was Joshua who had opened it. Where in this place would you not see him? You forced yourself to push the tea cart in though, Mingyu following behind you with a large platter in hand. Sitting at a small table in the middle of the room was Seokmin, and one of the men of the court who was accompanied by his wife. You recognized them both, the man was Jeonghan, he had been appointed one of Seokmin’s advisors, and his wife was just a girl whose family had connections and was around the palace often in her life. It seems her father struck a deal with Jeonghan’s. 

You rolled the tea cart to them, and Joshua took his place at the empty seat next to Seokmin. You and Mingyu set down the teapot and all of its fixings. The small sandwiches and scones. You always wondered what they conversed about at this time. Politics? Music? Art? Was their conversation as nuanced as you imagined or was it simply gossip about the other people in their circles. Either way you always wanted to know. As you set down the last of the plates Jeonghan stared. “Y/n?” he said. Dammit you thought, you were hoping you would be ignored. “I thought that was you, y’know I nearly didn't recognize you,” good grief please don’t say anything more, “you’re a pretty thing now aren’t you” He would not take his eyes off you as he began to sip his tea. His attention caused everyone’s attention. His wife shot daggers at you with her eyes, Joshua shot daggers at Jeonghan with his, and Seokmin looked at you apologetically. Mingyu just kept his head down as he placed empty trays on the cart, he was probably afraid you would explode and get them fired on the spot. You knew though that it was safe to just opt for silence, you could not let your temper get the best of you here, unless you wanted trouble.

 “Sir Jeonghan,” Joshua said, glancing between you and him, “you just got back from your honeymoon did you not?” Jeonghan shifted uncomfortably in his seat as his wife replied, “we did, it was lovely, he took me to his estate in the countryside.” Her face stayed blank though, probably still fuming over her husband’s comment. Joshua shot his signature smirk over to Jeonghan though as he raised his cup, “a small toast to the newlyweds then.” They all raised their cups and drank, Seokmin remained docile, not at all the demeanor one would assume from a king. 

He only spoke to finally dismiss you and Mingyu, and as you two left you could only remember why you had become angry with Seokmin, he was a coward in front of his court. He only showed loyalty towards you in private that had always been the case, even now when he could say and do whatever he wanted, he still chose the easy way. Joshua being unafraid to say something in front of the king said all that you needed to know. 

… 

It was later in the early evening now, your day was done. Your father never allowed you to work past afternoon tea, he wanted you to have your free time. He would always say someone your age should be out mingling, you never did though. You spent your early evenings out in nature, the air was refreshing and the sounds of the birds and the creek relaxed you. So now that is what you did, you wandered back to the woods of your childhood home for a stroll. As you walked you passed the cabin, it was still intact,  even though it was being used for extra barn storage. How many supplies did they need for those horses? You were still upset that you had been pushed out of that home but maybe it was best left as a memory, maybe living there would have been too painful. 

You chuckled to yourself thinking again about what Joshua had said about you and Mingyu sharing living quarters. Inappropriate. Mingyu has entertained some maidens, but he’d begun to focus all his attention on the flower girl, and you’d never seen him that way. You wouldn’t even know what to do if a man approached you, you’d held hands with Seokmin as a child, and gave Joshua a peck in your early adolescence. That was the extent of your love affairs, you had never had anyone propose a courtship. You weren’t even sure if you wanted to get married, your father never pushed the idea on you, he didn't need money or status, and you had only ever met one person you thought you could love, and he was entirely unattainable. 

As you meandered about on the walking trail in the woods, your head in the clouds you heard a clopping behind you. You turned to see none other than Seokmin on his horse taking a leisurely stroll himself. You prayed he wouldn’t try to speak to you, you had no interest after tea this afternoon. Unfortunately though as his horse approached he came to a halt by your side, there was no way to escape, it wasn’t like you could outrun a horse. 

“What’s a lady doing all on her own in the woods?” he joked, you were in no mood for jokes. 

“What’s a king doing all on his own without his posse?” Seokmin came down from his horse so that he was standing beside you. This is the closest he had stood next to you in years, that night in the kitchen it was dark and you were both standing some distance away, now he was right by your side. He was so tall now, the top of your head would probably only just reach his chin, he was broader too, you could only imagine how strong his shoulders would feel. You snapped yourself back into reality, you couldn't allow his looks to distract you. 

“I apologize for Jeonghan this afternoon, I will have a word with him about the way we treat people in my palace.” You scoffed,

“Why bother? Joshua seemed to take care of him just fine for you.” 

“Joshua has is own way of doing things”

“Joshua seems very unafraid of his king”

“His King” Seokmin said, choking on his words “does not want his people to fear him, I refuse to be my father.” 

“I was under the impression your father was fair” 

“He was but he also had a darkness to him, a side of himself that I don’t want to continue to live on through me” Seokmin held his gaze to the ground as he continued to walk with his horse on the path, you simply followed. 

“He was tough then?” you asked, you knew the late king was strict but Seokmin never told you much beyond that. 

“Uhm, yes you could say that.” he was smiling at you but it didn’t quite reach his eyes, he always tried to hide his sadness, he didn’t like his emotions to be a burden on others. You dropped your facade of anger completely, Seokmin was a strong person, but when it came to taking care of people he was filled with emotion. You still held grudges but right now it seemed he needed his old friend. You were willing to give him that. “I haven’t heard much about your mother since he passed,” You said, “How has she been?” 

Still looking at his feet Seokmin replied, “She has certainly been better, and I can’t say I made it easy on her, when I decided to leave, it put a strain on our relationship, I mean I left a whole kingdom for her to deal with alone,” his words were starting to falter as his eyes welled with tears, “I am lucky I had Joshua then, he stayed by her side during those months and helped make decisions, I still feel like a coward though.” and that was it, the tears fell. His mask of happiness and ease that he always wore had fallen off. He turned away from you as if you couldn’t already see that he was crying. You lightly touched his shoulder and he turned back around, his ears red with embarrassment. “I apologize, this is very uncouth of me.” 

You didn’t say anything though, you simply hugged him. He seemed to melt into your touch, his head leaned over to find a comfortable place on your shoulder. You stroked his hair as you allowed him to sob into you. You two stayed that way for a moment, the rest of the world seemed to fade away, this was something just for the two of you. Finally he quieted down and his breathing returned to normal. He pulled away from you and sniffled, “Thank you” he said. 

“You know I didn’t want to talk to you when I arrived” you admitted “I am still holding onto grudges from the past.” 

“I know” he replied “among all of the mistakes I've made so far, hurting you was one of my biggest, and I regret it everyday.” You just nodded as you kept walking the path with him, “I can’t say I was entirely fair to you back then either” you admitted “I think I was angry because I felt that in my time of need I didn’t have my best friend by my side.”

And your first love

But you couldn’t say that. 

So you just walked and continued to talk to the King and remember the fun you two had when you were younger. You talked about when you were children. You teased him for embarrassing things he’d done, and he laughed along. You watched him as he did, he was undeniably beautiful. His skin glowed under the golden light of the sunset, the warm undertones of his dark hair shone through. What made him shine most of all though was his smile, it never failed to make you feel warm. He always lit up a room with that smile.

Neither of you realized how long you had been out until it was noticeably darker outside and the air had a slight chill. “Dammit” you muttered as you saw the sun was beginning to set, “I’m going to miss supper, my father is going to be worried” Seokmin gave his horse a pat, “I could take you back, it’s about time I get this old boy back to his stable anyways.” You nervously looked up at the horse, you’d never ridden one before and the creatures always made you nervous. You’d heard of people falling off and losing memories, or worse, getting stepped on. Seokmin could sense your hesitation, “It's okay” he said with a large grin, he then gently held your hand in his, your breath hitched at the gesture. He slowly lifted your hand towards the horse, “May I?” he asked, you were nervous but you wanted to trust him so you nodded your head yes. He put your hand on the horse’s neck and together you pet the large beast. 

