#Quizzical Queries
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IT'S YOU!!!!!!!!
I love u (in a platonic way)
Oh goodness, THANK YOU! I look stunning 💕
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"What happened to your eye?" (Torin~)
@royaldeceit
He's ignoring her.
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DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS (PT 1): GOJO SATORU & GETO SUGURU
Synopsis: When you have questions about physical intimacy Satoru and Suguru are quick to answer them.
Warnings: 18+, satosugu x fem!reader, lots of kissing, praise, teasing
>Part 1< Part 2 Part 3
The subject of physical intimacy never really felt like a taboo topic for you, especially when you were only discussing it with your two close friends and you were swimming in unanswered questions.
The very first time you brought it up was in elementary school when you watched Suguru's mother plant a peck onto his father's cheek. It was a strange sight for your young mind to comprehend as you sat on the floor squished between the two boys, backs leaning against the Geto family's pristine couch that your trio never really used, your fingers toying with tufts of the rug as Digimon played on the television.
"What was that?" you questioned with a tilt of you head, wide eyes parting as the scene dispersed, training your focus on the kid of the two lovers.
"A kiss?" he said confused, unsure on what your question was trying ask, "doesn't your mama do that for your papa too," he raised his brow, pudgy fingers plopping a gold fish cracker into his mouth as you shook your head.
"My mama only kisses my forehead," you tap the space above your brows, "I thought your mama and papa are only supposed to kiss you, not each other," and Suguru stares at you quizzically.
"My mama and papa kiss all the time though," he states before turning to Satoru, "do your parents kiss," he asks, waving his hands in front of the young Gojo's face to pry his blue eyes from the tv.
"What!" he exclaims, glaring at the boy on your other side, not catching the question Suguru threw at him before rudely interrupting his Digimon time.
"Do your mama and papa kiss?" you queried this time, watching as his eyebrows raised.
"Not in front of me but sometimes, yeah," he says, biting the head off a red sour path kid.
"Does that mean my mama and papa are kissing in secret," you wondered, the image of your non affectionate parents pressing kisses to each other's forehead out of view from your eyes seeming like a strange secret to keep from you, especially when they argue with each other in front of you all the time.
"Probably," Suguru nods and the three of you brush past it.
The second time you ask about kissing is in your first year of junior high, coddled in blankets as your head rested on Satoru's shoulder as he munched on the popcorn in a bowl he held in his lap, Suguru on his opposite side. The heater rumbled in the corner as snowflakes fell from the night sky. The three of you sat peacefully on the couch, finally transitioning to sitting on the plush cushions of Suguru's sofa as you watched a cheesy Christmas rom-com movie.
"Doesn't that feel funny," you pipe up, watching as the main characters fell into each other's embrace, lips slipping against one another, and you finally realized why this sappy holiday movie was rated PG-13, as between their pressed lips you could see peeks of their tongue pushing into each other's mouths, holding their bodies close to one another as the camera panned around, showing different views of their searing and long awaited kiss that their impalpable chemistry yearned for.
"Funny?" Suguru mumbles, "why would it feel funny."
"They are putting their tongues in each other's mouth," you state bluntly, watching as their lips part as they pant only for the romantic music to persist as they leaned in once more, "wouldn't that feel... slimy?"
"Maybe," Satoru chimes, highly uninterested in the film you insisted on watching in the name of festivity, claiming it had to be good after seeing so many trailers and teasers for the film, "they are swapping spit"
"It sounds gross when you say it that way," Suguru gagged, the scene in front of him now making him cringe.
"But it's the truth," Satoru huffs loading his mouth with butter covered kernels as you nodded your head.
"Then why do they do it if it feels weird," you furrow your brows.
"It must feel nice or something," Satoru concludes as though it was obvious, "love interests always talk about how their heart skips a beat whenever kissing is mentioned, but I feel like they might just be sick."
"It's supposed to be romantic," Suguru scrunched his nose and you had to admit the borderline make out scene on the television did seem pretty loving.
"Is feeling funny romantic," you question, confused.
"Well they say that you feel butterflies in your stomach when you like someone," the dark haired boy states, recalling the cliche line that seemed to satisfy your curiosities.
But that was until Satoru asked, "You wanna try it."
HUH!!!!
To say you were shocked would be an understatement with the way you physically flinched at the question. Try it, try kissing, kissing who, kissing��them? You could feel yourself grow slightly warmer but as Suguru merely shrugged with a simple "sure," that appeared nonchalant but the blush on his face betrayed him, your mind caught up with your body which you found was already nodding.
Kissing, you were going to kiss them, your first kiss would be with one of them, but with who? It appeared the two boys also had the same internal monologue as Satoru hummed with furrowed brows, "should we just play rock paper scissors," he questioned, "and whoever is holding the same sign kiss first." Your first kiss would be decided by a game of rock paper scissors... you had to admit that this was pretty on brand for your trio.
Soon enough all three of your fists were shaking as the murmured, "rock paper scissors," was said until three sets of scissors appeared on each of your fingers, "again?" Satoru asked but you merely shook your head with a coy little grin.
"The fates have already spoken," you teased, "we all have to kiss."
"How?" Satoru mumbled watching as suddenly the gears began to turn in Suguru's head as his foot reached out to grab the coffee table and pulled it closer to the couch.
"Sit," he merely commanded, eyes on you as he gestured towards the structure and you quickly oblige, finding yourself eager to be apart of his newly formed plan as you peeled yourself from the bundle of blankets, shivering slightly at the feeling of the cool material seeping into the pant legs of your fuzzy pajamas, staring at the two boys who now sat in front of you.
"What now," you ask, staring at Suguru as he merely shook his head.
"I'm not really sure," he grinned bashfully, "but if we all lean it should work."
"What a plan," Satoru scoffed, earning a light punch to the shoulder.
"What else should we do," Suguru retorted, "if we share each others first kiss then there is less stress," the dark haired boy grumbled, "it's hard to decide who I would want to kiss first," it was said quietly, barely above a whisper but you caught it, a gentle smile crossing your lips as you pressed a hand to his knee.
"We can just try," you mused, "it's just the three of us anyways, no ones gonna tell."
"Guess so," Satoru huffed "am I supposed to count down or somethi-" but he cut himself off, watching the way you began to lean forward and quickly he followed suit.
It was strange to say the least, two pairs of lips on your own as the three of you kissed, a little triangle of mouths. Your eyes were screwed shut, focusing on the feeling, slightly scared what you'd see if you opened them. The kiss was short, quick, and kind of weird but the warming of your cheeks explained how oddly nice it felt as you pulled away.
You felt suddenly breathless as you pulled your hands into fists, staring wide eyed at the bright blushing boys in front of you.
You had just kissed them.
You had given your first kiss to Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru.
You might be the only person to say that, say your first kiss was given to not only one person but two. The strange pride you felt in your chest was oddly satisfying.
"What now," Satoru was the first to break the silence and you couldn't keep yourself from staring at his lips as he spoke, mesmerized.
"You two kiss first," you mumble out, forcing yourself to make eye contact with him and you could feel the anticipation in your gut grow as they stared at each other with flushed faces.
"Us two," Suguru murmured, entranced by his friend's eyes before turning to you, "why?"
"I want to watch," you admit shamelessly, adjusting your position as you sat comfortably on the table, enjoying the sight of the two boys on the couch who grew warm at your confident words, but the way Suguru slid his hand to cup Satoru's cheeks had you growing warm.
His finger brushed over his pink skin, holding his head in both his hands, keeping him still as they stared at each other intently and you could see Satoru's adam's apple bob ever so slightly as Suguru took the initiative, head moving closer before their lips melded, and your eyes refused to blink, scared to miss a single second as you watched your best friends kiss each other gently.
It lasted a couple seconds and you drank up every second, their lips didn't move like in the film, tongues didn't dance and part of you wanted to speak up about it, mention how they were doing it incorrectly, but you couldn't, it didn't feel right to comment as you watched the way their chest heaved as they panted into each other's mouth as they pulled away.
Instead you merely queried, "did it feel good," and Suguru turned his hooded eyes to you, hand carefully making it's way to your face and you found anticipation begin to grow.
"Why don't you see for yourself."
Quickly you fell into him, eyes shutting as you let him kiss you and you could feel yourself understanding why they couldn't bring themselves to press their tongues inside like the actors had done in the movie, the rush of adrenaline and pure excitement his lips elicited had you clenching your fists as you leaned against him, you felt like a ball of nerves, scared to mess up but the small area where the two of you connected slowly began to soothe you.
God was your face hot.
You pulled away breathless, closed eyes opening to Suguru's smug smile as he tossed your question back at you, "did it feel good," and you felt a strange warmth in your belly as your post-kissed lips pursed.
"mhm," was all you could hum, tongue suddenly feeling numb in your mouth, you don't think you were going to kiss like the movie tonight but that didn't elicit any kind of disappointment, not when Satoru perked in his spot.
"My turn," was all he said before he began to lean in, hands tracing the spots where Suguru once placed his warm palms, his long fingers extending further that his counterpart as his somehow cold hands held you, pretty pink lips finding their way to yours as he quickly captured you.
For some reason you believed that kissing would always feel the same, sure there were different types of kisses but you thought that kissing Suguru would feel the same as kissing Satoru but quickly you were proven wrong, even if it was through a little closed mouth connection.
Suguru was light, lips pressing yours tenderly and with this all consuming warmth as his hot palms held your head lightly, holding you close whereas Satoru was a little bit rougher, lips pressing hard into yours as though he was trying to devour you, his slightly cold palms cupping your face gently but firmly as he pulled you into him.
They were each other's antithesis and yet despite their contrasting polarities you were undoubtedly attracted to both, finding yourself melting into both kisses with earnest as you found yourself just as breathless as Satoru pulled away, his fingers pinching the fat of your cheek one last time before letting them fall to his sides.
You felt like you were on a whole other plane of existence as your lungs tried to find air, your eyes finding pretty little grins that made you splay one on your own kiss fried lips.
Over the years the three of you had shared many secrets, from Satoru confessing to the two of you that it was indeed him that had broken the principal's window with a baseball, to Suguru confiding that he had practically run away from a girl who tried to give him a love letter.
Now the three of you had shared yet another secret, but this one was far from the rest, settling in it's own little category, hiding from prying eyes, it's content much more intimate than the others.
A dirty little secret had begun to fester and the three of you nurtured it with care.
The moment had marked the very first point in time in which you grew much more intimate.
Farewells were no longer only paired with hugs but kisses to the cheek or forehead as well. Cuddles on the couch oftentimes included a kiss to the lips. Innocent touches began to grow much more common as the three of you found yourself locked in Suguru's room, lips touching lips in the space, as unlike your home, in the Geto household the open door policy was not in effect.
So behind closed doors the three of you stole not only each other's first kiss, but your second, third, fourth, and many more after that.
It was in your second year of junior high when your kisses were born from less desire and more fun, a general domestic love beginning to blossom and snickers parted past your lips.
"Orange!"
"Strawberry."
They threw out their guesses, licking off the gloss coating their mouths. "Strawberry," you nod and Suguru pumped his fists as Satoru slumped.
"How is that strawberry," he fumed, leaning in for yet another taste of your chapstick covered lips only to grumble in annoyance, "Suguru what kind of lip glosses are you buying," he huffs, "they don't even taste right," and Suguru shrugged his shoulders, indulging in your taste once again before sighing.
"First of all these are chapsticks," the boy corrected, "second of all don't blame me because your tastebuds are all messed up."
"Are not!"
"Are too!"
Currently they were in a battle to see who could guess the most flavours correct after Suguru had given you a multi pack of chapsticks at the store his uncle ran, getting them for free after stocking a couple shelves, determined to place them in your care after an offhand comment you made about your lips being dry.
"Did you taste the flavours before giving them to her like some weirdo pervert," Satoru accused as you wiped off the previous flavour, secretly spreading a different balm over your lips, "are you into licking chapsticks and then giving them to girls!"
"You were there when she opened the package."
"You could've resealed it."
"Stop being a sore loser," Suguru complained before training his attention on you, watching as you laugh in jest, clearly enjoying their banter before stealing your focus, your eyes instinctively falling closed as he cupped your face, thumb trailing over the apple of your cheek as he pressed a chaste kiss to your lips, your shoulders decompressing as you eagerly melted into him before he was rudely pulled off.
"Stop hogging her, you are going to lick off the taste," Satoru is quick to state before leaning in, capturing your lips before you could even open your eyes again. You can hear a thwack as Suguru smacks the boys back, the jolt lightly jostling your own head.
"I'm not licking off anything," he grumbles, rolling his eyes as the snowy haired boy finally reeled himself away, or rather you pushed him off, hand coming up to his mouth to keep him from going in again as you laughed, trying to catch your stolen breath as Satoru licked his lips.
"You have your guesses," you muse at the two boys, their heads nodding before you count down.
"Vanilla!"
"Vanilla."
You have to bite your lips to keep a giggle at bay, the way they look at each other is filled with so much irritation.
"You stole my answer!" Satoru claims with an accusatory finger.
"Why would I steal your answer if you've been wrong for the past five rounds!" and before you let their bickering continue, you cut them off.
"Well regardless you both are wrong," you confess, openly snickering at their widened eyes before reaching behind you to grab the container, flashing the label.
"Snowstorm..." Suguru trails off.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME," Satoru exclaims, brows shooting to his forehead before he's on you, tackling you onto Suguru's mattress, cupping the back of your head to make sure you don't hit the sheets too hard before he's sitting on your torso, staring down at you. "What the hell does a snowstorm taste like," he scrunches his face, faux anger directed towards you as though you were the one to manufacture the labels.
"Vanilla apparently," you laugh, his fingers merely gripping your shoulders tighter before kissing you once more, mumbling, 'snowstorm my ass,' as he tastes it again, or rather you again.
Until then the dirty little secret the three of you shared wasn't all that dirty, you merely pressed closed mouth kisses to each other's lips, tiny little pecks at best onto your faces in the confines of a bedroom, hands never trailing below the shoulders, never taking the time to explore the intricacies of each others bodies, tongues never taking the time to explore each other's mouths.
Well that was until the holidays rolled around once more, the three of your perched on Suguru's couch as junior high third years, the very same movie playing on the screen.
"Do you still think it feels funny," Satoru chimes smugly, elbowing your side as he sits in the middles, squished between you and Suguru much like a couple years prior as he held the bowl of popcorn in his hands.
"I dunno," you murmur, the scene that sparked the question that day playing on the television as the actor's slipped inside each other's mouths.
"What do you mean you don't know," he huffs, leaning his head on your shoulder as you focus on the screen.
"Well we only really give each other, pecks..." you try, "while they are french kissing," the terms felt quite foreign on your tongue, the only reason they were added to your dictionary because of a youtube video you watched. You weren't signed into your account so the generic algorithm, yet to be fed with your likes presented an array of miscellaneous content, one of which titled 'How to French Kiss' that caught your attention quickly, and despite your brain telling you it was stupid and weird thing to watch you still clicked on it, watching mesmerized as two people went through different types of kisses, ranging from the chaste kisses you were familiar with to ones full of tongue that you had only witnessed in films.
"Isn't french kissing the one where they kiss each other's cheeks," Satoru furrows his brows.
"That is French," Suguru notes, "but a french kiss is like the one they're doing," he gestures to the movie.
"It's the one where they shove their tongues in their mouths," you add and Satoru cringed much like how he did last year when you stated the same words and he sighs before collecting himself.
"You wanna try," and you could feel a strange sense of deja vu as the events began to play out once more. Suguru's foot grabbed the table and you found your seat, as instead of playing rock paper scissors this time you urged the two boy's to kiss first and they quickly obliged your request, never ones to ever really deny you.
"You sure you don't wanna all touch tongues first," Satoru hums, teasingly eying you as Suguru carefully grasped his face, listening to your laugh before lips splayed onto his.
You stared intently as the scene unfolded similarly to years prior, and the longer you watched the more you realized that this was far too similar to years prior. Their tongues not dancing and instead of biting back your words you blurt them out, "you are supposed to use your tongue," you state and you can hear Suguru hum as he pulls away.
"I was getting there," he grumbles, eying your captivated figure before an all too smug smirk graced his lips that soon captured Satoru once more. You were glued to the scene, a muffled gasp playing into your ears as Suguru finally parted their sealed lips, mouths moving in tandem as between their newly angled heads, pretty peeks of pink tongues were spotted. You watched as though they were a film, two teenage boys holding each other tightly, Suguru's hands cupping Satoru's face gingerly while he threaded his fingers through dark locks, their faces illuminated by the tv screen behind you, painting reddened cheeks with a frosty blue glow as they moved their eager mouths.
They were an oil painting, a beauty that you felt unworthy to bare witness to as they displayed themselves to you, vulnerable and full of desire as they slid against one another, hands beginning to wander as Suguru slid from Satoru's warmed cheeks to his shoulders before planting on his hips, the hands threaded in his hair yanking and you licked your watering mouth, their eyes closed in bliss as hums of contentment rang through your ears, audio of the movie that once played ignored as the only music you wanted to listen to was them, the only art you wanted to consume was them.
It was delicate in the way the two finally pulled away, kiss bitten lips finally experiencing what it was to kiss, what it was to love, to pour yourself into a single part of yourself, to share that love with a partner despite the labels placed on one another being friends, they experienced a yearning for more and that yearning included you.
"Does it feel nice," you muse, the nostalgic words bringing Suguru's love drunk hooded eyes towards you, hair that was once neatly tied in a pretty black bun falling in rivulets as they framed his face.
"Do you run on a script or something," the boy mused, glittering at the familiar words as he reached for you.
"Just following tradition," you hum, "after all isn't that a large part of the holidays," you smile as he begins to lean closer.
"I don't really like traditions," he sighs, "but if those traditions include you two, I'll follow them until the day I die," and he shifted closer before murmuring, "why don't you see for yourself," to appease you and just like that he was on you, leaving you no time to laugh at the sappy words as he pressed himself into you, and finally you began to understand why he placed a chaste kiss to Satoru first.
The nerves that jumbled beneath your skin at the thought of participating in a tongue driven dance melted as he consumed you, the familiar feeling of his lips that you've felt against yours for hours at a time gracing your mouth, nothing different, nothing new, your fear of the unknown now deceased as he gave you a comfort of the known, warm lips against yours as his warm hands pressed against your cheeks before he pulled away, letting you take in a breath of air before he stole it once more.
He grasped you in his spell once more, enchanting you to his whims as he angled his head in a way you've never felt before, his lips hitting yours as he urged you to open your mouth alongside him, gently guiding you in a waltz as you finally felt his warm tongue enter your mouth, the foreign intrusion not unwelcome as he helped, his roaming hands finding purchase on your hips with one on the back of your scalp, pushing you into him as you fisted the fabric of his shirt, scared to explore as you went dizzy as he drank you in, guiding you so gently as you kissed, lips glued as he moved you in sync.
It was heated, with a fuzzy feeling lighting up your brain as you focused on him and only him, his two hands that were on you, drinking in their warmth until that warmth multiplied to four and you immediately recognize his touch, his slightly colder hands running along the length of your waist, lithe fingers squeezing as they scaled every curve. You were being devoured, nibbled upon by gentle lips and groping touches as they both set off on an adventure, wandering around on the island of your body and you let them.
You couldn't help but whine when you felt the warm kiss break off, cold air rushing into your screaming lungs that you couldn't care less about, you wanted him, needed him but before you could even make an attempt for his pretty lips he sang those oh so familiar words, "did it feel good," and just like last time your fumbling mouth couldn't run, words stolen by him as you merely hummed.
"mhm," airy and light as you stared at him with desire, feeling your beating heart thrum in your ears as you felt the hands that traversed your waist pull you towards him, grabbing your attention with his beautiful blue eyes, pink lips awaiting your arrival as he grinned.
"My turn pretty," he didn't ask but rather commanded, and you couldn't give yourself time to dwell on the pet name that spilled from his lips, the name that didn't refer to you as pretty but the embodiment of the word itself, your warmed cheeks the only evidence of his effect as he pulled for you and you shut your eyes to wait, only to hear a soft, "Tilt your head Toru," and as you peeked them open you could see Suguru's large fingers guiding Satoru's mouth to yours, angling his face to the side and you could feel yourself burning, lips parting and then you could feel Satoru on you, lips finding purchase on your own and you reached for his face, hands cupping Suguru's who merely interlaced your fingertips upon Satoru's cheek.
Satoru was, much like with all the sweets he ate, eager, tongue delving into your mouth. He was Suguru's opposite in all forms as his sloppy, unpracticed lips took whatever you had to offer. It was a clash of teeth and tongue and while it was messy and far from the tender guiding kiss Suguru offered it still made your mind blast off fireworks.
He didn't guide you but dominated you much to your compliance as your melting lips put up no protest. His hands travelled high up your torso, barely brushing against the side of your boob before travelling back down, elated fingers brushing and squeezing as he kissed you, finally and truly kissed you.
The two of you separated against your own will but to your lungs relief, as your heaving chest gulped down air as soon as your connected mouth parted, but despite your detachment a single clear tether held your two mouths together, the thin bridge connecting you two slowly dissolved the further your head shifted away.
Suguru could feel himself gulp, the lewd saliva strand that stood between his two friend's mouths doing things to his body he couldn't quite understand, the very image something he wanted to burn into his memory, a picture he wanted to frame and as he watched the two of you pant he couldn't help the tug on his chest that filled him with lust.
He watched as your form straightened, bleary eyes blinking as you stared at Satoru, cloudy vision trained on his lips and as you opened your mouth to speak he expected to hear your sultry voice spill a praise that'd make his heart skip a beat, but he was quick to put that thought to rest.
"S-Satoru are you..." you pause, catching your breath, "eating sour gummies," you question, eyes wide with shock as Satoru flinched at your words.
"W- Wha, huh, N-No!" he stumbles, taken aback.
"You are," you gasp, "you totally are!" and you are pouncing forward, trying to pat around the couch to find where he hid the package as Suguru quickly removed the popcorn bowl from the vicinity, placing it on a side table as you and Satoru begin to wrestle, the white haired boy trying to fight you off as you peel away the blankets.
"Get off me you psycho!" he exclaims, "I don't have anything."
"Then why do you taste like blue raspberry!" you yell.
Soon enough your dirty little secret grew a little bit more filthier as instead of quick little kisses the three of you entered in contact that would be considered make outs. Bodies tightly wound as hands wandered from waists, to hips, to light brushes against chests and sliding over an occasional ass. Lips were more fervent in their approach with erotic sounds to match the pace as little whines and gasps graced the room.
Kisses were often given in more risky places eliciting slight protests as you hid between tall abandoned shelves in the library, pinned between bodies and books as they'd shush you. Kisses placed in the Gojo estates bathroom as you did your best to stay quiet as to not alert the wandering workers as they cleaned the manor.
Your kisses never escalated into anything more but the two boys always seemed to scratch the irritating itch at the back of your brain that blossomed every so often, the itch they clambered over to soothe. The kisses you shared were always heated, lasting for nearly hours as the time between each session was lingering near months as times like this came few and far between. Despite the fact that something like this should've signaled something more in your trio, should've alluded to the three of you taking the next step in your relationship, you all stayed at the title of friends, or best friends, if that made it any better.
You were just a couple of pals who made out once and a while and went out together all the time, some would say you were dating but the thought never really crossed your mind, mainly because you didn't dare think about it. Especially since the kisses you shared weren't given on the regular, even quick pecks hidden from the public's eyes, it was because these were your dirty little secrets.
#satosugu x reader#satosugu x y/n#satosugu x you#jjk smut#jujustsu kaisen x reader#jjk x reader#satoru x reader x suguru#gojo x reader x geto#jjk#jujutsu kaisen
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♡ NIGHT DANCER.
❝ nothing changed, please don't change… let's blend together, one more time. ❞ / after spending the night with you, how do the genshin men treat you in the morning after?
✧ feat ; albedo, cyno, kaedehara kazuha, scaramouche, shikanoin heizou, xiao x gn!reader ✧ warning(s) ; suggestive (esp scara and heizou) ✧ a/n ; HIII everybody make some noise for quill’s shocking once a year post!!! hope you guys like this and if it doesn’t show up in tags i will delete my account (/nsrs) anyways idk why i’ve been so obsessed w the idea of waking up next to someone (can you tell i’m critically lonely? 💀) and so this piece was born. pretend u don't notice how scara & xiao’s might seem kinda similar it’s bc i view them thru the same lens LOL ok hope you enjoy! (also ignore the scara favouritism im kinda obsessed w this idea for him KJASKJD)
please reblog + leave comments ! it helps a lot w motivation <3
✦ ALBEDO. [ kreideprinz ]
you’re awoken by the feeling of a cold breeze caressing your skin, and as you grasp for his familiar figure, you realise albedo’s not beside you anymore. but before you can freak out, his soft voice calls to you from behind you, “good morning, dove. don’t move, i’m almost finished.” “finished with what?” you query, deciding to obey him and stay still. he doesn’t answer at first, but you can hear a faint scratching sound which almost sounds like charcoal against parchment. “and… done.” you shift in the bed, turning around to face him. albedo looks almost ethereal in the early morning light, especially when he smiles at you like you hung the stars in the sky. “i do hope you don’t find this peculiar, but i wanted to draw you while you were asleep. you looked so peaceful, and i wanted to immortalise this moment.” he hands you the paper, strands of wheat-coloured hair spilling over his shoulders, let loose from his usual half ponytail. you’re the only one who gets to see him like this, messy and imperfect instead of the flawless scientist he portrays to the rest of mondstadt. you gaze at the drawing, absorbing every detail as you try not to faint from what a sweet gesture this is, “albedo, this is amazing! you made me look so pretty.” he tilts his head quizzically, raising an eyebrow, “what do you mean? i just drew you exactly how i see you – you’re always beautiful to me.”
