#One day I’d like to sit down and think up a bunch of poisons and plants and things Seelie has brewing in it

[arcxnumvitae]

Sùil Airgid— Silver Eye. It is an incredibly deadly poison derived from the nectar of a nameless silver flower that grows in the wilds of Seelie. Only one drop ingested or in the bloodstream is enough to cause death. Its notable feature is that, as something of a scar, silver flecks of coloration are left in the irises of those who have come into contact with it— hence the pretty self-explanatory name. It is by those eyes that the cause of death is usually determined to be Sùil Airgid in the corpses found.

The flower it comes from is notorious for its rarity— it only blooms for but a few moments under a blue moon, and even then only if the proper factors in temperature, soil quality, and other things are present. It’s a fickle thing which makes it incredibly difficult to find and even more difficult to find in the exact right moment. Near impossible, frankly.

Because of those reasons, and because it cannot be domesticated and grown intentionally, the poison is a rare one. It’s only “saving grace” in the eyes of those who would use it is that the poison is simple to make (simply collect the nectar of the plant), and, once collected, it does not diminish in potency or lethality no matter how many years have passed or what conditions it is stored in.

It is still difficult to find on any black markets and because of its rarity, the price tag usually attached makes it something of a “nobles’ poison”. Who wouldn’t be willing to pay something extra for the near guaranteed death of their target?

Especially if said targets were the royal family of Seelie.

[breakfastteatime]

Today's request is 'You've got one minute' for @ralndown ^_^

Every time Cal thinks he’s settling into a routine on Bracca, something awful happens. Maybe the Ibis Maw gets hungry for flesh and grabs a tentacleful of unsuspecting scrappers. Maybe a ship that’s been in the same place for two years suddenly decides to collapse under its own weight. Maybe someone breaks something aboard an old terraforming lab and suddenly there’s a bunch of people turned into trees.

Today, Cal’s crew makes it halfway through their shift before the worst, most terrifying siren goes off. Bracca doesn’t have a lot of warnings for incoming disaster, but this one? This is the one they’re all trained to react to in one way, and one way only.

Get out. Get out now or die.

Maybe that’s why the Force left Cal feeling nauseous all day. It’s so useful like that.

Dropping the wires he’d started stripping, Cal follows the others. Prauf’s leading them and he’s already on the comms, listening intently to whatever’s being said. When he stops still and holds up a hand to make everyone else do the same, Cal shivers under the weight of the collective fear around him.

It only gets worse when Prauf starts issuing orders in a sharp tone of voice Cal’s never heard before.

“It’s a chemical leak. A bad one. We’re too deep in the ship to get out in time. Get into your emergency teams, find a room, and seal yourselves in. If we’re lucky, we’ll see each other on the other side of this thing.”

People break off into their groups. There’s no time for goodbyes or good lucks. Cal sticks close to Prauf and Tabbers. He takes a breath and immediately coughs it out, a sharp bite scraping the back of his throat. Prauf grabs him, throws him into a room, and Tabbers seals the door.

It’s not enough. The room, a tiny refresher, has an air conditioning vent high on the ceiling. Even Prauf can’t reach it to close it off. Gas seeps in. Cal hears people coughing and choking from all around, senses their fear and pain.

“We gotta seal it, now!” Tabbers shouts. His eyes stream, coughing hard. “We’ve got one minute before we’re all spitting out chunks of our lungs.” He pulls a wall panel down. “Weld this over that vent!”

“Lift me up,” Cal says. He puts his filter mask on, hoping it will help. “I can do it.”

Putting his own mask on, Prauf grabs Cal, lifting him. Cal plants his feet on Prauf’s shoulders. His eyes burn, so full of tears he can hardly keep them open. Tabbers hands him a sheet of metal and Cal presses it to the vent, welding torch in hand as he covers it up. He can’t keep his eyes open, so he trusts Prauf to guide him, molten metal sealing the panel in place.

“Good job,” Prauf says, lowing Cal down. “Sit, both of you. That gas is light, so we should be safer down here.”

Cal’s feet touch the ground. He drops to the deck moments later, eyes squeezed shut, lungs still rebelling. His mask isn’t doing much to help, but it’s better than nothing.

“Is this shit what I think it is?” Tabbers’ voice is muffled by his mask.

“Yeah,” Prauf replies. Cal hears him sit beside him. “Someone messed up big time.”

“I’d threaten to beat the idiots myself, but I cannae imagine they’re alive now,” Tabbers says.

“What is it?” Cal asks when he can talk again.

“A chemical weapon designed to rot battle droids,” Prauf says.

“Aye, not that it worked,” Tabbers adds. “It’s far better at killing us organics.”

Cal never heard about anything like that. Not that he tells the others. The idea that the Republic would create something like that leaves him nauseous.

“Looks like no one thought to remove the canisters before we started pulling this thing apart,” Prauf says. “Foreman said someone cut off the wrong thing and boom – we’re all breathing in poison.”

Cal doesn’t join the conversation. He pulls his knees to his chest, keeps his eyes firmly closed, and tries not to suffocate in the feelings of so many people dying around him. He pushes the Force away, begs it to leave him alone like it usually does.

“Cal?”

Prauf’s big, warm hand lands on his back. Cal startles, eyes flying open. His vision is fractured by the tears still running, but the burn is easier to manage now.

“You okay?” Prauf asks.

“Yeah,” he says, knowing he doesn’t have to worry about how rough his voice sounds. And then, because he needs a distraction, he keeps talking. “Can’t believe we’re stuck in a ‘fresher.”

Tabbers chuckles. “Get comfy, brat. We might be here a while.”

It’s two days before the foreman gives them the all-clear. The survivors are given a half-shift break to clean up, get something to eat and drink, and then sent back to work to make up for the two days of sitting around doing nothing. Cal notes that their crew is down several people when they meet up to be assigned duties, but no one says anything.

Back to the Bracca routine.

[moonsugar-and-spice]

△ For Lu Da! If there's something he did that he could take back, what would it be?

6/10. Varying combinations of shame and regrets flashing through his mind like a haunted slot machine that he keeps trying to burn and bury but just won't die.

Lu Da sits back and blows out a long breath that metamorphosizes into some hybrid of a laugh and a groan. He smiles, even as his eyes slide closed briefly, rings catching light as he rubs a brow.

“Now, how d'you expect me to pick a favorite? There’s just… so many to choose from,” he says, tone spilling over with artificial brightness. 

Silence fans out as he weighs the question, the many possible answers, head turning to glance at the wall, shifting and re-shifting where he sits, rubbing his neck. He reaches across the table for a tumbler. 

“Any chance this is poisoned?” Not waiting for a response, Lu Da throws back a hearty gulp before grimacing. “Just water.” Then, after a pause, blinking: “Damn, still here.”

Sliding the cup away, he settles against the table with a sigh. “I s’pose if it came down to one thing—and this thing carries a bunch of other shit inside it, like a fucked up rabaroo and its gnarly little offspring—I’d have to say ever working with Bao Zirrik.” 

The words carve a line between his brows as he chews the inside of his cheek.

“It was a… dark time in my life. A dark path that only spiraled when I started with the Bloodhound, till one day I looked in the mirror and—” Lu Da swallows, shakes his head. “Didn’t look like me. What I saw was more monster than man. A glimpse of my father. Came up with some excuse to step away, and that path eventually led me to Ozai. But yeah. If I had to pick, I think that’d be it.”

Send a △ and ask my character(s) a really invasive question.

[4emfox]

We All Have A Dark Side

I can’t help but think of the quote “empowered women, empower women” when I think of this story. Because, I believe that to be true. And if that’s true, the opposite is true — and disempowering anyone is very, very bitchy. The Bitch in anyone’s story is a poor substitute for, what I refer to as, My Wolf. My Wolf is my tough, resilient side — the part of me that can set boundaries and hold others and myself accountable when needed; the part of me that’s brave. But when my authenticity starts to feel suffocated by “supposed to be’s”, whatever’s left of The Wolf can be so wounded that something far uglier emerges to take its place: The Bitch. The Bitch is trying to protect itself in the same way The Wolf would…but she’s superficial, disempowered, and believes that the only way she can heal her wounds is to wound someone else.

My Bitch first emerged when I was 8. I was a 2nd grader at an elementary school in Orem, Utah. I had a crush on a boy named Ian but he liked a girl named Courtney. My Bitch was upset about this…because how dare he?? So I wrote an inappropriate note about how Ian wanted to have sex with Courtney. I swear to god, I threw that mother-fucker in the trash but someone found it.

Listen — I had just learned that “sex” was a thing. I just didn’t know what kind of thing except that it was for adults who were married and wanted babies (I have since learned the parameters are much broader than that). My point: I had no idea what I was talking about — but I almost got caught.

Everyone who was in the note and who sat around me was interviewed. I was interviewed. Who wrote the note?? Like a scene from 12 Angry Men, I imagined a bunch of Mormon elementary school faculty sitting around a conference table over lunch engaged in a full-fledged “whodunit?” investigation.

While I was happy that my denial kept me from being disciplined, I embarrassed a lot of 2nd graders and worried a lot of parents. But that was just mild bitchiness. I did something far worse that year that has stuck with me my entire life. Friends of mine cringe when I tell the story.

In my class was a sweet, soft-spoken girl named Trisha. When Authentic Me was in control, I liked Trisha. We ate lunch together, sat together during class activities, and played together at recess. But the other girls in class didn’t like Trisha. And I let that seep into my skin, marinate my mind. Then my Bitch would take over and I’d be mean to Trisha. I’d decide not only to just avoid playing with her, but to also make fun of her with the other Bitches in the class.

One day, my Bitch must have felt extra wounded… We were all outside on a beautiful Spring day for recess and I decided today was a day I didn’t want to play with Trisha. I wanted to play with the other girls. Trisha wasn’t allowed. I wish the story ended there.

The bell rang and it was time to line up against the warm brick of the building outside our classroom. As we were waiting for other kids to join the ranks, Trisha squeezed in next to me and had the nerve to touch my Bitch’s arm. Aghast, I pulled my arm back, upset. Then a poisonous thought rose up from depths I didn’t know an 8-year-old could have and said, “Her cooties are on you.”

I stepped back even more. Another poisonous thought, “Her cooties are on the wall. Everyone is touching the wall.” Then my Bitch found her toxic voice and yelled, “Everyone! Move away from the wall! Trisha Cooties!!!”

For the rest of the school year, no one (no one) would lean against the wall for fear of Trisha Cooties. Her sweet nature made it so that we still played on days Authentic Me was in control and I liked her. Embarrassed, I said through denial, “Who even started that Trisha Cooties thing anyway?” Her response, still so poignant, “You did.”

Dear Trisha,

I have tried to hunt you down via social media so I could finally tell you I am so so sorry. Because I am. I am sick for that 8-year-old girl. And I hope she’s ok.

E.M.

[carsonnichols]

say it ain't so

spring melanie shows up at carson & sylvia's apartment with shocking news

Sylvia has been living with Carson in his apartment for a few months now, and Carson loved every second of it even if he still had a roommate that had to endure their lovey-dovey couple antics. One night, when they have the place to themselves, they decide to order take out. He brings a bunch of menus over to the couch where she's already sitting, "Alright, pick your poison."

Living with Carson and his roommate did not come without it’s challenges but overall she had been enjoying it far more than when she lived with Melanie. Even though she lived with two boys and had very little privacy these days, she loved being with Carson every night after class especially when they did get a break from the roommate and schoolwork. She looks up at him as she plays with her messy bun as he presents the menus for her, “Oh so many choices.” Sylvia laughs as she takes them from him and starts to flick through them, “Honestly kind of feeling pizza.”

Carson watches her look through them with a grin, “okay pizza it is. What toppings and will you share garlic knots with me?”

Sylvia laughs as he looks over the pizzas, “Of course I will. I want pepperoni for sure. What else?”

He smiles and puts his arm around her, "I'm fine with just pep."

She leans into his side with a smile and sets down the menu, “Perfect.”

Carson smiles and takes out his phone to place the order.

Sylvia leans her chin on his shoulder as she watches him.

He grins and kisses her forehead.

She grins widely and squeezes his arm, “So hungry.”

Carson chuckles as he hangs up, “I’m glad I’m getting food for you then.”

Sylvia laughs and kisses his shoulder before leaning back against the couch.

He smiles at her, “How are you doing?”

She puts her legs over his and smiles, “Good. Tired from class but happy we are alone tonight.”

Carson rubs her legs and grins, “Me too.”

She grins and moves her hand onto the back of his neck, “When the lease is up would you consider getting our own place together?”

He grins widely at her, “Absolutely.”

Sylvia smiles widely with a nod, “Good. I hoped so.”

Carson grins and kisses her head a bunch of times, “I would be honored.”

She giggles at his kisses and cuddles into his arms, “You’ve been a pretty great roommate so far.”

He smiles, “I’d miss you if you moved out without me.”

Sylvia grins and slides her fingers over his cheek, “I’d miss you too. Though it would be nice to have a second bedroom to study in when you want to distract me.”

Carson smirks at her, "You like my distractions. Maybe we can find an apartment with a den."

She shrugs one shoulder and grins, “Sometimes.” Sylvia nods with a hum, “Yeah that would be nice.”

He grins, "Sometimes? I resent that."

Sylvia laughs and pecks his cheek, “Most of the time.”

Carson sighs softly, "I guess I'll take it."

She squeezes his leg and grins, “So we can we start looking then?”

He smiles, "Yes."

Sylvia pecks his lips a few times with a smile.

Carson grins and returns each kiss.

She laughs as she lays her head back against his shoulder.

He smiles and kisses the top of her head.

Sylvia grins and cuddles into his side, “Do you think maybe there’s something in this complex?”

Carson smiles and rubs her shoulder, "It's definitely possible."

She smiles and looks up at him, “I like this place.”

He smiles at her, "Me too."

Sylvia shrugs with a hum, “I mean he could move out too if he didn’t want to stay here either.”

Carson chuckles, “That is technically true.”

She laughs and kisses his cheek, “We’ll have to wait and see.”

There’s a knock on the door and his brows raise, “That was so fast?”

Sylvia raises her brows and pulls away from him, “Wow. They need a good tip.”

Carson laughs and goes to get the door, after he opens it he freezes when he sees Melanie standing there. “We need to talk,” she says, shouldering past him right into the apartment. When she sees Sylvia she smirks, “Hey, homewrecker.”

She widens her eyes as she hears her former roommates voice. Sylvia looks at her briefly before quickly looking away nervously.

Carson furrows his brows and hisses, “Don’t talk to her like that. And I thought vampires had to be invited in.” Melanie glares at him, “Ha ha, Carse.” He narrows his eyes at her, “What the fuck are you doing here and can you leave?” Melanie points to the couch, “I said we have to talk now sit down.”

Sylvia looks up at Carson and bites her lip as she shifts uncomfortably on the couch.

Carson closes the door and folds his arms over his chest, “I’ll stand here, thanks. Syl, you wanna go to our room?” Melanie scoffs, “trust me, she wants to be here.” She sits down on the couch next to Sylvia and smirks.

She glances at Melanie as she sits next to her and she stands up to move next to Carson, “I’ll stay.”

Carson looks at Melanie, “you’re here, so say whatever it is you need to say so you can get the fuck out.” Melanie pouts, “Cmon Carson. That’s no way to talk to the woman carrying your baby.”

Sylvia furrows her brows before looking Melanie up and down then turning to Carson, “What did she say?”

Carson stares at Melanie, unblinking. “You’re fucking lying.” Melanie moves her hoodie above her stomach, showing off her baby bump which she rubs, “Me and Carson Junior don’t appreciate that language.”

Sylvia gasps softly before widening her eyes.

He swallows thickly and shakes his head, “It’s not mine.” Melanie looks at him, “Well, I’m as far as long as the time we’ve been broken up. It’s yours.”

Sylvia frowns deeply as she looks away from them, “I should let you two talk alone.” She turns to go into their room quickly.

Carson watches her and frowns before looking at Melanie. “It’s not mine. You were on birth control religiously.” Melanie smirks, “Abstinence is the only thing that’s 100%. Got any snacks? I’m having pregnancy cravings.” Carson glares at her, “I know it’s not mine cause if it was, you would’ve told me right away. Not pull this bull shit. Get out, I don’t wanna see you again until we can get a fucking paternity test.” Melanie hums and gets up, walking over to him. “Your son is kicking, wanna feel?” Carson swallows thickly as he stares at her stomach and then looks away, “He’s not mine.” Melanie pulls her sweatshirt down and pats his chest, “Sure he’s not. He definitely wasn’t conceived when I rode you til you were seeing stars, high out off you ass when I got back from visiting home.” Carson glares at her, “I want a paternity test.” Melanie smirks, “Whatever you want, Daddy.” She winks at him before leaving the apartment.

Sylvia sits down on the bed and puts her head in her hands, trying not to let herself cry.

Carson goes to close the door after Melanie, but the pizza guy comes. He tips him and takes the food, going to get Sylvia. "Hey.. food's here."

She looks up at him as he opens the door, “Where is Mel?”

His brows raise, “I made her leave.”

Sylvia sniffs as she nods her head and looks down at her lap.

Carson furrows his brows, “Syl?”

She frowns deeply and looks up at him, “What if it’s yours?”

He looks at her, “It’s not mine.”

Sylvia shakes her head at him and sighs, “You don’t know that.”

Carson frowns at her, “The baby isn’t mine.”

She drops her gaze back to her hands in her lap, “But..what if?”

He bites his lip, “Then I’ll be a dad who has to co-parent with Melanie.”

Sylvia nods as she lifts a hand to rub her forehead, “How are you feeling?”

Carson frowns, “I’m pissed that she’s pulling this.”

She stands up and wraps her arms around him to hug him, “I’m sorry.”

He brings his arms around her and sighs, “Me too.”

Sylvia tries to hold back her emotions as she squeezes him, “I..I wish there was something I could do. I feel like I’m going to be the one who took you away from your kid.”

Carson furrows his brows, “What?”

She nods as she sniffs and pulls back from him, “If I never came along..I don’t know. I just feel this guilt right now. And then I feel guilty for thinking about it because I’m concerned for you and I want to comfort you.”

He looks at her, “It’s not my baby.”

Sylvia rubs his back and bites her lower lip, “But..it could be.”

Carson frowns at her, “Why would she wait this long if it was?”

She shakes her head with a shrug, “I don’t know.”

He looks at her and bites his lip, “If it’s mine, that doesn’t change anything about us.”

Sylvia nods her head and rubs his back, “Okay, I know.”

Carson nods to the living room, “Lets go eat.”

She pulls back from him and nods her head.

He brings her to the couch and sits down.

Sylvia wordlessly sits down next to him and looks at the food.

Carson looks at her and sighs, “Babe, please..”

She turns to him and laughs softly, “I’m just in shock still, I’m sorry.”

He frowns a little. “Don’t think about the worst when it might not even be true.”

Sylvia nods her head and kisses his shoulder.

Carson looks at her, “I love you.”

