#Please I have spent to much time on this I am loosing brain cells
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lizzy-bizzy · 2 months ago
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Bsd BUT Percy jackson
I started drawing Dazai & Chuuya as half bloods recently, and that got me thinking, what would they be like in this supposed world? So I decided to look into what their godly parent would be. I almost immediately thought Chuuya would be a kid of Ares, the god of War, for obvious reasons. Dazai was a bit harder, but I think he’d be a kid of Hades possibly? It would go well with his whole “is their really any point to this thing we call living?” Bit. I also wanted Chuuya to be a member of Camp-Jupiter, so his parent would Be Mars. That way it can contribute to Soukoku’s rival dynamic, and how Chuuya is in the mafia while Dazai isn’t in bsd. I also thought that they would work pretty well together since hades is basically the god of Death, and Mars/Ares is the god of war. That also got me thinking, what about the other characters? When did they meet what’s the world around them? I didn’t want to just Add them to the pjo universe, I wanted to almost create a different one just for fun 🥰, one that Percy and the others (like the mains) either aren’t present or don’t exist. I was thinking about Atsushi, I don’t know what his god might be, or would he be a Satyr? Since he’s part animal in the bsd universe (the weretiger). I didn’t want the abilities to exist in this universe.
opinions? Should I swap Chuuya and Dazai’s camps? (Chuuya a hand half blood, Dazai camp Jupiter)
(Also some concept art for Chuuya)
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onecanonlife · 4 years ago
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Tommy’s getting tired of people thinking he’s not real. Tubbo, meanwhile, hopes that this hallucination of his best friend will stay a while longer.
They work it out.
(word count: 1,563)
............................
It only takes about another fifteen minutes for him to snap.
“What the fuck are you doing that for?” he demands, planting his feet and wheeling around and staring Tubbo dead in the face, because Tubbo’s been trailing along behind him like a fucking lost puppy or some shit since he got out, and he’s tired of it, tired of his best friend looking at him like that, with equal amounts of wonder and dread in his eyes, like he’s not fucking real at all.
Or should that be former best friend? He doesn’t fucking know. Apparently, it didn’t take all that long for Tubbo to replace him with Ranboo of all people. And get married. Apparently.
Tubbo blinks at him.
“I don’t think you’re real,” he says, and if Tommy’s anger hadn’t been boiling over before, it is now. He didn’t go to hell and back for people to tell him he’s not real. He didn’t stay in the same cell as Dream for a month for people to tell him he’s not real. He is so, so very real. The shock that shoots through his system, the bolt of all-consuming terror that overtakes his mind whenever anyone so much as bumps into him is proof enough of that. He is real, and who the fuck is anyone else to say that he’s not?
“Well guess what,” he says, “I fucking am, so deal with it or go away.”
He spent so long wishing to be by Tubbo’s side again. He didn’t think he’d get out to find this. Didn’t think he’d come out to be replaced. Didn’t think Tubbo would crouch along after him without saying anything at all, like he’s the one who died.
“You don’t need to be angry about it,” Tubbo replies, as if he’s the one being wronged here. “I’ve got it all figured out. See, I didn’t think you were dead at first, either. Sam told us and my brain went all weird and flat and in denial, because I knew it couldn’t be true, because you couldn’t be dead. But then it was a few days later and you still hadn’t come out, and it was true after all. So I can’t trust my brain, really, so this is probably my brain going into denial again. Wishful thinking.”
“You—” He cuts himself off, rage warring with confusion warring with he-doesn’t-fucking-know-what, because he’s been dead and locked in prison and he’s not even used to the sunlight yet, much less his own emotions. “I literally pinched you. I pinched you, and then you ran away and stood staring at me from that new—that new McDonald’s!”
“Tactile hallucinations aren’t impossible,” Tubbo informs him. “It’s probably because I’ve been thinking about you a lot.”
That draws him up short, just a little bit. “You have?” he asks. “I thought you got married.”
“I did,” Tubbo agrees. “It was a spur-of-the-moment sort of thing, really, so nobody got invited, but I was thinking about maybe having a bigger ceremony once you got out so you could be my best man, or something. I don’t really know how that works. ‘Cause it’s a platonic marriage, right, so I don’t know if you’re supposed to do it differently. But I wanted you to be there, and then it turned out that you wouldn’t ever, ever be.”
Well. Alright, so he wasn’t disregarded entirely, then. But still—
“And then,” Tubbo continues, “and then we adopted Michael, and I wanted you to be his godfather. You were supposed to be his godfather. Michael was going to love you. I thought you were gonna come back out and you were gonna meet Michael and everything was going to be alright. But then you didn’t.”
“Who the fuck is Michael,” he says flatly, even though his head is reeling because adopted—?
“He’s our son!” Tubbo says. “Mine and Ranboo’s! And you were gonna be the godfather. And it was going to be great, and we were gonna be a family, but then you died, and now Michael’s not even going to get to meet you. And you’re just, you’re just dead and I’m following you around because I don’t have anything better to do.”
There is—there is so much to unpack there, he doesn’t even know where to begin. Ranboo is—is the spouse, then, and he supposes he should have guessed that. The Michael issue isn’t too much clearer, since he doesn’t have a frame of reference for this—for this child? That Tubbo has adopted? What the hell? But it’s the last sentence that sends the anger flooding back, because what the fuck does he mean, he doesn’t have anything better to do?
“If that’s how you feel, then why don’t you—” he starts, but Tubbo cuts him off.
“I’m sort of pathetic, I guess,” he says. “‘Cause I’m following around a hallucination. I guess it’s because I know it’s the best I’m ever going to get. And you know, I’d rather have a you that’s not real than not have you at all, because this way, I get to see you and hear you. Even if you’re not here. So I need to enjoy it while I can, because I don’t know how long hallucinations last for, so I don’t know when you’ll go away again. And I don’t want you to go away. I don’t want you to be dead.”
All through this speech, Tubbo’s face remains distant, a little open, a little blank. But his eyes are welling up with tears, and as Tommy watches, they start spilling over his cheeks, uncommented upon.
And Tommy feels the rage drain out of him.
It was hell, where he was, in that terrible darkness, that void, being torn apart and shoved back together again. It was hell, coming back, everything too bright and too loud and too much, his body flinching and his heart racing at any movement, and a single touch is still enough to send him back there, to that moment, his vision fading and pain bursting like fireworks and Dream’s mask leaning over him, grinning.
It’s been hell, seeing how everything’s changed.
But Tubbo missed him. Really, really missed him. And maybe he’s replaced him a bit, and Tommy no longer has any idea how to feel about that, because it seems like Tubbo wasn’t trying to? That Tubbo still wanted him to be there, still intended him to be there? So he’s still a little pissed, maybe, and he still really, really wants people to stop being so weird, to stop reminding him at every juncture that he died, died and came back, but—
But Tubbo is crying.
“Tubbo,” he says, “I’m not a hallucination.”
“You are, though,” Tubbo says. “My mind’s playing tricks. You’re not—you’re not really—” He hiccups, and Tommy comes to a decision.
He extends a hand. It should be fine. It’s just Tubbo, and he’s choosing to do this. It should be fine. It’s going to be fine.
“C’mon, then,” he says. “Hold my hand, I’ll prove it. Maybe you could make up a pinch in your brain, but I bet you couldn’t make up this.”
Tubbo stares at his hand for a very, very long time.
“Don’t make this weird,” he says. “Tubbo, please, for the love of god, don’t make this weird. I really will go away, and you can just stay here and cry.”
Tubbo blinks, hard. And then, slowly, reaches out and takes his hand.
Tommy flinches, every nerve in his body lighting up, screaming at him to get away, and he can’t stop himself from gasping, from letting out a little whimper. But in the next moment, he’s fine, his heart rate already calming, and it’s just Tubbo’s hand in his, his grip loose and warm.
Tubbo’s eyebrows furrow. A minute passes before he speaks.
“This is a long time for a tactile hallucination to last,” he says.
Tommy rolls his eyes as hard as he possibly can, in order to express all of his exasperation.
“I’m not a fucking hallucination, alright?” he says. “Has married life made you an idiot or something?”
Tubbo looks up at him, then. He looks back, and tries to convey with his eyeballs his sheer displeasure at literally all of this.
“I’m holding your hand,” Tubbo says slowly. “You’re not disappearing, and I’m holding your hand.”
He tries to convey with his eyeballs that Tubbo should consider arriving at the point sometime soon.
“Oh my god,” Tubbo says. “You’re real. Tommy, you’re real.”
“Damn fucking right I’m real,” he says. And something like relief washes over him. It’s nice to hear those words, from someone else. And Tubbo just stands there and holds his hand and keeps crying, harder, if that’s even possible, and Tommy thinks that this is a scene that he should possibly put a stop to.
But he doesn’t. He stands there and holds Tubbo’s hand and lets Tubbo cry. Because nothing is alright. Nothing at all is alright. Everything sucks and everything’s different and he needs to kill Dream and the world kept on turning without him. But Tubbo is glad to have him back. Tubbo missed him. Tubbo still wants him.
If his eyes are wet, it’s just the rain. He glances up, and blinks against the sun.
Just the rain.
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waitimcomingtoo · 4 years ago
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In Case You Don’t Live Forever
~chapter three rewritten~
Pairing: Peter Parker x Venom!Reader
Synopsis: you are Peter’s greatest love and Spiderman’s greatest enemy
Series Masterlist
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Peter arrived at the Avengers tower with a little pep in his step. His new neighbor was on his mind and he couldn’t get her off. He knew it was a long shot, after all you’d only had one conversation, but he felt like there was a connection between you. You were awkward, he was awkward. What more does a relationship need?
Tony was quick to notice the change in Peters mood. A dreamy smile crept across his face every now and then while Tony was trying to explain something about his nanotechnology.
“Alright Underoos, whats on your mind? A girl? Boy? That gorgeous Aunt of yours? Oh wait no, that’s what’s on my mind.” Tony smirked, making a blush paint Peters cheeks.
“Nothing sir. Sorry, I’ll pay attention.” Peter answered quickly. Tony scanned Peter up and down skeptically.
“So its a girl. Alright. Who is she?” Tony asked, motioning for Peter to sit down with him.
“This girl moved in across the hall from me about a week ago. I’d see her on the stairs sometimes, or in the lobby. She’s beautiful, Mr. Stark. I mean, really beautiful. And I know girls are a lot more than their appearance, trust me, but I can never look away. It’s like God made a perfect batch of cookie dough, and then made a perfect cookie cutter, and then hand made her just for me. There’s just, there’s something about her. I feel like I’ve always known her, and I don’t even know her yet. She knocked on my door this morning and I nearly had a heart attack when I saw her through the peephole. I played dumb and acted like I didn’t know she lived across the hall.” Peter started to explain. A twinge of embarrassment struck him at the memory of what he said to you.
“Oh God. You said something stupid, didn’t you?” Tony inquired, noticing the look of embarrassment on Peters face as he recalled their conversation. Tony leaned on his hands like a child, this stuff exciting him more than anything.
“I insulted her dead father and called him smelly.” Peter admitted, and Tony laughed.
“But she found it funny and agreed with me.” Peter quickly followed up.
“Wow. Normally I’d say there’s no coming back from that, but she seems like a keeper. So, are you gonna throw on your Spidey suit and take her for a ride around the city? Works with all the ladies.” Tony wiggled eyebrows, but Peter shook his head.
“No. Spider-Man isn’t a party trick or some tactic to pick up girls. Plus, I want her to like me for me. That’s why I invited her over for dinner tonight.” Peter answered. Tony looked down at his hands, not wanting Peter to see how proud he was. He couldn’t let Peter get too cocky.
“That was a test and you passed.” To y quipped. “Alright, spider child, you have my blessing. But no funny business tonight. If I find out I’m gonna have to design nanotech baby clothes, I’m gonna be pissed.”
Peter blushed at the mere thought of what Tony was implying and spent the rest of his time at the tower going over missions to get you off his mind.
You arrived at Peters at 6:07. You were done getting ready at 5:45, and sat in the living room on your phone until you were slightly late. You didn’t want to be early, like some loser. Or even worse, on time. You had to be fashionably, but not rudely, late.
You knocked on Peters door at 6:07 and waited. The door swung open instantly, as if he’d be waiting right behind.
“I know what you’re thinking.” He stated. “I’ll let you decide if I was waiting at the door for you or if I’m just really fast. “
He had successfully broken the ice, and you gave kudos to him for trying.
You, on the other hand, were drawing a blank. You had no idea what to say and you were a reporter for crying out loud. You didn’t get tripped up on my words, but something about Peter Parker and that damn collared shirt rendered you unable to formulate a thought. All you could do was stand there and smile at him. You felt like you were standing weirdly and all the sudden had no idea where to put your hands. Do you leave them at your sides? That felt too stiff and soldier-like. But where else would they go? You were pretty sure every brain cell had left your body at that point, leaving you defenseless.
“You look nice.” Peter blurted, interrupting the awkward silence that had settled between you. Even he seemed surprised by his statement. You looked down and shrugged. You looked as nice as a lazy person who didn’t fully unpack their clothes could look. You had on a casual grey dress that was made of some sort of t-shirt material, and your hair was in a loose bun with a few curls framing your face. Peter took in your appearance with what looked like approval. Then you noticed Peters gaze falling to your feet.
“Converse with a dress.” He noted. “Bold move.”
You felt your personality re-enter your body, finally, and nodded.
“Oh yeah. You know me. Quirky and cool and not like other girls.” You joked as you clicked your heels together. “You look nice too. Very…Freddie Benson.”
Freddie Benson? Who the hell makes an ICarly reference to compliment someone? This night was going downhill fast and you regretted ever knocking on his door.
“Dude. You’re tanking.” Venom said in your ear, you had to agree. This couldn’t be going worse.
But lo and behold, Peters beautiful laugh filled your ears once again.
“That’s what I was going for!” He cheered. “My friend Ned always teases me for wearing sweaters and button downs but he just doesn’t have the vision.”
“Come in.” He suddenly stepped aside and gestured inward. “Dinners almost ready.”
Peters apartment looked just like yours, but much more homey. You saw his baby pictures on the wall, coupled with pictures of him and his parents through the years. You noticed a framed picture of a different couple on the coffee table. They resembled Peter but you didn’t see them in any photos with him past the age of around 7. There was a candle next to the frame, as well as a ceramic cross. You quickly looked away, not wanting to overstep.
“You must be Y/N. It’s very nice to meet you.” You heard a woman’s voice from behind you. You turned around and saw a woman in high pants and a yellow tank top, recognized her from the pictures with Peter.
“I am. It’s very nice to meet you too, Mrs. Parker.” You said politely and shook her hand.
“Please.” She shook your hand. “Call me May.”
“May.” You repeated with a smile.
You turned around and saw Peter pulling out a chair for you, so you sat down while May finished preparing dinner. You offered to help, being the polite ass bitch that you were, but May insisted that you were the guest. A plate of “meatloaf” was soon placed in front of you and Peter. The term “meatloaf” is used very loosely. It looked more like an old shriveled brain. Peter made eye contact with you and winked.
“It’s not as bad as it looks.” He whispered. He glanced at May, who was busy pouring the drinks, before leaning in closer and whispering, “it’s way worse.”
You playfully kicked Peter under the table and he giggled, quickly masking the sound with a drink of water.
“So, Y/N, where do you go to school?” May started the conversation. You took a bite of meatloaf, nearly died, and swallowed before answering.
“I’m actually taking a gap year before I start my junior year at Berkeley.” You told her. “And I work part time as a reporter.”
“That’s a very good school.” She complimented. “And I thought you looked familiar. I’ve seen your show on YouTube.”
“I haven’t.” Peter realized. “What’s it called?”
“The L/n Report.” You answered. “I started it my freshman year and it just kinda took off.”
“Oh. I’ve read some of yoru articles, but I haven’t seen the show.” Peter realized. “I can’t believe you do that. That’s really cool. You’re really cool.”
“Thank you.” You winked at him, not used to being praised for your work.
“Peter told me about your father.” May changed the subject. “I’m so sorry to hear that he passed. He left the apartment to you?”
“He did.” You nodded. “And it’s all right. We were estranged anyway.”
“It must be so different living alone in a city.” May sighed. “Did you dorm while at Berkeley?”
“No, I lived with my boyfriend.” You shook your head. Peter began choking on his water at the mention of a boyfriend and May shot him a look.
“Peter. Manners.” She said sternly.
“Boyfriend?” Was all he managed to say between coughs and sputters.
Oh great. Time for this conversation.
“Ex-boyfriend.” You corrected. “I got him demoted to traffic duty for two weeks and he wasn’t too happy about it.”
“He broke up with you over that?” Peter raised an eyebrow. “That’s gotta be the dumbest reason for a breakup I’ve ever heard.”
“May I ask how you got him demoted?” May wondered.
“Well, I’m an investigative reporter, and my ex, Andy, is a cop.” You began. “I looked at some classified files on his computer and used them against someone.”
“Carlton Drake, right?” She realized the story sounded familiar. “I read about that. Your exposé about him was everywhere.”
“Didn’t he die in his own rocket?” Peter asked you, fully invested in the story.
“Yea. I was there. Me and…my friend.” You caught yourself before almost mentioning Venom.
“Gosh I read that story forever ago.” May recalled. “It was all over the news here. I remember Peter ranting to me that this girl was straight out of high school and already taking down shady guys in San Francisco. You were obsessed with the article, remember Peter? I’m pretty sure you hung it up.”
Peter, you guessed it, turned bright red.
“I just thought you were cool. You know, taking down bad guys and all at such a young age. It really inspired me.” Peter explained. He suddenly looked panicked, like he said too much, and you wondered what it inspired him to do.
“Thank you Peter.” You smiled fondly. “How old are you anyway?”
“19. I’ll be 20 on August 10th.” He said proudly. “What about you?”
“He’s legal.” Venom whispered in your ear. You couldn’t even be mad at her, you were thinking the same thing.
“I’m 20.” You told him, and smile crept across his face.
“And this boyfriend, where is he now?” May asked. May wasn’t blind to what was happening between her nephew and this new neighbor and knew that’s what Peter was dying to ask.
“I would very much also like to know that.” Peter said, almost robotically. He leaned in closer and stared at you while he awaited the answer.
“He’s engaged, actually.” You said between sips of water, making Peter sigh in relief. “To a friend of mine. They’re getting married this summer.”
It was the first time you said those words out loud. You didn’t feel sad, like you thought you would. You didn’t really know how you felt. The smile that broke out on Peters face gave a clear indication on how he felt, though.
“That’s great. I mean, not great great. Great for him, I mean. It’s always good to move on. Wether it be with an old friend or a brand new one. Maybe it’s with someone you just met. You never know. Things just happen between the most random of people. Could be a stranger. Or, or, hear me out, it could be less of a stranger. Like a barista, or a mailman or a…a neighbor.” Peter stumbled over his words, the last part coming out very quietly. “I’m sorry that things didn’t work out though. Between you and him, I mean. ”
“Thanks.” You shrugged. “It was tough at first but, I’m okay now. He wasn’t the one.”
“When you do find the one, you’ll know. I knew almost immediately that Ben was the one. I saw him and my heart said “that’s the one you’ve been looking for” and I believed it.” May sighed wistfully. You could see her eyes glistening behind her glasses and did something rather bold. You put your hand on top of hers and squeezed. She gave off this loving motherly vibe that you had only seen in movies but never felt for yourself. May gave you the warmest smile and squeezed your hand back.
“That’s lovely May. Although, I always thought when you met the one, your heart wouldn’t say that it’s been looking for that person. I always thought it would say ‘welcome home’, or something like that. You know? Like, you’ve always known them. I don’t know though. Maybe I’ve just seen The Princess Bride one too many times.” You shrugged.
“Ah. That’s a classic in this household.” May recalled. “Peter would refuse to go to bed without watching it.”
“Because it’s a cinematic masterpiece.” Peter sassed. “You’re trying to embarrass me by pointing out that even as a child I had impeccable taste? Oh please.”
You laughed at his remark, making May noticed the smile that broke out on Peters face when he succeeded in making their new neighbor laugh.
May looked at you for a while with a content smile on her face before saying, “Yeah. I suppose you do have good taste.”
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madfantasy · 3 years ago
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I haven't seen you post in a while, I hope you've been doing okay? How is everything? Hope it's been a good year so far for you 💕💕
You're too kind, u & everyone who made inquiries, bless ur hearts.. im sorry for disappearing, but yeah, I don't have net— using my phone credit and hope this posts..
I tried to record my voice answering this, like I sometimes did on tik, suddenly ended up trying to muffle the floods of my burning tears, so now I have an awkward vid of me talking then weeping out of nowhere, which a good reason for me to keep up the no cry habit, heh.. but seriously, I suppose I'm fine till I be conscious of it.. its much easier for not to talk .. even tho I'm aching to be back in thy company, lonely in my foresight to catch on to the present that joins us, hand held out to reach like minded souls but shying from the fear of forgetfulness occurring..
I'm fine tho, did few new stuff, merely drowning in too muchness and nothingness as usual, this month I guess you could say I took an act of mad fury in search of any happy source because the echoing silence and the swarm of sadness nipping on my brain cells thickened, and the reasoning merged with the obscene. So instead of giving my guardians the usual of 3/4 of my earnings last month for net and groceries, I spent it all. Ya know, as it was told to me it mine to do as I please? As being prevented any chance of work if it was possible, 't was supposed to be spent on art supplies & measly delights craved for years ?
Before hand, I've been begging them to take me for months to get any clothing or whatever, be it the first time I ever see a shop, then just to drive around, then just me peaking to the outside when the front door is open, merely seeking change I suppose. They kept vaguely promising me until they refused point blank— getting tired of my nagging, then their car just stopped working till this day. Its in the workshop rn..
Anyway, befouled by despair, needing the mere basics of life and not granted, I was delighted when i found a site to buy from cheap & pretty, I pressed buy without any further considerations, or taking their permission and thrilled to be able get gifts for my siblings too. I say gifts but really they are deprived necessities too and not even much just one each cuz well, they are 5 of my babies and to start with the top of priorities; we all draw
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I could already see it, they can't help themselves; heck seeped through the clenched gates of their mouths, trying desperately to poison me with undirect attempts this time, cuz I bought for my sibs they're out of the option of calling me selfish. I was upping the same trance like state of vague existence dealing with them, absorbing their insults and degrading just to make sure my shi arrives safe.
Unfortunate for me, the site chose the worst carrier in this country
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I did everything in my power to make it into their convenience, by embarrassingly messaging the carrier daily, they took a week of promising to deliver and flanking so my guardians reached a heated level of threatening, waving their hands nd almost tossing shi at mE saying that they don't care if they came and if i dared to order something again they'll do this and that. Not allowing me to open the door for the delivery guy when he comes, blaming me for missing vaccination dates (they kept missing them even before)& missing going to important places(again, they just didn't go to for ages), made them loose sleep, etc etc— in turn, I seen red and regretfully blew up.
I screamed at them its literally the only time I ever did this, it BECAUSE it easier on them & I'll do what I want whatever anyway, & to stop interrupting me while I try to explain things , then they suddnly back done and be like I'm not mad at u I'm mad at the delivery ppl, that they are proud of me for being able to do all this, and such sort. I left them to cool in my room, Idk how I did it but must have slam-gripped something so hard it chipped most of my short nails & cracked one, was glad I didn't hurt my drawing hand but yeah, goofy mani
They robbed me of the joy of anticipation & the dissipation of apathy, I started to lose sleep again and my liberating dreams left me and I don't think I remember leaving bed.
But still, If not force myself to do things.. there'll be nothing for me if I don't.. at least I know im able of that
I got my guardians happy tho after another tiresome refusal, by trying out one of those Uber-eat like local apps here, since they have no car and being disabled & ill, I ordered McDonald's for the first time. Slythry behind their backs per habit, told them someone coming and they had that look again, but thankfully the guy came through and didn't steal my money, heh. For a big 1800 calories meal I suppose it was passable, the happy fam faces I got was the real treat..
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Oh with that thing with the credit card stating I owe them money, waited weeks & nobody got back to us? They started taking from my guardian's account directly to pay it, saying oh we did send you warnings--- TO THE SHADOWY LINES OF THEIR POSTERIOR A.K.A NOWHERE. Thankfully the account is mostly empty nd just for random transactions, i alerted my guardians not to use it. And again, my god, another round of endless calls and promises started, and we wait again so they just don't act as if we owe them a frking 17k dollars that we don't have.. was panicking cuz I have nothing and but my guardians were weirdly comforting about it and told me not to worry
One thing good bout no net is it made me stop thinking about life in general, and stop the tiny unnoticeable prick of misery when I have no input to share, trying not to helplessly compare people just living, in inflated style or not, in media, to my isolated-most-of-my-life style and missing much of that organic "life experiences and chances", heh. At least, my situation would be favorable to me if it was ever possible for it to let me have peace, or have the simple knowledge I'm not virtually imprisoned and have never familiarised with nothing of this world but the surrounding walls.. its nice to have more time to be consumed by muse and day dreaming that flutters life through my dull being and sing chorus of inspiring means for art to flow and finds its way delicately onto my realised canvas.. but no, I continued drawing whilst sight blurred with salty droplets contradicting that happy tintin dance on tiktok I worked so long on just cuz I couldn't stop, not the tears or the mad scribbles of determined intention to visualise the mourned excitement I need, hating everything I make
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Somehow the lilac dream still intrudes, visualising me friends, living, in a quaint home, maybe we roommate, arm in arm we go to make every fracture of fate's encounters a disgusting adventurous thrill, like building a maze of cardboard or chasing each other in the dark.. maybe getting that half bleached head and endless ear pericings ... then it dies and I totally forget it..
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But what those awesome headphones helped me do, literally blocks all their voices listening to Sev losing it and I can Waltz around not feeling gutted to go and interfere or play the referee each time. But I can't wear them forever, gives me a bad headache, and honestly; I can't be too neglectful.. my sibs hates me for it already hehe
At least these clothing came true to their measurements, felt the new sensations on how everything I wore hugs me & learnt the baffling ways on how "gender" and region plays different tunes on the same measurements. Getting fitting things felt like suddenly there's hope to be, for myself to be me, and ease this severe disassociation between who I am, and what my body is .. from how little I see myself nd consider it worthy of anything because of how long it been living like a phantom among people.. to numb this dysphoria until it be gone one day
Saddened that the only site I can't order from again if they keep using that awful carrier
...