✦ CYNO. [ judicator of secrets ]
cyno's skin looks almost golden in the sunlight filtering through the translucent curtains. you're lying on your side, gazing at him and just admiring his features when his red eyes flutter open and he murmurs, “i might have to charge you for looking so much.” his voice is rougher than normal, deepened by sleep and it makes heat rush to your cheeks. “morning, babe-ah!” you can barely get out your greeting before he's pulling you back into his embrace, strong arms wrapping around you as he nuzzles into your neck. “cyno!” you laugh, turning around to face him, “stop it, i'm hungry! i wanna go get breakfast-” “hi hungry, i'm cyno,” your boyfriend looks at you with the most deadpan expression, and you're momentarily stunned. then you groan and throw a pillow at his head, “you're so lame!” “i'm not so lame, i just told you i'm cyno- okay, okay, i'll stop!” you collapse into a fit of giggles right as you're about to pummel his chest, “lamest ever.” “mmm,” cyno mumbles, eyes already fluttering shut again as he feels your plush warmth against him, “i'll make you breakfast, i swear, but can we just stay like this for a little longer?”
✦ KAEDEHARA KAZUHA. [ scarlet leaves pursue wild waves ]
the first thing you see when you wake up are kazuha's crimson irises laser-focused on you. the way his eyes scan your features, it’s almost like he’s tracing every detail to commit to memory, as if every morning that he wakes up next to you could be his last. “kazu? what's-” you're interrupted by a yawn, and your boyfriend's gaze softens as he looks at you. as you brush his red-streaked hair out of his face, he leans into your touch, almost cat-like in the motion, “what is it, 'zuha?” “i was just thinking... you make me glad to be a poet,” a gentle smile graces his features. “what? why?” despite the fact that kazuha is always letting praise fall from his lips like jewels, you didn't even remotely expect his answer. “because it means i'm lucky enough to be able to properly convey how you make me feel, and how gorgeous you are,” kazuha presses a sweet kiss on your forehead, then his brow furrows slightly, “but i don't think there's enough words in the world for me to speak about what you mean to me.”
✦ SCARAMOUCHE. [ kunikuzushi ]
when scaramouche wakes up, his first thought is; why does my entire body hurt? eyes still half-lidded and drowsy, he looks down and he's met with the sight of your back pressed against his torso, his arm thrown carelessly over your waist. he scrambles backwards, eyes widening with shock, and his sudden frantic movement wakes you up too. “what are you doing in my bed?!” “what the hell, scara?” you mumble, rubbing away the sleep from your eyes, “it’s too early for you to be this loud.” scaramouche’s heart is beating a million times a minute, and it’s only exacerbated by how cute you look when you’re this sleepy, not that he’d admit it to you for the world. but as you yawn and sit up, he thinks that he’s going to go into cardiac arrest. “you didn’t answer my question!” you give him a weird look, “we slept together. again. duh.” the blanket wrapped around your figure slides off a little as you reply, revealing your bare shoulder and giving him the faintest glimpse of your chest, and scaramouche’s face turns so red you genuinely think he might explode. “c-cover yourself up!” he scolds, clambering closer to drape the fabric over you again as his mind works through the haze of sleep, letting the memories of last night flood back.
realising how flustered he is, you take this as the perfect opportunity to tease him, “it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.” “shut up.” he replies curtly, but he hesitates as his fingers skim over the bite mark on your collarbone. his eyes darken slightly as he recalls last night, the messy kisses that were more tongue than anything else, his teeth nipping at your neck and finally sinking into your skin, all to mark you as his. you’ve both never officially decided what the two of you are, but you both know that he’s yours and you’re his, and scaramouche doesn’t like sharing. a playful smirk curves your lips, “remember giving this to me?” “don’t test me,” he mumbles, eyes roving over your exposed skin. his gaze dips to the still slipping blanket, hands ceasing their rapid motion to try and rescue your modesty, “i might give you more.” your arms loop around his neck, pulling him back down to the bed as you smile teasingly, “so do it.” “you’re a bad influence,” scaramouche groans, hands already moving to grip your hips, and you laugh, “that’s why you love me~”
✦ SHIKANOIN HEIZOU. [ analytical harmony ]
“good morning~” heizou's lilting voice is the first thing you hear when you wake up, and his trademark smile is already on his idiotically kissable lips as the two of you lie next to each other in his bed. “you do this with all the criminals you catch?” you drawl, trying to ignore how your heart skips a beat as you see the way his green eyes twinkle in the light. “just the ones i think look best in a different type of handcuffs,” he replies smoothly without missing a beat, smirk deepening as he notices he's left you speechless. “plus,” his hand trails across your cheek, thumb stroking your skin for a split second before his smile turns devilish, “it'd be pretty hard for me to get them to the police station if i left them all unable to walk.” “ugh, heizou!” you swat his shoulder, and bury your face in the pillow as he bursts into laughter. “but seriously,” heizou taps your shoulder gently, almost hesitantly, and you peek up from the pillow to look at him. a soft pink blush dusts his cheeks, and his eyes flicker away from yours in a manner that seems almost shy, “you're the only person i'd do this with, criminal or not.”
✦ XIAO. [ vigilant yaksha ]
waking up next to you is like a little slice of heaven for xiao. he can barely believe that he, the corrupted conqueror of demons, is able to share a bed with a mortal who borders on angelic. you shift in xiao's embrace, tucking your head under his chin almost instinctively as your eyes open slowly, “good morning, xiao. did you sleep well?” he still gets embarrassed by your proximity, so his voice is a little curt as he responds with a pink blush darkening his cheeks, “adepti do not require sleep.” “ah…” you roll your eyes, but pounce on the opportunity to fluster him, “guess that's why you always want to go all night, hm?” “i-!” xiao's face turns an almost delightful shade of crimson and he looks away, “no respect for the adepti.” “not true!” you gasp with mock offense. cuddling up against him, you stick your tongue out, “i respect alllll the adepti. but my boyfriend? maybe not so much.” “you'll be the death of me,” xiao sighs, pulling you impossibly closer. “then i hope you'll die a happy man,” you giggle, threading your fingers through his jade hair. xiao's eyes slide shut from the feeling of you playing with his hair, and he murmurs a response that leaves you speechless, “after a life with you? certainly.”
i love them this is so soft when is it my turn // general masterlist
© starglitterz 2023. do not repost or modify in any way - reblog and leave comments if you enjoyed !
#albedo x reader#cyno x reader#kazuha x reader#kaedehara kazuha x reader#scaramouche x reader#wanderer x reader#kunikuzushi x reader#heizou x reader#shikanoin heizou x reader#xiao x reader#genshin impact x reader#genshin x reader#✏️ — quill writes !
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14 - Joel Miller. Joel begging is such a nice thought :)
𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐊-𝐘
pairings: Joel Miller x f!Reader
word count: 1k
warnings: very vague reference to suicide (character canon), use of a sex toy (m receiving), overstimulation, reference to spoilt orgasms, oral (m receiving).
summary: you punish Joel for going through your stuff.
joel masterlist | main masterlist | follower celebration | taglist
Creaking on its hinges as you push it open, the door to the entrance of your home is the only sound throughout the house as you enter. It’s oddly silent, differing from the months-long tradition of returning to the twang of gently plucked guitar strings floating downstairs.
“Joel?” You call, arching your brow as you kick off your snow-caked walking boots and leave them on the decking outside. It’s still freezing cold in Jackson; Joel always complaining about your freezing cold feet pressing against him as you cradle each other in an attempt to swindle more body heat.
No sound returns your call, and you begin to ascend the stairs quietly, your gun in hand. Multiple horrid scenarios flash through your mind. Had someone entered the house and attacked him? Had the grief for Sarah consumed him again, leading him to the gun storage locker in your shared bedroom?
Despite your dreadful assumptions, much to your relief, you find Joel sitting on the bed. His back faces you, and he’s hunched over something that has captured his undivided attention.
“Joel! You scared me!” You huff, releasing the handle of your gun and letting the weapon settle in its holster. Joel, however, nearly jumps out of his skin, attempting to shove something back into your bedside table subtly. You notice.
“Jesus-“ he scoffs, rubbing at the back of his neck awkwardly, “You’re home early!”
“What were you looking at?” You query, rounding the bed with a quizzical expression. Joel’s eyes seem to find everything but your own, the flush to his sun-bludgeoned cheeks telling you everything you need to know.
“Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to go snooping?” You muse, enjoying the caught-red-handed flush to his face.
“Where did you find them?” He asks, avoiding your question and peering at the bedside cabinet once again.
“A shop in the city,” you hum, reaching into the drawer and picking out the vibrator he had no doubt been eyeing before you stumbled across his curious frisk of your bedside. “Couldn’t help but pick a few up.”
Pushing down on the button, you watch as Joel stares at the rumbling sex toy in your palm. His gaze flicks tentatively between the silicone and your expression.
“Now,” you pause, a smirk playing on your lips as you click the button again to amp the speed of the vibrations up, “What are we to do about your trespassing?”
✰
Joel Miller is a man who completely devotes himself to total control. He credited the twenty years of his survival to being in complete authority of every situation he found himself in, passing judgement as and when he saw fit.
Authority wasn’t something Joel was willing to surrender to just anyone— which is why you appreciate his absolute faith in you.
His fingers grasp onto the bed frame with a white-knuckle grip, glueing his palms to the wood as you had requested. He groans out loudly and tilts his head back, at the mercy of the vibrator that you trace up the frenulum of his twitching cock.
Cum drools from the ruddy head, dripping down onto his soft abdomen and shining beneath the golden light of the lampshade resting on the bedside cabinet.
“You’re making a mess,” you hum softly, pushing the juddering silicon toy against the head of his dick. Joel, despite the shattering overstimulation you’d subjected him to for the past hour, rocked his hips up against the vibrator with a haggard breath of despair. “I can clean it up with my tongue if you’d like?”
“Oh fuck,” he gasps, eyes rolling back when he tucks his face into the curve of his bicep in an attempt to conceal his embarrassment.
“It’s okay,” you whisper, cupping his balls gently in your free palm. Joel’s body trembles at the simple touch, desperate to cum. “It’s okay, Joel.”
“Oh shi- Please!” He breaks down, choking on the words that spill from his lips, “Please, I need to- fuckin’, please let me cum!”
“That what you want?” You smile sweetly, watching his eyelids flutter as you press the button once again, the intensity of the vibrations at their peak as you rub the toy back and forth across the glossy tip of his cock.
“Yes!” He gasps loudly, jutting his hips up into the sensation as he chases the impending threat of his orgasm. It’s overwhelming him, rocking through his muscles yet failing to hit the summit. Joel slams his fist against the bed frame, spitting curses through his gritted teeth.
“Have you learnt your lesson not to go snooping through my things?” You smirk, watching as Joel’s abdomen flexes desperately against the building sensation of bliss.
“Darlin’!” He calls you desperately, begging you to give him what he needs.
“Or will you do this more often?” You ask despite his frustrated growl of your name. Studying his wet lashes and the flush of his face, you continue to tease him, “Digging through my things in the hope I punish you like this again?”
“Fuckin’- Please!” Joel surrenders himself to you wholly, begging in a cracked voice. “Baby, please, I can’t do this anymore- I need to- oh fuck, that’s it-!”
He practically stops breathing altogether when you slide the vibrator down the length of his twitching, swollen cock and take the head into your mouth. It doesn’t take much at all. One, two, three swirls of the tip of your tongue against the velvety skin, and Joel lets out the most anguished moan. He finishes in your mouth, cum pumping down your throat and coating your tongue as you swallow him down over and over, the spend leaking down your chin. The vibrator seems to keep it going and going, his body trembling with the sheer force of his ecstasy.
“Hoh- fuck-“ Joel gasps loudly, sucking oxygen into his lungs when he looks down at you. Even in his practically delirious state, he wipes the cum from your chin in an act of service, a feeble attempt to take control once again.
“You liked that more than you’re letting on,” you muse.
“No, I didn’t.”
Ellie’s right. He’s a shitty liar.
END
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Yandere Vampire
Yandere Male! x AFAB! Reader
Trigger warning! Yandere behavior, obsessive behavior
A/N: Okay it’s been like…a couple of months since I last updated a fic (sorry about that) but I couldn’t help but write this idea down, it has been plaguing my mind ever since I had thought of it. (Which was literally a few hours ago…) anyways, no official title because I’m not sure if this will be a permanent character but please do enjoy the story. (If you can)
Summary! You acted stupid and went into the only Forest you shouldn’t have gone into, to your luck (if we can even call it that) you ran into the Duke Osborne who has insisted you stay the night in his manner lest you be a pray to the creatures roaming in the forest. (He is the creature btw)
Side note — if you read the trigger warning and still were triggered by the content (or any that I’ve wrote) please message me ASAP and tell me about it. I DO NOT condone this behavior.
Duke Osborne sits in front of you,
You mentally curse yourself, you just had to have ignored your fathers wishes and ventured pass the safe grounds of your home. The breath you wish to let out protest against the folds of your lips. You expected some sort of activity to occur in the forest, but you hadn’t expected Lord Osborne to be there as well.
his hands lay comfortably on the table, you sat in apprehension.
“I hear you are the Barons offspring? Such a shame I hadn’t been blessed to see your visage sooner.”
“Duke Osborne—“
“Please, no need for civilities here. Address me casually, just Aloysius is fine.” He tosses a smile, the dazzle of his eyes gleaming down at you. It is peculiar, you don’t think he looks at you as if it were antagonistic, but you couldn’t help but feel cornered.
“Aloysius…you are very kind to allow me a room at your estate for the night, I appreciate it very much.”
“Do you now?”
You gulp.
“Y-yes, since I am the offspring of only a Baron and nothing else, I am not used to, nor think, that I am deserving of such catered treatment.”
The Duke frowns.
“Not deserving?” His query comes out like that of a saddened child, you fiddle with your fingers, unsure of how to answer such a tone.
“Well I…” you straighten your posture. “I don’t mean to speak negatively about myself, but it is common knowledge that the power a Baron or Baroness holds is not that of a Duke or Duchess. I know my station in society, and know of the role I must fit into to adequately play it. It is of no inconvenience to me, so really, a Duke such as yourself shouldn’t be worried with frivolous matters.” Aloysius twirls the spoon in his tea. He has a specific analytic gaze to him, one you feel positively scanned by.
“Is that all? Don’t you feel some sort of resentment for the way society looks down on you compared to other nobles?”
“I do not care for that lifestyle, if I can be happy in life, then that is all I need to be contented.”
“Even if you were as lowly as the offspring of a bastard.”
“Even then.”
He takes a minute to compile his thoughts, but as quick as one would imagine, he resumes his air of chivalry and charm.
You jolt, not expecting for the Duke to clasp his hands quite loudly that it echoed throughout the dining room of his estate.
“Very well then, you amuse me Y/N.” You look at him quizzically.
“Apologies, I don’t think I ever gave you my name.”
“You didn’t have to, I know the names of every resident in this estate.”
“Resident? Pardon me Aloysius, but I am merely a guest.”
“Of course.”
The Duke continues on with his meal, glancing at you a couple times to make sure you had your fill. You can’t say you quite enjoy the Dukes presence, but you do appreciate his effort in assuring your comfort.
This quiet would not last.
“I wonder, do you know of the tale spoken for the Forest of Naught?”
You chuckle uncomfortably, “how could I not?”
It was impossible, you thought, for a child of this kingdom to have not heard it. It’s rhymes are Ingrained to the child it passes over to, until it passes on to the next, and then to the next and on and on it goes.
You can recite it by heart.
In a forest called Naught, where darkness reigns,
Existing creatures man cannot rid nor tame.
A plague they are, with fangs as sharp as knives,
Skin pale as moonlight, eyes aflame with red.
Their feast, the tender essence of your blood,
Teeth sinking deep into sweet flesh so raw.
No care for you, they crave the crimson flood,
Their only longing, for your lifeblood's draw.
These creatures possess powers to deceive,
Morphing their form to appear just like us.
But in reflection, true nature they conceive,
A ghastly visage, causing hearts to fuss.
They shun the light, abhor the sun's bright beams,
Yet thrive by night, fulfilling their dark dreams.
In shadows deep, their wickedness takes flight,
Within the veil of night, their hunger stirs.
No mercy shown, no solace in their sight,
They prey upon the innocent, like curses.
“What is your opinion of it?”
“My opinion?” You take a while to form an answer you’d think he would respond best to. “Well, I think it is definitely something the children could be frightened by—“
You believe you are dreaming, the Duke, Aloysius Osborne, is laughing.
“The children? Truly, a forest as mysterious as this and you think of the children?” You do not think the Duke capable of shedding tears, but here’s he is now, wiping away the tears forming at the baseline of his eyelids.
“I stand by my statement.” Your arms press forth on the table. “Those creatures, whatever they may be called, it’d be horrible if they feast on innocent children.”
“I suppose so, but not every child is innocent.” Aloysius makes motion for a glass of wine to be brought, and it is like magic how a servant is already to his aid. You watch tenderly, eyes fixed at the action in hand. In your opinion, the wine looks a little distasteful. Too red, you thought, but you had not the reason to speak it aloud.
“I would offer you a glass but this wine isn’t any that you have tasted before, I can assure you this.”
“Really now?”
He inclines his head to a nod, “not as sweet as regular wine, tastes quite like iron to the normal civilian, but what can I say? I have an expensive taste.”
You shift in your seat “Well, Duke, my interest is piqued.”
“No civilities!” He whined, almost knocking the glass in the process. Having realized what he had done, he is quick to manage himself. “Apologies, I as an individual simply just abhor honorifics.”
Liar.
“Please just address me by my name, it’ll please me greatly.”
“Excuse my negligence, I’ll keep that in mind for the future.”
For the remainder of your meal, you dine uncertainly. The food you taste is exceptional in taste, but it almost feels bland. You can’t say you would feel any better with the Dukes gaze looming over you like a watchful hawk. Can’t to think of it, why did the Dukes eyes appear more red than his normal chestnut hue? You can’t point the science behind it. And perhaps it is just your wishful thinking, but you never noticed, or thought, the Dukes skin to be so naturally pale. Frankly, it’s color is akin to that of moonlight.
What an odd thing to note.
You say not a single word to him, growing apprehension if he’d take the word and turn it into a working conversation. Even though you are the child of a Baron, and have been educated, you still are not quite adept to socializing compared to your peers.
That is until you start to feel drowsy.
“Please excuse me, but I fear I am succumbing to sleep. Could you please walk me to the room I will be sleeping in for the night?” Without a word, Aloysius rises to his feet, discarding the remainder of his meal. It is odd, for such a lofty meal he managed to finish each glass of wine he obtained.
You wondered why he hadn’t touched the garlic at all…
“Of course, follow me.”
You stand, dusting off the dirt that remain on your clothes. You look at him, and take note of how precisely he is gazing at you.
You shake off the feeling.
You arrive at his side, and generously, he leads you without a word. But you must be honest with yourself, the whole time you ventured through his walls it had almost felt like the phantom touch of a hand was latching onto you.
He yawns, you believe sleep has anchored him too.
“It’s such a shame.” He whined. “I would have loved to dance with you in my ballroom.”
“Aloysius there is no need—“
“I protest. You know full well that my family, Osborne, has danced with the guest of their house before they leave for the night or leave for home. I’d be disrespecting tradition if I hadn’t had even one dance with you.”
Flattery will do you no good.
“I have never been instructed.”
“Pardon me?”
You hesitate, “dancing, it has never come naturally to me and my family hadn’t harbor the sufficient funds to acquire a teacher. But considering my prowess regarding the art, I don’t think I’d be of any good even with the paid help.”
“You can always learn.”
“And with what help, if I might ask?”
“With mine, naturally.”
Your cheeks dust red.
“I cannot trouble you like this.”
“It is of no trouble, please share just one dance.”
In high society, people would think you frivolous if you were to refuse the good natured will of a Duke, considering your title as the child of a Baron, you have no societal standing to reject him. In other words, you are completely and utterly trapped.
“I suppose one would do adequately.” The Duke smiles at you, and perhaps you hadn’t seen him enough in all the parties you were fortunate enough to attend, but he didn’t look as happy and content as he did now.
Oh.
You squint.
Why did the front of his teeth look more like protruding canines instead of regular molars?
Whatever, forget it.
He leads you to his ballroom, the scenery draped in blood red curtains and the floor a sinister black. The area exudes a treacherous aura but you’d be lying if you said you weren’t enticed.
It is practically instantaneous that music started to flow into the room. You can only guess that he intended for this to happen from the very beginning and had a servant stationed here for the time being.
“Do you mind if I call your name with a term of endearment?”
You’re startled.
“Your pardon?”
“You know, how wedded couples address each other. Love, darling, sweetie?”
Dread builds in the pits of your stomach.
“Please—I must protest! We have only been acquainted with each other for a few hours!” The Dukes lips purse into a frown.
“Is this your rejection to my proposal of us becoming friends?”
“My Lord—I mean, Aloysius, you must realize that friends don’t simply just refer to each other with such…compounded words!”
There seems to be a looks of realization smearing onto his face.
“Ah, so you mean to tell me that only wedded couples do so?” You exhale, relieved that he is starting to come to sense.
“Right then, apologies with my forwardness.” He hasn’t looked sympathetic at all.
“It’s quite alright.
Aloysius seizes the lead, you think it abnormal, how elegantly he moves through the dance. His long and graceful body forces you to admire it.
“I must confess I was lying.”
Your eyes widen.
“And what what would that be, exactly?”
“I lied to you when I eluded to the fact that I never got the pleasure to see your face. In actuality, I have seen it quite a few dozen times.” You try not to make the stilling of your body too noticeable. “My sister, Duchess Akosua, you may have heard of her, has helped me greatly in seeing you.”
You try to be careful and strategic with how you phrase you sentence.
“In what way, if I may ask?”
“You sleepwalk, Y/N. On many occasions you would wind up in the heart of The Forest of Naught.”
Now, you do not care if it is obvious of your body stilling.
“Of course, you must ask why I had been there too, especially since you sleepwalk quite often.”
You gulp. “H-how often?”
“Ah, I’d say three a four times a week.”
Impossible….
“Y-you were there? Every time?”
“Yes, yes I was.”
You start to hyperventilate.
“B-but why?”
Aloysius looks at you, and it is the kind of look most similar to that of admiration.
“You are just too adorable.” He adds, unable to contain his smile. “But if I were to answer your question…” He leans down, his head level to your ear, and his lips level to your neck. “It is because I am one of the creature of the forest.”
You cry in pain as he bites into you.
You wake in a soft bed, your neck throbbing and your body in only undergarments.
Your eyes widen.
By your side is Duke Aloysius Osborne, his eyes a chilling red and fangs protruding from his lips.
“Ah your awake, how splendid!” He speaks to you as if you are a revered treasure. “For a second I feared I drank too much blood from you, good to know that it was just enough.
“I…I…”
“You must be too frightened, considering your incapability to speak. Don’t be worried, I have decided that you are too precious to discard.”
You force yourself to answer.
“W-what—what do you mean?”
“I mean that I am taking you as my spouse.” He smiles kindly, lending a hand to caress your cheek.
You shiver.
“No need for embarrassment my darling rose, I intend for us to be deeply aquatinted with one another.”
—
A/N: okay, I hope this story was enough to suffice for the next couple of days before I release the next one. I do intend to come back and post more actively, sorry for the long hiatus. Also the poem from this story was generated from an ai (lmao) have a good day my loves.
#yandere#yandere blurbs#yandere scenarios#yandere male#yandere original character#yandere x you#obsessive#original character#reader x yandere#yandere x reader#yandere vibes#yandere oc#yandere vampire#afab reader
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hell, yeah ; roman roy ; part three (m).
pairing ; roman roy x f!reader
synopsis ; pain was an old friend for the both of you.
words ; 14.4k
themes ; fluff, angst, drama, slowburn, suggestive, childhood friends to lovers
warnings / includes ; depictions of mental and physical abuse, talks of sexual misconduct (cruises incidents), mentions of death, a lot of sexual/suicidal jokes and general foul language, a lot of business talk, roman’s implied demisexuality, kendall is Losing it this chappie, fucked up family dynamics, imaginary dead cats & real dead sisters <3
a/n ; tumblr is being a bitch and not letting me turn off beta editor so :) what was originally going to be one massive chapter of s3 is now going to be broken down in shorter pieces!
series masterlist. main masterlist.
“Logan Roy was personally and fully aware of the crimes committed aboard Brightstar Cruises,” said the news reporter. “Kendall Roy says his father paid millions of dollars to hide and cover up criminal activity at the cruise line.”
You shut the tablet off, pinching the space between your brows as you drew out a deep exhale.
