#The despair is what woke me up early.

[hhayfever]

I just feel. So tired.

[nekomanager]

005. 𝙈𝙄𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙈𝙄𝘿𝙉𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏 • DREAMS

track list • prev - epilogue

What if the sexy stranger in your dreams and your seductive client at work is actually a ravishing demon determined to love you whatever it takes? Can you break through the delusions before it's too late?

incubus!kuroo, f!reader, creampie, deep pnetration, l-bombs, overstimulation, rough sex, pussyeating, fngering, slightedging, masturbation

here it comes! who would've thought. it took me almost a yr 🤧 this fic bears a lot of memories. I love Kuroo and how thos story unfolds. I hope y'all too. I have smth special in store foe my dear readers too! tha k you for your support and for keeping until the end if this story. 🫶❤️

You were lying in your bed staring at the red collar you gave Mr. Midnight, your cat. Your thumb traced the details of it—the golden bell, the fine leather and every memory of him approaching you before you sleep, welcoming you from work and nuzzling against you when the nights felt too cold.

The old lady said that this item you gave Mr. Midnight was Kuroo’s gateway to your dreams and now that he had returned it, he could never go back anymore.

Her words rang all over your head repetitively.

When an incubus falls in love, his entire being will be tied with his person. He will repel other women and will live, starving, craving for the one he truly and only desires.

If that’s so, then why were you the one feeling this way? Why did it feel like you’re the one who lost a huge part of you now that he’s gone?

His cheeky smile appeared before your sight and his laughter echoed in your ear, making you shiver. How you’d wish it was all true, but they were all recollections of the past you used to have.

You closed your eyes, letting the moment of the night you last saw each other play in your head again. His beguiling smile, captivating scent and warm presence—the firmness of his hold on your hand, tenderness in the way he gazed at you and the honesty in his laughter.

On rewind, you recalled the moment you saw the truth in his eyes. His despair when he begged and your fault when you decided to run away. Tears slid down from your eyes. You went back to the party, threw yourself on him in a big hug and took him away from the crowd. It’s the fantasy of what you could’ve done.

Even if your heart broke each time, you’d still choose to relive your memories again and again, because these memories were what was left of him—these memories were the only proof that, for once, your heart knew how to love and what love was.

Days passed by monotonously. You tried to come back to yourself, picking up the pieces while soothing yourself with thought of him whenever you feel alone.

You strolled by your usual spot, the place where you found Mr. Midnight. Orange and yellow hues cast a beautiful highlight at the little nook.

Kuroo sets you free because he knew he hurt you by not telling you the truth early on and that you might’ve thought that he was only using you as someone to feed on.

The freedom Kuroo gave you was the greatest proof that he loves you.

You’re understanding it clearly now.

Unbuckling the red collar around your wrist, you took a last glance at it. A smile finally surfaced your features as you leave the collar at the spot.

Above it all, your heart was clear, you love Kuroo in all his forms.

And even if the collar was your last remembrance of him, you would sacrifice it as your last and most desperate effort to let him know that even with the freedom he gave you, you’d still choose him.

Walking away, you swallowed the tears in thickly, but they still fell and you’re quick to wipe them away.

Now, it’s all up to fate.

𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪

You woke up each day on autopilot. Go to work, get your job done, eat dinner and fall asleep, but there was no night when you didn’t pretend that Kuroo’s right beside you, holding you tight in your sleep as you hoped you’d see him even just in your dreams again.

“Y/N! We’re having a dinner aren’t you going with us?” your officemate asked, which you replied with a polite dismissive bow.

“I’ll just hop in next time, promise.”  You smiled and they went their way, bidding you good bye.

Sighing, you tightened your hold on your bag as you made your way home, relishing your surroundings. The sunset looked pretty again, you noticed. For whatever reason, you paused from walking this time around, took your phone from your bag and snapped a picture of it.

The dusk blazed in pretty purple and pink—a beautiful ending to another day.

You were admiring your photo when someone bumped hard into you. You looked up at his tall stature...

“S-Sorry!” you said.

The man threw daggers at you and kept walking away.

Asshole. You thought.

Sighing, you slipped your phone back into your bag. However, you completely missed, and the gadget accidentally fell on the ground.

You stooped down to pick it up, but someone beat you to it.

“Oh, thank you murmured.”

Returning the phone in your hand...

His hair was still tousled in disarray, but his eyes showed signs of exhaustion somehow. Regardless, he still looked as attractive as you remembered him. It didn't matter at all! You just can’t believe he’s right in front of you now.

“Kuroo?” you murmured in disbelief, blinking twice.

Your heart was happy and though all you wanted was to engulf him in an embrace you were too overwhelmed to move a bit. Your head was still making sure you’re not dreaming, but even if this was just a dream, you’d still take it.

“Tetsurou,” he said with conviction, extending his hand. “It’s Tetsurou. Allow me to introduce myself properly this time.”

A teary smile formed on your face as you took his invitation. “Tetsurou.”

“Yeah…” He grinned a grin of relief. “Part-time mystical being and corporate officer. Full-time, thinking of you and how you’ve been all this time, it’s keeping me up late at night. I’m losing sleep.”

You chuckled at his usual sense of humor. “I can’t stop thinking about you too.”

Tetsurou stepped closer to you, his hand cupping your cheek. “You look tired. Have you been eating right and resting well? Would you wanna eat somewhere? What’s your favorite food? Is it still salmondon? Wait- Am I...Am I goin’ too fast?”

You shook your head. “Dinner sounds good,” you replied with a prim smile and he returned it with a grin.

You walked side by side. Your hands grazed against each other, both hesitating to hold, until he linked his pinky with yours and your fingers began lacing, entangled together.

Reaching your destination, the scent of scrumptious food simmered in the air while the warm light welcomed the both of you at the nearby restaurant. You were both seated by the window with the view of the Tokyo streets.

“Look at those bags. You haven’t stopped sleeping late at night,” he said, resting his chin on his hand.

“W-Well...about what happened. I’m-”

He took hold of your hand from across the table. “Let’s make things right… this time around.”

Despite all the hurt of the past weeks, his words and smile were reassuring enough, that after what happened, you can begin again and stop living in regrets. You now have the chance to do things differently and you’d make the most of it.

The waiter arrived with your order and Tetsurou lovingly shared a part of his meal with you.

“We eat like normal humans do and our stomach gets filled because of it, but the other method replenishes our energy,” he poured you a glass of water. “It’s what makes immortal and gives us supernatural abilities.

You gaped in wonder. “Just how many years have you lived already?”

“Honestly, can’t count.” He took a bite of his food.

“Oh,” you pressed the chopsticks over your lips. “In books...the women who gets preyed by the-”

“You’re not one of them,” he abruptly cut to make things clear with you.

Your eyes blinked fast in puzzlement. “What…do you mean?”