I missed our country's 91 national day, too. They made sales everything 91 riyal so.. but knowing the sellers here, I don't think most of em went true with their offers.. Horrible news tho on the celebrations, sigh
I turned this into a dear diary, guess bothered you enough today, sorry
So thankful to yous, Idk if I can be back, but I'll remain creating, and will keep the thought alive of being tickled when sharing my creations with your viewing pleasure somehow
'till then my precious dears, take care 💛🙏
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26.9.2021, 8 pm, sleeping
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anotheranimestan · 4 years ago
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Kiss Drought
Jealous Aizawa smut + possessiveness
NSFW!! Please note y/n is of age here!!
wc: 3.9k
Since my last Aizawa post is my most successful one (I am happily surprised) it only made sense to make my first smutty post for him 🤤
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Perched on a barstool playing with the straw in your drink, you were waiting for your date to show. Being late wasn’t completely out of the ordinary for Shouta Aizawa but you were missing him badly tonight. Impatient since you hadn’t been able to see him for a few days. Somehow you’d convinced him to join you for a night out at this bar. You’d spent hours getting ready out of pure excitement. Putting on your sluttiest dress and lingerie to make it worth his while.
You settled yourself at the end of the bar, secluded where the lights didn’t reach and few people were. Aizawa hated being in the spotlights. Excited to see if you all done up for him had the intended effect, your eyes were glued to the door. Your hopes getting crushed every time another person walked in that wasn’t him.
“Hey.” A voice projecting over the music tore through your concentration. You jumped to find a tall burly guy with spiked hair and an over-confident smile leaning against the bar next to you.
You didn’t respond. Just stared at him in pure confusion. Surely you didn’t look like you wanted anyone to talk to you.
“How’s your night going?” He persisted.
“Fine.” You said curtly.
“That’s good. I saw you hiding back here from across the way there and I told my bud ‘I just have to go say hi to that smoking chick.’”
You grimaced. A master at flattery.
“So what’s your name?” He continued, not picking up on any of your social cues.
You gave him the stupidest fake name you could think of on the spot.
“Ah. Of course a hot girl has a hot name.”
You nodded in agreement. Listening to him was killing your brain cells.
“You look familiar you know....wait. You’re one of those pros from the next town over aren’t you.”
You nodded. Surprised he had the mental capacity to recognize smaller heroes like yourself.
He scoffed, proud of himself. “I knew it. Lady heroes are always hot.” Dear god someone get him away. “You know I could have gone pro myself.”
“Oh yea?” You replied doubtfully.
“Yeaaaa. But you know, I figured better not. Villains would have a hard time against me.” He joked. He raised his bicep and winked at you. Clearly about to show off whatever pitiful power-up quirk he was so proud of.
But his confident smile fell as you stared at him waiting to get his little show over with. His face contorted into horror. Realizing he couldn’t power-up.
“Ah. That’s weird.” He said unable to comprehend what was happening. But you were pretty sure you knew what was up.
“Aw honey it’s okay.” You cooed. “Sometimes alcohol makes it hard for guys to...you know...get things working.” You gave him your best fake smile. Highly amused by his ego shattering.
“Excuse me.” He sputtered and ran to the restrooms in humiliation.
You chuckled to yourself as you watched him nearly crying when he disappeared behind the bathroom door.
Suddenly you sensed a presence looming behind you.
“I figured you were somewhere nearby.”
You turned in your seat to find sleepy midnight eyes focused on you under a few loose strands of silky black hair. He had his hair tied back just the way you liked it and he hadn’t shaved in a few days so the stubble on his chin completed his signature look. He was so fucking handsome. You’d missed him so much.
“Sorry I’m late...” His gravely voice sounded like he just woke up. “but you look amazing.” He said sweetly soaking you in.
Forgiveness wasn’t even necessary. You immediately melted any time he was in the room. It was effortless the way he could snatch you up.
“That wasn’t very nice of you, Eraserhead.” You teased with a raised eyebrow. Already succumbing to his gravity that always seemed to pull you in.
He immediately knew you weren’t referring to his tardiness. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He lied with a little smile playing on his lips. Looking down as he felt your finger which was tracing the line down the center of his chest that was deliciously exposed by his partially unbuttoned button-down shirt. It wasn’t fair how he always looked so effortlessly sexy.
“I think he just wanted to be friends. No need to be jealous.” You cooed, knowing it was going to swirl up emotions in him that he was definitely going to deny. A little payback for being late.
He leaned down to your level. You held your lips dangerously close to his. Waiting for him to kiss the honeyed words off your tongue, despite the impatient desire growing in your chest. He always liked to make you wait. It gives him satisfaction knowing you’re stubborn enough to hold out for him to make the first move. Few people are more stubborn than himself. He always found that impressive about you. That and the way you were so good at baiting him.
“I don’t think I need to be jealous about that...situation.” He was willing to bite tonight.
“And why not?” You pretended to pout, tugging on his shirt with your ring finger for him to come closer and close the gap.
He considered his next move. Well aware that you were ready to pounce on any weak response.
“I can tell by the way you’re looking at me right now.” The edge of his lips tilted up. Knowing he had you cornered.
You growled, biting your lip. He came ready tonight. You hated when he smirked like that. Like he’d won. Even if it did make him look incredibly sexy.
“That’s very bold of you.”
“Am I wrong?”
He finally ended his touch drought and caressed your delicate jaw. So distracted by him quenching your thirst you’d forgotten to respond. You just sat there hanging on to his every movement. Entranced by the way he was admiring the color of your mouth.
His thumb grazed the center of your plump bottom lip. Dragging it down to watch the way it cushioned under his pressure.
He chuckled when you stuck your tongue out as he traced. Licking the pad of his thumb and then wrapping your pretty lips around it.
“I’ll take that as a no.” He said with a smug grin.
Somehow you went from being the cat to being his mouse.
“You are cruel.” You pouted. Begging him with your eyes to end this torture and kiss you.
It made him smile, with strange satisfaction knowing you’re too hard-headed to just ask for what you wanted. A sadist at heart. But you were so adorable when you were like this.
He answered your unspoken plea. “How about I buy you a drink first.” Deciding to hold out on you. Not ready to end this game you started quite yet.
You huffed.
“Someone beat you to it. Early bird gets the worm I guess.” You gestured to the glass of dark liquor sitting on a coaster next to you, knowing damn well you’d bought it for yourself. But you weren’t going to let him get away with this treatment.
He gave you a skeptical look.
“What? Does that bother you baby?” You pressed. You’d get him to admit it one day.
He paused. “Again, not that concerned considering you didn’t drink any of it.” You realized you hadn’t even taken your first sip yet.
Fuck. It’s like he was running on a full nights rest or something.
He slid the glass out of your hand. Disposing it just in case someone actually had tried to buy his girl a drink. Waving the bartender down he ordered your favorite, which he’d memorized a long time ago. A move no other man in this bar could attempt to pull.
“Wow. My favorite drink. Are you trying to impress me or something?” You asked with a cocked brow.
He smirked as he handed over his card to open a tab. You knew exactly the kind of power move he was pulling.
This flicker of his competitive side sent a surge of tingles between your legs which were currently spread on either side of Aizawa’s jeans. After a few days without him you were already longing for him. This was making it worse. You found yourself pressing your thighs together, which didn’t go unnoticed.
His voice was so deep and his tongue lazy when he spoke. You could practically feel the vibrations of his vocal chords right now, just like when they moaned into your mouth. The yearning for him was growing deeper in the pit of your stomach. But he was set on stringing you along. Punishment for teasing him about another guy.
“Here.” He placed the lightly a dewed drink in your hands, ice clinking against the glass. His fingers grazing yours sent another wave of frustration through you as you pictured them caressing your skin.
You’d run out of quips and were feeling tongue-tied. Focusing on the growing swirls of sensations that were beginning to dampen your black lace thong, Aizawa’s favorite.
Aizawa took some long draws of his drink while watching you sip in yours. Eyes intent on your lips wrapped around that straw. The tensing of your delicate throat as you swallowed. Picturing your pink tongue lapping the pad of his thumb again.
He finally sat down on the other bar stool. His knees parting to give himself room for the pressure you were stirring between his legs.
You prodded him with some questions about work. But he was being awfully quiet. He only half-heartedly answered your questions.
Getting a fuller view of you now he was too distracted. His body temperature rose at the tightness of your dress against your body. Your exposed neckline hinting at the fullness of your breasts underneath. Your legs looking smooth and long in that dress that stopped only a few inches below your ass.
Irritation flashed through Aizawa’s skin as, over your shoulder, he saw the guy emerge from the bathroom and look directly at him. He had started walking in your direction, like he was coming back for seconds, before he noticed you were with another man. He hadn’t been that bothered when he first arrived but now he felt his rarely-seen temper flaring up at the thought of this guy trying to make a move on you.
You were mid-sentence when you saw Aizawa’s jaw clench. His irritation fueled the fire that was blazing in your lower stomach. He only got that possessive look in his eye over one thing. You.
You had to shift in your chair to try and ease the throbbing under your dress. Desperately trying to distract yourself if you were going to be able to hold out against Aizawa’s punishment drought.
You were going to need a few shots to pull it off. Pulling your dress down, unsuccessfully trying covering your butt, you stood up to wave the bartender down.
Aizawa flinched, the tightness in his pants growing after seeing the curve of your ass peeking out under your dress. His body went up in flames however when he caught muscle man catching a look as well. Temper properly stoked, he was hellbent at letting this guy know he could go fuck himself.
You felt Aizawa snatch your wrist and pull you between his legs. Yelping at the abrupt movement, you stabled yourself from tripping over your heels on his crotch, accidentally, and felt the lump that had formed there.
“What are you doing?” He growled in your ear.
“I’m...ordering another drink?” You said confused.
“I’m the only person who’ll be ordering your drinks for the rest of the night.” He informed you warmly, giving your ass a squeeze before resting his hand over the exposed part. “What do you want babe?” He cooed when the bartender arrived.
He ordered four shots of your favorite tequila.
Your arms draped around his shoulders as he held you in his domain. One arm relaxed on the bar, the other territorially holding you against him.
As you both downed the shots you noticed him glaring at something every few seconds under hooded eyes.
“What are you looking at?” You said leaning forward.
“Nothing important.” He growled through a clenched jaw.
But you’d followed his eye-line to find the man from earlier at the other end. You grinned in satisfaction.
A devious streak surged through you. Excited to see how your man would react to you now.
“I thought you weren’t jealous.”
His dick twitched at your hand brushing over his jeans.
“I’m not.”
“Well it seems like he’s bothering you. Want me to go over there and have a few words with him for you babe?”
He chuckled. “I don’t think you want to try something like that.”
“I think I might.”
He downed his last shot, the alcohol starting to buzz in his head. He was struggling to keep his temper under control. You were really testing him, on purpose too which made it worse. But he knew how you worked and how to press your buttons.
“Then go do it.” He urged. Releasing his hold on you. Holding his arms up in the air.
You huffed. Wrapping your arms around him even tighter. You hated when he did that. He knew you wouldn’t go. And you hated even more when he took his hands off you.
“You’re so mean.” You whined.
He chuckled. “I’m sorry baby. But you really think I’d let you win this little teasing game of yours so easily?” You yelped when his hand came down heavy on your ass again. Jutting your hips onto his hardened boner. “Unless you’re trying to tell me I have an actual reason to be jealous.” He dared you, looking you directly in the eyes.
He had you cornered again. His little mouse. You couldn’t even pretend to admit that another man caught your eye. And the throbbing in your panties was unbearable now. You were dying to smash your mouth on his.
You whimpered as he swept your hair from your neck. His lips only grazing your skin as he whispered into your ear. “You can tell me the truth baby.” He cooed.
You were barely holding out against him. Your stubbornness was seconds from giving out. His deep voice in your ear had you dripping. You crossed your legs trying to hold yourself together but Aizawa wasn’t about to let that happen.
“Come here.” He instructed as he lifted your leg over his knee so that you straddled his thigh. The pressure against your throbbing sex eliciting a soft moan.
He gave one more glance at the pathetic guy from earlier who was visibly tense. Having to watch you perched on his lap. Wilting over him in submission.
Suddenly you were very thankful you were tucked away where few people could possibly notice you melting over him, a mess.
“So? Should I be jealous?” He placed his final chess piece.
You whimpered more as his hand guided your hips to grind against him. Your stubbornness snapped.
You shook your head no into the crook of his neck. Your pussy started convulsing, desperately wanting him to touch you.
“Say it.”
“No baby. There’s no one to be jealous about. Nothing.”
You whined into his ear pressing your lips against him.
He groaned in satisfaction at hearing you admit it.
He shifted his leg to stretch out your stance. Your knee hooked over his thigh, exposing you so he had full access. The cold air hitting your drenched underwear made your breath hitch.
His thumb massaged the inside of your thigh, causing your hips to buck in anticipation. It was killing you.
“Please Shouta. Stop teasing me.” You whined.
You licked your lips which were painfully dry from lack of kisses.
The gloss of your saliva on your lips made his mouth water.
“You look so pretty.” He said grazing the outside of your drenched panties with one finger.
You bit back a moan that was surely going to be so loud everyone at the bar was going to hear.
“Fuck. You’re so wet...all this for me?” He said hanging his head back as he fought the urge to throw you onto the bar and ram his dick into you. Right where muscle man could see.
Another soft moan from you brought him back though. You nodded, cheeks flushed with embarrassment that he had you this unraveled in front of everyone. Although surprisingly nobody had noticed yet.
He slipped two fingers past your lips. Your tongue swirling around them. His dick throbbed at the sight of your mouth wrapped around him. Sadly wrapped around the wrong body part.
He removed them slowly. Mouth gaping at the saliva that strung off your tongue as he moved them back under your dress, moving your panties to the side and tracing tracing a wide circle around your clit. Just slow enough to hold you on the edge of pleasure.
“I want to hear you say whose pussy this is.” You cried softly. “Tell me baby.” He said watching your face contort at his touch.
You dipped your lips to his ear. Too abashed to look him directly in the eyes right now as he had you helplessly wrapped around his finger.
“It’s yours.” You squeaked out.
“Say my name.”
You were squirming uncontrollably now. But he was careful not to give you what you were dying for until he heard the words spill off your tongue. “It’s yours Shouta...all yours. Please just fuck me already.” You gushed.
“I love how my name sounds in your mouth.” He cooed as he plunged two fingers into you. Feeling the juices swirl around his fingers as he pumped them slowly in and out.
Your hand latched onto his shoulder, digging in at his touch. Your hips couldn’t stop grinding against his hand as you used his thumb as a rubbing board for your clit.
“Look at me.” The sight of your face flushed with pleasure was turning him on even more. Abusing your clit even faster as he felt your walls pulsing around his fingers. The tightness in his pants growing painful at how much it wanted you sat on top of him.
“Kiss me.” You pleaded one last time.
Finally ending his kiss drought, he attached onto that pouty bottom lip of yours. Sucking it hungrily. It had been just as hard for him to keep himself off you. He’d been dying to taste every inch of your body.
You latched onto his lip hoping you’d never have to let go. Biting hard to release all the frustration he’d built up in you. He flinched in pain. Having to slip his hands out of you to pry you off him.
“Fuck.” He said feeling his lip. You’d bit him so hard a little blood had been drawn.
“I’m sorry.” You said biting your nail.
“I suppose that was my own fault wasn’t it.” He smiled before sucking your juices off his fingers.
The sight was enough to send you over the edge. Your pussy was clenching around nothing. Grasping for his dick. You needed him. Right now.
You broke out of his hold and dragged his weight behind you to the ladies restroom. Thanking the heavens there was no line because you would easily have punched your way through it.
Slamming the door shut and locking it he immediately threw your weight against the wall. Picking you up and wrapping your legs around him. You clung to him like he was life itself and started aggressively sucking hickeys onto his neck.
“I missed you so fucking much.” You whined into his ear.
“I missed you too baby. A lot.” He said kissing your neck as he ripped his jeans and briefs down. He couldn’t wait another second to get inside of you.
His dick was rock hard as he swirled the head around your wet opening. Coating it with your warm juices. He groaned loudly in your ear as he sunk into you for the first time.
“Fuck you feel so good.”
Chills went through you as you felt him stretching out your walls. Wanting him to stuff you with every inch he had.
He pumped into you quickly. You relished at the pain and pleasure of his forceful thrusts. He wanted you so desperately he couldn’t control his power even if he wanted to.
He crashed his mouth against yours to muffle the loud moans that they definitely could hear on the other side of the door.
His mouth started sucking on that pink tongue of yours, mixing with the intense pleasure of him rutting into you. Your hold around his shoulders was going limp. He was fucking the strength right out of you.
“Turn around.” He ordered as he placed you back on the ground. Hiking your dress up to completely expose your ass.
He pressed your chest up against the wall. The cold bricks chilling your skin as he pushed your panties to the side again and inserted his entire shaft from behind. Bottoming out with one forceful thrust and holding it there as he hit your g-spot. Pleasure surged through your body, causing you to moan his name.
The sound of his name pouring off your lips was causing rumbling in his head. He felt himself nearing as he rammed into you faster. Dick throbbing at the way your ass jiggled every time he thrust into you.
The knot in your stomach grew tighter as you started rubbing circles around your clit. He was hitting your g-spot with every stroke. You were seconds away from overflowing with euphoria.
“I’m gonna cum Shouta.” You whined as he kept at you relentlessly. Hands clamped on your hips.
“Cum on me baby.” He encouraged as he felt your legs starting to shake.
Just then the knot snapped. And electricity flooded your body. Your hand clamped around his, pulling him against your back in pure gratitude.
Your walls tightening around him sent him over the edge. His rhythm growing sloppy just as he burst, filling you with warm cum. Groaning as he threw his last few weak pumps in pleasure. Coming down from his intense high.
“Shit y/n. Come here.” He said wrapping around your neck and pulling you up to place a sloppy wet kiss on the mouth that had been calling his name.
You both were breathing heavy as he pulled you into his arms. You nuzzled your face into him. Silently worshiping him for the satisfied humming in your body left over from your chilling orgasm.
“I think I missed you more than I realized.” He cooed into your ear. Gently rubbing your pussy from behind. Reminiscing on how amazing the juices felt around him.
You giggled. Yanking him into one last lingering kiss before pulling your dress back down.
He buckled himself up and patted your hair down that he’d disheveled.
When you opened the door, several stunned faces were staring at you.
Giggling nervously, Aizawa pulled you through the crowd to go close his tab out.
He was holding your hand tight as you clung to his arm. Staring at his side profile with hearts in your eyes as he tipped the bartender.
On your way out you bumped into someone’s back. The muscle man turned around in shock.
Not batting an eye you said “excuse me” and kept walking.
You looked up nervously to see Aizawa’s response to the poorly timed interaction but he was just peering at you out of the corner of his eyes with a satisfied little grin.
He grabbed your jaw and pressed a deep kiss on you. Not breaking his stride once as he led you to the door.
“Let’s hurry up and go home. I’m not finished with you yet.”
~~
First smut post so hopefully it didn’t suck 😩
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lilyharvord · 4 years ago
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The Chain (Part 11)
Hello Darlings, it’s been a long time coming, but here is the next part of The Chain. (: Please know that there is a little bit of forcing in this chapter to make things work, but its called a plot hole, not a plot no (((: Also, she is nice and long for you guys since it has been sometime since she got some TLC. 
I’ve got two words for you all: Time Travel.
Main concept: Two love struck idiots get sent back to a pretty UGH time period in their lives (that required me to reread all the books again) and have to hide the fact that they know everything. Stupidity ensues.
Enjoy
Find the rest of the fic here: Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10
tag list:  @delilahlbard, @king-maven-calore, @thatoddgirl777, @elliekratzzz, @evangelineartemiasamos, @evangeline-of-montfort, @scxrletguardsdawn, @freaky-freiday, @petergrantkavinsky, @kuwei, @whatsup-gorls, @katiemoore,  @redqueenetwork, @tranquil-dusk (I’m trying to add you but for some reason it wont @... the same problem happens with @thatoddgirl777 and I have no idea how to fix it)
(/Mare/)
The barge glides through the murky water of the river and beyond the polished silver railing I rest my hand on, the shore of the Stilts rolls by like a faded oil painting. Ahead of me, hanging over the water, is an old tree Bree once dared me to crawl out on. The branches skim the water like skeletal fingers. I curl my own fingers around the railing in response to the memory of Bree’s laugh. I hope I get to hear it again, echoing in my parent’s town home. 
           The footsteps behind me are too light to be Cal. Even with all the work he has done to learn subterfuge, he is still a large human being. He’ll never be very good at sneaking up on anyone. I force an inhale when warm air washes over my side though. 
           Maven rests his forearms on the railing to watch the Stilts with me, his jaw tight and his eyes dark. I didn’t see him earlier today before we cast off, and I made sure he had no reason to speak with me now. I left nothing in those cells when I rescued Farley, not even a dusting of blood for Elara to use against me. Whatever he has come to discuss, it will define every point from now until the end.
           “Have you heard of the chess move known as the King’s Snare?” His voice is softer than I thought it would be, given how hard the planes of his face are.
           I glance at him warily, chewing on a response. I don’t want to talk to him about chess. I know he’s a master of it, that in all the years they played, Cal never beat him. Cal, the future general and war strategist who could throw together a plan in minutes with nothing but a handful of Reds, Ardents, and Silvers, never beat the boy before me. I don’t know why I think I have a hope of beat him or Elara.
           “No. I don’t play chess.” I murmur letting the wind shift the loose hairs hanging by my cheeks. It plays in his curls too, tussling them like a loving hand.
           The corner of his lips quirk up in a ghost of a smile before he turns to face me. He doesn’t flinch from my gaze, but that smile does fall. Pressing off the railing to stand at his full height, he tilts his head to the side as if in thought. “It’s a complex maneuver, and requires turns upon turns of preparation. It is the only strategy you can play once you initiate it. In each step, you make it appear as if you are losing. You let your opponent think they have won, and in the final step of preparation, you let your queen be taken and your king be cornered in a check mate.”
He shrugs before looking back onto the bank. His eyes sweep along the shacks on their tottering stilts. “Then, you take the opposing king with the only piece you have left. A pawn.”
           I raise a brow at it before saying, “sounds complicated. I don’t have the patience for playing the long game, and I especially don’t like playing with people’s lives like they are pieces in my game.”
           A fire lights in his eyes as he drags them over me, his expression hardening again. “I’m not so sure that’s the truth.”
           His words are a warning in and of themselves. Squaring my shoulders to him and stabbing my nails into my palms, I purse my lips in a line to swallow my retort. We stand in a stalemate for a moment before he reaches a finger out to let a strand of my hair curl around it. His expression crumbles for just a moment before that mask slides up and hides the wounded boy underneath.
           “Let’s not play this game Mare.” He bows his head and his lips almost ghost over my brow. I turn my head to the side to avoid the touch.
           “I just told you I’m not playing games.”
           His chuckle is humorless. With a quick step he closes the space between us completely and I have to crane my neck to meet his eye. 
           “You’re still useful to me and mother, but Cal has overstayed his welcome by a few years. His whole life actually, if I’m being perfectly honest.”
           No more dancing around it then, we are going full in with the truth. I twist my lips to the side, letting my sneer finally grace my features. “If you think for one second I’m going to let you two get away with what you did a second time, you’re wrong.”
           “Even if it means you lose everything you have coming?” He asks me that as if he actually cares. It makes me reel back while he smiles like a wolf. “We know Mare, and while it’s adorable watching you attempt to play against us, you played your final card last night.”
           My lightning dances on my fingertips. What I wouldn’t give for Tyton’s brain lightning, so that I could turn Maven’s insides into jelly and leave him on this deck before going after Elara. I should have ended all of this weeks ago. I could have, I know that for a fact. 
           “I haven’t played any of my cards yet.” I warm Maven with a raised chin. I let the mask of Mareena disappear and I let him see Mare Barrow, the girl who bested two kings, the woman who has seen more than enough front lines, and who was born in a storm on top of a mountain. She has been broken and put back together so many times that she knows every piece of herself better than she ever did before. She thrives in storms and turns them to her will like this boy turns words to his.
           “You haven’t seen anything Maven. Don’t for one second think you have cornered me.” My lips curl into a small smile as I look him over with a critical eye. “Besides, while you’re playing chess, I am playing another game entirely.”
           A muscle in his jaw flutters when I speak, and his eyes darken further.
           Pressing to my toes, I let my next words caress his lips like a kiss. “And if you two do know everything, I’m surprised you haven’t removed any and all letter openers from my reach while we’ve been together.”
           His face pales in a flush, and the air around us climbs in temperature so quickly beads of sweat begin to prickle on my brow. Ignoring the monster I’ve obviously poked awake, I set my hand on his chest right above his pounding heart and drop my eyes to his lips before looking back up to meet those icy blue eyes.
           “And as for your mother, I think I killed her too quickly the first time.”
           His tongue darts across his teeth for a second before disappearing as his lips pull back in a sneer. There is a flash of something akin to uncertainty in his eyes though. A thrill rushes through me. She didn’t tell him that part, and she might have even kept his own death from him. Interesting.
           Sliding back away from him and dropping my hand, I take in his flittering emotions he desperately tries to keep under control. I can’t image what is passing through his mind. If Elara didn’t tell him about their deaths, what else has she kept from him? It might be worth it to poke a little more and find out.
           Even as the thought of prying him open and exposing his hollow insides thrills me, I can’t help thinking of how he spent hours near my bedside after Samson had turned me inside out and left me a bleeding corpse. Nor can I ignore that once upon a time, a part of him had loved me.
           “Oh Maven,” I breathe, my chest aching once more as I look him over. “You could have been something wonderful if you had been anyone else’s.”