“This is fucking insane,” Roman muttered under his breath as he scrolled through Twitter, under his brother’s trending hashtag. “He’s gone off the rocks.”
Leaning forward, you asked the twins, “You guys don’t think he’s telling the truth, right?”
Rome shot you a quizzical glance. “Kendall doesn’t know how to tell the truth. It’s against his biological nature.” After a moment, he let out a high-pitched, “But…”
“What?” asked Shiv.
“I may not be team Kenny here, but, uh… Dad isn’t exactly unsqueezable right now,” he said. His eyes met yours. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m wondering if Kendall just fucked us over. Again. I mean, obviously I didn’t want him to be the scapegoat for cruises but this is—this is just something else entirely.” Then you nudged Shiv. “What about you?”
The woman screwed her lips into a purse. “I’m thinking we just need to back Dad right now. But… what am I actually thinking?” She lowered her voice to a whisper you could only barely hear. “I’m thinking, ‘Is he toast?’”
Her brows pulled together, wondering if she should’ve divulged that information to either of you.
“Yeah,” you said, clearing your throat. “I think there might be a chance that he could be burnt.”
The three of you stood in silence. Roman closed the stupid bird app before he could see another edit of his brother to a Lana Del Rey song, and slid his phone into his pocket.
It was then that Hugo and Gerri strode up, expressions grim. A Kendall-shaped bomb was dropped on them, and they were all scrambling to get things together whilst Logan stared angrily out of a window.
“Hi. Listen, I’m drowning in calls,” said Hugo. “I just want to deny, you know, any kind of speculation. So, uh, I’m just checking—we’re all good if I say, for a starter, that he never hurt anyone and he never touched anyone personally?”
Roman scowled, as if it was a ludicrous question to even take into consideration, and Gerri answered on everybody’s behalf. “You can reassure on that, Hugo.”
A second later, Logan’s voice rang out from across the room. “Did you know?” he asked. “Connor? Roman? Shiv? Did you know?”
Apprehensive, the siblings crept closer to their father, who still had his back turned to them. You crossed your arms and listened on from behind Roman.
“Did you know he was going to do that?” he queried once they were all close by. “I was wondering.”
“Obviously not, dad,” Rome said.
A muscle in Logan’s jaw twitched. “Uh-huh.”
Roman scratched at the back of his head. “Kendall’s mentally ill. He’s insane.” He needs help, he wanted to say, but wisely bit down on his tongue before it could slip.
There was a long moment of silence. Shiv eyes darted from her father to her husband.
Finally, Logan turned to face his children. “Everyone. Gather up! Battle stations—let’s go.”
The small group rounded around a table with Logan at the very head. It was Gerri who started with a proposal, all heads turned to listen to her.
“I suggest I call the DOJ, and we right away let them know how horrified we were to learn of these allegations. We can tell them we intend to form a special committee and we can inform them which white shoe law firms we are considering to thoroughly investigate and promptly report back their findings,” said the woman.
Shiv watched her godmother with mild unease. She was a woman to look up to, she was competition, she was better than anyone else here, and she was an accomplice. Then, her eyes darted to you, your fingers silently drumming along the table’s surface. There was no doubt Logan would be forced to announce his successor soon. Would you be competition for the throne, as well? You’d certainly make for a formidable CEO.
“Do we cooperate?” asked Logan.
There was a brief moment of puzzled silence.
Gerri’s brows furrowed as she replied, “With the government? Uh, yeah. I think we’re gonna have to cooperate. I mean, we were under pressure already—”
“Unless we don’t,” Roman cut in.
“That’s ridiculous. Not cooperating would be like shining the fucking spotlight right onto us. This is a public company—we tanked privatization in Turkey,” you vehemently protested.
To that, Gerri agreed. “We don’t know what they have or what they might get. There’s only one real play here.”
“What if I don’t want to pull down my panties so fast?” grumbled Logan.
“Then we pull up the draw-bridge. The story would be that he’s exploiting these poor women—and that’s very sad. Twitter would tear him apart. You were grooming him for the top and, wow, would you look at that? He relapsed, and he blew it,” Roman said. Both you and Shiv exchanged worried, distasteful glances. “He’s a bitter fuck-up that needs to be psychiatrically evaluated. Of course, you’re the big baddie, so everybody jumped on board.”
Brows cinching, Shiv asked, “What about these papers he says he has?”
“Uh… fake. Or stolen, if they even exist. Are we even worried about these papers? We’ll go after him for corporate theft, then,” he spouted off. “This is—you know—not a nice thing to say about your son, but maybe chop him up into a million pieces and throw him into the Hudson?
You destroy Kendall, it falls apart.”
It was strange to think, just twenty-four hours ago, the two brothers were quite amicable with each other. As brotherly as people like them could be, at least. Now they were on opposite sides of the chessboard, waiting for the play.
Frank and Karl started listing off a couple stats, and Shiv sat forward in her seat.
“Kendall’s changed the game,” she said. “Noncooperation now, it wouldn’t—it’s just too hot out there. I think it’s very high risk.”
“Everything’s high risk if you’re a pussy,” Roman said, picking at his nails.
You frowned. “If we don’t cooperate, it’ll just make us look all the more guilty.”
And what if we are? The brief thought crossed your mind. What if everything Kendall said was true?
“If I stop picking at scabs and saying sorry, who knows where we’ll end up. Admissions of wrongdoing—that’s billions out the door,” Logan said.
His words made your expression falter just a little bit.
“Get the raisin,” your godfather told Hugo, referring to the American president. “Let’s go to the top.”
The planes heading back to New York were readied soon after. Just as you stepped out of the car that took you to the tarmac, your phone began to buzz in your pocket. To your relief, Roman was busy chattering to Gerri, and you were able to step away from the group to pull your phone out.
Kendall’s contact name stared right back up at you. You sucked at your teeth in thought, before swiftly answering.
“Hello?”
He sang your name then, in a pitch too high for his caliber.
“What do you want?”
“What do I want?” he parroted. “I want you in, Y/N. You’ve got a premium spot right by my side, in the new company I’m going to build. You’re the glue, dude. You are.”
A shifty glance back at Roman and Shiv, Logan and Gerri. You took a few steps closer to the plane.
“Is it true?”
“What?”
“What you said on TV. That Logan knew about cruises and paid it off.”
A brief pause.
“Obviously,” he said. “Obviously it’s true. I’d never lie to you, Y/N. You’re like—you’re like a sister to me, you know?”
“Have you called Shiv? Offered her a place, too? Roman?”
A longer silence.
“No,” he finally said.
It was a lie, you knew it clear as day. But you didn’t know exactly which part of it was a lie.
“I can’t trust you,” you murmured into the phone, shifting the device in your palms. Roman’s eyes were now on you. He waved, and you waved back, shooting him a thumbs up when he gestured to the plane. “You understand that, right? I can’t trust you, as much as I want to.”
Before he could respond, you abruptly hung up, and quickly shoved your phone back into your pocket to jog to the rest of the group.
“Who were you talking to?” Roman asked once you caught up with him, mildly suspicious.
“Karolina,” you quickly lied. “She wanted to know what the play was.”
“Mmh. Right.” He nudged his shoulder into yours. “We’ll be okay.”
“I’m not so sure.”
Roman’s eyes searched yours, but you averted them when his dad approached the group. His sunglasses were perched high on the bridge of his nose—you could see your worried reflection in them. He asked for a lawyer: a good one, preferably a woman.
Lisa came to mind, one of the most reputable lawyers in the country, conveniently a friend of Shiv’s.
“Shiv, Roman, Gerri, Y/N—you’ll all go back to manage New York,” said your godfather. “No need for me to go running back like a slapped girl. Looks weak.”
Pursing your lips, you offered him a nod. “We’ll take care of it.”
“Good,” he said, patting your cheek affectionately. Once, then twice, then his hand fell back down to his side. He used to do that when you were a young child, sporting pigtails and scraped knees. “Good.”
Then, he ruffled Roman’s hair. “Fuck off down there, Tumbledown Dick.”
And with that, the two of you, along with Shiv and Gerri, boarded the plane.
“As I step back temporarily…” began Logan, surveying Karl, Frank, Hugo, and Tom in front of him, “who do we like as CEO?”
They stared at him blankly.
“I don’t give a fuck,” Logan huffed in exasperation. “It’s name plates. Come on! Brain dump. Speak, and let a hundred flowers bloom.”
Unsurprisingly, Frank and Karl didn’t hesitate to offer themselves up first. Tom watched the older men apprehensively. The two were quick to be pushed to the side, and Logan snapped his fingers.
“Who else?”
“I mean, I imagine you’re looking at a kid. Or Gerri,” said Frank.
“Yeah. Yes. I’d like a kid, obviously. So—Shiv or Roman. But we’d love a woman. So, Shiv or Gerri. But I’d like experience. Which would be Roman or Gerri.”
Leaning forward in his seat, Hugo cleared his throat. “Well, there’s one obvious person who’s got all three of those. Y/N, she’s young, she’s a woman, and she’s experienced. A perfect candidate.”
Silence stretched thin between the men. Logan tilted his head in thought. Tom quietly excused himself to run to the bathroom.
On the plane heading to New York, Shiv’s phone began to ring, and she excused herself to the back where neither you, Roman, or Gerri could hear her. Gerri pushed her glasses further up her nose as she studied a text message on her phone. Silent, she gestured to the two of you to take a look.
A message from Frank. They were picking a new CEO, right then and there.
When Shiv came back quiet as a mouse, Roman started up a bitchy catfight with his sister for not sharing with the group.
“How come Frank called you and how come you told them?” Shiv asked her godmother.
Gerri shrugged. “I’m just a very straightforward person, Shiv.”
“What’d you hear?”
She glanced at her phone once more. “Just that there’s a number of names in contention.”
“All of us, probably,” you said with a mild grimace.
Roman slung his arm over your shoulders, jostling you ever so slightly. “Care to make it interesting? Throw a bit of money on the table?”
“I’m already pretty fuckin’ interested,” Shiv replied, nose wrinkling. “I think I’m good.” With that, she turned to her side to look out the window.
Drawing in a shallow breath, you loosely intertwined your hand with Roman’s. “You think you’d be ready to take on the mantle if you got the job?” you quietly asked him.
“Fuck, yeah. It should be me, right? I’m the most logical option.”
You stared at him for a moment, wondering how much of what he’d just said was utter bullshit.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?”
Roman tapped your nose twice and you fixed him with an exasperated look. “Like you don’t agree with me. But you do, right?”
“I don’t know, Ro. I don’t think what Kendall pulled means you should suddenly be crowned king,” you muttered. “I don’t think any of us should.”
When you eventually passed out beside Roman, your legs thrown over his, he waved a hand in front of your face, just making sure you were actually asleep. As gently as he could, Roman slid away from your legs to get up and set them back down on his seat. He bent at the waist to kiss your forehead and you murmured something in your sleep, but thankfully didn’t stir anymore than that.
He made a bee-line for the plane’s bathroom, locking the door behind him.
Then, he called his father.
“Oh, Romulus,” Logan’s voice buzzed through once he answered after the second ring.
“Hiya, Dad. Can I just—can I speak to you for a moment? You free?”
“Sure.”
Roman leaned his weight against the sink. “Well, um, it’s already getting out what you’re thinking about so… I just wanted to throw a couple things in the ol’ lobster pot.”
“Mhm.”
Squinting at his warped reflection, Roman said, “I think it should be me. It’s my time. I can do it, I want it, and I think I can pull it off.”
A long silence.
Roman scratched at the back of his head, a bout of nerves suddenly scratching within his chest. “Uhm, yeah, I think it should be me. But… if you don’t think I’m ready, which, uh, totally valid, I would completely understand, and I’m not saying I’d agree with that, but, you know—maybe it could be Y/N. She’s… she’s a good, fresh face for the company. She’s good at this shit. All the corporate managing shit. And if—if she doesn’t work, Gerri is a prime contender, too. A couple years under her, then maybe… maybe it could be me.” He cleared his throat and drummed his fingers along the faucet. “And, listen, I know you’ve been sweet on Shiv. I love her like a brother, seriously, but I just don’t think that it’s time for her, you know? For whatever reason it ain’t Romey time, then, uh… maybe it’s crony time.”
He winced.
“Mmhm,” was all Logan said.
“I hope I haven’t, uh, overstepped here.”
On the other end of the line, Logan smiled. “Nope. Thank you, son.”
“Okay. Alright. I’d love it, but, uh, you know, I’d understand if—I do want it, though. No hard feelings if, uh…” He was rambling. Logan never liked it when he did that. One time when he was thirteen, Logan gripped his cheeks so tightly that it ached and snarled out a warning that if he heard another uhm come out of him, he’d toss him to the fucking wolves. Good times. “Yeah. Love you, Dad. Bye.”
“Uh-uh,” Logan said, and hung up first. He locked eyes with Frank. “Roman’s out.”
When the plane landed, Shiv got a call from Logan.
“What?” asked Roman. “What’d he say?”
“He wants me to go get Lisa to be his lawyer,” she said. “He told me to tell you guys to wait airport adjacent, though. He might need someone to fly to Boston for investors.”
You frowned. “Fuck. I thought I’d be able to go home for a bit.”
Shiv arched a brow. “You’re more than welcome to. But, you know, Dad wouldn’t like that very much.”
That kept the rest of your complaints quiet.
Once the four of you disembarked the plane, Shiv took a car to head after Lisa, and the three of you were taken to a fancy hotel nearby.
Gerri got her own room right beside yours, and she told you to shoot her a message if anything of importance came up. You gave her a half-hearted smile and a nod. You were rooting for her, really.
Roman took a step in the direction of your room despite having his own across the hall, shooting Gerri a smirk and a salute before she could make her way in. “If you hear the bed rocking through the walls, that’s us having wild, passionate sex. Feel free to drop in if you want.”
Rolling her eyes, Gerri shut the door in Roman’s face.
The hotel was large and spacious, and you were quick to shed your outer layers, sinking onto the bed with a groan.
“I miss home,” you said when Roman kicked off his shoes and loosened his tie. “I’ve been held hostage in a different country and then stuck on a fucking yacht with the most dysfunctional family for way too long. I wanna go home.”
He laid down beside you. He couldn’t really understand how you were feeling. His house was mostly empty and lacked any true life. It didn’t actually feel like his home.
“Yeah, I’m fucking exhausted.” he said nonetheless. Then he tugged you closer and pressed his nose against the side of your head. “But I’m not too tired, if you catch my drift.”
“I’m not having sex with you in a random hotel with Gerri next door,” you deadpanned, though there was a slight laugh to your voice.
Roman snapped his fingers. “Would you prefer to have her here, watching? You little sicko.”
Finally, you laughed, and shoved him away. “I’m tired, Ro. I’m gonna go take a shower and knock out.”
“Hm. Can I join?”
“You tell me,” you said, knowing that Roman wasn’t ready for that just yet.
The two of you stared at each other for a few seconds. Roman shrugged. “I’ll be here if you need me.”
You kissed his cheek quickly, before pushing off of the bed.
A steamy shower later, you stepped out of the bathroom in the comfier clothes you made sure to pack. Roman sidled past you to wash himself up next, but not without pinching your side on the way. He shut the door and locked it before you could retaliate.
You waited until you heard the spray of the shower start up.
Only then did you grab your phone, dialing Logan’s number. You hoped he was still awake.
To your relief, he picked up after the third ring.
“Hi, Uncle Logan.”
“Hello, dear. You and Romulus are doing well in the hotel, I hope?”
You sat down on the edge of the bed. “Yeah! Yes, he’s just in the shower right now. So, I just wanted to clarify some things.”
“Go on.”
It felt as if there was a heavy weight on your chest. “I just… I know that you’re in the middle of picking a new CEO, and I know I probably look like a pretty good option to get the company out of hot water right now. But…” You exhaled softly. “I love you, Uncle Logan, but I don’t love this company. And I—I just don’t want to be the face of it.”
You drew your knees up to your abdomen and wrapped an arm around them.
“Mhm,” Logan said.
“I hope that doesn’t, uh, hinder your perception of me in any way, but… yeah. I don’t want it. I’m perfectly happy with the job I have now. And—if you ask me, I think Gerri is the best person for this role.”
“Hm. Thank you, Y/N. I appreciate your honesty.”
Well… that was certainly a better response than you anticipated. You half-expected him to get angry and cuss you out.
You bit down on the inside of your cheek. Did you do the right thing?
“Bye, Uncle Logan.”
“Sleep well.”
With that, the call ended.
Five minutes later, you got a text message from Gerri. Two words, and that was it.
It’s me, it said.
Another one pinged through a minute later.
Shiv blew it with Lisa.
Your brows raised. Roman was certainly going to have a field day once you told him.
You shot her a reply.
Congrats, Gerri. I’m glad it’s you.
The next day, Shiv was nowhere to be seen. She wasn’t answering her phone, and she’d turned off her location. Logan was beyond furious, yelling through the phone at both you and Roman to keep a watchful eye on Gerri and to try and find Shiv. Once the call ended, the two of you gave each other meaningful glances. There was only one place Shiv would go after she felt slighted.
She’d gone to confront Kendall. Maybe to scope out what he was doing for Logan. Or maybe just for herself. You didn’t quite know her motif just yet.
“So… we’re going to Kendall?” Roman asked you.
“That’s where she’d be,” you replied. “But let’s not… tell your dad yet.”
“Sounds good with me,” he snorted. “He’d have a fucking heart attack.”
Before the two of you got into the car, Roman mumbled something about not wanting to turn up empty-handed, and bought a box of a dozen fresh cinnamon rolls from the airport.
The drive there was quiet and tense. Roman began anxiously drumming his fingers on the car seat, then moved to doing it on your thigh and you didn’t bother stopping him. You pulled out your phone and shot Shiv a text, though you were nearly certain she wasn’t going to answer.
Everyone’s looking for you. I hope you know what you’re doing.
Once you got to Kendall’s base—which was just his ex-wife Rava’s house, because he had nowhere else to set up—Jess was the one to greet the two of you on the lower levels.
“Kendall’s a bit busy at the moment, but he’s told me to just send the two of you up.”
“Thanks, Jess,” you told her, not unkindly. Sometimes you felt bad for the woman. She was bright and intelligent and a hard-worker, and it was clear that she had so much potential. It was a shame she was glued to Kendall’s side.
An elevator ride later, the two of you stepped into Rava’s living room. And, to none of your surprise, Shiv was right there on one of the clean grey couches.
“Oh, wow. Lookie, lookie. Alright, okay,” deadpanned Roman. “How come you’re not answering your phone?”
Shiv lifted one of her shoulders nonchalantly. “I’ve had it off. No agenda.”
“Right. No agenda.”
“How is he?” she asked.
“Fine. Worried about you,” you said. You took a seat on the couch across from her and Roman took to wandering around, touching just about every single piece of decoration he came across.
The red-head narrowed her eyes at you. “So, uh, how are you feeling about Gerri as CEO?”
“Great. I think she was the best choice.”
“Uh-huh. And you didn’t want it for yourself?”
“No.” There was no hesitation to your answer.
“Right.” Shiv laughed as if she didn’t believe you. “Of course you didn’t.”
Roman’s lips twitched as he leaned against the backrest of the couch, leering over his sister. “What’s your fucking game? What are you even doing here?”
“Why? What are you guys doing here?” she shot back.
“Here looking for you,” said Rome.
“Sure.”
Rolling his eyes, Roman haughtily said, “As far as you know, that’s the fucking truth.”
Before anyone could say anything else, there were echoing footsteps down the hall, and Kendall appeared, a silly smile plastered across his face.
“Here he comes,” said Roman. “The attention whore.”
“Hey, Rome. Y/N.” He stood in front of his brother, glancing back and forth between you and him. “How are you guys doing?”
Tilting his head, Roman replied, “Great. Thanks for asking. It’s just been a really—great few days. You know, being a hostage held at gunpoint, and then my brother decided to fuck the family company over on a whim. It’s been great. How about you?”
“I’ve been good!” said Kendall, propping his hands up on his hips. “Certain amount of regret, but you know—pretty cleansed.”
It took all you had in you not to heave out a grand sigh. “Cleansed,” you mumbled. “You could’ve just gone on a spa retreat for that. Didn’t have to pull all this shit. I think a clay mask would do you good.”
Kendall shot you a mildly amused look. “I needed to do this. And yeah—I still meant every word of what I said to you.”
You frowned. He was clearly alluding to the phone call where he was offering you a spot with him. “Right. Oh, and, uh—Ro brought you those cinnamon rolls from the airport.”
“That’s so sweet. That’s kind. Thanks, Rome,” said Kendall, glancing at the blue little box on the table.
“Shut up. Just eat ‘em or don’t,” Roman said, standing behind the couch and patting your shoulders. You reached over and rubbed his hand.
Finally, Kendall rubbed his palms together and addressed all three of you. “Look, guys, can we start on a clean slate? You didn’t like how I handled things with Dad. Sure. Whatever, I’m sorry. But that’s for me and him. Here’s the thing… he’s over, so let’s work together to take the company over and help him move on out.”
Roman wrinkled his nose. “Uhm… well, I’m just here to spy on Shiv, so—”
“And I’m just here to get you to back down,” Shiv told her older brother.
The four of you fell silent when a group of Kendall’s busy worker-bees crowded into the living room, holding stacks of files and papers and binders.
Shiv blew out a sigh. “I’m sorry, I’m trying to tell you how much of an asshole you are, but can we do it somewhere we don’t have to fold in Rava’s dog-walker?”
“Yeah. Sorry, yeah. Follow me. Uh—we can go into her room. Sophie’s room.”
Roman helped you up off the couch and snorted, “I’m surprised he remembered his kid’s name. Uh, which one was she? Right! Sophie. Or was it Sophia?”
The two of you snickered under your breath, and filed into the room behind Kendall and Shiv.
“Don’t touch any of her shit,” said the oldest out of the four.
Of course, Roman reached out and brushed his hand along all the little toys and trinkets lining her desk and drawers. You were the last in the room, and you didn’t even get the chance to reach out and shut the door behind you before Kendall was rubbing his hands together.
“Okay. So… uh, it’s pretty simple, really. Let’s gang up on dad and take him down.”
“Well, fuck. At least wait until the door’s closed,” you said, just before kicking it shut. Patting Roman’s shoulder, you took a seat near the foot of Sophie’s bed while Shiv made her way to the very top.
Kendall grinned sheepishly, though you could see the apprehension in his eyes.
“Why didn’t you come to us before?” Shiv asked. “Because look—it’s a real fucking mess now.”
You thought back to the yacht. How Kendall was offered up as the sacrificial lamb, unexpectedly. Of course he’d have no time to confer with any of you.
The grin on his face seemed to taper away. “It came together in my head a bit late. And, you know—I mean, I knew what I was gonna do, but…”
Roman’s brows furrowed. “That was spontaneous?”
“Well, I spoke with a lawyer—”
“Oh, wow! He spoke with a lawyer?” Roman parroted in a mocking tone.
“But they advised against it. I don’t wanna rehash it all but—I was effectively acting alone.”
The words made Roman roll his eyes so far into the back of his head it was a wonder he couldn’t see his brain. “Right. A spontaneous, heartfelt out-pouring of thoroughly lawyered emotion.”
“You guys can think whatever you want, in the end, of me. My offer still stands.” His eyes were on Shiv, then on you.
You drummed your nails against Sophie’s soft blanket. “Kendall… you can’t just expect us to drop everything and trust you blindly. Do you understand how much we’d be risking? You have to give us something to work with here.”
Scoffing, Shiv said, “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m here to get him to back down.”
“On Dad’s behalf,” Roman added. Was it a question or a statement?
Kendall nodded twice. “Right. Uh-huh. So if I say that I won’t back down and I’m not interested in negotiating any deals, you’d just call him and tell him to take a hike?”
Before anybody could say anything else, there was a knock at the door, and Jess’ head popped through.
“He’s here,” said Jess.
“What? Who?” asked Roman.
“Con. Yeah, send him in,” Kendall said. The grin was back on his face.
Roman laughed under his breath. “Right. Thought I heard a clown car pulling up.”
“Ideally I’d like to make a media appearance. All of us,” Kendall told the three of you.
Immediately, he was met with noises of protest and sour faces.
“Sweet,” Roman droned. “Are we gonna be wearing costumes that you have designed, asshole?”
“Yeah. That’s not happening,” Shiv chimed.
More hesitantly, you added on, “That sounds like an awful idea, Kendall. No offense.”
The door opened again, and Connor came in with a wide smile. He greeted Kendall with a hug, then swung his gaze to the rest of you.
“Pop’s looking for you guys, you know,” he said. He sat down beside you and rubbed your shoulder comfortingly. “You okay? You look tired.”
“Could be better, Con. Could be better.” You spared him a half-hearted smile, then shrugged.
Shiv leaned back against the headboard. “We’re here on his behalf.”
Connor laughed, and sent his half-sister an amused glance. “Oh, sure, honey. Me too. All about Dad. That’s why we’re all here.”
Bored, Roman began wandering around the room, glancing and poking around in Sophie’s walk-in closet. He pulled out a frilly pink t-shirt and held it up to his chest. “You think this color suits me?”