She puts her hand on his cheek, “I love you. And I’m here for you.”

He smiles slightly, “thank you.”

Sylvia strokes his cheekbone and leans her forehead against his, “I mean it. Whatever you want from me. I’ll do that.”

He nods, “I know. I just want you to be with me.”

She nods her head and closes her eyes, “I’m here.”

Carson kisses her forehead softly.

Sylvia smiles and brushes her thumb over his cheek.

He lets out a soft breath, “Lets just enjoy our meal.”

She nods her head as she pulls back from him, “You go ahead. I’ll eat in a little bit, I feel like Mel always squashes my appetite. I can pick a movie?”

Carson frowns a little, “sure.”

Sylvia kisses his shoulder gently, “I’ll eat in a few I promise.”

He nods slightly and opens the garlic knots.

She leans back into the couch and takes the remote to flip through Netflix.

Carson takes a bite of one and leans back too.

Sylvia puts her hand on his shoulder and rubs it gently.

He looks at her and half smiles.

She smiles at him, “How is it?”

Carson hums, “it’s good.”

Sylvia finds a comedy movie and puts it on, “It smells amazing.”

He smiles, “you should have one.”

Sylvia smiles and nods her head as she reaches to the coffee table to grab one of the knots.

He smiles as he watches her.

She takes a small bite and smiles with a hum.

Carson smiles, “good?”

Sylvia nods with a smile as she takes another bite.

He smiles as he watches her.

She looks at him and laughs, “What?”

Carson smiles, “I love you.”

Sylvia smiles at him softly, “I love you, too.”

He smiles and kisses her cheek.

She grins and leans into him as she finishes the knot.

Carson smiles wider as he sees her grin.

Sylvia turns to him and pecks his lips.

He smiles, “Mm, at least we both taste like buttery garlic.”

Sylvia laughs softly with a nod, “A delicious taste.”

Carson chuckles and kisses her once more.

She returns the kiss with a grin, “I love you.”

He grins widely, “I love you, Sylvie.”

Sylvia nudges her nose against his with a smile.

Carson smiles and nudges her nose back.

She giggles softly and pulls back, “Go ahead and keep eating.”

He grins widely, “Okay.” He opens the pizza box and grabs a slice.

Sylvia sits back against the couch and watches the movie.

Carson holds his slice to her lips.

She smiles and leans forward to take a bite.

He chuckles and grins.

Sylvia hums softly as she leans back, “Very good.”

Carson nods and smiles as he takes a bite.

She laughs and scoots forward to grab her own slice, “You don’t need to feed me yours.”

He grins, “Good. Cause I wasn’t gonna.”

Sylvia nudges her elbow against his with a laugh as she eats more of her pizza.

Carson chuckles softly as he eats.

She leans into his side as she eats with a hum.

He smiles and puts his arm around her.

Sylvia finishes her slice and smiles.

Carson smiles and eats his crust.

She laughs along with the movie and lays her head on his shoulder.

He smiles and kisses her head.

Sylvia cuddles into him a little and smiles.

Carson grins and gently squeezes her.

She smiles and pulls back to grab another piece, “One more.”

He laughs, “Eat as much as you want.”

Sylvia takes a bite of the pizza and hums.

Carson smiles as he gets another slice.

She leans into him with a grin.

He grins widely as he eats.

Sylvia smiles as she eats happily.

Carson smiles, “thank you.”

She looks up at him and hums, “For what?”

He smiles, “enjoying this meal with me.”

Sylvia nods with a laugh, “Of course.”

Carson grins widely at her.

She smiles and pecks his lips before going back to her pizza.

He smiles and kisses her cheek.

Sylvia finishes her pizza and grins at the kiss.

Carson smiles widely and gives her a messy kiss on the lips.

She gasped before laughing against his lips.

He chuckles and grins into the kiss.

Sylvia giggles and wraps her arms around him.

Carson grins and pulls back.

She plays with his hair and smiles at him widely.

He grins at her.

Sylvia smiles and brushes her finger over his lower lip.

Carson kisses her finger.

She smiles and drops her hand to kiss him gently.

He grins as he returns the kiss.

Sylvia smiles into the kiss and hums softly.

He smiles widely into the kiss.

She caresses the nape of his neck as she kisses him lovingly.

Carson smiles and moves his hand to her waist.

Sylvia shifts closer as she smiles into the kiss.

He deepens the kiss slowly.

She returns the deep kiss and tilts her head to the side.

Carson kisses her a little harder.

Sylvia smiles against his lips before kissing him just as hard.

He grins as he feels her smile.

She runs her nails over the back of his neck and brushes her tongue over his lower lip.

He parts his lips for her.

Sylvia moves her tongue over his with a soft sound.

Carson whimpers and kisses her harder.

She shifts to straddle his lap and kisses him passionately.

He smirks and kisses her just as passionately.

Sylvia slides her hands over his shoulders as she breaks the kiss, “Am I better than her?”

His brows raise and he grins, "You are the best, always have been."

She presses her chest against his and smiles, “You mean it?”

Carson nods and smiles, "No one has ever, ever, ever compared to you, baby."

Sylvia nods as she presses her lips back to his deeply.

He grins and returns the deep kiss.

She slides her fingers through his hair as she hums against his lips.

Carson rubs her waist as they kiss.

Sylvia smiles against his lips and plays with his hair.

He grins as he feels her smile.

She pulls back from the kiss and leans her forehead against his.

Carson grins, “Hi..”

Sylvia grins and nudges her nose against his, “Hi..”

He grins and squeezes her waist.

She laughs and plays with his hair.

Carson hums, “What brings you here?”

Sylvia giggles and squeezes his shoulders, “Oh I don’t know..you.”

He smirks and pulls her closer, “Oh yeah?”

She rolls hips down to his with a nod.

Carson makes a small noise and pushes his hips up into hers.

Sylvia grins and makes a soft sound.

He smirks and kisses her heatedly.

She returns the kiss and slides her hands down his chest.

Carson grips her bottom and pushes her hips down onto his again.

Sylvia whimpers and rolls her hips down.

He groans softly against her lips.

She pushes his shirt up and moves her hands against his skin as she moans into the kiss.

Carson kisses her harder and squeezes her butt.

Sylvia moans into the kiss as she rolls her hips down.

He groans and breaks the kiss, “Fuck, baby..”

She smirks and pushes his shirt up.

Carson grins and lifts his arms up.

Sylvia pulls his shirt off and tosses it to the side with a smile.

He grins and then pulls her shirt off of her.

She grins and lifts her arms as she helps him remove her shirt.

Carson grins and leans down to kiss along her chest.

Sylvia closes her eyes and smiles with a hum.

He hums and moves his lips over her cleavage.

She makes a soft sound as she plays with his hair.

Carson hums and reaches around to her back to unhook her bra.

Sylvia slips her bra off and grins against his lips.

He slides his hands up to slowly massage her breasts.

She whimpers against his lips and moves her chest into his touch.

Carson teases her nipples with his thumbs as he feels her up.

Sylvia breaks the kiss and moans as she leans her head back.

He kisses between her breasts and hums.

She grins and plays with his hair.

Carson grins and sucks on her breast.

Sylvia moans and arches her back towards him.

He hums against her skin.

She sighs happily as she tugs on his hair.

Carson grins as he hears her and he kisses to her other breast.

Sylvia smiles and rolls her hips down.

He whimpers and looks up at her as he sucks on the peak of her breast.

She whimpers and looks down at him, “Carson..”

Carson hums against her skin.

Sylvia grins and tugs on his hair.

He whimpers and pulls back, starting to undo her bottoms.

She shifts to help take off her bottoms with a smirk.

Carson grins at her, “You’re so sexy..”

Sylvia’s cheeks flush as she shakes her head, “You’re so sexy.”

He smirks and spanks her bottom.

She gasps with a small jump as she rocks her hips down.

Carson groans and spanks the other cheek.

Sylvia moans and leans her head back.

He smirks at her, “I wish I had been the one to spank you first.”

She slides her hands over his shoulders, “You’ll be the one to do it the most.”

Carson smirks, “What else can I be a first for?”

Sylvia grins and raises her brows, “So many things. What do you have in mind?”

He grins, “that’s what I’m asking you.”

She smiles and kisses him gently, “Maybe we can try some different positions?”

Carson smiles, “Okay, baby.”

Sylvia rolls her hips down and grins, “Is there anything you’ve always wanted to try?”

He whimpers, “Maybe..”

She brushes her lips over his and hums, “Tell me.”

Carson pecks her lips, “I’ll show you instead.”

Sylvia grins and nods her head.

He wraps his arms around her and stands up, keeping her wrapped around him before moving to the arm of the couch and setting her down on it with him between her legs.

She makes a soft sound and grins up at him as she’s set down.

Carson smirks at her and kneels between her legs.

Sylvia raises her brows as she slides her fingers through his hair.

He smirks and kisses her center over her panties.

She whimpers his name as she keeps her eyes on his.

Carson grins and moves his tongue against her over the fabric.

Sylvia gasps and grips his hair gently.

He smirks and pushes the fabric to the side to glide his tongue up between her folds.

She moans as she rocks her hips towards him, “Oh my god..”

Carson sucks on her clit and hums.

Sylvia whimpers his name and leans her head back.

He swirls his tongue around her clit with a moan.

She lifts her leg and puts it on his shoulder as she moans louder.

Carson hums and sucks on her clit again.

Sylvia gasps as she tugs on his hair, “Yes..”

He laps his tongue up and down her center and groans.

She moans his name and looks down at him.

Carson looks up at her and hums against her folds.

Sylvia moans as she watches him, “Carson..”

He raises his brows and sucks on her clit again.

She whimpers as she feels her body tense up, “I’m so close…”

He sucks on her harder and groans.

Sylvia moans loudly as she drops her head back and hits her climax.

Carson groans against her as he watches her.

She loosens her grip on his hair and whimpers softly.

He moves his tongue against her slowly a few more times before pulling back.

Sylvia lets out a soft breath as she grins at him.

Carson smirks and licks his lips before standing up.

She wraps her arms around him and kisses him deeply.

He returns the deep kiss and hums.

Sylvia grins against his lips and wraps her legs around him.

Carson smirks and kisses her eagerly.

She slides her nails over his back and to his shoulder blades as she returns the kiss with a moan.

He tugs his pants down his legs and then his boxers.

Sylvia lifts her hips to pull her panties down.

Carson nudges his nose against hers, "Touch me?"

Her hand moves down and grasps his length as she kisses along his chest.

He groans softly and tilts his head back.

Sylvia nips at his collarbone and brushes her thumb over his tip.

Carson moans and pushes his hips into her touch.

She gently sucks on his skin and moves her hand to stroke his length up and down.

He groans softly, "Sylvie.."

Sylvia grins and twists her hand slowly, “I love how big you are..my hand can barely hold you.”

Carson lets out a low growl, "Fuck.."

She kisses up to his neck and moves her hand faster.

He groans and pushes his hips into her touch, "Syl.."

Sylvia nips at his skin and grips her hand tighter around him.

Carson whimpers, "I want you.."

She moves her thumb to his tip again and rubs it gently, “Take me, baby.”

He nods and he gently holds her waist, "Lay back, but keep your hips up here. I'll help you so you don't fall.."

Sylvia raises her brows and drops her hand before laying back.

Carson helps her lay back and he looks at her, "You okay?"

She shifts a little and looks back at him, “Yeah, I think so.”

He grabs a throw pillow and puts it under her lower back for support, "Is that better?"

Sylvia nods with a smile, “Yeah, that’s better.”

Carson grins, "Promise?"

She laughs with a nod, “I promise, Carson.”

He smiles at her and teases her entrance with his tip.

Sylvia whimpers and rocks her hips towards him.

Carson hooks his arms around her thighs and pushes into her with a groan.

She moans loudly and closes her eyes.

He uses his thumb to rub at her clit and groans as he thrusts his hips.

Sylvia rocks her hips towards him and moans his name.

Carson groans and pushes into her harder.

She arches her back slightly as she moans louder.

He moans and rubs her faster in time with his hips.

Sylvia cries out softly as she reaches up to run her nails over his chest.

Carson groans her name and gently grabs hold of her forearms, lifting her back up to sit up in front of him.

She moans and drags her nails over his skin, “So deep..”

He moans and holds her close, "You like that, baby?"

Sylvia nods as she leans her head back with a whimper, “Oh yes..”

Carson groans and brings her legs around his waist before picking her up off of the arm of the couch.

She gasps and wraps her arms around his neck, “Carson..”

He groans and bounces her up and down, "Fuuck.."

Sylvia uses his shoulders as leverage to help the movements as she cries out.

Carson moans louder, "Damn, Sylvie.."

She leans her head back and moans louder, “So good.”

He groans and moves her up and down faster.

Sylvia cries out as she feels her walls tighten around him, “I’m gonna come..”

His abdomen tightens and he lets out a deep grunt, "Fuck, me too.."

She shouts his name as she hits her climax and grips his shoulders.

He lets out a loud groan as he climaxes and pushes up into her hard as he releases.

Sylvia cries out and drops her forehead against his.

Carson quickly sets her back down on the arm of the couch.

She whimpers softly as she lets her arms fall down to his chest.

He groans and rubs her waist.

Sylvia kisses his chest gently a few times and smiles.

Carson closes his eyes and grins widely.

She looks up at him and grins, “I love you.”

He smiles widely, "I love you too."

Sylvia smiles wider and kisses his skin again.

Carson runs his fingers through her hair, "How was that?"

She nods as she slides her nails over his back, “Amazing.”

He grins and rubs her lower back, "Good.."

Sylvia smiles and pulls him down to her to kiss him.

Carson grins widely as he returns the kiss.

She hums happily and kisses him with a smile.

He smiles widely into the kiss.

Sylvia giggles against his lips and pulls back.

Carson laughs softly and looks at her lovingly.

Her cheeks flush as she grins at him.

He smiles, "What?"

Sylvia shakes her head and smiles, “Nothing. You’re so cute.”

Carson grins shyly, "Baaabe."

She giggles and wraps her arms around his neck, “Pick me up, please?”

He pulls out of her and groans before picking her up.

Sylvia grins and wraps herself around him, “Can we go to bed?”

Carson nods and laughs, carrying her to their room and laying her down in bed.

She giggles and tightens her legs around him, “Stay right here.”

His brows raise and he grins, "oh?"

Sylvia nods as she slides her fingers through his hair, “Yep. Want you right here all the time.”

Carson chuckles and kisses her.

She kisses him and deepens it quickly with a hum.

He makes a small noise and kisses her just as deeply.

Sylvia smiles against his lips and brushes her tongue over his.

Carson whimpers and sucks on her tongue.

She moans into the kiss and presses her hands against his shoulder blades.

He presses his chest against hers as they kiss.

Sylvia whimpers and kisses him harder.

Carson kisses her just as hard and rolls them over.

She gasps against his lips and moves her nails over his chest.

He shivers and kisses her harder.

Sylvia whimpers and kisses him deeply.

Carson kisses her just as deeply and slides his hands down to grip her bottom.

She tugs on his lower lip and pulls back with a moan.

He whimpers and looks up at her.

Sylvia grins at him as she rolls her hips down.

Carson groans softly and squeezes her ass hard.

She moans his name as she kisses down his neck.

He tilts his head to the side and grins.

Sylvia rolls her hips down as she nips at his skin.

Carson groans softly.

She moans and kisses over his collarbone, “Tell me what you want.”

He spanks her hard, “Ride me, baby..”

Sylvia jumps before whimpering softly with a nod. She kisses over his chest again and reaches down to stroke his length slowly.

Carson moans softly and tilts his head back.

She lifts her head to look at him with a grin as she moves her hand up and down slowly.

He groans her name and spanks her again.

Sylvia gasps and leans her head back as she brushes her thumb over his tip.

Carson groans her name softly.

She grins and drops her hand to his base before teasing her entrance.

He moans and watches her, "Sylvie.."

Sylvia makes a soft sound and leans her head back as she guides him inside her with a moan.

Carson lets out a low grunt and grips her bottom.

She whimpers his name as she sinks her hips down.

He moans her name, "Fuck.."

Sylvia moans louder as she drags her nails over his chest.

Carson groans and pushes his hips up into hers.

She whines his name and rocks her hips with his.

He moans and looks up at her, "So sexy.."

Sylvia moans as she looks down at him and keeps moving her hips.

Carson groans her name softly.

She rocks her hips faster and leans her head back.

He moans her name louder.

Sylvia whimpers his name as she drags her nails over his chest.

Carson groans and spanks her bottom.

She gasps and rocks her hips down faster.

He groans and thrusts his hips up into hers.

Sylvia moans as she feels her body tense, “I’m close..”

Carson moans louder and his abdomen tightens, “Come for me, baby..”

She cries out his name as she hits her climax and her walls tighten around him.

He groans her name and pushes up into her as he climaxes and releases.

Sylvia stills her hips as she drags her nails down his chest with a whine.

He whimpers and rubs her waist.

She laughs breathlessly as she lays down on his chest.

Carson grins and holds her tight.

Sylvia draws her finger over his collarbone and smiles, “Amazing.”

He smiles at her lovingly, "Baby.."

She looks up at him with a grin, “Yeah?”

Carson leans up and kisses her.

Sylvia grins wider and kisses him lovingly.

He smiles widely against her lips.

She giggles into the kiss and runs her hands over his chest.

Carson grins and slowly pulls back.

Sylvia smiles back at him as she shifts off of him with a soft sound.

He makes a small noise and stands up with her in his arms.

Sylvia wraps her arms around him and grins.

Carson grins at her, “We should clean up.”

She runs her fingers through his hair and raises her brows with a smile, “Oh should we?”

He laughs and nods, “Yessss.”

Sylvia laughs with him and nods her head, “Okay, babe. Let’s clean up.”

Carson sets her down and grins.

She smiles and grabs one his discarded button downs to redress.

He chuckles and puts his boxers on.

Sylvia grins at him and shrugs, “I like how your shirts fit.”

Carson looks at her and smirks, “I like you in it.”

She slips her panties on as her cheeks heat up, “Okay cleaning.”

He grins and nods, “Mhm.”

Sylvia laughs and pushes on his chest to lead him to the living room.

Carson laughs and goes out to get the pizza.

She smiles and starts to pick up their plates.

He goes put the leftovers in the fridge.

Sylvia follows after him and starts to wash the dishes.

Carson smiles and goes over to kiss her head.

She smiles at the kiss as she finishes up.

He smiles and finishes tidying up too.

Sylvia leans back against the kitchen counter and grins.

Carson smiles at her, “we’re okay?”

She nods and puts her hand on his cheek, “Yeah, we’re okay.”

He leans into her touch and smiles, “Good.”

Sylvia pecks his lips gently and hums softly.

Carson smiles and returns the peck.

She smiles up at him and drops her hand.

He smiles and hugs her.

Sylvia wraps her arms around his middle and hugs him tight.

Carson smiles and squeezes her, kissing her head.

She moves her nails over his back and smiles up at him.