“Hmm” you said

“What is it?”

“Horses are much softer than I thought they would be.” Seokmin simply chuckled, the sound of his laugh, there was that smile again, making your heart feel so warm. “He’s very gentle I promise, may we escort you back now?” You nodded yes again, Seokmin mounted himself on his horse and then held out his hand to yours. As you grabbed his hand he instructed you on where to put your foot, once you seemed secure he began to pull you up. He managed to pull you all the way up, but before you could begin to mount yourself, your hand slipped out of his and you stumbled back a bit. With his free hand Seokmin grabbed you by the waist and then hugged you to him. Your face was inches from his now, you could feel his breath on your cheek. Your heart pounded, you told yourself it was just the shock of almost falling. Seokmin simply stared at you until suddenly his eyes grew wide and a pink tinge colored his cheeks. He helped you mount the rest of the way until you were comfortably sitting behind him. 

“You uhm” he finally said “you have to…p-put your arms around me…so you don't fall off.” You did as he said and you felt him become tense as you wrapped your arms around his waist. 

As you two rode Seokmin seemed to relax a bit and eventually it was a leisurely ride back to the palace. For the first time in a few years you felt calm, you would have never expected that you would feel that way around Seokmin again. You decided to put that to the back of your mind and allowed yourself to simply be. After some time you two finally made it back before dark, you suspected supper was just about to start so hopefully you would find your father before he began to worry. 

“Thank you for the ride” You said to Seokmin after he put the horse back in the stables. “Of course, you are the last person I would allow to wander about the woods in the dark” You cocked a brow at him, “Oh really? Because I recall you daring me to spend five minutes alone in the woods at night when we were children.” Seokmin dramatically placed his hand over his heart as he sighed, “And I worried about you the whole time.”

The two of you chuckled and reminisced more about how you had played together as children. In the corner of your eye though you noticed two stable hands pass by as they whispered together, and that was when you remembered what Joshua had told you about Seokmin inviting multiple women to his bed. You realized then that if you were seen with him like this, people would gossip. Feeling self conscious you took a step back, “I should go to my father now and have supper.” you mumbled, as you began to walk away he followed after you. “May I escort you in?” He suggested. “No” you said as you kept walking, you know he tried to follow you but you did not turn around, you left him without another word and eventually he just stayed behind. You felt foolish for thinking things could be as they were before, that you could ever have a calm moment alone with him. Of course you couldn’t, if you tried people would call you all sorts of things, and not only would that reflect on you but your father. 

You stayed deep in your thoughts as you walked through the corridors that you didn’t even notice anyone was walking towards you until you had bumped into something. You looked up to see Joshua in front of you, you had run right into his chest. How is it even possible for his body to be that hard? You just shook your head, not having any energy to argue with him today you gave a silent apology and tried to continue along until you heard him call your name. 

“Y/N” 

His voice sent a chill down your spine. You slowly turned around, “What?” You were in no mood to be polite. “Well you look glum for a girl who was just getting private riding lessons from the King,” he snarkily replied. “Who on earth told you that?” you had not even gotten off that horse ten minutes ago and already there was a rumor. “Oh please y/n, I know everything.” you just rolled your eyes, “Well i'm afraid to tell you that you have it all wrong, Seokmin happened across me while I was on a stroll and he simply helped me get back before it became dark, I think everyone here needs to mind their business.” You turned around to continue walking but you could hear Joshua’s footsteps behind you,

 “Joshua please just leave me alone.” 

“Y/n I promise I'm just concerned, I’m really not trying to aggravate you this time.” 

“Ahh so you admit you aggravate me on purpose.”

Joshua smirked, “Only a little.” 

“Idiot.”

“Snarky as always,” he chuckled.

“Well no need to worry” you said “I promise I don’t wish to ruin the King’s reputation by being seen with him.” Joshua shook his head, “The King’s reputation? No he is fine, honestly he would be wholly unaffected by any implications that he’s taken you as a kept woman.” He cringed at the idea “No I am worried about you I would not want to see your reputation sullied by such rumors.” 

“Why do you suddenly worry so much about me?” You asked “You made sure I did not share a roof with Mingyu, you got Jeonghan to let me be at tea, and now this.” Joshua averted his gaze, “It is my job to keep all the staff in line.” You giggled “Well if keeping me in line is what you’re trying to do it is not working, in fact you encourage my bickering with you.” 

“Well then let’s call it looking out for a friend“ 

“Your definition of a friend seems skewed.” you replied as you shook your head. 

“Have we not been friends all our lives y/n?” Joshua asked, and you couldn't help but begin to laugh, “Joshua, please, you were perhaps my biggest bully then, you always teased Seokmin for playing with me and made fun of my clothes.” Joshua smiled to himself, as if it was a fond memory for him. “What on earth are you smiling about?” He was honestly beginning to look like a fool with how wide he was grinning. 

“I think back then,” Joshua said “I was simply jealous of how close Seokmin was to a girl.” You clasped a hand over your mouth to keep from loudly cackling, you would never have guessed Joshua had a passing fancy with you. “It’s alright though” he continued “because eventually I got to kiss you.” 

You snorted, “Seokmin never even noticed, I felt so silly.”

“Did you want him to?”

“Of course I did.” You then noticed Joshua’s face fell a bit solemn, “Well” you continued “I'm not sure it was really a secret that I had an infatuation with him as a child, so of course I was hoping kissing you then would make him a bit envious.” He just nodded, you couldn’t distinguish his thoughts, and the silence was becoming uncomfortable. “I should hurry to my father now, he must be worried I'm late.” and before either of you could utter another word you hurried away, the air around Joshua had become off. You were unsure of what had happened just then but you hoped it would not happen again. 

As you and your father had supper that night in the server’s dining quarters you were silent, the entire day had been strange and eventful and you wanted to explain none of it to him, you didn’t want him to worry about you anymore. Your father had spent the better part of five years worrying about you. “So how was your day? I did not get to see much of you.” Your father asked as he placed some potatoes on your plate. You plastered on a fake smile as you told him your day was fine. “It was rather uneventful honestly.” Father seemed unconvinced though,

 “Really? Because one of my cooks overheard you being seen riding on a horse with the King.” 

“Where is Mingyu?” You asked to distract him. “Don't worry, I think it’s nice, I recall you being close with Seokmin as a child.” You didn’t look at him though as you cut your pork into bite size pieces, “He just found me while I was on a walk and helped me get back before dark.” You stabbed your meat with your fork and shoved it into your mouth, praying the topic would be changed soon. “Well” father sighed “it is good to know he’s stayed kind through his struggles.” 

“So where is Mingyu?” you asked again. “Oh he went into town, I needed him to do some shopping, we were low on flour, sugar, you know the essentials.” He scrunched his eyebrows as he spoke, “though I do wonder why he’s not back yet.” You held back an amused smile, knowing full well Mingyu had stopped to see the girl at the florists. “I am sure Mingyu is on his way back now, you know how social he is, probably got caught up in a conversation along the way.”

“I suppose so” your father mumbled, as he chewed he looked deep in thought, and once he finished he asked, “What do you think of Mingyu?” You looked back suspiciously as you set down the glass of water you were about to sip, “Aggravating” you replied “but like a brother, he’s a good friend to me.” 