“Put that back,” Kendall admonished dismissively, but didn’t bother to take it away from him. Instead, he continued right on with the topic of conversation, taking a seat on an ottoman. “Okay, can we just—can we turn off the devices and get into this? If this shit was just epiphenomenal, maybe it could be ridden out. But these incidents are symptomatic of a foundational sickness within our father and this company.”
Roman snorted. “Hmm, don’t he use that tongue prettier than a twenty-dollar whore?”
Chuckling, Shiv tilted her head. “So what’s your point?”
“My point is… the milk is going sour. You know, the great whites from politics to culture, they’re rolling off the stage. It’s our time.”
“You mean us?” Roman asked, giggling. “The multi-fucking-ethnic transgender alliance of twenty-something year-olds we got here?”
You shot the man an incredulous look. “Kendall, you’re a rich, middle-aged white man. I’m sorry if your image doesn’t exactly scream woke extravaganza.”
He waved the two of you away. “Okay, listen. Big picture, we’re at the end of the long American century. Our company is a declining empire inside of a declining empire. People are killing themselves with guns or dope so fast that we’re losing pace. We’re, uh, we’re fat-fingered fucks and we can only live on cream. US supremacy is waning—”
“Why is that a bad thing?” you cut in, nose wrinkling.
Kendall held his hand out, as if to gesture at you to keep quiet. “What I think is, within that context, we can become omni-national and reposition. Because actually, we’re not tied to anything culturally or physically. So, we’re actually in a great position to leapfrog tech. Information is going to be more precious than water. Combine all our news operations, and become the global news information hub.”
You winced. It was a bad idea. A terrible idea. It reminded you of the Pierce acquisition but just… a hundred times worse. And what the hell does omni-national even mean?
“Amazon is twenty years old, and Gates is an old geezer. Detoxify our brand, and we can go supersonic.”
Silence. Utter silence.
You and Roman stared at each other, as if trying to reassure each other how bullshit everything he was saying sounded.
“What do you say?” Kendall asked. “Are we interested?”
Roman hummed. “Mmh. There’s just something about betraying our father that doesn’t sit well with me.”
“He’s a central player in a rotten cabal that has basically eaten the heart out of American democracy—”
“Rotten Cabal is a good name for a band,” Roman chimed.
“Dad’s not on trial for that, though, Ken,” said Shiv.
Hotly, Kendall defended, “Maybe he should be.”
“If he didn’t do it, it would’ve been someone else making the same dollar off the same shit,” said Roman.
Leaning his weight onto his knees, Kendall turned to look back at his brother. “Yeah, maybe. Maybe we’re all irrelevant. Maybe there’s always going to be death camps and maybe the planet is going to fry, and there’s nothing we can do. Or maybe… maybe people make a difference. I don’t know. Do you think human beings matter, Rome?”
The conflict danced across Roman’s eyes clear as day. It disappeared quickly once he crossed his arms and said, “I’m just gonna say it now—I’m a spy and I’m gonna go back and tell him everything. I’m with Dad, so… fuck you.”
Kendall frowned. “Fine. Fine. I actually don’t give a fuck. I can perfectly well do this alone. I’m actually just trying to be open-hearted and invite you in here. I mean, it’d actually probably be simpler to go alone, but I want to offer you guys a fucking ticket to the escape pod.”
“Nice fucking guy, huh?” Rome chortled.
Finally, the ball dropped. “You’re happy he went over your head and put in Gerri?”
Roman’s expression fell. You knew he’d wanted the job. “I think Gerri is a good choice.” Shiv laughed, and Roman defensively spat out, “What?”
“Defend Dad all you want, but Gerri can look after herself.”
“Yeah, I know that, I’m not defending Gerri, I just—”
Shiv sat up straighter. “You can’t hide under the covers with Mommy.”
Roman shifted back a step. “Oh, fuck off, Siobhan.”
“No, no, let’s talk about it. You always need someone to hold your fucking hand. You use Gerri as protection, and then you run off to Y/N every time something just barely inconveniences you. You just love showing your pee-pee to everyone but someday, you know, you’re actually gonna have to fuck something.”
His nose twitched. “Fuck you. Bitch.” With that, he made his way to the door and stormed out of the room.
You and Connor both called after him, but he was already gone.
“Okay… that was… that was low, Shiv,” said Con, frowning.
“That was an overreaction!” she exclaimed.
Huffing, Connor shook his head. “Can we just try to keep things nice? Yeah?” He patted your shoulder again. “I’ll go check on him.”
“It’s not my fault he’s got a sex thing,” Shiv laughed. “Was I too harsh?”
“You kidding? He loves it. He’s probably out there jerking off, wearing my ex-wife’s panties.”
You buried your face in your hands, pulling exasperatedly. “You guys are fucking assholes. You’re fucking two-faced, Shiv, and Kendall, you’re just… you’re just using us. Fuck. “Media appearance”? Give me a fucking break.”
With that, you stood up from the bed and made your way out of the room. Worry scratched away at your chest for Roman. You stepped into the living room, expecting to see him lingering around there, but you heard Connor’s voice echoing down the hall. He was standing in front of the closed bathroom door, a hand on the gilded doorknob, the other rapping against the wood lightly.
“Rome?” he asked. “You okay?”
“Go away,” his muffled voice replied from the other side.
You stepped forward, right next to Connor. “Hey, Romeo?”
There was a pause. Then the door swung open.
“Hi,” you said, mustering up a tired grin.
“Hi,” he said. Roman tried his best to mirror your smile, but failed miserably.
“You okay, Rome?” Connor asked again.
He shrugged, scratching at the back of his head. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just needed to piss. Am I not allowed to do that?”
Finally, you ambled another step forward and enveloped Roman into a tight hug. “What Shiv said isn’t true, you know. I’m the one that ran to you this time.”
Roman mumbled something into your shoulder, but you didn’t quite catch it. Maybe it was an off-handed thanks. At least, that’s what you hoped he said.
Connor smiled at the two of you with a huff, clapping a hand on each of your shoulders. “Maybe it’s time to head back. I don’t think we’re done discussing things. Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
With that, you let go of Roman and nudged him back in the direction of Sophie’s bedroom.
As soon as he made his way back in, Shiv met his gaze with a half-beam, half-grimace etched across her features. “Sorry,” she said. She didn’t really sound all that sorry.
“For what? I went to the bathroom,” Roman dismissively replied. “I don’t give a shit. You whore.”
Shiv smiled, and he grinned back. Haughtily, he snatched up your hand and crowded you into sitting down on the loveseat with him. He swung a leg up to throw over your thighs and you traced aimless circles along his shin.
“Here’s how I see this,” Kendall started up, “Dad is complicated. But he did, or he let, bad stuff happen. Yeah? And now it’s a part of us and our sickness, and we have to take responsibility because we knew. This is our chance to pay our dues and wash our hands for absolution.
You narrowed your eyes. Knew?
Thinking along the same lines as you, Shiv snorted out a derisive sound. “Okay, well… I didn’t know.”
“Sure, whatever, but—yeah, you did,” Kendall said.
“No, obviously we didn’t know,” Shiv exclaimed. “Did you guys know?”
“No,” you were quick to say. “What kind of question is that?”
Roman leaned further back into the seat. “No, we didn’t know.”
Incredulous, Kendall rounded his gaze onto the two of you. “The fucking pipeline of sad dancers who got used and abused and promised some Hollywood bullshit? We all fucking knew.”
Brows cinching together, Roman acquiesced by saying, “Yeah, well, I kinda knew about… you know, that there was some—but I didn’t know about any of the actual fucking… the fucking shit that went down. I really didn’t.”
“Come on, guys,” Connor said. “We knew.”
“Maybe you guys did,” you protested. “But I didn’t fucking know. I was a kid! We were kids!”
“But we still fucking knew! Okay? And I—I don’t like all this fucking bullshit!” Kendall propped his hands on his hips, staring down at his siblings.
“What did we fucking know?” Roman asked.
“Yeah!”
Leaning closer to his sister, Connor said, “Listen, I’m obviously not saying that you guys are responsible. But, come on. The guys, Dad, Mo—the wolf pack.”
“We knew,” Kendall parroted. “All those jokes and the weird vibes to the women and to the grubby fat-asses who took the cruises. The blind eyes and the pay-offs and the hush-hush about Dad’s pals or foreign workers who got crushed like—like meat in a fucking grinder with zero training! And, you know, no, it wasn’t our fault. And if you want to pretend that your shit doesn’t stink, be my guest, but we fucking knew.”
Solemn, Connor nodded. “We knew what those guys in Dad’s study were laughing about.”
Hotly, you said, “How many times do I have to say it? I didn’t know that the dancers were being sexually harassed! That—that fucking workers were being grilled under terrible work conditions! And I sure as hell didn’t know anything about these million-dollar pay-offs you love to parade around without actually showing us.”
Shiv drew in a breath. “We didn’t know what they were laughing about.”
“Don’t get in the pool with Mo?” Connor asked. “Remember that?”
“Well, yeah, that just sounds like fucking common sense,” you replied. “It was all so… grey. There were so many rumors. I just—I didn’t know if what Mo did actually happened or just a part of a huge fucking joke.”
“Yeah. And I didn’t get in the pool with any of those creeps,” said Shiv.
Kendall nodded, “Yeah, because he let those creeps run cruises.”
“No, Kendall, because I was fifteen!” Shiv finally asserted. “Y/N said it before—we were kids! Y/N was barely fourteen! We were hardly ever around them, and when we were, they were talking about shit we didn’t understand, and we didn’t want to understand. Because we were teenagers, and they were creepy old men that constantly told us about how mature we were for our age. Obviously we didn’t know what they were talking about, because we didn’t even want to know.”
Waving his sister’s words away, Kendall stressed, “Well, you know now, right?”
“Of course I fucking know now, that’s why we’re here in the first place!” Shiv yelled.
A beat of silence.
Kendall’s shoulders squared. “This is all a sidebar. Okay? All I’m asking is for us to move forward from a position of truth.”
“Are we excluded from this kingdom of heaven unless we accept the one true truth?” Shiv asked.
His phone dinged with a text message, and Kendall reached down to pull it out of his pocket. His kids were here.
“Look, I just wanna go hug my kids. Okay? I’ll be right back.” He started back out, making his way to the door. “We don’t even need to get into this. This is just sideshit.”
Once he was gone, Roman’s hand rested against the side of your face, gently pulling your head down to rest against his shoulder.
“We were kids,” you mumbled tiredly. Blurry memories of leering, smoking men and jaunty laughter crossed your mind. “How could I have known?”
Roman hummed, but he said nothing more.
“So… where are we at?” Shiv asked. Her question seemed to be directed at anyone in particular, but her eyes were on you.
“I don’t know. I don’t trust him. He clearly doesn’t trust us,” you said, pursing your lips.
Roman nodded. “We’re just hearing him out—then we report. It’s simple, Siobhan.”
“Right. Yeah. We gotta protect Dad… because if we knifed him now, he’d just bleed out, so…”
Roman reared his head back. “Hm. I don’t know about that.”
“Well, it’s just true. It’s a statement of fact.”
“Is it, though?” Roman wrinkled his nose. “It’s not necessarily true. This is Dad. He’s like fucking—fucking Moby Dick. He could take us all down with his back riddled with harpoons.”
Scoffing, Shiv arched a brow. “Yeah? You think he can take on all of us? If we back Ken, he’s toast. I’m not saying we should do it—we just need to decide what the fuck we’re gonna do because this is our moment.”
Finally, Roman’s features softened. He gave you a nudge. “What do you think?”
You bit down on the inside of your cheek. “If all of us back Kendall, that’d spook Karl and Frank onto our side. Gerri, maybe. The board… they’ll be split at first, but I think most of them would be swayed with enough convincing. I don’t know. It’s hard to gauge.”
“It’s very hard to imagine him surviving if we allied,” Connor agreed.
“Yeah. Sure, it’s his board, but it’s a lot of fresh blood. A lot of fear. I think if we pulled a pin today, and tomorrow, we got a spooked board. We could win.”
Tilting your head, you asked her, “I’m confused, do you or do you not want to back Kendall?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“On you guys!”
Roman shook his head. “My only concern with stabbing Dad in the back—it might actually kill him.”
You thought back to how scared and worried the two of you were when Logan was in the hospital. Certainly not something you wanted to relive.
It was then that the door opened once again, and Kendall stepped in. “So—where are we?”
“Okay. Let’s say you win, and take Dad out. I don’t see us coming through in the proxy battle. Shareholders don’t like confusion—they’ll pull out the moment they realize the condom ripped. How does the family stay in control?” Shiv asked.
“We give Dad the revolver, show him to the office, proxy battle is over,” Kendall stated matter-of-factly. “Sandy and Stewy will back down. I’ve spoken with them.”
“Busy fucking bee,” Roman snorted.
Bobbing his head, Kendall said, “If Dad went fast enough, we’d have a settlement. Look, guys, I don’t know what I think about Dad. Uh… I love him, I hate him—I’ll outsource it to my therapist. But he was going to send me to jail, you know. He’d do the same to you, Rome. Con. Shiv, I don’t know. Maybe. Don’t you guys see that? Y/N—he’ll… he’ll fucking throw you to the sharks if he needed to. I mean, how many years have you been scurrying around doing all of the yardwork for him?”
You met Kendall’s intense gaze, but you remained silent.
It was Roman who spoke instead: “Well, what would the shape of this new fucking reality be, anyway? Us leapfrogging Amazon?”
“Oh, yeah. We’re looking at 323 BC, naturally. Alexander’s dead. I take Asia, Rome takes Egypt, Shiv takes Europe, Y/N has the Americas, North and South. Con—the rest of the world.”
Connor smiled. “Thanks.”
“Separate divisions. I could oversee us as CEO on paper as we shift to these spheres of influence and evaluate what the core is. We move forward—”
A migraine began to pulse in Roman’s temple and he rubbed his head gingerly. “You’re overseeing us?”
A second of silence. “I’d offer my leadership initially as a—as a necessary part of a transformation process, yes.”
“You’d do that for us?” Roman mocked in a baby-voice. “Oh, you’re so generous! Thanks, Ken!”
“No! In your position, it just doesn’t work,” Shiv protested.
“It’s a stretch,” winced Connor in agreement.
“Stretch?” Roman scoffed. “It’s a fucking scrotum over a timpani drum!”
Shiv straightened her posture. “If I were to back you against Dad, I would need to take over.”
Both you and Rome made noises of surprise.
“What? Woah!” Roman chuckled and you drew in a cold inhale through your teeth.
“Shiv, I’m sorry, there’s absolutely no way you’d be able to steer us out of this mess—” you began.
“What? And you could?”
“Yes!” you exclaimed, thinking back to the phone call you had with Logan in the hotel. “But I’m not going to. I don’t want the fucking top job. I’m looking at this from a neutral perspective, okay? You wouldn’t work.”
Kendall nodded vehemently. “You don’t have the experience, Shiv. It wouldn’t be possible. I wish it was, but it isn’t.”
“Come on, you’re a busted flush! I’m the only person who can reform!”
“You’re too divisive,” Kendall said. Shiv’s lips parted in offense. “I mean, I don’t see you this way, but people see you as the token woman, wonk, woke, snowflake. I don’t think that, but the market does.”
“Jesus Christ,” you mumbled, pinching the space between your brows.
“What? That’s bullshit!” she bit out, volume raising a notch.
Snickering beneath his breath, Roman said, “It’s true, I just spoke to the market. That’s exactly what they think.”
“Guys, listen. We’d get new directors, and a clean broom. And then we can figure out how to split the spoils.”
Shiv pursed her lips. “I have some calls to make,” she finally said, getting up from the bed. “But this stays in here, yeah?”
“Absolutely,” Roman said.
“Yeah,” both you and Connor mumbled.
With that, she left the room.
Roman slipped away from you, saying something about taking his own call. You watched him go curiously, though you were already pretty certain he was going to call Gerri for her opinion, seeing as she was CEO now. With a nod to Kendall and Connor, you excused yourself to go to the bathroom.
You strode down the hall and shut the door behind you. The mirror above the sink’s reflection stared back at you, nearly unrecognizable. You looked so tired. Clothes wrinkled, hair disheveled, eyebags dark. All you wanted to do was go home and crawl into your own bed.
You sniffed, though you weren’t crying. You wanted to cry, though. A cry-session sounded really nice right about now. You blinked once, then twice. No tears, still.
Dejected, you went about your business, before rinsing your hands clean and stepping out to the rest of the siblings gathered in the living room now, all standing around a white box of donuts.
“Someone ordered dessert?” you asked with a mild laugh, quirking a brow at Roman.
“Wasn’t me,” he said, jerking his head to Connor, who had a card in his hand.
“Dad sent donuts. Perfectly innocent, safe-to-eat donuts,” the oldest of the group announced. He lifted up the card. “He wants us all to have a nice tea party.”
Shiv glanced around shiftily. “What the fuck? Ken—did you tell him?”
“Shiv, come on,” he replied. “Why would I tell him?”
“To make him distrust us and force us to back you?” you offered, peering over at the donuts. Connor reached over to take out a glazed chocolate one from the center.
“I wouldn’t eat that,” Shiv told his brother.
Incredulous, Connor said, “You really think he’d send poisoned donuts to the house of his grandchildren?”
“Yeah, I’m, like, ninety-eight percent sure those aren’t poisoned,” Roman chimed.
Kendall shook his head. “Okay, guys. These aren’t relevant—”
“Oh, no. No, no, no, these are really relevant donuts,” Roman protested.
Ignoring him, Kendall held up his phone. “Do we wanna? Guys—are we in? I’ll make the call right now. We can say it tonight. It’ll be over. New dawn.”
A terse silence settled over the rest of you.
“Con, stop staring at the fucking donuts, man. Focus!”
With that, the eldest sibling dropped the card on top of the donuts. “I’m out,” he said.
Kendall’s eye seemed to twitch. “Alright, then. You’re irrelevant, anyway.”
“Hey, fuck you.”
“Go on. Leave. You’re not wanted. You’re not wanted, Connor! Leave!”
“Don’t be fucking mean, Kendall,” you snapped.
Roman shook his head. “Yeah, as if he hasn’t heard that enough already.”
“I just don’t wanna destroy Dad. I’m a national figure. It’s not right to kill one’s father.”
“Yeah, you’re a prick!”
You shot Connor an apologetic glance, but he simply shook his head, gathered his jacket, and took his leave.
Kendall then rounded on his younger brother. “Roman. Come on, man. Let’s do this.”
“Uhm… pass.”
“Pass? Why?”
Roman pulled a sour face, as if he’d just licked a lemon. “A number of reasons, really.”
“Like what? You think I can’t win? Dude—we can win this together. We’ll fucking win! There’s enough for us all, Rome.”
“I told you. I’m with Dad. I always have been.”
Shaking his head, Kendall spat out, “You’re a fucking moron.”
“Don’t call him that!” You bristled. He sounded just like his father.
Kendall looked to his sister. “Forget them, Shiv.”
“I’m with Dad,” she said, plainly. Roman laughed, and Kendall’s expression fell.
“Why?” he asked.
She crossed her arms and shrugged. “Why? I don’t need to tell you.”
“Yes, you fucking do! Is it the goddamn donuts? Have you been spooked by fucking donuts? That’s pathetic, Shiv! Why? You owe me an explanation!”
Shiv tossed her head back and laughed at the irony. “Oh, yeah! Because you’ve always been so careful to keep me informed.”
“What is it? You don’t believe me?” he asked. “Obviously, you believe me! So you’re literally doing the wrong thing over the right thing here?”
Her eyes were intense on her brother. Exhaling lowly, Shiv said, “I can see that you’re angry, but don’t project your disappointment onto me. I should go.”
“Is it cowardice or avarice? I just wanna know,” Kendall called out. “Is it because you won’t take over? Is that it? Good luck with sleeping on that, Shiv.”
“Fuck you, plastic Jesus.”
“You’re a fucking twat.”
“I was the one you wanted. Rome and Connor don’t even matter to you,” she said.
“Yeah, because you’re the fucking token girl! Girls count double now, didn’t you know?”
“No, I know.” There was a crack in her voice. “I fucking know.”
“It’s only your teats that give you any value! You’re calling it wrong, Shiv. You’re fucking over the victims. I hope you know that! Well done, you dipshit!”
She shot you and Roman narrowed glances, before sauntering out of Rava’s apartment.
Finally, Kendall turned to you. His last hope. He stepped closer to you, until he was just in front of you. “Y/N, just listen. You—we could make this work. You’d be the fucking—the fucking glue. The brains. You’re good at this. You know people, you have connections. It could work. You don’t need them.”
“I don’t trust you,” you whispered.
And there it was. There were the tears. Stinging the corner of your eyes and just barely blurring your vision. Only this time, you didn’t want to cry. Not in front of Kendall.
Kendall took your hands loosely, and you couldn’t find it in you to pull away just yet. Roman watched on with part caution, part disgust.
“Remember—remember when we were kids and I told you that I would be leading the company one day? That you could be there with me? Remember that? And you made me swear to give you all the fucking strawberry popsicles you wanted. You could have it all, Y/N. It’s so fucking close.”
You remembered. Of course you did. “I don’t know, Kendall. I don’t remember.” Swallowing, you pulled your hands away from his. “You’ll just use me, Kendall. You’ll just use me and then toss me to the side.”
“That’s what Dad is doing to you right now. I’m not like him. I won’t do that.”
Your expression hardened and you wiped away the tears. “I can’t back you.”
For a moment, you wondered if Kendall was going to scream.
“Fine,” he said, eerily quiet. “You’re an asshole. Both of you.”
Roman took your hand and began to tug you to the elevator.
“You’re all pricks. Fucking idiots. You don’t know what the hell you’re doing!”
He kept calling you and his siblings a variety of colorful insults, but they all blurred into white noise when Roman hurried you into the elevator, his arm wound around your waist.
“Home?” you asked. You were so, very tired.
He nodded. “Home.”
“Will you stay over?”
He kissed your head, chaste and barely there. “Yeah. Sure.”
The company’s annual shareholding meeting started early in the morning. It’d been a few weeks since the eventful night at Rava’s place, and you’d been swamped with work ever since then. Shiv had been promoted to President of Domestic Operations—which was just a fancy title that meant little to nothing—and shortly after, the FBI had raided the company building.
Yeah. All sunshine and rainbows at Waystar right about now.
A vote would completely be slanted away from the Roys, and that only left them with the option of negotiation with Stewy and Sandi.
“We’re gonna lose the company,” said Shiv, hands propped on her hips. “We’re going to lose the fucking company today.”
The rest of you were sitting around on the couches, waiting for Logan to arrive. He was late, as he often was nowadays.
Roman tugged at the lapels of your dark blue pantsuit, wrangling your attention back to him. He offered you a wry smile. “Say, if I lose my job here, do you think I could find work behind a cash register at Target?”
“Haven’t you heard? All those jobs are being taken up by broke college students with at least two bachelor's degrees under their belt,” you dryly replied. He barked out something akin to a laugh. Since he was straightening out your suit for you, you reached out to fix his loosely-knotted tie. Once you were done, you patted his cheek fondly and pulled your hands away.
It was then that Logan came ambling through the entrance, clutching a dark cane in one hand and Kerry right behind him.
“There he is. The big beast,” Roman said. “Ready to kick ass with his ass-kicking boot.”
“You heard?” Shiv queried him, without bothering to even say hello. “You know where we’re at?”
Logan stared at his daughter for a good few seconds. “Uh-huh,” he finally said, stoutly. Then, he looked to senior management. “Karl? Gerri?”
The man shrugged. “Uh… I guess we have to delay the vote. Squeeze Sandy and Stewy’s airtime. Run the long versions of the speeches. ”
Gerri spoke up, “I emailed a list of assigned shareholders for last minute persuasion.”
“Good, good. Yes,” Logan said. He sounded winded.
Brows furrowing, Shiv incredulously asked, “That’s it? There’s nothing else we can do?” There was an anxious lilt to her voice.
“What about the Raisin?” Logan asked. The president.
Shiv, Tom, and Cyd scrambled to answer for him, and he barked out a few more orders, before taking a seat.
Gerri’s phone began to ring, and her eyes widened when she checked the caller ID. “It’s Stewy Hosseini,” she said. “Should I take it?”
Wordless, Logan nodded once.
The call was short, but brief. Gerri’s eyes were narrowed and calculating when she hung up.
“They want to meet up,” she announced. “They have thoughts.”
Head tilting, Roman asked, “Thoughts? What kind of thoughts?”
“Ideas for a deal space around a settlement,” Gerri told the group.
“Fucking A! That’s great!” exclaimed Roman, before he was cut off by his father.
“Why have they suddenly decided to settle?” he asked, voice low.
Shiv replied, “Well, because they know it’s the smartest move?”
“Or they’ve had bad news,” Logan said. “What do they know that we don’t?”
You bit down on the inside of your cheek. “Well—we’d find out when we speak to them.”
Logan shook his head. “No. I’m not doing a tap dance. Shiv, Karl, Gerri, Y/N, Romulus—go and report back.”
Lifting a hand, Frank offered, “I think that’s smart. Yeah. But, uhm, Gerri should be out front helming, so should I go?”