He grins, "I love you."

Sylvia nudges her nose against his chest, “I love you.”

Carson smiles and rubs her back.

She grins at him, “Wanna cuddle?”

He nods and smiles, "Definitely."

Sylvia smiles and pulls back before leading him back to their room.

Carson grins as he goes with her.

She giggles softly as she plops on the bed.

He laughs and moves to lay down next to her.

Sylvia curls her leg over his and grins at him.

Carson brings his arms around her and grins.

She curls into his side and looks up at him.

He smiles and combs his fingers through her hair.

Sylvia closes her eyes at his touch and sighs happily.

Carson smiles, "You're so gorgeous."

She grins wider and nuzzles into his chest.

He smiles and squeezes her gently.

Sylvia looks up at him and smiles, “This is my favorite place.”

Carson grins, “Yeah?”

She grins at him with a nod, “My absolute favorite.”

He chuckles, “Not Tahoe?”

Sylvia shakes her head, “Nope. I mean if we are doing this in Tahoe, yeah.”

Carson laughs and grins at her.

She grins back at him and kisses his jaw.

He smiles, “Having you in my arms is my favorite too.”

Sylvia grins and cuddles into him more.

Carson smiles as he holds her and shuts his eyes.

She smiles and closss her own eyes, “Sleep?”

He nods and smiles, “Sleep.”

Sylvia nods and cuddles into his chest.

Carson holds her tighter as he starts to doze.

She smiles softly as she starts to drift off to sleep.

[heliads]

Are You Happy With Him?

Y/N is a Med-Jack in the Glade, who happens to be dating Gally. Newt happens to be completely in love with her, but he may have more of a chance with her than he’d first thought.

masterlist

The night is dark, the air is cool. Sparks dance away from the fire, and the Gladers mill about watching Gally pummel whatever boy had the misfortune to step into the circle with him, all the while pretending they can’t see the looming walls of the Maze rising up around them. Thomas is seated on the ground a distance away from everyone else, back leaned up against a fallen tree trunk while he listens to Newt explain everything there is to know about the Glade and the Maze and whatever else Thomas asks him. 

The sound of footsteps draws close, and seconds later another boy swings into a seat next to the two of them. Newt grins to see his friend. “Thomas, this is Minho. Think you’ve seen him around before, he’s a Runner.” Minho waves a greeting to Thomas, then glances back in the same direction as the two boys. “Newt talking you through life here in the Glade?”

Thomas nods. Minho keeps glancing around the campfire, then chuckles slightly when his eyes fall on the lone girl standing among the other Gladers. “Newt mentioned her yet?” Newt groans, but Thomas shakes his head. “No, not once. Who is she?” Minho adjusts his position so he’s facing Thomas, holding up his hands as if the runner’s about to deliver a key piece of information.

“That right there is Y/N. She’s a Med-Jack, although we all call her a Med-Jane because we’re a bunch of shanks who like to mess with our friends. The reason she’s so important is because Newt here is head over heels for her.” Newt rolls his eyes. “That’s not true, Minho, and you know that. Besides, it doesn’t matter how any one of us feel about her, because she’s seeing Gally. End of story.”

Minho groans. “Come on, Newt, there’s not a single person here who’d believe that klunk. Newt’s obsessed with her, but to be fair, we all kind of are. Anyways, the point is she’s one of the best Med-Jacks here, but you wouldn’t know it because Gally gives us a death stare whenever we talk about her for more than thirty seconds.”

Thomas looks up to see Y/N approaching the three boys. She jerks her head at them, and Newt and Minho move over so she can sit down. “I heard my name being mentioned. You telling the Greenie about how I’m the best person in the Glade by far?” Minho laughs. “We were saying that if he ever breaks an arm he should go to Clint instead.” Y/N lunges over to hit Minho on the shoulder, and the friends break into laughter.

Newt reaches behind him to grab a glass full of a frothy (and somehow dirty) amber liquid, taking a sip to Y/N’s disgust. She makes a face at him. “Honestly, I don’t know how you stand that stuff. It’s foul.” Newt grins at her. “Your own boyfriend makes it, I feel like you should at least pretend to stomach it like the rest of us.” Y/N rolls her eyes. “Not even our relationship can make me want to look at that poison.”

She sighs suddenly, eyes travelling across the campfire to where Gally’s pummeling yet another Glader into submission. “And it wouldn’t be the only habit of Gally’s that I disagree with.” Minho nods slowly. “It’s the Med-Jane impulse. Stops you every time.” Y/N gives him a look dripping with outrage, and she and the boys dissolve into laughter.

After a while, limbs get stiff and the four stand up to take a tour around the campfire. Newt points out the different groups of Gladers, and they’re doing fine until Gally ‘accidentally’ shoves a stumbling opponent into Thomas’ back, causing him to lose his balance. Thomas dusts himself off, but looks up when Gally approaches him. “What do you say, Greenie? Want to see what you’re made of?”

Thomas stares at him, uncomprehending, but Y/N makes a quiet sound of annoyance. “Come on, Gally. It’s the guy’s first day here. Give him a break.” Gally ignores her, speaking even louder to Thomas to explain the rules of the fight. Newt drifts over, gently pulling Y/N away from the ring. “Let Thomas have a go. Gally probably won’t rough him up that much.”

They step aside, hanging on the outskirts of the group. Y/N winces as Gally shoves Thomas face-first into the dirt. “It’s barbaric. Does he really have to do this?” Newt stares at the ongoing fight, at Gally clearly reveling in the chance to rough up another Glader, then looks back at Y/N. “Are you happy with him?”

Y/N turns to him, a look almost like outrage on her face. “Of course I am, why would you ask me that? Maybe he has a few habits that aren’t my favorite, but he’s still one of the best guys in the Glade.” Newt shakes his head. “I’m not talking about Gally’s necessity as a Glader. I’m talking about how he makes you feel. Are you happy with him, Y/N? Actually happy?”

Y/N opens her mouth to speak, then closes it again. “I should be able to answer that.” She’s silent for a moment or two longer. “I don’t know.” She stares back at the fight, flinching slightly when Gally’s fist crosses Thomas’ face as if she’s already mentally figuring out how much time she’ll have to spend in the Med-Jack hut trying to put the Greenie back together.

“I don’t think I am. I don’t think anybody’s asked me that in a very long time, and I haven’t thought about it in even longer.” Y/N tilts her head down, sighing quietly. Newt glances back at her, then carefully slides an arm around her. She leans her head against his shoulder.

The morning is bright, heat already pouring into the Glade. Newt is about to take his break for lunch, but he looks around and realizes he doesn’t see the one girl who should’ve been out to eat before him. He taps Zart on the shoulder. “You seen Y/N?” The Track-Hoe nods. “She had some argument with Gally, then headed out to the Deadheads for some peace and quiet. I don’t think she’s come back since.” Newt considers this. “I’m going to go get her, tell her it’s time for lunch. See you after the break’s over.”

The trees of the Deadheads sway slightly, offering some much-appreciated shade and cool despite the burning heat of the sun. Newt doesn’t have to walk far before he finds Y/N seated on a high-reaching tree branch, head leaned back against the rough bark. He climbs up after her, and they both pretend not to notice when his bad leg gives out, making him slip for just a second.

“Is there a reason you’re camped out in the middle of the forest?” Newt asks, and Y/N smiles ever so slightly. “I’m here to avoid Gally. I broke up with him and now he’s passive aggressively building things as if every hammer swing could kill.” Newt frowns. “At least he’s being passive.” Y/N laughs. “Focus on the aggressive. It’s mostly just aggressive.”

She sighs suddenly, looking up at the tree branches around her. The leaves seem to form a slight crown around her head. “I never thought I’d be the one to end things. Always thought he’d get tired of me and that would be that. I don’t feel any different than I did before. Maybe a little more free, like I can finally complain about things and not have to mince my words around him.”

Newt nods. “He’ll come around after a while. He’ll mess around and be bloody angry for a while, but then he’ll be back to our usual easily-bothered Gally.” Y/N smiles. “You do have a way with words. I feel better already.” Newt laughs at that, then jumps down from the tree, holding out his hand to help Y/N down. “You’ll feel even better when you have your lunch. Come on, I’m sure Frypan’s outdone himself, or at least he’ll pretend he has.”

The afternoon is late, and Y/N’s still working in the Med-Jack hut despite the fact that she should have left long ago. Gally finally warmed up to her again a couple of days ago, and he’s sent in a torrent of injured Builders to join the already large number of wounded Slicers that occupy the hut. She’s been busy all morning, and finally finished sending the last boy out with bandaged hands and a promise to stay out of trouble.

Y/N’s just doing the last checks to make sure her workstation is clear and ready for the next morning when she hears a soft knock on the door behind her. She turns to see Newt lingering by the door, and smiles. “You’d better not have cut yourself too. I don’t even want to have to look at a bandage ever again, or maybe just until tomorrow.” 

Newt grins, padding into the room to come stand next to her. “No injuries here. We’re all good.” His focus shifts to the cabinet open above him, and Y/N’s failed attempts to reach the door to put a faded glass bottle of ointment back inside. “Here, I’ve got you.” He takes the bottle from her hand, reaching up over her head to slide it inside and shut the door. When he looks back down, he realizes that his slight movement had shifted him close to Y/N, and they stand only an inch or two apart. He stands there for just a second, then leans forward with the air of someone taking a leap of faith and kisses her.

His hands slip around her waist, and Y/N presses her palms against the small of his back. When he breaks away, her eyes are light, and happier than he’s seen in a while. “I’ve been wanting you to do that for a long time.” She says, and Newt finally allows himself a smile. “I’ve been wanting the same.”

When morning breaks, it brings with it fear and overwhelming terror. After the doors to the Maze didn’t close at nightfall, the resulting Griever attack had left the Glade weak and unprotected. Newt walks with Y/N to the opening of the Maze, and wraps a protective hand around hers as they watch Gally prepare to sacrifice Thomas and Teresa to the Grievers in the hopes of protecting the rest of the Gladers.

Teresa, already tied to a wooden pole, argues desperately that their deaths will do nothing to save the Glade. Gally grows angry and orders Thomas to be tied up as well, but Thomas fights back against his would-be captors. The second Thomas lashes out, Y/N drops Newt’s hand, and the two of them join Minho, Frypan, and a score of other supporters to turn the tide, forcing Gally back with weapons drawn.

Y/N remains silent as Thomas speaks to the rest of the Gladers, urging them to escape the Maze with him. More walk away from Gally to join Thomas and the others, but still more remain on the other side. Finally, when the last of the Gladers willing to leave stand by Thomas, Y/N steps forward. She speaks directly to Gally, her voice cracking slightly.

“Gally, please. Come with us. You won’t survive here if you stay.” Gally shakes his head just slightly. “Good luck with the Grievers.” Y/N looks at him, remembering all of the love she’d once had for him in that moment. “Don’t do this, Gally. Please.” But Gally turns and walks away, leaving Y/N standing there to watch him go. Newt stands silently beside her, and Y/N looks at him with pain before allowing him to wrap his arms comfortingly around her. “He made his choice. There’s nothing you can do.” She nods hesitantly, and they walk together into the Maze.

The journey through the Maze is fraught with peril, and Y/N watches with horror as friends she’d known for months died at the claws of the Grievers. Finally, amazingly, a small handful of Gladers make it through the Maze and into the broken rooms of WICKED. Y/N holds Newt’s hand as they walk through the rooms, broken glass crunching under their feet. They do not intend to let go.

There’s a voice from across the destruction, from one of the other rooms. The Gladers group together instinctively, Newt pulling Y/N close to his side. A figure steps out from the darkness, and Y/N’s breath catches in her throat when she recognizes the boy. “Gally?” Her voice echoes across the room and he nods ever so slightly. Newt steps in front of her protectively when he notices the gun in Gally’s hand.

Gally shakes his head quickly when he sees the boy move. “I’m not going to shoot her, Newt. That’s not why I’m here. I could never hurt her.” Y/N speaks in a calm voice. “Put down the gun, Gally. We can talk about this, about why you’re here.” Gally shakes his head again with even more fervor than before. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I have to do this.” He takes a shuddering gasp, and his eyes clear for just a second even as tears begin to pour down his cheeks.

“Are you happy with him?” Y/N nods slowly when she hears his question. “Yes. I am.” Gally forces something that looks almost like a smile, but with the overwhelming twist of his face from the tears it looks bent and broken instead of joyful. Gally redirects his attention to Thomas, who is asking him to put down the gun. Gally shakes his head, sobs still racking his body. “I belong to the Maze. We all do.”

It all seems to happen at once. Gally pulls the trigger, Minho moves in a blur of movement to throw a spear through Gally’s chest. Gally stumbles and falls to the ground. Y/N lets out this quiet scream, her breath rasping sharply against her throat. Newt covers her eyes with his hand, making sure that she can’t see the dead body of the boy she’d once loved.

It is then that Thomas sees the blood starting to spread from Chuck’s chest, then that he sees the way Chuck’s breathing falters and he starts to collapse to the ground. Thomas bends over him, frantic. “Y/N, Clint, somebody! He’s been- he’s been-” Thomas can’t finish the sentence. Y/N kneels next to him, ignoring the blood beginning to stain her hands, but at last she stands up again and shakes her head almost imperceptibly at Thomas.

Silent tears run down her cheeks as Thomas stares at her in mute incomprehension, then turns back to Chuck. Y/N buries her face in Newt’s shoulder, unable to watch as the young boy breathes his last in Thomas’ arms. When it comes time for them to leave, Thomas’ screams echo down the empty hallways. Newt takes Y/N’s hand, whispers in her ear. “There was nothing you could have done.” She looks at him sadly. “I know. And it hurts even more for it.”

The two of them head back down the halls together, hand in hand. She won’t leave him, not now. Not ever. He needs her as much as she needs him, as much as the sun needs the moon and the earth needs one more chance to heal. They do not intend to leave each other, never again. They do not know if they will have a choice about it, but it does not matter. They would follow each other to the ends of the earth to give themselves the chance to stay together.

[imaginegenerator]

Chapter One

The Bastard and the Saint

Kaz x reader

Prologue

Summary- Many years ago, Sankta Asterisya, the first Sun Summoner, fought and defeated the Black Heretic, preventing him from covering all of Ravka in the Shadow Fold, losing her life in the process.

At least, that's what history believed.

But nothing that powerful remains dead for long.

Y/n had no clue what the hell was going on. One minute, she was fighting her brother, the next, she was in a dingy room surrounded by three shocked faces gazing at her.

“How in the name of all of Inej’s Saints are you alive?” The Zemeni boy perched in the corner asked her.

Y/n coughed. “I honestly have no idea. The last thing I remember-” she stopped suddenly. Telling a bunch of random strangers that her brother was this evil shadow monster was probably not a good idea. The girl took a deep breath in. “That knife, the one you pulled out of my chest, it’s Fabrikated. It’s made to send a person to sleep, not kill them.”

The boy crouched next to Y/n’s bed tilted his head. “I’ve never heard of anything like that.”

“I have, Kaz.” said the Suli girl sitting on the table by the window. “Sankt Petyr, the blacksmith who armed Sankta Asterisya, was said to have created weapons like this.”

The boy, Kaz, sighed. “Well, it doesn’t matter who created it. What matters,” Kaz turned to Y/n “Is who you are and why someone decided to stab you.”

“My name is Y/n. I was born in Ravka. That’s all I really remember.” That was a lie, of course. She knew everything, from the fight with her brother, the creation of that shadow monstrosity, how he buried the dagger in her chest. Not that she would tell these unknown people any of that.

Kaz seemed to realize this and ran a hand through his hair before turning to the Suli girl. “Inej, please get our new guest some clothes. Jesper,” Kaz spoke to the Zemeni boy, “I need you to make sure that Y/n is given breakfast. I need to speak with Per Haskell.” With that, Kaz swept out of the room, carefully shutting the door behind him. Jesper was next to leave, informing Inej that he would be up with food shortly.

Y/n sighed and stood up, almost falling as the room swayed. Inej grabbed her arm. “Why don’t you sit down. I’d like to talk to you. Kaz may be fine with your mystery act, but I am not.”

The girl nodded. “I told you I was born in Ravka. I was not born alone. I had a brother, a brother who will go unnamed. He was kind, but over time, the world broke him. He tried to kill someone, I tried to stop him. It didn’t work.”

Inej nodded. “Thank you.” Then, quiet as a wraith, she slipped out of the room, leaving Y/n alone with her thoughts.

---

Y/n had just finished the last of her pancake, laughing at Jesper’s dumb gambling story, when Kaz entered the room, his black overcoat whipping dramatically behind him. “If you are to stay with us, you’re going to have to earn it. We have a heist coming up in a few days. I’d like you to come, but only if you have a necessary skill set.”

Y/n nodded. “If you have my swords, I can fight with them. I also have a gift for poison.”

At this, Kaz raised an eyebrow. “Poison? What kind?”

“Any kind, really. Stuff to kill, to temporarily incapacitate, and my personal favorite, hallucinogenics.”

“Perfect. I assume you will need supplies, so Jesper will escort you to the market.” Kaz handed her some kruge. “This is all you get. Do not-” he glared at Jesper, “gamble it all away. Understood?”

“You got it, boss. Help the pretty lady buy her death juice, don’t gamble. Crystal clear.” Jesper winked at Y/n.

Kaz rolled his eyes then strode out of the room, leaving Y/n and Jesper to their shopping.

As the pair slowly walked down the stairs of the Crow Club, the curious eyes of the patrons turned to gaze at the girl. Kaz, sitting in the corner, observed her as she moved through the tables. He saw how Y/n’s jaw tightened before she threw her shoulders back and walked out of the bar, Jesper trailing behind. With her head held high and her hair braided around her head like a crown, Kaz thought she looked like a queen.

Outside of the Club, away from the curious eyes, Y/n finally relaxed. Jesper jogged after her.

“So, what do we need to get?”

Y/n pulled out the list she had made over breakfast. “We need a couple of herbs, I’d like some bottles and things to properly store the poison, and I’d also like a notebook to keep track of everything.”

Jesper nodded. “The market is the best place to get plants, and the apothecary will have your bottles. Notebooks would be at the bookstore.” He gestured to a tall building at the end of the street.

“Thanks, Jesper. For coming with me.” Y/n said as she walked to the store.

The boy shrugged. “It was Kaz’s orders. No one disobeys Kaz.”

Y/n laughed for the first time in what felt like five hundred years. “Fair enough. He certainly has a Look going on.”

Jesper grinned, holding the door open. “He’s a bit dramatic, but it’ll grow on you.”

Y/n laughed again, gazing around the shop. Over on the far wall was a map. Weaving through her way through the books, Y/n approached it, gazing at the familiar image of Ravka, now sliced through with a harsh black mark. She ran her hands over the mark, staring at the name. The Unsea. The Shadow Fold. So that’s what they called it. Her brother’s dammed creation. Jesper walked up behind her, holding a blank notebook.

“Have you never seen a map of Ravka before?”