“Ah I see, I was wondering since you two spend so much time together…” You knew what your father was getting at now, though he was trying to be subtle about it. “I do not wish to marry him, father, or any man for that matter.” You stated matter of factly. Father seemed a bit exacerbated, “I just worry about you-” but you cut him off. “And I will be just fine in the future, you’ve already stated that your assets will be mine. I have no reason for a husband.” 

“But what about companionship?” Your father asked sadly. You had no idea what else to say so you decided to just escape. “You know what I am full, thank you for supper.” You cleaned your place at the table and left off to your private quarters. You hated seeing your father so upset like that but he would just never understand. 

The rest of your evening was spent shedding tears in your room. You were sad because your father was sad, you were sad because you knew the reason you refused to seek out marriage was entirely ridiculous. It wasn’t something you could help though, you had unintentionally built a wall around your heart. Companionship with anyone felt impossible…if they weren’t Seokmin. You shoved your face in your pillow and groaned at your own childish mind set. How could you still have feelings for him after all this time, you kept telling yourself it was a silly childhood infatuation. He would never choose you regardless of whether he was the prince or king or what have you and not just because he was royalty but because he was now an experienced man. He must have met tons of women on his year long travels, no doubt most of them were rich, suitable candidates for marriage. Those women were fit to become his wife, not you. 

After hours of tossing and turning you finally managed to get some sleep. It wasn’t enough though and you woke up not feeling the slightest bit rested. You forced yourself out of bed and groggily walked over to your makeshift vanity, which was just a small table and a mirror. You looked absolutely horrendous from the lack of sleep, at least your messy hair could be brushed but there would be no helping the dark circles that had appeared overnight. You put on your uniform for the day and combed through the tangles in your hair before putting it into a braid. You decided washing your face today might be a good idea to try and look somewhat freshened up. The water pump was down in the basement though and the thought of walking there in the moment was daunting. If you wanted water though you supposed it was necessary. You walked out into the hall with your bowl, as you walked down the stairs you passed Mingyu whom you haven’t seen all night. He stopped to say hello but his face dropped when he noticed how tired you looked. “Sleep okay?” He asked hesitantly. “Just some nightmares, I snuck some dessert too late at night.” You tried to sound nonchalant, you didn’t need anyone being concerned. He simply nodded, “I suppose I’ll see you for work then.” You nodded in response and kept walking with your bowl to fetch your water. 

…

You felt a bit better after washing your face, the dark circles of course didn’t leave but at least you felt like you had rinsed some of the sleep off. You went off to work and had a very typical morning of preparing breakfasts and scolding Mingyu for sneaking bacon off some plates. Getting into your normal routine was comforting and working kept your mind from wandering too far. You made a point to seem lively and joke around with everyone in front of your father so he would forget about your behavior the night before. He seemed content enough and didn’t mention any of the conversation you’d had. Once the breakfast preparation was over and all plates had been handed off to maids and butlers the staff dispersed to have a short break before needing to prepare for afternoon tea. 

You moved yourself to a small garden located outside of a servant’s door for your break. Being outdoors on a sunny day was always refreshing, and this garden had some berries growing that you wanted to check on, if the strawberries were ripe you wanted to use them in a tart for tea time. As you checked on some of the produce you noticed Mingyu approaching you from the corner of your eye. “Can I help you or have you come to disturb my peace?” 

“Bright and cheery as per usual.” You could feel his sarcasm hit you, 

“I just wanted some fresh air.” Mingyu assumed a comfortable position on a bench in the garden which looked a bit funny as he was so tall and the bench was so low to the ground. With his knees so high one might think he was squatting. “Hey” he continued “do you think we will have to serve tea again? Because honestly that was an awkward exchange, and I’m not really sure how I feel about that Lord Jeonghan.” Mingyu cringed thinking about the events from yesterday. 

“I don’t think so” you said “something tells me the king won’t have it happen again” “more like Joshua” Mingyu chuckled “he truly commanded that situation.” “Seokmin is just…he’s not all there right now…” you sighed.

 Mingyu gave you a bit of a side glance, “y/n please he stayed completely silent while Lord Jerkhead made you and his wife uncomfortable” he tsked “not at all a way to treat ladies.” You giggled as you plucked a reddish looking strawberry to inspect it, “oh am I a lady now.” 

“Well to the general public at least, I know you’re an absolute troll though don’t worry.” You spun around and chucked the strawberry at his head. “Hey that’s fresh food!” he exclaimed. “Don’t cross me and I won’t waste these berries any further.” You smiled a bit as you went to share the bench with him. “Thanks for being my friend Mingyu.” You said quietly. “Thanks for being mine.” He said. You both sat silently, content with each other’s company. A moment later Mingyu checked his pocket watch and stood from the bench, “Unfortunately break is over.” He said as he stretched himself out. You sighed as you stood up as well, “I don’t even get to make my strawberry tart” you tsked, “I threw the only good one at you.” 

[omniblades-and-stars]

The Last Time (A Game of Cat and Mouse)

Read on AO3

"Bancroft Exports and Logistics Headquarters" read the sign carved from impeccably polished wood, no doubt from Earth. It was mounted on the wall next to a door made of frosted glass and featuring antique bronze hinges and a matching bronze doorknob, shaped humorously like one of Earth's large felines, a lion, if he remembered correctly. He always did. As he reached for the door knob with a green-scaled hand, Thane Krios noted it as something to ask Mr. Bancroft about. It was obviously meant as a statement, the expense of retrofitting a Nos Astra office building for an ancient human door alone meant that it was not simply a design choice.

He straightened the front panel of his expensive suit jacket as he strolled into the lobby. There was a reception desk with a high counter wrapped around the front, topped in the same dark polished wood that the sign at the door was. There was another office door directly to the right of the reception desk, and a cart against the wall with porcelain tea cups hanging from metal hooks. One was missing.

The receptionist was not at their post, it seemed. There was, however, a small sign that read "Press Button for Assistance". He was surprised when there was no audible tone when his carefully filed talon depressed the cool metallic button.

After several seconds of empty silence, a booming, "I don't pay you to stand around and look pretty! Go see who it is, damn it," reverberated from the office behind the door. A feminine voice answered back, the words of her quiet reply were lost to the barrier provided by thick walls. Thane clasped his hands behind his back and waited patiently to be greeted by someone. He was going to enjoy killing Mr. Bancroft later. 

The door cracked open and the first thing out of it was a slender, human, woman's foot. It was clad in a precarious, ruby red high-heeled shoe, a thin strap buckled around a delicately arched ankle. Her legs, shapely and well-toned, were covered by sheer black stockings. A pronounced seam ran up the length of her calf, disappearing behind her knee and beneath the hem of a charcoal gray skirt so tight, it could have been a second skin. 

His eyes traveled up her body, taking in the receptionist as she pushed sideways out of the door. She held a silver tea tray in her delicate, gloved hands, and despite her unreasonably high heels, she moved with well-practiced grace and fluidity. 

A pristine cream colored blouse covered a supple chest, the promising curve of soft flesh hidden beneath whisper thin fabric. A collar buttoned high on her slender throat with dainty, round pearls, covered a scar he knew was there. He was surprised to see her here. She was supposed to be dead.

He killed her.

Bare skin burns hot, pressed and writhing beneath him. A soft moan turns to a surprised gasp and her fingers dig sharp into the muscles of his arms. Silken lips parted against his in a silent plea. Breaths ragged from exertion and the effects of the venom still coursing in her veins. Crimson rivulets wash down the cold metal of his blade. Tears bead at the edges of her clouded, disbelieving eyes, pupils wide, surprised by the betrayal she knew would inevitably come. "Why?" She mouths, unable to speak.