           His inhale is sharp, and the heat around us vanishes as he sucks it in to fuel the furnace of his emotions. The next words that leave me are as much a truth as they are a weapon that I use against him.
           “I might have loved you too, you know. I might have been happy with you.”
           His entire body goes taut like a rubber band pulled too tight. I can’t imagine what those words have done to him, I know what they do to me. They relive the ache and chase away the cold bite from the autumn breeze that cuts through my loose shirt. I have known for years that he would never truly leave me, that I will always love him in a strange way. But seeing all of this, and discovering that even when I might have had a chance to save him, there was no chance so long as Elara loved him too.
           “The game is beginning. Line up your pieces if you want to play chess.” I murmur to him before stepping around him and heading for the viewing deck. I pause long enough to glance at him over my shoulder though and say, “but just know, it’s hard to beat an opponent that knows every move you will make.”
(/Cal/)
           Mare finds me between meetings. Her dark hair is swept up in an elaborate hairstyle she picks at nervously, drawing strands out to frame her face. Glancing over my shoulder at the remainder of the council as they pass, I pause before her long enough to say colorlessly, “Is something wrong Lady Titanos?”
           The few sets of eyes that watch us look away with shrugs. Their ears are probably still tuned in, but as far as they are concerned, she is probably looking for Maven and happened to find me first.
           “Farley made contact. The Hexaprin Theater just like before.”
           She’s been gone most of the day with Maven, making appearances and smiling like the dutiful princess she is. I’m not sure how Farley could have possibly made contact with her during all of that, but it’s a relief she didn’t contact Maven first. Meanwhile, I’ve been locked up in Whitefire. My father has hardly let me out of his sight, which I suppose should be understandable. The attempt on my life shook him to his core. Even though I push back, insisting they wouldn’t try again, he refuses to let me leave the castle walls. I don’t know how I will get out to join Mare in this endeavor like she wants with the Sentinels that trail me almost everywhere I go. I guess it now truly understand how Mare felt during her time with us. I don’t blame her for constantly being irritable now. 
Still, my brow rises as the name of the theater. I know it well. When I was younger Julian used to take me to plays and tried to pique my interest in the art form. I had squirmed in my seat the whole time, eager to get out of the dark space and run outside. He gave up once I turned ten, realizing I didn’t have much love for the arts. I knew it saddened him, that he had hoped I shared the same soft spot for them that my mother did. 
My chest tightens at the thought of my uncle. I got him out of Archeon earlier than before, helping him and Sara smuggle away in the dead of night after he got Farley and Kilorn out of the cells. I sent him to Montfort with instructions to speak with Dane Davidson as soon as possible. To try and get him in contact with Guard. There’s no telling if they made it. I can only hope they managed to cross the border.
“It’ll be tough for me to get out.”
“This will only work if you come with me.” Mare insists, her eyes darting past my elbow to the doors of the council chamber. I know who she’s looking for, but she won’t find him.
“He’s seeing to something with his mother.” I instruct, even as I glance around just to be certain. Only a servant passes in a flutter of skirts. She curtsies to me and Mare before hurrying along, obviously loath to be around us any longer than necessary.
“The bloodbase.” Mare’s voice drops to a worried waver as she sets her hand on her pocket. I know she has the book hidden in the pocket of her jacket, the one Julian gifted her with the name of every Ardent he found within Norta’s borders. She sleeps with it under her pillow, her fingers curled around the faded cover as if Maven will creep into her room at night and steal it away.
Shaking my head, I grab her elbow and pull her into an alcove when I hear the sound of more steps approaching. I squeeze into the space between the pillars with her until our bodies almost have to become one to fit. Her hands rest on my chest as she evens out her breathing, recognizing a hiding place when she sees it.
A group of nobles pass us, Osanos and Iral judging by the colors of their clothes. I purse my lips and wait until they leave the hall to look back down at her and whisper. “I took care of it. I printed out all their names and wiped them from the database. They’re safe.”
“Unless Maven is already going after them.” Mare mutters bitterly.
“He hasn’t. I checked last known whereabouts too. Everyone is accounted for.”
“People lie on those stupid records Cal.”
“Not when you’re the first person in years to click on the page.” I let my lips curl into a knowing smile. She can think I’m stupid and hardheaded all she wants, but I do know my way around my own world. “There is a clicker at the bottom of each record to indicate the last time it was opened. I am the first one to look at them in years. You can’t lie to that program.”
           She expels a breath, before look up at me through her lashes. “You’re too stubborn for your own good. We’re meddling too much now.”
           “At this point, does it really matter?” I ask, repeating words I spoke to Julian in the dead of night when he questioned my decision to send him to Ascendent.
           Her lips draw into a tight line that pales her already painted lips. “No.” She agrees before sliding out of the alcove so I can follow her.
           When we step into the light, I watch the shifting sunbeams as they cut across her face. She crosses her arms before looking down the hallway and saying, “We need to get into the afternoon showing. Can you do that?”
           I grimace thinking about my father and the hawk like eyes he has kept on me recently. “It’ll be difficult, but nothing I can’t handle.”
           “Do you want to rehearse with me?” She teases, eyes lighting with laughter when she notices how I chew on my lower lip.
           “I think I’ll tell my father that I’ve decided Evangeline can take a long walk off a short pier and that I much prefer you and I plan to make heirs with you as soon as we enter than theater box.”
           Her eye widen and a blush paints her cheeks. It’s so ferocious the makeup almost can’t hide it. It makes me chuckle before reaching a hand out to cup her jaw and stroke a thumb along that warm puddle of red staining her skin. “Kidding love. Although I think that he’ll be so surprised and horrified that he lets me go just to see if I’m serious.”
           “Mess up my nice skirts Tiberias and I will take your hands for it.” She snorts before pulling away and throwing a smirk over her shoulder. “Get us tickets to the show and be there with me. Also, it might be a good idea to assign Walsh to a... different part of Whitefire.”
           I grimace, remembering the last time I saw her foaming at the mouth while I tried to close her throat to keep the poison from spreading. I sent her for Mare, trusted her with the secret that I met a Red girl in the Stilts and cared. Regardless of what Mare might have thought of me before when that moment passed, I did care. A part of me had been horrified to watch the light leave Walsh’s eyes.
           “I’ll make sure of it.” I whisper.
(/Mare/)
           The theater darkens, and I sink back into my chair, keeping an eye on the Sentinels standing in the doorway. They are here to protect Cal. Allowances had to be made so that he could leave Whitefire, but its an allowance that may cost us our meeting with Farley. There are more of them than before, but they’re simply a hinderance, one that will have to be dealt with at some point very soon.
           Honestly, Maven and Elara trying to kill him has simply become an annoyance now. If they hadn’t, it would be so much easier to sneak around with Cal.
           “They have to go.” I murmur, letting my eyes flint to them as I edge a little closer to the railing of the box and glance over it into the crowd below.
           With a quick nod, Cal leans back in his seat. Before Maven gave the secretary that came with us a mischievous smile and quick order to get rid of our tail. Cal can do no such thing without raising suspicion. It’s already gotten out that I am the one that shouted his name and stopped the bleeding during the Sun Shooting long enough for Sara Skonos to get to him and save him. But Cal spread a faster rumor behind it, his words burning like wildfire through the High Houses, erasing the rumor I know Elara started about us. My shout hadn’t been in fear according to his account, it had sounded like nerves. Maybe I’d lost Maven in the crowd and gotten overwhelmed by the proceedings, and when I had seen Cal I called to him for help. Because of that, I had been close enough to stop the bleeding when the gun went off.
           I had been shocked at the lie he told with an abandon to his father and the court, and how well he crafted it on a moment’s notice. Perhaps he needed to stop spending so much time around Dane. I had noticed that crafty man spending a suspicious amount of time trying to craft Cal into a better Statesman in the recent years.
           “Sentinel Osanos, if you could take the others into the antechamber.” He nods over his shoulder to the small sitting room attached to the box. “I doubt you and the others have any interest in this show and your presence is unfortunately ruining Lady Mareena’s first impressions of it too.”
           “I have my orders, sir.” The Sentinel warns, his eyes darting between the two of us.
           “I can handle anything that comes.” Cal lets his lips quirk into an arrogant smile. I haven’t seen it in a long time, but it’s one of the few soldiers masks in his arsenal. It still makes my stomach flutter. “Besides, Lady Mareena has proven herself quite capable of saving my life if need be.”
           Osanos debates it for a very long second as the murmurs below us quiet and the curtain rustles with the start of the performance. During that second, my heart pounds. I don’t dare look up at the grating above out heads where I know Will Whistle will appear.
           “Of course, Your Highness.” The Sentinel bows his head and then nods to bring the others with him into the room. The door clicks shut, and the lock engages. I grab Cal’s hand and squeeze it in silent praise, before glancing at him side on.
           “Impressive.”
           His smile falls as he looks away from the door and forward again. “We’ll have to be silent. We’re lucky my father didn’t send an Eagrie with us.”
           Unfolding from his position in the chair to relax further, he turns his hand over to lace his fingers with mine. The touch sends waves of reassurance through me. Now we just have to keep him hidden long enough that Will doesn’t recognize him and gets us to Farley. After that, I’m not quite sure what we will do.
           “Farley won’t let you on the Undertrain without a fight.” I murmur, glancing at our joined hands. He sweeps his thumb along my skin in a soothing motion even as his eyes stay forward on the stage as it comes to life.
Gentle touches in the dark, so very like how our relationship started. It almost makes me snicker. I suppose things never really did change between us.
He doesn’t reply to my comment, but I know he’s thinking about it all the same. His palm heats with his frustration, but he doesn’t show it on his face.
I let my eyes wander to the stage where I finally get a look at the play I never watched before. Brightly colored costumes dance across the stage and I tilt my head to look at them, trying to understand the story. “We never went to any of the plays in Ascendent.” I murmur to him.
There were plenty of playhouses, and I know for a fact Julian got us tickets to one he loved. We never got the chance to go, but now I wish we had.
“I’ve never been a fan of theater.” He chuckles and finally turns to look at me. He traded his finer regalia for a more toned down jacket and black shirt today. With the aid of the darkness, I can almost imagine we are in Ascendent, that it’s just another weekend and we decided to do something we’ve never done.
“Then when you annoy me, I am going to drag you to shows when we get back and tie you to a chair so you can’t leave.” I say with a smirk.
The ceiling panel above our heads slides away, and his eyes dart up at the same time as mine. We’re both accustomed to how the Guard functions. The sudden disappearance of the tile doesn’t surprise him like it did Maven.
“Show time.” I whisper to him before dropping his hand and stepping on the seat of my chair. Grasping the edge of the hole I haul myself up into the darkness. When I glance down to help him though, he is already half-way into the crawl space with me. The panel slides into place as soon as Cal vanishes in the shadows. I wait half a second for Will to sound an alarm to notice that I don’t have the right prince with me.
He does no such thing, simply speaks into the darkness the same words he did before. “Be quick and quiet. I’ll take you from here.”
I reach for Cal’s wrist in the dark and grip it tightly with a reassuring squeeze. Will turns and begins to climb through the space, not waiting for us to follow.
“Watch your head,” I instruct as I skirt the edge of the ceiling panel. “It gets low in a few places.”
Cal grunts in understanding but follows at a pace that surprises me. It was a tight squeeze for Maven, so I don’t really know how Cal manages but he does. I’m sure he has Farley’s work with him to thank for that. He crawled through enough sewer tunnels and drains with us while we were at the Notch after all. I’m sure while I was locked away with Maven he was doing the same thing too.
The sounds of the play overhead mask our movements as we drop down ladders and steps and through little trapdoors. Cal only smacks his head once, and I flip around to grab his head to check for blood when he curses soundly in the dark. I grimace when I feel the nasty knot already taking shape on his forehead near his hairline. That will have to be explained away when we get back, but we really truly don’t have time to assess it too much. Will sets grueling pace, and Cal practically shoves me forward when the Whistle almost disappears around a turn.  
It takes only minutes for us to drop into the access tunnels that connect to the Undertrain platform. The damp chill of the space presses through my thin jacket and pants, reminding me of the march we did into Archeon to save Cal and everyone from the Lakelander invasion. Cal drops lightly down behind me though, and instantly the space warms and the memory fades. It’s still too dark to see his features clearly which is only to our advantage. I can’t have Will trying to stop us now.
That cover does not last long though. The platform is haunted by a lone torch, and when Will turns around with a sharp smile, ready to bask in our surprise, his eyes widen as he takes in Cal behind me. I set my hand on Cal’s chest in response, trying to push him back into the shadows while I light my hand with lightning.
Will never gets a chance to act though, the furious screech of the Undertrain as it rushes into the station shakes the walls and announces Farley’s arrival. As it coasts to a stop in front of us, Will spins to the doors and waves his arms while trying to shout over the screeching of the brakes to give a signal to not stop. The train grinds to a halt though, and the doors still open to spill more light onto the platform.
Farley unfolds from the chair like a spring let loose. Her hand flies to the gun at her hip, and I spin to face her with my lightning at the same time. Even with my ears ringing from the sound of the brakes engaging, I can hear the click of her turning the safety off as she draws the gun.
“Farley—” I try to shout, but Cal beats me to speaking, his voice a dangerous warning echoing in the tunnel as he glares Farley down.
“Diana, stop.”
He would have gotten the same reaction if he burned her alive. Farley’s eyes widen at the usage of her birthname, and her fingers wavers on the trigger long enough for me to speak.
“He’s with us.” I urge as I drop my hand, but I don’t dismiss the lightning bouncing between my fingers like webbing. It’s my own warning to her. She knows what I can do, and like her, I don’t miss anymore.
Her laugh is unexpected, and I almost jump at the sharp bite of it. She keeps the gun raised, but her fingers slides from the trigger to rest alongside the barrel. It’s the only sign she is still listening to us. “The little prince was right. He’s whispered his way into your head.”
“The only ones whispering into anyone’s heads is Maven and Elara .” Cal speaks quietly, his eyes scanning the track and the platform for any more Scarlet Guard operatives. There are none to be seen though.
Farley tilts her head to the side, her eyes narrowing to diamond colored slits. Her jaw tightens, but she doesn’t pull the trigger or even move her finger in the direction of it.
I expel a slow sigh of relief and take a step forward. I can feel the burn of electricity in the train, screaming like an upset toddler to be released. Gritting my teeth against the heachache forming because of it, I murmur, “you trusted me to get you out of that cell, trust me in this Farley. Hear us out.”
Her eyes moves past my shoulder to Cal who staggers his stance to move in either direction if he has to avoid her bullet. Her jaw ticks, and the electricity reaches an all time high pitch that stands my hairs on end. I haven’t felt anything like it weeks, not since the shield during Queenstrial exploded around me and tried to contain me.
“Make your decision, the Undertrain won’t wait.” I grimace as I reach up to press my fingers to my temple where the ache is strongest. If she notices my use of the train’s name, she doesn’t say anything.
Cal takes a step forward, stealing ground, only for Farley train that gun on him again and rest her finger on the trigger. 
“Not another step, Your Highness.” She squeezes gently, putting enough pressure on that trigger that even the slightest movment on her part will fire the gun. I side step to put myself in front of Cal should she overestimate her abilities, but Cal simply pushes me to the side again.
With quick movements he unclasps the bracelets around his wrists and holds them up to the light for Farley to see. “Incentive,” he murmurs before tossing them in her direction. She lowers the gun to catch them one handed, almost dropping them due to their weight. I inch forward, my hand extended for them in surprise. I trust Cal to make a tactical decision, but he just threw his own tactical advantage five feet away from him.
The metal bands glint dully in the odd florescent lights of the Undertrain, but Farley glances down at them, unimpressed. With a quirked brow she raises the gun again, although its much more hesitant this time.
“I’m nothing without them.” Cal instructs while he sweeps his arms out from his sides as if to accentuate his point. “Keep them until we finish talking if it pleases you. But we do have to talk.”
“I know.” Farley reasons, her eyes narrowing before darting between the two of us. Even if I didn’t know her as well as I do, I could see the distrust and unease in her eyes. I can’t imagine what Maven has told her, but I know that he hasn’t spoken to her since before the Sun Shooting. It is our only advantage right now, that and the fact that Julian and I were the ones to get her and Kilorn out of the cells below the palace. It doesn’t hurt either that by the time we got down to the cells, the king was more concerned with his son almost dying than the rebels trapped in the cell before him. There had been no time for the interrogation that I know almost cost Farley her arm. She got off easy, too easy, because of us.
Whatever battle she is fighting with herself ends, and she steps to the side to let us pass.
(////)
Narcery is more disheveled than I remember. Perhaps it’s because I’ve already seen most of it repaired and turned into a decent city again years from now. Or maybe it’s because I’ve truly forgotten how downtrodden the world was before we began to right it. Either way, it’s hard not to grimace as we slink through the streets toward the café Farley stomps toward.
The Reds in the doorwards gasp and whisper as Cal passes, and I reach down to grip his hand. None of them are New Blood that I know of, but if someone gets it in their head to finish was Farley started, they won’t make it more than two steps.
He gives me a reassuring squeeze as we pass through the crumbling doorway of the café and into the dimly lit space. In his little booth, Kilorn practically almost leaps to his feet, his eyes wide while his hand flies to the gun on his belt.
“Stand down.” Farley orders smoothly, earning a frown from my friend. He doesn’t immediately listen, but his fingers eventually relax and drop back to his side. I release the tension in my shoulders in response. The air in the room shifts with the change in heat and static that Cal and I bring, but the ice in Kilorn’s gaze might as well be tangible too.
“And why haven’t we shot him?” He asks Farley as she drops into the booth.
With a wave of her hand, she dismisses him and glares in our direction. Cal’s bracelets clink against the dusty table as she sets them out in the open. With a tilt of her head, her expression relaxes and the nasty scar cutting through her lip softens. It never ceases to amaze me how young she really was when this all started. We were all still just children, playing games we never should have.
“They want to speak,” she says, her eyes dropping to our entwined hands. “And I have to admit I am curious what excuse Mare will give to explain blowing our entire operation to pieces.”
“We hardly blew it to pieces, you were almost completely successful.” Cal huffs behind me, and I dig my elbow into his side in response. No use pissing off Farley, or enticing her to pull that gun out again. We both know she will too.
Glaring at Cal for his comment, I address the other two sitting in the booth. “Maven gave you Cal’s name, but he was not the original target.”
“No,” Farley agrees, “he wasn’t.”
“It was Ptolemus Samos.” I turn my eyes back to her, and am rewards with a quirked brow, the only sign she is surprised by my knowledge. Kilorn is not as good at hiding his emotions. His brows dart up towards his hair line as he shakes his head in disbelief.
“You missed that meeting, the one where he gave us the original names! He told us that he never told you them... you can’t possibly have known—”
“I know because I’ve already been through that shooting before. You don’t get Ptolemus that time either.” I step forward and leave Cal behind me, safely in the line of my body. If Farley wants to shoot him at any point in time, she’ll have to shoot me first. “The Sun Shooting was a disaster that time, and it was a disaster this time.”
Kilorn blinks at me, confusion sweeping over his face now. Farley is simply more skeptical, and rightfully so. I didn’t exactly explain anything, just created more questions and puzzling conclusions for her.
“What are you getting at Barrow?” She murmurs as her eyes dart to the broken window behind me. I don’t dare look at who might be there. If its Shade, I will never be able to leave these ruins.
“You have to promise to listen to us, to let us explain as quickly as possible.” Cal speaks for me and the heat that rolls off of him washes over me as he steps closer, soothing tense muscles I bunch in preparation to run. His hand presses into my lower back only a second later. “We don’t have much time.”
Farley’s eyes narrow even further as she takes in how we stand next to each other, and how we remain close enough to protect the other at all times. Even if Maven told her that I was slowly teetering toward Cal, our body language suggests a deeper relationship and understanding of each other than could ever be established in a few weeks. Not to mention Cal knew her name, her real name. There’s no way in hell he could have found that out on his own.
“Who are you?” She asks quietly after a moment, earning a worried glance from Kilorn.
My lips curl into a slow smile as I take in her uncertainty. I can’t remember the last time Farley was on the backfoot. She has always been so headstrong and driven, but she reels back now, like a horse seeing a snake under its hooves. “We’ve all met before, and known each other for years.”
“Bullshit.” She says, pushing to her feet and advancing on me. Cal’s fingers curl around my arm to pull me behind him. I stand my ground though and raise my chin as she stand over me.
“How’s your dad? The Colonel? Has that eye healed up yet?” I ask with a quirked brow. Her breathing fluctuates at the mention of him while she stops dead in her tracks. Her eyes dart to Cal as if to assess how much he reacts to my words. He does nothing but glance down at me and drop my arm, catching on to what I’m doing. Farley won’t be bought over with a cute story like what we told Julian and Sara. She will need cold hard evidence, painful evidence if need be.
“It’s kind of cute that you decided your code name would be lamb, since his is ram.” I tilt my head to the side, earning an strangled inhale as she backpaddles. “Even more so given how infuriating he can be for you.”
Her whole face goes red, and tips of her ears tinge pink immediately. Kilorn opens his mouth to say something, thinks better of it, and closes it again. I don’t blame him, the fury in Farley’s eyes is enough to burn me to the ground.
With her lips pressed into a firm line, she presses her shoulders back to stand to her full height. “Are you Command?” She asks stiffly, her eyes roaming over me and settling on Cal when he barks out a dry laugh.
I elbow him again and shoot a glare, but he laughs at my expression. Turning his amusement on Farley, he says, “no. I’m not even on the list of people they would open a position for.”
“We know those in Command though.” I shoot a single spark into Cal’s arm to shut him up, making him snap back and rub the spot.
“I don’t believe you. Its not possible.” Farley growls setting her hand on her gun.
“I would appreciate you not drawing that gun Diana.” Cal warns his amusement dying as fast as my comfort with the situation.
“Who told you my name.”
“I know it from previous experience.”
“Don’t see how that’s possible.” Kilorn grumbles before rising from the booth as well. His eyes dart between the two of us, and as he starts to form his own opinon the curiosity in his eyes bleeds away into brittle resentment.
“Like I said, we’ve known each other for years.” I push past my locked jaw. This is starting to look next to impossible but if we have any hope of saving ourselves from the disaster to come, then we have to get them to listen to us.
“To be more clear, we will know each other for years someday.” I correct my previous statement quietly, letting the words hang in the too heavy air for a few seconds. Farley quirks a brow, realization crossing her features as she starts to put things together. She’s always been quick as a whip, and that works to our advantage.
Right when I think she’s about to say something though, she laughs. Kilorn blinks at her, taking a hesitant step away. I doubt he’s ever heard the sound, but I know it well. It still cracks on the edges the same way it does in the future. Honestly, it always sounds like she never laughs, even though I know for a fact she does that more than anything someday.
“Barrow, I have seen what you can do. And while it turned everything I knew about the world upside down… you cannot expect me to also factor some form of time travel into this whole mess.” She shakes her head, and dismisses me with a wave. Still laughing to herself she sinks down into the booth, and takes to fiddling with Cal’s bracelets. There is a hint of uncertainty behind her eyes though, and I know exactly who and what she is thinking about.
“There are hundreds—thousands like me Farley. You haven’t met all of them yet, but there are abilities far stranger than mine. My brother’s for instance.”
Her expression pulls tight for a heartbeat before she smoothers the emotion. I pull on that line though, and step forward, pointedly ignoring Kilorn who is still gapping like a fish and trying to come to the same conclusion as Farley. “I know he’s alive, and that he’s here with you. He jumps, appearing in different places in seconds. I make lightning. There will be a New Town girl who becomes our friend that can kill you with a thought and silence Silvers in the same way. There are three other Reds just like me in Montfort. There is a girl who can bathe everyone in a bubble of silence so no one outside of it can hear you. Another woman can remember every single thing she reads or that is said to her. Another older woman can change her face to be whoever you need her to be.” My heart squeezes at the memory of all the Ardents I rescued and then sent to their deaths. I promised them safety, security, and then pulled all of that away from them. All because one man told me I had to do it. “Is it so hard to believe then that there is someone years from now who can send people back in time?”
Those diamond eyes snap to me and look me over before Farley’s lips twist into a half sneer. “Your brother is dead Barrow, he was executed for—”
“Farley, please.” I whisper, coming to stand over her. Even sitting she is almost as tall as me, but I channel every ounce of military prowess she tried to teach me as I glare down at her. “If I walk out of this room, I will find him in less than an hour, and you will feel incredibly stupid when I do.”
Her lips pale as she pushes them together, tighter than ever before. Her eyes dance to Cal beyond me again, who has thankfully kept his mouth shut this whole time and has decided to simply sit on the edge of a table to watch us.
“He came with me.” I soften my tone and slowly sink down into the seat opposite her. Her eyes follow me like a rabbit would a wolf. Her fingers are cold when I take them, even with how warm it is in the room. She doesn’t pull away though, and I wonder if somewhere, her future self recognizes my touch. “I need you to trust us. I know how hard that is with everything that has happened, but Farley you have to.”
“Do we win?” She asks the question so quietly, I almost miss it while I’m speaking. Every muscle in body tenses against the truth that wants to escape though. I glance at Cal, wondering if he heard the same thing as me. He simply looks down at his boots, unable to offer any aid.
Swallowing past the rock in my throat, I look down at the table top. It’s dusty and cracked in some places. But it has no answers either. We have already done so much to destroy the path we were supposed to be on, what was one more change? “Yes,” I whisper and her eyes flash bright and wide.
“But we pay may terrible prices for it.” The last part almost doesn’t make it out. Shade’s death tries to claw that statement to ribbons, Archeon burning, and all the people we lost in the Harbor Bay siege and the final Archeon siege weigh heavy against my chest. The silence stretches to the breaking point around us as those memories consume me. I wish I could take back those words, swallow them and refrain from admitting to what I’m sure she suspects. She must read the memories as they pass across my face because her expression softens a hint.
“Its war Barrow,” the Farley I know so well comes to the surface when she switches her grip to grab my hands instead. “I never expected to win for free.”
She narrows her eyes at Cal then, who simply gives her a tight nod she doesn’t return. “I still don’t like you.” She announces a second later. “And I hope I never do.”