Y/n sighed. “Not with the Shadow Fold.”

Jesper’s eyes widened in shock. “How long were you in that chest?”

“Far longer than I should have been.”

“But-”

“Please.” Y/n’s eyes burned brightly. “I can’t talk about it, I won’t. Not yet. I need some time.”

Jesper nodded. “Okay. Let’s go get your stuff.”

The pair quickly wove their way through Ketterdam, the sharpshooter still thinking.

Who was Y/n, anyway?

[blue-writes-things]

“Mudblood”

Sirius Black x Reader | Fluff / Angst

“For once you didn’t want to set the place on fire, you wanted to set yourself on fire”

| Masterlists | Words: 2225 Warnings: Shitty parents, Walburga and Orion’s A+ parenting, swearing, feminine pronouns   A/N: I still don’t know what pov this is, and also world ‘law’ inconsistencies. Edited Blue Moon Archives

Feedback is always appreciated! - Blue

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

You’re standing in a crowd of people talking shit about each other or blood purity, blah, blah, blah. Although you’d rather be listening to the other people at this ‘Pureblood only’ party that your mother dragged you to, then listen to her talk at you, ripping at everything about you because the ribbon you tied around the waist of your dress was red and gold.

You wanted to have something with you that didn’t make you want to set everything on fire, or maybe you could borrow some of those fireworks James and Remus made, or - you got snapped out of your thoughts of ‘justified arson’ by someone yelling “Sirius Orion Black!”

Oh shit- that was one of the biggest reasons you hated going to these things since Sirius had ‘family’ in this little clique, he was dragged to them. You always made a big effort to not let anyone at Hogwarts know you were related to these monsters.

Everyone but a few Slytherins knew you as a muggleborn, Including your friends, you knew you should tell them the truth, but something always stopped you.

So you spent these parties hiding from Sirius, seeing him in a room meant you went to another, or even just went to the bathroom for the whole event so there was no way he would see you. You wanted to tell him, so these things wouldn’t be as bad, so you’d have someone to talk to, but you thought that if he, or any of your friends found out, you’d be dropped as their friend and that was the worst thing that could happen to you.

As Sirius and his mother walked into the room, you went to the other room, but unlucky, Sirius saw the little bit of red in the sea of green, going after you, knowing that no one who went to these things would ever wear red. But he missed you by a second. A seconded that, to you, saved your friendship. You and Sirius ended up playing a game of hide and seek for the rest of the night before you finally got to leave.

The next morning when you walked into the common room to see James, Remus and Lily sitting on the floor watching Sirius pace in front of the fireplace talking faster than a snitch flies.

“Who broke Sirius?” you raise your eyebrows sitting next to Remus on the floor.

“He had to go to one of those pureblood parties and a girl was there” he sighs, you stiffen, knowing it was you

“It’s not about her being a girl! It was that she had a red ribbon!” he yelled, before dramatically falling to lay on the floor.

“What’s it matter that she was wearing a red ribbon?” Lily asked leaning on James, making him turn as red as the couch “No don’t make him talk again!” Remus half laughs, but was also being a bit serious (no pun intended)

“Because! If you were listening, no one at these parties wears red, it’s like poison to them, meaning this girl must have known that and chose to wear it, meaning she doesn’t think like them!”

“Sounds like your jumping to conclusions Pads,” James says, still red “No! Cause she also was basically running from me all night

“She sounds smart” You smirk “Either way, why does it matter?” “It means that there’s someone there who is also a Gryffindor, you guys wouldn’t understand…” He trails off, you wanted so badly to hug him and say, I know exactly what you’re saying

“Guys, I’m hungry, can we go to breakfast now?” Remus whines standing up, we all nod and agree getting up

“Last person there has to do Sirius’s homework!” you half yell making everyone run out of the room down to the great hall, once everyone gets there, Lily ends up coming last, meaning James will end up doing Sirius’s homework.

“How do you always get here first?” Remus says panting (pun 100% intended)

“Cause I remember all the shortcuts here” he grins

“I think that’s cheating and Sirius is disqualified meaning he has to do his own homework, all in favour?” Lily glaring but smiling at Sirius as everyone, but him raises their hand “You’re all sore losers!” everyone laughed sitting down and starting to eat.

About halfway through breakfast a bunch of owls come in, dropping everyone letters. You don’t pay too much attention to it, you rarely get letters, and when you do, it’s just your parents shouting insults at you. So when a letter drops in front of you it made you flinch. Noting it’s in a green envelope you shove it in your pocket. Sirius frowns but doesn’t say anything.

The group go about the day, having classes, watching James try to flirt with Lily, Sirius trying to flirt with you, the norm.

But after charms with Slytherin, you and the boys had planned a prank for Lucius Malfoy, he was bullying a first-year Hufflepuff, no one messes with Hufflepuffs and gets away with it.

Right as it was about to go into action, he got out of the way of the red dye about to fall on his plantation blonde hair. The group all groan, seeing Severus smirk as he leaves the classroom, you guess he told Malfoy about it but the looks of things.

“Watch it ‘mudblood’.” he smirks, putting ‘mudblood’ in quotations, he was one of the people who knew about you not being muggleborn, he said he wouldn’t tell anyone, but now he uses it as blackmail on you.

“Don’t call her that!” Sirius yells, going to pull out his wand, to hex him into next year.

“Y/N, I suggest you control your friend there, he does anything to me, I’ll tell your little group about your dearest mother and father. To be honest, I’m surprised you’ve kept your mouth shut about it for so long” he chuckles as he turns to leave, Sirius fuming about to go after him again

“Sirius. Just, leave it” you mumble

“Why! He can’t say that to you!”

“Cause we’d get detention and I have a…thing…I need to go to this weekend, and if I miss it, I’ll get bea- in big trouble….I’m going to the library I have homework to do, I’ll see you guys later” you rush off

“She’s not going to the library” Remus utters, both James and Sirius look at him funny “You can’t get to library from that way”

“I’ll catch up with you guys,” Sirius says going off after you

“Wanna go get lunch Moony?” James says after Sirius runs off

“Sounds good”

***

You reach the black lake, taking out the letter your parents sent you this morning, ripping it open and reading it. It was the normal ‘disgrace, worthless, traitor’ it hurts more than you expected, plus a reminder at the bottom that you’re going to another gathering this weekend.

You drop the letter next to you, hugging your knees to your chest, tears start falling. You sat like that for almost an hour before someone sat next to you

“Been lookin’ for you everywhere love” you look up and It’s Sirius “What’s wrong?”

He frowns looking down seeing the letter, and a green envelope, just like the ones his family sends him, he goes to grab it, but you snatch it away before he can

“What’s the letter say? It’s clearly upset you” he shuffles closer to you, wrapping his arms around your shoulders. Not thinking clearly, you say the first excuse that comes to your mind

“Mum just told me that, my aunt died,” you say not looking at him

“Y//n, I know that’s not true”

“What do you mean it’s not true! I just read the bloody letter”

“Cause this is the fourth letter in a row telling you that an aunt has died, you’re not very good at lying”

“You’d be surprised” you mumble so Sirius doesn’t hear you

“Come on, you can tell me anything, you can tell me the truth”

“You don’t want to know the truth, Sirius!” You snap at him running up to the castle.

You spent the rest of the week avoiding your friends, well Sirius, but he’s always with them, so it meant avoiding them too.

It was Saturday night, and you were at the pureblood party, and completely miserable. You go over and stand next to your father

“Couldn’t help but bring that ‘Gryffindor’ pride with you?” your father says looking down at you. You’ve never felt so small “Take that stupid thing off”  

“S-sorry father” you look down you taking off the red ribbon

“Disgrace” he mutters walking away

Not wanting to look as alone as you felt, you go outside though some fancy glass doors, closing your eyes and taking a deep breath, for once you didn’t want to set the place on fire, you wanted to set yourself on fire, you felt cold, but not from the weather, from spending a week away from your friends, and re-reading all the letters your ‘family’ sent to you.

You didn’t notice, but Sirius had just walked in. He’s looking around for the red ribbon, hoping that ‘whoever’ she is, was here tonight, he sees the ribbon by the doors, smirking “fuckin’ finally” he thinks, once he’s outside he sees that it’s you.

“Y-Y/n?”

Your eyes go wide ‘well tonight can’t get worse’ you think, turning to him but not daring to look in his eyes

“How’d you get here? What are you doing here?”

“Same as you” You show Sirius the ‘invite’ to the party

“I-I don’t understand, you’re not muggleborn you’re pureblood? Why didn’t you tell me?” he frowns

“I didn’t want you to think of me as one of them” You look inside, you can practically hear them saying mudblood

You could see cogs turning his brain though his eyes as he was piecing it all together “All the letters were from them?”

You nod, pulling out a bunch of paper from your bag “Only letters I ever get” you choke handing them to Sirius He looks through them, anger boiling inside him

“They say I’m a traitor, pathetic, disappointment, disgrace, worthless, unloved, unneeded…I guess I am really” Sirius pulls you into a hug.

“You’re nothing like them, and you’re none of those things, I’m so glad I met you, I don’t know where I’d be without you… actually I do, I’d be in there bored outta my mind,” You hold him tighter burying your head in his neck

You hear Sirius’s mother calling him from inside, you pull away smirking at him, and spark in your eye, as if you weren’t about to burst out crying.

Sirius looks at you confused but smiling “What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours”

“Well since we’re stuck here for a bit, why don’t we have some fun” you grin tying ribbon back around your waist

“I like the sound of that”

You grab Sirius’s hand and pull in inside to where a song is playing and people are dancing respectfully in pairs.

“Hey, Pads? May I have this dance?”

“Hey, isn’t that my line?”

You roll your eyes as you both go to where the dancing is. Sirius holds you by your waist pulling you close

You raise your eyebrow and Sirius winks at you “Do you know what personal space is?” smirking you wrap your arms around his neck, only making you both closer “Doesn’t seem like you mind” his voice drops an octave

“Who would mind being this close to Sirius Orion Black” Sirius looks down at your lips.

“The way my name sounds coming off your lips is making me want to kiss you,” he says sensually, smirking and pulling you closer (if that’s even possible) you bite your lip, flicking your eyes from his lips

“Sirius.Orion.Black”

He crashes his lips to yours, sending sparks through each other, it felt like it was always meant to be, but ruining the moment both your mothers are pulling you apart, saying things like blood traitors, despicable, etc, making you both laugh

“See you at school!” Sirius calls as his mother drags him out

“If we make it back!”

You both laugh, your mothers going off.

~ A few months later ~

You were taking a walk around the grounds finding Sirius sitting by the black lake holding a letter “Parents?” you say sitting by him, wrapping him in a hug as he nods

“Th-they disowned me…It’s like I don’t give a fuck, I hate them…but it still hurts”

You laugh a bit “You’re kidding right?” “Hm?” he tilts his head to the side as you pull a letter from your robes

“Got it yesterday” you hand letter to him He lets out a laugh “They disowned you too?!” “They couldn’t wait one day? So we can get disowned together?” you both laugh

“I love you, Sirius Orion”

“Now that sounds so much better coming from your lips” he has his cheeky grin on his face “Does it make you want to kiss me?” you smirk “It makes me want to kiss you forever” as he pulls you into a passionate kiss.

[doyumacy]

RIDE OUT - 12

ʏᴜᴛᴀ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ x ᴍᴀʀᴋ ʟᴇᴇ

ɢᴇɴʀᴇ: ꜱᴍᴜᴛ, ᴅʀᴀᴍᴀ, ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: ꜱᴜɢɢᴇꜱᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴋ, ʟᴀɴɢᴜᴀɢᴇ, ꜱᴍᴜᴛ (ᴜɴᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ꜱᴇx. ᴏʀᴀʟ ꜱᴇx ꜰ ʀᴇᴄᴇɪᴠɪɴɢ) ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ᴏꜰ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ. ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴡᴏᴜɴᴅꜱ, ᴄᴀʀ ᴄʀᴀꜱʜ

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 4k

ᴛᴀɢʟɪꜱᴛ: @coffee-prince-kyungsoo@xcharlottemikaelsonx@marksquare@tomorrowxforever@yoongsicles @neococo7 @angels-from-california@ahgastayzen@hiraarri @uhyikesbro

ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇɴᴜʟᴛɪᴍᴀᴛᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ʀɪᴅᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ! ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ᴍᴇ. ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ !!

the morning of the race you find yourself sitting on a bench on the santa monica pier.  it’s 6 am. your hands are in the pockets of your hoodie and you're watching the ocean waves. this may be the last time you ever see and hear them.

you also think about yuta and mark, and you've come to the conclusion that you can't live like this. if everything goes according to yuta's plan, the first thing you would do is talk to them and let them know that you've made a decision. and your decision is final.

you take a deep breath and purse your lips thinking.

you can't help but think of all the memories with yuta, all the things you did and went through together. all the moments with him and how his presence brightened your days and how happy he made you. yuta would remain as a memory in your mind and you know it's time to move on.  you also know you could never forget yuta because he is your first love, and maybe the love of your life. but things don't always happen the way you expect them to, and that's okay.

and yes, you will always be grateful to yuta for protecting you and your brothers, but from the moment he made the decision, the relationship would never be the same again

mark is your future and if there is one thing you are completely sure of, it's your feelings for him. you deserve the happiness you have found with mark, and mark offers you a real relationship with no secrets. and honestly, being with him has given you back the happiness you had lost a long time ago.

you notice out of the corner of your eye that someone is sitting next to you. it's yuta. he leans back, sliding a little on the bench.

without looking at you, he looks out at the waves and he can tell you’ve made your decision.

he sighs and slowly turns his head to you. “it’s mark, isn’t it?”

your eyes dart to him. “yes.”

yuta nods. “i figured you’d choose him, so that’ why i brought you this.”

yuta hands you a yellow folder with a bunch of papers inside of it. you take it and you open the folder. the big bold black letters call your attention. “LOS ANGELES SUPERIOR COURT”. you look at him. “they just need your signature, i already signed them.”

“yuta…” you mutter.

he shakes his head. “it’s okay, y/n. i really hope mark can make you happy. you deserve it.”

you tilt your head, looking at him. “you deserve to be happy too, yuta.”

he sighs. “i was once and lost it, but it’s alright. the fact you’re standing here, alive is enough for me.”

“i’ll always love you, yuta.”

“i know,” he nods. “i’ll always love you too, y/n.”

his hand reaches for yours and kisses it. “i should go. i’ll see you tonight.”

he stands up from the bench and you stop him by taking him by the hand. “wait. i got something that’s yours.”

you shove your hand in your hoodie pocket and take out the golden chain he gave you. “you should have it back.”

yuta shakes his head. “it’s yours, you keep it as a sign of our love.” he approaches you and cups your face kissing your forehead. “goodbye, y/n.”

you hug yuta tightly. “thank you for everything, yuta.”

you go to mark’s place and after knocking twice and getting no response, you use the key he gave you. you unlock the door and there’s no sign of mark in the living room or the kitchen. he must be sleeping. you go to his bedroom and open the door trying to not make any sounds. mark is comfortably sleeping, you look at the clock on the wall and it’s almost 7 am.

you take your sneakers off and your socks as well. you walk over to the bed and crawl under the covers, spooning mark, he moves a little when you rest your hands on his chest and he places his on yours. your feet touch his and he groans.

he instantly rolls to look down at you, the expression of a kicked puppy, expecting an explanation.

“y/n,” he says, “your feet are icebergs!”

you smile looking at him. "i love you."

"i love you, too," he wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you close to his chest. "but if you touch me again with those cold feet i'm kicking you out."

you giggle and your right foot brushes his left foot. he groans again. "y/n!"

you laugh. "shh, go back to sleep."

"i'm trying," he closes his eyes and his right hand makes its way down to your lower back, getting to your ass. you take his hand and place it again on your waist. he frowns and opens his eyes. "hey, that was not nice."

"if i make breakfast will you stop whining?"

"are you trying to poison me?"

"hey, that was not nice either," you pinch his abs.

he chuckles. "baby, you are smart, a badass, sexy, caring, emphatic and give the best blowjobs, but cooking ain't your thing."

you smile, shrugging. "i couldn't have every trait."

"i'd still bang you," he kiss your temple.

"even though i'm not a married woman anymore?"

mark tilts his head confused. you grin and rest your chin on his chest, looking at him. "got the divorce papers today and i signed them."

"oh..." mark nods. "oh... wait, hold on, why? i mean, that is great news, i just didn't expect it would happen anytime soon."

"you're my future, mark." you rest your hand on his cheek, cupping that side of his face. "so, here i am and i don't want to be anywhere else."

mark beams and takes the hand that is cupping his cheek and plants a kiss on it. "are you proposing?"

you roll your eyes and groan, making him chuckle. "come here, baby." he pulls you for a kiss and cups your face. "i'm never letting you go. ever. i love you."

you kiss mark back. you sigh into his mouth moving your lips against his and then biting his lower lip slowly, pulling it. soon your tongue massage his and explores his mouth

you grab his jaw and turn his face to the side. the kiss is soft and sweet, just under his sharp jaw and then, you bite lower. he bites his lip.

your lips move down his neck slowly tasting his skin as you breathe in his wonderful scent. “honestly i don't understand why you use perfume to sleep," you chuckle against his neck. "but i love it so much."

mark giggles. “you never know when your girlfriend will break into your house and seduce you at 7 am.”

you laugh and sigh. “this is how i want to spend the rest of my mornings.”

“it feels like you’re proposing again,” mark purses his lips. you roll your eyes and pinch him again. “ouch! i was joking, geez.”

“i’m gonna leave, mark,” you warn. “show me some love.” you pout.

“my god,” he scoffs. “you’re so needy.”

“mark!” you whine.

he smirks and gives your nose a peck. “i’m so glad you walked into my life.”

you smile. “are you proposing, mark lee?”

“please explain to me how we are together?”

you shrug. “because we’re both a pain in the ass.”

“yeah,” he nods. “but you’re the biggest pain in the ass.”

you squint your eyes. “loser.”

“christer,” he grins.

“what even is that?” you laugh.

“oh baby, i need to take you home,” he sighs. “my home.”

“i thought i was your home?” you raise an eyebrow.

“you are my second home,” he pecks your nose.

you nod as you start drawing circles on his neck with your finger. “so, is the seducing thing working?”

mark smiles. “who’s the horny one now?”

“let’s say you're wearing black shirt and grey sweatpants, turn me on,” your hand goes down his stomach and you look at him smiling, “and guess what?”

he hums, his eyes not leaving yours. “i’m not wearing any panties and a bra.”

he smiles sideways. “naughty girl. what should i do about it?”

you shrug, your hand going lower until you find the hem of his sweatpants. “i don’t know, teach me a lesson?”

and that’s how you end up with mark between your tights, your hands pulling from his hair as you arch your back and choke a loud moan when you feel cumming for the second time. “fuck fuck fuck m-ma ah,” you look down at him and you notice his eyes are on you as his mouth and fingers work on your heat.

as you’re coming down from your high, you feel his fingers start moving inside you again, his thumb slowly rubbing on your swollen clit. “mark i-i can’t,” you whine and the grip on his hair gets tighter.

mark hovers over your body and kisses your jaw. your hair is all messed up and his fingers are glistening with your juices. he places his fingers on your lips, gently tapping them so you can open them. you take his lips, sucking them and tasting yourself on them. you lick them clean and mark smirks. “good girl.”

your hands push his black shirt up, over his head making him pull away. you slowly stroke his stomach and his eyes are focused on you, burning holes through you. “god, you’re so hot.” you mutter.

he smirks and cups your face kissing you. “you’re a goddess. deadly sexy.” he bites your lip.