Shade of red spread across his face, which he gulped down and finally faced you with a serious expression. “Because I love you,” he said then his lips stretched into a serene smile. “Union with the female we love is an exchange of energy and I’m sharing a part of myself, my being with you each time I visit you even if it’s just in your dreams.” Taking a pinch of his food, he popped it into his mouth as he continued, “With other women, it’s just us taking away their energy for sustenance nothing else.”

“Then...” you tiptoed, asking. “How do you know that it’s finally the woman you love?”

“We simply find others repulsive. With you, I can’t even let any other woman touch me. My stomach feels like turning upside down.”

You blushed and took a gulp of your water. “Is it true that you mark…your… your…?”

Tetsurou quirked a brow up. “Yeah, it is. Where are you learning this?”

“On the internet and in shows...”

He flashed a mischievous smirk, “Just what kind of shows are you watching, huh?”

Your face turned beet red. “H-Hey! W-What're you-”

Laughing, he held a hand over his stomach. “You’re so easy to read!”

“I-I’m just curious! I just wanna know you more,” you reasoned out. “There’s a lot of things out ther. I don’t know which one’s real.”

“Go on, just ask me,” he encouraged. His foot was rubbing against your keg so casually. There was no hint of seduction in his features just pure out of habit, however the simple action alone was making  you want to scoot over close to him.

“Have you...ever had a mate, Tetsu?”

He swung his glass of water back and forth. “Nope.”

“Oh...” you mouthed, careful with what you’re going to say next. “So it’s always a different girl?”

“Y-Yeah…” He dry gulped, looking away.

You just got a taste of your food, still figuring out how to process everything.

Taking a deep breath, Tetsurou looked at you straight in the eyes. “You know, I never believed in the love union shit until I met you.”

“So does that mean that whomever you love becomes your...”

“Not really,” he said. His eyes conveyed a different coldness like he didn’t want to answer the question. “It’s a contract, Y/N. When we mark someone it’s gonna be a contract and every contract has its terms and conditions.”

“Terms and conditions?”

He just smiled in confirmation, not giving anything anymore. It’s like he was dodging the question.

“Bill out?” he asked and you nodded in agreement.

You walked out of the restaurant with hands in each other’s. It was complete silence as people passed you by. The nighttime now highlighted the city lights. The moon shone in full. It’s beautiful in white, mesmerizing and bright, illuminating the beauty of the dark night.

Tetsurou pulled your linked hands up, showing to you that he’s wearing the red collar as a bracelet instead.

“Oh!” you smiled. “So you found that out, huh?”

“Yeah, I saw you left it the other day.”

You quirked up a brow. “So you were stalking me?”

Flustered, he stumbled over his words. “Wai- It’s uh...”

You giggled and he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Well, an old lady right here said that the collar is the link between me and you in dreams.”

“Well, yeah, it is. Any item that you have given me.” Tetsurou quirked a brow up. “From an old lady, huh?” he questioned until an answer seemed to form in his head.

You nodded.

He squeezed your hand. “Recently, there’s a story that someone like me fell in love with a mortal but she doesn’t love him back.” You looked up to him as he continued, “Instead, a different woman loved him truly but his affections already belonged to someone else. They said that the lady is still around looking after him even after so many years have passed.”

Come to think of it. You were almost like that too several days ago.

You reached the elevator to your apartment and you tightened your hold on his hand, letting him know that you still didn’t want him to go.

The doors opened and you both stepped in. Tetsurou swallowed thickly as the desire of pulling you then pinning you against the wall was coming in too strong. He wanted to take it slow and show you that he’s being true, but he mussed you a lot and he couldn’t another day without you in his arms.

The doors opened and you stepped out. Having reached your unit, you turned to face him.

“Good night,” you said but your voice gave out so much longing.

“Good night,” he said  with a lot of resistance.

Both of your breathings matched. You gulped and got on your tippy toes to give him a kiss on the cheek. He tilted his head just and his lips were touching your jaw. He flattened his palm on the door of your home, your body pressed against the surface. Your gazes locked intensely.

“1117,” you murmured with anticipation.

Tetsurou clenched his jaw to mask his smirk as he keyed in your door’s passkey.

The singsong chime cut through the thick tension and the moment he pushed the door behind you, all of your inhibitions were thrown away.

He grabbed your face and hungrily his mouth devoured yours – no, you both devoured each other - lips crashing, tongues all tied and saliva spilling down your chins. You were both getting a taste of that sensation you missed for a long time. Finally, it’s just so fucking good to have each other in the flesh.

Your shoes scattered all over the floor with the both of you trying to get a grip on your composure. The heavy passion that reverberated through the two of you was too strong and you were swept away. Tetsu’s hands were all over you while you had one of yours cupping his jaw and the others all tangled up around the strands of his hair.

He slipped a hand under your leg, carrying you in bridal style. You were too lost in his mouth on yours that all you could feel was the fire coursing all over your body and the need, want, hunger to give all of yourself to him and take all of him in.

Your body hit the bed and Tetsu hovered over you. His mouth made its way to your neck, hands grabbed a handful of your tits with the other slipped under your skirt.

You dipped your head back, feeling his deft fingers massage the lips of your pussy. Your mind spiraled in pleasure. You never felt it this good. This was far more amazing than in a dream – the stimulation on your now bare breast and the pressure of him rubbing your clit oh so insanely then he added two fingers in. “Mhmn-” you clenched your teeth. He was pumping in and out like crazy. You raised your hips up, feeling the pleasure building in uncontrollable ways that all you could do was moan and whimper. “Aaaah hah...” Shit. It’s there. Fuck- “Ahh!”

Your juices sprayed all over his hand as your body shook wildly. It was dizzying...satisfyingly dizzying. Your head felt light as you laid down there. Tetsu freed you from your skirt, dragging along with it your panties. His palm roamed your leg, running towards your thigh and you shivered still sensitive from your orgasm. He parted your legs open and looked up at you. With a half-lidded gaze directed at you, he swept his tongue in between his lips.

“You look so delicious,” he said right before digging in. His tongue swiped in between your pussy lips, hitting your clit with light flick. He heard you take in a sharp inhale and felt you tremble a little. A smile etched across his lips. That encouraged him even more. He opened your lips further apart as his tongue explored your folds detail by detail in a quickened pace. “Mhmm...y’taste s’good,” he murmured equally getting drunk in your scent and in your taste. He couldn’t get enough of you and he felt his erection so painfully against his pants. You’re so fucking wet he was practically slurping your juices like an addicting alcohol.

Tetsurou knelt, pushing your thighs down close to your sides. His grip on your flesh would definitely leave a mark. He’s so damn engrossed in eating you out that the room was filled with just the sound of his mouth and tongue on your pussy. It was so dirty and sexy at the same time, that it pushed you towards the edge even faster. Again! Again! You’re getting there- You are!

But he pulled back.

You groaned in frustration, and he chuckled a little. His eyes locked yours down as he pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his perfectly carved abs. You began heaving and oozing even more when he unbuckled his belt and free his hardened cock. Your eyes widened with how huge he was. You could feel your pussy felt desperate.