“You give me a hard time for years, I promise you that much.” He teases, some of the light returning to his eyes. I crack a weak smile at their banter, even though I ache at the reminder of the future relationship they share. Farley never does let him off the hook, and every chance she has to remind him of his past, she does. I don’t blame her though, she never lets herself get too congenial with anyone.
“We trust him… just like that?” Kilorn tries to burn a hole between Cal’s eyes with his glare. He doesn’t succeed, especially when Cal smirks at him and leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He’s the picture of ease, and I know that drives Kilorn insane.
“Relax Kilorn,” I tease, and then beckon Cal over to me. “He knows that if he steps out of line I won’t hesitate to put him back in his place.”
Farley glances between the two of us before saying, “So the second prince wasn’t lying. You two are…”
“In this together.” Cal finishes for her. His eyes narrow at what Maven might have inferred even as he looks down at me for confirmation.
“We don’t have time to get into details,” I add, making room for him in the booth as I lean forward to start drawing a map of Archeon in the dust on the table. “Maven and his mother know what we know. Which means they have been pulling the strings and trying to sabotage any advantage we have. They will not hesitate to wipe the Scarlet Guard off the map this time around.”
“I don’t understand.” Kilorn grumbles and crosses his arms tightly across his chest. “I thought we trusted that prince?”
“Maven is the one we have to worry about.” I finish drawing the bridge and narrow my eyes at the crude drawing. “He was always going to betray us.”
“How?” Farley sneers, obviously not happy with me inferring that she made a mistake in judgement. Maven was her recruit after all. “He’s given us names, information.”
“All fed to him by his mother, who is counting on us tomorrow night staging a coup and failing so that she can murder the king and remove you and any true Scarlet Guard opposition.” I murmur and watch as Farley’s fury melts into horrible understanding. My stomach drops but Cal speaks before I can.
“He’s already spoken with you and made the plan.” His voice is cold, even while the space around us starts to burn with the heat he releases. My own lightning wants to be unleashed as well. It takes more effort than I like to reign it in. I was wrong. He did speak with her, about more than just me and Cal. 
“He said Barrow would try to come to me and change my mind, that I had to know she was in collusion with you and planned to stand by your side when the time came. That she would ultimately betray me.” Farley breathes, her eyes widening. “He said that the coup was the only way we would win, remove you two in one swoop.”
“He and Elara were counting you believing him wholly and me not bringing Cal.” I growl, and swipe my hand through the map on the table to erase it. The plan is useless at this point. Maven already took it and molded it to his needs. I should have never spoken to him on the barge, maybe I should have just continued to pretend I was some stupid girl that didn’t know how to play the game. I may have destroyed any hope we had of beating him and Elara now.
“They also aren’t counting on us having any other plan. Or my support.” Cal murmurs before drawing his own map in the dirt. The angle is far different from what I drew. “They don’t know that I know the future or that I am with you all. They think Mare is the only one.” His finger moves through the dust and Kilorn finally edges closer to see what he draws.
“So we play into their hands.” He murmurs as he glances at me for my support.
“What?” I wheeze as I watch him draw the same offensive we instigated last time. “Cal, if we do that—”
“Then it all goes the way it did before, with the added benefit that when you get captured this time, we can stop Elara. We know what’s coming and we can plan for it.” Cal finishes drawing his map before drawing a second more detailed map of the Whitefire next to it. “This time, we won’t be alone in that room.”
I struggle to keep up with his thought process, trying to determine exactly how he plans to make this work. The only way Farley and the other Scarlet Guard members will make it into that room is in shackles like me. Elara will slaughter us all like pigs then. 
“The tunnels run under Whitefire right?” He asks Farley who hesitates for a second before nodding tersely. He etches a few makeshifts ones into the picture and then sits back to say, “when I take Mare captive for treason, you and a small unit will move through the tunnels and get to the throne room. From there, you wait for a signal Mare and I will give. When that happens, we take Elara and Maven.”
“Bold.” Farley murmurs as she glances over the plan. “And suicidal. We’ll never make it in.”
“You will if I don’t station anyone at a specific entrance. Name it, and I will keep the regiments away from it.” Cal waves his hand over the picture and glances forlornly in my direction. “If it fails, we still go to the Bowl of Bones, but this time we’ll know what to expect.”
My heart pounds in my chest as the memory of the too thin sand shifting beneath my feet almost overtakes me. Even though it is years behind me and days ahead of me, the heat of Cal’s fire trying to catch on the sand still burns my cheeks and my stomach twists at the echoing sound of the bar punching through Arven’s chest.
“In the meantime, you need to evacuate Tuck.” I whisper forcing the bile down as I look up at Farley. She blanches at the command, but I narrow my eyes to silence her. “Elara has seen in my mind. She knows about Tuck, she knows about a number of other Scarlet Guard strongholds like Narcery too. Did you not find it strange that Maven was not afraid to travel to a supposed heavily radiated place?”
She opens her mouth to argue with me, only to shut it like a trap and narrow her eyes. The thought never occurred to her, and I understand why. He probably got on the Undertrain and immediately started spilling honey and poison in her ear until she couldn’t even hear herself think. I can’t blame her for anything, he did the same to me, and I lapped at it like a starving child.
“Where will we go?” Kilorn whispers anxiously, his eyes darting to the street outside, as if a regiment might come marching down it right now. I don’t blame him. My friend is brave, always has been and always will be, but a Silver regiment is no laughing matter to him yet.
Cal stiffens next to me and says, “Irabella is the only safe haven. Mare was never there, but I was.”
“Why—”
“I doesn’t matter.” I interrupt Kilorn, and lean forward to speak again. “You just have to trust us. Tell the Colonel you have reason to believe Tuck and a number of other bases have been compromised. That an informate you have high up in the palace you trust explicitly told you that. The Notch is not safe either.”
Farley’s eyes widen, and it is then I realize that the mention of that safe haven is what finally secures her trust. The Notch was her hiding hole. Not one her father came up with. Command might not have even known about it. If what Cal and I said was true, and we were her allies in the future, she may have taken us there at some point. I wish I would have been smart enough to start with the mention of it. We could have saved time.
“And you need to start finding the others like me.” I whisper, as I pull the book out of my jacket pocket and set it on the table. The cover gleams against the dusty surface of the table, and I almost can’t pull my fingers off of it. The fates of so many reside inside of it. Cameron’s furious expression flashes through my mind as I ordered her taken onto the Blackrun. I will not force her into anything this time though. I only hope I don’t have to rescue her from a prison though.
I slide the book to Farley and trail my fingers off the cover as I whisper, “Maven and Elara might already be on the hunt for the Ardents in here, but I circled the names of the people that we rescued together. He will target them first if he is going after them, so you have to beat him to it.”
She picks up the book gingerly before looking between us and saying, “you mentioned the Bowl of Bones.”
Cal smiles wearily but leans back with the poise of a general to say, “we won’t have to worry about it. We’re going to avoid that point all together.”
Farley’s fears are not soothed by Cal’s confidence, and I can almost see the spikes she wants to drive through his eyes. At least she nods though, agreeing with him for the time being. I can’t even begin to express the relief that courses through me as she puts the book in her own pocket and nods once more.
“Then we will go with your signal.”
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willwriteforhugs · 4 years ago
Text
the boy in the bookstore (part three)
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in which you meet a suspiciously handsome boy in your favorite bookstore- but are not cultured enough to know his true identity.
part one
part two
ateez scenario
yeosang x (fem) reader
word count: 1.6k
g: fluff, angst if you’re a sensitive bitch
warnings: intrusive thoughts, alcohol, & heavy drinking (please drink responsibly lol)
a/n: parts one and two of this fic are linked at the top of this post. when the whole fic is completed, i plan on posting it in it’s entirety. happy reading!
- allison
part three
over the next few weeks, you and yeosang continue to talk. nothing too serious- just occasional texting and one (1) trip to the bookshop. you can tell he's much busier than he lets on, because he takes ages to answer your messages. at first this stressed you out, but now you suspect it's just his day job keeping him occupied. today, you shoot him a quick text before you leave for class. (7 am lecture. what the hell.)
you: hey, wanna get together this week? it's occurred to me that you're basically my only friend in this fucking city lol
you: and i should probably get out
you: i heard it's good for the soul
you cringe internally. why would you let yourself ramble like that? besides, you don't even like him romantically, don't make him think you do. ugh. maybe stop overthinking, y/n.
you force the embarrassing text messages out of your mind, leaving your small apartment before you can consider just skipping the lecture.
- - - 
as you walk along campus, (post-lecture, thank god) you feel your cell phone buzz in your pocket. you pull it out to check your messages. when you see yeosang's name, your heart skips a beat.
yeosang: good for the soul, huh? where the hell did you hear that
you: idk can't u just let me rant
you hesitate sending that message. you find it odd that you can have such a casual conversation with someone like yeosang. besides, you'd only known him less than a month. how was he so easy for you to talk to?
yeosang: lol okay
yeosang: but yes i'd like to go out but i'm only free tomorrow, does that work?
you: that works fine yea
yeosang: what were you wanting to do..?
you falter again. you had no idea... you hadn't really gotten that far in planning.
you: honestly idrk??
yeosang: well
yeosang: how about we just go get a drink or something
you: like alcohol?
yeosang: yes????
you can't help but giggle. how did he send so much attitude through a text? you let the conversation taper off naturally, and the two of you agree to go get drinks tomorrow evening. yeosang knows a place, apparently.
you set down your phone and sigh.
a beat passes, and suddenly it hits you. was this a date? had you just accidentally asked yeosang on a date??? you curse out loud. does he think it's a date? but he said yes, so he couldn't possibly-
you force yourself to stop thinking. you know that if you don't snuff those thoughts now, you probably wouldn't be able to go tomorrow. dammit, y/n.
deep breath in.
deep breath out.
he's just a friend.
- - - 
you narrow your eyes as you glare at your reflection in the mirror. nope, this top does not look cute on you. why did you ever think it had? you walk back to your closet and dig through the mess of clothes you've created. you've spent the last 30 minutes trying on outfits, unsure on what to wear. you desperately wish you had some girlfriends to help you out- but the closest you have are your coworkers, and you aren't really friends with any of them.
10 more minutes pass, and when you glance at the clock, your heart almost stops. shit. you're gonna be late. you turn in a desperate circle, and finally just shove on a dark green sweater, leftover from last christmas. on top of your loose jeans, you look slightly ragged, but you don't have time to think. you grab your bag and leave the apartment in a rush.
the heels of your boots click as you walk along the road. it's only seven, but the sun has already set, and the streets are relatively quiet.
it only takes you a few minutes to arrive at the address yeosang had sent you. you come to a halt, staring up at the building in front of you. it looks busy, and you can hear the sound of many conversations happening inside.
"y/n-ssi!"
you turn at the sound of your name. yeosang is standing under the awning of the building, wearing ripped jeans and a lazy button up shirt. your heart flutters at the sight of him.
"oh, hey," you manage, walking over to meet him. he nods at you and opens his mouth, about to say something, but he hesitates. after a moment, he says: "you look nice."
heat crawls up your neck, and you look at the ground. "oh. thank you." you glance back up, your eyes flickering to the exposed skin of his collarbone. "you look good too."
you hear his breath catch. another moment passes, and he looks up again. "let's go inside?" he asks.
the two of you make your way into the bar, searching for a table. you manage to spot one at the back of the room. it's a two person table, and it's perfect. you sit down awkwardly, face still flushed. you feel so stupid. this is practically a date. why would he agree to it? you wish you were already drunk.
yeosang sits across from you, and asks what you want to drink. you tell him soju is fine, and he stands up, beginning to walk away.
"wait, hold on! take my card." you say, holding it out to him.
he shakes his head. "no, it's fine. this one's on me."
you begin to protest, but he reaches out and grabs your hand, placing it back on the table. before you can say anything, he walks away, pulling out his own wallet.
you feel like stone. on the table, your hand burns as a result of his touch. you shove your face into your hands.
you don't like him. you don't like him. you don't like him. you don't like-
yeosang's return rips you from your thoughts. he sets three beers on the table, and takes his seat. you look up at him, not sure if you'll be able to survive the night.
"are you okay?" he asks, sounding genuinely concerned. "you seem kind of upset."
you let out a high-pitched giggle, and reach for one of the beers. "oh, i'm fine. totally fine." you grunt, trying to open the bottle. the cap wouldn't budge. you try again, and when that doesn't work, you bring the bottle to your teeth.
yeosang reaches over and snatches the bottle from you. "you're so weird," he mumbles, opening the bottle on the first try. you make a face, and take the drink back, taking a long sip. he cocks an eyebrow, and reaches to open his own.
you guzzle your drink, grateful for the distraction. maybe too grateful, though, because after a moment, you choke on your drink. sputtering, you laugh a little. you glance up at yeosang, and he’s smiling, too. you imagine you probably look stupid as hell, but his eyes sparkle. suddenly, he moves his hand up to your face, brushing his thumb across your bottom lip. 
“got a bit of soju there,” he mumbles, but his hand hovers. 
your face burns, and his does too. but neither of you look away. 
you lean forward slightly, suddenly yearning to close the gap between your open mouths. 
he looks down, leaning back in his chair. the connection breaks.
what the hell? you think. had you just wanted to kiss yeosang? you must be tipsier than you’d thought...
as the night continues, the two of you manage to keep a light conversation going, in between the drinks. twenty minutes pass, and you've already finished two beers. you stand up, ready to order more, but yeosang grabs your wrist. "hey, maybe you should slow down."
you shake your head. all you want is to be drunk right now. your random almost-kiss had your brain in overdrive. everything is stressing you out, and if you don't get drunk soon, you might lose your mind. being around yeosang was too much. you wanted to leave, but you wanted to be with him. you wanted for him to go, but you wanted to see him. you wanted him to stay away, but you wanted to touch him. what was going on? what were these feelings?
your counterpart sighs and raises his hand at the bartender, gesturing for another round.
 - - - 
thirty more minutes pass, and you're now three and a half sojus in, officially drunk. your thoughts spin and the ground tilts, but at least your breathing has evened out. you look up from the grain of the table, and find yeosang staring at you, a crease between his eyebrows.
"what?" you ask.
his gaze just hardens.
you like him you like him, no you DON'T you like him you like him you like him
"i didn't think you were gonna get plastered."
you plop your face onto the table, and he cringes. "well, i am. plastered, that is." you mumble against the wood. 
"mm-hmm. maybe we should go home."
you begin to argue, but yeosang has already gotten up, and is lifting you out of your seat. your whole body flushes with heat.
don't touch me. touch me. kiss me. go away.
he slings your arm around his shoulder and begins to lead you out. you can't help but notice how nice his body feels against yours. you can feel his toned muscles beneath his thin shirt.
on the street, yeosang turns to look at you. "i don't know where you live." he says, more to himself than to you.
you hum, not quite understanding his predicament. you want to sleep. suddenly, a thought occurred to you. "oh, yeosang-yah!"
he starts and turns back to you. "what?"
you force yourself off of him, stumbling towards a bench. he lurches for you, catching you around the waist. "what on earth are you doing?"
"i forgot to tell you." you mumble, lazily trying to push his hands off of you. "i can't handle my alcohol." and that's the last thing you manage before the world goes completely dark.
edit: part four is up now. thank you for reading!
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indigobackfire · 3 years ago
Note
26 and 30 for aspen and Diego!! -thimblerigshuffle
Thanks @thimblerigshuffle <3 <3
30) Who is embarrassed when they have to wear their glasses and who thinks they look super cute?
Aspen would definitely be embarrassed because she most certainly spent several years mocking Indigo and her glasses lovingly ofc. But then Diego would be all loving brushing her hair behind her ear, going "What's the shame in wanting to see the world clearer?" "Don't worry, we'll still be kissing eyes closed."
26) Who kissed first?
Aspen kissed Diego first. Given this opportunity, I'll try and write it 🙈 (damn is longer than I intended oops) (takes place in y6 during winter).
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“Blimey, it’s dreich out here! Is this really a good idea?” Aspen asks.
Diego marches through the crisp cold air of the training grounds with confidence and excitement as if he was under the spring sun, not even his thick sweaters seemed to limit his movement. Aspen on the other hand kept her steps short on the sheet of snow and herself retracted under her two layers of sweatshirts and her chunkiest Slytherin scarf.
“Have I ever had a bad idea? Don’t answer.”
“Ya ken we can use the dueling club room.”
“It’s occupied.”
“Ugh! What about the Dragon Club?”
“They don’t appreciate my dueling very much over there since Indigo and I smashed the place. We apologized, fixed the mess up, but they’re not the most forgiving kind, unfortunately.” He turns around and holds a stance, signaling for her to stay in place, about three meters apart. “Besides, I want to duel you here!”
“But why!? It’s like two degrees right now!”
“You think a dark wizard would invite you in for a fight? ‘Oh, please, the weather is dreadful, let’s move this inside.’ I want you to get used to dueling under adverse circumstances. And with that attitude, I can’t help but wonder, are you even a Scotswoman?”
“Wow, now you—” She unwraps her scarf letting it loose around her neck, if he hadn’t such a pretty face she would’ve walked straight to him and shoved her wand in his eye. “Now you’ve offended my honour!”
“Ready your wand then!”
But Aspen wasn’t prepared, he shoots an Incendio that misses her for a hair’s distance.
“Diego!”
He smirks opening his arms. “Thought you might want a little heat.”
She shouts an Immobulus his way, but he ducks and sends an Expelliarmus making her wand fly over her head, falling behind her. Now, if she could stop and focus on something instead of her numb fingers or how her nose felt like it was about to fall off, she would’ve remembered his lesson on how to act in case a wand was lost, but her mind was still reacting to her body and instead of lowering to the ground, she tries to go after it on foot… on a straight line. He only gives her the time to pick her wand up before shouting, “Stupefy!”
She falls hard on her back and is left too embarrassed and angry to even get up. He walks to her. “What have I told you about turning your back to your opponent, Aspenita?”
“Is the duellers worst sin.”
“I even gave you a leeway, in a serious duel you wouldn’t even have time to process where the spell came from, you would be dead or worse.”
“Or worse…” She sits up. “Ah, great, my trousers are soaked! And my hair full of grass.”
“That’s what you get for not paying attention.”
She rolls her eyes. “Oh, ugh—”
He furrows. “What’s wrong?”
“Uh, I think... ah, could ye…” And as he gets nearer, she pulls him by the ankle dropping him to the ground on his stomach. She’s cackling. “A new dueling rule for your playbook, Dieguito!”
He makes a both perplexed and impressed face to her, and as he kneels to try and advance towards her, she throws herself over him to get him back down, and with the weight of her torso, holding his arms back by his wrists, manages to keep him down.
“Does the snow feel good?” She says between teeth, pressing him down on the icy grass with her own body.
He struggles to free his wrists from her grip. “When did you get that strong?”
“Barnaby’s my best friend… or was, ah dinnae ken. I might’ve lost a couple of brain cells, but at least I put on some muscle. By seventh year I’ll be just as ripped.”
“Has Indigo and him… resolved their issues? Whatever they are.”
Aspen crosses her fingers and rests her chin on his chest, she can feel his heartbeat under her hands. “He refuses to tell me what’s wrong and she’s out acting like everything’s fine when it’s not. So no, they haven’t resolved a thing.”
“Barnaby still shows up for our fortnightly training but he’s usually quiet. Very strange for Barnaby, but on the other side, he’s never had a better performance before.”
“It breaks my heart to see them apart…If there was a pair that made me believe in true love, it was them.”
“Then there’s Phoenix and Ismelda—”
She holds his face. “Now, you stop. It’s frustrating enough the stuff with Indie and Barney, and now there’s also those two idiots—”
He holds her hands away from his face. “Ugh, your hands feel like ice needles!”
“And how are yours warm!? Bastard!”
He laughs making his chest vibrate against hers. “I’m always pipping hot, dear.”
“Blergh!”
Still holding her hands, he nears it to his mouth and blows hot breaths on them, her eyes focused on the plump of his lips, all the while her stomach flutters with snowflake-like butterflies. “And what about you?”
She blinks. “What about me?”
“Your relative’s hearts are breaking like glass, but how’s yours?”
She swallows hard. “You really asking me this? Seriously?”
He holds her hands against his lips, his voice comes as if a whisper. “I wanna know if I still hold possession of your heart.”
She drops her head to his chest. “I don’t wanna give you something you can’t hold… but it’s not like you don’t already have it.”
“Indigo asked patience of me and I’m attending to her request cause I too want what’s best for you. I’m still earning her trust in this regard. You’re too young and I might’ve not given the best examples in the past.”
“Too young my arse! You’re barely two years older.” She scoops up until they’re nose to nose, and the air in Diego’s lungs feels rarer. “I’m no bairn, Diego, I ken I want to be with ye, why isn’t that enough?”
“I love you too much to screw this up with haste.”
She opens up a smile with joy blossoming in her chest. “You… you love me?”
“Why you think I haven’t even looked the way of another girl? I’ll wait for you, the time I have to wait. Because there’ll come a time it won’t be an option to wait, we both know that.”
At the same time the weight of the world left her shoulders, a hot burden grew in her chest — laying as they were, even encapsulated in freezing air and with soaked bottoms, she couldn’t stop her blushing cheeks, the redness spreading to her whole face, speechless, leaving Diego to wonder if she was okay.
But before he could ask, she presses her lips against his and he doesn’t feel like breathing anymore or existing beyond the encounter of their mouths. He takes her scarf in handfuls and opens his mouth for her tongue, mindless about her still freezing hands on his neck. The kiss isn’t sloppy but is desperate, considering how long their wait had been, every second of it had to be made up for in this right moment.
It’s her to pull away first with burning lungs while he fishes for another and another feel of her lips — she still had a lot to learn about kissing with passion and he’d be more than willing to teach her. She stops for a moment to admire the redness her kiss left on his lips and smirks.
“You might be patient, but I’m sorry, I couldn’t wait to do this.”
He runs his thumb over her lips, tracing her skin discolorations. “Who am I to deny you of your wishes?” His stare makes her feel as if she won’t ever be as solid as she is under his eyes. “Aspen, you have me, my kisses and my victories and my dreams and all my love. I’m all yours.”
She gives him another soft kiss. “And I’m no different.”
He smiles. “And I don’t wanna ruin our moment, but I’ll get a frostbite on my buttcheeks if I don’t get up now.”
“Oh, sorry, love.” She releases him and helps him up. She looks around the training grounds, empty unless for the training dummies on the corner white with frost. She chuckles. “Damn, we didn’t duel at all.”
“I’ll make an exception just today, cause I feel like my ass is about to fall off and because I won’t be able to stupefy this pretty face. For today.”
She wraps an arm around his waist as they make their way back inside. “Perhaps I better find myself a new dueling partner…”
He looks down at her with a smile. “Never.”
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kammieceleek · 3 years ago
Text
Cat's Bride Chapter 2
https://archiveofourown.org/works/32313736/chapters/80148451
***
Two days.
It had been two days since Tohru woke up in the world of Zodiac Lover, and she was still trying to adjust. Hamasaki, the head maid of Dog's House, was firm in running a tight ship. This meant that Tohru and the other two maids of the house, Arisa and Saki, had to keep everything cleaned and ready for guests at any moment. Tohru had yet to meet any of the characters from the game that she remembered, but she chalked that up to the fact that she wasn't the player character. The player character was the one meant to meet and befriend these characters.
Last time I checked, I barely even qualify as a background character. I'm just an extra set dressing to make the house feel more alive.
Today, in particular, she'd been assigned to clean the hallway near where their guest was staying. Hamasaki had assigned it to her because of how well she'd been doing the past couple days. Tohru had accepted the assignment without hesitation, knowing that a refusal wouldn't make sense.
She wondered what the prince character was really like. All she knew about him was that he was handsome and sensitive and things like that. He was supposedly the best character in the game, though she'd heard debates on the matter.
I'll just lay low until I figure out what that voice meant by 'save him'.
She was so focused on her own thoughts that she didn't notice a loose floorboard and tripped over it, the bucket of soapy water flying out of her hands as she fell forward. Before she hit the ground, a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her to an upright position.
"Are you all right?" asked her rescuer. She blinked in surprise.
No way.
This was Yuki, the prince of the game. The one all the girls in her class had been utterly obsessed with. His hair was a silvery gray, his eyes a matching shade and his face delicate. Feminine. She could definitely see the appeal… and he'd just kept her from hitting the floor.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" she blurted, yanking her arm away. "I should've been watching where my feet were going! I'm sorry to have bothered you!"
"I'm not bothered at all." His eyes went to the loose floorboard. "That should be fixed before someone gets seriously hurt."
"Yes, I'll be sure to let Miss Hamasaki know." Tohru bowed politely. "Thank you for helping me. I should clean up this mess."
She went to run back down the hallway.
"Wait." She turned to face him. "What's your name?"
"Tohru. Tohru Honda."
"Well, Miss Honda, it's a pleasure to meet you."
"The same to you." She bowed again and took off to go get supplies to clean up the bucket of soapy water that had soaked the floor before it set in.
Oh my gosh, that was so embarrassing! I hope he doesn't tell Miss Hamasaki what happened.
She managed to find a mop and rushed back to the hallway, taking care to avoid the loose floorboard that had tripped her up as she began to soak up the water. Oh, she'd definitely have to get that floorboard fixed before someone else tripped on it. And of course she'd been the one to trip over it, given how clumsy she tended to be.
"Do you need some help?" asked a voice. She looked up to see Yuki standing over her and she yelped in surprise, nearly throwing the soaked rag into the air.
"Oh, no, of course not! This is my job! I can't possibly make you do this kind of work!"
"I want to help you," he told her, crouching beside her and taking another dry cloth to the puddle.
"I-I mean, if you want to, I won't stop you. B-but this really is my job."
"If Miss Hamasaki makes things difficult for you, let me know. I'll be sure to set the record straight."
He gave her what she could only internally describe as a princely smile.
I definitely see the appeal of someone like him!
Yuki let out a sigh as he arrived in the dining room.
"What's wrong?" Shigure asked, looking up from the papers he was rifling through.
"Nothing. Just…"
He thought back to the maid who'd apologized so profusely and tried to deny him helping her.