“fuck me, mark,” you murmur, kissing him.

“okay,” he smiles teasingly.

mark sits up and frees himself from his grey sweatpant, running his damp hand over his hard shaft. you lick your lips looking down at his hardened cock. “your dick is pretty.”

mark laughs, jerking himself. “you wanna know how it looks prettier?”

you nod. “inside of you.”

you grin and rest your back on the bed again, spreading your legs for him. “then let’s make it look prettier.”

mark smirks as he moves and positions himself at your entrance. he pushes his tip into you and moves slowly, making sure you feel the stretch as he pushes every inch into you. his hands grab your hips and sighs. “i fucking love how you take me so well.” he takes one of your legs, hooking it at his hip.

“mark,” you moan, biting your lip. he grins softly, his thrusts are slow as he slides his dick in and out.

“yes, love?” he hums, sliding in until he’s balls deep inside you.

you moan again, throwing your head back. “oh shit.”

mark giggles and starts fucking you harder, king and deep strokes, his hands holding tightly your waist. he runs his thumb over your clit as he rocks his hips. he moans under his breath as you clench arohnd him. he thruts deeper, groaning as he feels your nails dig on his back.

you whine as mark pushes your leg up to your chest and his thrusts are quicker and hard. you moan. “oh my god. mark!”

loud moans tumbling from your lips as he thrusts deep inside of you. your hands tangle in his hair, “i’m gonna cum, mark. oh god. you fuck me so good,” you exclaim.

mark pushes your legs a bit further to gain a deeper angle. you whine out, your pussy clenching around him. he moans, he loves feeling you cum around his cock. you feel mark cumming deep inside of you. he moans, snuggling into your neck. “oh lord. i love you so much,” he mutters, panting.

“you’re so cheesy after sex,” you reply, panting as well making mark laugh.

he rolls off you and takes his shirt cleaning your thighs. “we made a mess, baby.”

“let’s take a shower together,” you smile.

“that i like better,” he helps you to get up from the bed and hugs you from behind, walking to the bathroom.

mark kisses your neck as you open the door and laugh when you feel something poking in your ass. “again?”

“you’re so hot, i can’t help it,” he shrugs. “besides, i haven’t fucked you in my shower yet.”

“then what are we waiting for?” you pull him closer.

mark is driving you home when you feel your phone buzzing, you frown when you see doyoung has texted you. you unlock your phone.

from: doyoung.

to: y/n

there has been a change of plans. we’ll meet at hollywood boulevard. be there at 10 pm.

“what is it, baby?” mark asks, his eyes focused on the road.

“doyoung changed the location,” you look at him and gulp. “what if he knows something?”

“let’s not think ahead of ourselves, okay?” his right hand finds your left hand. “text yuta and tell him.”

you nod and with your free hand, you text yuta and sigh locking your phone once the message has been sent. “y/n?” you turn to face mark. “i’m coming tonight.”

jisung doesn’t tell you, but he’s panicking. and he’s scared. scared that you or him, or both end up getting hurt, or worse, dead just because his stupid mistake.

he walks around the living room thinking what he can do to fix it, but whatever comes to his head, it’s too late.

“no!” johnny’s voice startles him, making jisung turn his head towards his upset brother.

“johnny, listen to me!” you take his arm. “this is the only way. the plan we had won’t work.”

“she’s right,” yuta mutters from the corner he’s standing. “it’s too risky and maybe too crowded.”

“i don’t give a fuck about other people!” johnny exclaims. “i only care about my sister and my brother’s safety for fuck’s sake.”

“what’s the new plan?” jisung asks, everyone’s eyes going to him.

you take a deep breath. “i will be driving your car and you mine.”

jisung frowns, confused. “what good will that do?”

“it will give us time so yuta can finally arrest doyoung,” you explain. “when he realises i’m the one driving, you’ll be miles away. safe and sound.”

“and what about you?” jisung glances at you.

“i can take care of myself,” you reply.

“i’ll be there,” yuta and mark say at the same time. they look at each other for a few seconds.

you shake your head. “don’t worry about me, jisung.” you approach him and stand in front of him. “as soon as we hit the ending line, you keep driving. i’m gonna pretend i’m you and i’m gonna lose on purpose.”

“and when ‘jwi’ has to face him, doyoung will realise that well, the real jwi escaped and yuta’s men will be there already,” mark tells jisung. “you’ll drive to my place where a friend of mine will be waiting for you. you’re gonna be safe there.”

“it’s stupid.” johnny spits. “and suicidal.”

“it’s our only chance,” you look at him.

“tell her she’s wrong.” johnny stares at yuta.

yuta slowly shakes his head. “it’s our only shot.”

johnny groans and runs a hand through his hair. he stares at you and then at jisung. “if one of you dares to not return home tonight, i’m gonna be pissed so you better be here.” he clears his throat.

johnny hugs you both at the same time and sighs. “you two won’t ever stop giving me headaches.” you and jisung giggle and you hug johnny tightly. he responds to the gesture by kissing your forehead.

johnny looks up at yuta and mark, who are standing in the living room watching the scene. he cocks an eyebrow. “you guys wanna join?”

yuta laughs, scoffing, shaking his head. “i actually should be going. see you later.”

yuta leaves your house and you look at mark. you open up an arm so he can join your hug and he smiles softly walking to you and hugs you. jisung and johnny laugh. “this is so awkward.” jisung murmurs.

“let’s stay like this for one more minute,” you say.

hollywood boulevard is crowded as hell that night. tourists, locals, everyone going everywhere. you’re inside of your car, waiting for doyoung to call or text.

several minutes pass and your cell phone vibrates. it's another message from doyoung.

from: doyoung.

to: y/n

drive to la brea avenue.

you do as doyoung says and once you’re on the avenue, you spot his luxurious car. you park your car and walk to him. he smiles when he sees you. “long time no see, my dear.”

“what’s the route?” you ask.

“rude,” he cocks an eyebrow, crossing his arms on his chest. “the route, you’re gonna drive through hollywood hills until you get to the 101, and i really hope you get there first, y/n. i’ve waited enough.”

“are you insane?” you look at him. “we can’t drive through residential neighborhoods, there’s not enough space for two cars.”

doyoung rolls his eyes. “okay, you’re backing off. let’s just wait for that dude, and as soon as they arrive, i’ll have my sniper to shoot them.”

“no!” you clear your throat. “fine. i’ll do it.”

“that’s my girl,” he smirks. “i’ll be waiting on the 101, don’t take too long.”

doyoung gets inside his car and drives away. you’re trembling at this point, the streets of the hills are not exactly the best for a race; streets with very sharp curves, the space is very small even for a single car and the most risky thing: entry and exit of cars.

you sigh and shut your eyes, praying everything will be fine.

you hear jisung’s car motor and you turn on your heels. he gets off from his car and you walk to him. “ready to wake up some people?” you joke.

“yeah, hope it won’t be me crashing into their gates,” jisung jokes as well.

you bite your lip. “we should start.”

jisung nods and hands you a black cap. “i always use it when i drive.”

you take the cap and stare at him. “try driving as if you were me.”

“i’m definitely losing then,” he mocks.

you chuckle and take a deep breath. “i will see you at mark’s place, okay?”

“yes.” he nods and hugs you tight, kissing your cheek. “be safe, y/n.”

“you too, jisung.”

you get into his car and take your hair inside of the cap just in case, since the windows are too dark for anyone to notice who’s driving. you start the car and line up next to jisung.

your stomach is in knots as you start your engines. the rumble that usually brings you excitement frightened you now. you grasp your hand again and are holding tight.

the cars go with the roar of engines and squeals of tires. jisung shoots ahead, but you're close behind. luckily, you barely ran into a few cars.

you can tell the 101 is close since you start spotting more cars and traffic, but that doesn't stop you. you keep driving and as you're about to reach the ending line, you slow down so jisung can pass you and win.

but jisung's car doesn't slow down. you frown and push the brakes so you can start slowing down but they don't respond. you see how jisung keeps driving. 'at least he's gonna be safe.'

you try to use the emergency brake but it doesn't work either. you grip at the steering wheel and you decide to exit the 101 where the traffic is lighter until you reach a point where the road is empty and you can still stop the car.

your eyes go to the emergency brake to check quickly if there's something that can give you the idea why they're failing. in time to see your headlights illuminate an animal bolting across the street in front of you. you veere hard to avoid it. you feel your heart skip a beat and your breath catches in your throat as the right side of the car lifted into the air, time seeming to stand still for a second.

and then the car is flipping, the window slamming into the ground first, the force of it driving out any remaining air your lungs may have contained. glass from the driver side window scattered across you, forcing you to shut your eyes to protect them. the car rolls over and over, finally coming to rest on its roof.

suspended from the seat belt you can feel the blood rushing into your head. glass cut at your hands and arms as you try to unfasten the seat belt. you can see the pavement right outside the windshield. you scramble for the door handle but the frame around the door is too dented to allow it to open. and you're scared of moving too much. you hands are shaking and you don't feel any pain. you touch your face and feel warm liquid falling from your head. it's blood. and now it's dripping off on your neck.

you hear footsteps approaching the car and when you turn your head slightly, you quickly recognize who those black patent leather shoes belong to. you gulp as you notice he stands at the height of the window and peeks out his head. doyoung smiling and clicks his tongue. "look what we have over here."

doyoung sticks his hand through the window and grabs your jaw hard, tightening. you whine and try to take his hand off your face, but he is only tight at the grip. "where the fuck is your brother?"

"i-i don't know what you're talking about," you whisper.

doyoung groans and yanks your jaw free violently. "i'm gonna ask you one more time, where is jisung?"

you keep your mouth shut and doyoung sighs. "okay, i see you like things the hard way." he spots a deep cut on your chest and presses on it with force, hurting you. you cry, almost screaming but refuse to tell any information about jisung.

"fucking whore," doyoung mutters as he keeps adding pressure on the wound. you feel tears falling down your eyes and let out a sigh of relief when doyoung removes his fingers.

"i see you're willing to die for him," he stands up, dusting off the dust from his expensive dress pants and wiping his blood-stained fingers on them. "then you'll die."

you hear more footsteps approaching and spot two pairs of shoes. the two men remove the door and one they have taken off the seat belt, doyoung bends down again and, grabbing you by the hair, pulls you out of the car. you whimper trying to get him away from you but your body is too weak. you know you're hurt everywhere but feel numb.

doyoung drops you to the ground, your hands keeping your head from hitting the hard pavement. he rolls you on your stomach and takes your hair making you kneel. his face is close to yours. "it was a pleasure working with you, gorgeous."

you see doyoung taking a gun out from the back of his shirt and loads it. you gasp as you close your eyes, lowering your head. and then, all you remember is hearing a gunshot right in front of you.

i'm sorry, johnny. i love you.

i'm sorry, jisung. i love you.

i'm sorry, mark. i love you.

[harpers-ocs]

Morgan walked into the living room only to see his roommate (not friend, Theo had made that extremely clear) sitting on the couch and chewing on the end of a pencil.

Theo caught his eye line and frowned “What?”

“Are you trying to give yourself lead poisoning?” The cat owner asked, sitting down on the floor in front of him. The other simply rolled his eyes “Pencils don’t have lead in them anymore you bloke.” Morgan sighed “One, stop using British words incorrectly. It offends me.” He paused, glancing at the other and smiling slightly “…second, penny for your thoughts?”

Theo proceeded to make that face he always makes where he basically becomes a piece of paper you crumpled up in your hands for the hell of it. Then, he looked away and sighed “I’m the lamest monster ever.”

‘He says, like it’s the most traumatic thing in his long long life.’

There was a silence and if the dark haired floor dweller actually had the care to, he probably would’ve laughed.

“What the hell do you mean by that?” He asked, blinking a few times. Theo sat up at that and groaned “Well I’m technically a monster now, right? Have been ever since-“ he cut himself off with a hum “-and I was just thinking about monsters like Emyrs, Celeste and those weird glitchy ones.” Morgan gave a small nod “What about them?” Theo continued “Well those guys were monsters and they had a bunch of weird abilities and shit, like Celeste and her… y’know.”

The other nodded “Riight. So you’re upset because you have no ‘powers’? Respawning once you die isn’t normal y’know, no matter what games where circles don’t exist tell you.”

“What? No, that’s not what I’m sad about.” Theo argued “I’m sad cos other monsters get to look cool as fuck meanwhile I’m stuck looking completely normal!” Morgan blinked at that “Oh my god you’re pathetic.” He muttered “That’s the only downside to being immortal? Really, that’s the biggest grievance in your life right now??”

The brunette rolled his eyes “I mean, I could’ve at least gotten like a third eye or- oooh, dragon wings! Or hell, I’d settle for some rabbit ears, that’d be cool!”

“Are you a furry?”

“Kill yourself.”

Morgan thought the other was a right idiot, especially now. “You have white pupils. Settle for that. Besides, if you had those things you’d have to hide. You’d never go outside.” Theo scoffed “Says you! Sometimes you don’t leave the house for days! It’s annoying as hell to have you here 24/7 y’know.” The other stood up and nodded “I do know that. You’re just as annoying, and this conversation has only solidified that opinion.”

As Morgan left the room, he started to think about how maybe spending eternity with an annoying cat demon hadn’t been so bad after all.

———

Idk what this is I just needed to write with these two idiots again

[randominagines]

Request: hiii love, could you write an ouat Peter Pan X fem reader in which they are fuckfriends and she gets hurt during a battle (against someone idk) and he saves her? Maybe smut? Idk you decide

Requested by: anon

Pairing: Peter Pan (ouat) X fem!reader

Warning: Whump, Smut, violence, blood, a lot of sex references

P.s. if you find any mistake please correct me, English is not my mother tongue and I want to improve. Reblog, if you can, it helps a lot, thank you💕

P.p.s. gif belongs to the creator

Carelessness

"Shit" Y/n said in the moment she noticed her sword was missing. Pirates were pretty tedious but it was usually almost funny fighting them. It was okay for Peter welcoming a random battle sometimes, he said it was good to keep all the boys alert and he had this capacity to turn everything into a game, but introducing in the camp and stealing some of their weapons? Mostly outrageous. Peter was mad.

"Bunch of idiots, no one steals from Peter Pan" He whispered between his teeth, his eyes looking at the empty wood box y\n and some others used to keep the swords in. "They must have suicidal thoughts, there is no other explanation" Felix said and shrugged, his scar shining in the light of the moon.

"Where is Y/n?" Peter asked with urgency in his voice; she immediately walked toward him.

"I'm here" She said and he turned to look at her.

"How many of them?" He asked. All the Lost Boys were quite; when Peter was in a bad mood things were always tensed up.

"This morning I checked and they were almost thirty" She said; she was one of Peter's closest member of the crew and she was his eyes around the island, not to mention that she was her fuckfriend.

"Good... Boys, go collect your weapons, we're paying a little visit to the pirates tonight" The boys started to cheer up and run all around the camp, they were exited about the battle to come. As soon as everyone came back to the center of the camp, Peter spoke again.

"I know you are looking forward to killing those bastards, but remember to be careful: this time they have our swords and I don't need to remind you of the Dreamshade we soaked them it. Don't let the blades touch your skin" The atmosphere suddenly got darker. The Lost Boys looked at each other in concern, but they would never had given up on a proper battle. As soon as Felix gave the okay and walked toward the beach, all of the Boys started to follow him.

"Y\n?" Peter gently grabbed her by her arm and pulled her toward him, she stopped walking and looked at him in confusion.

"Peter, what's wrong?" She whispered those words. They used to be very discreet, almost indifferent to each other when the boys were around, besides they didn't want anyone to realize: she considered all of the Boys like brothers, but she felt an attraction toward him that wasn't fraternal at all and he felt the same. Since she arrived, a year before, they started to fight a lot but also to admire each other, untill they ended up sleeping together.

"I'd love you not to show your usual carelessness toward your life, just this once" He said putting a finger toward her chin and raising her head, she chuckled looking at him: she had to admit she was pretty reckless, but the battle gave her such an adrenaline that she couldn't help herself but forget the safety rules.

"I'll see what I can do" She joked and winked at him, she also gave him a very quick kiss on his lips, followed by a teasing bite. "Don't worry about me, save your strength to fuck me later instead" She whispered bringing her lips closer to his ear.

"Don't tease me, babe, or you won't be able to stop screaming all night long" He said and grinned looking at her.

"I should tease you more often then" she said and bit her lower lip, he rolled his eyes in frustration: he wanted her now. She gave him one last look and turned around. He puffed in frustration as looking at her joining the rest of the boys and accepting a sword that Felix was offering her. That girl really was a pain in the ass.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The pirates were surely taller and more robust than all of the Boys, but they hadn't done a good job: the battle was almost over and the Lost Boys hadn't lost a single member while the pirates were almost all dead. Y/n was just looking around searching for the sword they had stolen from her: the one Felix lent to her was not bad, but hers was balanced in the perfect way, besides it was less heavy and with a smaller haft. She had just spotted her sword when she decided to go and get it back.

"Where are you going?" Her best friend, Tyler, stoped her; he was covered in sand and sweat. She cleaned his face from the dirt and pointed at her sword.

"I'll come with you" he said, he had an instinct of protection toward her. They walked toward the dead bodies. The corpse of a pirate was still holding her sword in his left hand, the blood colouring the whole blade. Tyler reached out to take it when the man's opened his eyes: before he could even realize what was about to happen, he used his last strength to raise his torso and he would have soaked the blade in his stomach, but y\n pushed him aside so the sword ended up thrusting in her left hip. She immediately looked down and opened her eyes wide, her own blood was dripping down her leg and she was so shocked she couldn't even perceive any pain. The man looked at her and gave her one last smile before letting himself go: while falling down on his back, he pulled the sword out and she finally screamed in pain.

"Peter, Y/n is hurt" Tyler called out for Peter in disbelief and before she could say anything she started to feel her legs weakening. She was kneeling down when she felt Peter's arm catching her.

"Oh my... fuck!" He almost shouted while slowly laying her on the ground. Y/n felt the cold sand behind her back, almost a shocking contrast opposed to the warmth of the blood running down her leg and soaking her trousers.