Teasingly, he was fisting his length. His jaw clenched, veins popping up and he was breathing through gritted teeth. His face was red in restraint. You look so fucking inviting with those lust-filled eyes while you ran your tongue over your lips.

“You want me? You want this cock...” he rubbed the tip over your clit, “...inside you?”

You nodded, rolling your hips to increase the pressure.

He pumped harder and you panted watching Tetsurou with his dick in his hand. His mouth hung open and head swayed back. His low grunts and moans were making you helpless in arousal. You want him. All of him.

“I’m close...I’m close...I’m close...” He repetitively breathed out. Jerking his hips forward he plunged right inside you in a deep forceful shove.

“Tetsu!”

“Y/N!”

His cock was deep inside your core, spilling his warm cum inside and you writhe in orgasm. Your body couldn’t stop shaking yet he was relentless. He began thrusting into you. Now his cum and your juices mixed as a lube for him to fuck your harder and all you could do was dig your fingernails against the skin of his back.

It was crazy. It felt you were coming over and over again. Your head was spiraling in the overwhelming pleasure and the endless desire to feel him more! More! More! Your hips started to match the rhythm of his pelvis. It was rough. He was rough. You were rough. Your skins slapped so hard against each other while you felt your juices spattering with each thrust.

“Ohh- Aaah!” you let out, coming again but he’s still damn hard. He flipped you so your back was against his chest. He swiftly tore your blouse off your body-buttons flying everywhere. His had a handful of your breast as he fucked you slowly from behind. His length was grazing along your slick pussy so torturously.

Unclasping your bra, he watched as your tits jiggle with every movement. He groaned. “You’re so fuckin’ sexy y’know that?” With clenched jaw, he cursed, “So fuckin- sexy!”

He took your elbow while his other hand gripped your waist. Your mouth and eyes popped open as he slammed deep and hard.

“Too much! Tis...too much!” You uttered, going out of your mind.

“Tell me to stop! Go on. Tell me to stop!” Tetsu grunted in almost a yell as if he was daring you and pleading you at the same time.

“No! Don’t! Stop!” Your words came out raggedly along with his hurried and wild movements. “Don’t stop!”

“I will never-” he groaned almost beastly. “Not- when you’re so fucking ready like this!”

You firmly closed your eyes allowing him to fully take control of your body. Your voices echoed around the room with shameful moans and whimpers. There’s something so obscene titillating about how your bodies merge in pleasure.

“Ahh aahh- Tetsu!” You screamed as you came again. Your body weakly gave up on the bed and he watched your used up body as he catches up with his breathing.

He let the beast in him take over again. This night was supposed to be to show how pure and unconditional his feelings were for you. Yet looking at you, with his cum spilling in between the lips of your pussy and handprints all over your body, there’s nothing so pure in what’s happening.

You’re so needy, so fucking filthy and it made him hotter…harder.

Your eyes slightly opened, and they went straight to his still erected cock. You gulped. He saw.

You extended your arms, inviting him in. “Tetsu,” you pleaded and he didn’t think twice. He hovered you, lips quick to find home with yours entangled in a sweet and passionate kiss. Your arms were all around each other. Oh, how you both wished this would moment to never end—just the two of you intertwined and nothing else matters.

Skin to skin, his hand was tenderly massaging your soft breast, while his length rubbed against your slick pussy. Your hips began rocking, seeking for more stimulation and you felt him so hot and ready for another round. Oh, it would feel inside you now. You whimpered in despair and Tetsu chuckled.

“Mhm…so impatient,” he teased.

“Such a meanie.” And your hand travelled to cup one of his ass cheek.

He groaned and grin. “So demanding,” he planted a kiss on your forehead before putting the tip in. He gasped, excitedly anticipating his entrance. It didn’t take long, and you felt just how big and long he was with how much he stretched you and reached you so deep.

Tetsurou began thrusting slowly at first and he hastened when he picked up that you’re catching up with him. You matched his pace, your legs locking him to stay in between. With linked fingers, you both tightened your hold on each other.

“Y/N,” he huffed.

“Tetsu,” you moaned.

“Y/N, Y/N!”

“Tetsu!”

He shifted forward, accessing you even deeper with his balls smacking against your ass.

“I’m close…” he groaned.

“Me too, me tooo!” you cried.

 “Y/N-“ he hissed. “I! fuckin’! love- you-”

“Tetsu-“

Your mouth opened wide as you met your release. Your body shivered wildly and overwhelmingly while he poured all of him inside you. You came hard.

Again. Again and again.

Your love never ends with just that. You were both uncontrollable. You were hungry, trying to get your fill of him, making the most just jn case this was just another dream again. He was fucking you raw You rode him, his face, his dick. He tasted you, licked every inch of you, devoured you. You held each other that night like insatiable beasts.

You came over and over again until you were both overcome with the dawn.

Your body laid limply on top of his. Who knew how long have you been resting like that? You just passed out from rounds and rounds of lovemaking that you couldn’t remember how many times you had done it already.

Tetsu flipped you on your back and began and propped himself on his elbow, watching you rest. You met his gaze and he dipped to kiss your temple until you remembered.

“There’s no...” You asked, wondering why there’s no mark appearing on your belly just like what you have read on the internet.

“I didn’t use my spell on you. I didn’t mark you,” he replied. “The entire night...it’s just you and me. No forces in between.”

“Oh…” you let out and he noticed that questions flooded your head.

“If you want a mark, I can mark you right now,” he said as he sat up to fetch a marker on your bedside table.

You chuckled. “Tetsu!”

“Here it comes!” he proudly announced. The felt tip touched your bare stomach and you wriggled due to the ticklish feeling. “Hold it…hold it.”

“What are you doing?” You took a look at his creation. “What have you done?” What’s supposed to be a winged-heart symbol turned out to be a silly doodle.

Glancing up at you, he traced his finger over his joke of a drawing. “Marking you as my mate is a contract in exchange of your soul and sanity,” he explained. “It works like drugs. You’ll lose your mind, wanting nothing but to provide for me. You’ll live like a slave not a human.” He placed a soft kiss on the spot.

You gulped, afraid of the thought yet you were also concerned about him. “But...what happens? What about you?”

Tetsurou chuckled and kissed your jaw then your lips. “It’s alright. It’s good to be mortal...at last,” he said.

His hand caressed your head as he studied your eyes lovingly. His gaze showed how you were the single best thing that ever happened in his existence; heaven or hell, night or day, there’s no difference nor distance that could separate two people who love each other as long as they keep choosing the other no matter what.

You cupped his cheek, looking back at how everything began. Behind your stray cat, the man of in your dreams and your incessant client...It’s his soul, his heart. “I love you,” you said, eyes sparkling in forming tears.

Brushing the side of your face with the back of his hand, Tetsu smiled down at you. “And I’d rather die than live another lifetime without you.”