"People are strange."
"Which people?"
"That maid. Miss Honda."
Shigure set down the papers and smirked. Yuki caught the meaning immediately and rolled his eyes in response.
"Not in that way. She's just… not like any of the other maids I've ever met here at the estate."
"I picked her because she was a hard worker. And she's so adorable!"
"Please don't."
"Um… excuse me?"
They both looked up to see Tohru standing in the doorway carrying a tray of food.
"Your dinner," she stated, setting it down.
"Thank you, Miss Honda," Yuki told her.
"It was my pleasure." She smiled in such a warm way that Yuki hadn't seen on another person's face for a long time. Shigure took notice.
"Miss Honda, thank you for all your hard work."
"I-it's not just me!" she insisted. "I-I mean, there's Uo-chan and Hana-chan and Miss Hamasaki, too!"
"Ah, but none of them are quite as adorable as you are."
Tohru's face turned pink and Yuki let out a frustrated groan.
"Please, Miss Honda, you may return to your duties," he insisted. "Do it now, before this gets worse."
"Y-yes, sir." She bowed and dashed out of the room. Shigure pouted at his younger cousin.
"Come on, Yuki, why'd you have to spoil my fun?"
"Because she's my age, you idiot. You shouldn't be flirting with girls my age."
"I wasn't flirting. I was simply stating the obvious. Are you saying you don't find Miss Honda adorable?"
Yuki choked on the tea he'd started sipping.
"That's not the point!"
"I think it is."
The younger Soma let out a sigh and turned his attention to the food. He had overheard Miss Hamasaki telling Tohru it was her job to cook, so all of this had been done by her. He'd noticed it had a tendency to be better some days than on others, and he wondered if those days were Tohru's doing.
One bite all but confirmed his suspicions.
As night fell, Tohru found it difficult to sleep.
She slid out of bed and quietly walked out of the house, feeling a need to walk around. Maybe that would help her feel tired enough to drift off. Plus, she'd spent most of her time in the house since she'd been here. This was her chance to explore a bit without anyone stopping her.
As she walked, she took notice of landmarks so she wouldn't get lost. She wondered how many Somas lived around the estate, and where the rest of the ones who were routes in the game were. She didn't know much about the others due to them not being quite as popular with the people around her as Yuki and Shigure.
Before too long, she'd wandered down a trail and found a small building. It looked like some kind of dilapidated cottage, and like it should've been locked. But it wasn't. The lock had snapped off. Part of her was begging to go back to the house, but another part was saying to open the door and go in. She listened to the latter.
It opened with a quiet creak and revealed a set of stairs leading to a dimly-lit dungeon of some kind. She descended the stairs, taking in her surroundings until she saw there was only one cell in the prison. It was more of a cage, about the same size as her bedroom in her previous life (that is to say, not very big), and at first glance it appeared to be empty.
She nearly slipped on the bottom step and yelped, catching herself on the railing. Quickly she clapped a hand over her mouth. But then she saw someone stirring in the cage. They'd sat upright upon hearing her yelp.
"Who's there?" called a young man's voice. He had a tinge of panic to his tone. "What are you doing here?"
"I-I'm sorry!" she squeaked. "I didn't mean to disturb you!"
The person in the cage turned to face her and she grabbed a lamp off the wall, holding it up to see that it was a young man about her age. His hair was a coppery-orange, his eyes a dull amber. Like he'd lost his will to live and fight while inside the cage. He was also incredibly handsome. Tohru felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of him, and he stared at her. A bit of light came back into those eyes before he tore his gaze away.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm… Tohru Honda. Who are you?"
He curled into a ball, refusing to look at her. The broken way he sat made her heart hurt.
"You have to have a name. What am I going to call you?"
"…Monster."
"Y-your name is Monster?"
"No. But it's what everyone calls me."
She racked her brain, trying to remember if there had been any character like that in the game. None came to mind, but this was still confusing. Why was he called that? He didn't seem like a monster.
"I don't think I will. Doesn't anyone call you your actual name?"
"…someone used to. But he isn't allowed to see me anymore." He glanced up. "Does anyone know you're down here?"
"Not… really? I couldn't sleep so I went for a walk and I found this place."
He blinked.
"You… randomly found the Cat's Room?"
"The Cat's Room?" She tilted her head.
"Never mind."
"Well, I'll come see you again sometime, if that's okay."
"I don't care if you do. Do what you want."
"All right, then. I'll see you soon." She turned to leave.
"…Kyo."
"Hm?" She turned to face him and he was avoiding her gaze.
"My real name. It's Kyo Soma."
"All right then… Kyo."
She put the lamp back and walked up the stairs carefully, closing the door and rushing back the way she'd came. It didn't take long for her to reach the house again—the Dog's House, as Hamasaki had called it—and she found her way up to her bed. She should've found it harder to sleep after something like that, but she closed her eyes and drifted off soon enough.
"Tohru."
A woman with orange hair stood before her, a woman Tohru knew all too well.
"Mom? Is that you?"
Kyoko Honda was wearing clothes that Tohru had never seen her in before—clothing that seemed to be from the same era Tohru was currently in. Her mother approached with a smile and Tohru ran towards her, throwing her arms around the woman who'd been dead for so long.
"My baby girl. You've gotten so much older…"
"Is Dad here, too?"
"Not yet. It's just me."
Tohru's eyes went over her mother's hair. Suddenly she thought of Kyo in the Cat's Room, his hair being the same shade.
"He needs you, you know."
"Who?"
"You'll know. If I tell you, it won't happen right."
"It's Kyo, right? He needs me because he's locked up?"
"…yes. It's him. And not just because he's locked up."
"Do you know why I was brought here? Instead of dying?"
"Dying?" Kyoko's eyes widened.
"I was hit by a car. Then I woke up here. I'm not unhappy being here instead of…"
Kyoko stroked her hair gently.
"My sweet girl… you've been through so much."
"And it's about to get worse."
There was another person there now, a woman with shoulder-length reddish-brown hair. Her voice was familiar, just clearer and brighter than Tohru remembered. This was the person who'd talked to her before.
"Tohru Honda." The woman nodded. "I chose you for a reason."
"Why? Can you explain any of it?"
"I will. Once things play out as they're meant to, I'll explain everything in the waking world. You won't see me until then."
"W-wait!"
Tohru gasped as she sat up in bed. Arisa had been prodding her.
"You were talking in your sleep," the blonde told her bluntly. "Everything okay?"
"Y-yeah, I'm fine. Thanks, Uo-chan." She gasped again, panicking as she threw off the covers. "Oh my gosh, am I late?"
"No, you're fine. If anything, you're up early. You woke me up with your muttering."
"I'm so sorry…"
"Eh, had to get up sooner or later. I can't be mad at you." She glanced at Tohru's nightclothes. "Did you go for a walk or something? Your dress is all muddy."
"Yeah, I had trouble sleeping."
"Just be careful where you go, okay? Hamasaki told me there's a few places you don't want to wander into by accident. Like this weird little cottage that's way out of the way—it's dangerous."
Tohru swallowed. She didn't dare tell Arisa about Kyo, or that she'd gone to the cottage.
Kyo needed her.
And she'd find out why as soon as she helped him.
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klbwriting · 4 years ago
Text
The Sparrow and The Rogue - Part 1
Fandom: The Umbrella Academy
Pairing: Ben Hargreeves/ female!Reader
Warnings: some fighting, a touch of fat-shaming
Summary: The Umbrella siblings arrive back in 2019 to discover that Ben has no idea who they are, their dad wants them all dead, and they are once again in way over their heads
Notes: I’M AT IT AGAIN.  Another series because I’m a glutton for punishment and I can’t resist my love for Ben Hargreeves.  A few actual notes now.  Note 1: In this I refer to Ben as Number One because I feel that is who he seems to be in the Sparrow Academy and also once Reginald learned of the others I don’t think he would allow personal names ever again.  Note 2:  I have named the reader in this as Number Eight because I feel its ambiguous that you can infer yourself as a reader into the shoes of someone just called a number.  Note 3: I am really trying to portray the characters well so I hope you enjoy!  Please like, reblog, but most of all COMMENT send asks about it or just reply with something or use fun tags.  Thank you!
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Klaus couldn't process what he was seeing.  Ben, his brother, his dead compadre, the one person who was always there for him (except when he was on something, and that one time he just abandoned him in a bar), was right there in front of him with a bad boyband haircut and hate in his eyes.  It was a scene that was both tragic and beautiful for Klaus.  Vanya felt similar feelings rise in her.  Ben had been the one to truly save the world, had been the kindest of her siblings when they were kids, the one who seemed to actually love her and here he was looking at her like he wanted to unleash the horror on her right in the living room that she used to call home.  Diego recalled easily how Ben when he was possessing Klaus had hugged him so tight and he had felt the love he missed from his baby brother, but now he had the distinct feeling that Ben would take him out without a second thought.  None of the other four had had any moments with Ben recently but they were feeling similar things, happiness at the fact that he was alive, but confusion over how different he seemed.  Klaus finally opened his mouth to say something when Reginald stepped in.
"These are the morons I told you about Number One, they have come to usurp your group, they are what I have trained you for," he said.  The Umbrella siblings turned to face their father, faces a mix of rage and hurt.  Ben frowned looking at the motley group in front of him.  "Well Number One?  Lead your team against these frauds."  He was conflicted, he had rarely attacked anyone who didn't deserve it and he didn't really know what these guys did to deserve the wraith of his father, but before he would make a move the front door of the academy burst open, shattering to the ground as several figures entered the room.  Leading them was a familiar face.
"You dummies going to just stand there?" Lila asked as she entered the room ready for a fight.  The Umbrella siblings looked back to the Sparrow siblings to see them now all around Ben, masks on, and ready for attack.  Surprisingly however, none of them looked anything like the Umbrella siblings, they were all completely different, except for Ben.  
"What are you waiting for Number One? ATTACK!" Reginald yelled. 
  "Shut up dad," a girl standing beside Lila snarked to Reginald.  He glared back at her.
"I see you've grown yet again Number Eight, getting bigger by the day," he snarked back.  She snarled at him.  
"O come on, fat-shaming?  That's a little much," Klaus said.  Then he caught sight of Lila's expression.  "O right, escaping."  He followed his siblings and the two women out as the others with them were left behind to fight with the Sparrow siblings.  They got a few blocks away before stopping for breath.  
"Number Eight?" Five finally spat out at the unknown woman.  She shrugged. "I was Number Eight for five years before Lila here came along and sprung me," she explained.  Diego looked confused.
"You look exactly the same as you did in the 60's how is that possible if you raised another peron?" he asked.  Lila smirked.
"A lady never reveals her secrets.  O I missed you love," she answered, gripping Diego's face in her hand.  He rolled his eyes but didn't pull away.  He missed her too if he was being honest even though she had tried to kill him, a few times.  "Now I see you have met your new counterparts."
"Why is Ben leader?" Luther asked.  The rest of the siblings looked at him as if to say 'what the fuck dude?'  He held up his hands shrugging. 
"Because Ben as you call him is the strongest in that crop, at least in terms of powers, channeling a being of destruction in your abs can get you a lot if you try," Eight responded.  "But he can be sympathetic and good most of the time."  She reddened some at the confused looks on the siblings faces.
"You'll have to forgive sweet little Eight here, she has a bit of crush on Number One there," Lila said, putting an arm around Eight that the woman immediately shrugged off in annoyance.  "Anyway, now that you've returned to the present I should catch you up shouldn't I?  Come on, to our little hideout, the others should be getting there by now since our little distraction and extraction worked."  She turned without getting a response and headed down a flight of stairs that had construction blocks in front of it, disappearing underground with Eight following her.  The others looked at each other and one by one they followed the women into the ground.
---------------------
Number One found himself wondering several things after the scuffle had ended.  One, why had his father spent so much time talking up this group of siblings like they were evil incarnate?  He didn't see any sign of anger or threat from any of them.  Two, why did Eight always have to show up with Lila?  It drove him crazy to see her, especially now after their last one on one fight that didn't exactly end with a normal take down unless Lila was teaching unexpectedly kissing as a new technique.  And three, where the hell had they gotten the name Ben from?  He racked his brain for a time that he was known as Ben and he couldn't recall one.   "Dad, what was all that about?" he questioned as his siblings watched at dinner that night.  Reginald sighed deeply, hating to be questioned, especially with Pogo and Grace in the room.
"Number One, I have told you before, the Umbrella Academy is a rival, a group who wants to destroy us and what we hope to achieve," he said as if One was a small child.  
"I understand that's what you told us but that is not what I saw in them today, they looked sad, and confused," he said.  "If they were a threat then why didn't they seem to know us at all?  Why did they call me Ben?"  
"Enough Number One, if you cannot listen properly then you are dismissed from dinner and are to go study Lord Byron again, maybe you will learn something finally," he snapped.  One gripped his fork tightly but stood and did as told, just like always.  He was the leader and needed to set an example.  He heard the whispers from his siblings before they were silenced by their father.  He felt Number Three poking around in his mind, trying to see what he was thinking, trying to put a thought into his head but he shook it off and headed upstairs to his room. 
He shut the door and let out a breath, finally relaxing for the first time that day.  He stripped off his uniform and got into comfier clothes, before laying down in his bed.  He laid there, actually taking out Lord Byron and reading some before he heard the last of his siblings go to their rooms.  Once he was sure that the house was completely locked down and everyone was at least pretending to sleep he put the book down and rolled over, feeling behind his bed for the loose brick just below his box spring.  He pulled it out and from it he pulled out a crayon drawing and a cell phone.  He put the picture back into the hidey hole before powering up the phone.  He smiled at the message that was waiting for him.
'It was nice to see you today even if I almost had to kill you' 'You couldn't kill me if you tried' 'Ya, you're probably right, but you couldn't kill me either One' 'I know Eight, I know' 'Maybe we can find a way to have a fight tomorrow?' 'I do have some time scheduled to patrol between 9th and 15th street aroud 5 pm' 'I'll be sure to vandalize a building or maybe rob a warehouse on say 12th?' 'I'll be there to stop you' 'Can't wait, goodnight One' 'Goodnight Eight, o and what dad said, you look amazing the way you are' He didn't get an answer but knew she'd see it in the morning and hopefully it would make her smile.  He put the phone and brick back and drifted off imaging her smiling at his message.
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chemicalpink · 5 years ago
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Yoongi’s Friend (Jungkook x Reader)
Pairing: Jungkook x fem!reader
Warnings: none (so far)
A/N: I posted the teaser to this a few days ago so here is the continuation, hope you like it! xx
Summary: You are Yoongi’s friend and are spending too much time in his studio that you are just bound to bump a few too many times into Jungkook or the one where Kookie is too shy to talk to you but will drop by an annoyingly amount of times at the Genius Lab if it means seeing your face
“Okay so maybe if we bring it up half a key for the bridge” you said to Yoongi as you reached out to play the keyboard laying on his left as he watched you unamused, far too frustrated for this being the third day in a row working on the track. You and Min Yoongi had met not long ago through a mutual producer friend that was way too excited to get you both to collaborate, seen as you too were a musician, just obviously not as big as himself. 
“Hey hyung, Namjoon-hyung says that you need to have dinner with us toni-“ a voice coming from the door had you both turning towards it, spotting a messy mop of dark head and a surprised, childish like expression that belonged to none other than Jungkook, both your and his eyes locking for a brief second before you smiled at him, not that you two were close, hell, you two hadn’t even been introduced to each other because every time you came by BigHit, you spent it in Yoongi’s studio, but you’d be lying if you said you didn’t find the youngest attractive, especially after those beautiful vocals Yoongi had let you hear in the demos for the song you were currently working on.
Jungkook disappeared as quickly as he had appeared and without a further word, leaving Yoongi to release an annoyed sigh.
“It’s cute how they worry about you” you mentioned, starting to collect your things, not wanting to intervene in their plans “We can always clean the track some other day, Yoongles”
“Please don’t call me that” he had his head resting on the top of his chair, thinking about who knows what “It’s just that we’ve been on this for far too long and-”
“I’ll see what comes to mind back home, yeah?” you called from the door “I’ll text you”
・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :���゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆
They were all sitting across the living room, phones in hand as the TV played some movie in the back.“Yoongi-hyung?” Jungkook asked looking up from his phone as the elder just hummed in response, not bothering to look up “Who was that girl back in your studio?”
It wasn’t exactly like Yoongi didn’t share his side projects with the rest of the group- it was just that he liked to be sure they were coming out alright before announcing the news, but your collaboration was something that came out of nowhere, and so most of his time was spent inside the lab.
“Err… she’s just a producer” he said nonchalantly, hoping Jungkook would drop the topic and none of the other members paid attention to it, but of course, they didn’t. A string of questions ranging from ‘is it for your new mixtape’ to ‘is she pretty?” were thrown at him in the span of 10 seconds and he was forced to look up from the screen, making the room go silent at once “Her name’s Y/N, we met through a mutual friend, we’re working on a collaboration for her newest album, yeah she’s pretty and no, none of you idiots will get anywhere near her.”
No more words were shared as he got up from his spot and entered the studio once again, not before muttering a quick ‘thanks for the food’ to Jin.
・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆
The next day you arrived at the usual time, two americanos in hand.
“You know, I bumped into Jungkook and Jimin as I was entering the building,” you said, placing one of the cups on his desk as you took your usual spot on the couch next to it “Is it just me, or is the maknae growing prettier by the day?”
Yoongi almost choked on his sip of coffee as the words left your mouth “Please tell me I just hallucinated you saying that from sleep deprivation” you laughed at his reaction “Y/N...I’m going to have to ask you not so kindly not to even think about dating Jungkook” 
“Why though? He’s cute”
“Y/N, you and I are basically the same person, it would be as if Jungkook decided to date a female version of me” he shivered in an over-exaggerated way to show his disgust at the thought of it “And that’s a question I never want to be answered”
“Fine”
・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆
The next few days were spent with stolen glances while walking by Jungkook every time you set a foot in Big Hit’s building to go to Yoongi’s studio, and today was no exception as he shyly waved your way from one of the practice rooms you walked by on your way to the studio.
“Jungkook really is a cute one,” you said out loud as you were sitting in the couch scrolling through Twitter as Yoongi was typing away in the computer, your collaboration song almost done, just missing a few touch-ups 
“Gosh I thought we had talked about this, Y/N” Yoongi’s voice made your head turn faster than expected, cheeks going redder by the second, you surely didn’t mean for the phrase to escape your lips “I really really don’t want to know if Kook would date the female version of me” 
You rolled your eyes at that, but since you couldn’t tell whether or not he was being serious, decided to tease him further “I don’t know Yoongi, Jungkookie might have gotten you a new ARMY” you turned your phone screen for him to see your timeline overflowing with tweets from their fans, to what his eyes focused on yours in a disappointment manner
・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆
Of course, you weren’t about to admit that what began as a way of teasing Yoongi over his authoritary decision of prohibiting you to like the maknae, developed into a serious crush in the course of two weeks; aimlessly scrolling through Twitter turned into a full-consciously searching for ‘Boyfriend Material Jungkook thread’ and sure as hell you were not about to admit that most of your findings made you smile fondly, even making your heart skip a bit.
It was around 8 am as you were making your usual trip to Yoongi’s studio after getting two americanos in the cosy cafe on the way there that the rapper seemed to adore, smiling in the receptionist’s way as you greeted her and she granted you access to the building, making sure to wish her a nice day, nothing could have prepared you to what was about to happen.
“Y/N!” the mention of your name made you turn full 180 to be met by none other than Jungkook making his way to you, messy hair, loose black shirt and those goddamn grey sweatpants that made it so hard for you to look away from, it was almost impossible to believe that such a man let out the tiniest of ‘hi’ you way as he stood before you 
“Oh hey, Jungkook”  you could feel your cheeks redden by the second and it was hard to miss the bunny smile he threw your way, most probably at the increasing awkwardness thanks to the extending silence that grew between you, your wittiness and remaining brain cells leaving your body, making up the stupidest of excuses to run away from there “coffee, here” 
Jungkook laughed an adorable laugh as he threw a “thank you Y/N, I’ll see you around” as you were already entering the studio.
“God I have to be the greatest idiot living on Earth” you muttered as you took a sip from your coffee
“Well, I’m certainly not denying that-” Yoongi turned around on his chair “Wait where’s my coffee?” your eyes widened at that and offered him your cup
“Take mine, I gave yours to Jungkook”
“You gave, my coffee to Jungkook? Do I even wanna know?” he gladly took you cup from your hands as you groaned in annoyance, would it be so bad to just let him know about your crush? if anything, he was the one to blame in the first place.
“Listen, I panicked okay?” as you cringed at the events from a few moments ago, Yoongi’s expression remained the same, unreadable.
He took another sip from the cup and began to talk “Okay first of, may I just say I absolutely adore this coffee” he made a dramatic pause, much to his teasing style “Second, you’re trying to tell me that you pushed a cup of coffee in Jungkook’s hands and then ran off?” a few of his word cut off from small laughs escaping his mouth “The great Y/N fell into the charms of Jeon Jungkook? man…”
You hid behind your hands as he kept going with his monologue of how the youngest member was taking over the hearts of everyone “I mean technically… this is your fault”
Yoongi gasped “Aishh… my fault?” he laughed, gummy smile showing “ Let’s just get to work, lover girl”  
As much as he adored to tease you back for all the times you had teased him, the song wasn’t about to finish itself, or perhaps after all of this, he had just the right thing in mind to kill two birds with one stone.
・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆
Yoongi had texted you early in the morning to drop by the studio as early as possible, saying he was finally able to find that je ne sais quoi that was missing in your song, and so you happily obliged, Yoongi was an amazing producer and you couldn’t help but let your mind wander to all the possibilities, was it a change in key? or perhaps a new beat?
Your heart pounded the fastest it had ever beaten as you opened the door to the recording studio and your ears were filled with amazing vocals that belonged to none other than the dark-haired boy inside the booth, Jungkook.
“That was just amazing, you can come out Jungkook” Yoongi called from the mixing board
“What is this all about, Yoongi?” he smiled and turned to Jungkook as he made his way out and greeted you in the smallest voice possible, both your cheeks and his slightly pink.
“Oh, I’ll just Kookie here explain to you as I, Min Suga genius, get a very well deserved coffee” he patted the younger’s shoulder and soon disappeared through the door
Jungkook took a seat in the rolling chair and barely faced you as he scratched the back of his head, you not understanding a single thing of what was going on “Yoongi-hyung had this idea of mixing some hidden vocals and-” he raised his sight to watch your confused expression “yeah...I hope you don’t mind?”
You cleared your throat twice, in a failed attempt to calm yourself down “Not at all Kook, your vocals are not that bad- I mean, no, your vocals are amazing- they always are and...yeah, I’ll shut up now” you let out a breathy laugh, mentally hitting yourself in the head and wondered if there was any chance for earth to swallow you whole.
A few seconds went by of you roaming your eyes around the room, not having enough courage to meet his eyes, as the usual awkward silence filled the room until you felt his knee bump your own and felt his hand lift up your chin to meet his gaze, to which you were sure as hell he could now hear your heartbeat; the silence soon turned into a suffocating heat and mutual stolen glances to each other’s lips before he came closer and time seemed to slow down as you closed your eyes and felt his lips warm against your own, only to be met by nothingness and a closing door a few seconds after, when you opened your eyes again.
・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚.・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆
Your mind had gone blank after that kiss, you stopped going by the studio since you couldn’t quite wrap your mind around it, and you couldn’t raise enough courage to confront Jungkook about it.
One Sunday afternoon, there was a soft knock on your door, looking through the peephole twice, you couldn’t help a thousand thoughts running through your mind as you saw Jungkook standing on the other end of the door.
“Here” he shoved a small paper bag into your hands, just the way you had done that time with the coffee “Yoongi-hyung said they were your favourites and-” his eyes searched for your face and he sighed heavily “Y/N I’m so sorry for what happened the other day, I don’t know what got over me, I’ve just- I’ve liked you since the first day I saw you and-”  you cut him off by standing on your tiptoes and placing a tender and quick kiss on his lips before both of you broke into a smile.
He wasted no time in placing both of his hands on your waist and deliver a series of pecks on your lips as he walked both of you into your apartment, making sure to shut the door before your body was pressed between the wall and his own, your hands quickly finding their way behind his neck in an attempt to bring him any closer, your mouths finding their way against each other at the increasing tension, the warmth of his lips making you weak on the knees, a small smile playing on both of your faces as he placed his forehead against yours, breathing heavily.
“Next time don’t run away from me,” you said looking into his eyes
“Wasn’t planning on doing that” his thumb started caressing your cheek as he leaned in once again and you laughed at how stupid you both had been.
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yourcoffindoor · 5 years ago
Text
A Spike in my Heart
Pairing: Vampire!Gerard Way x Reader
Prompt: Request from Anon- “Can you please do Gerard Way imagine when he’s a vampire and he haven’t eaten in many days and he’s weak so you let him feed from you but he goes too far and you faint cause of blood lose and he thinks he killed you?”
Summary: Your new boyfriend is more than a bit mysterious. After disappearing for a week, he shows up at your door with a startling confession. Things only escalate from there. (Welcome to angst city.)
AN: Loved to work on this prompt. Hope you enjoy Anon :)
Word Count: 2,175
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You pulled your fleece blanket tight around your shoulders as a spring thunderstorm began to intensify outside your window. You wanted to relax and enjoy it, since you loved rainy days more than any other, but your anxiety would rest for nothing and no one.
Your boyfriend Gerard had all but disappeared for the past week, with no calls or indication that he was still a living human. He was a frustratingly difficult person to reach, since he had never owned a cell phone or even an email address. Qualities that you once found odd but charming now made you curse his name.
You wondered if you even had the right to call him your boyfriend yet. Yes, you had been seeing each other for nearly two months now, but you and Gerard had never even kissed. He was strange when it came to physical intimacy, always keeping you at an arm’s length, preferring to play the gentleman and taking things painfully slow. You teased him often for being stubbornly old-fashioned.