"What the fuck happened?" Peter asked, his voice filled with terror and madness. Y/n was starting to realize that she was about to pass out: her view was clouded, she felt drops of cold sweat running down her forehead and she couldn't perceive her body with clearness anymore. It took all of her strength to raise he torso and look at the wound: the black of the poison was drawing spirals around the deep cut, the Dreamshade was running through her body already. "Stay still" Peter commanded her while working his magic on her, his hands were shaking. "Fuck fuck fuck, the battle tired me out, my magic is not on top; besides she is losing too much blood, I can't close the wound with the poison still inside. I need to take her back to my place" He said, frustration dominating his every word and move. As always, his bad mood was reflecting in the weather: big dark clouds were massing over them. She looked at his hands: they were red, red like the fire, she knew that it was her blood colouring them. He raised her from the ground by taking her body into his arms, it was almost like she weighed nothing. She realised that they were flying and smiled, she always wanted to fly like him.

"Don't worry, I'm going to fix this" He tried to reassure himself more than her, she held him with her hands crossed behind his shoulders and nodded.

"I am sorry.... Looks like I've acted carelessly again" She whispered while closing her eyes, she felt tired and cold. He chuckled while flying over the forest.

"I wasn't expecting anything different" He nervously joked. He tried to focus on what to do but he seriously was worried, what if magic wouldn't have been enough? No. It had to be enough. He wouldn't have lost her. She smiled and slowly fell asleep, he gave a quick look at her and couldn't stop thinking about the fact that if he wasn't going to be successful he wouldn't have been able to live with himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun. It was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes. Rays of sunshine were penetrating through the roof made out of branches. The brightness of the sun made the leaves look almost white. She was in Peter's house. She squeezed her eyes and tried to stand up but, in the moment she raised her torso, an excruciating pain crossed her hip and stomach.

"Shit!" She exclaimed and laid back down. Her hands touching her wound, it was warm.

"Don't move, you could get hurt" Peter's voice made her turn left: he was sitting in a chair, his green eyes fixed on her and his hands crossed under his chin. He looked relieved.

"Thank you, I noticed" She said and he chuckled. He stood up and walked toward the bed. Before she could say anything he lifted her shirt and checked the bandaging.

"You need another couple of days to get back on your feet, at least the wound is not bleeding anymore anytime you move" He said and looked at her, she nodded and tried to sit up with her back against the wall. It was a bit painful but totally bearable if done slowly. "Good girl" He said and smirked at her, she rolled her eyes.

"Why would you say such a thing right now that I can't fuck you?" She asked in frustration, he chuckled and got closer to her; he caressed her cheek and runner his fingers toward her neck, then closed them around it and pulled her toward him. She moaned before he kissed her: the kiss was urgent, deep, passionate. He had seriously feared that he could have lost her, he never stopped thinking that he cared about her more than how he believed. Sex was amazing with that girl but almost losing her gave him the certainty that she was so much more than that for him. She was caressing the back of his head while pulling his hair, her body barely moving because of her pain but he knew her, she wanted more and he wanted more too, but that was not the time.

"Babe, stop..." He whispered on her lips, she gave him one last kiss before puffing in frustration. He looked at her and gently moved a lock of her Y/c/h behind her ear.

"I want you" She said, her voice filled with desire. He cursed internally.

"Y/n, I want you too, more than anything, but we must have a little patience" He said and caressed her lips with his thumb, she nodded and kissed it.

"Thank you, you saved my life" she said and put her hand on his chest, he smiled while sitting next to her and gently pulling her in his arms, she felt safe.

"And you saved Tyler's, you have been brave" He said and gave her a kiss on her head, she shrugged while caressing his chest.

"I admit that I hadn't realized that pirate was still alive" She confessed and looked at him, he kissed her quickly.

"I admit that the idea of losing you almost drove me crazy" He confessed and she looked at him in confusion. Did she really matter that much to him? She couldn't imagine... She always had feelings for him, since they started having sex, but confessing them? She thought she was just a fuckfriend for him.

"Really?" She asked, pure amazement in her voice, he nodded.

"Y/n, I really care about you" He said and she frowned in surprise before speaking. "I thought I was just..."

"Sex? I thought so too, but seeing you on the floor, all of that blood on your legs, the Dreamshade turning your hips and stomach black, your face as pale as the moon... It made me realize that I don't want to lose you, nor now neither never" His voice was gentle as it had never been before. Y/n was pleasurably surprised of that much sweetness, she didn't even know this version of Peter Pan existed, but she liked it.

"So, we're not fuckfriends anymore?" She teased him and he shook his head laughing.

"I'm still fucking you, babe; but we can see how it goes from now on and being open to eventual feelings" he said caressing her hair, she smiled and bit her lower lip, she couldn't been happier.

"I love the idea" She said while running her fingers between his neck and chest.

"Of me fucking you or the part about the feelings?" He asked joking and she pulled him toward her lips.

"Both" She said and grinned; before she could say anything else, he kissed her again.

[detectivejigsawpines]

Just a Normal Day

A short drabble about sea grunks having an average adventure, written in honor of their birthday.

Even before they got attacked by the Cthulhu beast, it had been a pretty average morning on the sea for the Pines twins.

Wake up at the crack of dawn (Ford) or closer to late morning (Stan); eat breakfast; reset the spell to ward off the vengeful leprechauns who might still be after them for stealing their treasure in case they’d figured out they were chasing a decoy trail by now; do a little late morning fishing, while keeping an eye out for that golden fish Stan was sure he’d seen swimming under their boat last week, and which he was hoping laid golden fish eggs or something; finally notice what time it was (Stan) and head inside to make lunch.

Just another normal day.

Stan was examining their supplies, trying to decide if it was worth breaking out some of the canned hamburger meat and throwing together sloppy Joes instead of making them eat fish again, when he was knocked skiwampus by the boat being yanked to a halt; as he struggled to regain his balance by grabbing onto the table, a vicious, blood-curdling roar came rumbling through the air from outside.

Stan sighed, and wondered if the kraken was back. In one swift motion he grabbed the spare harpoon they had hanging over the door, and stepped out to see if Ford needed help dealing with it.

It wasn’t the kraken.

It still looked like some kinda big octopus monster, though, with a mass of writhing tentacles where its face should be, and a bulbous head in the back just like an octopus body. The rest of it, at least as far as the torso, was kinda like a human’s but a little bigger (about the size of a baby whale), with slimy-looking green-brown skin and a pair of big, wrinkled, wet wings sticking out of its back. Whatever this thing was, it had grabbed onto the back of their boat, and was looming menacingly over Ford as Stan stepped outside.

“...and you are now my prisoners!” he bellowed, as his piercing golden eyes landed on Stan. “Surrender your weapons now, puny mortals, and I might be merciful!!!!”

“Yeesh, did we trespass on his territory or something?” Stan asked, leaning on the harpoon.

Ford shrugged with one shoulder, since he was trying to write in his journal at the same time. “He didn’t really say; he just jumped onboard and started threatening me.”

“Huh.” Stan looked up at the beast. “You the lord of this part of the ocean or whatever?”

The beast blinked-which looked pretty weird, his eyelids went sideways instead of up and down like humans-before nodding vigorously. “Yes! I am the lord of this part of the ocean, and you must surrender to me now, or else suffer my wrath!!!!” He slammed a fist down against the side of the boat, making it rock up and down so hard he had to scrabble to keep his balance. Stan coughed into his fist to hold back a snicker.

Ford tilted his head. “I could have sworn this was still the primary territory of the Manatee-Merfolk Alliance. Are you sure you haven’t made some kind of mistake?”

“What part of prisoners did you not understand?!” the beast demanded, spreading out his wings and shaking them as his tentacles writhed angrily. “Give up your weapons, now-all of them!!!!”

“...You sure you want that? It’s kind of gonna take awhile-”

“NOW, or I crush your boat in my mighty fist!!!!”

Stan glanced at Ford, who rolled his eyes and nodded. With a small sigh, they began disarming themselves.

********

...A minute passed and they were still at it.

Ford’s pile of weapons was almost as tall as he was, mostly consisting of long-range weapons like guns, but with a few vials of poisons and some handcuffs thrown into the mix.

Stan’s pile was more proportionate, but the number of places that weapons were produced from (including a smoke bomb that he’d somehow managed to keep tucked under his beanie) was frighteningly impressive.

The monster watched their progress with increasingly wide eyes; finally, as Stan produced another set of brass knuckles out of a secret pocket sewn onto the inside of his coat, he spluttered, “...Where were you keeping those?”

Stan just grinned shamelessly. “Trust me, sunshine, you don’t wanna know.”

“Okay, I think that’s everything,” Ford said at last, indicating the pile of weaponry.

“Yeah, well, I’m still workin’, gimme a minute.” Stan produced a switchblade, and tossed it onto his pile. Then, in a brief sleight of hand, he snatched another one from the pile and pretended to draw it out of his coat to toss it on next. “Hey, tentacles-face-ya think you could bring us back by Wednesday? We got a Zoom appointment ta keep, and our niece and nephew hate it when we’re late.” Another sleight of hand allowed him to scoop up another weapon.

“That’s not how this-now see here!” The monster drew himself up to his full height, nearly falling backwards off the boat. “You guys-you puny mortals are my prisoners! And as such, you need to understand that this is not a joking matter! I could squash you both like sea slugs if I wished! I’m all-powerful, an eons-old abomination whose very name would send you into madness if spoken aloud! So you better start quaking in fear and begging for mercy like proper captives!!!!”

Stan looked at Ford. “Sounds like we’re his first.” He looked back at the monster. “You’re doin’ great, buddy-good job on the whole threatening schtick.” He offered a thumbs-up, while using the other hand to snag another weapon that he pretended to produce from another hiding spot.

Ford winked at him, and looked back at their ‘captor.’ “Is this some sort of coming-of-age ritual for your species?” He produced his journal again, pen poised. “Very clever move, by the way, threatening our boat to get us to disarm ourselves. In the future, though, I would suggest that you try taking one of us hostage first, in order to create maximum-”

“STOP IT!”

The monster abruptly started pounding his fists against the side of the boat, nearly tipping it over before instead pitching him all the way onto the deck. “YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THIS! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO-I’M YOUR-IT’S NOT FAIR-!”

It took Stan a moment to realize that the angry noises leaving his mouth (?) were accompanied by the sound of frustrated sobs.

He hissed through his teeth, and shot Ford a guilty look.

“...Oh boy. Looks like we got a little one here.”

********

Stan crossed the boat and crouched down in front of the weeping monster, putting a hand on his back and rubbing the spot right between his wings.

“Deep breaths, in and out. You’re not gonna get anything done like this, so just take a bit ta calm down, okay?”

The monster hiccuped and coughed, shrinking in on himself in a way that was painfully familiar to both of them.

Ford knelt down at his other side. “Maybe if you tell us why this is so important to you, we can provide some assistance?”

The monster shook his head and buried his head in his arms. “I just wanted-hic-to show my friends I could catch the Pines twins all by myself,” he croaked.

The two old men looked at each other in a mixture of surprise and slight alarm. “...You know who we are?”

That was finally enough to get him to sit up, wiping his eyes with his tentacles. “You kidding? Every creature of the seas knows who you are! You’re the guys who beat up krakens and steal gold from leprechauns and then you and your boat vanish without a trace! You’re the coolest cryptids ever!”

It took both of them a moment to digest that. By the time they did, though, they were grinning in equal delight.

“We’re cryptids?!” Ford asked, eyes practically brimming over with overjoyed tears.

“Yeah! And people at school were sayin’ you’re just a myth, but I knew you were real cuz my uncle saw your ship up in the Arctic last winter, and I was gonna capture you and bring you to class to show everyone how wrong they were and then I’d be famous and they’d stop calling me a weird runt all the time!” After a second his wings drooped, and he stared miserably down at the deck. “...Guess it was pretty dumb of me to think I could catch you all by myself.”

Stan put a hand on his shoulder. “...Kid...as much as we wanna help, we can’t just be your prisoners. We got our own lives ta get back to.”

“Plus, neither of us is able to breathe underwater,” Ford added.

The monster sighed, and pulled a strip of kelp from around his neck, turning one of the leaves until it was facing him. He squirted a stream of black ink from one of his tentacles, and dipped the tip of another one into the ink and used it to trace something that looked like a bunch of gobbledygook to Stan onto the leaf. “Humans...don’t...breathe...underwater.”

Awww...he’s a super nerd, just like Ford and Dipper!

That gave Stan an idea.

“Hey.” He nudged the monster. “What about a picture of us instead? Along with genuine proof of a close encounter?”

The monster’s head jerked up. “A picture?! Like with one of those weird magic boxes you humans carry around sometimes?!”

“That’s the one.” Stan grinned. He looked at Ford and jerked his head towards the cabin; his brother took the hint and headed for it, returning with an antique Polaroid camera that Ford had been experimenting on, but still took good pictures.

The monster’s tentacles began writhing around his face like they’d come to life, and he let out a high-pitched squeal of excitement.

“This is the greatest day of my life!!!!”

********

It took a bit of staging and directing and trying out different angles, but eventually they produced a set of photos that appeared to be of an eldritch abomination in training being attacked by, and bravely fighting off, the ferocious monster hunter Pines twins (hopefully nobody would think to ask how and why the monster had managed to get these pictures taken).

Then, while Stan took them into the cabin and soaked them in a special substance Ford had invented that would render them waterproof, Ford sat on the prow next to the young cryptid enthusiast and offered tips on future hunting adventures, comparing notes with him on some of the creatures they’d both seen. He also (with permission) took a few samples from the monster, including a long strip of skin (“Make it look like a wound I got in the fight! Man, this is gonna be so cool, Yog-Sothoth is gonna eat his heart out! Possibly literally!”) and some of the ink from his tentacles.

When Stan came back with the photos, he also handed over one of his spare brass knuckles that had lost a corner. “Have another souvenir, kid.”

The monster’s tentacles lashed out and wrapped around their faces in what felt like a really weird version of a hug before pulling away, leaving them covered in some of the slimy stuff they were coated in.

“Thank you so much! I really really hope the leprechauns don’t catch you-if they come this way I’ll make sure to eat some of them so they won’t!” He waved at them joyfully as he dived back into the ocean and disappeared.

********

After a moment Stan wiped his face on his coat sleeve.

“...Well, that happened.”

He turned away and began gathering up his weapons.

“Such a strange mixture of childlike innocence and barbarity,” Ford mused as he pulled out a jar and gathered the slime into it for yet another sample. “His culture must be fascinating-I almost wish he would have taken us with him so I could have seen it.”

“You would’ve drowned before you could gather any data.”

“...You don’t know that.”

“He literally didn’t know that humans can’t breathe underwater, Sixer. Not gonna happen.”

He ignored Ford’s sulking and kept cleaning, while musing to himself over the possible monetary opportunities being a couple of cryptids could bring...

[return-of-a-space-cowboy]

The Princess who became a swan pt2

You had a look of displeasure as you were forced to sit on Kars lap as he stroked your hair while reading a book. Occasionally you would shift your leg only to hear the chains rattle.

“Dear swan, are you so eager to leave the nest?” Kars asked in his usual condescending tone. You merely huffed as you sat on the cold marble floor.

“Are you mad about the cage? I can assure you that it’s for your safety, I can’t have you nearly killed again” he cooed as he reached for your shoulder only to have you slap it.

“Sometimes in hindsight I think to myself that maybe I should have let him kill me, I’d have rather that than have you degrade me further like this…” you spoke with venom in your words.

“I promise you I’ll leave someday… and I’ll never come back to this hell” you continued which he responded with a smirk.

“You really are such a brat, I offer you protection and heal your wound and you repay me by spitting it right back in my face” he spoke as he normally did, however the sudden tense atmosphere made you regret what you said.

“Even if you were to leave I know you’ll come back, where else do you have to go?” he chuckled as his crimson eyes pierced your soul.

“You have the stupidity to speak so venomously to me, yet you cower when I acknowledge your words” he continued before grabbing you from the back of your head.

“You really shouldn't keep trying to push me away, because if you do… then you’ll have no one”

🦢🦢🦢

For days and days Joseph couldn’t help but think about the maiden in the forest. He talked and talked about her refined features to his rivaling knight. As more days passed he heard talks between his Mother and various officials from kingdoms near and far in arrangement of a soiree and the mentioning of finding someone to marry him off to.

He knew in his heart that he had to find her again as he couldn’t bare the thought of another woman, so for many days and nights he searched the land in hopes to find her but with no luck of seeing the maiden in white he’d seen on that fateful night, perhaps she was a woman of the wind only to vanish and never return.

As the soiree approached his hopes grew less but he was too stubborn to give up anything he started.

🦢🦢🦢

You waited inside of a golden cage, shaking it as you flapped your wings in anger as you saw Kars return. If he had been a moment later your human form would have been mangled inside of it but he had no care for your wellbeing as you were merely a pet or at worst an object in his eyes.

“Oh I’m dearly sorry my swan, you must have been so restless for my return” he spoke as if he was making his words sound like some vague attempt at an apology. He finally opened the lock and let you free from your small cell into the bigger one you had been confined in for so long.

You looked back up at the moon through the window with a heavy heart as you returned to your human form. Then a bright idea sparked in your mind before you ran up to Kars and wrapped your arms around him, he was surprised but enjoyed the sudden affection.

“Oh yes I have my love... for I have realized how harsh I’ve treated you, my one and only” you spoke with crocodile tears in your eyes. He looked down on you and smiled but did not let his guard down as he was cautious of what malice intentions were hidden behind your teary eyes.

For days you held up your act as much as it sickened you deep down like a bitter poison. letting his hands touch you in a way that made your skin crawl as he wished and returning such words of affection that made you want to gag on them.

As you sat beside him letting his fingers brush through your hair while reading one of the many books in his collections you finally decided to fulfill your plans now that you were no longer in chains.

“I’m parched, do you want a cup of tea made while I make some for myself” you asked knowing that he hadn’t had a drink for quite some time.

“Yes my swan, I’d enjoy that” he replied, still paying attention to his book. You looked to the window and saw that it was not long to sunrise before heading to the kitchen and heating some water over a fire. You grabbed a pair of fine porcelain tea cups and placing them on a tray, you fiddled you hand in the pocket of your dress before grabbing a vial filled with a white powder and pouring it’s contents into one of the cups and in the other you added a teaspoon of dried petals from various flowers.

As the water had finished boiling you added the tea leaves to his cup. Adding the water you carefully stirred the sleeping powder into his drink, making sure the powder fully dissolved into the tea before adding the rest of the water into your cup. You returned to him with the tray in hand and placed it on the coffee table beside him. You picked up your cup and sat beside him.

As you let your tea cool in your hands you tried not to look at him, the anticipation was too much. You kept looking in the corner of your eye to take a sip.

“Why do you keep glancing at me like that?” he asked as he noticed your strange behaviour.

“I’m just a little anxious… It’ll be morning soon and you’ll probably throw me in that cage again…” you muttered before finally taking a sip of your tea.

“Perhaps I’ve been too harsh on you my swan, you’ve been so well behaved that I think it is only fair that you have the privilege to sleep beside me” he spoke as his fingers twirled the strands of your hair before taking a sip of tea. He noticed a bitterness on his palette as he drank it, he gave you a glance but spoke no more words.