"We can't keep doing this. This is the last time," he whispers, and tenderly brushes wisps of dark hair from her sweat-dewed cheek. Tears that are not hers fall, mingling with the ones sliding over her skin and into the hair tangled on the pillow below her. Her grip on his arms falters as she grows weak. He leaves her alone to die in a Presidium hotel room, disquieted and regretful.

It had been too difficult to stay. He should have known she would pull through. She was stubborn, tenacious.

Beautiful, precious.

And above all, a devious, deadly viper.

But why was it relief that he felt to see her again?

Familiar honey-colored eyes glared at him as she turned to greet him. She drew the plush flesh of her burgundy lip in between her teeth, seductive and no doubt a sign of the anger she felt at the sight of him.

The anger burning in her wide, clear eyes disappeared in a flash, as though it had never existed. A wide smile took its place, creasing the corners of her eyes, and she broke her silence by proclaiming, "Oh, you must be the security consultant here to meet with the board. I am so sorry, how do you pronounce your name, Mister…" Her voice was soft, dripping with syrupy cheer. Her head cocked slightly to the side quizzically, a convincing charade played out for no one but the two of them. 

"Tuek. Rumi Tuek. It is a pleasure to meet you. Though, I am afraid that I do not know your name," he said in reply. In this, he told no lie. No living person knew her true name. Her names shifted like the crashing tides of the sea.

"Julia Tophana," she answered cheerfully and bravely turned her back on him to set the tray on top of the cart. "When I first saw your name on the appointment list this week, I assumed it must have been a salarian name," she lied easily, putting on a breathy, airy voice that he knew very well was an act. She continued putting the pieces of the tea service away with gloved hands as she filled the silence with trite chatter. "I thought, 'Surely it couldn't be a drell name, there are so few to be seen away from Kahje.' But what do I know? Mr. Bancroft always says, 'I didn't hire you for your brains, Jules.'"

How long had she been working as the man’s secretary just to murder him?

She loved the long game.

Julia turned and flashed a charming smile at him, holding a stained tea cup in her left hand. "He underestimates me. They always pay for underestimating me. Don't they?" Thane's hand ghosted over his abdomen, where the memory of her blade made itself known. She started this destructive little game of theirs.

She cries out for help as his target tries to pull her into a filthy alley, one of so many on this part of Omega. He runs to help this stranger, a young, human woman out for a jog. A gunshot echoes out of the alley, and the woman's screams stop.

Too late, he fears. But as he turns around the abandoned building at the entrance to the alley, he sees her standing hunched over a body, hands gripping the pistol like iron. She holds it like it is both her only lifeline and the most terrifying thing in the galaxy. Like she has never fired it before.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I … I … was so scared! I didn't … oh God, what did I do?" Her cries are shrill, panicked, she is nearly hyperventilating. Her hands shake and tears streak over the gentle curve of her cheeks. She looks up at him with large, pleading, amber eyes, and drops the pistol on the ground right before she heaves and vomits all over her lavender running shoes.

"Please, let me help you get cleaned up," he offers quietly as he approaches. She clutches his hands with her own trembling fingers and allows him to lead her away. She tells him her name is Artemis, tells him about how she ended up on Omega, and how lonely it is living on that horrible station.

It's hours later and they are still together, she's pressed against him, hot and needy. Her kisses taste like peppermint toothpaste. "It was so easy. This is the last time you'll see me, see anything," she whispers against his lips. Cold metal bites into his skin, just below his lung and it twists as she pushes him harder against the wall. Her strength is surprising. Too late he realizes that she is not just an innocent woman out for an evening run. The pain forces a groan coursing up his throat. He can feel the blade scraping through his ribs, feel it pierce through the other side. "I don't do competition," she explains and strokes his cheek with a soft hand, now coated in emerald blood. She simply walks away after, leaving her blade, and him, pinned to the wall. It is the kind of folding blade engineered by and for killers, expensive and easily hidden.

The truth of the matter was that she was a small, beautiful woman blessed with large, doe eyes, and perfect, bow shaped lips. Traits that she carefully wielded to her advantage at every available opportunity. Including here, in this moment, where he was her only audience. She was like the sirens of Earth’s ancient mythology, and he too often found himself ensnared by her song.

Arashu protect me, Amonkira guide me, and Kalahira, please take this damnable woman to the darkest, coldest depths of your oceans.

She brought the cup down onto the hard surface of the desk, shattering it with purpose. "Oops! How clumsy of me!" She brushed the shards into the trash can, and in a smooth motion removed the gloves from her hands and deposited them into the receptacle after, careful not to touch the outside material with her bare fingers.

The gloves must have cost a fortune. They appeared to be made of real animal skin, unlike the synthetic leather worn by most. Even in their line of work. 

She'd always been one for flair, even if only for her own sake.

His eyes followed the dexterous lines of slender fingers, recalling the feeling of them tracing tender lines over the ridges of his scales, the feel as they dug into his flesh as she tried to tear his grip from her throat. With a raised brow, he started to ask, “Mr. Bancroft, is he-”

“Dead? He is, but he doesn’t know it yet,” The Shepherd responded while she checked the watch set into a dainty silver band around her wrist. “He will have a “sudden” stroke in approximately four hours.”

Of course, poison. 

One of her favorite methods. She had always been one for a more personal approach. She liked to get in close, get to know the target. She loved to play games, like a cat toying with a mouse that didn't know her claws were already piercing its skin. Until it was much, much too late.

She always played games. 

Thane's lips curled into a disapproving grimace. He despised that she got to Bancroft first.

He despised that she waited until she knew he would be here to do it. This entire charade, this whole show was for his benefit alone. 

It was payback. It was his turn to be the mouse, it seemed. It was probably no less than he deserved.

Deserved or not, he would not let her win.

Her clean up finished, The Shepherd picked up a datapad and waved for him to follow her into the curving hallway. “This way, Mr. Tuek. The board meets on the next floor up, accessible only by the interior elevator.” She strode in front of him, the long curve of her legs accented by the pointed heel of her shoe. Absently, she brushed a long dark lock of hair that had fallen loose from her bun, held together by shining metal sticks, behind her ear. It was much longer than their last meeting.

“I like what you’ve done with your hair, Ms. Tophana. It is a shame that I will kill you before I get to enjoy it,” he whispered in her ear as they walked past the office workers diligently working at their desks in the open office space nested behind the reception lobby.

“I like the piercings you have there on the ridge above your frill, those are new. I will take great pleasure in tearing them from your smug face right before I end you,” she retorted while looking straight ahead. Her mouth curled up, confidence hidden in the upturned corner of her lips. "This is the last time, Krios," she whispered hotly.

"You are sure of this? You have yet to kill me, Shepherd," he reminded her and placed a gentle, threatening hand at the small of her back. The silken fabric of her blouse slid pleasantly over his scales. 

Their walk through the office came to a halt at the elevator, tucked into a hall filled with more office spaces. The Shepherd turned to face him as she pressed the call button for the lift. "It will either be me or you this time. To the death, once and for all. I'm not leaving this building without your life."

The elevator arrived with a chime, and the door slid open. "Then you will not leave this building," he answered emphatically and stepped into the elevator.

The Shepherd pressed her arm across the opening to prevent the door from sliding closed. She leaned in, passing the datapad to him, her lips ghosted dangerously close to his cheek, her breath hot on his skin, stirring heat deep within him. Her hair smelled like honeysuckle. It always smelled like honeysuckle. "You make mistakes when you underestimate me. Don't make it easy for me," she whispered. Suddenly, she pulled back, "You'll understand why I won't be joining you in the elevator. The boardroom is directly to your right, through the preposterous double doors. You can't miss it." 

She had the audacity to wiggle her fingers at him as though she were waving goodbye to a friend as the door slid shut. 