Not that you hadn’t thought about kissing him since the day you met. He was immediately attractive despite his odd appearance- unkempt black hair that framed his alarmingly pale skin, with large hazel-green eyes surrounded by reddish, bruise-like shadows. His delicate features were dressed with a dangerous edge. Somehow, it only complemented his beauty.
The last time you saw him you tried to kiss him. It had been a casual date at your place, spending time together hunkered down on your couch watching black and white horror movies. Halfway through his film of choice, Dracula, Gerard struck up a conversation.
“Do you believe in anything like ghosts or vampires?”
“Like how they are in the movies?” you paused for a moment. “Not quite. But I think it would be foolish to assume that we know everything there is to know about this world.”
He smiled as if he were somehow relieved by this response.  "A very diplomatic answer. And let’s say you were to run into one of these ghouls. Would you be scared?“
"Depends on the ghoul,” you stated frankly, “If we’re talking Nosferatu, I’m running.”
Gerard laughed. “What if it looked like the most beautiful, charming being you’d ever seen?”
“What, like you?” The words fell out of your mouth before you even had a chance to think. The atmosphere in the room changed immediately from lighthearted to deadly serious, romantic tension surrounding you like a thick fog. Your eyes traveled to his lips and you spoke again, no longer stopping yourself from being boldly honest.
“If it were you, I’d want you to bite me.”
Gerard’s pale face lit up briefly as if those were the words he’d been waiting for.
“Is that so?” he said in a low voice.
It was, you thought to yourself, but you’d settle for a kiss. Instinctively,and nearly breathless, you leaned in towards him. His effect on you was unlike anything you’d ever felt– How was he so otherworldly?
Your face was mere inches away from Gerard’s when he suddenly tensed up. Embarrassment welled up inside you as he quickly turned his face away.
“Everything ok?”
Gerard clenched his jaw and stood up. “I’m afraid I’m not feeling well, sugar. I better head off.”
“Oh.” was the only response you could muster, barely able to conceal the sadness in your voice. “Well, I hope you feel better soon.”
He merely nodded in your direction before wishing you goodnight and rushing out your front door.
And that was the last you’d seen of Gerard. You tried to force your brain to think of something– anything else, but you’d fallen so hard for him that it felt like you were under his spell. You resigned yourself to gloominess, wrapping yourself tighter in your protective cocoon.
The storm outside intensified. Rain poured down in heavy sheets so loud that you felt as if you were lost at sea. In the midst of it all, you were shocked to hear what sounded like a quick succession of knocks on your door.
You paused for a moment, wondering what lunatic was out and about in this weather without a lifeboat, when three more knocks rang out with desperation.
“Who is it?” you called out hesitantly as you took a few steps toward your door.
“It’s Gerard,” a familiar but wearied voice called out, “please, can I come in?”
You rushed to open the door, your hand moving so quickly it fumbled on the lock. What the hell was he doing?
“Gerard!” you exclaimed at the sight of him, soaked through and and breathing heavily as if he’d over-exerted himself. “Come in, I’ll grab a towel.”
You stood back and let him shamble inside of his own accord, looking thoroughly like a stray dog who was expecting to be kicked.
“Don’t worry about it. I doubt you’ll want me here for long, anyway.”
You closed the door behind him. A whirlwind of anger and sadness seemed to hit you all at once when you finally spoke again.
“So what made you come out of hiding?” your voice wavered as you tried to your best to remain composed.
He turned to face you, and your anger softened to concern as you got a good look at him. He looked weak and exhausted, almost sick. His dark circles were pronounced, as if he hadn’t had a night’s sleep in the past week he’d been gone.
“I don’t blame you for being angry. And after I tell you what I’m about to tell you, I’ll understand if you never want to see me again.”
You finally grasped from his tone just how serious the situation was. You tried to brace yourself for what he was about to tell you. Was he dying? Was it another girl?
“Gerard, what’s going on?” you took a few steps towards him, but he moved backwards, just out of reach as usual.
He sighed deeply, as though resigning himself to an unknown fate. “Do you remember that conversation we had the last time I saw you?”
“While we were watching Dracula?” your confusion was deepening by the second. “What about it?”
He let out a short, sad laugh. “Well, I can’t pretend anymore. They are real. I know because I am one. Y/N,” he looked at me through strands of damp black hair, his eyes dark and heavy with burdens I couldn’t begin to comprehend, “I’m a vampire.”
You don’t know why you weren’t scared when he told you. Some people would gasp or run away, others would probably laugh at the absurdity of it all. Perhaps it was the shock of the news, but you simply paused, trying to wrestle your racing thoughts into a coherent sentence.
“Your hands.” was all you had to say about his revelation, turning Gerard into the confused one, his dark brows furrowing.
“What?”
You smiled softly. “Your hands. That’s why they were always so cold. You should have told me sooner, I wouldn’t have spent so much time trying to warm them up.”
Gerard wrung his hands, his eyes frosted with fear as he still awaited your inevitable rejection. Your soft spoken words had caught him off guard.
“You’re not scared?” his face flashed briefly with hope, before quickly darkening once more to a familiar sadness. “You should be. You ought to be disgusted.”
“Never.” you whispered.
You saw his hands clench into fists. “I thought I could be something other than a monster. I thought I could have something with you that was beautiful and pure, but I can’t. I let you get too far into my heart for your own good.”
You didn’t know if it was the sight of his distress, or the tangible regret in his voice, but you felt hot tears begin to well up in your eyes.
“Is that such a bad thing?”
Gerard looked for a moment as if he wanted nothing more than to rush over to you and offer his comfort, but he held back.
“It is if you get hurt.”
For a moment, there was only heavy silence between you. Gerard began to sway slightly as if loosing coordination, his hand trembling as he reached for the wall to steady himself.
“Are you hurt?” you asked, once again stepping towards him.
“No, don’t!” he hissed, causing you to jump at the brief but blinding sight of his bright white fangs. He lowered himself on your couch to prevent himself from falling over, regaining some composure. “I haven’t fed for…awhile. I don’t know that I trust myself around you. I’ll leave just as soon as I’m able.”
The memory of your rejected kiss sprung fresh into your mind. Everything was beginning to make sense.
“That’s why you left so suddenly the other night,” you said softly, “that’s why you barely touch me, why wouldn’t kiss me.”
Gerard looked heartbroken. “I wanted nothing more than to kiss you that night, Y/N. And I’ve spent every night since we met wondering which would be sweeter, your blood or your lips.”
You sat down on the opposite end of the couch. “Then you deserve to find out.”
“We can’t.”
“Don’t you remember what I said during our last conversation?
"Yes, but–”
“Well I meant it. Gerard, I don’t care what you are. I’ve been with you long enough to know that you’re no monster. Besides, I’m not going to let you leave here in the state that you’re in. Even if you still believe we shouldn’t be together, you need blood.”
“What if…what if I go too far?”
You pondered for a moment. “How about I give you a signal to tell you when to stop, like a safe word.”
He considered. “If you think that’s a good idea…then I’m willing to try it. What should the word be?”
“How about Nosferatu?” you joked, hoping to alleviate some of his apprehension.
He smiled weakly. “Alright, if you’re sure. Nosferatu it is.”
Gerard moved closer to you, and, still hesitant, brushed the hair from your face. He placed one icy hand on your cheek, causing a wave of goosebumps to rise on your skin. Your eyes locked with his and you noticed how he gazed at you, how his eyes glowed softly like embers that needed only the slightest provocation to catch fire once again.
His lips landed gently on yours, causing what felt like a jolt of electricity to course throughout your body. After a moment it was if a switch flipped, and Gerard deepened the kiss. You felt the sharp tips of his fangs brush against your mouth, and yelped in surprise when one accidentally nicked your lower lip.
“I’m so sorry!” Gerard said, pulling back immediately to inspect the damage. A small rivulet of crimson gleamed from the corner of your mouth, and you licked it away before it could drip onto your clothes. You looked back up at Gerard and noticed a different expression cross his face. It was darker, more animalistic, like a wolf that had just spotted a wounded deer. There was no going back now.
“Don’t be sorry.”
He leaned in and kissed your neck. “You have no idea what you do to me.”
You shivered as he nipped at your delicate skin, moaning slightly with each movement of his lips. You felt his fangs rest against your neck momentarily, as if giving you one last chance to change your mind.
“Do it.” you breathed, and that was the only encouragement he needed.
Gerard sunk his teeth into your flesh, allowing a warm stream of blood to flow freely. You cried out at the pain, as it was sharper than you had been expecting, causing your eyes to water. Gerard didn’t pull back this time. Instead he latched on, fully intoxicated by your taste.
After a few moments the pain subsided, and the warmth of Gerard sucking at your neck felt almost pleasant. You realized then that this was far more intimate than any kiss could ever be, and you began to revel in the feeling, allowing a soft whimper to escape your lips.
Still he drank, and you were helpless, utterly lost in the sensation. Your neck began to tingle and feel numb, which you paid no mind to at first; but it soon traveled down your arms and up through your lips, until your whole body was being pricked with pins and needles. You opened your eyes and realized just how dizzy you were. You were seeing double, your vision slowly fading to black.
Too much, he had drunk too much and you hadn’t even realized. You opened your mouth to speak but found that your mouth wouldn’t cooperate. It was only after you began to go limp that Gerard seemed to notice anything was wrong, and he finally withdrew his fangs from your neck, grasping your face with his hands.
You were fading fast, but you could distinctly make out the distress in his voice as he called your name. It wasn’t enough to prevent you from slipping into unconsciousness as Gerard held you, making the last sound you heard his horrified cries, begging you not to go.
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waitimcomingtoo · 5 years ago
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In Case You Don’t Live Forever - Chapter Three
Pairing: Peter Parker X Venom!reader
Warnings: none
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Masterlist
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Peter arrived at the Avengers tower with a little pep in his step. His new neighbor was on his mind and he couldn’t get her off. He had somehow managed not to completely blow it with her. He knew it was a long shot, after all they’d only had one conversation, but he felt like there was a connection between them. She was awkward, he was awkward. What more does a relationship need?
Tony was quick to notice the change in Peters mood. A dreamy smile crept across his face every now and then while Tony was trying to explain something about his nanotechnology.
“Alright Underoos, whats on your mind? A girl? Boy? That gorgeous Aunt of yours? Oh wait no, that’s what’s on my mind.” Tony smirked. A blush painted Peters cheeks.
“Nothing sir. Sorry, I’ll pay attention.” Peter answered quickly. Tony scanned Peter up and down.
“So its a girl. Alright. Who is she?” Tony asked, motioning for Peter to sit down with him. Peters heart skipped a beat at the opportunity to talk about the girl he was so badly crushing on.
“This girl moved in across the hall from me about a week ago. I’d see her on the stairs sometimes, or in the lobby. She’s beautiful, Mr. Stark. I mean, really beautiful. And I know girls are a lot more than their appearance, trust me, but I can never look away. It’s like God made a perfect batch of cookie dough, and then made a perfect cookie cutter, and then hand made her just for me. There’s just, there’s something about her, man. I feel like I’ve always known her, and I don’t even know her yet. She knocked on my door this morning and I nearly had a heart attack when I saw her through the peephole. I played dumb and acted like I didn’t know she lived across the hall.” Peter started to explain. A twinge of embarrassment struck him at the memory of what he said to Y/N.
“Oh God. You said something stupid, didn’t you?” Tony inquired, noticing the look of embarrassment on Peters face as he recalled their conversation. Tony leaned on his hands like a child. This stuff excited him more than anything.
“I insulted her dead father and called him smelly.” Peter admitted. Tony laughed.
“But she found it funny and agreed with me.” Peter quickly followed up. Tony looked impressed.
“Wow. Normally I’d say there’s no coming back from that, but she seems like a keeper. So, are you gonna throw on your Spidey suit and take her for a ride around the city? Works with all the ladies.” Tony wiggled eyebrows. Peter shook his head.
“No. Spider-Man isn’t a party trick or some tactic to pick up girls. Plus, I want her to like me for me. That’s why I invited her over for dinner tonight.” Peter answered. Tony looked down at his hands, not wanting Peter to see how proud he was. He couldn’t let Peter get too cocky.
“That was a test and you passed. Alright, spider child, you have my blessing. But no funny business tonight. If I find out I’m gonna have to design nanotech baby clothes, I’m gonna be pissed.” Tony said. Peter blushed at the mere thought of what Tony was implying. He spent the rest of his time at the tower going over missions and training.
I arrived at Peters at 6:07. I was done getting ready at 5:45, and sat in the living room on my phone until I was slightly late. I didn’t want to be early, like some loser. Or even worse, on time. I had to be fashionably, but not rudely, late.
I knocked on Peters door and waited. The door swung open instantly, as if he’d be waiting. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of him waiting for me. Peter must’ve read my mind. He turned red, must be a habit of his, and smiled.
“I know what you’re thinking. I’ll let you decide if I was waiting at the door for you or if I’m just really fast. “ Peter said, breaking the ice. At least, he tried to. And kudos to him for trying. But I was drawing a blank on my part. I had no idea what to say. I was a reporter for crying out loud. I don’t get tripped up on my words. But something about Peter Parker and that damn collared shirt rendered me unable to formulate a thought. All I could do was stand there and smile at him, like a Jackass. I felt like I was standing weirdly and I all the sudden had no idea where to put my hands. Do I leave them at my sides? That felt too stiff and soldier-like. But where else would they go? I was pretty sure every brain cell had left my body at that point.
“You look nice.” Peter blurted, interrupting the awkward silence that had settled between us. Even he seemed surprised by his statement. I looked as nice as a lazy person who didn’t fully unpack their clothes could look. I had on a casual grey dress that was made of some sort of t-shirt material. It was bunched in the front and hugged my figure nicely. My hair was in a loose bun with a few curls framing my face. Peter took in my appearance with what looked like approval. Then I noticed Peters gaze falling to my feet.
“Converse with a dress. Nice.” He commented. I felt my personality re-enter my body, finally.
“Oh yeah. You know me. Quirky and cool and not like other girls.” I said sarcastically and attempted to flip my hair, but my dumbass forgot it was in a bun. I still made the hand motion and Peter seemed to get what I was going for. He laughed. I felt myself relax at the magical sound.
“You look nice too. Very…Freddie Benson.” I said. Freddie Benson? Who the hell makes an ICarly reference to compliment someone? This night was going downhill fast and I regretted ever knocking on his door.
“Dude. You’re tanking.” Venom said. I had to agree. This couldn’t be going worse.
But lo and behold, Peters beautiful laugh filled my ears once again.
“That’s what I was going for! My friend Ned always teases me for wearing sweaters and button downs but he just doesn’t have the vision.” Peter said. We smiled at each other. Maybe this night wasn’t gonna be so bad after all. He suddenly stepped aside and gestured inward.
“Come in. Dinners almost ready.”
Peters apartment looked just like mine, but much more homey. I saw his baby pictures on the wall, coupled with pictures of him and his parents through the years. Then I noticed a framed picture of a different couple on the coffee table. They resembled Peter but I didn’t see them in any photos with him past the age of around 7. There was a candle next to the frame. I quickly looked away, not wanting to overstep.
“You must be Y/N. It’s very nice to meet you.” I heard a woman’s voice. I turned around and saw a young woman in high pants and a yellow tank top. I recognized her from the pictures with Peter.
“I am. It’s very nice to meet you too Mrs. Parker.” I said politely and shook her hand. She smiled at me and fixed her glasses.
“Please. Call me May.” She said.
“May.” I repeated. Hm. If this was Aunt May, where were Peters parents?
Peter and I sat down while May finished preparing dinner. I offered to help, being the polite ass bitch that I am, but May insisted I sat down and waited. A plate of “meatloaf” was placed in front of me soon enough. I use the term “meatloaf” very loosely. It looked more like an old shriveled brain. Peter made eye contact with me and winked.
“It’s not as bad as it looks.” He whispered. I nodded and gave him a small smile. He glanced at May, who was busy pouring the drinks, before leaning in closer and whispering “it’s way worse.”
I kicked Peter under the table and he giggled, quickly masking the sound with a drink of water. It’s a shame. I love that sound.
“So, Y/N, where do you go to school?” May asked. I took a bite of meatloaf, nearly died, and swallowed before answering.
“I’m actually taking a gap year before I start at NYU in the fall.” I said. May nodded in approval.
“That’s a very good school. I hadn’t realized you were in college.” She said.
“Y/N used to live in San Francisco.” Peter quipped. He smiled at me , proud of himself for remembering. May looked impressed.
“Yea. I grew up here in Queens and moved to San Francisco to live with my fiancée last year. But I just moved back last week.” I said. Peter began choking on his water. May shot him a look.
“Peter. Manners.” She said sternly. He wipes his mouth after catching his breath.
“Fiancée?” Was all he managed to say between coughs and sputters. Oh great. Time for this conversation.
“Ex-fiancée. He broke off the engagement after I got him fired from his internship at a law firm.” I said sheepishly. I overshared, just a tad. Peter and May didn’t seem put off by it though. Peter looked relieved more than anything.
“May I ask how you got him fired?” May asked.
“Well, I’m an investigative reporter, and my boyfriend Andy was studying to become a lawyer. Andy had some information pertaining to a case on the man who owned the Life Foundation. I was supposed to interview him about his rocket but he was a terrible, terrible guy, and I knew it. I looked at Andy’s classified files to find out more about him and found some things I wasn’t supposed to. I confronted him about it in our interview and he ended up getting me and Andy fired in one day.” I recalled. It seemed like so long ago. I felt a coldness run through my bones at the memory. Mays eyes widened.
“I knew your name sounded familiar when Peter told me you moved in across the hall. You were the one that took Carlton Drake down, right?” She asked. I merely nodded. I hadn’t heard his name in months. It still sent shivers down my spine. You don’t forget a man who stabbed you after trying to kidnap you and take you to an alien planet.
“Didn’t he die in his own rocket?” Peter asked.
“Yea. I was there. Me and…my friend.” I said, almost mentioning Venom.
“Gosh I read that story forever ago. It was all over the news here. I remember Peter ranting to me that this young girl was straight out of high school and already taking down shady guys in San Francisco. You were obsessed with the article, remember Peter? I’m pretty sure you hung it up. “ May recalled. Peter, you guessed it, turned bright red.
“I just thought you were cool. Taking down bad guys and all at such a young age. It really inspired me.” Peter explained. He suddenly looked panicked, like he said too much. I blushed at his compliment.
“Thank you Peter. How old are you anyway?” I asked.
“17. I’ll be 18 on August 10th.” He said proudly. “What about you?” He asked.
“He’s legal.” Venom whispered. I couldn’t even be mad at her. I was thinking the same thing.
“I’m 19.” I said. A smile crept across his face.
“And this fiancée, where is he now?” May asked. May wasn’t blind to what was happening between her nephew and this new neighbor. She could sense his crush and knew he was dying to know more.
“I would very much also like to know that.” Peter said, almost robotically. He leaned in closer and stared at me while he awaited my answer.
“He’s engaged again. Not to me this time though. They’re getting married this summer.” I said. It was the first time I said those words out loud. I didn’t feel sad, like I thought I would. I didn’t know how I felt. The smile that broke out on Peters face gave a clear indication on how he felt though.
“That’s great. I mean, not great great. Great for him, I mean. It’s always good to move on. Wether it be with an old friend or a brand new one. Maybe it’s with someone you just met. You never know. Things just happen between the most random of people. Could be a stranger. Or, or, hear me out, it could be less of a stranger. Like a barista, or a mailman or a…a neighbor.” Peter said. The last part came out very quietly. I almost didn’t hear him. He looked up at me slowly. “I’m sorry that things didn’t work out though. Between you and him, I mean. ” Peter said honestly. I smiled at him.
“Thanks. It was tough at first but, I’m okay now. He wasn’t the one.” I said. And I meant it too. May smiled.
“When you do find the one, you’ll know. Your heart will whisper ‘it’s you, it’s always been you. You’re the one I’ve been looking for.’ At least, that’s what my heart said when I met Ben. I just knew he was the one for me.” May said with a happy smile. I could see her eyes glistened behind her glasses. I did something rather bold. I put my hand on top of hers and squeezed. She gave off this loving motherly vibe that I had only read about in stories and seen in movies but never felt for myself. May gave me the warmest smile and squeezed my hand back.
“That’s lovely May. Although, I always thought when you met the one, your heart wouldn’t say that it’s been looking for that person. I always thought it would say ‘welcome home’, or something like that. You know? Like, you’ve always known them. I don’t know though. Maybe I’ve just seen The Princess Bride one too many times.” I shrugged. May laughed.
“Ah. That’s a classic in this household. Peter would refuse to go to bed without watching it.” May recalled. Peter didn’t turn red this time. He only rolled his eyes.
“Because it’s a cinematic masterpiece. You’re trying to embarrass me by pointing out that even as a child I had impeccable taste? Oh please.” Peter sassed his Aunt. I laughed at his remark. May noticed the smile that broke out on Peters face when he succeeded in making their new neighbor laugh.
May looked at me for a while with a content smile on her face before saying “Yeah. I suppose you do have good taste.”
Tag List 🏷
@monimiin @truthdaze @honeyccoated @constellationswithapurpose @condy-wants-a-cookie @zipp0flare @vxidnik @maddie-laufeyson
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angelkurenai · 5 years ago
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Hurricane - Dean Winchester x Reader (Detective AU) - Part 15 - The End
Title: Hurricane
Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader
Word count: 6,025
Warnings: None
Summary: With one of the most dangerous serial killers on the loose and in your tracks you have no choice but to rely on the help of the police to ansure your safety. It doesn’t hurt that the detective in charge is the one of the most skilled there is and probably, well, definitely the most charming one you have ever seen. Or that his flirting with you takes your mind off the danger waiting for you right around the corner. & Based on: Imagine detective Dean Winchester flirting with you while working on your case.
Read Part 1 here! l Read Part 2 here! l Read Part 3 here! l Read Part 4 here! l Read Part 5 here! l Read Part 6 here! l Read Part 7 here! l Read Part 8 here! l Read Part 9 here! l Read Part 10 here! l Read Part 11 here! l Read Part 12 here! l Read Part 13 here! l Read Part 14 here!
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The echo of his footstep wasn't loud, thankfully so, but it was loud enough in his ears. He could attribute the fact to how strong his heart was beating in his chest and drumming in his ears, in perfect sync with said echo, that made the nerves and fear settle in deeper with each passing second. His own breathing had fallen into the same rhythm but if you asked him he could say he was almost 100% sure he had stopped breathing altogether. He gripped the gun tighter in his hands not that it was any more possible at this point, his knuckles had turned white.
The closer he got, the more on alert he felt. They had wasted no time jumping into action and using any and all means of transport to get to the prison which as expected looked more like a bloodbath out of the most gruesome horror movie with all the bodies scattered around. But he didn't have the luxury to spend even half a second focused on any of the bodies – already dead and with no opportunity of saving – when there was a risk of losing you. He had to get to you.
Splitting up might have not been the best idea but until more forces arrived they had to cover enough ground and the prison was one of the most complicated if not biggest high-security facilities. He should know better than anyone after all the times he'd visited it anyway. Part of his brain, a small one at this point with how much on alert he needed to be, still remembered the way. And he was sure it was that small part that led him to her cell even before he could realize it.
“You're late.” the same that had been haunting his dreams for years “I was beginning to think that you weren't going to show up at all. Still, fast at arriving at my old home, but getting all the way here did seem to take up longer.”
She was speaking, it was all Amara, and she was so close that Dean shouldn't have been able to look anywhere but her and yet... yet he couldn't find it in himself to look anywhere but you. It was both such a sweet relief that made his shoulders relax and yet painful sight that made his heart twist in his chest. You had only gotten in this position because of him. Hands cuffed behind your back, gun pressed right at your temple and so close to taking your life away. You were so close to dying, all it took was a second and the wrong move, and it would be your blood on his hands. It brought a sick feeling to his stomach and a painful ringing in his ears, the thought too terrifying for him to take.
“I'm sorry, what?” his confidence surprised even himself when he spoke up “Wasn't really listening. I just really-” he shrugged, hand still gripping his gun tightly “Toned out after the first couple words.”
She only scoffed a laugh “RoLeplay, darling? I was thinking you were going to wait until it was just the two of us but then again... this place does bring up plenty of memories, doesn't it? So many. Where does one even begin? Oh (Y/n) dearest, if only you-”
“Spare me, will you? I've heard the story. Once upon a time there was a psychopath who got mad at her brother for not letting her play with his toys and is trying to found new ways to break them one by one so as to get him back for it.” you spoke with more confidence than you had ever managed in your life let alone in front of a serial killer with a gun at your temple. But you had to say something, loudly and with as much humor and, yet, spite in your words - the right words - to get her attention on them and not on your fumbling or on any sounds that could come from you trying to get the handcuff to open. It wasn't exactly like you had done it before.
“Oh and she has quiet the mouth of course.” there was only a hint of irritation in her voice though.
“Yeah and he-” you emphasized mostly because you were sure the metal was going to make a sound at this point “Loves to kiss it, though he still had to take me out on a proper date so I'm counting on it, honey.” you winked at him and although he was frowning at first he finally caught up and went along with it.
“Sounds good to me. Think I'll get the rest of the month free for finishing up this case.” he shrugged almost smirking at you but it was far from relaxed and true and for that you couldn't blame him.
“I always loved your confidence but we'll only have to wait and see for how long you can keep that smile up. For example-” she smiled at Dean “You like what I did with the place? I've spent so much time in here that I was starting to get sick and tired of the plain grey and white walls. They needed some color. And that- that glass standing between us every time you'd visit, it's so much better in pieces right now. You must have surely noticed how different it is from the last time you came to visit me... that is of course if you can even remember. You were so focused on setting me free, so driven, so determined that nothing else mattered, didn't it?”
“She already knows Amara, there's no point trying anymore.” his voice sounded so gruff that the exhaustion he had been trying to mask was so prominent at this point “I've told her everything myself.”
“And she still wants to live?” she raised an eyebrow “There must be something special about you after all.” the sentence this time came in almost a murmur that made you believe it was directed at you and not Dean. Not that you had the time to duel on it any further though.