“We nail you to the cross, Frank, alright?” Logan dismissed. “Let Sandy do the soft shoe. He’s wriggling. Let’s screw them out.”
The hotel you were meeting them at was lavish and over-the-top—you expected nothing less from Sandy and Stewy.
Inside the elevator up, Roman queried, “Does Sandy really have syphilis? What if he has sores all over his body? What if his groin’s all eaten away and the top half of him just falls off?”
“That’s disgusting, Rome,” you said, wrinkling your nose.
He stuck his tongue out at you. “You’re disgusting, fuck-face,” he shot back, childishly.
Gerri hummed. “I think we started that syphilis rumor.”
Raising a brow, you exchanged a look with Roman, neither of you all that surprised. Gerri was a cutthroat, cold-stoned bitch (in Roman’s words), and she’s definitely done worse than starting up a few nasty rumors.
“Late stage symptom is dementia, I believe,” said Karl, tucking his phone away into his back pocket.
Roman laughed. “You been doing some late night, panicky googling, Karl?”
With that, the elevator doors slid open, and the group filed out down the hall. A hotel employee showed you into one of the larger suites, where Sandy, Sandi, and Stewy were situated amongst plush seats.
“Hey,” Sandi greeted with a cautious smile. “Thanks for coming. My father is very excited to see you all.”
You glanced at her father, who was slumped over on a wheelchair and silent. It seemed his condition had worsened much more than you expected. You took a seat beside Gerri, and Shiv stiffly eased down next to you. Roman lingered behind, far too restless to sit.
“Look,” said Stewy, pulling your attention away from the older man to him, “after careful consideration, if we can make a deal here, we’re willing to agree to a standstill. No takeover. Provided we lead on deal-making options moving forward, we’ll accede to a continuation of combined Chairman and CEO roles, so that’d be all yours.”
“I think that sounds reasonable,” said Gerri.
“And the three board seats?” Stewy asked. His eyes darted from the siblings, to you, to Gerri and Karl.
Nodding, Shiv said, “Including yours? We can do that right now—I have my dad’s authorization to go there.”
“Would you be willing to sign off on this?” you asked. Stewy’s gaze met yours, mildly amused. “We’d like something physical to hold onto.”
Sandi then leaned forward when her father began to mumble under his breath, too quiet for you to decipher from where you were sitting.
“He wants our costs covered,” Sandi finally said. That was reasonable. Then, she added, “And… veto right over any Roy family member ever taking over as CEO.”
Your brows furrowed. Gerri seemed just as taken aback by this condition as you were.
“Stewy?” she asked, hoping he’d give some sort of clarification.
“That’s what the man said,” Stewy replied languidly. “It’s a very important protection for us.”
Wincing, Roman scratched at the back of his head. “I feel like I just have to put it out there and say it, since there’s a eighty-five billion dollar baby on the table here… how do I know he’s not your… meat puppet?”
The term made you think of Kendall before he’d waged war on his own father.
Sandi smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I just do what my dad tells me, like you guys.”
“You mind if we take a beat?” Gerri asked, standing up. You stood with her, following her to the next room. Stewy said something snarky, but you consciously chose not to listen.
Karl ducked his head and whispered, “Well, I mean, other than the new proposal, it’s a very, very attractive prospect.”
Shiv frowned and incredulously bit out, “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing to discuss. It fucks us and it’s designed to humiliate dad!”
“It’s all just optics,” Gerri defended. “I’m not sure it’d even stand up.”
“You could probably work around it if it ever came to it!” Karl piped in.
“Uhm, with all due respect, Gerri—get bent,” said Roman.
Shaking her head, she reasoned, “I know it’s humiliating, and I’m sure your dad would agree, but given where we’re at, I have to check in with him. Sorry, excuse me.”
With that, she stepped away to call Logan.
“Is she gonna fuck us?” Shiv asked.
Roman pulled a face. “No. I don’t know.”
“Logan’s not going to say yes,” you murmured. “He wouldn’t allow it. It’s pride over everything, no?”
Shiv shot you a sharp look, but she didn’t say anything. From farther away, Gerri hung up the phone and made her way back to Stewy.
“We will meet your costs, but… no veto,” she told them. Of course—Logan wouldn’t refuse to be the first to bend the knee.
Sandy began murmuring again, and Sandi leaned in to listen.
“We need the veto,” she said once she backed away.
“Is there no alternative shape here?” Gerri queried, shaking her head.
Growing frustrated, Shiv said, “Come on, Sandi. We all want this to work.”
With one final lean-in, Sandi nodded her head at her father’s mumbled words.
“We’re gonna go have a think. But, uhm… it’d be a shame if all this hard work is destroyed over a small detail,” she finally concluded. “Thanks for coming to see us.”
You blew out a breath and scratched at the back of your head—a habit that you seemed to pick up from Roman.
The two of you began walking out, and Gerri caught up, just a step behind. “Sorry, about back there—”
“About what? Trying to fuck me over to consolidate your position?”
“No. It just seemed to make sense. Business-wise.”
Roman shot her a glance over his shoulder. “Throwing me overboard to drown? You picked your prince, Gerri, don’t fuck it up now.” He began to walk faster, and you gave her an apologetic shrug.
“We got this in the bag, Gerri. Don’t—don’t worry about Roman.”
She patted your shoulder with a reassured smile. “I can count on you to keep him in line, right?”
“Yeah. Of course.”
With one final nod, you jogged ahead to catch up with Roman, linking your arm with his.
“Hey, stompy,” you greeted, bumping your hip into his. “Stop pouting. Gerri was just trying to broker a deal. It’s not her fault they suddenly wanted a veto right.”
“I know. I’m just fucking—worried that I’m making the wrong choices all the time.”
“Yeah. But you’re doing okay. We’ll be fine. Everything’s going to blow over in a few months, just watch.”
The corner of Roman’s lips tilted into a lopsided smile, and hummed out that hyena-laugh of his. “You are so fucking fake. Y’know what the fucking Gen-Z’ers are calling it now? Toxic positivity. That’s what you are. A barrel of toxic, radioactive, neon-yellow smiley emojis. I love it. Never change.”
He kissed your cheek then, sounding out an obnoxious ‘mwah!’ before tugging you into the elevator.
By the time you rejoined Logan, Karolina, and Tom (hell, even Greg was there), Gerri’s phone began to ring again.
“It’s Sandi.”
“Which one?” Connor asked.
“The one that can talk,” Gerri deadpanned. She gave Logan a confirming glance, before answering it. Her expression rippled with incredulity and apprehension. “Uh… are you sure about that? Alright, but—seriously?”
With one final sigh, she hung up the call.
“They have one more proviso,” she told the group. “They want to take away the private jets.”
“What? No!” Roman protested.
“They said it’s elitist and out of touch.”
A frown crossed his face. “Duh-doy, but—no. They’re just trying to humiliate him.” He gestured to his father, who was slumped in a chair, eyes staring aimlessly at the ground.
“Was it real or were they just basting the turkey?” asked Karl.
“I don’t think Sandy’s the kind to be pulling a prank on us, Karl,” you said, pinching the space between your brows. “It’s gotta be real.”
Gesturing emphatically, Shiv said, “Let’s just eat it, Dad. You can tell them to fuck off later.”
“Yeah, we can just offer to cut personal use, or put on a mileage cap,” offered Karl.
“No!” Roman protested once more. “We give them this—first they come for the PJs and we say nothing, then they come for the outsized compensation payments, you know? This is—no. This is bullshit. They’ll back down, they won’t blow it over this. Right?”
He looked at you, and you lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know. They’re fishing for something here, but we still have to take them seriously.”
“Dad?” Roman asked.
The older man was silent for a long time.
“Hm.” He paused, glancing around. His eyes were glazed over. “I need to piss.”
“Oh,” said Shiv, uncertain. “Do you… do you need some help, or should I reach out and call—?”
Logan ignored her, and pointed at Tom. “You.” He loosely gestured at the rest of you. “Stay.”
“You want to make a decision now, before you go? Dad?” Shiv called out after him, but he was already walking away.
“Is he—is he okay?” you whispered into Roman’s ear. “He doesn’t look too good.”
Roman pulled a sour face. “He’s fine. He looks fine. Why, you think something’s wrong with him?”
“Well, I don’t know, he’s just acting so weird. This is—this is a big fucking deal and he’s been shrugging it off like it’s chopped liver.” At Roman’s worried look, you gripped his arm and squeezed comfortingly. “I mean, I don’t know, though. Maybe he’s okay.”
Nearly fifteen minutes later, you were about to eat your own words.
Logan was most certainly not okay. When he came back, he was out of breath, and his eyes were unfocused.
“What’s it gonna be, Logan?” Gerri asked. “We need an answer.”
“Uh-huh.”
“What do you think? Yes or no?”
A staggered exhale and a wild look around. “Fuck ‘em,” he finally spat out.
Shock spilled over the group. Shiv made noises of protest.
“Fuck ‘em!” he repeated, gruffer this time.
“I—are you sure, Dad? That’s… you sure you wanna do this?” Shiv asked.
His breathing was getting heavier and heavier. It was clear to you that business was the last thing Logan should be thinking about right now. You stepped forward, concern splayed over your features.
“Uncle Logan, are you okay?” you asked, under your breath. He didn’t give you an answer, but you took his arm to slowly lead him to a seat. It didn’t go past your notice that he was sweltering hot and trembling quite a bit—you could feel the heat and the quaking through the fabric of his suit.
Despite the fact that he was in no state of mind to be negotiating, Gerri and Shiv pushed him. “Do you know something, or…? That’s a big call you’re making.”
“Pills!” Logan hissed to Colin, who came forward immediately.
“I just gave you some, sir. You need something else? Tylenol?”
Logan nodded, mumbling incoherently beneath his breath.
The rest of the group discussed what the next steps were, and a part of you wanted to join and offer your input, but you stayed by Logan’s side.
When Colin returned with the Tylenol, you furrowed your brows and told him, “He’s, uhm, he’s really hot. Like—feels like he’s burning up. Can we—do we need to go get him a medic, or…?”
“I’m fine,” he said, waving away your words. But then he smiled at you, and that was the most surprising thing of all. “Thank you, dear.”
“Okay. Just let me know if you need anything.”
“What’s going on with the Raisin?” he asked.
Gerri, overhearing, stepped closer with cinched brows. “I’m sorry, with—with the President?”
“Can we get Ravenhead on air?” Logan queried. “Call Michelle-Anne. Tell her to get the SEC to shut this meeting down.”
It was clear that Logan was spouting out utter nonsense, and you exchanged several confused looks with the rest of the group.
“Okay… we’ll look into that,” said Karl.
“I need a piss,” Logan announced once more. Hadn’t he gone just a few minutes ago? “Where is he?”
Tom pointed at himself. “Who, me? Again? Yeah? Sure—okay.”
Greg, who had just returned from sending off a note to Frank on stage, came bounding back to the group, sweat and hair slightly disheveled. “You guys going off to the bathroom?” he asked Logan and Tom.
Logan stared at his grand-nephew incredulously. “What fucking business is it of yours?”
You and Roman glanced at each other. “Jesus. You were right. He’s off his rocker,” Roman whispered.
A few minutes later, Logan staggered back with Tom helping him, and Shiv came forward to ask if he was alright. To everybody’s surprise, Logan called his daughter Marcia, and then started rambling on about a speech he was meant to give.
Tom came up to the rest of the group. “Hey, uh, hey everybody—Logan’s not really himself right now.”
Shiv rushed back after phoning Kerry. “He’s got a fucking UTI.”
“That explains it,” you said, glancing back at Logan, still murmuring something to a nodding Colin.
“Well, is that—I mean, no, it isn’t. It’s not that fucking serious, is it?” Roman asked. He was worried, you could see it clear as day.
“At his age? That can make you crazy!” said Connor. “Reagan had one and nearly nuked Belgium.”
“What?” Shiv asked, incredulous. “How long has he been like this? What the fuck?”
Brows furrowing, Gerri chimed in, “Was he like this when he risked the whole company?”
“Nobody hears about this,” Shiv warned, voice steely. “What do we do?”
“Get a doctor,” you said, as if it were obvious.
“Can’t we just get him some cranberry juice and ask him about the deal again?” Roman asked.
Tom shook his head. “He was just asking for Caroline.”
“Oh,” said Roman, mock-pouting. “Aw. He misses mom.”
“He’s gone mad,” Shiv blew out.
“Well, we don’t actually know when he got this way. We don’t!” Roman said.
“No, no, I think he’s been piss-mad for quite some time,” Tom interjected, glancing back at Logan. “Shiv, do you think—should you overrule him? Go back to Sandy and Stewy and say we’ve changed our minds?”
You sucked in a deep breath. “Logan’ll be furious.”
“How can he be furious when he can’t even tell me apart from his wife?” Shiv shot back.
Haughtily, you told her, “I’m saying when he’s gotten through it, he’ll be angry that you went over his back—!”
Before you could finish, Hugo came running up. “Guys—he insists that he still has to give his speech.” He hurried off when Logan called his name. Or, a garbled version of it.
“Can he give his speech?” Karolina asked.
“What? The demented fucking piss-mad King of England?” Roman responded with a scoff.
“He could say anything up there. No fucking way,” Shiv asserted. “I say we drop it. Right?”
“But at the very least, he should be onstage,” persisted Gerri.
Karl nodded along. “It would be great to get the body up there.”
“Right. Like a human fucking spectacle,” you said, cocking your head. “You don’t think people would find it weird that he’s up there and not saying anything?”
“Okay, we’ll just push it as late as we can, and maybe if we can just get him on stage, that’d be enough?” Shiv proposed.
Connor laughed. “Oh, yeah, maybe send him up through a trapdoor surrounded by dry ice.”
“Where is this doctor, anyway?” Gerri asked.
With no time for anyone to reply, Hugo hustled back to the group, expression twisted with uncertainty. “Uhm… he’s concerned there is a dead cat under his chair.”
Everybody blinked, clueless.
“Great,” said Shiv. “That’s great.”
“Well, is there anything under his chair?” Gerri whispered, ducking her head to check herself.
You stared at your godfather from afar, watching as he vehemently gestured down below his seat.
“He says that, uh, he doesn’t want Rose to see it,” said Hugo. “And he wants Colin to take it out.”
Rose. The name sounded familiar, something you’ve surely heard in passing, but you couldn’t quite place who she was.
Clearly, Roman was beginning to grow more and more agitated, and he gritted out, “Fine. Have Colin take it out. Jesus Christ.”
Finally, Kerry arrived, hurrying to grab her bag, mumbling something about doctors and pills and secrecy. As if to make it even worse, Kendall appeared out of nowhere, and Shiv let out a long and loud string of curses.
“Great—hey, who invited you?” Roman sneered at his older brother.
Kendall ignored him. “What the fuck is going on? He’s squashing the fucking deal?”
“It’s fine! It’s fucking fine—we got it under control,” Roman vehemently pressed, though it didn’t sound too convincing with Logan in the back yelling for the cat to be carried away. The cat that didn’t, in fact, exist.
“You have to turn this around right now!” Kendall yelled.
“We’re figuring it out,” Shiv told him.
Logan screeched again and grumbled incoherently, shifting on his chair.
“What—what the fuck is going on with him?” asked Kendall.
“The doctor’s coming, Ken,” you tried to reassure him, but he shook his head.
“No, no, I want to know what’s wrong with him!”
Colin hurried away with an empty box—supposedly holding the dead cat. A part of you wondered if this dead cat was a distant memory from Logan’s past. Maybe he was trapped in a fragment of time he could never quite move on from.
“What is that?” Kendall took a few steps to follow after Colin, but halted to look back at his siblings in utter confusion. “Guys, what—?”
“Can you just leave, please?” Roman hissed. “That is an imaginary cat, now can you please fuck off?”
Raising his voice, Kendall addressed the entire group, voice stricken and strained, “Listen to me very carefully. This is you throwing it away. You think they’re bluffing? They’re not fucking bluffing! And you’re putting everything I have fought and bled for on the fucking edge and I am not gonna let that happen! Do you understand me?”
“You’re not welcome here,” Shiv said, cold. “You have no right to be here.”
“Fucking fix it!” he yelled. Kendall sounded like his father.
“You may go! You’re excused!” Roman told him. “Thank you very much for your concern, please go.”
You and Connor stayed silent, watching the other three scream at each other.
“Go! You’re fucking delusional!” shouted Roman. “There’s a fucking delusional man leaving here!”
Kendall began to walk away, but not without screaming back, “Figure out a fucking doctor or I’m calling mine!”
“Thank you so much for your concern, like you give a flying shit!” Roman spat back. “You probably slipped him something, Putin! You piece of shit! Fuck off!”
It was a game of tug-of-war, and both sides were backing into a cliff’s edge.
Roman was taking out his frustrations and his fear onto his brother, and you stepped forward, placing a hand on his chest.
“Hey, Rome, that’s enough. He’s—he’s leaving, okay? Bye, Kendall.” You brushed a stray strand of his hair away from his forehead. “It’s fine. You need to… you need to take a beat.”
Roman pulled a pained expression, his features crumpling under the weight of stress. He nodded several times, before crossing his arms and walking off to get himself a swig of water.
When the doctor finally arrived, you pointed him towards Logan, quickly explaining what he’s been like for the past half an hour. He nodded and got to work, pulling out a few medical instruments to check up on Logan.
“So—how is he?” Shiv asked the doctor.
“I’ll put him on some fluids to hydrate him—it should be pretty quick.”
“Will he definitely be okay?” Roman asked
The doctor didn’t have the chance to reply when Shiv cut in, “But how quick, exactly?”
“Well… he’s not a cup of instant noodles.”
“Sure, but can we speed it up? Like a—a blood bag or an adrenaline shot?”
Roman scowled. “Geez, take it easy. You wanna give him a fucking Tabasco suppository?”
“Fuck you! It’s what he’d want,” Shiv defensively replied.
“Fuck you, too. The main thing is that we look after him, okay?” Roman slung an arm over your waist and you leaned into him with a sigh.
“Obviously, I agree.”
“Oh, do you, though? Sounded like you want to jumpstart our father like he’s a fucking pick-up truck!” Roman uneasily glanced at Logan, who’d fallen asleep on the chair. “Shit. Can you guys call us when he’s less… scary?”
With that, Roman dragged you away from the group. You could still feel Shiv’s angry eyes burning into your back.
“Where are we going?”
“Bathroom.”
“And do you want me to aim your penis for you?” you asked, laughing slightly. “Why are you making me come with you?”
Roman shot you a loose grin. “I could come up with twenty different sex jokes with what you just said. But I’m not going to, because I’m a gentleman.”
“He says, as he shoves me into the men’s bathroom,” you scoffed, before striding in and locking the door behind you. “I hope you’re not looking for a quickie here. I don’t think it’s very sanitary.”
Laughing nervously, Roman’s grip on your hand left so it could curl over your hip, tugging you close.
“You don’t want a little distraction? Just give me five minutes,” he mumbled. His head dipped forward to kiss the junction between your neck and your shoulder.
“I can’t tell if you’re joking or not,” you whispered, so low that Roman only barely heard it.
In truth, he didn’t know, either.
“Besides, I don’t think we’d have the time, anyway. The floor is fucking lava out there,” you murmured. “Also, I wouldn’t want our first time together to be in a bathroom at a shareholder’s meeting.”
Roman smiled, almost shy, almost disbelieving. “First time? Wow. Is this your way of telling me you want to have sex with me?”
“As if you wouldn’t throw yourself on your knees begging for it,” you bit back, wrinkling your nose affectionately. Then, you cupped his face and kissed the side of his nose, leaving a faint mark of lip tint against his skin. You smiled at that. “You’re cute, Romeo. But I know you. If you wanted to have sex, you’d be dry-humping me against the sink as soon as we stepped foot in here. What is it you actually want to talk about?”
Roman blew out a heavy sigh. His hands fell away from you as he hoisted himself up onto the sink and leaned against the pristine mirror. “I wanted to come clean to you. No secrets right? During the plane ride back to New York, I called Dad. I told him I wanted the top job, but I also told him that… that you and Gerri would be my second choices if he didn’t think I was ready. I just—I wanted to know if you maybe gave him a call, too?”
There was a moment of silence.
“I did.” You bit down on the inside of your cheek. “I told him that I didn’t want it.”
“Oh.”
“And I told him that Gerri would be my choice.”
Roman’s eyes met yours. They twitched with incredulity. “And you didn’t—you didn’t mention me anywhere in there?”
“I didn’t.”
“Wow. Great fucking friend you are.”
“Rome—”
“You chose the croney over me?”
Your features hardened. “Rome. Fuck, I just… I told him I didn’t want it because I didn’t want to be marked as the token figure that roped the company out of hot water. And I don’t want that for you, either. Don’t you get it? Not to mention it’d ruin your relationship with your siblings.”
“So you just—you don’t think it’d ever be me?” Something in his voice broke.
“It could be,” you admitted. “But I don’t want it to. Not now, at least.”
There was a longer silence. Roman pulled at his face tiredly.
You opened your mouth again, but he waved you away. “I know, I know, you didn’t offer me up because you love me and you’re trying to protect me. Thanks, fuck-face.”
He hopped off from the sink, cradling the back of your head so he could give you a chaste kiss on the forehead.
“You still up for that quickie?” you tried to joke, nudging him with a half-hearted smile.
“Sorry, I’m saving myself for Marcia. Nothing like fucking your father’s leftovers, I’d say.”
The two of you laughed and linked arms, unlocking the bathroom door to walk out and make your way back to the group.
It seemed that the two of you came back at the perfect time, because Shiv was worriedly telling everyone, “His moans are getting louder.”
“Okay, but can he do that on stage?” Hugo questioned.
“Is it a wheel-on and wave situation?”
“Fuck, no. We’re not gonna make the piss-mad bear dance with fucking cattle prods!” Roman angrily put out. “We need to be looking after him.”
Shiv propped her hands up on her hips. “So he’s not gonna do his speech? Is that it, though? Do we just—does that mean we go down? We’d fucking give up?” She hurriedly turned and asked one of the analysts what the stats on the vote were. “God, okay. I think we should just go back to Sandy and Stewy and try to save the deal.”
“No, no. You can’t. Dad said no deal,” Roman reminded her.
“Dad didn’t say shit, Rome!”
“He said no deal! Are you fucking deaf?”
“No, he didn’t! His urethra had wrestled control over his brain! I could at least talk to them, right? If we go to the vote, we’d probably… we’d lose. Karl? Frank? Tom?”
They all babbled incoherently—mostly in agreement.
“Y/N?”
You pursed your lips. “Yeah. I think you should try.”
“Rome? You back this?”
Roman pinched the space between his brows. Sucking in a deep breath, he said, “Go on, yeah. Go fuck it up, you moron.”
With that, Shiv rushed away, pulling out her phone to give them a call.
Before the shareholder meeting ended, the President called and the group had Roman answer, since Logan was currently… unavailable. He was extremely upset with Logan and said that he wouldn’t be running for another term, which was a major blowback for the company, since he was the stilt to Waystar’s political survival.
It was safe to say that things were going to shit.
Then Shiv called to say that she’d finessed four seats out of the board, which was a good fucking deal, so—maybe things weren’t all that shit.
Roman wasn’t happy with going against Logan’s wishes, but he frustratedly nodded. “We’re good. We’re all good. Hold the voting.”
Everyone cheered and sighed in relief.
When Logan came to, Gerri filled him in with all the details. He didn’t like what Shiv did, not at all, despite her defensive arguments that she’d saved the company. He yelled at her then, and everyone was quiet for a moment.
But Logan smiled at you, and patted Roman’s shoulder minutes later. He was fine, right? Things were fine.
Things were going to be okay.
#roman roy x reader#roman roy fanfiction#roman roy smut#roman roy fluff#roman roy series#roman roy ff#roman roy angst#roman roy x you#roman roy fanfic#succession roman#succession roman x reader#roman roy#succession fanfiction#succession x reader#roman roy imagine
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I'll Raise You One Better
Richard "Richie" Jerimovich x Reader
Part of the Double Trouble universe, it was a brainworm that didn't stop diggin'
The Bear MasterList
Directory
Part 1
“Yeah, my sister sucks sometimes.” Sierra frowned as Richie paced Carmy’s living room. She looked over to see a shit-eating grin plastered on his face, “You really thought Sierra would cheat on me with you?” Carmy managed to ask without laughing too much. Richie’s arms flew up in the air, “Cousin- I’ve been beating myself up for fuckin’ days about this! Why the fuck didn’t you tell me Sierra had a fuckin’ twin?!” he grunted in a mix of annoyance and anger. He felt like a fool. Since he’d staged at Ever, he felt like he’d found his place in the culinary space. All of that could have been thrown away if he’d actually had sex with Sierra at that party. Carmy would’ve finally cut him off, Natalie would have followed suit due to family ties, and he’d lose his job, his friends, and everything else he’d worked for.
“Richie? Sit down, okay- you’re gonna worry yourself into having a fucking aneurysm.” Sierra sternly cooed as she guided the man to sit on the couch. Carmy leaned back in his chair, absolutely loving this; Sierra rolled her eyes before shooting him a dirty look. “Do you want me to beat her up?” Sierra offered as she sat down next to him. Richie flinched and shifted further away from her. “I just feel like shit Sierra. I thought she was you. I thought I fucked Carmy’s girl- what the fuck does that say about me? I’m a fuckin’ loser scumbag. I fucked my cousin’s fuckin’ girl.”