As my thank you, an epilogue will be released on the 27th of October 🫶

— 😈  

@tetzoro @moonartemisia @chibishae34 @jadeisthirsting 

@swimmingtimetravelwolf-blog @joy-laufeyson @swithberry @londonstylesxx 

@kuroos--little--kitten @backinmyphase @waxhers 

@osamwah @elmtree12 @creepyicee @dragonxbabe 

@pineapplesneedrights @villsophie 

@pi-crust @lyqiche @trinxt @everyonesroiting @yutzz  

@mahitomycutieee @shidouryusm @reallyperson27 @lawlzichat 

@docosahexaenoic-san @rinatoshi @prickles-the-penguin @soulessien 

@supahumbreon @kittendazzle @simpforyoubitch 

@liquidcatt @nabisonyeo94 @dragonxbabe @misachibi 

@docosahexaenoic-san @lyqiche @sushinwasabi @rinatoshi

@supahumbreon @kittendazzle @kittendazzle

© NEKOMANAGER - All rights reserved. No work shall be reproduced, reposted, modified, translated in any form or by any means.

[ilovetoxicfictionalmen]

MY LITTLE OMEGA

KINKTOBER DAY 26 - OMEGAVERSE WITH RAYMOND LEON

Pairing.| Raymond Leon x fem!reader

Summary.| You go into heat early and your Alpha is forced to come home to relieve you.

Warnings.| Dubcon, heat, rutting, abo, slightly degrading, p in v, biting.

Word count.| 2k

Notes.| Okay I never read or write this type of thing, but it was interesting to do.

You shamefully humped Raymond’s pillow, his shirt covering the entirety of your head as you heavily inhaled his scent. But it was never enough, you needed him completely. When he entered your shared home, you immediately picked up on his strong sweet scent of midnight rain. The Omega inside of you wanted to run to him, but the anger you could sense in him made you loudly whimper as your hips rocked in a sloppy manner. 

The smell of your heat was fierce to Raymond’s nostrils, the scent of wet rocks infested his body as he strided down the hall. His head snapped to the nesting room, his jawline sharp as he stomped to you. The door was already wide open, your body completely bare as you mewled out, trying to reveal yourself of your agony. 

His menaceful Alpha voice rolled out your name. Like he casted a spell on you, your body froze, his damp pillow locked in between your thighs. Slowly, he stepped to you, his compelling blue eyes lingered over your exposed backside and how quickly it trembled to his touch. 

“I could smell you from across town, you’ve gone into heat early, why?” Raymond questioned, his tone threatening as he dropped to his knees onto the mattress of the platform bed. 

His large hand pulled the shirt off of your head. As you looked back at him with fearful eyes, he blinked at how full of tears they were. You were lost for words, stammering like a child caught eating from the cookie jar. 

“I-I don't know” you stammered quietly. 

“Don’t lie to me…” Raymond growled in a low volume, clicking his tongue as his hand rolled up and down your spine. 

“I forgot to take my meds!” You easily confessed, your voice full of guilt and humiliation. 

Raymond snarled at you, you whined painfully in return. 

The reason you were on suppressants was because Raymond had a busy month of work. If you went into heat likewise to him going into rut, it would ruin his schedule completely. But with him traveling down south without you, you were highly emotional of being all alone in your home. Even though Raymond would just blame it on you, it was a common side effect of the suppressants to be dependent on their bonded mate. The thoughts of him being gone for almost two weeks put you into a state of despair.

When you woke up from a deep sleep to realize you had forgotten to take your suppressants, your heart raced. It was only an hour late, but you had heard stories of Omega’s missing out on the time frame of only a few minutes and suffering the consequences. Those were only rumors though. Yet the chances were low but were now your reality. 

The moment you felt the first sign, you were in denial and continued on with your day. But when the fever sweats began to drip, cramps formed into a blade under your skin and slick trickled down your legs, you found yourself stuck in mayhem on what to do. 

The obvious solution was to call Raymond. But the knowing answer of him punishing you felt too horrifying and humiliating. Raymond did not allow you to possess any toys. For his arrogant behavior questioned why you’d need such mechanics when you had him to relieve you. So you just tried to block it all out. Two days you successfully spent in agony before he finally had a chance to call you. 

He could hear it in your tone despite the fact that you chose to use minimal words. 

“Little one, is there something you need to tell me?” he replied, resisting his growl over the line. 

You confessed immediately and Raymond almost hung up the phone just as quick. If his primal urges didn’t pull him back towards you like gravity, he would have made you suffer alone. But instead, like a good Alpha, he sped back home to care for you.  

Those silk-like hands teased your skin. Trailing up and down then side to side over your skin. Your back arched as you murmured out his name, almost foaming at the mouth. Suddenly, he slapped your rear harshly, making you yelp. 

“You’ve ruined my investigation little one… Do not think this will be enjoyable for you” Raymond growled. 

“I’m sorry Alpha!” You cried and lowered your body onto the bed as you hid your face in shame under his pillow. 

“How long have you been in heat?” Raymond tilted his head towards you as he slid off his leather jacket. 

“T-three days now” you spoke in hushed tones. 

“Fucking stupid bitch” Raymond muttered to himself. 

But you heard him perfectly, you whined loudly and squirmed over the mattress. Raymond quickly stripped nude and wrapped his front against your back. You purred out, his warmth eased your pain, bending your neck back as your back arched, you moved your ass into his erection.

“You’re so fucking lucky I wasn’t the only one on the case. But like they’ll be able to sniff out shit without me” Raymond snarled, nipping his teeth at the skin of your neck. “You’ve gotten my cock all riled up, your scent is fucking intoxicating!” He groaned out, burying his nose into your soft hair. 

“M’sorry!” You repeat yourself loudly.

“You’re gonna have to beg me for it” Raymond whispered into your ear. 

“No Raymond please! M-M’sorry! I’ve already been suffering for days!” you exclaimed, shaking your head at the thought of him tormenting you again. 

During many of your heats together, Raymond enjoyed playing with your state of agony at first. Your performance of begging for his touch was exhilarating. Whimpers and whines were likewise to angelic music to his ears. The way your needy hands tried to pull him towards you was amusing. 

You tried to wiggle your ass against his crotch but he held you down and kept his hips at distance. 

“You should have called me the moment you felt it” Raymond lectured.  

“I didn’t want to disturb you. I thought I could hold it off!” You explained pathetically, mewling like a baby. 

“Stupid Omega” Raymond insulted. Immediately, you whined again and Raymond pouted at you. “This is why you need me, little one…” he explained in a condescending tone. 

A hum was your only response as you nodded your head eagerly. It was true, you depended on him the moment you laid eyes on him. The bond was heavenly, the way your heart skipped a beat as you caught him watching you, almost ready to eat you alive. But it didn’t take you long to realize how frightening he could be, but then he could also be so loving. If you remained good, he’d treat you well. So it was time to comply and be his good girl. 

“Now, beg” Raymond ordered. 

“Alpha” you mewled dramatically.

“Yes Omega?” He teased. 