“And if you want to speak of determined-” Dean spoke up again, trying to buy you both the time you apparently needed “I was only determined to get rid of you, yes I couldn't agree more.” his jaw clenched and his eyes hardened even more, if it was possible. He was on edge, as were you, and knowing that it could turn real bad real soon for you didn't help at all. For what it was worth, you were good at not showing it to her.
“Get rid of me? Oh Dean, please, we both know you don't need that. You can't even bring yourself to do that. The mere fact that you are here proves my point.” she shrugged, voice disturbingly calm and confident. Or maybe it was so scary because you believed her words yourself. You could play confident as much as you wanted to but when it came to her and Dean, when it came to Dean chosing her or most importantly being only capable of putting her safety first and not yours, you couldn't lie you felt scared for your life. You wanted to have faith in him. You only didn't know if you really could. “You will always come to me, before you even realize it. Why insist on fighting it?”
“It proves no point of yours and you know it.” but the small shake in his voice earned a small smile from her “Let her go before this gets any more ugly. I am here for her... and nothing else.”
“Are you trying to convince me or yourself, Dean? Because I'll tell you it's not working or helping. Not to mention-” you inhaled sharply when you felt the gun press harder on your temple “In her case.”
“Not helping in her case or yours, Amara? You don't want to hear it but it's the truth. If it wasn't for all the- the fucking reprogramming you tried to pull off on me we both know none of it would have happened. You would be behind bars long ago... if not dead.”
“By whom? You?” she raised an eyebrow “Don't fool yourself, Dean, you can barely point your gun at me-” a glance from the man confirmed it, making him realize what he had not before “Let alone shoot me or kill me. You can't do it, you might want to but you can't. You will always look out for me, take care of me. The route here is a very familiar one isn't it? You came here before you realized it, don't lie to yourself, because deep down you wanted to come here all along. You wanted to come to me, we are connected, can't you see? You say you want to save her but Dean...” she shook her head “Be honest. She doesn't deserve to be lied to in her deathbed, does she? Hope, especially false hope, can be so dangerous sometimes. People forget that and those who remember, well, they prefer to be lied to. Choose false hope even if they know they'll end up getting hurt worse. But you- you don't have to lead her on.You are not going to protect her, you can't hurt me and it's really not your fault. You freed me, you gave me what I've been denied of for so long and you will help me make my brother pay for it as well. That is if he decides to show up.” she sighed “He always cared too much about his own self-interests to do what's right.”
“You- you're going to kill her either way.” Dean breathed out in a hoarse voice, filled with shock as his eyes widened in realization. It was a deep scary one that made his insides turn, this time in a way they never had before. He'd been on the edge many times with this case but none as much as now.
And yet... it felt like a bucket of ice cold water being dumped on him.
“I am, yes.” she said as if it was the most simple thing in the world but Dean's focus was entirely on you. You had been doing a decent job of hiding your fear so far but the shock and fear flashed so clearly through your eyes when she said it, making them glisten with unshed tears that when you met Dean's gaze it felt like someone tore his heart out and stomped on it. Wether you liked it or not, you felt helpless and you were pleading for his help as well.
“See, it's not really personal. Sure, it is more than any other time or with any other... toy, as she put it, of my brother's. But I was going to kill her one way or another. The pain my brother put me through after he chose this life instead of me and he never even apologised for it, he will feel it too. Maybe this time he'll start to feel sorry for what he did to me. All his favorite ones, all his chosen ones, dying. Let's see what it takes for him to show up.”
“No, no we won't.” his tone was even, almost without any emotion but his eyes held a kind of determination that made you act faster on your efforts to undo the cuffs “Let her go, Amara.”
“Or else what? Oh Dean, you can't do anything to me and you can't betray me. You can't even point your gun at me to-” but her words got caught in her throat when she saw his gun pointed right at her head. For the first time you actually saw her hesitate and doubt him. “Why don't you lower the gun before you do something you regret, Dean?”
“Regret?” he raised an eyebrow “Oh I've done many things I regret. Coming back here for your help and not relying on myself and my brother is one of them. Letting you free is another. Hiding the truth, not being as strong as I should have been, letting people I care about down and getting people I cared about die are things I will always regret and blame myself for. But more than anything...” his eyes fell on you and you could see the thin layer of tears that was layering them.
“I regret letting things come to this. Letting them get this far, when I could've stopped them long ago and when I could'veprevented this. If I had then everything would be so different now and- Gosh, I'd even be taking you out to a date right now.” he laughed a bit but it was so pained, as if he too was scared these were the last things he was telling you “And you'd be so beautiful... just like you are now. Just like you always are. And maybe then I'd have more courage to tell you everything I feel, everything I've always felt, without holding back or being scared because of my lies and secrets. Because Gosh, I love you. I love you so much.” the words made your breath hitch in your throat and you were sure you weren't the only one that froze up but he continued “It's all my fault and I'll always feel that way. I only wish that one day you will be able to forgive me for getting you into this because I- I am so sorry for everything, (Y/n).” he held your gaze for a couple seconds too long, so long that you almost forgot where you were and certainly didn't even feel the tear that rolled down your cheek but clearly noticed the one on his face that mirror yours. Finally, his eyes slowly made their way to her, painfully-slow actually as if he didn't want to look away from you, before he clenched his jaw “Let her go.”
“Drop the gun, Dean.” she said, her voice seemingly calm but you saw the moment of hesitation “You won't do that. You can't shoot m-”
But her words were cut off by her own scream that followed only a split second after the shooting sound and a second before your own gasp. Your eyes widened in terror and surprise. You looked down to see the blood ooze from her leg. The bullet had grazed her skin with perfect precision, enough to hurt and make her bleed a lot, that you were sure that if he wanted to – and you were really starting to think he did want to – could shoot her somewhere it would be lethal. But that wasn't the surprise. It was the fact that he didn't hesitate a moment. You looked back at Dean, looking more determined than ever as he raised back up the gun and you instantly knew what it meant.
“Clearly I can kill you with my bare hands right now and I'll enjoy it.” he growled “But for her sake I won't. Now you will let go of the woman I love, take a step back and let go of that gun.”
“Y-you-” her voice was shaking “You betrayed me?”
“No” he clenched his jaw “I betrayed her. But it's a mistake I'll never make again. Now-” he held his gun with both hands now “Let go, Amara.”
A pause followed, her shaky and heavy breathing was the only thing you could hear as you held your own “Clearly that's how things are. Maybe I shouldn't have underestimated you...” you had a feeling she didn't mean Dean but you “Shame... I never meant to hurt you, Dean. You're not the only one with a gun.”
When you felt the end of the gun press hard against your temple and heard a clicking sound of the safety your fingers moved frantically with the handcuffs, sensing the danger. Dean too took a step forward but she warned him against it “Try to get closer, try to shoot me and kill me but know you will be actually killing her. Know it and let's see if you'll live with it.”
“No, no don't do this Amara, don't-”
“Amara!” but this wasn't Dean's voice and it wasn't yours either. It was however the right voice to set everything into motion, the exact person you needed.
“B-brother?” it came barely as a whisper from her but it was as loud as it could get in your ears. The gun was pulled a couple inched away from your temple, which again fell like miles away, and when the much-anticipated click of the handcuffs was heard you almost sobbed in relief. You didn't want to hesitate so with a swift move you grabbed her hand with the gun and pushed it away from you, startling her. She fired but it only ended up in the ceiling and before she had the time to direct her gun back at you, you twisted it entirely out of her hand and had it fall on the floor. You pushed it as far away as you could with your foot. Before you could run away from her she grabbed you arm, and even if you made sure to elbow her in the stomach, she was able to bring you down so hard with her that you hit your head on the chair.
You could almost hear someone yelling for Dean to shoot her and soon another one yelling for him not to, with Dean only saying he didn't have a clear shot, but you couldn't be sure. There was a distinctive buzz in your ears that kept growing louder. Your vision was getting blurry and you were almost unaware of what was happening until you felt the pair of hands wrap around your neck. You struggled and fought but with such a severe hit on the head - you could feel blood running down your temple - and with black spots appearing in your vision, there was only so much you could do. Tears welled up in your eyes as you gasped for air but found none. You choked, grasping at her hands to pull them off you but only in vain. Your throat was beginning to hurt from all the pressure too.
Thankfully the reassure didn't last long as you felt her being pulled away from you. You heard a loud metal sound and then some wrestling sounds, things even being knocked over, but all you cared about was that she wasn't anywhere close to you anymore. You choked and gasped when the air started to fill your lungs but the pain in your throat made more tears fill your eyes. You were so focused on breathing that you didn't even realize how bad your head was when you spotted a pool of blood next to your head that you were sure was not hers.
You could swear you felt a pair of arms around you and a face hovering over yours, familiar and loving, but your vision was so blurry and before you could try to make out who it was, you were completely surrounded by darkness.
~A week later~
“Whoa whoa take it easy. You have to take it easy, yes?” the soft female voice and the small hold on your shoulder were as comforting as they could get when your vision was blurry and all you could see was a blinding white light. The tears that formed because of your aching throat didn't help at all in your case.
You blinked the tears away despite everything and even between whimpers and coughing, you struggled but managed to choke out “D-Dean?” you doubted if she even heard you on second thought, though.
“Try not to talk, yes? Your vocal chords have severe damages and it will take time to heal. There are a few bruises still left but fear not those will fade away too.” the nurse, you could now tell, informed you about your condition “You are certainly in a better condition than when you were brought here but that along with your head injury is not something to be taken lightly of. There was some serious blood-loss which didn't help. The fact that it took you so long to come around proves that the internal bleeding did a number. You are lucky you got here so fast and that the doctors could-”
“D-Dean” this time you repeated with more determination and she seemed to get it or at ease hear it because she stopped her small rambling instantly. It wasn't your condition that you were all that concerned about anyway.
“Oh detective Winchester?” she asked softly before giving you a smile “Good to see you remember him, although we'll have to get the doctor to check you out too. Uhm as for the detective- He's just outside. He was the one who brought you in. He hasn't left your side the entire time, I'm sure he will be incredibly happy to know you're awake.”
“Can I see him?” you asked hoarsely, eyes pleading.
“I will let him in while I call the doctor. But please, don't try to speak. It might damage your chords any further.” she asked and your immediate response was to nod your head, simply too eager to see Dean.
And thankfully you didn't need to wait long when the door opened and Dean was right behind it, eager to enter as fast as possible. The nurse told him something and once his eyes jumped to take a look inside the room, they widened when they met with your open ones. Giving her a fast nod he pushed past her to enter, all-but-rushing to your side only to freein his steps when he was within arm's reach. It felt like for a moment he had a second thought, a feeling similar to guilt flashed over his face.
Deciding to ignore it, and probably the nurse's advice, you broke the silence first “Hey.”
Again he seemed to hesitate but when he saw you extend your hand towards him he couldn't help but crumble down in the chair, taking your hand in both of his and whispering a soft “Hey, sweetheart.”
“How are you?” you mouthed the words and he gave you a sad smile.
“You're asking me how I am? You?” he raised an eyebrow and you managed to give him a grin, albeit small and sleepy.
“Well, you suck at taking care of yourself so-” you shrugged but winced a bit “Seriously, are you alright?”
He only hummed, not giving you a response for a couple seconds as he tried to keep up a smile “You-” he tried to laugh, key word tried, “YOu scared us real bad sweetheart. I know you're too tough to break at this point but I couldn't just help but imagine-” he shook his head “You did good though, you did great. Everyone's outside, waiting eagerly to talk to you by now and the guys haven't left much either.” he said but you didn't return his smile.
“'S not what I asked.” you mouthed, giving him a loo.
He tried not to break but it was getting harder. In the end however he sighed in defeat, too tired to keep it up even if he wanted to “I almost lost it when the doctor said there was internal bleeding. They were scared of losing you. They said you might not-” he took in a shaky breath “You hit your head way harder than we initially imagined, harder than what it looked like. That's why you were out for so long. I- I didn't know if you were ever going to wake up. I couldn't leave your side for a second. I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened and I wasn't here. I was just waiting... praying you'd wake up.” there was a kind of truth in those words that shook you to the core. You squeezed his hand with whatever strength you had left in you.
“So that means you haven't slept properly in seven days then?” you finally asked, and for a few seconds he stood there only blinking at you.
“Is that what you seriously got out of everything that I said?”
“Mhm pretty much.” you managed a smirk “Is all I care about at least. Dean.” you sighed before coughing a bit “You need the rest too, I don't want you to fall down because of me. I'm good, I'm safe and I'm right here. You can rest, surely for just a couple hours at least? Then you can come again and let my admire those pretty eyes of yours again.”
He couldn't help but look almost a bit in surprise at you at the moment. It made him feel for a moment, a crazy moment, that things were back to normal between the two of you. That he hadn't broken your heart in the worst way possible.
“You mean...?” he trailed off, unable to believe let alone put into words he possibility of you forgiving him. He couldn't be that lucky, it was too good for him to believe it was true.
“I mean you'll have to try a bit harder but for most part... it's alright. Everything is alright between us.”
“B-but h-how-”
“After everything you did? Really Dean how could it not be? Besides-” you looked down at your hands for a moment “I- I understand. The risks were too high a-and... well, it wasn't you. I can see it wasn't and for a moment I had not been myself either. So I understand what you went through, what she did to you. That video? What I said to make you come to the prison... it was because of her, all of it, and I didn't realize it until it was too late. Until I put you in danger, you Dean. I would never intentionally do that. I was someone else, it's scary but it's real, so I-” you shrugged, giving him a small smile “I understand you. And I forgive you. You at least did everything you could to protect me. You fought it, hard as it was, but it was something I couldn't do. It was much more than what I could do.”
He stood there for a solid couple seconds, if not minutes, simply staring at you. His liips were parted as if he was in utter shock and he tried to understand if this was real or not. He took in a breath soon afterwards but it came in shaky and you noticed a thin layer of tears in his eyes that he didn't dare let free. He closed his eyes, jaw clenched a bit which worried you until you saw the corners of his lips lift into a smile. He opened his eyes and held so much hope that it made you smile too.
“Thank you.” his voice was low and gruff, shaky a bit, but it was filled with such relief too that made one form on your lips as well “Gosh, (Y/n) thank you so much.” he nearly choked in his words “You don't know what this means for me.” you could swear he was going to break into sobs right then and there.
You didn't blame him. You could just as well. After finding out the truth you had been crushed. You too believed you were never going to forgive him or trust him in the least bit ever again but when you had nearly lost him for good, when you realized there was a chance you'd never meet again, then you were too scared to waste any time on holding grudges. Especially over something he had done for your own good because Amara's control was never his choice. If anything, though, he had proven to you just what you meant to him when he fought her back.
“Think I do. But you don't have to thank me.” you shook your head “'M actually really sorry.” you mostly mumbled this time, gaining his attention again. He had not even realized when silence set between the two of you.
He frowned unable to understand “Sorry? What for?”
“For everything I guess.” you glanced away only for a couple seconds “But mostly- I practically ran away with no explanation. I- I shouldn't have. You must have been worried sick and I-”
“It would serve me right. For one.” he shrugged softly forcing a smile that didn't feel real “Don't. Don't apologize in the least bit. Yu did the right thing, she had found us anyway and you had to protect yourself. Besides- Sweetheart-” he shook his head “Damn. I should be sorry. I got you into this mess, I-” when he looked back up at you again you noticed how his eyes were red-rimmed and how there was a characteristic shadow underneath them “Damn it (Y/n), you could be dead by now because of me. I- I was stupid and I was reckless and an idiot for hiding all those things from you but I was so scared you'd never forgive me and I didn't know how I could live with that. But then I realized how if anything happened to you, I wouldn't be able to live at all and so I-”
“Alright, that's enough.” you said as firmly as you could “Let me stop you right there.” you coughed so you had to pause for a couple seconds “Yes, you are an asshole and a brainless one at that, I get it. To sum up what you said.” it earned a soft although pained chuckle from him “But truth is... I fell in love with you like this. And I can't do anything to change it... nor do I want to. I've been hurting too but it can't compare to the pain I'd feel if I lost you for good.”
“You'd never lose me. Never.” he squeezed your hand before bringing it up to his lips and kissed your knuckles “Which really sucks for you because you're stuck with me for life more than it sucked for-” but he stopped himself before he could complete his sentence. He didn't know if he should even say her name after everything that happened.
You took a sharp breath in, hesitating only for a second before speaking this time in the most clear and steady voice “You shot her.” and it was no question. It was a statement that the both of you could read a thousand things into.
Dean held your gaze before finally nodding his head “I did. And it has never been easier than in that moment. It has never been easier to be in that place, the exact same place it all stated and it all happened, that it all evolved and changed inside me... the place I lost myself, I could almost say. It has never been easier because as surprising as this may sound, it felt like I found myself in that place again thanks to you though. It was easy to speak, to act, to be again even if she was there and it was all because of you. There wasn't even a choice to make, I would never hurt you (Y/n). Protecting you is all that I could ever do and I hate that I made you doubt it even for a second. (Y/n), I-” this time he took a deep breath and stilled himself, saying with all of his honesty “I love you.” he held your gaze firmly for a couple seconds just so that he could make sure you believed him.
“I-” he gave you an almost laugh, looking down a bit shyly “I love you and, again, despite my biggest fears and despite my hesitation you prove to me that saying those words isn't hard. That looking at you and saying what I haven't told another woman besides my mother is... so much easier than I ever even imagined. Guess I'll just keep on learning new things now huh? It feels like I'm a whole new person, even- even breathing feels different... it feels more real and it feels like-” he stopped himself, running his fingers through his hair “Are you going to say something or just let me keep going here like the love-struck fool that I am for you?”
“Eh might let you ramble a bit more. You're adorable to be honest.” you grinned, coughing when you made the mistake to say the words verbally before you continued onto mouthing “Besides, I clearly remember. You pretty much said it in front of the serial killer which was kinda awesome and hot at the same time.”
He squinted a bit as he tried to make out what you were saying before in the end he got it and let out a laugh “Glad that's what you're going to remember and not the fact that you nearly died.”
“Well, I do remember that you also promised me a date. Which you definitely did.” you told him, giving him a look that made him grin before leaning down to kiss the back of your hands again.
“I definitely did, yes.” he whispered “Anything for my girl.”
“And... what about her?” this time you had to ask out loud, although still a very hoarse whisper.
He took in a deep breath and straightened his back “Chuck is going to take care of the issue. A whole prison just for her this time which... will accommodate him too.” his words made your eyebrows raise in surprise “Not exactly what you think. See, the thing was that all Amara wanted was her brother and it was his apology. Which in all honesty he owes to you too.” he ignored you shaking your head “He does! But that doesn't mean I'm letting the asshole near you anytime soon. Anyway, special forces rushed in only seconds after you blacked out, thankfully there was an available helicopter that got us to this hospital before you could get worse.” he squeezed your fingers “But something happened and I'm still struggling to believe it. Now that she's back in prison, a more secure one, she's different. She's much more different thanwhat we were used to. I haven't seen her personally but Cas accompanied Chuck during his third visit to her and she seemed almost...”
“Almost?”
“Human.” the word made you both frown “She had many more emotions that I even thought she was capable of and she let them show. She- (Y/n), she sends her apologies to you. She said all she wanted was her family back, Chuck, a-and his apology. She thought revenge on him was what she was looking for but it made her feel more empty. Him visiting her more, speaking with her and apologizing has changed her. Or so Cas says. And as for me? Maybe a way to fill that emptiness. Whatever the case-” he sighed with a shake of his head “She is somewhere where she won't harm you ever again. Far and I mean it very far away from here. And all of it- It's over now.”
“Over?” there was something about saying the word, even in a weak hoarse whisper that you felt and needed to feel. Dean smiled, kissing your palm and nodding his head.
“It's over, yes. You're safe.”
“So that means I get to go back to my ordinary life after I'm out of here?”
“Yes, yes you get to. As if nothing ever happened... Well, if you exclude me.”
“Are you saying you want to be a part of my life detective?” you smirked, raising an eyebrow and he let a breathless laugh out.
“If you will take me as an addition, yes. Yes, I'd love that.” he gave you a caring look before you saw nervousness flash through his eyes before he asked slowly “You do, right?”
“Why, I thought I'd have to commit a murder and see you again, judging by how busy your schedule usually is, so you bet, detective.”
“Then I'm all yours this time.”
~~~
A/N: I’m not crying, I promise I’m not crying... it’s raining on my face T.T I’ll probably remember this series forever as I hope you do. Hope you enjoyed it!
@getlostinthedark @cap-just-said-language @catwithyellowwings @word-scribbless @carryon-doctor-lock @nightriver99 @timelady1140 @spideyxstan @cookiechipdough @alltimekp @a-dorky-book-keeper @givemebooksorgivemedeath @skeletoresinthebasement @sammy201d @akshi8278 @amandamdiehl @hobby27 @deans-baby-momma @musiclover1263 @feelmyroarrrr @sofreddie @skymoonandstardust @babygabrielle-blog @woodworthti666 @gunpowder-and-smoke-inofficial @erule @lizwinchester16 @itslunabitches @itsquies @justkending @fiftyshadesofrebel @love-my-not-natural-babies @outsider-underwater @kaylinfayezink @x-waywardaf-x @keshaia @moonlight-on-her-skin @happy-little-winchester
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venactricisfics · 5 years ago
Text
Malibu Desert
Tumblr media
Road Trip
Mayans based Story 
Angst, fluff, language, and more
Master List
Chapter Three
The days drug on. I hadn't missed seeing someone in a long time. I actually missed the loud as fuck sound of his Harley echoing down the street.  
It had been three days since he left for Vegas. It gave me time to wonder if he had found comfort in someone else's bed. I couldn't exactly be mad if he had. We weren't anything really. 
The ringing of my cell brought me out of my thoughts. 
"Hello?" I didn't recognize the number on the caller ID. 
"Hey, it's EZ. Bish told me to call you."
"Why didn't he call himself?" I stare at the screen confused and a little irritated. 
"Prez tells me to do something, " he responds, "I don't ask questions." 
"It's ok, " I adjust my tone slightly. "What's up?" 
"Creeper is coming up in the van with some additional cargo, " he says.
"That's great for Creeper, what's that gotta do with me?" My patience is running thin. 
"Bish wants you to join us here. Says the club stuff is taking longer than he thought." 
"Join you in Vegas?" I quirk my brow. "When?"
"Creeper is leaving in an hour, " EZ swallowed. 
"An hour? I've got to be ready to go on a 300-mile trip in an hour?" I carry the phone with me to my walk-in closet and stare at the clothes. "How many days?"
"He didn't say."
"You are a fountain of information." I snap back. "Is Creeper picking me up or am I meeting him at the yard?" 
"He'll pick you up, " EZ replied. 
"Alright."
"So you're coming?" 
I let out an exasperated sigh. My irritation overshadowed my desire to see Bishop, "Yeah, I'm coming." It wasn't as though I had plans. But Bishop didn't know that. 
An hour later I hand my train case and overnight bag to Creeper to load in the van. "Do you have any details?" I ask as I climb in the passenger's seat. 
"Sorry, mamá, I was just told to get you from here to there." 
"I guess if I need anything else I can pick it up on the strip, " I smile, I missed shopping since I moved to Santro Padre. Not that I needed anything. I owned enough clothes that the spare room in my house doubled as an additional closet. 
I glance back wondering what was in the crates but knowing it wasn't my place to ask. " How much longer till we're there?"
He glances at the GPS, "Little over an hour." 
"Can we stop somewhere for a bit?" I ask.  He gives me a look. “What I have to pee and freshen up.”
“Women,” he mutters with a chuckle. He exits the interstate and pulls into a truck stop parking lot. 
“Thank you,” I grab my train case and head into the bathroom. A few minutes later I step out bladder empty and a little more put together. I meet Creeper at the van who’s filling the tank with gas.  
“Does Bishop bring many women out on the road like this?” I hand the man a bottle of water.
“No,” he holsters the nozzle and takes the bottle from me, “never seen him do that before.”
“Interesting,” I respond then climb back in the passenger’s seat.  I feel the color leave my face when I look in the side mirror. 
“You ok, mamá?” Creeper glances over at me. 
“Just get us the fuck outta here,” I breathe as the truck stop fades into the distance.  When the van pulls to a stop behind a row of Harleys I turn to Creeper, “Will you keep my little freak out moment to yourself?” 
“No problem,” he said with a crooked smile. I take a final look at myself in the visor mirror then pull the pen from my hair and let my copper curls fall down my back. Then reach down and fasten the strappy heels.  I swing open the door and EZ catches my hand and helps me down. I find my footing. 
“Sorry I yelled at you on the phone,” I said. 
He gives me a half-grin, “No worries.”  I glance around my smile fades slightly, “Where is Bishop?” 
“Inside finishing up with the kings,” he responds. I breathe through my feelings.  He wanted me here. He wouldn’t have broken all kinds of the protocol to drive me over 300 miles just to fuck with my head“Alright,” I simply said. I leave EZ to help Creeper unload the van heading into the private cassino. This was a lesson I had to learn. Patch before pussy. And I hadn’t even provided that.
I’m welcomed by warm lights and the chimes of the slot machines. I scan the room looking for a familiar face. 
"Well if it isn't Malibu Barbie, " Angel's voice echoes behind me, a smug grin on his face. 
I give him a matching smile. "What have I done to see your face again, cabrón?"
"Look at you, güera learning Spanish, " he chuckles. 
"The vale between love and hate is extremely thin, " I cock my head to the side, "I guess you don't know why I'm here either?" 
"Just that your shit needs to be taken to Bish's room when you got here, " he said. "Surprised you only brought one bag. Don't you white girls overpack?" 
"Sorry to disappoint. I don't have a purse dog and I hate Uggs. But I will drink you under the table on Pumpkin Spice Lattes, " I give him a wink. I walk with him to the bar, "I'm not hanging with Bishop because I'm looking for a little Mexican flavor or whatever you're thinking. I like him." The thought of him brings a genuine smile to my lips, "I like him a lot." 
“I’m disappointed. Thought for sure you’d have a little rat dog,” he smiles, his gaze fixes past my shoulder.