Eventually he finished the cup and continued to read for a few minutes before he was overcome by sleep. You sat up and took a few soft steps before running as fast as you could to escape from his domain into the darkness of the last hours of night. Where heavy clouds passed through the tall, old trees. Thunder roared in the distance, warning those of it's fast journey forward towards them.

🦢🦢🦢

As morning arrived the rain pelted down against your wings unforgivingly as you tried to fly below the blackened clouds. You grew tired as you had flown for hours, yet your stomach ached knowing that you were still within Kars reach. By now he would have woken up and caught on to what you had pulled on him.

You found yourself succumbing to exhaustion, your body dipping lower as your eyelids grew heavy. You finally decided to take cover in the forest below. You found an old, hollowed tree and nested yourself inside it to take shelter while you regained your strength.

As you slept you dreamt of many fantasies both good and bad, your wishes of reuniting with your family came to fruition only to be snatched away by the nightmares of Kars tormenting you through your existence. The lines between dream and nightmare overlapped so many times that it became disorientating.

You heard an incoherent voice that aroused you from your deep slumber. You rubbed your eyes before opening them even then your vision was still a blur.

The first thing you noticed was the bright moon that made the figure in front of you a mere silhouette before your vision cleared enough to reveal the man who had shot you with the arrow.

You cowered back a bit in fear of the male, unintentionally letting out a squeak.

"Aww are you a scared little mouse" he snarky commented with a slight chuckle, loosely reminiscent of how Kars mocked you. Your expression turned sour as you looked at him, which made him avoid direct eye contact.

"Ok ok, I'm sorry… don't take it like that" he responded before holding out his hand to help you up.

"I was wondering what happened to you that other night, you were in a real hurry with that arrow in your arm" he said as he waited for you to take his hand, which you reluctantly did.

"You should at least say something, it's rude to not respond when a prince is talking to you" he commented as he didn't like it when others ignored him.

"At least give me your name" he continued as he pinched your cheek. You pulled away before you finally spoke.

"I don't want to tell you my name" you hissed in response. Sure it seemed harsh but if word were to spread about your emergence it would break your heart. You couldn't bring yourself to show yourself to your parents and explain what happened since your Disappearance, or the consequences that Kars would condemn you to.

In your thoughts Joseph could see your expression soften and reveal the sadness in your dazzling eyes. He pitied you for that, how such a beauty could wear such a morbid look was criminal.

You were pulled out of your thoughts when the male tapped the tip of your nose while exclaiming bop in a goofy manner.

You were taken back by his action, maybe just because you've been starved of touch from the others in the world. He laughed at your confused reaction.

“What’s so funny?” you asked him as you frowned. He chuckled as he ruffled your head.

“You’re really uptight for someone who hides out in the woods at night” he commented.

"Well I have my reasons" you sternly replied as you folded your arms.

"What, are you an escaped convict or something? Have you got a bunch of bandits hiding in the trees ready to strike me down" he mocked as he rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"I wish, all you need to know is that I'm a fugitive and I don't have a lot of time to waste dilly dallying with an egocentric jerk like you, now if you excuse me I have to get back on my journey" you explained through a clenched jaw as you tried to storm of only for him to grab your wrist.

"Aw come on, I didn't mean for you to get the wrong idea… if you need help I can give it to you, how about I take you back to my castle? I can make sure whatever you're trying to get away from doesn't find you" he offered but you shook your head profusely as you pulled your hand away from him.

"No, I can't… it's impossible" you replied abruptly.

"Why-" he was going to ask before you cut him off.

"Because I can't…" you said bluntly as you put your hands on your hips.

"Well whatever is going on with you I can Help… I promise you, just tell me what you want?" He said as looked at you with such a needy attitude.

"Perhaps you could bring me some food, it's rather hard forging in the woods" you said, when you offered an inch he took a mile.

"Of course I'll bring you some food, I'll bring you some every night" he offered before realising how late he'd been out.

"I should probably head back home now my swan, tomorrow I'll return" he said as he kissed you on the cheek before leaving you alone once more. He thought calling you his swan was endearing but it only made you since as it reminded you of who you had escaped.

He seemed absolutely infatuated with you. It clicked in your mind that maybe if you loosened up to him, maybe he would vow his love to you.

As written in Kars notes the victim must have another that is unaware of the curse proclaim their love to them and keep their promise til they wed. All you needed was to keep up the loving act until you married him and hide the curse.

[waywardmoeyy]

4am Food Coma

Dean Winchester x Sister!Reader

Word Count: 1,784

Warnings: insomnia, just some familial fluff. 

A/N: This is as much of a feel-good story as I can write late at night. Haha. I hope you all like it! 

My Master List

You sighed as you stared at the drab bunker ceiling. Your body was practically aching from exhaustion, but you mind was racing. Random, deep-rooted memories flashed through you, some causing your heart to pound with regret. This lifestyle had really been taking a toll on you lately, and you knew it was only going to get worse.

You pulled the scratchy, plaid blanket up to your chin and sighed. You could go back to your room, but Dean was snoring to heavily on the other side of the wall. You typically fell asleep before him, but tonight, you just couldn’t get your mind to shut off.

Grabbing your phone beside you, you unlocked the screen and checked the time. 3:34am.

“Well, shit,” you muttered to yourself with another sigh. There was no way you were going to get any sleep at this point. You had promised Sam that, in the morning, you would go with him to some outdoor clothing store a few towns over, and he was always up at the ass crack of dawn. So, that meant you probably only had an hour or so of time to get any sort of shut eye.

The tip-tap of heavy feet approached you from behind the couch. You turned toward the noise, sitting up a little to peer over the back of the couch. In the scarce light, you found your oldest brother approaching you.

“Hey, what the hell are you doing up, sweetheart?” Dean asked, shooting you a concerned look. You sighed and leaned back onto your makeshift pillow.  

“My mind has decided that now is a great time to replay every horrible thing that’s happened in every hunt I can remember. It’s making me nuts. You know me, I’m the one who is always saying that what’s in the past can’t be changed, just let it go. I’m not usually one to dwell, but here I am.” You watched Dean as he plopped down on the edge of the couch, lightly leaning against your feet.

“Sounds like a helluva nightmare, Y/N. Anything I can do to help?” That was a great question, and usually the one you were asking your brothers. You pursed your lips, then gently shook your head.

“I dunno. I think I just need some sort of distraction. I’ve tried watching TV, but my mind just drifts off into another world.” You rolled your eyes. “And I promised Sam I’d go to that store he loves. He wants to leave early. I’m going to be a zombie.”

Dean chuckled as he watched you, probably laughing at the dark rings that were undoubtedly plaguing your eyes. He patted your ankles and smiled.

“I have an idea. Grab a sweatshirt and meet me at the car.” You furrowed your brow as you watched him launch to his feet.

“Wha-wait. What? No. I’m not going out like this. Dean, it’s almost four in the morning! Where are we going?” You slid out from under your blanket. You were clad in baggy pajama pants covered in cat silhouettes, and a tank top that absolutely did not match. Not to mention the quarter sized hole under your right armpit.

“Relax, Bitz, no one’s going to care where were going. Just grab a sweatshirt and some shoes. You have five minutes.” You rolled your eyes at your big brother. He was always up to some sort of shenanigans. But, the two of you were a lot alike, so you usually trusted his crazy schemes.

“Fine, but I’m not going to say I’m excited until I know where we’re going.”

“Calm down, Bitz. You’ll like it.” Bitz, short for Itsy Bitsy, was the nickname Dean gave you when you were too young to talk. Since you were the youngest, and quite obviously the smallest, he thought it was funny. But over three decades later, he still called you by that nickname more than he ever used your real one.

One more unsure sigh left your lungs before you turned towards your room, in search of a jacket.

“I remember there was a place just like this in Omaha. We always stopped when we drove through. I totally forgot this place was here.” You peered down at the menu of the dodgy diner. Dean sat across from you, studying the same menu.

The two of you sat in the corner of the small eatery, only joined by an older man at the bar, obviously a trucker, and a homeless man drifting off on the other side of the building, still half-clutching a cup of coffee.

Dean smiled and nodded, peering up from his menu. “Yeah, it hasn’t changed a bit. It’s like they are all exactly the same. Still better than Biggerson’s, though.” You laughed.

“Yeah, definitely. Their milkshakes are the best! I’m hoping they still are.”

Dean grinned. “Well, let’s find out. I’m not going to eat a big meal then go back to sleep. But, I’ll never deny an Oreo milkshake.” Dean slammed his menu shut and nodded. “What’s your poison? No, wait, lemme guess. Mint chocolate chip?”

Your eyes lit up. You hadn’t had a mint chocolate chip milkshake in years. Most places in the middle of nowhere didn’t have that flavor. Vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry, you cold almost hear a waiter say in their ‘I don’t want to freaking be here’ tone. But this small chain in the center of the country had them, and they were heavenly.

“It’s like you know me or something!” you teased him, before closing your own menu.

Dean chuckled as he eyed the server as they approached your table. “It’s like we’re related.” He winked, before turning to the exhausted young man. He couldn’t have been older that twenty.

“What can I get you?” he droned, his eyes half open. You glanced over at your brother, then back to the young man.

“A mint chocolate chip milkshake please,” you beamed. You smiled, realizing that you were already starting to feel better. You watched as Dean ordered, feeling like you didn’t have a care in the world for the first time in a while.

You all had been hunting for months without any sort of real break. No wonder your mind was on the verge of exploding. You definitely needed to have more breaks and distractions to counterbalance the violent, crazy crap you dealt with day in and day out. But, your brothers were work horses, so that always proved a little difficult.

“Hey, do you think drinking a giant, sugary milkshake is going to be the solution to get me to sleep?” you realized, leaning back in your heavily cracked booth.

Dean shrugged. “Sugar actually helps in a weird way. You eat or drink a bunch of it, fill yourself with sugar, then crash and sleep. Or, the shear amount of food will put you in some type of food-induced coma.” You nodded slowly. It did make sense, weirdly enough.

“Do you think that’s the healthiest thing to do?”

“No, Bitz. But it doesn’t hurt every once in a while. It’s healthier than pulling an all-nighter, then running all around town the next day.” That was true. Plus, there was no way you were going to say no to sugar, whether it was just before sunrise, or sunset. You hadn’t hopped onto Sam’s kale salad bandwagon quite yet.

Within minutes, the server returned with your glorious milkshakes, and a full refill container. The moment your treat was placed down in front of you, you smiled up at your brother in thanks.

The next twenty minutes were quiet, other than the ravenous slurps that came from your straws. Dean finished a few minutes before you, instantly leaning back in his seat.

“Holy shit, that hit the spot.” He smiled as he closed his eyes, instantly in a food coma. You giggled.

“How you didn’t get a single brain freeze baffles me,” you teased, scooting your cup a little closer. A thin line of red light beamed along the horizon, reminding you that you had basically pulled an all-nighter. But, you didn’t care nearly as much as you did before. A sense of peace had enveloped you, or maybe it was the beginning of your own food coma. Either way, you felt a heck of a lot better.

“Thanks, Dean,” you whispered, offering a frozen smile. Dean returned the gesture and nodded.

“Hey, it worked when we were kids. I was sure it was going to work now.” You furrowed your brow.

“What?”

“Yeah, when we came to one of these as kids, Dad would let us order milkshakes. I know you remember. But, what you probably don’t remember is that once you got back in the car, you were out like a light. I don’t even know if the sugar ever got a chance to get to you. I think it was just the comfort food or somethin’.” Dean laughed.

Now that you thought of it, you didn’t really remember the ride afterwards. You just remember waking up just after sunrise, either in the car or arriving home. And, well, that would explain why.

You closed your eyes for a minute, feeling the intense fullness in your stomach. Maybe you were skipping the sugar high yet again, and satiety was leading you straight to real exhaustion.

“Wow, you’re a lightweight,” Dean poked as he lifted from his seat, tossing some money onto the table. You huffed out a chuckle, a little too tired to come up with a witty comeback. “C’mon kid, let’s get you home. You’re going to need some sleep if Sam is going to drag you all over hell tomorrow—uh, today.”

You nodded as you slowly slid out from behind the table. Your brother was already five steps ahead of you, stomping his way towards the door. You slowly followed behind, smiling as you watched him toss a five-dollar bill onto the sleeping homeless man’s table. Then, he opened the door, and waited for you to exit with him.

The moment you settled into your seat, you leaned your head back, resting your head on the top of the back rest. Your eyes were heavy, and your body was practically deadweight. Dean peered over at you as the engine roared to life. He patted your shoulder before putting the car in gear and heading for home.

A long, shuddered sigh left you as you settled into your seat. It was going to be a good twenty minutes or so before you were home. But, your eyes weren’t going to stay open for that long. So, you closed them as you yawned. Within moments, sleep slowly enveloped you, and you weren’t going to fight.

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[random-imagines-blog]

Sideways {Andrew Garfield x Reader}

Requested by: Anonymous Wordcount: 1811 Summary: Andrew gets a call that no one wants to get. Especially from their own child. Warning: Contains hospital, miscarriage and talk of pregnancy.

The best part about your job was that you could do a lot of it online, and could travel with Andrew when he went abroad for his different acting gigs. This was one of the last times that you would be able to go, since it was the Summer and your daughter was going into first grade, and you wanted to keep her in one place to keep her adjusted. Still, he was going to appreciate all that he could get. And every minute that he wasn’t needed on set, he was going to take you and your child together to go and explore. He’d been here in Vancouver before, but you hadn’t, and he was eager to show you what he had learned about on his last trip here. But for now, he was stuck in the studio, getting fitted for one of the ‘special’ outfits that he was going to be wearing for this film.

He was laughing with the wardrobe stylist, joking about something that happened with the director on the first day here. They had pranked him by bringing in a bunch of extras and announcing them as the main cast. The director had sputtered, and not wanting to be rude, had to excuse himself to make ‘script adjustments’. Once he had realized that it was all a prank, he saw the funny side, and all tension and nerves around the team had dissipated. Andrew had been in on it and thought that it was hilarious, especially since he had been dressed as one of the camera-crew. Best acting he had ever done, the director had said to him.

“There’s a call for you, Mr Garfield,” His assistant said, popping up beside him. She was a small, older woman with a very no-nonsense air about her. She hadn’t appreciated the prank, because it meant that she missed out on a few hours of work. “It’s urgent.”

“It is?” Andrew asked, wondering who it could be. You only texted him during work hours, and he’d give you a call at lunch once in a while, otherwise he would wait to tell you about his day once he got home. That way his little girl could listen in and chime in whenever she wanted as well. “Excuse me,” He told the woman who was measuring his shoulders to make an adjustment to the suit. She nodded, and helped him to remove what he had on of the costume, then he changed quickly then finally accepted the phone from his assistant.

“This is Andrew,” He said, just in case it was an urgent professional call. He could hear a commotion coming from the other end of the line. There were men talking, and then a loud siren. Ambulance, not fire truck or police. He knew the difference, having always stayed in hotels in busy cities.

“Daddy?” The six-year-olds voice came through, and Andrew felt his heart sink from his chest down to his knees. He looked at his assistant who looked more solemn than usual. And maybe even a little bit concerned. “Daddy - it’s Mommy.”

“What’s wrong with mommy? Tell me everything - and where are you going?” He took his wallet and keys from his assistant, who had been holding onto them during the fittings.

“Where are we going?” Andrew heard her ask someone, and a man said something in response. “Vancouver General,” The little girl repeated.

“I’ll meet you there, okay? Stay with one of the paramedics until Daddy gets there. I won’t be long.”

-

It took him half an hour to get to the hospital, and that was with light traffic. He cursed the studio for being so far away, but he knew it was just the stress. His daughter wasn’t able to give him much information, just that you had been in the bathroom, crying in pain, and then told the little girl to call 911. They had taught her the emergency number for every country that they stayed in, just in case. It was good that she knew, but he hated that she had to use it.

You had been feeling fine that morning, he recalled. You went to the hotel restaurant for breakfast, had a simple meal of oatmeal and fruits. He was thinking that perhaps you had food poisoning of some sort? He hoped it was something as simple as that, though you wouldn’t have called 911 over something so trivial.

He parked, then ran into the first entrance that he could find. It was emergency, and they gave him directions to the fourth floor. He noticed from the signs around the elevator that it was to ... to a pregnancy floor?

He saw his daughter first, sitting on a bench, reading a book, swinging her legs back and forth since they weren’t reaching the ground. There was a paramedic sitting with her, but not saying anything. Just keeping an eye on her, which Andrew was thankful for. His footsteps brought their attention, and the little girl jumped to her feet. She had been crying, Andrew could tell from the puffiness of her cheeks. She ran towards him, and he leaned down to catch her in a hug. “Daddy! I called just like you taught me to!” She pulled your phone out of her pocket, it looked so massive in her little hands, and she held it up to show you.

He knew the password, there were no secrets between you two. You knew his as well, but neither of you ever went snooping. In fact, this was the first time that he had used it. He saw indeed that your first call of the day was to work, and then 911, and then to him. He turned the phone dark and put it into his own pocket. He scooped up the girl and held her in his arms in a giant bear hug. He looked at the paramedic over her shoulder, took a step towards him and held his hand out. “Thank you so much for staying with her-”

“It’s no problem,” He said, getting to his own feet. “We had to resupply the ambo anyway. And - the doctor said that your wife was stable. I’m sure she’ll be out soon.” He shook Andrew’s hand then excused himself to go back to work, and Andrew sunk down on the recently vacated spot on the bench, still holding his daughter on his lap. There wasn’t much that he could do except for wait for the Doctor, which didn’t take long. The commotion that your daughter made had gotten their attention.

“Hello, Mr. Garfield?” The Doctor said, coming out of the room. She reminded Andrew a lot of his assistant. Same motherly face, same solemn features. Andrew nodded to the affirmative. “Your wife is going to be just fine, though her body had gone through some trauma. She’s going to need to rest, take it easy for a couple of weeks at least.”

“What happened?” He asked, his voice shaky with relief that you were going to be fine. Still, this had seemed to come out of nowhere. And the fact that you were in the pregnancy wing made him nervous.

“Your wife had a miscarriage, Mr. Garfield. She was three months along,” The Doctor’s voice was straight to the point, no emotions at all. She must have to deliver news like this all of the time. “She claims that she didn’t know that she was pregnant, so she is feeling rather fragile. I’d like to keep her for overnight observation, just to be careful.”

Andrew swallowed, but nodded. There wasn’t any other reaction that he felt like he could have. He could only hug his daughter close, thankful that at the very least, he had her. “Can I see her?” He asked the Doctor, who nodded, and motioned towards the open door that she had just come out of. Andrew got back up to his feet, and walked in, still holding his daughter, who was being unusually quiet. He realized as he walked into the room that she had fallen asleep.

You hadn’t, however. You were laying in the hospital bed, hooked up to machines, getting fluids, staring straight ahead of you blankly. Andrew hummed to announce that he was there, and you snapped out of it, your eyes meeting his. They were still filled with tears on your end, while he was still comprehending the news.