Sierra frowned. “I can deal with this if you want, Richie,” she offered, hoping to appease some of the man’s guilt. Richie shook his head. “I just—I don’t know.” He was defeated. A silence fell over the room. Sierra looked at Carmy to see a quizzical look on his face; he had an idea, and she felt like it would be bad.
“She fucked with you- you fuck with her,” Carmy suggested breaking the silence. Richie looked at him, “What do you mean?” he queried, raising an eyebrow in Carmy’s direction.
~
Sierra invited you out for dinner only to stand you up. You ended up ordering dinner to go and then went outside to wait. As you scrolled through your phone, you heard someone call out, ‘Sierra?’ You looked up and felt like a deer in the headlights—it was none other than Richie.
“Thought you were workin’ tonight.” Richie laughed as he walked up to you. You shrugged, still playing into the idea of being Sierra, “Nah, I got a coworker to cover for me.” you bluffed. “Surprised you’re not hangin’ out with Carmy. We closed early- he said somethin’ ‘bout havin’ plans with you.” Richie said as he shoved his hands in his ill-fitting track pants pockets. You glanced toward his crotch and could swear you saw the outline of his cock; even soft, it was impressive. The thought of it filling you up again made your core quiver in anticipation. “Nah- I wanted some alone time, ya know…” you played off quickly, looking back up in his stormy blue eyes. “I told Carmy about what happened at Marcus’s party…. I didn’t think you two were that kind of couple.” Richie sneered, hoping you didn’t see through his own bluff.
You shrugged in response. You tried not to think about your sister’s sex life, but now you were a little curious: what were Sierra and Carmy doing behind closed doors? Growing up, Sierra told you everything and the idea of her being some kinky sex freak would be an interesting lure reveal. “Things were gettin’ dry, ya know? Turns out Carmy’s into some… interesting stuff.” you subtly flirted back at him. Richie chuckled before quickly swiping his tongue over his top lip, “You know my place is just up the street. Wanna have some fun before the big night?” he asked as he stepped closer to you.
“Big night?” you wonder, fidgeting with your phone case as you blankly stare at Richie. A wicked smile spread across Richie’s face, “Didn’t he tell you ‘bout it? He said he did… wanted to watch you get fucked… by a real man.”
You felt your breath hitch at Richie’s words. What the fuck did you get yourself wrapped up in? Richie sensed your hesitation and moved his hands on your hips and slowly pulled you toward him, “You scared princess? What happened to my good girl? Carmy said-”
You cut Richie off, “I’mnotSierraIdon’twannadothis!”
Richie chuckled and shuffled his hands from your hips to your lower back, dangerously close to the top of your ass. “I know you’re not Sierra, Y/N. Why did you let me think you were?”
“Uh- I uh- I never um said-” you mumbled softly as you looked away from him, “You let me believe it. You let me believe I fucked my best friend’s girlfriend. You know he’s gonna propose to Sierra, right? You let me think that I ruined the one thing that makes Carmy happy.” Richie hissed.
You swallowed, “I-I-I-”
“I-I-I,” Richie taunted, “What! What you tryin’ to fuckin’ apologize for being a fuckin’ bitch? You’re just such some dumb little slut, aren’t you? Get off on fuckin’ up people’s lives? Makin’ think the worst of themselves?” he laughed letting his hands fall. “Fuck you, Y/N. You’re nothin’ but a fuckin’ whore.”
Part 3
#richie jerimovich#richie the bear#richie jerimovich fan fiction#richie jerimovich fan fic#richie jerimovich imagine#richie jerimovich x reader#richie jerimovich x you#richie jerimovich angst#the bear#the bear fan fic#the bear fan fiction#the bear imagine#the bear x reader#the bear angst
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pumpkin spiced metal
You like your men like you like your coffee. Dark. Robust. Steamy. Not the best for your health. The very worst for your heart, for sure.
▸ wrestler!Toji x baker!Reader; Historical AU; Pre-Relationship; Tons of Fluff; Teasing Banter; It's Toji so obviously there'll be mentions of attacks, fights, injuries [Reader is 100% unharmed, dw!! :))]; Reader's fearless nature is something I can do anything to have; Toji & Reader Are Into Each Other And Both of Them Low-Key Know This [they are not idiots but smart, for once, your honor]; Reader Has She/Her Pronouns; There is one tiny [or four tiny] mention(s) of Gojo here HEHE
▸ This belongs to the same Historical JJK AU as the knight Nanami x lady-in-waiting Reader fic parterre but you don't need to read that to read this!! This is a stand-alone!! 😊😊
▸ based on the ask sent by @ancient-vivarium for my milestone event. TYYY SMMM FRELLIE!! 🥰🥰🤗😘 i don't own the characters, image or divider used. please don't plagiarize or translate or repost this. enjoy reading! ❤️
"Coffee wakes one up better than fights, y'know?"
A dagger grazing the shell of your ear before flying into the wall is the very last thing you could have expected your off-handed comment to ever receive; yet, now, on seeing the receiver of your query, you deem you're lucky enough your beloved ear wasn't cut off your beloved face by that wretched dagger.
Fingers gripping your mug more firmly, you heave a heavy sigh— only to click your tongue in the very next instant. Flipping the sign on your bakery's door back to 'closed', you sit down on the steps and make an awkward gesture for this sudden visitor to take the seat beside yours.
A moment passes. And just when you think this person will simply be standing with half of his hulky persona in light and the remaining in a darkness, he shuffles forwards to plop down onto the seat proffered.
You shove the glee curving your lips behind the ceramic of your mug.
Toji throws you a horribly incensed glare from where he's slouched on the stair. "Ya find this shit funny, eh? I can still kill ya if I wanna. These injuries don't mean anything— 'm tellin' ya."
"Mmhm," you nod your agreement quickly, biting your cheek once to keep them blasted giggles within yourself. "I know you can– wrestler and rumored assassin Toji. I'm very well aware you can; but don't you think it's a bit funny— someone as strong and scary as you sharing a cup of coffee with someone akin me? If you aren't you, won't you find this slightly funny, hm? I bet you will, you know."
Your confident remark earns a furrowed glance from your companion before he sighs, dragging a palm down his so weary face then curling it into a fist to rest his cheek on. You shoot him a quizzical look— only for it to bounce right off him, as he closes his eyes, and gives another exhausted sigh.
The sight twists your heart in a way, pretty weird but not unpleasant, you decide.
A hazy yet sharp eye blinking open to watch you, Toji grumbles, "Was attacked by several men some time back on my way to the grounds... of course, I beat them up to a pulp so much, not even their family can tell them apart now; but everything happened so out of the blue—"
"You don't need to explain anything anymore. I understand where the sudden knife attack came from," you cut him off gently, keeping your cup on the ground beside and moving to rub a soothing thumb on an awfully deep scar on the underside of his palm. The muscles beneath your ministrations tense a little, before relaxing a smidgen— you hear a quiet huff of a laugh from the man next to you.
You drag your eyes away from the scars on his hands to that on his lip before lifting them to meet his deep, dark gaze. A smirking glint stays there to greet your inquiring gaze.
Toji asks, "Aren't ya scared of being alone with someone rumoured to have killed half of the Zenin clan, eh, girl? People say the man in front of you once attempted to finish off that blue-eyed brat too once... Did ya not know that?"
You do. The thing is, you do.
You do know each and every one of those rumors. Silly or not. Weird or not. Being the most popular baker in the royal kingdom has made you the unwilling listener to these rumours and so many, many more.
[Just the other day, you heard one lady screech to the other, how she spotted the princess winking— yes, winking— at Lord Gojo. The next day, you saw Her Highness in your bakery, kicking the same Lord and calling him names– no sane lady would ever dream of calling the man they fancy.]
[The princess is not very sane, you know this too. But you choose not to dwell on it too much.] [You value your neck very much, thank you!!]
You shrug after two seconds worth consideration.
"Those Zenin's deserve to be killed, if I'm being very honest here. And as for the matter pertaining to Lord Gojo..." you trail off, before giving your second shrug of the minute and resuming, "I noticed you and he conversing in the marketplace the other day, so I suppose– whatever happened, if anything at all, is all in the past. Also, it's for the best if I don't interfere in others' business, y'know? I've a not-very-tiny one of my own to manage, which is no easy feat, if I must admit— but, yeah. No matter what your reputation is, I don't really mind you here. You've the signs of being a nice company."
An oddly piercing gaze is the only respone your lengthy reply receives— or so you think before Toji cracks a barely-there smile at you, rising from his seat and extending a hand towards you.
It's not the etiquette, some part of your mind tsks. You shut it down in less than an instant. Etiquettes are shit stuff meant for those of noble blood. You and Toji aren't so— at least, not this very second in the soft light of the day, breaking through the cloak of the yesternight— those etiquettes can be easily forgotten by you two. For now.
Forever as well. Perhaps.
You too rise, placing your palm in his outstretched one. And shoot a wide smile when he squeezes your hand and queries, "Ya sure won't mind making an extra cup of coffee for every morning from now on, yeah?"
Enjoying the pitter-patter in the middle of your chest, you shake your head, chuckling. "Heavens, no. If anything, I'll be the happiest to drag another person into my coffee-worshipping cult."
Especially if that someone is as alluring as the one before you— with a crooked grin, a tad bloody and very much feral– but you decide not to mention it– choosing to keep it close to your heart till the time Toji too grows nearer to your heart.
[Which, you reckon, will happen soon, if the pinkish hue of his ears and the moisture on his palm are what you hope suppose they are.]
▸ masterlist
#toji x you#toji x reader#zenin toji x you#zenin toji x reader#jjk x you#jjk x reader#toji fluff#jjk fluff#kit posts 📝
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The Easy Ones
Summary: Edward's puzzles are only meant for the Dark Knight - so imagine his surprise when you come solving them instead.
Content Warning: Angst & Spying
Word Count: 753
● Ao3 ● X ● Retrospring ● Read on Ao3 ●
His plan was perfect. Edward had spent weeks working on every trophy, every riddle, every puzzle and quizzical conundrum. There was no way the Dark Knight would beat him this time. He’d gone over each and every equation with precision. He’d studied the bothersome detective’s toolbelt, gadgets, and arsenal a hundred times over. There was nothing – absolutely nothing – that would stop his plan.
So, when his computer pinged with a notification, alerting him that someone had come near one of his puzzles, his eyes raised up and excitement raced through his veins. Yes, this was it – this was finally the time he’d get to see the Dark Knight stumped. Edward gripped his desk tightly, his knuckles turning white. He couldn’t wait to see the slow look of dawning defeat on that stupid Bat’s face. The sheer, utter disappointment of realizing he’d been bested by Edward Nigma, the Riddler, of all people!
But to his surprise, it was not the Dark Knight at all.
In fact, it was you. Edward frowned, his brows furrowed. What have we here? he wondered. This wasn’t part of his plan.
He sat back in his seat, some of the tension loosening in his shoulders. Unexpected variables made his stomach twist in knots. He’d spent too long designing this carefully crafted conundrum to watch it be ruined by some insolent little pest. It was no matter, however. You would give up eventually; there was no way you were smart enough to solve his puzzles.
A small smirk touched the corners of his mouth as he watched you examine everything he’d set in place. Watched the quizzical look of confusion appear on your expression. But to his absolute, utter shock – you turned on your heels and quickly finagled with the few buttons and gizmos laid out, and the little cage around his trophy opened.
“What? You solved it?” he screamed, jumping to his feet. “No, no, no. That wasn’t for you, you little pest.”
He grinded his teeth together. That was for the Dark Knight. Everything was ruined; how was Edward going to best the Batman when he was one puzzle short? He collapsed back into his seat and ran a hand through his hair, sucking in a breath. It was no matter. He had dozens of backup trophies on hand, it could be replenished. All he needed was one of his goons to go out and get the job done.
He shouted for one of his men to come in, and when they had, he gave the orders. When the thug was left, he returned his attention to the monitor. You were gone now, finally. He searched the next set of monitors in hopes of the Dark Knight. Wondering when the bothersome bat would come solving one of his queries.
Then, there was another ping and the same excitement rushed through him. But his eyes strayed to one of the dozen monitors before him and his frown deepened.
There you were again. His trophy in your hands, cradled against you like a prized possession. Irritation flickered in his veins and he crossed his arms.
“There’s no way you can get lucky twice,” he said aloud. “No one is smart enough to solve another of my puzzles.”
He watched you move about the several different contraptions, studying them. If you were smarter, you’d have solved it by now. This puzzle wasn’t even that hard; perhaps you truly did possess only one braincell. His frown slowly curved into a smile as your shoulders slumped in defeat, as it looked as though you were finally going to give up. His pride swelled deep within his chest.
No one outsmarts me, he thought. But just as quickly as it passed through his mind, you stomped forward and pressed each button on the contraptions in the right order – and the little cage sprang open once more, revealing his trophy inside.
“No,” Edward said, slamming his hands down on his desk, causing the monitors to rattle. Rage flickered in his stomach, spreading through him like wildfire. Another one of his precious trophies in your greedy, grubby hands.
How dare you think you could out best him. Slowly, he sank bank into his seat, eyes narrowing as he watched your next move. It was no matter, there was no way you’d solve a third. You’d only gotten lucky twice, yes of course, that’s all it was. There was simply no way you were smart enough to solve a third.
After all, those were the easy ones.
#caesariawrites#edward nigma#arkham riddler#arkhamverse riddler#the riddler#the riddler x you#the riddler x y/n#the riddler x reader#edward nigma x y/n#edward nygma x reader#edward nigma x reader
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“Weirdness Town, Oregon? Uhh…yeah, I Live There” is my favorite show :D
you’re the best character in WTOUYILT without a doubt, though Jimbo Evergreen comes pretty close imo
Thank you for the kind words! Remember: Existence is a deception, the galaxy is a riddle, eat copper wires,
ta-taa!~
#jimbo and merble WISH they were as ‘cool’ as I am#gravity falls#pyramid steve#thank you for the ask! or what I like to call#Quizzical Queries!
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Daneil outstretches both hands towards the clear stream, beckoning out towards the unknown as her voice rings out like wind chimes. It is by her lyrical call, the water begins to rise as if some equestrian entity were bubbling forth to gallop from beneath once calm waters. Too enthralled by the magic itself, the singer merely smiles as the water horse dances its own performance. And though the crystalline display is magnificent, her song does not end lest the magic follow in suit.
"A ghaoil, leig dhachaigh gum mhàthair mi...."
@royaldeceit
It was a magical display - both otherworldly and dazzling. So much so, that he simply couldn’t help but comment.
“Nice horse.”
#~ wandering curse ~ (ton)#~ quizzical queries ~ (asks)#royaldeceit#I don’t remember who this was intended for but Ton needed to speak XD
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S2: The Bad Batch (4)
Chapter Four: Faster
GIF by @azertyrobaz
Hunter x femaleJedi!reader
Series Summary: Some time has passed since everything that happened at Kamino and you and the Batch are trying to figure out your place in the rapidly changing Imperial galaxy. And you're having to do all this whilst figuring out where your relationship with Hunter fits into it.
Chapter Summary: Two different missions with two different approaches but that end with the same realisation.
Masterlist for S1
<Previous Chapter
Genre: Friends (idiots) to Lovers (we're in the lovers stage now)
Chapter Warnings: Swearing, my own interpretation of the nerf nugget mission, chaos in the form of discovering human decency still exists, mild angst in the form of unhealthy eating habits (only for this chapter)/mentions of food, Cid being Cid, fluff, mild hurt/comfort, canon-typical risks and mentioned droid death, mentions of gambling
Word Count: 4.9K
Author's notes: Back on following the episode plots again :), only added a little bit of my own spin on things this time! Excited to get to work on Ch5 now. Hope y'all enjoy!!
Wrecker studied the Dejarik board carefully before he made his move. He chuckled smugly as his pieces knocked out some of Omega’s. “I got ya this time.”
Omega just gave him a somewhat pitying look before she programmed in her move and her player swiftly wiped out all of Wrecker’s.
Wrecker let out an aggrieved shout. “What-” He broke off with a groan.
Omega laughed gleefully. “Now you owe me two cartons of Mantell Mix.”
Well, he couldn’t have that. “Not so fast. One more game. Double or nothing.” Wrecker offered.
“Hey! Quit running up the power bill.” Cid snapped as she emerged from her office. “It’s time to get to work. I got another job for you.” She turned off the game.
“But the other three aren’t back from their mission yet.” Omega reminded her.
“I would not call transporting 50 cases of nerf nuggets a “mission”.” Tech interjected from the bar. “Nor is it a proper use of our skill set.” He added pointedly.
“Yeah, well, your skill set will come in real useful on this one.” Cid replied. “Especially you, Muscles. You’re gonna be my security crew.” She walked towards the exit.
“We will require a more detailed briefing than that.” Tech called after her.
“No time. The shuttle’s waiting.” Cid said dismissively.
“Maybe it’ll be fun.” Omega said optimistically as Wrecker chucked her bow and hat.
“Works for me.” Wrecker grunted.
Tech sighed. It looked like without the presence of you three, it was his turn to be the assigned sensible crew member.
--
“Hey, Hunter. Do you know there’s a whole row of nuggets missing from this crate?” Echo called over to the cockpit.
Shit, shit, shit. You thought anxiously. You had forgotten all about that. You kept your gaze focused on the blue hyperspace swirls in the space outside the window.
“No.” Hunter replied quizzically. He got out his chair and manoeuvred his way around the many boxes to where Echo was standing and sure enough, there was indeed a section that was nuggetless. “Huh. That’s weird.”
Echo let out a frustrated groan. “I bet Wrecker just helped himself before we left. He will eat anything.”
“Yeah, I’ll talk to him when we’re back.”
Well, you couldn’t allow that to happen. “It wasn’t Wrecker.” You called over to them as you shimmied past a crate.
“And how do you know?” Echo queried.
You hesitated a moment before you mumbled, “It was me.” Your eyes focused on the floor in shame.
“You thought you’d just help yourself when you knew they were for a mission?” Echo said with a frown.
“I spotted the crates in her office yesterday. There was no sign, no indication that they were for anything other than her personal use, so I took some.” You said defensively, crossing your arms.
“But why? I’d expect that sorta behaviour from Wrecker but not you.”
“It just happened, okay. Leave it.” You snapped. You regretted your tone immediately. You didn’t want them to bear the brunt of the frustration and anger that you were actually feeling towards yourself.
“No. That’s not an answer.” Echo retorted.
Hunter could tell by the way your feet shifted and the way you kept adjusting your gloves that there was more to this than a simple lack of willpower for something other than rations. “What is it you’re not telling us?”
“It’s nothing.” You said dismissively.
“(Y/N).” Hunter pressed.
“Yeah, you kinda owe us an explanation. You’ve put our credits at risk.” Echo added crossly.
“I know, I know. I’m sorry.” You said sincerely. “I didn’t mean to. I-” You stopped and ran a hand across your face. “Before I tell you both, I want you to know that it wasn’t a big deal, I know what I can handle, and I am fine.” You looked at Hunter when you said that last part.
“Okay…” Echo said, his eyes narrowing slightly, unsure as to what you were going to say.
Hunter found himself getting nervous. Why wouldn’t you be fine?
You took a deep breath. “So, you know how the recent jobs from Cid have had a bit more of a divide and conquer approach? And for the past few I’ve been on the delivering and credit receiving end of things?”
“Uh huh.” They both said. The start of this elongated explanation you were providing wasn’t doing much in the way of diffusing the tense atmosphere. Clearly, you felt it necessary to soften the blow of whatever it was.
“And we usually get a cut from Cid after each mission and it’s always in her favour, but we still have enough to, you know, eat?” You watched them both nod. “Well, in the recent days, that cut has been growing more and more in her favour and when I argued with her about it, she claimed with the Empire growing by the day, she needed the bigger cut to keep her operation covert and it was either this or nothing and uh, that kinda hit our finances hard, particularly in the food department.”
Hunter’s jaw clenched; he didn’t like where this was going.
Knowing that this next bit wasn’t going to be met well, you found yourself pulling your vibroblade in and out of your vambrace. “And um I figured you all would need the regular amounts of stuff and I didn’t want to raise unnecessary concern, so I made the decision to cut back on mine. For the most part, it was fine, I only caved yesterday when I saw them sitting there. It kinda all hit at once and I couldn’t help it and I took some.”
They were both silent for a moment before Hunter broke the quiet. “How many missions?”
“Uhhh only like the um past… five.” You winced out. He sounded too calm about this, and it unnerved you.
Echo didn’t quite know what to say. He hadn’t expected that.
Hunter had to take a moment to compose himself before he spoke. The fact that Cid had forced you into a situation like that in the first place almost had him turning the ship around. And the fact you had gone through it alone wasn’t helping. “You haven’t been eating for five days?” His voice wavering slightly as he struggled to keep his emotions at bay.
Sensing his growing feelings of upset and stress, you spoke quickly, “Not quite. Remember we had that day where we had two missions for the price of one.”
Hunter shook his head and his hands fell to his waist. Your attempts to downplay things weren’t helping to alleviate his concerns. “(Y/N)-”
“And I had scraps but sure I guess technically I haven’t had a proper meal or set of rations for four days.” You continued nonchalantly.
“And you didn’t tell us? Tell me?” Hunter asked. He couldn’t hide the hurt or mild frustration in his voice at the thought of you putting yourself through that and not telling any of them.
“Are you asking me as my Sergeant or as my partner?” You deflected.
“Both.”
“Should I leave and pretend not to hear this from the cockpit?” Echo interrupted quickly. You two, for the most part, were completely professional when on missions but he could feel some tension rising and he did not want to be in the middle of a couple’s argument with the two of you.
“No, it’s fine, Echo.” You responded. “Right, Hunter?”
Hunter took a deep breath and reminded himself that the main person who deserved his anger was back on Ord Mantell. He wasn’t mad at you. Irritated at your suffer in silence, laid back attitude maybe but there wasn’t anything to fight over here. “Yeah, it’s fine.”
You began your explanation. “I didn’t want to add any extra stress and I knew if it were up to the rest of you to do something with the amount we had, you wouldn’t get enough. Omega needs a proper meal and Wrecker too. Tech is too busy looking at his datapad or whatever new project takes his fancy that he’d forget to feed himself if someone wasn’t putting the food in front of his face and he was recovering from a severe injury so I knew he couldn’t go without.” You sheathed your vibroblade and faced them both again. “Echo, I care about you, but you are a very picky eater, and I didn’t want to deviate from anything and run the risk of you not being able to find something you liked. And Hunter, I knew if I said anything to you, you’d immediately make sure we’d all be provided for, and you would be the one to suffer for it. You have enough going on, you deserved to eat properly and not worry about something for a change. So, I decided to pull rank. Afterall, I was a general back in the day and decided the food situation was simply a need-to-know basis.” You glanced back down at the floor.
Hunter released an exasperate sigh, but he found himself giving you a small smile to lighten the mood slightly. The only person who deserved his anger was Cid and you were being unnecessarily hard enough on yourself already. “Well, first of all, I think you lost your rank when you chose to leave.”
You couldn’t really disagree with him on that one. It had been a rather weak defence. “Fair enough.” You conceded with the corner of your mouth twitching into a slight grin.
“Second of all, and I can speak for everyone here when I say that that is both incredibly kind and generous but idiotic of you to do. We need you at full strength too and I’m sure we can find ways around this. We can all sacrifice a bit; it doesn’t need to all be on you.”
“But-”
“I’ll talk to Cid. See if we can sort something out. In the meantime, we can still make do but we will all take less and continue to make sure Omega has full meals.” Hunter said. “She keeps pulling stuff like that now, it’s getting to be more of a problem.” He said, a hint of anger rising in his voice. Things had always been unequal with Cid, but they hadn’t really been any worse off, now that was changing, and it wouldn’t be sustainable or fair to keep going like that. It had already started to affect you and he didn’t want that for you or his squad. “Think the boys’ll agree to that?” He asked his brother.
“Definitely.” Echo agreed. “Although Wrecker might take some convincing.” He joked.
“Thank you.” You said quietly.
“We’re a squad. We look out for each other. The self-sacrifice isn’t a requirement.” Hunter reassured you as he laid a hand on your shoulder.
“I hate to bring it up though but what about the client?” Echo asked.
“Hope he doesn’t look too closely at every box.” Hunter said simply. “It’s all we can do.”
“I’m sorry, guys.” You mumbled guiltily. Of course, you found a way to complicate the simplest mission.
“It’s okay. You didn’t know and if anything, I should be thanking you for looking out for us like that.” Echo appeased. “We’ll find a way out. We always do.”
“Exactly.” Hunter agreed, pulling you into his chest. “Although, next time, please just tell me. Share the load, remember?” He muttered into your hair.
You hummed out a short laugh. “Guess I gotta work on that too.”
--
“Well, everything appears to be in order.” The client said with a clap of his hands. “You all were very efficient, I’m impressed.”