“I’d rather have a dog that can eat a guy’s face off than nip at his ankles,” I take in his face seeing that he is not paying attention to what I’m saying, “Am I not dazzling you with my company?” 
“Yeah,” he looks back down at me, “what?”
“Go,” I follow his eyes, seeing a girl in at a tight barely-there dress, “I’ll be fine.” 
“You sure?” he asks. “Bish should be here soon.” 
“Give me ten bucks,” I climb up on a barstool. 
“Qué?” he quirked a brow. 
“Open your wallet and give me a ten,” I respond, “I need a drink and have no cash.”
He opens his wallet and thumbs through the bill, “I only got a twenty.” I hold out my hand, “She’s getting away, Angel.” 
He slaps the bill in my palm and rushes off. I order a White Russian from the bartender and sip it slowly.  Glancing around the room and on my phone, Bishop wasn’t here yet.  I road all this way to sit at a bar waiting. I could be waiting at home in my yoga pants and slippers. I slurp the last of my drink from my glass. I feel the warmth of a hand on my lower back.  I lift my eyes finding someone, not Bishop leaning moving dangerously close to my comfort bubble.  
His breath stank of cheap beer and cigarettes when he spoke, “Get you another drink, sweetheart?”
“No thanks, I’m waiting for someone,” I try to shrug him off but his grip on my waist grew tighter. 
“Just one drink,” he moves in closer even as I push against him.  I glance up the bartender was helping a couple who just sat at the other end of the bar. 
“I said no,” my voice firm and louder, “please get your hands off me.” He moves his hand to grip my thigh. So tight I knew there would be marks later. I push against him, not making much headway. In an instant, a fist collides with his face. Knocking him on his ass. 
“She said no,” Bishop’s voice unmistakable, the fury in his eyes burned differently than I’d seen before. He relaxes his clenched fist and holds his hand out to help me down from the stool, “Where’s Angel?”
“He went to take a piss I guess,” I didn’t want to rat him out and lose any of the ground I’d gained with him. 
“You don’t have to cover for him, sweetheart,” his voice still stern.  I lace my fingers with his. “I don’t need a babysitter.” He motions to the guy that was pulling himself off the floor, “You don’t?” 
“Not counting him. He’s an anomaly. And I was handling it. Sort of,” I tuck myself into his side, “I just need you.” The words felt cheesy coming out of my mouth. But they were true.  I hadn’t felt as safe in my whole life as I had in the last few weeks I’d spent with Bishop.  
 "I didn't like seeing that puta's hands on you, " he leads me further in the casino. "Sorry I wasn't here when you got here." He scans me over, taking in my appearance. My top hinted just enough cleavage and my jeans cling to my hips like a second skin. "Real sorry, " his eyes return to mine. 
"Next time you want to see me you can call me yourself. I know club shit is a priority. But I don't like making sketch plans via your prospect." 
"That wasn't the way I wanted it to happen, " he responds, "meetings with the kings took longer than I wanted." Bishop's hand rested on my neck pulling me closer. His lips were on mine. The noise and smells of the casino fade completely all I can sense is the feel of his lips on mine, the way his hand feels on my neck. The thickness of the leather beneath my palms as I rest them on his chest. "Come on I need to entertain them a little longer but I wanted you with me."
"Uh-huh, " the oxygen hadn't returned to my brain yet. I lace my fingers through his and walk with him to a round booth.  Hank stands, pecks my cheek then motions for me to slide in the booth.  I give Taza a wave across the table. Two other men, both wearing ‘El Presidente’ patches filled out the rest of the table. 
The Mayan Kings.
I slide in the booth painting on a smile, “Evening.” I was strangely comfortable with this group of men that likely had several kills under their belt. The princess girls I went to school with would cast their nose down at them. But after everything, I’d rather be with these ‘dangerous’ men than the dudes and bros that turned into the man I was supposed to like. I was safer with Bishop and his Mayans than I’d ever been. 
I sipped my cocktail, careful not to overindulge, listening to they catch up. Bishop’s hand rested possessively on my thigh. I stifle a yawn and leaned over my lips dancing over his ear, speaking soft, “I can’t wait to be alone with you.”  
“Tired, Hermosa?” he asked.
“It was a long trip and I’d just come off a long shift,” I answer with another yawn, playing the game. “But it was worth it.” 
“Come on,” he slides out of the booth and takes my hand, addressing the table. “Good night.”
I’d always known I was pretty. Copper curls hang loosely around my face-framing my delicate features. Full lips, blue eyes accented with fluttery lashes.  Pretty. But when Bishop looked at me I felt beautiful, sexy, a goddess. 
“You know I’m not exactly tired,” I tuck my hand in the crook of his arm as he leads me from the elevator and we stop in front of the hotel door. The light on the key slot turned from red to green and he pushes the door open. 
“Good,” he holds the door open as I step over the threshold. The room was massive. The floor to ceiling windows gives a view of the bright lights of the Vegas strip. He slips his arm around my waist pulling me close, I lean back into his chest, his warmth wraps around me like a fur.  My eyes close when his stubble tickles the sensitive skin on my neck. 
“I missed you,” I let out a soft moan as his tongue and lips move over my skin. I turn toward him, my lips finding his. The kiss fueled a fire throughout my body. I step back catching my breath.
“I missed you too,” he runs his thumb over my lip, “you hungry?” I shake my head, “No. But I do need a minute. OK?”
“Take your time,” he pecks my lips again. I grab the train case that EZ left by the door and take it with me to the bathroom. I smile hearing him mutter, “Damn.” 
I check my reflection in the mirror. I didn’t have time to apply a new layer of makeup. So I pinch my cheeks and apply some gloss.  
“You ok in there?” Bishop calls from the other side of the door. 
“I’ll be out in a minute,” I call back. I pull my clothes off quickly and take a look at myself, glad I chose to wear good underwear today. Hot pink lace boyshorts with a matching bra. I lotion my legs satisfied they were smooth then adjust my boobs. I draw in another breath. I’m ready, I want this more than anything. 
I swing open the bathroom door, I lean against the frame, feeling my confidence falter until I see his eyes over me like a starving man and I was his next meal. “I promise I won’t pass out this time,” I take a few steps closer to him. I hadn’t been nervous about sex with someone in a long time. But I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I wait for him to speak. To move, to do something. 
He closes the gap between us in two strides, his hands cup my face and his lips crash on mine. I hold onto his sides as he walks me through the room to the bed. He shrugs out of his kutte and drapes it over the chair as I sit on the bed looking up at him. My fingers tremble as I tug at his belt and unbutton his pants. His eyes are dark with lust as he watches me slip my hands inside. I bite my lip, he’s thick. And getting thicker as I stroke him. His calloused hand slips under the lace of my bra. His fingers working my nipple to a hardened peak as I free him from his jeans. 
“Not yet, baby,” he leans down pressing his lips to mine. We work our way backward on the bed until he’s over me. Consuming me with the heat of his body.  His lips move over my jaw and down my neck, kissing my chest then the tops of my breasts. I moan when his lips circle my nipple through the lace while his other hand toys with the other. Slowly he moves his lips lower and hooks his fingers in my panties. I lift my hips and let him pull them down. 
The man I’d known in the past, the one I’d run away from, he never did this before. The sensation was new. Exciting. Bishop’s tongue swirled slowly around my clit and I cried out as the sparks start to shoot through my body. He licked and sucked my pussy slowly as though he were savoring the taste of me. My fingers coil into the sheets as he slipped a finger inside me and then a second. He pumped in choreographed rhythm with flicks of his tongue on my clit. The pressure inside me built, my thighs tremble, as I feel the dam about to break. “Bishop...I…” my words barely coherent as I felt the crash, I couldn’t stop it. He slowed his movements not stopping, dragging out my orgasm as I shuddered under his touch. I feel my cheeks flush as he looks up at me. Smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as he moves back up my body. 
“I knew you’d taste good,” his lips glisten with my juices. I hide my face behind my hands. He moves them, “Too late to be embarrassed, querida.”
“Sorry,” I bite my lip, “I’ve never come like that before.”  
Bishop’s hand cups my face and turns me to meet his gaze, “That is a fucking shame. I plan on tasting you as often as you’ll let me.” He presses his lips to mine as I nodded my agreement to his plan. I move my hands to his chest fingers tug on the buttons and I push the fabric down his arms.  His free hand moves to my back to unhook my bra then moves to cup my breast.  
My hands move over the topography of his now bare chest down his abs and slide in his pants, “Take your pants off.” 
“Yes, ma’am,” he smiles into the kiss and raises up to push his pants the rest of the way off after pulling a condom from his wallet. I bring his face back to mine, joining my lips to his again. I let my hand move lower again, finding him thick and hard pressing against my thigh. He groans against my mouth when my fingers curl around him. Fingers trace long and slow up and down his cock. He pushes me to my back and raises up again to roll the condom down his length. 
I moan softly as he traces the tip of his member along my slit. “Ready?” I nod. I was ready as I’d ever been.  And I wanted him. At this moment I wanted to feel him more than my next breath. His hand grips my thigh as he slides inside me. Inch by satisfying inch stretching me to accommodate him. “Fuck,” he mutters and pops his hips again. My leg hooks high on his hips letting him sink deeper. He moves slow and deep. I feel a surge building inside me again. I grip tight to him, my walls flutter around his cock. “That’s it, querida,” his grip tightens on my thigh, “let go.” At his words, I stop holding back and an uncontrollable tingling sensation radiates through my body.  
Bishop’s movements become more erratic as he chases his own release.  I move to meet his thrusts as I ride out my orgasm. With a few more thrusts I feel his cock twitch and he groans into my neck at his release. His lips find mine as he comes down from his high. He rolls off of me and pulls me to his chest. I rest my head on his chest, listening as his heart thumps. He combs his fingers lightly through my hair and we lay in each other’s arms.
"I'm glad we waited," I look up at him, "Hot dirty drunk sex would have been fun. But this was better than I thought it could be." 
"Yeah, it was," he pecks my forehead and slides from the bed, "wait here." I frown losing the warmth of his closeness. I wanted to ask questions. But I didn't want to be that girl. The one that doesn't know her place and reads things that just aren't there. 
Though the sounds from the other room did catch my attention, "Bishop?" 
I could hear voices but couldn't tell exactly who the other voice was. Probably one of his guys. I grab Bishop's discarded shirt and slip it on, it still smelled of his favorite cigar and cologne, "If you have to go out again with club stuff you seriously have to make it up to me again when you get back." I roll the sleeves up slightly
While walking.
"Stay back there," Bishop calls. It was too late. I feared this would happen since the day I left Malibu. His eyes were cold as he pressed the barrel of his pistol into the back of Bishop's head. 
"Why are you here?" 
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whatcouldgowrong-ohthat · 5 years ago
Text
Beauty and the Beast Ch. 2 (Bucky x Reader)
Here’s chapter two!
Link to: Chapter One, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven
Warnings: Gonna get to see Reader and Bucky interact? That’s about it?
Summary: It took the kingdom of Hydra five years to finally take advantage of the disappearance of the Stark Kingdom. It took Prince Brock two weeks to make the small, unprotected village of Marveline hate his existence. His ways left Captain Rogers to go looking for help, hoping to find a royal family that could protect the people. But what happens when he hasn’t come back? It’s up to Bucky to find out what happened to his best friend and the royal siblings, but he never expected what’s to come.
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Chapter Two
The door’s loud groan signaled that the entrance hadn’t really been used recently. Wind seemed to urge Bucky inside before he slammed the door shut again. He hated the chill and the shudder it sent up his spine. Why did he have to forget his jacket? Breathing into his hands, Bucky did his best to warm himself. It wasn’t working. 
“Hello,” he called, looking around. The halls were huge, lined with paintings of historical figures and landscapes. Columns brought his attention to the high ceilings. Everything was so massive, so familiar. Yet he couldn’t place where he knew this from. “Anyone here?” 
Muddy footsteps were left behind in the rug with every step he took. He tried to see past the shadows and low lighting, but the only source available was a candelabra on a nearby table. “Fury couldn’t have brought me to the right place,” he muttered, taking the ornate candlestick in hand. The glow illuminated his face, providing the slightest bit of warmth. It still wasn’t enough. “No one’s been here in years.”
“I resent that statement.”
Bucky spun around, searching for the source of the voice. “Hello? Who’s there?” He focused on the possibility of someone hiding in the shadows, instinctively reaching for a sword that wasn’t there. It seemed some things never got old. “Show yourself.”
“Jeez, this is supposed to be Roger’s friend?” Bucky tensed and spun around once again. His hand tightened around the candelabra, earning a grunt of distaste. “Watch it! Your hands are cold!” He froze, bringing the object into view. There was a face staring back at him, but it couldn’t mean… “You can talk?”
“Wow, you got some brains in that thick skull of yours.”
Bucky dropped the candelabra, taking a couple steps back as it hopped up. “What the —“
“Please, be careful. He has enough dents.”
Bucky jerked, looking back to the table. He had been so focused on his surroundings that he had missed the clock that had been there. It was also talking? “I — What is this?”
“What, never seen a curse before?” The clock’s sarcasm earned a glare from Bucky.  Lumbering forward, the clock adjusted its face and looked down at the candelabra. “Are you all right, Sam?”
“Yeah, he barely left a scratch,” Sam told him, waving him off before buffing out the scratch on his heel.
“Sam?” Bucky raised an eyebrow before asking the clock, “And what’s your name?”
“Everyone calls me Rhodes or Rhodey.”
Sam and Rhodey — a talking candelabra and clock. That was normal. Totally. Bucky was starting to wonder if he hit his head in the woods. Rubbing his temples, Bucky walked past the pair and wondered if there really was a chance Steve was here. After all, clearly the castle wasn’t abandoned. Looking back at Sam, Bucky said, “You mentioned Steve.”
“Yeah, we’re the ones who sent the horse.”
“Of course you were,” he grumbled. “Where’s Steve?” Sam and Rhodey shared a look, the silent conversation between the two not exactly something that he appreciated. “What is it?”
Rhodey gestured for Sam to explain, smirking when the candelabra huffed in frustration. He turned back to Bucky. “He’s in the dungeons.”
“Show me.”
Bucky wasn’t sure what it was that made him tense about this place. Everything seemed to have an air about it that he couldn’t understand. It was weird. With each item they passed, he wondered if maybe another object would come to life and make its presence known. Every turn, every change in direction, he made sure to remember. If he got himself lost and locked away, there would be no way he could help Steve.
“Through there.”
Bucky looked to the floor, to the objects that had led him here. “And I’m supposed to just trust you two?”
“You refused to carry us up all those stairs. We hopped the whole way up and you think it was some sort of prank?” Sam stared at Bucky as if he had grown a second head. “I don’t like cardio that much, friend of Rogers.”
“Bucky. My name is Bucky.” He clenched his jaw and opened the door, peeking inside. There was a chill in the air, worse than the rest of the castle. Stepping inside, he noticed how light streamed in through the cell windows. A high tower to keep your prisoners and yet the owner of the castle showed them the world they would forever be away from. Typical royals. “Steve?”
“Buck?” 
He shifted his gaze to the cell farthest across the room. Crossing the room in quick strides, he wrapped a hand around one of the cell bars and grit his teeth. “Steve, how long have you been here?”
Offering a weak smile, Steve leaned against the bars. “About as long as I’ve been gone.” Bucky noted the scruff of his beard, the oiliness of Steve’s hair, the dark circles under his eyes. The clothes he wore were untucked and torn, though he had no injuries. His friend was exhausted and definitely needed to get out of here. “It’s okay, you found me.” He paused. “Buck, how did you find me?”
“The talking candlestick sent your pain in the ass horse,” Bucky explained, shaking his head. “How can I get you out?”
Steve scratched the back of his neck. “Honestly? I barely remember who put me in here.”
“You idiot,” he muttered, rolling his eyes.
“Punk.”
“Did you really have to go looking for royals?” Bucky pulled the knife out of his boot, crouching in front of the lock. He had to pick it and get Steve out of here. He’d spent enough time in this ridiculous place. “You know they’re useless.”
“Uh, Buck —“
“No, seriously. I told you there was no point. That, if we were going to stop Hydra, we needed to do so with the people in our village. With soldiers we had fought with. Royals are only invested in themselves, what benefits them.”
“Bucky —“
Bucky raised an eyebrow, glancing up from where he’d been focused on the lock. “I’m not done lecturing you, punk.”
“Oh, good. I’d love to hear what else you have to say.”
Bucky closed his eyes, clenching his jaw. He’d been so focused on giving Steve an earful that he failed to hear someone else had come inside. Looking over his shoulder, he could barely make out the enormous figure lingering in the shadows. What was that thing? “Are you the one who locked him up?”
“Maybe.”
A woman?
Bucky rose to his feet and moved to take a step forward, stopping only when Steve grabbed his wrist. “He came looking for help and you threw him in a cell?”
“I don’t like trespassers.”
Bucky scowled. “You spoiled, little —“
“Let’s not threaten the owner of the castle, Buck.”
She shifted, walking along the edge of the wall and remaining in the shadows. He could feel her gaze locked on him. She was studying him. “What can I do for you?”
“Let him go.”
“That does nothing for me,” she reminded him. There was a glint of something in the dark. Fangs? Who was this thing? “Like you said, royals are only invested in themselves.”
“…I…” Bucky looked back at Steve. He knew what it was like to be a prisoner. Steve didn’t. Steve didn’t have those scars. Looking back at the shadowed figure, he offered, “Take me instead.”
“Buck!“
“You can’t be serious.” She was surprised. He could hear it in her voice.
“I am. Let Steve leave and take me instead. I know what it’s like to be a prisoner. Steve doesn’t. And he’s the only family I have left.” Bucky stepped forward, pulling free from Steve’s grip. “So trade us.”
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing?” Her critical eyes were filled with curiosity, something he wasn’t expecting. Most people in these situations would be calculating, cold, and yet there was a warmth in her eyes. It was guarded, but he could still see it. What was with this woman? “Who you’re speaking to?”
“Not entirely sure what I’m doing, but,” Bucky eyed her carefully. “Step into the light. I’d like to know who or what I’m making a deal with.” Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Sam bury his face in the wax of his candles. Apparently that wasn’t the right thing to say? Wait, was he seriously questioning his judgement based on a candelabra’s opinions? Bucky shook his head and looked back at the woman. “Well?”
She giggled, amused with his antics. “Very well.” A foot stepped forward, catching his attention. She was large, her foot bare and resembled something similar to a bear. He shifted his gaze up and as she moved closer, Bucky realized just how tall she was. She easily towered over him and her body, though covered in a loose shirt and trousers, was covered in fur from head to toe. Her face reminded him of something from legend. It wasn’t like a bear — closer to a lion and yet not quite there. Her tail flicked out from under her cloak and made him tense. Grinning, her fangs appeared once again and his eyes flickered from fangs to claws and back again. 
Bucky refused to let Steve stay with this…monster.
“Do we have a deal?”
Without hesitation, “Yes.”
She moved faster than he anticipated, unlocking the cell door and grabbing Steve by the arm. Bucky reached for him, hoping to say goodbye to the man that had been like a brother to him. “Steve —“
As he was being hauled towards the door, Steve called, “Don’t do anything stupid till I get back!”
“How can I?” The door slammed shut, leaving Bucky with Sam and Rhodey. His shoulders slumped as he stared at the spot where his friends once stood. His voice was soft, almost frail as he murmured, “You’re taking all the stupid with you.”
When the pair reached the carriage outside, Steve pulled himself free. He turned on his foot and asked, “Was that necessary? Could you not let us say goodbye?”
“I don’t have all the time in the world, Rogers.”
He frowned as she opened the carriage door. She took his arm and shoved him inside before slamming the door shut. “How did you know my name?” Steve watched her intently, trying to see past the monstrous features.
Clenching the window of the carriage, she grit her teeth before snapping, “I heard it from the clock.”
“But he —“ 
“Take Rogers back to the village,” she told the carriage, slapping the side. It seemed to bring itself to life, rocking from side to side as Steve tried to open the door. Alas, he was unable.
“Wait!”
“Go, now.” She turned away as the carriage took off. Her stomach clenched at the slip up she had made. Her brother had told her so many stories regarding the great captain. She couldn’t let him wander the halls and she hated having to keep him in the dungeon. He had been a great hero and yet he had no recollection of her kingdom, of her brother, of any of it.
Glancing up to the tower where her newest resident was waiting, she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to go back. Just like she’d heard stories of Steve, she’d heard stories of Bucky. He didn’t have much reason to be happy with her — what with rushing Steve out, leaving her people to fend for themselves, being one of the very royals he loathed. But between her two options, she knew she had to have hope for the latter. Steve was focused on loyalty and protecting the people. Any emotions he felt would be guarded and perhaps manipulated to help achieve his goals for the greater good. Bucky’s reasons for being here were clouded. While he didn’t have faith in someone of royal blood, if she had any hope of breaking the curse, his feelings would be more honest and raw.  No one in the whole castle thought she had any hope. And in truth, she hadn’t. Not until she heard Bucky speak so freely to his best friend. That was what she wanted. Honesty. Without it, there was no hope to beat the curse.
Bucky didn’t pay attention to the sound of the beast’s return. He knew what he was signing up for when he agreed to be a prisoner, he did, but Bucky still hated it. Crossing his arms, he leaned against the stone wall and grit his teeth when cold rushed through him. Memories of Hydra and constantly being surrounded by an endless winter came rushing in an almost overwhelming moment of mere seconds. 
“Bucky, yes? That’s what your friend called you?”
He looked up, blue eyes flashing bright even in the low light. “Call me James.”
She nodded, refusing to meet him eye to eye. Whether she felt guilty or disgusted by him, Bucky couldn’t tell. He couldn’t bring himself to care either. Instead, he turned his gaze to the window and the carriage disappearing into the trees. “You’re cold.”
Bucky scoffed. “No shit.”
“So come with me.”
Bucky jerked his head, gaze boring through her. She held the door to his cell open, gesturing for him to step out. “What?”
“Come with me.” 
“Why?”
“You’re freezing and you’re my guest.”
“I thought I was a prisoner.”
She rolled her eyes and gestured to the cell. “Do you really want to stay in here? I’m offering to be nice. Just let me.”
Bucky watched her carefully, studying her. Why would a royal be kind to him? Why would she call him a guest? Instead of commenting on what she had to say, he let her lead him out of the dungeons. She didn’t say anything for a while, instead holding Sam in her grip while Bucky carried Rhodey. Everything felt awkward and tense, but not in a resentful sort of way.
Bucky didn’t understand.
And neither did she.
“Are you going to talk to him?” Sam’s hushed whisper earned a glare from her.
“Haven’t I been?”
“Princess,” Sam murmured, pointing a candle in Bucky’s direction. “He’s rough around the edges, but you agreed to his deal for a reason.”
She bit her tongue to keep from arguing. Sam was right. Even admitting that would leave a bitter taste in her mouth. Glancing at Bucky, she offered a small smile. It didn’t look quite natural on her, but he didn’t comment. “You’ll have your own room with a fireplace. I know the winters can be cruel.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“No, but I want to. What you did for your friend was kind and shouldn’t be punished. It should be rewarded. While I can’t do much, I can at least provide you some warmth.” 
Bucky watched her, unsure of what he was expecting, but knowing it wasn’t that. “…Thank you.”
“Of course. The castle is lonely, I know, but you can go anywhere. This place can be your home.” She hesitated before telling him, “Just…don’t go to the East wing.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m giving you a whole castle,” she snapped, her voice borderline a growl. “All I demand is that you do not go to the East wing.” Bucky rolled his eyes, deciding it wasn’t worth arguing. At least not now. If what she said was true, he had plenty of places to explore and the castle was big enough to stay away from her. “Here we are.” Stopping in front of a large door, she turned the handle and gestured inside. Already warmth radiated from the fire he could see just inside. If all the servants were things, then how? “Get some rest.”
Bucky glanced at her as he strode past. He wanted to ask questions about her appearance and the castle’s history. How was he supposed to understand if he didn’t get to learn? Looking back to the room, he noticed the ornate decorations and extremely large bed. His whole home could fit inside these four walls and it was all for him? “Thank you,” he muttered, not exactly wanting to show appreciation. But he had to. This was better than his other option.
“Don’t mention it. You’ve had a long day. Sleep.”
“Was that an order?” Bucky quirked an eyebrow as he turned his attention back to her. “Or a request?”
“A recommendation.” She smirked and moved to close the door, pausing for a brief moment. “Goodnight.”
“What’s your name? If I’m living here, shouldn’t I know it?”
“I was kind of expecting you to just call me the beast.”
Bucky shook his head. “I’d rather not.”
Her fist flexed, as if she wasn’t used to someone asking her name. It made him wonder just how long she’d been cursed. How normal was it for her to be referred to as “the beast”? “Y/N.”
“What?”
“It’s my name — Y/N.”
Bucky nodded, appreciating that she actually gave him some sort of information. “Thank you, Y/N.”
Another pause with silence that neither of them felt really comfortable in. She cleared her throat, telling him, “Join me for dinner.”
He watched her, brow furrowing. “Request or order?” 
“I don’t know yet.”
“Then no.”
She glared at him. “Excuse me?”
“No. I have no reason to be ordered to dinner. So no, I’m not going.” He met her gaze. “I’m not a soldier anymore, Y/N. I don’t follow orders.”
Y/N clenched her jaw and gave a curt nod. “Very well.” She closed the door, her hand clenching around the knob until she felt it shift under her strength. Immediately Y/N released it and looked down at the twisted gold. Oops.
“Princess?”
Y/N looked at Rhodey who watched her carefully. “I’m working on it,” she muttered through gritted teeth. He raised an eyebrow, watching her intently. “I am!”
“Whatever you say.” She glared at him. “Did you invite him to dinner?”
“Yes.”
“Y/N.”
“I tried to.”
“The walls are thin, your highness,” Rhodey explained, earning a snarling growl. “I’m just saying.”
“I miss the days when you just bothered Tony.” Y/N turned away from him and walked away, her cloak billowing behind her with every long stride. She was intent on heading back to the East wing and clearly wanted to do so alone.
Rhodey let out a small huff before fixating on the twisted doorknob. “So do I, Princess. So do I.”
——
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