“Please! I need your cock inside of me, my walls are clenching so harshly! I need to squeeze around you” you spat out, licking your lips at the idea of his dick buried inside of you. Your eyes were fluttering, you felt like you were already drunk on his cock. 

“Sounds like a you problem” Raymond grinned.

Your scent was matchless, like the uncharted sanctuaries of earth that all explorers desired to uncover. Secretly, he could spend days pressing his nose to your hair as his hands would caress your waist. 

“Alpha please! Show me my place, remind me who I belong to” you begged, twisting your upper body to look back at him.  

“Remind you huh?” Raymond grunted, possessiveness flashing through his ocean blue eyes. You shuddered, fearing that you had made a poor choice of words. Trying to steer his suspicions elsewhere, you ended up just stammering to yourself. “You forget who you belong to?” Raymond tilted his head at you. 

“No!” you denied fearfully. 

“But you tell me to remind you, so you have forgotten, have you not?” Raymond questioned, his eyes narrowed and brows furrowed. 

“No… I’m just trying to-” you squeaked, becoming too timid to speak. 

Raymond flipped you over and licked his lips. Your eyes felt almost compelled to look down to his member and you grumbled out, eagerly desiring to devour it. How could he make you beg in a moment where he craved you just as desperately. 

“Look at how fucking pathetic you look, drooling over my member…” Raymond scoffed condescendingly, his body stood tall as he smirked down at you. 

“Can I touch it?” you asked softly, eyes stuck on his throbbing member that leaked of precum. 

“Yes little one” he spoke softly, warmly. 

Quickly, you moved onto your knees and your hand reached out. You stroked him softly and slowly, gradually you picked up the pace and firmness. Raymond breathed out, his eyes fluttering as he watched you please his cock. 

After maneuvering you onto your back, Raymond kissed you passionately as he lined himself up to your entrance. Whilst keeping eye contact, Raymond pushed his member inside of you effortlessly, you were always so eager to take him completely. Then your muscles would contract after you had consumed him. 

Like animals, Raymond pounded himself into your clenching walls. You cried out in relief as you felt the tension in your core be replaced by pleasure. In your ear, Raymond whispered sweet words which had you gasping for more. Your fingertips ran up and down his broad back, nails teased at his firm skin. 

Other Alphas laughed when they found out Raymond had bonded with a Omega. Because well, Raymond lacked that caring trait. However, Raymond quite enjoyed being bonded with a Omega. Were you unbearable dependent on him? Yes. But Raymond had dated Alpha’s in the past and it felt like a constant battle for dominance. 

You however always submitted to him. You always knew your place. He’d never admit it, but Raymond enjoyed the comfort you gave him, likewise to the nurture he’d show you. The moments of intimacy and comfort you shared were relaxing and reassuring. 

“I haven’t taken my pills” Raymond confessed. 

Usually it was the females who took birth control. But Raymond’s ego made him believe that they would disobey him and stop their medications in hopes of being bred by him. But after being bonded to you, the idea of you being bred excited him. He had no worries that his offspring would be anything besides Alphas. 

“Do you think you’re ready to bear my pups?” Raymond questioned sternly.

“Raymond?” You whimpered, panic flashing through your eyes. 

“I’m going to breed you this heat. You’ll carry my child, you got it?” Raymond made known. 

“Yes Alpha!” You replied, immediately submitting yourself to him. 

This is what you wanted, this is what you were made for. To be his little obedient Omega and raise his children. It had felt like an eternity since you’d met him, even though it had only been a couple of months. 

“Good… You’re so fucking compelling, you know that right?” Raymond groaned out, feeling his rut pulsing. “If any other Alpha dares to sniff in this direction I’ll rip his fucking head off” Raymond snarled, a wave of jealousy and possessiveness crashed over him. 

“I belong to you Raymond!” You assured, cunt squeezing him so tightly. 

“Good girl, my obedient little Omega” Raymond praised with a wicked grin. 

Swiftly, you’re flipped onto your stomach and Raymond buried himself in completely. You moan out as your orgasm crashed over you, His teeth latched directly in between your shoulder and neck and you whined out, but the pain was coated in extra pleasure. 

Raymond groaned onto your flesh as he felt his member expand inside of you. His movements were forced to slow down to a complete stop as his seed shot deep into your womb. With the both of you painted in a coat of sweat, you’re carefully shifted onto your side, Raymond’s body connected to yours. His teeth release your skin and Raymond kisses your heated cheek before he buried his head into the crook of your neck. 

“I love you Raymond” you sniffled, eyes still blurred from your post orgasmic state. 

“Shush… Go to sleep little one” Raymond murmured.

[therainscene]

I've described myself in the past as "overly-queerbaited" as a way of explaining why it took me so long to come around to Byler endgame as a legitimate possibility... but that's kind of a misleading way of putting it.

Truth is, I've always been too much of a cynical fuck to fall for queerbait... or any other story that promises positive queer rep.

[Sherlock couldn't touch me; I saw this cringe homophobia coming from a mile away. Fans mistaking straight anxiety jokes for meaningful gay subtext was clearly doomed to end in mockery. Nobody deserved to be treated like that... but god, it was easy to predict.]

I think it's a symptom of having grown up under Section 28 -- feeling like I'm being unreasonable for wanting to see queerness normalized is such an ingrained habit that even today I instinctively recoil like a vampire touching sunlight whenever an optimistic queer story falls unrequested into my lap.

But I'm hardly alone in feeling this way -- many queer Millennial and Gen-X fans of Stranger Things are against the idea of Byler because it would ruin the catharsis of watching the gay boy growing up in the same era as we did slowly succumb to the same despair that we did.

[For those who haven't played the VR game: Vecna is speaking in this screenshot.]

There's genuine comfort to be found in painful stories -- this type of catharsis is practically the cornerstone of horror as a genre -- so I can't really fault myself or anyone else for wanting it, despite the obnoxious oversaturation of disappointing queer endings in media.

This is the nostalgia show, after all -- and like it or not, for many middle-aged queers in the target audience, nostalgia is shot through with the pain of homophobia and loneliness.

But do you know who else is a hurt queer(-coded) adult who resents happy endings? This cynical fuck:

Henry personifies despair and loneliness and the dark urge to take our pain out on others -- and when Will is in the picture, I would argue that he also represents internalized homophobia.

Will might represent who we were -- but Henry represents who we've let ourselves turn into.

And I don't think many of us want to admit to that, because that would involve questioning why we have so much in common with the literal villain of the show; why we're still so consumed with self-pity after 20+ years that we're obsessing over the fate of some kid.

I'm not suggesting that wanting a less-than-fairytale ending for a fictional gay boy is equivalent to being a child killer lol. It's perfectly valid to want to see your pain acknowledged, and stories which appeal to that desire deserve to exist.

But between Henry's connection to Will and the cycle of abuse themes of the show, it's clear that this particular story simply isn't about wallowing in the bleakness of growing up gay in the 80s, but about self-actualizing in spite of it all.

So I just can't bring myself to want a "relatable" ending for Will.