“It’s what we do, sir.” You said cheerily as you laid the last crate down. The rather unsophisticated strategy had been to be as accommodating and as friendly as possible in the hopes that whoever you were going to be dealing with would let you all away with the money without feeling the need to double check the delivery. What had greeted had caught you off guard. Your client was waiting with a tray of beverages and immediately, very politely, asked for your names and enquired about your wellbeing. So, in the end, he’d made it quite an easy feat. You weren’t used to dealing with many pleasant people on Cid’s missions, but this man was a breath of fresh air. A simple diner owner who seemed to be perfectly content with his place in the galaxy.
“Now, I just need to check that each one has the correct amount. I’ve been scammed before, so I’ve learned to be cautious.” He said lightly.
The three of you shared a panicked look.
“We can just get paid and get out of your hair.” Hunter said, barely concealing the uneasiness in his tone as he saw him begin to go through each crate.
“You must understand that I can’t be too careful these days. Business is tough enough as it is with how the Empire is running things. I need certain assurances.”
Hunter. Let me try something.
Hunter half turned to face you and nodded.
You called on the Force and subtly waved your hand in his direction. It was a longshot since he seemed pretty sharp, but it was your last card to play. “You don’t need to check every box.”
The client gave you a puzzled look. “Yes, I do, I just explained why I had to.”
You bit back your frustrated groan and the three of you could only watch as he continued investigating each box before he finally arrived at the sight of your mistake.
“Now, I believe I wanted 50 full crates of nuggets or there wouldn’t be a payment. Care to explain what happened here?” He asked the three of you coolly.
You felt Hunter and Echo beside you both go to speak, and you knew they would try to cover for you, but you needed to own your error and you took this man for someone appreciated honesty.
“I ate some.” You admitted shamefacedly. There was no sense in lying to him.
“Oh dear oh dear, that won’t do.” He said, giving the three of you a disappointed look. “You were attempting to get away with it.”
“We needed the money.” You attempted to explain.
“We all need money, that doesn’t make deceit okay.” He scolded. “Why should I pay you for this?”
“I understand why you’re upset sir, but when my team is struggling to eat, I have to do what I can to change it. A mistake was made but we need that money.” Hunter answered.
“What can I do?” You asked. “Please don’t punish them for something I did.”
“What can we do?” Hunter corrected, giving you a pointed look.
Right, no self-sacrifice. You said giving him a slight smile.
“You ever get tired of being a third wheel?” The client asked Echo, gesturing at you and Hunter. He wasn’t a fool. The automatic defence Hunter had provided you and the way the two of you had looked at each other both now and when the crates were being unloaded, it was like there was an understanding, an unspoken language between you that only you two were in on. He’d had that. Once. A long time ago.
Echo merely grunted, neither in agreement nor disagreement.
Your attention turned back to the client. “We’re a capable bunch, there has to be some way we can all get what we want.”
The client pondered for a few moments before he looked to Echo. “You know your way around machinery?”
Echo’s back straightened. “Yes, sir.”
He released a low hum before he faced you and Hunter. “And do you two think you could handle waiting some tables? Two of my staff called in sick and I haven’t found covers.”
“Definitely.” You said swiftly whilst Hunter nodded.
He hummed in thought again. “Echo, my dishwasher has been acting up and I haven’t had enough finances to cover the cost of a new one. If you can fix it, and if you two are servers for the length of time it takes you to fix it, I’ll still pay you in full.”
“You’d- you’d what?” You questioned, utterly taken aback. There was no way this was real.
“I’d still pay you in full if you’d do a bit of additional work.” He maintained.
“That’s it?” Hunter double checked.
“That’s it. You seem like nice people stuck in an unfortunate position. I’ve had dealings with Cid before and I believe that she hasn’t made things easy for you. Do these things for me, and we can go our separate ways without any unpleasantries.” He replied merrily before he waved you all inside.
“With all due respect, sir, how have you survived this long?” You couldn’t help but ask as you followed him in. “Decent people tend not to succeed in this galaxy.”
He sighed. “A question I ask myself every day.”
--
“So, we got a mild reprimand and then had to do an hour’s worth of extra labour to leave with the amount of money we were promised? Plus, he gave us some food and let us keep our servers’ tips?” You felt the need to say out loud as you held the small container of food in front of you. It was the first mission in Force knows how long that hadn’t ended with your blasters drawn and barely getting away alive and you weren’t really sure that it had actually happened. It just didn’t feel natural.
“I’m just as confused as you are.” Hunter responded, staring at the extra credits in his hand as you all walked back to the ship.
“I’ve been thinking it over in my head and I still don’t know how this was a success.” Echo agreed. “He must’ve really needed that dishwasher fixed.”
“Or he’s just really that good a guy and it hasn’t gotten him killed yet.” You added as an alternative.
The three of you walked in comfortable silence until you spoke again as the ship came into view. “The others aren’t going to believe it. A mission like that just doesn’t happen for us.” You said with a laugh.
“I wonder how they’re getting on without us there to supervise.” Echo mused.
“I dread to think.” Hunter said as he opened the ship’s ramp.
“We’ve left them alone. Without a job. In Cid’s parlour. Omega will just be playing Dejarik with them the whole time. How much trouble could they possibly get into?” You said as you boarded the ship.
--
“I will be the racer.” Tech volunteered confidently. Being the sensible one had promptly disappeared from his head. In his defence, he had tried in the beginning but the chaos of the environment they had found themselves in had called upon a more relaxed approach. Being responsible wouldn’t get them very far here, although Cid had probably swayed too far in the irresponsible direction. A rather problematic problem that had been increasing by the day.
Safa Toma was indeed a ‘little rough around the edges’ as Cid described it, if not more so. And now they were having to bail Cid out of trouble with an old partner. His name was Millegi and he was calling in the bet money Cid owed him. With her way out of the situation- her riot racer droid Tay-O- being destroyed, not once but twice- both times by Millegi’s racers- Tech found himself listening to Omega’s pleas and offered to take TAY-O’s place. He reckoned it would be simple enough. He’d studied the track and the other racers, and he had no doubts about his abilities. TAY-O’s strategy had been flawed anyway; he’d have lost regardless. Tech knew he wouldn’t.
Wrecker started to laugh, thinking this was one of his brother’s attempts at humour but one look at Tech’s face told him this was anything but. “He’s not joking.” He said, his laugh rapidly disappearing to be replaced with concern.
“You heard him. The bet’s still on.” Cid told Millegi firmly.
Tech held the gangster’s stare.
“I never stop a fool from giving his life to make me rich.” Millegi said in response.
--
Tech entered the pod and examined the controls. Things looked relatively straightforward. He listened to the announcer list the names of his fellow competitors, including Jet Venim, Millegi’s champ and the one who had caused TAY-O to wipe out in the first place. The only brief moment of awkwardness he felt was when the commentator and the crowd seemed confused as to the simplicity of his name. He couldn’t dwell on it though; the race was about to begin. He watched the lights change and the race began.
--
Tech found himself at the back of the line but that was okay for now. He’d rather get a gauge of the driving strategies and abilities of his competitors and understand the layout of the track more before diving in search of getting that first place.
--
“What place is he in?” Wrecker asked Omega as they waited in the pitstop.
“Last, but he’s catching up.” Omega said positively as she looked up from her viewing pad.
Wrecker took out his comm, that wouldn’t do at all. “Tech, you gotta be in front to win!” He felt the need to remind him of that crucial detail.
“I know what I am doing. It’s called strategy.” Tech replied breezily.
“No, it’s called losing.” Wrecker retorted.
--
Tech paid his brother’s words little attention. Contrary to Wrecker’s beliefs, what he was doing was going to ensure his victory. He came out onto the part of the course where there was a choice of three tunnels. It was then he heard Omega’s voice through the comms.
“Tech, don’t take the left tunnel. Cid said it’s a death trap!”
That very idea intrigued him, but he went through the centre tunnel first. “Transfer the schematics of the left tunnel to my display.”
“On it.” Omega replied.
This worried Wrecker though. “Right now? Shouldn’t you just focus on not getting blown up?”
“I can do both.” Tech replied self-assuredly.
--
He was finally making some headway in the race but the racer behind him was hitting him with some rapid fire.
“Your shields are overheating!” Omega commed in.
This wasn’t an issue though. “Yes. I am allowing for adequate energy to be distributed from weapons to shields.” He explained.
“Tech, they’re all over you.” Omega replied back anxiously.
“I need more speed.” Tech muttered to himself as he studied his monitor. He emerged from the tunnel and pulled off into the pit stop.
“Tech’s coming in.” Omega said.
“Well, what’s he doing?” Wrecker asked as he turned away from the box of tools he was looking at.
Tech didn’t really need to stop though. He released his weapons and kept going.
“Your weapons.” Omega said into her comm.
“They were slowing me down.” Tech responded quickly before he started playing catch up once more. He weaved around the obstacles in the first tunnel and found it a much smoother feat. “That worked. I now have increased speed and manoeuvrability.” He told Omega and Wrecker as a means of reassurance.
“Yeah, that’s great, but you’re still in last place.” Wrecker griped.
“The tunnel’s coming up again.” Omega said before she studied her pad. “Wait. A large part of the track is missing. That’s why the racers avoid it.”
Upon hearing her, Tech glanced down at his dashboard. “It is also the shortest tunnel. I can use it to my advantage.”
“It’s too dangerous. The speeder can’t make that jump!” Omega warned him.
“It will if I’m going fast enough.” Tech hypothesized and when the choice came, he went into the left tunnel.
Wrecker and Omega could only watch on, their nerves increasing each second Tech was in that tunnel.
--
As the gap in the track approached, Tech veered up one way to gather enough speed and momentum to swing across to the other side and make his driving across the roof of the tunnels an easier task. An easy task for him, but not for the opponent behind him who fell victim to the gaping hole in the track.
He came out of the tunnel to find that he was narrowing in on the lead.
“It worked. You’re closing in!” Omega informed in in relief.
Tech managed to weave his way into runner up and he was closing in on Jet by the second. His shields were being put to the test however as Jet Venim fired on him and he was starting to be boxed in by the racer behind him.
“You’re losing shields.” Omega commed in worriedly.
“Don’t let ‘em box you in!” Wrecker added uneasily as both he and Omega watched the big screen in front of them.
Tech saw on his scope that his two rivals were attempting the same move that had seen them beat TAY-O in the first race, but he wouldn’t be caught out by it. He waited until the last moment before he swerved out of the way of the grappling hook that was aiming to grab the back of his pod. He pulled back and watched as the hook snagged onto Jet’s pod instead and the jagged, circular saw that had been intended for the front of Tech’s vehicle, found a new target instead.
The two pods crashed into each other as all three emerged into the final straight.
“Here they come. It’s going to be close!” The announcer shouted excitedly as clouds of dust erupted from the crash. “And the winner is…”
--
Wrecker and Omega watched restlessly as they waited for Tech to come through unscathed and as the winner. They let out a collective cheer when they heard Tech’s name come from the announcer and saw his pod come whizzing through the finish line.
Tech left his pod and took his helmet off to greet a rather ecstatic Omega and Wrecker.
“You did it!” Omega yelled happily.
“You sound surprised.” Tech replied plainly. He’d never doubted the outcome of this for a second.
“Yeah!” Wrecker said with a hearty laugh. “I thought you were a goner.”
“Tech! Tech! Tech! Tech! Tech!”
Tech turned back to face the crowd of people that were chanting and cheering his name. Not quite sure how to handle such adoration, he simply gave a small smile and a casual salute of his fingers in acknowledgment.
--
The three of them walked into Millegi’s bar.
“We’re here for Cid!” Wrecker said firmly as he cracked his neck and knuckles to intimidate the goons around them.
“A deal’s a deal. We’re square.” Millegi pacified.
“That was some racing, Goggles.” Cid said appreciatively. “I, uh, I-I- Well, I guess I owe ya one.” She stumbled over the words clumsily.
“Yes. I would agree.” Tech replied coolly.
“I’ll make it up to ya.” Cid snipped before she pushed Tech’s shoulder. “Come on. We’re outta here.”
As they made their way to follow her out, movement caught Millegi’s attention, and he stopped the Nosaurian from reaching for his blaster. “Hey, you three.”
Tech, Wrecker and Omega turned back to face Millegi.
“You could have walked away. That loyalty is admirable, but with Cid, it doesn’t always go both ways. Watch your backs.”
They said nothing in reply, instead they just walked out with Tech laying a reassuring hand on Omega’s shoulder and Wrecker doing the same to Tech’s. All of them quite happy to leave Safa Toma behind them and in silent agreement that you, Hunter and Echo wouldn’t need to hear about this once you were back from your rather easy mission.
--
“Cid. I need to talk to you about-”
“Not now, Bandana.” Cid replied grumpily as she walked through to her office.
Hunter sighed but quickly concealed his grimace when he saw Omega and his brothers coming through the door.
“You’re back!” Omega exclaimed happily as she bounded up to where you were sitting.
“Yeah, we’ve been back for a while. Was wondering where you all had gotten too.” You said as you embraced the young girl.
“Where were you?” Hunter asked as Wrecker and Tech came in.
“Oh… uh… we were just helping Cid out with something.” Wrecker stammered awkwardly and ill-prepared to see the three of you back waiting for them.
“What something?” Echo questioned suspiciously.
“Nothing too dangero-”
“Tech became a riot race to pay of Cid’s debt and it was awesome!! He beat everyone and the crowd went crazy!!” Omega revealed excitedly and immediately forgetting that that fact was supposed to be left unsaid. It just seemed too cool a thing to not share.
“You did what?!” The three of you shouted in Tech’s direction.
“It was a relatively simple challenge.” Tech said with a shrug.
“Tech…” You said with a sigh.
“We really cannot leave you three alone.” Echo grumbled with a shake of his head as his hand came across his eyes.
“Low profile. We’re supposed to be keeping a low profile.” Hunter muttered tiredly as he pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation.
You took Hunter’s free hand and rubbed your thumb across the back of it in comfort. At least you won, I guess but don’t go making a habit of it please. I’m worried about his blood pressure.
Tech gave you a quick smile before he addressed the group. “We have bigger things to be concerned about.” He wasn’t feeling the need to debate the course of action he’d taken. The end result was a success, that was all that mattered to him at the moment and there were more important things to discuss. “We need to talk about Cid.”
“Hmph funny you mention that.” You mumbled.
Wrecker, Tech, and Omega looked at the three of you in curiosity.
“We need to talk about Cid too.” Hunter said. “And uh there’s going to be some changes to our rations.”
Next Chapter>
Tagging: @noeasyisnoisy, @tpwkcalli, @fuckoffthanos, @arctrooper69, @graciexmarvel, @flyingkangaroo, @nightmonkeysstuff, @brujaporfavor, @sunkissedclones, @ladytano420, @dragonrider9905, @keep-calm-and-drink-caf, @yyourmotherr, @xxeiraxx
#the bad batch#the bad batch season 2#the bad batch s2#hunter x reader#hunter x fem!reader#hunter x femalejedi!reader#hunter x female!reader#sergeant hunter x reader#sergeant hunter#hunter tbb#hunter the bad batch#the bad batch hunter x you#hunter x y/n#tbb hunter x reader#the bad batch fanfiction#star wars#friends to lovers#fluff#angst
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Ethereal - Chapter 1.
Pairings- TFP Optimus prime X reader
Warnings- None...i guess? mention of scars on readers arms
Word count- 4338
Also, sorry this took so long to put out, school started, I had some family issues i needed to take care of, and I had the summer flu 😭 I also kept editing this as I didn't like the way it was innitially, i still don't and might edit it further, but I thought i woulf put something out now. I such at first chapters
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
⋆˖⚒ ↞﹛☽◯☾﹜↠ ⚒˖⋆
In the waning light of day, a raven-haired man walked alongside a seemingly young woman, his dark eyes intense with concern as they scanned her figure. "Y/n, you good?" he queried, his voice laced with a hint of worry.
A sigh escaped the woman's lips, her e/c eyes lifting to meet the darkening sky above. She absently rubbed her exposed arms that were littered with scars and ancient symbols taht had long lost meaning to mankind, attempting to seek solace against the encroaching chill. Pausing mid-stride, she collected her thoughts before finally responding to the inquiry that had punctured the quiet ambiance between them.
"I'm okay, Cass," she began, her voice carrying a hint of introspection. "Just thinking about when we'll catch our next lead, what it might entail... and the challenge of adjusting to a new area yet again."
Cassius nodded, a rumbling agreement humming in his chest. Her words resonated with him deeply. While relocating was nothing new for their team, this venture into the derelict town of Jasper marked an unprecedented shift. The unfamiliarity of their surroundings had them teetering on the edge of their comfort zone, and he knew that all too well.
"We'll adapt, Y/n. Over time, this place will become our sanctuary, even if temporarily," he voiced his thoughts, the cadence of his words trailing off as his gaze swept over the quiet street that stretched before them. A lone pedestrian passed by, a transient figure in the twilight. Y/n response to the burly male that walked beside her was strained, her tone carrying an odd blend of uncertainty and optimism. "Maybe? I'm hoping for the best, but honestly, I'm not sure. Let's just see how things unfold." Y/N replied with a shrug, her gaze sweeping in all directions as she casually navigated the pedestrian crossing, causing her h/c locks to dance momentarily. After walking a few steps, her e/c eyes locked onto her male companion, a perplexed expression crossing her features.
Stopping in her tracks, Y/n pivoted to face Cassius, a quizzical expression forming on her face as she voiced her uncertainty. "Wait, where did we agree to meet the others?" Her fingers absentmindedly toyed with the pendant resembling a miniature moon on her necklace. Underneath her facade of calm, a faint undercurrent of unease and paranoia began to roil, as if probing her chest and mind for vulnerabilities. A habitual ritual unfolded as she systematically scanned her surroundings, meticulously evaluating each visible object within her line of sight and those lurking in the periphery. She even cast a glance over her shoulder, ensuring that no detail evaded her scrutiny. Her intense search yielded nothing that could justify the heightened sense of concern that was taking root within her.
Why is this sensation surfacing now? There's no indication of any presence here, at least none of the usual telltale signs.
As swiftly as the surge of hyper-awareness had engulfed her, it receded just as rapidly. The surge of adrenaline, the prickling unease, and the primal urge to remain vigilant were all too familiar to Y/N L/N. Her life's experiences had ingrained in her the ability to play the roles of both hunter and hunted. In that fleeting moment, she felt like prey, vulnerable to an enigmatic force or entity lurking just beyond her understanding.
Perhaps it's just my imagination running wild? The new town jitters? Oh i don;t know I give up!
With an exhale, she willed her racing heart to a steadier pace, reminding herself that instincts weren't always infallible. The peculiar unease dissipated, leaving behind only a trace of its unsettling presence. It was a feeling she had grown accustomed to—a mix of caution and readiness that had saved her life on more than one occasion.
Still, the unanswered question hung in the air, and Y/n turned her gaze back to Cassius, a sense of urgency accompanying her inquiry. She repeated her question, her tone a blend of curiosity and a touch of concern. "Cassius, do you remember where we were supposed to meet with the others?"
A beat of silence passed between them before Cassius responded, his voice tinged with a slight strain. "There's a small café about five minutes from here," he replied, his words carrying the weight of their current situation. His gaze lingered on Y/n, a silent exchange passing between them—a mutual acknowledgment of the heightened tension that was threading its way through their surroundings.
Though the unease had begun to wane, Y/n couldn't help but vent her frustration with a sigh. "I can't shake this feeling, and I'm not entirely sure why," she confessed, her brows furrowed. Cassius raised an eyebrow, a glimmer of understanding in his eyes. The brown eyed man was no stranger to Y/n's intuition—a compass that had guided them away from danger and death time and time again.
Recognizing that Cassius was likely engaged in his customary internal musings, Y/n decided to steer the conversation onward, aiming to soothe his potential concerns while also providing herself with a modicum of reassurance. “Can we speed up? I'm dying to have a coffee; I didn't even get my morning fix with the rushed chaos.” Y/N's tone shifted slightly as she whined, her eyebrows scrunching together in a display of frustration. Uncharacteristic as it was for the composed woman to exhibit such behavior, the exhaustion from an early-morning flight across countless miles was beginning to wear on her. The journey from Greece to their current location had been taxing, and it wasn't even over yet.
Why didn't I just teleport us? It would've saved so much trouble.
But she knew well enough why she hadn't. The attention it would draw, the risk of scattering her team across the globe—it was a power she wielded with caution, cognizant of its limitations.
A snort escaped Cassius at Y/N's grumpy remark, his understanding nod a quiet acknowledgment that he recognized her fatigue and frustration. The subtle exchange helped ease the lingering tension that had threaded its way through their earlier conversation.
As they continued their dialogue, the setting sun casting long shadows around them, they finally arrived at their destination—an inviting cafe adorned with various shades of pink that created a harmonious palette against the dark-tinted glass windows. Stepping through the white door, they were enveloped by even more pink hues, covering every piece of furniture within the establishment. Y/n's eyes swept across the cafe, searching for the familiar figures of a blonde and a red-head. However, her search was cut short by a voice she knew well.
“Cass! Luna! Over here!”
The recognizable shout, coupled with the affectionate nickname, immediately captured Y/n's attention. Her gaze landed on the duo she had been seeking, seated in the far corner of the cafe. With a few purposeful steps, she approached their table, only to be embraced by a streak of red that collided with her, wrapping her in a tight, exuberant hug. Gasping for air and regaining her composure after the unexpected impact, Y/n found herself face to freckled face with her exuberant best friend. Eira's arms were still wrapped around her, and her joyful dark blue eyes radiated with happiness as she looked at Y/n and the rugged ravenette man at her side. Cassius, though typically stoic, appeared slightly nervous in Eira's presence, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by Y/n.
“I was wondering when you guys would get here! I’m sorry we had to make our own ways here,” Eira's voice was laced with cheerful energy, her enthusiasm infectious.
“It’s alright, Eira. Y/n and I had some matters to attend to back at the temple before we could depart. It's wonderful to see you in such good spirits,” Cassius eventually greeted her, his voice tinged with a subtle stutter. A small smile graced his scarred lips, and his fingers fidgeted nervously, a gesture that didn't escape Y/n's observation. The realisation washed over her, confirming her earlier suspicions.
I knew it.
If there was one thing Y/n knew about her long-time friend, it was that Cassius Farlong rarely experienced nervousness. He was typically as stoic as they come, revealing only the faintest hints of emotion. But the rare occasions when he did show unease were divided into two distinct categories.
The first type of nervousness emerged during battles and times of war. It manifested as heightened tension, his reactions amplified when the enemy gained an upper hand or prepared for a surprise attack. This anxiety often led to calculated planning and meticulous preparations for the impending conflict.
Then there was the second type, a newfound form that had surfaced in recent months whenever he was around the cheerful redhead before them. In Eira's presence, Cassius exhibited occasional instances of uncharacteristic unease. Never before had he stumbled over his words or fidgeted with his fingers—unprecedented behaviors for a man who had roamed the earth for centuries. These actions only confirmed Y/n's suspicions that his emotions were stirred by the presence of the vibrant woman.
As Cassius and Eira exchanged greetings, Y/n couldn't help but smirk internally, eagerly anticipating the teasing she had in store for him once they found a base.
Pausing to relish the endearing tableau unfolding before her, Y/n's observant eyes were drawn back to the spot where Eira had been moments ago. Yet, to her surprise, the blonde-haired mischief-maker had melted into the background like a fleeting wisp of sunlight. The subtle rustle of his approach had been masked by the symphony of laughter, and Y/n found herself ensnared in a swift, unexpected half-embrace. Ash's voice, velvety and oozing with charm, washed over her like a cascade of warm honey.
“Y’know y/n, you're looking more like the moon every day—beautiful, glowing, and something I dearly want to touch.” Ash's words, as practised as his easy grin, wove a tapestry of flirtatious confidence.
Sighing in playful exasperation, Y/n nimbly seized his wrist, applying a deft twist that coaxed a surprised yelp from him. The ensuing scene was a symphony of amusement—Eira's laughter bubbled forth like a melodic stream, a testament to their well-worn banter. Cassius, his expression a blend of amusement and stoicism, smirked in response. It was a dance they knew well, an artistry of fellowship that had been fine-tuned through countless escapades.As the embrace loosened, Y/n turned with a fluid grace to face her flirty assailant. Her tone was a playful fusion of mock admonishment and undeniable charm.
“Ash, your confidence knows no bounds, but might I suggest refining your pickup lines? Telling someone you want to touch them might be perceived as, well, a tad bit perverted.” Her words, like a gentle melody, held a note of amused teasing. Ash's unyielding grin met her narrowed gaze, the battle of wits and charm in full swing.
“Ah, but Y/n, the allure of my pickup lines lies in their audacity. And rest assured, every word I say is truth!” Ash's voice carried a cheeky cadence, punctuated by an easy shrug. Y/n's playful exhalation conveyed a mix of amusement and affection, a response honed through familiarity.
“I still can't fathom how you and Cassius could be twins,” Y/n mused, her tone laced with genuine curiosity. The contrast between Ash's charismatic flamboyance and Cassius's enigmatic reserve was a puzzle she enjoyed contemplating.
Ash's chuckle rippled through the air, harmonising with the surrounding sounds. His vibrant green eyes glinted with shared amusement as he met her gaze.