He looked down at the datapad and turned the screen on. Thane didn't know whether to be greatly amused or greatly irritated by the image that greeted him:

"A Game of Cat and Mouse" written out in the flowing script he knew to be hers, followed by a humorous drawing of a cat with human hair styled just like hers. And pinned beneath her feline paws, a mouse with green and black scales.

Hiding in an office suite after his meeting, now entirely pointless due to Bancroft's impending death, had concluded was a simple matter. It was easy enough to duck into the office of some executive who was almost certainly on vacation, and simply wait until everyone who was not The Shepherd left. By the time the work day drew to a close, he found himself pondering the pendulous motion of the Newton’s Cradle decorating the large wooden desk in his hiding office.

Click.

Clack.

Click.

Clack.

Click.

Cla-

“We’re alone now, Krios. You can come out of hiding,” she shouted down the hall from her roost in the lobby.

As he walked silently down the hall, he removed his suit jacket, slinging it over his shoulder and cuffing his shirt sleeves at his forearms. When he rounded the hall into the lobby, she was standing with her back to him. Her arms were raised, the mass of her hair held tightly in her fist as she began to wrap it around her hand and tie it more suitably to the base of her skull. The two decorative sticks were laid on the counter, perfectly symmetrical to one another.

“That’s close enough, Thane. Rules first,” she said firmly without turning to him. She grabbed one of the sticks and popped the bottom tip off of it, revealing a very fine sharp point. She leaned to the side and pulled the hem of her skirt taut in her fingers. The Shepherd drove the point into the stretched fabric and then pulled it. The organic fibers parted noisily up the side of her leg, up to the leather belt fastened around her thigh, just above where her stockings came to an end, teasing him.

Thane drew his gaze back to her hair. Her hair was safe, it was drawn up messily in a simple elastic band, and was quite possibly the only part of this that wasn't a performance. “I am listening, Shepherd,” he confirmed. She paused, and almost imperceptibly shivered before leaning to tear the other side of her skirt.

Muscle and bone shifts beneath the tan skin of her back as she undulates. Her back is a star-chart, made up of tiny constellations of freckles and scars. Bruises blooming purple and blue prove the background of the galaxy mapped out between her shoulder blades and beyond. He props himself up on one hand before gently running a short talon over a long jagged scar just below her shoulder blade.

"This one?" He asks, breaking the silence. Her skin pebbles beneath his touch, goosebumps, she calls them. She shivers as his finger trails across her back.

"From the time I killed an elcor diplomat," she says through heavy, panting breaths. "Didn't think he'd be sneaky enough to hide a knife." She is lying, a preposterous lie at that. He has asked her about it before. The last time, it was from a krogan battlemaster's pet varren. He is fairly certain it is a scar from a turian's unfiled talon.

He moves again to sit up completely, and her back arches to accommodate him. His left hand circles around her body, tracing gentle lines over her skin, admiring the bumps that form in its wake, but only for a moment. He presses his other hand around the base of her throat, he can feel the tendons shift as she swallows and moves, and the beat of her heart, fast and strong. He can feel another line, just under her breast. "And what of this one?" He asks with his lips pressed against her neck, he can taste the salt of her sweat.

He knows the answer. He put it there. 

They are moving in tandem, languid, and unhurried, savoring this beautiful charade, awash in blinding pleasures. This time, they started as enemies and ended as lovers. He much prefers it this way than the other. Tonight, she is sweet … by the gods is she sweet. Her hair smells of honeysuckle, and the softest sounds drip like nectar from her lips. And he is an addict for them. He can almost imagine that she isn't like a poison to him, or him a sharpened knife to her.

"I tripped and fell into that one. It was an accident, really," she says with a smile in her voice. "Dropped my guard, for the last time," she explains and lies and tells the truth all in the same sentence, through the same panting breaths. He can't explain why he finds these little, unnecessary lies so charming, so enrapturing, but he does.

He is caught in her web, and he climbs further in of his own volition.

"No guns, no poison, no omni-tools, and no warp fields. Agreed?" The Shepherd rolled her shoulders back and stretched her neck, the elongated curve of it far too tempting. The very edge of the silvering scar peaked over the edge of her collar.

"Agreed."

She stood on one leg and pulled her foot up behind her, stretching her leg and rolling her ankle. She was still wearing those impractical, ridiculous, attractive shoes. "Good, any additions you'd like to make?" She continued her stretching as though she were preparing to go on a run,  and he was not a professional assassin ready to attack.

"I would appreciate it if you did not use your biotics to pull my central nervous system apart this time," he requested with a smile. One encounter with her biotics had left him twitching and blinking sporadically for weeks. "I believe that is a fair exchange in return for not using mine to rip you apart from the outside."

"Oh, I hate when you make a good point. Fine. Questions?" She asked as she turned to face him. He had expected to see her cocky smile, or a demure smirk. Maybe even a deep, hateful scowl. 

But her lips were pressed in a hard line, and her eyes were bloodshot, and lined harshly red at the edges. Had she been crying? Was she frightened?

Or was this a part of her game? He could never tell with her. It could have been another of her little lies. Even still, it gave him pause, tightened a knot in his gut. 

Thane shook his head and tried to push off his reservations. He was in her snare, he knew. He tossed his jacket to one of the small chairs in the lobby and clasped his hands behind his back. "Who hired you to kill Bancroft?" 

He was merely curious, very few people earned having more than one assassination plot against them.

"His wife. You?"

"His son," he answered with a smile. Even fewer people were so hated by their families that they would independently hire someone to kill them. "Do you have any questions for me?"

The Shepherd cocked her head and furrowed her brow. Her question fell from her lips quietly and without preamble, and it detonated like a hydrogen bomb, "If I die tonight, will you mourn me? There isn’t anyone else." She fumbled her words and hastened to add, "Who would even notice, much less care if I die, I mean."

The aftershock rolled into him and sent blood thundering through his chest. "Yes, I mourn you every time, " he answered sincerely and before he could grasp the magnitude of his own words. "Shepherd, if Kalahira calls me to the sea tonight, will you mourn for me?"

"Yes. Every time."

They had killed each other, or tried to anyways, far too many times.

The seconds that passed before either of them moved crackled with electricity. The only warning he had before The Shepherd leapt at him was the flaring of her nostrils. She held the slender stick in her hand like a blade as she pushed off the ground without a sound. He threw his left arm up and pushed the blade away with his forearm, and curled his right fist up towards her ribs.

Her body bowed out of the way of his strike, and stepped in towards him. She hooked her foot around his ankle and pulled him off-balance. Her elbow connected with his collarbone sending a sharp pain shooting through his neck and shoulder. Just as the tiny little blade made its way to his chest, he thrust the flat his hand up. The air around his body ignited cerulean blue, and the blade struck the barrier and snapped. 

The Shepherd stumbled backwards, dropping the now useless implement to the ground. "Shit, I hate it when you do that," she grumbled and adjusted her stance again. 

He pressed his hand into his shoulder and rolled it, stretching out the muscle. "You know, you possess the same skill? It might be useful for keeping much more of your blood inside of your body."

Her small nose crinkled up before she smirked, "That your professional opinion, since you're so good at freeing me of mine?"

"Deserved, although the same could be said for you of mine," he retorted right before advancing on her. They fought. Fists, hands, feet, all moving with blinding speed and precision. He pressed hard against her, and she took steps back, all the while blocking quick strikes and narrowly avoiding getting caught in his grasp.

She came to a stop with her back pressed against the reception counter. The Shepherd reached behind her without looking away from him, and snatched the other hair pin up, releasing the pointed tip hidden under a small metallic cap. She was quick, and aimed the small weapon for his neck.