As much as I struggle to enjoy positive queer rep, I don't want to be so cynical. I'd thrown up so many walls to protect myself as a teenager that I forgot how desperately I wanted to see just one of those painful queer stories end on the same uplifting note that straight stories were always entitled to: with true love overcoming the odds, saving the day, and living happily ever after.

[But I'm A Cheerleader, a surprisingly fun movie about conversion therapy, is proof that stories like this did exist when I was a teen... but finding them in the pre- and early-internet days amidst so much censorship was a tall order.]

What makes Stranger Things different from most queer stories -- and what allowed it to pierce through my defenses and stab me in the gut -- is that it perfectly mimics those bleak, acceptable-to-the-censors stories from my youth -- only this time, the secret uplifting gay plot twist is real.

Not for the sake of shock value or of grabbing some empty woke points at the last second, but because the plan all along was to slap the audience in the face for believing homophobic lies about the existence of queer happiness.

That's some gourmet catharsis, if you ask me.

Just the possibility that my inner child might finally be vindicated has allowed me to truly let myself want the things I want for the first time in 20 years -- and that's the first step towards finally crawling back out into the sunlight.

Happy Pride Month, everyone. 🌈

[hd-junglebook]

Its Always Been You

Part 4 / Word Count 5816

Masterlist

Summary: And so, the trip to Michigan begins with a little surprise guest.

In the dim glow of his bedroom, Jack's world felt like it was crumbling around him. The shadows danced across the walls, mirroring the chaos within his mind.  Jack's hands trembled as he held the phone to his ear, his breathing uneven and his heart racing.

"Luke, I don't know what to do with myself," Jack's voice trembled, a mix of anguish and vulnerability. His eyes were glassy with unshed tears, and his free hand clenched into a tight fist.  

"I've acted like a complete fool all week. Y/n hates me. I'm feeling… I'm feeling things I never felt before for y/n, and I think I've finally lost my mind."

Luke's harsh tone cut through the silence, his confusion evident. "Jack, what the hell are you talking about?" There was a rustling sound on the other end of the line, as if Luke was sitting up in bed, suddenly alert.

Jack's pacing resumed, his frustration palpable. He ran his fingers through his disheveled hair, his footsteps heavy against the carpeted floor.

The room felt suffocating, the walls closing in on him as he struggled to contain his emotions.

"I told y/n I knew how she felt about me, and then I broke her heart. She left me all alone for three days. Jesus, I just saw her locking lips with some loser in the hallway. It's taking everything in me not to go out there and drag him outside."

"Jack…" Luke barely got out before he was interrupted again.

Before Luke could respond, Jack's voice rose again, defiant and emotional. "I'm not done." He halted his pacing, standing in front of his dresser where a picture of y/n and him sat.

It was from the night of his draft party, a snapshot of happier times. Jack's fingers traced the edges of the frame, his eyes fixated on y/n's smiling face. The photograph seemed to mock him, a cruel reminder of what he had thrown away.

He thought back to that night, his emotions, how he begged her to leave her life behind and move to New Jersey. The memory was vivid, the excitement and hope he felt then now replaced by a crushing sense of regret.

The scent of her perfume, the warmth of her hand in his, the sparkle in her eyes—it all came flooding back, intensifying the ache in his chest.

Rustling came through the speaker of Jack's phone. "I ruined us, Luke. I've ruined the best thing I've ever had." Jack's voice cracked, a single tear escaping and rolling down his cheek.

"Dude, it's almost 12am, and you're babbling about something everyone and their mom knew already. How long did you think you could fight your feelings?" Luke's tone softened, a mix of exasperation and concern.

"I don't know, Luke." Jack stayed still for a moment, his shoulders slumped in defeat. The door of their apartment closed, and he hung up on Luke when he heard footsteps approaching.

Jack perked up, holding his breath as he listened to them get closer. His heart raced, a glimmer of hope sparking in his chest.

Another door closed, leading Jack to swing open his door. Y/n had already closed her door, the click of her lock reverberating through the silent apartment.

Jack's hand hovered over her doorknob, his fingers trembling. He wanted to knock, to apologize, to pour his heart out, but fear and uncertainty held him back.

…

The sound of her alarm woke her from her restless sleep, the shrill beeping cutting through the stillness of the early morning. Her eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the darkness around her.

The room was bathed in a deep, melancholic blue, the shadows clinging to the corners and casting an air of despair. The curtains, a soft, sheer fabric, billowed gently in the breeze from the slightly open window, allowing a sliver of pale moonlight to penetrate the gloom.

"Here we go again," she mumbled groggily, her voice heavy with exhaustion and resignation. The words felt thick on her tongue.

She sat up in her bed, allowing the blanket to fall in a heap on her waist. The sheets, once a comforting embrace, now felt suffocating, tangled around her legs like the thoughts that consumed her mind.

y/n looked around the room with despair, her gaze lingering on the familiar objects that held countless memories—the framed photographs on the dresser, the stack of well-worn books on the nightstand, the discarded clothing strewn across the floor.

Y/n sighed again, the sound echoing in the emptiness of the room. She pushed the blanket off of herself fully, the cool air of the apartment sending a shiver down her spine.

Her steps were light as she dressed herself, opting for comfort over style for the plane ride back to Michigan. She pulled on a soft, oversized sweater, the fabric enveloping her like a comforting hug, and a pair of well-worn leggings that had seen better days.

As she moved about the room, gathering her belongings, the floorboards creaked beneath her feet, the sound amplified by the silence that hung heavy in the air. The scent of stale coffee and the lingering aroma of chocolate chip cookies wafted through the apartment.

Jack's door opened across from her room, his yawning loud against the stark silence of the world outside their little apartment. The sound made her flinch, her body tensing as she braced herself for the inevitable encounter.

She could hear his footsteps, the shuffling of his feet against the hardwood floor, and the rustling of his clothing as he moved about his room.

Y/n rolled her eyes, not ready to interact with Jack just yet. The thought of facing him, of seeing the guilt and regret in his eyes, made her stomach churn. She focused on the task at hand, pulling her suitcase up to the door, the wheels squeaking against the floor.

Her eyes landed on the corkboard that hung on the wall beside the door, the pictures of their innocent smiles and young faces causing her heart to break even more.

In one picture, they were grinning broadly, their arms wrapped around each other's waists as they posed in front of a sunset on the beach. In another, they were dressed in formal attire, attending a friend's wedding, their eyes sparkling with happiness and love.

Y/n's fingers traced the edges of the photographs, the glossy paper cool beneath her touch. A lump formed in her throat as she studied each image. She could feel the sting of tears behind her eyes, the emotions she had been trying so hard to suppress threatening to spill over.

She pulled the door open, rushing past the open bathroom where Jack stood in the mirror, his toothbrush dangling from his mouth and a look of surprise etched on his face.

Y/n moved with the speed of a cheetah, her feet pounding against the floor as she made a beeline for the safety of the kitchen.