“Believe me, Y/n, I've questioned that prank more times than I care to admit.” His voice, a melody in itself, held a note of incredulity. His gaze shifted to Cassius, standing with his signature stoicism, a hint of a grin playing at the corners of his lips. “I'm fairly certain Cassius has his moments of bewilderment too.”
Light laughter ensued, underlining their easy, long time friendship. But Ash's grin gradually gave way to contemplation as his eyes encompassed the group as a whole.
“What do you all say that we grab something to go? A quick bite to eat and some drinks, it’ll give us a chance to explore the area whilst we are out of the sun?”
The group hummed in unanimous agreement, finally feeling whole again.
⋆˖𖤣𖥧.⚒ ❆↞﹛☽◯☾﹜↠❆ ⚒.𖥧𖤣˖⋆
Beneath the tranquil night sky, the quartet embarked on their leisurely stroll along the outskirts of the town. The moon hung like a pale pearl, casting its silvery radiance upon them. The symphony of nocturnal creatures serenaded their footsteps, creating an eerie yet oddly soothing ambiance.
As they wandered, each footstep seemed to resonate in the stillness, the sound muffled by the layer of dirt and gravel beneath their shoes. The café had provided warm beverages that sent tendrils of comfort through their bodies, and the pastries had been a delightful addition to their midnight reprieve.
Cassius, blueberry muffin in hand, took a moment to inquire, his words slightly muffled by a mouthful, "Eira, Ash, did you manage to find a suitable base in your explorations? You've had more time to scout around."
Eira and Ash exchanged knowing glances, their eyes speaking of the secrets they held. Eira's voice, calm and measured, broke the silence, "Out in the desert, we stumbled upon a pair of abandoned military huts. Their exteriors may bear the scars of time, but with some dedicated effort, we can breathe life into them. After all, we don't intend to establish a permanent residence here, do we?"
A chorus of nods and murmurs of agreement resonated under the moon's watchful gaze. Yet, for Y/n, an unshakable unease clung to her, a suffocating weight on her shoulders. It felt as though an invisible presence observed her, dissecting her very essence.
That’s it. I’m using it.
In response to this persistent discomfort, Y/n reached into the deep pockets of her rugged cargo pants. From their depths, she extracted a remarkable artifact—a golden compass, adorned with intricate symbols and gemstones that seemed to hold the wisdom of ages. Greek letters graced its surface, bridging the gap between cultures and knowledge.
The compass, a work of artistry, whispered ancient secrets and untold stories through its design. Y/n, with a practised flick, unlocked its metallic lid, revealing the enigmatic instrument's heart. She felt her pulse quicken as the compass's needle embarked on a mesmerising dance of magnetism, whirling and spinning until it found its resolute direction.
East.
Simultaneously, a surge of anxiety hit Y/n like a freight train. Her heart raced, and the fine hairs on her arms stood at attention. It was as if her instincts were on high alert, urging her to pay attention to the unseen threat that lingered in the shadows.
Desperate to share her heightened awareness with the group, Y/n raised the glowing compass high, her voice laced with urgency and a touch of apprehension. "Guys!" she called out, her words cutting through the night's stillness.
The trio ahead, lost in their own world of conversation, snapped to attention as if pulled by an invisible force. Wide-eyed and caught mid-motion, they turned to face their compatriot a few paces behind them. Their collective astonishment painted an image of suspended animation, a tableau of camaraderie and shared astonishment.
Yet, as their gazes landed on Y/n, they couldn't help but pause. Her eyes, once a familiar shade, had undergone a transformation. The irises, once deep and familiar, had been overtaken by a silver light that seemed to glow from within. It was an ethereal change, a manifestation of the power that coursed through her veins.
In that moment, it was undeniable that Y/n was hyper-aware, her instincts screaming that something lurked near.
The group gathered around the glowing compass, their collective gaze now fixed on the shimmering needle that pointed resolutely eastward. As they followed its direction, their eyes were drawn to the vast expanse of the Nevada desert, where rocky cliffs loomed in the distance, like ancient sentinels guarding untold secrets.
Cassius furrowed his brow, his keen eyes narrowing at the compass and then shifting to the foreboding desert landscape. "East, into the desert?" he questioned, his voice heavy with curiosity and a hint of concern.
Y/n nodded, her silver eyes reflecting the moon's pale glow. "Yes, into the desert. Ever since Cassius and I arrived in this town, I've felt... off, as if we were being watched and evaluated. Someone or something sees us as prey, even in this moment. And now, with the compass pointing east, it confirms that there's something lurking out there...and i worry it may be similar to what we've encountered and battled with back in Greece and the rest of Europe.."
Ash's eyes flickered with a mixture of intrigue and determination. "You think one of the ancients is out their?"
Y/n's gaze met his, her voice carrying the weight of her words. "I don't know, Ash. But the compass, is telling me that we need to go east. You know that whenever I hold this, I always focus on what's possing a threat to us. Whatever's out there, it's not just observing. It's waiting, biding its time. We can't ignore it any longer. It's our duty and our mission to confront this threat, to find out what we're up against, why this keeps happening and who let this happen in the first place. There's no way the ancients gout out by themselves, someone did this, and im determined to prove to prove to the Gods I'm right."
Eira, usually the voice of reason, chimed in, her tone filled with unwavering support, "Y/n's right. We can't afford to let this linger. If something's been watching us, studying us, it could pose a significant danger not only to us but potentially to others in this town and further on. We need answers as to what is happening and how they managed to escape the Archway in the first place."
The gravity of their situation hung heavy in the air, an unspoken tension that left the group suspended between apprehension and resolve. With a unanimous nod, they shared a glance that spoke volumes—unspoken trust, unwavering loyalty, and the understanding that the path ahead was one they had to tread together.
In that moonlit desert, with the wind whispering ancient secrets, they embarked on a journey into the unknown. Their mission had officially begun, and their resolve was unbreakable…
—------------------------------------------
In the heart of the Autobot base, nestled amidst the sprawling Nevada desert, Optimus Prime held court with a regal presence that resonated with the very essence of their sanctuary. His towering frame commanded attention against the banks of monitors that encircled him, each screen a portal into Earth's ever-unfolding narrative. Rows of data scrolled ceaselessly, like a digital waterfall, painting a vibrant mural of information across his field of vision.
The rhythmic hum of machinery, a symphony of technological life, served as the base's heartbeat—a constant reminder of their mission's ceaseless momentum. It was within this rhythmic embrace of their perpetual movement that the blue and red mech found both purpose and contemplation. As he meticulously sifted through the reports detailing Earth's multifaceted existence and its inhabitants, his thoughts naturally transcended the boundaries of their metallic sanctuary. He became entranced by the enigma that was humanity—an indomitable spirit that had weathered the tumultuous tides of history, a testament to unwavering resilience.
The ambient lighting filtered through towering windows cast intricate patterns upon the polished floor, providing a visual backdrop to Optimus's musings. The play of light and shadow resembled ancient stories etched onto cave walls, inviting him to explore the depths of human myths and legends. These tales entwined with the concept of magic—a force that existed beyond the confines of scientific understanding.
Optimus's gaze traversed beyond the windows, beyond the desert horizon, as his thoughts embarked on a cosmic odyssey. In this profound moment of introspection, he couldn't help but notice the parallels between human myths and the history of his own kind. Were these stories fragments of a shared cosmic saga, imprinted upon the very fabric of reality?
As Optimus contemplated the concept of magic—a force that transcended the logical confines of science—he envisioned the vast desert landscape outside. The wind's gentle whispers danced across the dunes, a reminder that Earth might hold an energy, a primal force, woven into its very core. This force defied categorization and challenged the boundaries of their knowledge.
With a deep breath, Optimus tore his blue gaze from the monitors, fixing his optics on the expanse of the base's ceiling. Stars, like ancient storytellers, twinkled above, painting constellations that ignited a profound sense of wonder. The universe, he realised, was an unfathomable repository of knowledge and mysteries, intertwined with the myths of countless civilizations. As the commander of the Autobots, he acknowledged that the pursuit of knowledge was a journey that transcended the boundaries of conflict and divisions, inviting them to explore the extraordinary realm of the unknown.
The mech continued his contemplation within the heart of the Autobot base, nestled amidst the sprawling Nevada desert, a sudden disruption jolted him from his reverie. Laughter, the joyous sound of youth, resonated from the "human area" where Jack, Miko, and Raf had gathered. Their animated, joy filled giggles, echoed through the metallic chambers which served as a poignant reminder of the connections forged between species, amidst the cosmic vastness.
In this human enclave, amidst the towering technology of the Autobot base, the laughter and animated discussions of the children painted a vivid contrast to the solemnity of their surroundings. It was here that the lines between the organic and the mechanical blurred, giving rise to a unique bond that transcended species.
Meanwhile, their Autobot guardians—Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead—were out on patrol, their vigilant optics scouring the landscape for any sign of danger. The responsibility of safeguarding both Earth and their cherished human allies rested heavily on their shoulders. To maintain the secrecy of their existence and location, the children had devised a clever ruse, claiming to have a "sleepover" at each other's homes. Unbeknownst to their parents, they concealed the extraordinary lives they led within the Autobot base. This subterfuge had become essential, given the recent escalation in Decepticon attacks that had placed the base on temporary "lockdown."
Yet, even as Optimus contemplated these threads of human-Autobot unity, an urgent alert pierced the tranquility of the moment. Ratchet's voice resonated through their internal communication network, laced with an unmistakable sense of urgency.
"Optimus, we have a dire situation," Ratchet reported, his tone laden with unease. "Sensors are detecting four life signatures in the desert. They are unlike anything we've ever encountered, and their readings are off the scale."
Optimus Prime's optics flared with a combination of concern and determination. Unusual life signatures in the desert? This was unprecedented. Their sensors were registering anomalies beyond any previous interaction on this planet. He knew that the safety of Earth and its inhabitants took precedence, but the strangeness of this situation could not be ignored.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Optimus made a resolute decision. "Prepare the team for immediate deployment, Ratchet. But we will not use the groundbridge unless it becomes absolutely necessary. We must exercise caution and avoid any actions that might inadvertently expose our presence, just in case this turns out to be minor. No need to add anymore civilians in our battles."
Ratchet, ever the pragmatic voice of reason, replied with a grave nod. "Understood, Optimus. I'll prepare the team, but we'll proceed cautiously."
As Optimus Prime and Ratchet grappled with the urgency of the situation, they swiftly activated their comlinks, a direct line of communication to their comrades out on patrol—Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead. The faint but distinct hum of the comlink's transmission echoed through the chamber as they relayed crucial instructions.
"Arcee, Bumblebee, Bulkhead," Optimus's voice resonated with unwavering determination, cutting through the ambient noise of the base. "We have an urgent matter. Ratchet has detected four highly unusual life signatures in the desert. The readings are unlike anything we've encountered before. I'm transmitting the coordinates to your systems. Proceed to that location immediately."
Arcee's cool and collected tone acknowledged the order. "Understood, Optimus. We're on our way."
Bumblebee's response came in the form of a series of affirmative beeps and chirps, his unwavering loyalty evident in every sound.
Bulkhead, the powerhouse of the team, rumbled his agreement. "You got it Prime! We'll check it out."
And with that final comment from Bulkhead, the comm link ended as they made their way to travel to their designated coordinates
As the tension in the Autobot base escalated and the team prepared for imminent action, the three young humans—Jack, Miko, and Raf—exchanged worried glances. Their laughter had been momentarily replaced by an air of uncertainty.
Jack, ever the voice of reason, spoke up, his concern palpable. "Guys, this sounds serious. I mean, we've never heard Optimus and Ratchet like this before. Those life signatures must be really strange."
Miko, true to her bold and adventurous nature, chimed in with a mix of apprehension and curiosity. "Yeah, it's gotta be something big if they're not using the groundbridge. What do you think it could be?"
Raf, the most scientifically inclined of the trio, furrowed his brow in deep thought. "I'm not sure, but we've seen some pretty wild stuff since we met the Autobots. Maybe it's another alien species or something we haven't encountered yet?"
The children exchanged glances with each other, a mix of trepidation and resolve in their eyes. They were well aware that their lives had become intertwined with the extraordinary, and this new development was a stark reminder that their world was anything but ordinary. In this moment, they reaffirmed their commitment to support their Autobot friends, come what may, in the face of the unknown.
With their Autobot team mobilized and heading towards the enigmatic coordinates provided by Ratchet, the base's previously tranquil atmosphere had transformed into a hive of activity. Every Autobot, from the youngest to the most seasoned, understood the gravity of the situation. Unprecedented anomalies in the desert demanded their attention and vigilance. They were bound by a shared purpose—to protect Earth and its inhabitants from threats both known and unknown. With the balance struck between vigilance and restraint, the Autobots readied themselves to confront an enigma that defied their understanding, lurking deep within the desert's unforgiving expanse. The intensity of the moment hung in the air, a palpable reminder that even amidst laughter and closeness and momentary peace, their duty to protect extended to the unknown and the unexpected.
Well, I hope you likes chapter 1, pease comment and follow along for updates. I plan to do so every week or two, need to balance that school work bby.
#optimus x reader#tfp#transformers#transformers prime#optimus prime x reader#optimus prime x you#this is a greek travesty#transformers x reader
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the whispers of lady polixenes: london, 24-25 december 1995
“Pendragon Castle?” queried Harry, glancing over at an equally quizzical Hermione. “What’s that?” Ron was tempted to explain, but Malfoy was already on the Quaffle. “Excellent idea. Only one caveat: we play the Dodderidge Variation.” A groan from Fred, George, and Ginny. “Only if the Clagg subclause is revoked,” insisted Ginny. “No going around in circles.” “Fair enough. No circuitous plays,” declared Malfoy. “I’ll start: The Whispering Marsh.” “Bold opening manoeuvre,” said Fred. “But we see your bald-faced attempt at the Mopsus Gambit, and we won’t stand for it. The Labyrinthine Caves.” “Oh, putting pressure on the lateral,” remarked Sirius, through a bite of his bun. “Everdark Vale it is, then.” “The Misty Isles,” said Ginny quickly. “The Opal Mines!” shouted Regulus, and then cleared his throat. “Sorry. Got excited there.” “Why?” asked George, narrowing his eyes. “Seems like you’re a bit too familiar with this play, Reg.” “We’d better dodge that,” added Ron. “The Silver Isle.” The other half of the table groaned. “See, this is what happens when you blunder the Opal Mines six moves in,” rebuked Lord Malfoy, much to Ron’s surprise. “The Blood Moors it is.” Ron Weasley meditates on possessions and friendships. The second Weasley-Malfoy Games Showdown is held.
read HERE on ao3!
The illustration in this chapter was done by the wonderful @meemoop, who draws the most beautiful Narcissa Malfoys I have ever seen! Please go give them some love!
#drarry#harry potter#hp fanfiction#pureblood culture#deconstruction#mornington crescent#i'm sorry i haven't a clue#isihac#lily's dabbles#hfpw#heirs of avalon
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Chapter 5: Consider My Cares I'd Love to See Me From Your Point of View (HP) Tom Riddle x OC
18+ blog • minors dni
word count: 2.1k
hp masterlist • pov masterlist • ao3
Upon finding Lestrange and Nott in the common room once Tom had gotten back from the library, Tom decided to grasp this opportunity to confront his circle regarding a topic that Thea had introduced him to via the gift set of book recommendations. He briefly left for his dormitory to grab the appropriate set of notes and rejoined the pair of seventh-years afterwards, taking his place on the armchair perpendicular to the fireplace and the couch where Nott and Lestrange sat. They chatted leisurely of classes – Tom always eager for any advice from his seniors – as they awaited the others to be released from potions. Soon enough, Avery had joined the long couch facing the hearth while Rosier and Mulciber had settled themselves on the cabriole sofa opposite to Tom.
“What’s the occasion? Why’re we gathered like this?”
Tom grimaced inconspicuously at Avery’s query, knowing that if he didn’t approach the matter at hand carefully, everything could go south rather quickly. Almost half a decade of friendship backing them up – they hadn’t gotten along in first year and only became amicable to one another the following year – the boys could pick up on the slight furrow of his eyebrows and the small frown Tom was now sporting. A tinge of anxiety and dread ran through them at the unpromising sight.
Hesitance would only get them nowhere, however, and so, Tom started with an unwavering voice, “say, what do you know about inbreeding?”
Eyes found each other in confusion and Lestrange responded quizzically, “well- it’s common within our blood? It’s been practised among us for generations now to maintain the purity of our magical blood. Other than that? Nothing else, really.”
Tom found himself a subject of many nods of agreement and sighed in resignation. He hoped they were all in just as an agreeable mood and that he wouldn’t have to fight tooth and nail to reverse their indoctrinated minds.
“As I’ve corresponded over the summer break, the nature of Theana Grace’s gift consisted of a selection of book recommendations that she thought would be… helpful. One of the muggle books from the list includes the title: ‘History and the Madness Within: Consequences of Inbreeding’. As you can guess by now, there is something about this that I wish to talk about.” Only a few apprehensive looks so far; that, Tom could deal with. However, never someone who would beat around a bush, his next sentence triggered a slew of outraged expletives from the boys. “The main takeaway of this book is that it might be time for you to introduce new blood to your families.”
“What the fuck?!”
“What in the bloody hell are you insinuating?!”
“New blood!”
Tom held his gaze steady and simply waited for the heated accusations to die down at his silence. He met their hardened eyes strongly and kept his volume at a calm level. “Chapter 3: Dead Lines. As you’ve said, inbreeding has been your tradition that began many generations back. Revolutionary science on genetics started with Darwin only less than a century ago and since then, investigations have been conducted to understand the effects of inbreeding. We’ve seen a rise in the number of pureblood lines dying out over the past few generations. Evidence has pointed out inbreeding as the root of the cause. Furthermore, children born from inbreeding are susceptible to defective genes. Take the Blacks, for example. The Black Madness is no magical phenomenon; it is nothing more than the consequences of intense generational inbreeding. Or- look at Slytherin; an ancient and noble line reduced to broken minds and dishonour that their lordship titles have not accepted them for generations now. The only reason why I’ve come out alright in comparison leads back to the idea of new blood.”
At the mention of familiar family names, the boys take in Tom’s words tentatively. They were all no stranger to how the Black Madness had affected the minds of the great. What everyone had thought to be a magical curse, only to find out that it was the fruit of their actions? They’d be distraught. They were all no different – who was to say that they were not the next to be ‘cursed’?
“It isn’t too late to re-establish your lines as a powerful ones that aren’t fated for doom. The introduction of new blood into the gene pool allows for new, healthy genes to be picked. If not new blood, then at least distant ones. Those from far away lands whose blood are so ancient that no one would question its purity; or relatives’ relatives so distant that you’ll have to trace millenniums down their line to search for a common ancestor. If heirs are as important as you have always claimed them to be, this is something to seriously consider. Continue as you have been, and there’ll be no guarantee that you’ll have heirs by the time you turn ninety.”
At the sharp blow of confident words, the boys cursed under their breath with widened eyes. To not provide their family with children? Oh, they couldn’t even begin to imagine the disgrace they’d be to everyone. And to think that it would be all their own fault too! They couldn’t let that happen – not if they wanted to preserve their family lines down the ages with pride and wealth.
All at a loss for words, it was a wonder that Rosier managed to swallow the lodge in his throat to respond on behalf of everyone. “That’s… we’re grateful for your concern. It’ll definitely be something we’ll need time to wrap our head around.”
“Of course. Here are some notes I’ve jotted down from the book if you find yourself sceptical of the evidence.” Tom handed his notebook to Lestrange, who sat the closest to him, and received a nod of appreciation in return.
“You know, having learned all this, it really does suggest that Grace is on our side.”
Mulciber’s words turned in everyone heads and the others found themselves nodding along. Rosier then voiced his thoughts aloud, “surely she is? I can’t – for the bloody life of me – think of a reason why she would be concerned about our lines dying out other than to indicate that she wishes to establish her stance to be on our side.”
“But what would she gain from all this?”
“Maybe she’s just as respectful of Magic as you are, Tom?”
A lightbulb lit over Avery’s head as he was reminded of their class earlier. “Speaking of- you’ve talked to her in potions, haven’t you? How is she?”
A simple question loaded with an abundance of curiosity – of which, remained hanging in the air for a moment when Tom clenched his jaw and averted his eyes to the flickering flames off to his side. To the utter astonishment of the boys, Tom had found himself at a loss of words.
Anticipation laid thick in the air before Tom parted his lips, his voice carrying emotions he was foreign, yet familiar, with. “She is… remarkable.” When he turned back to feign an undisturbed composure, no one made any mention of the desirous darkness in his eyes that gleamed in the glow of the fire. “It would be to our best interest that she turns out to be a friend. Besides her impressive capability in potions, she has a massive aptitude in wandless and non-verbal magic that she has achieved by coming up with an unorthodox spellcasting convention.”
“Oh?” Now, that was one way to catch their attention. Coming from Tom, genuine expression of interest in a person was a rarity – if ever. “Unorthodox, how?”
Tom let slip an amused twitch upwards of one corner of his lips as he anticipated the dumbstruck expression the boys would have upon learning of Thea’s ingenuity. If Tom had learned to distinguish science and magic as two separate disciplines, he could only imagine that the purebloods had that idea ingrained in their heads ever since they took their first breath. “If you’ve yet to feel your mind combust because of Thea, I suspect you’ll experience it quite soon…”
True to Tom’s expectations, jaws were dropped as he proceeded to do Thea justice by repeating her comprehensive approach to efficient charms-work. Stupefied expressions littered the couches as they tried to understand Thea’s theoretical concept of mixing science and magic together which, judging by Tom’s description of his time with Thea, had proven to be a successful practical feat. With the proud way Tom had relayed Thea’s talents and taking note of the unspoken hunger for the girl that dripped from his words, it came to none of the snakes’ surprise when Tom departed from his housemates and beelined for the empty seat beside Thea during their shared transfiguration class with the badgers that evening.
Having thought that she would remain unwanted as a seatmate as usual, Thea jolted when a tall presence suddenly loomed right beside her and looked up from her transfiguration textbook to regard the shadow who had spoken. “Is this seat taken?”
A hand on her sternum in surprise, a relieved expression crossed her upon learning the identity of the man. Breathless, still, from the unexpected companion, Thea managed to stammer out a “not at all”. A small smile playing on his lips, Tom apologised for startling her as he took his seat next to her. “Oh, no- don’t worry about that! Just wasn’t expecting anyone ‘s all. Would’ve sat in the front row if I knew you’d be here.”
“The front row?”
“That’s where you usually seat, no? I assume there’s a reason why you don’t pick out the back seats.”
“You’re not incorrect…” Tom cocked his head to the side as he tried – and failed – to decipher Thea, certainly not for the last time. To prioritise his preference over something as trivial as seating arrangements – and above her own favour, at that – it was odd. That wasn’t something one would choose to do for someone they’d only recently met and the casual way she had suggested it only tickled at his heart a tad. If the sweet smile she had paired the words with became something he wished to see more of – well, that’s only to his own knowledge and no one else’s.
“Oh, and also-” Thea ruffled through her bag and fished out a notebook, flipping it open and retrieving a flattened paper crane, only slightly larger than the usual ones, from between the pages inked with neat handwriting. “I took the liberty and – as you can probably vaguely guess at this point – duplicated my bibliography that has helped me with wandless and non-verbal spellcasting. It’s got both physics and magical sources that Hogwarts provides so you can go ham- I mean-” To Tom’s absolute mirth – and confusion at the strange idiom – he was witness, once again, to Thea’s flustered state. A hand up to instinctively cover his view of her embarrassed smile and the flush of pink in her cheeks, she cleared her throat swiftly to avoid choking on her words, her eyes avoiding contact with his stare. “-enjoy, is what I meant; so you can enjoy those texts to your greatest contentment.”
He took the folded paper from her offered hand and similarly slipped it into his notebook for temporary safekeeping. Frankly baffled at her unprovoked thoughtful gesture, he followed up his words of gratitude with those of curiosity. As if he had just questioned a matter of common sense, Thea merely tilted her head in consideration with that same Merlin-damned-Tom-was-done-for honeyed smile on her face. It was certainly inevitable, as Tom would think later in his life, that he found himself endeared by this girl when the words that proceeded to leave her lips single-handedly changed the trajectory of his fate.
“‘Cause I like you, of course. You’re a good friend, Tom, and I find myself fond of you.”
In the privacy of the night later, the darkness of the dorm room only lit gently by the refracted moonlight and starlight fighting against the dim Black Lake to make it through the reinforced glass, Thea’s words rang clearly in Tom’s head in a constant loop. Jumbled thoughts and a mess of emotions were let loose inside the containment of his mind, a thick haze of uncertainty dulling his senses as he floated between a state of consciousness and slumber. In the midst of all the chaos, desire reigned supreme and brought about a resolution that he repeated to himself the next morning when his eyes subconsciously sought after the girl that was too good to be true.
He would have her – just as she, him – and no fate would get even a sliver of chance to decide otherwise for him.
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don’t steal my work, claim it as your own, upload it to another site, or use it to train AI
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#harry potter#harry potter fanfiction#hp#hp fanfic#tom riddle#tom riddle fluff#tom riddle x oc#tom marvolo riddle#tom marvolo riddle fluff#tom marvolo riddle x oc
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