“Hey baby,” You said, weakly smiling. Andrew smiled back, and set the little girl down on a chair, where she curled up immediately and continued to sleep away. All that worry and excitement must have exhausted her. He then went to your side, taking hold of both your hands, being careful of the IVs.

“How -” He said, shaking his head. “How did this happen?”

“I don’t know,” You said, blinking away tears. “I didn’t even know I was pregnant. I swear, I wasn’t keeping anything from you. I had my period and no other symptoms. I mean, I thought I gained a little bit of weight but I thought that was just all of the cake,” You somehow managed to laugh though it didn’t sound sincere. “The Doctor says that happens sometimes.”

Andrew would never dream of accusing you of cheating. The two of you stayed in the newlywed stage of your marriage, remaining sexually active. The math added up enough, three months, you two were definitely intimate three months ago.

“How do you feel?” Andrew asked, caressing the top of your hands with his thumbs. “And not just physically.”

You took a deep breath in and then a deep breath out. “I’m devastated,” You admitted, finally admitting your own truth. Tears were fighting to come out and you had stopped the battle, letting them descend freely. “When I heard that I miscarried - I realized... I want that baby. I want to have another one with you and we just lost our chance.”

Andrew felt the same wave of depression overcome him. In an alternate universe, he could just be finding out that he was going to be a father again. He had to be strong for you though. He could let out his emotions when you got home. You were too vulnerable right now.

“We’ll have more chances,” Andrew said, leaning forward and kissed a tear off of your cheek. It tasted salty, it lasting on his lips for a long while. “I’ll gladly give you another baby.”

You chuckled at that, though you were still crying. “You just like the act of making one, mister,” You squeezed his hands. Andrew laughed as well, and nodded.

“Can you blame me?”

[thewatercolours]

King's Quest Ficlet: Salamanders and Diamonds

Finally delivering on my bribe to @gerbiloftriumph for drawing the fabulous illustration of Neese in rescuing attire. The prompt was Graham and his salamanders, and being forced to take part in a fairytale against his will. There was only one fairytale I could think of with salamanders in it... ;-) The thing grew to rather longer proportions than I'd planned, and maybe could stand some editing, but it's taken too long as it is.

---

“Seems to me if you were all starving down there, you could’ve just eaten the salamanders.”

“Not that type of story.”

“Oh come on, Grandpa! It was life or death, and you didn’t even think about it?”

“Some are poisonous. And not after the toads and diamonds incident, I didn’t.”

“Huh?”

“You never heard that fairy tale?”

“Um… the one with the girl who helps the old woman at the well, and gets cursed to have jewels and gold fall out of her mouth when she talks?”

“The master storytellers call that a reward.”

“If I couldn’t speak without drooling rocks all over the place, I’d call that a curse.”

“Fair point. But a lot better than what happened to the stepsister who wouldn't help, don’t you think?”

“I mean, if you have to have one or the other, you might as well drop frogs and lizards. It’d be gross for a few seconds, but after that you’ve got pets. And gross pets are the best kind.”

“On the other side of the coin, you’d be rich.”

“Yes. And I completely believe that you’d rather be rich than have a bunch of cute little friends, Grandpa.”

“I won’t ague with you there. They can be consoling company. But…”

“… But you called it the toads and diamonds “incident.” That sounds juicy.”

“Thank the shining stars, I’m not in a position to comment on whether it was, ahem, juicy. But on the understanding that I have a duty to forearm my granddaughter with knowledge in case she ever runs into to an old lady who needs help fetching water from a well, I’d better fill you in.”

---

A teal glow seeped between King Graham’s closed eyelashes and nudged him out of a shallow sleep. He didn’t need to look to fill in the blanks. Tiny, gummy toes slickered along his neck. Ear-popping trills screeched by his temple. He blinked his eyes open to roll them, only for a miniature, amphibious tongue to flick into the left one. “Gaggh!” he cried, springing half upright and batting at his face. The wall-mounted bed jiggled on its hinge at the suddenness. Perhaps twenty luminous salamanders bounced a few inches off the mattress, all shrieking together.

If they’d been slow before, now they swarmed him, as they did every waking cycle. Now that he was sitting up, they clambered up his shoulders and slid down the slick folds of his cloak like children coasting muddy hills. One nipped his ear toothlessly so it might scale his head and take up a post in the watchtower of his crown. Another burrowed into his cowl and hooked itself in the neck of his shirt. Graham smiled wearily, and pulled his cape around backwards, so that it blanketed him. He lowered himself again, cautious not to squish the salamanders. He squeezed his eyes closed again and gently bent one knee, then the other, into rising and falling mountains for the salamanders to toboggan. They liked that. They’d taken it upon themselves to rouse him after he’d started doing it a few days before, and Graham was pretty sure it was a settled contract at this point.

While his cellmates hummed, and slid, and made nooks and tents in his clothes, Graham’s body came awake to all the reminders of yesterday’s failures. The quicks of his nails ached, lodged too deep with dirt from digging out what he’d thought a lever near one of the abandoned cells. It had turned out to be a root. Wakening dizziness after yet another late night spent wandering the prison’s upper levels, revisiting the same cavern over and over, putting off sleep in fruitless hopes of finding some new elements to add to his hazy plan. Even the out-of-placeness of his big toe felt like a testimony of precious days slipping by while he blundered about. Back at the castle, the state of the king’s stockings was not a matter that came up, nor was it any indicator of the passage of time. But his toe had frayed a hole in the perpetually damp wool. What had he to show for nearly a week? A rank chunderblossom. Chopsticks without even a bowl of rice. The beginnings of a calloused toe as it rubbed against the rawness of his boot. While his friends died.

The last thought made him start. Ginger’s voice snorted in his imagination. “Buck up, twerp. You can stand. You’ve even got the stamina to run, now. Some of your pals are flat on their backs! And not because they’re having a pillow pity party, but because they literally can’t get up. Are you even a Cracker?”

The keeper would be coming with the drumstick soon. He had to get up so he wouldn’t miss his chance to collect it. Perhaps he should start dividing the meat into even portions so everyone could have a meagre meal every day – or would that be a mistake? Even his foolproof plans morphed into mistakes these days. If only he could find another shiny gold coin. It wouldn’t mean escape, but the relief would be nearly as great just now, if it meant he didn’t have to hear the death knell chime again. Just one more coin, just one.

The salamanders whined as he found his feet – if they’d been larger Graham felt certain they’d make to hold him down so they could keep their playground. They scrambled for riding places, one even successfully popping a belt pouch’s clasp to curl up inside. Graham sighed, but he’d long since given up on de-salamandering before venturing abroad as futile.

---

“Um… if this is supposed to convince me that diamonds are better than salamanders, it’s not working. Is this story seriously just about you lying in bed and getting ready for the day and getting climbed over?”

“I’m sorry, dear. When a memory comes back that vividly, it’s easy to tangle yourself up in it and forget that you eventually must come out. You know that old chestnut about the stars and the old people, eh?”

“No?”

“That when the stars first shone down on us all, what they loved most in us was the way we’d tell stories. And so they ordained that no twist or turn of a story should ever remain untold – whatever goes into our memories must at some point be repeated. And when you get old, you have such a lot of stories piled up that you can’t help it. You’ve got to tell them all before your time comes, whether you know that’s what you’re doing or not. Even the parts you hid away, or forgot, they start clamouring in your heart to be told, down to the last detail.”

“Oh. Um. What if…”

“Speak up, sweetheart. These old ears are stuffed with cotton these days.”

“What if someone didn’t finish telling their stories in time?”

“Gwendolyn, what kind of a face is that? Don’t you get anxious about it. That couldn’t happen. Didn’t I tell you it was ordained by the stars? And - Oh, oh I see. If your mind’s wandering where I think it might be, you can call it to heel right now. I’m not deluging you with stories is not because I’m near the end – I’m not - but because you are so near the beginning. Everyone else in the house has heard my best stories, and it’s a pleasure to have someone I can tell them to fresh. I’m nowhere near finished.”

“You sure?”

“Sure as Decree .05.”

“.05?”

“ ‘In event of true pressing need,(that is to say, if you’ve got a sieve for a memory when it comes to addendum numbering,)the king of Daventry may invoke this ordinance in place of an already legally established section of the code, so long as the intended ordinance can be stated accurately in full and verified within twelve hours.’ Used that one more than I cared to admit in the early days…. But we were talking about salamanders.”

“Can we skip to the part where you end up with one in your mouth?”

“Did I say that was where this story was going?”

“It’s kind of obvious.”

“Is it, now? Ha, such astuteness shouldn’t be allowed. Well, I guess a skip wouldn’t take much away from the story. Well, after I’d made my rounds, checking on everyone and scrounging up what food I could for them. I ended up on the prison’s top story. I was bound for the glowing garden. Muriel had mentioned something about edible flowers and weeds, and I planned to pick samples of every last one for her to examine, just in case. And I might have made it unhindered if one of my cellmates hadn’t lost his grip.”

---

Graham scrabbled over the ladder’s top rung and onto the brink. A cough from the napping goblin on the nearby ledge made him wheel. The goblin glanced up, but then snuggled its shoulders back into its stony bunk. Something shifted in Graham’s hair at the king’s sharp turn. A moment later, a weight was gone from his head, and the forgotten salamander in his crown went into terrified freefall a few inches away from the ladder. “THKREEEEP!”

Graham jolted forward, grabbed at empty air, and almost pitched over the edge himself. He gasped and caught his balance just in time.

The salamander thumped to the ground ten feet below. It shook its head from side to side like a dog shaking water from its fur, gave an unimpressed “PIP!” and scuttled into a crevice.

As Graham sighed with relief, he looked up to see the sleepy goblin jumping to its feet. it stood remarkably still but its twitching claws, leaning toward him and craning its neck, like a child rapt at an alley magician’s mysteries.

Graham wrung one hand round the other, suddenly nervous. Had this goblin out of all of them finally cottoned to the fact that it wasn’t in their best interest to let a captured king have the run of the prison just for the sake of rats and cobwebs? Would he be ordered back to the cell, locked in by day as well as night?

The goblin practically tiptoed up to him. For a moment it hesitated, then pulled him down to its level by the cowl, jabbing a bony finger at his lips.

Graham pried at the hand tangled in his cloak, and cried, “Wh-whoa! Unhand me!” but not forcefully enough to command any sway. A part of him was afraid to raise his voice lest a pack of reinforcements descend. As he struggled, two more disturbed salamanders evacuated cloak and dropped from his neck to the ground.

The goblin immediately released him, scooping one of the salamanders up before it could flee. It outright shook with joy, crowing and crooning while it turned the salamander about. Graham took advantage of the distraction to hurry through the enormous door into the theatre foyer, rounding the corner as quickly as possible on the “out of sight, out of mind” principle. If the goblin liked salamanders so much, why didn’t it just catch a few on the bottom level?

He reached the garden in no time at all. After a quick reshuffling of his pockets’ contents to make it more convenient to tuck away the enormous selection of plants he was about to collect, he cracked his knuckles, and set about the task. It would have been far easier with a knife or scissors, but at least he’d broken himself of chewing his nails a few years earlier.

He’d only gathered a handful, however, when his errand was cut short. A gurgle from behind made him turn his head, affording him three seconds to register a goblin atop a step ladder – the twenty minutes ago, he thought. A sturdy, pocketed apron hung about its waist, bulging with pincushions, scissors, and remnants of fabric. It tapped his head and unspooled a yellow weighted tape measure, the bottom of which thunked to the ground by his boot.

“What…?” Graham murmured.

Then the acrobatics began. Quicker than a Whisper, the tailor goblin caught hold of his cape and flipped over his cowl, pulling the measuring tape straight across Graham’s shoulders meantime. Then it firepoled down his arm, taking the length of it. It jostled all over him, up and down, prodding him to stand straighter, and pushing his chin about to get it out of the way as Graham’s eyes only just kept up with its progress. A long stream of gibberish followed, and Graham caught a glimpse through the flurry of another goblin scribbling furiously in a black book. It looked to him more like a toddler’s imitation of handwriting, or a very choppy outline for a seascape. With a final inky splatter, it gave a thumbs up.

Feet pattered from every direction.

If he hadn’t been looking down at the notetaker, Graham might have thrown up his arms before a flurry of colours plopped over him, obscuring his vision. He flailed, swimming in linen and gossamer and wool, and drooped under the weight despite his best efforts. The cloth smelt of cave must, and he sneezed mightily two or three times. Then he saw light again as at least a dozen goblins swarmed him. They rotated him this way and that, draping and tucking him into long swathes of mismatched fabrics, pins and threaded needles flying. They seemed to regard his own clothing as a handy base to which to attach things. Proceedings did half-halt momentarily when they found his stiff hide cuirass and bracers less cooperative in this regard, and a high-voiced goblin with nimble fingers set to unlacing the leather cords that held them in place, clicking its tongue disapprovingly the whole time. Any attempts on Graham’s part to prevent this only ended with more dusty material being thrown over his head, and nasty pinches and pokes till he cooperated.

After a rough twenty minutes the goblins set about the finishing touches of their costuming project. Graham found himself gussied up in the gaudiest, most piecemeal ballgown he’d ever seen. Six or seven trains spilled over the floor, one sparkling sleeve had no opening for his hand, and somewhere in the mix his cape had been wadded into a kind of bustle. The goblins stepped back to survey their work, some cheering, some awestruck. A stubby goblin climbed the stepladder. It carefully tied a bright yellow bow round Graham’s head, plumping it up lovingly over the king’s right eyebrow. It cooed and clasped its hands by its cheek.

A salamander that had ducked for cover down Graham’s collar during the clothing frenzy popped its head out again, and trilled. The goblins cheered manically, and four of them took him by the hand, leading him out of the garden gate and through a twisting corridor. Several pushed from behind, tripping over the trains periodically.

Graham didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This was certainly a comedown from always figuring as the handsome prince in their little games.

They emerged in a room lit by the greatest outcropping of mushrooms Graham had ever seen. The mist of incandescent spores round it was truthfully one of the most beautiful sights he could remember, though he took care to hold his breath as they passed. In the centre of the cavern stood a hastily carpentered well, rather like the one in the woods near Daventry Town, if it were made of awkwardly crisscrossed boards held together by wonky nails and the roof were sagging on one side. Two costumed goblins were leaning dangerously against it. One had perched a grey yarn wig over the curlicue of its helmet. The other wore a baby pink party dress that looked more likely to have been stolen than scrapped together like his own. Unusually, this one had no helmet, and it clutched a bucket half full of water.

As soon as Graham and his excited escort entered the ring of light, the playacting goblins sprang up and seemed to assume character. Another fairytale, then. The pink goblin coyly offered the bucket to the wigged one, who took it and nattered happily. They turned expectantly toward Graham. The wigged one point at the well, then the bucket, and made praying hands.

Well, the sooner this was over, the better. Graham kicked his foot free of a jumble of taffeta and canvas, and leaned to pick up the bucket. Strangely, the goblins threw a tantrum. They growled and griped. One of them shambled the bucket out of his reach with its foot, and cuffed his ear. Did they want him to pick it up or not? He shrugged at the wigged goblin, but they had already moved on.

The pink goblin was reaching into its pocket, its orange eyes full of anticipation, and stuffing a handful of something into its mouth so that its cheeks bulged. It spat out a green stone with the abruptness of a cannon. The stone - jade? some kind of geode?- caught Graham off guard, and bounced off his stomach, which might have stung had it not been for the thick improvised bodice of his “gown.” The other goblins giggled as the pink one spun like a cyclone, expelling jewels and precious rocks of all colours. Graham even thought he saw a ring or two, and the pendant of necklace that looked suspiciously like the one Bramble kept in her sister’s memory.

Graham’s old friend the tailor, still with the measuring tape hanging about its neck, elbowed him the leg. Was he supposed to do something, or was the goblin trying to get him in on the joke? Graham shrugged again, realizing that he was finally at the point after all these days where he’d stopped wondering if it was all in a fact a fever dream. The tailor prodded him again, and when it got no response, it produced the salamander from goodness-knew-where, and held it up eagerly.

“Ah… thank you for… returning my salamander, I guess…” Graham said uncertainly.

Taking it. But this wouldn’t do either. The goblin stamped, pointed over and over at the expectorating goblin, who was still at it, and finally seemed to lose all patience. It seized the salamander back out of his hands, backed up for a running leap, and crammed a moist, wriggling, contaminated-vinegar-tasting salamander into Graham’s mouth.

---

“Eeeeughhh!”

“I seem to remember this was the part you wanted to skip to.”

“Of course! This is the most disgusting thing you’ve ever told me. Keep going.”

“There’s a trash basket over there if you need one.”

---

The worst thing, even than the slimy texture or the way it instantly made the roof of his mouth tingle like a rash, was that he could feel the salamander’s heart beating through its ribs. He’d felt his fair share of salamanders all over. But, but in his mouth! The creature was large enough that the goblin could only shove it halfway in. Graham’s seized it by the tail, threw it across the room (where is landed on a plushy mushroom) and plunged his head into the water bucket to wash his mouth out. He was shocked that he wasn’t ill then and there. Outside the bucket he could hear the ruckus of goblin applause, whistles, and presumable calls for an encore.

At last he came up, gasping, only having succeeded in spreading diluted salamander flavour to all the corners of his mouth it hadn’t reached before. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a crowd of crazed fans chasing down the frightened salamander in the fungus path. For a moment his indignation on the little thing’s behalf topped even his fear that he’d have to taste it again. Had it not escaped through a crack a moment later, he might had rushed to its defense – and probably tripped on his skirts and somersaulted into a laundry heap. As it was, he glanced over his shoulder, and saw the way back through the tunnel was clear.

Graham tore as much of his costume free as he could, pulling his bustle back into a cape in a couple of tugs, and turned on his heel. A golden shimmer caught his attention as he turned. There, amongst the slobbery mess of gems and jewelry, shone three coins on the floor. It practically knocked the breath out of him. No traps, no unreachable distance, no locks. He pounced and swept them into his cape, then ran as though the dragon of his past were at his heels.

Coins! Coins! Coins! Food for his friends. Tools to free them. Possibilities and hope. He couldn’t stop sticking his hand into his pocket as he ran, turning the little discs round and round.

When at last he stopped running, he was standing with his back to Mr. Fancycakes’ cell with no clear idea of quite how he had made his way down there. He was winded, and his ear still smarted from the goblin’s blow, but he had three coins to gloat over. Two faded ones with King Edward’s bearded profile etched into them. And one that glistened new as fresh paint, with his own boyish face on the one side, minted two weeks ago. The crown especially had been lovingly reproduced to the finest detail.

His hand stole, unwitting, to the real crown on his head. He nodded, to no one in particular. The dirt stilled prickled in his fingernails, his toe still rubbed miserably against his boot leather, and heaven knew what adventures his irritated mouth was about to embark on. But he had three shiny gold coins to show for today.

And he hadn’t even been up for an hour.