Just as she thought she had escaped the awkwardness, the front door jingled, keys rattling against the metal knob like a mischievous poltergeist trying to gain entry.

Y/N stood frozen in place, her body rigid with shock as the door to the apartment swung open. The sudden intrusion had caught her completely off guard, and she felt as if she had been turned to stone, unable to move or speak.

As she watched, a tuft of blonde hair bounced into view, the golden locks reminding her of the fairy tale character Goldilocks. But this was no innocent child stumbling upon a bear's cottage; this was a full-grown woman barging into her home uninvited.

"Daphne? What the hell are you doing here?" Y/N managed to choke out, her voice rising in pitch with each word until it reached a near-shriek. The disbelief and anger dripped from her tongue like bitter honey, leaving a foul taste in her mouth.

Jack's girlfriend fully entered the apartment, dragging a garishly pink suitcase behind her. It was as if she had packed her entire life into that one piece of luggage, ready to move in and stake her claim.

The suitcase was so bright it hurt Y/N's eyes, a beacon of chaos signaling the impending doom that was about to unfold.

From the corner of her eye, Y/N saw Jack emerge from the bathroom, toothbrush still dangling from his mouth. White foam dripped down his chin, making him look like a rabid dog caught in the act.

His eyes widened as he took in the scene before him, darting back and forth between the two women as if trying to comprehend the gravity of the situation he had found himself in.

Daphne's gaze flicked between Jack and Y/N, her initial smile slowly fading as realization dawned on her face. "We planned this months ago, silly," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness.

"Non-refundable ticket. We talked about this, Jack. It's only been three months; you can't get rid of me that easily."

She let out a laugh that sounded more like a witch's cackle, her eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief and something darker, more possessive. It was clear that she had no intention of leaving, no matter how unwelcome her presence might be.

Y/N felt her heart sink into her stomach, a wave of nausea washing over her as the reality of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks. Daphne was here, in their home, and it seemed that Jack had been keeping even more secrets than she had realized.

The air in the apartment suddenly felt thick and suffocating, the tension so palpable you could cut it with a knife. Y/N's mind raced with a million questions, a million accusations, but she couldn't seem to form the words.

All she could do was stand there, frozen in place, as the world she had built with Jack came crashing down around her like a house of cards.

Jack let out a heavy sigh, his hand rubbing the front of his scalp as if trying to erase the memory of ever agreeing to this disastrous plan. His face scrunched up like he had just bitten into a particularly sour lemon, the bitterness of the situation leaving a foul taste in his mouth.

He glanced sheepishly at Y/N, his eyes darting between the two women like a puppy who had been caught chewing on his owner's favorite pair of shoes.

"Can you give us a sec? Please?" he pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper, as if he were afraid that speaking any louder would cause the fragile peace to shatter.

Y/N scoffed, her arms crossing over her chest as she fixed Jack with a withering stare. "No, we have to leave soon, and if I don't have my coffee, I just might jump off the plane dealing with you both," she retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Her eyebrows rose so high they nearly disappeared into her hairline, the thought of being trapped on a plane with these two making her seriously consider grabbing a parachute and taking her chances with gravity.

Jack's face reddened, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "We need privacy though!" he said, his voice tinged with annoyance.

He threw his hands up in the air, as if he were trying to physically push away the awkwardness that had settled over the room like a thick fog. "Could you give us some time?"

Y/N let out a humorless laugh, the sound harsh and grating in the tense silence of the apartment. "Oh, you need privacy? That's rich, coming from the guy who couldn't even bother to tell his best friend that his girlfriend was coming to visit."

She shook her head, her eyes narrowing as she fixed Jack with a look that could have melted steel. "You know what? Fine. You two lovebirds enjoy your little reunion. I'll be in my room, packing my bags and booking a one-way ticket to anywhere but here."

With that, she spun on her heel and stalked off towards her bedroom, her footsteps echoing like gunshots in the stillness of the apartment. She could feel Daphne's eyes boring into her back, could sense the smug satisfaction radiating off the other woman in waves.

But Y/N refused to let it get to her, refused to let the hurt and betrayal show on her face. She had always prided herself on being strong, on being able to handle whatever life threw her way. And she sure as hell wasn't going to let Jack or his girlfriend see her crumble.

As she reached her bedroom door, Y/N paused, her hand resting on the knob. For a moment, she was tempted to turn back, to march right up to Jack and demand an explanation.

But she knew that it would be pointless, knew that whatever he had to say would only make the pain worse.

So instead, she took a deep breath and stepped inside, slamming the door behind her with a resounding thud. And as she sank down onto her bed, her head in her hands and her heart in pieces, Y/N couldn't help but wonder how everything had gone so wrong, so fast.

…

Y/N walked back out into the living room, Daphne turned to her with an expression of exaggerated surprise. Her eyes were wide, and a cute smile was plastered on her face, the kind of smile that made you want to pinch her cheeks but also question the sincerity behind it.

"This is your best friend, right? She's a lot shorter than I remember," Daphne said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. It was clear that she was trying to get under Y/N's skin, to establish her dominance in the situation.

Y/N couldn't help but scoff, her eyes rolling so far back in her head that she nearly caught a glimpse of her own brain. "And you're the EX-girlfriend, right?" she retorted, putting extra emphasis on the "ex" part. Two could play at this game, and Y/N wasn't about to let Daphne win.

Jack let out a groan, his head falling back in frustration. "God, just my luck," he grumbled, his eyes rolling so hard they nearly got stuck in the back of his head.

He knew that he was in for a long and uncomfortable conversation with Daphne, and the thought of it made him want to crawl into a hole and never come out.

Y/N took a deep breath grabbing her coffee, the warm liquid providing a momentary comfort before made her way back out to the kitchen. Y/N grasped the cold metal handle, the chill sending a shiver down her spine.

"Let's go before I change my mind," she said, her voice flat and emotionless. She didn't want to give Jack or Daphne the satisfaction of seeing how much this situation was affecting her, didn't want to let them see the cracks in her carefully constructed façade.

…

The journey to the airport had been a tense affair, with Y/N pointedly ignoring Jack's attempts at conversation and Daphne chattering away obliviously in the background.

Y/N could feel Jack's eyes on her, his gaze heavy with unspoken apologies and explanations, but she refused to meet his eye, focusing instead on the passing scenery outside the car window.

they made their way through the bustling terminal, Jack tried once more to pull Y/N aside, his hand gently grasping her elbow. "Y/N, please, can we just talk about this?" he pleaded, his voice low and urgent.

Y/N yanked her arm away, her eyes flashing with barely contained anger. "There's nothing to talk about, Jack," she hissed, her voice sharp as a knife. "You made your choice, and now we all have to live with the consequences."

Jack's face fell, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "It's not like that, Y/N. If you would just let me explain..."

But Y/N cut him off with a bitter laugh, her head shaking in disbelief. "Explain what, Jack? How you don’t like me? How you play this stupid hot and cold game with me? No, I think I've heard enough explanations to last a lifetime."