Thane wrapped one hand around her wrist, and pulled the implement free with the other. He didn’t hesitate and drove it into her side, earning a snarling hiss from the woman.

He’d always been faster than her.

The Shepherd struck him hard in the chest with her outstretched palm, and a concentrated blast of energy followed it a fraction of a second later. Indigo light flared from beneath her hand and he was pushed back across the room, knocking the air from his lungs, and his body to the floor. She pulled the weapon from her side with a grunt, vermillion spreading across the thin fabric of her punctured shirt.

She closed the gap between them with a short run. She raised her foot to bring it down hard on his chest. Thane shifted and rolled away just as she brought her foot down, throwing her off balance. He struck her other foot with a blunt kick, bringing her down to his level.

“Fuck!” she shouted as she crashed to her hands and knees. Immediately, she began to crawl away, working her way back up to crouching, trying to stand again.

Until he grabbed her around the ankle and began to pull her back towards him. “No you don’t,” he grunted as he dragged her thrashing body, preventing her escape. “Why do you wear these shoes, Shepherd? They are quite impractical for walking, much less a fight.”

The Shepherd stopped thrashing and allowed him to pull her nearer while answering, “Have you seen what they do for my legs and my ass?” He had, he could see it right now. “Besides, they serve a function.” She pushed her hands up under her body and flipped herself onto her back. She drove the hard, narrow point of her heel hard into the musculature just below his left shoulder.

He growled and nearly bit his tongue. 

Evil, demon of a woman. 

The stiletto ground against sinew and bone, the pain sending a flash of white static through his vision. He dropped his grip on her leg, and groaned as she pulled her foot free from his shoulder, centimeter by visceral centimeter.

The woman scurried away, standing and disappearing around the corner in the hall at dead run. 

He stood and tested his shoulder, it seemed that she managed not to tear any ligaments or tendons. He could move through the pain. Thane darted off after her, “Running away? That is very unlike you.”

“No … ugh … just looking for a change of scenery,” he heard her breathless and grunting reply from down the hall heading towards the elevator. As he neared the hall, he saw her forcing the doors open and pulling herself up and into the empty elevator shaft. He followed after, fully expecting her to be waiting at the next floor to push him to his death down the shaft.

But she was not there.

Instead, a small ceramic saucer came flying at him, a projectile sent from inside of the truly ridiculous, large double doors leading into the boardroom. He ducked below it, but didn't see the next saucer, until it struck him right in the side of the head. The ceramic shattered against his scales, and he could feel the stinging heat of blood gathering on small cuts.

The Shepherd was standing on the board room table, an enormous expanse of wood cut from a singular tree, stained and sealed with resin. She pulled her foot back and kicked a holo-conference terminal, sending it sailing towards him. Thane leaned to the side, easily dodging the awkward projectile.

He balled up his fist and pulled it back, gathering biotic energy before releasing it. It sailed into her and sent her sprawling to the surface of the table. Paper, more saucers, and a datapad or two went scattering out from under her fall. He jumped onto the table, rapidly closing the distance. 

She crossed her ankles around one of his legs, pulling him to the surface of the table. Their fight turned into something more akin to a schoolyard brawl. They traded sloppy, awkward blows, rolling back and forth on the broad meeting room table.

Suddenly, she had him pinned, pressing hard into the wound on his shoulder while she reached for the belt secured around her leg.

Thane wrapped his right hand over her face and pushed her head back hard, and grabbed her wrist with his other hand as she attempted to stab him with the knife that had been hidden on the inside of her thigh. He pushed up while she pushed down. She shifted her head and snapped her teeth around the base of his thumb hard enough to draw blood.

He bared his teeth at her and growled. Thane shifted his weight and wrapped his leg over her hip, with her knife-wielding hand still held firmly in his grip, he pulled her down close just before rolling over her. He sat fully on her abdomen, preventing her from rolling and thrashing.

She clawed at his throat with her free hand, curses quickly turned to animalistic cries as she struggled to keep her grip on her precious little knife. Much of her hair had come loose, splayed out in messy tangles around her head and cheeks. Blood seeped from a bite mark on her lip and her eyes burned with fury, and perhaps, fear.

Thane wrenched the knife from her hand and threw it off to the side. It hit the tiled floor with a sharp, metallic crack, but was immediately forgotten as the woman returned to clawing, scratching and hitting him with every ounce of energy she could muster. And it did hurt. He wrapped his hands around her slender wrists with crushing strength. She let out a guttural cry and twisted at the abdomen, trying to free herself. Her legs scrambled to find purchase on the table and push him up from on top of her, but all she accomplished was scraping deep ruts into the resin coating on the wood.

He gathered her wrists in one hand and brought them down hard and awkwardly just above her head. He brought his other hand to her throat, the buttons of her collar long since pulled free during their struggle, and he paused.

Beneath his fingers, the smooth, but too long line of the scar taunted him. It was thin, almost surgical in its precision, but cruel. His cruelty, not hers. 

His heart skipped while hers thundered beneath his ghosting touch. Her chest rose and fell so rapidly, she was on the verge of hyperventilating. Genuinely.

The Shepherd looked up at him with those wide, terrified eyes of hers. She let her head fall back to the tabletop, exhaled, and squeezed her eyes shut. “Just do it, Thane. You win. Better this way, wouldn't want it to be anyone else.”  Silent tears rolled from the corners of her eyes. “The last time, right?” she asked with a choked, pitiful laugh.

"No," he said, frozen in place with just the barest contact with her skin.

Her breath hitched and her eyes flew open. Impossibly, her heart began to beat faster, breaths came out in short, fast bursts from her nose. "What? Fuck, don't drag this out!” She cried out. “Just snap my neck, or shit, strangle me. Plea-"

Her confused protestations were silenced when his lips covered hers in a bruising, searing kiss. She gasped and he released her hands. Just as he was pulling back to ask her if that was alright, she grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and brought him back to her lips.

In seconds they were consumed by each other, psychological games, anger and violence all but forgotten in the blinding heat of raw, pent up desire. The way she moved and how they were suddenly undressed was dizzying. His memories of the softness of her skin and sweet melody of her voice could never compare to the satin plush of her thighs gripping his waist, or the sounds that tumbled from her mouth.

By the gods, the sounds she made. They were healing waters from the wellspring of her lips. They were quiet, keening mewls, breathy gasps, and those hushed moans pressed against his lips like mumbled prayers. And oh, the way she whined when his teeth scraped against the delicate curve of her throat. He was drunk on the way she breathed his name with muted fervor.

His world turned upside down, and the cool surface of the table met his back. Loose tendrils of her hair brushed his scales as she moved over him. Her head tipped back and her lips parted, forming the perfect silhouette of ecstasy. The muscles in her stomach slithered and writhed with the hypnotic rhythm beneath his hands.  

He was lost in the intoxicating, feverish warmth of her. 

It crested, they existed on the edge of a corona, just before falling over the edge into the crushing gravity, and all-consuming, plasmic bliss. It surged through him like an electric shock and stole his breath, made his fingers tingle like her skin held a static charge.

She collapsed on top of him, the full weight of her small body pushing what little air was held in his lungs out with a groan. The Shepherd laughed, breathless but musical. “It happened again,” she muttered against his chest.

Thane wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight to him and carding his hand into her hair, and drawing gentle circles between her shoulders with the other. She shivered, goosebumps rising beneath carefully filed talons. Her fingers traced lines over the soft ridges of his neck. He stared up at the ceiling above them, struggling to control the surge of confused emotion mounting inside of him. “It did,” he agreed quietly. “Will you tell me your name?”

He could feel her muscles tense, and her shoulder blades drew close together before she released the tension with a sad sigh. “No,” she started and then hesitated. “My real name belongs to someone I’m not anymore. Call me Sophie, always liked that one.”

“Sophie,” he repeated into her flower scented hair.

“There isn’t anyone else. To love or to hate me,” she said suddenly, somehow disarming him again.

“You have me,” it rolled off of his lips too easily. She did that to him, pulled his guard away and rendered him loose with his affections and tongue.

She’d probably try to kill him right now. Tear him apart with biotics, or reveal that she’d poisoned some innocuous part of the office that he touched. Maybe that absurd lion’s head door knob at the entrance to the office. Maybe even the heel of her ridiculous shoe. That’s how this usually went.

Instead, she raised her head and looked at him with tired, quizzical eyes, “To love, or to hate me?”

“Perhaps, it is both,” he responded honestly. Maybe the gods knew, because he certainly did not.

“We can figure it out the next last time,” she said with a small smirk playing at the corner of her bruised, cut and perfect lips. “Assuming we don’t kill each other first.”

He returned her smile with one of his own. “I would not want it to be anyone else.”

[the-kittens-of-vol-tron]

Hey so I saw this post on Pinterest (it’s really from tumblr but I couldn’t find it here) and I was like “this would be perfect klance tbh” and I thought I should request also you give very good dating advice and I’d like to make sure you’re hydrated 👍

Ok that’s it bye

Hehehe, I've been waiting for this

-----

Keith tied his hair back, taking a deep breath as Lance parked the car. It was that time of the month; time for shopping. They went twice a month and each trip took over an hour. 

In reality, it shouldn’t take them that long, they had a list of everything they needed. But they were Keith and Lance, they never did anything easy. 

“Ready baby?” Lance asked with a smile. 

Keith nodded, opening the passenger door. Lance grabbed their bags from the backseat. “You have the list?” 

Lance nodded, pulling out a piece of paper from his green jacket. “Right here.” 

Keith grabbed the list, waiting for his boyfriend to find a cart that rolled okay and didn't squeak every two feet. “Got us a winner!” He placed the bags in the cart, “let’s start.” 

They headed to pets first, they needed cat litter and cat food. That’s it, two items should be easy enough. 

“Oh my god, we have to get Red and Blue this toy!” Lance lifted up a pack of catnip toys that were shaped like metal lions. 

“They have enough toys dear.” 

Lance frowned, looking down at the toys. “Not metal lion toys.” 

Keith rolled his eyes, “fine.” 

They moved to cosmetics next, needing some face wash and a sleeping mask. Lance grabbed Keith's wrist, immediately swabbing some dark red lipstick on him. "Ugh, this color is so not you."

Keith stared down at it, "you picked it."

"Let's try this one!"

They eventually left the area, with their needed items in their cart and Keith with a line of makeup up his arm.

"Ohmygod baby we need these!" Lance held up a plastic yellow bag.

Keith fought back a sigh, "Lance. We don't need animal crackers."

Lance pouty, like a five-year-old. His eyes filled with tears. "But....they're the frosted ones."

"..put them in the cart."

Lance grinned and borderline slammed dunked the item into the cart. "Thanks, baby!"

Keith found himself moving down the aisles, marking off the list as he did. But it was quiet. Too quiet. He turned around, his boyfriend was nowhere in sight. "God damn it." He said under his breath. 

He gripped the cart handles tighter and went to the main aisle, where did he go? He parked the cart out of the way, beginning to look down each aisle. He passed one, nearly tripping with how fast he turned.

"What are you doing?!"

Lance turned to look at him, holding two bags of ground coffee. “Smelling coffee.” 

Keith smacked his own forehead and groaned. “We don’t even drink coffee.” 

Lance scoffed, “what if I wanted to start?” 

All Keith wanted to do was fall to the floor and disappear. “Lance-” 

His boyfriend took a couple of steps, closing the distance, “smelllllll.” 

He reluctantly did. “Okay...it doesn’t smell that bad.” 

“See?!” Lance wiggled his eyebrows. 

“Fine...how much is it?” 

Lance turned, his eyes scanning the shelf. “Ew like $9.” 

“Yeah, no. We’re broke.” 

Lance nodded, placing the bags back on the shelf. For once not arguing with Keith. They made their way back to the cart, Keith’s eyes immediately falling on a box he defiantly did not put in there. “Orange Crush flavored Poptarts?” 

Lance nodded, “yup a classic.” 

Keith was less concerned about the sticker that said “NEW FLAVOR” and more about when it go in the cart. “How did- when did you put this in the cart? I was with you the entire time?!” 

Lance waved him off, “what’s next on the list?” 

Keith rubbed his eyes, he wanted to be home. 

The refrigerated section was fine. Everything was fine. Until they reached the frozen section. “FOUR CHEESE PIZZA!!!!” Lance bolted to the pizza door, his breath fogging the glass. 

Keith found himself offering an ‘I’m so sorry about him’ nod to everyone that passed them. “Pizza is not on our list.” 

“Buttttt babyyyyyyyyyy it’s four cheese. Our favorite.” Lance presented his pouty eyes again. 

“Correction, it's your favorite. I’m lactose intolerant. Remember?” 

Lance rolled his eyes. “Stop being allergic to dairy, you’re no fun!” 

“When you figure out a cure, just let me know.” 

They ended up getting more than what was on their list. As usual for them. It didn’t matter until they were staring at the multiple nags in the trunk of their car. 

Keith began to grab bag after bag, not noticing Lance not even reaching for one. “Dude, we can take two trips.” 

“No.” 

“Alright, but I wanted to hold hands.” 

Keith looked down at his hands. Both held at least seven bags. He added the bags his right hand was holding to his left and grabbed Lance’s hand. “Just get the door.” 

-----

I hope you liked it!!!!!

Thank you <33333

[countrymusiclover]

4 - Bethrothed Lion and Wolf

Part 5

Fire OF A Stark

@queenieala

Glaring in the mirror in my room in King’s Landing I already wanted to go home. Sansa had become more of a pain over the prince and it was driving me crazy. Closing my eyes gently, the door opens revealing my mother. Glancing over my shoulder she embraced me in a hug the second I rose to my feet flinging my arms around her neck. “I’ve missed you, mother. Oh I don’t want you to leave. I can’t bare this place without you.”

“I know my girl. But there must always be a Stark in Winterfell. So I must ride back Morth to be by Robb’s side. I only wished that you weren’t betrothed to someone like the Kingslayer.” She explains tucking my hair behind my ear. I had decided to leave it down but have some of it braided into a crown on my head.

Squeezing my hands against her forearms I sighed. She was right that we couldn’t leave our home without one of us who has the family blood. “I understand that you don’t like him. But the king made the announcement. There’s nothing we can do. I - I’ll just have to accept it, mother.”

“If I must go before your wedding night. I will give you some advice. Don’t fall into the lion's den my dear. He believes that he can get everything by his locks, money and the name of his father. But I have raised you to fight with your temper. Wife’s are supposed to keep their husbands happy, but don’t cut yourself short.” She declares seeing the sword laying on my bed beside us.

Shifting my gaze back to her I drifted my eyes to the wooden floor. “I’ve been practicing. Trying to get better. Just in case…you never know, especially here.” Arya was getting better with her lessons that our father had given here when we arrived here a few months ago.

“With that at your side. You’ll surely give that golden lion a run for his money.” Catelyn chuckled back at me before someone knocked on the door. She opened the door and saw her husband who gives me a smile.

“I have come to ascot you back safely. Cadence sweetheart, do you want to accompany us?” He questioned my direction. Nodding my head yes they left the room allowing me to switch out of the dress I had on. Shrugging on a gray tunic with long sleeves, black pants and brown boots I opened the door wrapping my sword holder around my hips.

Keeping my eyes trained forward I didn’t care that part of the court saw me differently. Sneaking through the castle was pretty easy thanks to an old friend of mothers. She embraces father in a long hug and they share a kiss before we watch her leave on the back of a cart. Slumping my shoulders in defeat I kept my attention on her riding away. “I wish I was going with her, father. Marriage to a lion was not my plan when I turned sixteen on my nameday.”

“I’m well aware of that, my little dragon. If you had your way you and Arya would both be swinging swords and riding into battle. My only wish is that he doesn’t take your spirit from you.” He rested a hand to my shoulder holding open a back door for me, having us sneak to streets through a brothel that was empty for the moment.

Peaking my head through the gap in the doorway to make sure the coast was clear I swung it open stepping out into a clearing space seeing no one was around. So I waved my father to come out, flipping my hair with a scoff. “He can try. But his ego that I can get anything I want shall be tested by me.”

“I’ll take that as a challenge, Lady Stark.” Spinning around in the dirt I sucked in a breath seeing Jaime ride up on a white horse. The horse that belongs to the captain of the Kingsguard. Guards followed behind him revealing themselves from the shadows.

The wind blows my hair over my shoulders not expecting him to find us. I didn’t have the energy to deal with him today. We haven’t spoken to one another since the night the king set our arrangement. “Jaime, oh how blessed am I with your presence. Did your guardly duties get tiring for you so you came to find me?” I said in a sarcastic tone, placing a hand over my heart.

“I’m here to speak to your father. But I must say I do enjoy your company. And still carrying that sword nonetheless. You're trying to tease me in your chambers before we’re even wed.” He teased, dismounting the white horse slowly standing a few steps away from me.

My father raised his voice towards the lion seeing my cheeks turning red like a tomato. I’ve never even kissed a man so I can’t believe his ego is that high. “Don’t speak to my daughter that way, Lannister!”

“You’ll have to understand that one day we shall be married, Stark…” Jaime slowly stepped closer to me but I took a few steps backwards watching my father. “She’ll enjoy what comes, I assure you.”

One of my father’s guards spoke up. “Stay back, Ser! This is the Hand of the King!”

“Was! ... the Hand of the King. Now I'm not sure what he is ... Lord of somewhere very far away.” Jaime teased sending one of his guards to take the white horse off to the side.

The door behind us opened with my mothers friend Littefinger looking between the three of us. “What's the meaning of this, Lannister?”

“Get back inside where it's safe. I'm looking for my brother. You remember my brother, don't you, Lord Stark? Blond hair, sharp tongue, short man.” Jaime described Tyrion to a tea. My mother didn’t mention anything like that before she left. That he was in some sort of danger. “It seems he had some trouble on the road. You wouldn't know what happened to him, would you?”

My father stared sternly towards him. “He was taken at my command to answer for his crimes.”

Jaime draws his sword and his men start to move forward. Gripping the handle of my sword in my right hand I kept my eyes on the eldest lion. Eyeing his right hand since we were both dominant in the same one. “You don't need to get involved in this, little wolf. I’d hate to injure my future wife.”

“I’m not yours to command yet. I am still my own person, Lannister.” I spat his direction clutching my fingers around the sword handle. “I’m not afraid of a little blood!”

Jaime shifts his green eyes to the dirt wisseling under his breath. The lion had to admit he was attracted to your fiery spirit. He hates to admit that you shared that in common with his sister. “Come, Stark. I'd rather you die sword in hand.”

“If you threaten My Lord again --“ The guard warns him.

Jaime lifts his sword up a little, moving the point up from my fathers feet to his head, explaining back. “Threaten? As in, "I'm going to open your Lord from balls to brains and see what Starks are made of"

“I’ll have your hand for that, Lion!” Drawing my sword from the holder I brushed the tip against Jaime’s. Feeling anger boiling in the pit of my gut at him hurting my father.

My father spoke simply. “You kill me, your brother's a dead man.”

“You're right. Take him alive! kill his men!” Jaime nodded knowing he was right before giving an order. The Knights that were with him all threw spears killing our guards through the chest.

Two Lannister guards headed straight for me while my father and the guard named Jory took on some too. Swinging my sword up and down quickly makes it clash with the first knight. He stared at me sternly before I kicked him in the leg, dropping him to the dirt and I held the sword to his throat. Too focused on the one on the ground I didn’t see the second one until I heard his sword clashing with another one. Jaime elbows him with his sword staring back in my direction as I rise to my feet rolling my eyes. “I can handle myself, Jaime. I don’t need your help!”

“You know normally when someone saves your life the other person says thank you, Cadence.” Jaime pointed out tilting his head to the side.

The guard that was on his back got up about to stab me in the back until I spun around on my feet cutting him with my sword. The guard dropped at my boots where I pushed my hair out of my eyes, sighing. “I’m not gonna apologize especially since you threatened my father’s life. So if you want a thank you. Earn it.”

“Cadence..” He called my name snagging my wrist in his tugging me up against his chest. Gripping the sword in my hand he held it in his right too. Our eyes locked onto one another with us both panting. “I do like your fire woman. When I heard about the engagement I never would have guessed someone like you.”

Leaning up on my toes, our noses brushed against one another and I felt him shutter only for a brief second. “Here’s a bit of advice about me, Jaime…” His eyes poured into mine giving me the chance to slowly lift my sword smacking it harshly against where he stumbled backwards. “I never let my guard down.”

“The wolf vs the lion. I’m rather gonna enjoy this.” Jaime replied, raising his sword moving forward, smacking his weapon against mine. I shoved him back ducking underneath his blow pushing his sword towards the dirt.

Raising my blade I swung up and he swung down crashing them together for a second time. Glaring up into his soft green eyes we could feel each other’s breath. “What do you have to say, hmm?”

“I’m leaving tonight. You could come with me.” He whispered.

Blinking my eyes a few times I raised my brows at him. “Why would I do that, Jaime?”

“You don’t like this city. You don’t like Joffrey. My father wants me to lead the army. Come with me, little wolf.” I didn’t get the chance to respond before he started sword fighting my father but a Lannister soldier stabbed him in the leg.

Jaime and I both lowered our swords before he climbed back on the white horse calling to my father. “My brother, Lord Stark ...I want him back.” When he’s gone I rushed over to my father not entirely against Jaime’s offer.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[blnk338]

Mermay AU is now at 4.1k, assuming most chapters will be around 6k tops!

psssst..... get splishy splashy

Again, the sea lion let out a breath and bounced his shoulders. “I think once she eats, she’ll be fine, we’ve been traveling for ages, she's wiped.” The marine biologist who reached for the cart she’d brought with her, pulling out a plastic, covered tub and placing it before her, glanced at the man. “Where’d you guys come from?”

Opening up the tub, revealing more fish, everyone’s eyes glittered as she let them take more. “She came back from the arctic to come pick me up near the bottom of California, near, uh, San Diego, I think.” There was a collective shock, whether they made a noise of surprise or not, surprised at the orcas dedication. “She left you?”

Rigo nodded. “She’s got her stuff to do, I have mine, but… y’know, couldn’t keep away from me for long.” Brushing his hair out of his face, arching his back and posing a little, he giggled, earning laughs out of Gaz and Roach. The fin had slowly moved behind Laswell’s back, though she was aware she was there, slinking under the shade of the pier. In a moment of fake clumsiness, the biologist dropped a Chinook salmon into the water just before you, pupils practically taking up your entire iris as you snagged it. Taking a bite out, you felt your lips tug, remembering the pleasant taste. A favorite of yours, surely, it was why you went north so often.