She turned to walk away, but Jack's hand shot out once more, his fingers wrapping around her wrist. "Please, Y/N," he whispered, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "I never meant to hurt you. You have to believe that."

For a moment, Y/N wavered, her resolve crumbling in the face of Jack's obvious distress. But then she caught sight of Daphne waiting impatiently by the gate, her foot tapping, and her arms crossed, and the anger came rushing back in full force.

"I don't have to believe anything, Jack," she said, her voice cold and distant. "You made your bed, and now you have to lie in it. I just want to forget about all of this and move on with my life. So please, just leave me alone."

With that, she wrenched her arm from his grasp and strode towards the gate, her head held high and her heart shattered into a million pieces.

The seating arrangement on the plane felt like a cruel joke, a twisted game of fate that had placed Y/N in the middle of the very chaos she had been trying to escape.

She found herself sandwiched between Jack and Daphne, her body pressed against the cool glass of the window as if she could somehow merge with the clouds and drift away from the awkwardness that permeated the air.

Jack sat rigidly in the middle seat, his body a tense barrier between Y/N and Daphne. Y/N could feel the heat of his skin, could smell the familiar scent of his cologne, and it made her heart ache with a longing she couldn't quite suppress.

On Jack's other side, Daphne slept peacefully, her head lolling against his shoulder and her soft snores filling the space between them. She seemed blissfully unaware of the silent war raging within Y/N's mind, the turmoil that threatened to consume her from the inside out.

Y/N's foot tapped incessantly against the floor, a nervous habit that betrayed the inner chaos she was desperately trying to conceal. Each tap was like a metronome, counting down the seconds until she could escape the confines of the plane and the suffocating proximity to Jack.

She could feel his eyes on her once more, could sense the weight of his gaze boring into the side of her head. But she refused to look at him. Instead, she focused on the clouds outside the window, on the endless expanse of blue sky that stretched out before her.

Y/N was lost in thought, her mind a whirlwind of emotions and memories, when Jack's hand suddenly shot out, startling her back to reality. Before she could react, he had shoved a headphone into her ear, ignoring the sputtered questions and the look of indignation that flashed across her face.

His fingers brushed against her skin, sending a jolt of electricity through her body. It was a reminder of the connection they once shared, the easy intimacy that had defined their friendship for so many years. Y/N's breath caught in her throat, her heart racing as she tried to process the unexpected gesture.

As the familiar opening credits of her favorite episode of Game of Thrones filled her ear, Y/N's eyes widened in surprise. She glanced at Jack, searching his face for an explanation, but he steadfastly refused to meet her gaze.

His eyes remained fixed on the screen in front of him, as if the answers to all of life's questions could be found in the flickering images.

Y/N couldn't help but steal glances at Jack, her eyes tracing the contours of his face, the curve of his jaw, the way his lashes cast shadows on his cheeks.

Each glance was a silent question, a plea for him to acknowledge the unspoken words that hung between them. But Jack remained stoic, his attention unwavering, as if he had erected an impenetrable wall around himself.

Even as she tried to immerse herself in the show, Y/N couldn't shake the awareness of Jack's presence beside her. The warmth of his body seemed to seep into her skin, igniting a longing that she had tried so hard to suppress.

She could feel the rise and fall of his chest, could hear the soft whisper of his breath, and it made her heart ache with a bittersweet mixture of love and loss.

Beside her, Jack remained a silent presence, his body so close and yet so far away. Y/N couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking, what he was feeling.

…

Y/N stepped out of the airport, the crisp Michigan air filling her lungs and invigorating her senses. She took a deep breath, savoring the familiar scent of pine and freshly cut grass that always seemed to linger in the air.

The sun peeked through the scattered clouds, casting a warm glow on her surroundings and making the world seem a little brighter, a little more hopeful.

She scanned the crowd of people waiting outside the terminal, her eyes searching for a familiar face. And then, like a beacon in the chaos, she spotted him.

There, leaning against a sleek black car, was Luke. A grin spread across his face as he caught sight of her, his eyes crinkling at the corners in the way that had always made her heart skip a beat. "Y/N!" he called out, pushing himself off the car and striding towards her with open arms.

Without hesitation, Y/N dropped her bags and ran to meet him halfway. She threw her arms around his neck, feeling the solid warmth of his body as he wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground in a spirited hug. For a moment, the world seemed to fall away, and all that mattered was the comfort and familiarity of Luke's embrace.

"I missed you so much," Y/N mumbled into his shoulder, her voice muffled by the fabric of his shirt. She breathed in the scent of him, a mixture of cologne and something uniquely Luke, and felt a wave of nostalgia wash over her.

Luke chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest and vibrating against her own. "I missed you too, shorty. It's good to have you back."

He set her back down on the ground, but kept his arms around her, as if he was afraid she might disappear if he let go. Y/N couldn't help but smile up at him, feeling a sense of warmth and belonging that she hadn't felt in a long time.

Behind them, the sound of footsteps on the pavement broke the spell. Y/N turned to see Jack and Daphne approaching, their faces a mixture of exhaustion and something else, something harder to define. Jack's eyes met hers for a brief moment, a flash of emotion passing between them before he looked away, his jaw clenching.

Luke's arms tightened around Y/N, a silent show of support and protection. "Hey Jack, Daphne," he said, his voice carefully neutral. "Glad you could make it."

Daphne smiled, the expression not quite reaching her eyes. "Thanks for picking us up, Luke. It's been a long flight."

Y/N could feel the tension crackling in the air, the unspoken words and unresolved issues hanging between them like a thick fog. But for now, she pushed them aside, focusing instead on the feeling of Luke's arms around her and the promise of a few days away from the chaos of her life in New Jersey.

Jack moved forward, his arms open wide and a grin plastered on his face, Y/N felt a flicker of hesitation. There was something about his expression that seemed forced, as if he was trying too hard to appear casual and unaffected by the tension that hung thick in the air.

But before Jack could reach them, Luke's hand shot out, smacking the side of his head with a resounding thwack. The sound echoed through the parking lot, drawing the attention of a few curious onlookers. Jack stumbled back, a bewildered look on his face as he rubbed the spot where Luke's hand had made contact.

"Ow, what was that for?" Jack asked, his voice a mix of surprise and mock indignation. His brows furrowed as he looked at Luke, trying to decipher the reason behind the sudden attack. Y/N could see the gears turning in his head, the confusion and hurt flickering behind his eyes.

Luke lowered his voice, his tone stern yet laced with underlying concern. He leaned in closer to Jack, his eyes locked on his brother's, as if he was trying to convey a message that went beyond words.

"For being an idiot and for bringing her here. Did you forget about what you said on the phone?"

Y/N felt her heart skip a beat, her mind racing with the implications of Luke's words. What had Jack said on the phone? What secrets had he been keeping from her, even as he tried to bridge the gap between them?

Jack's face flushed with guilt, the color rising in his cheeks like a crimson tide. His eyes darted to Y/N, then back to Luke, a silent plea for understanding.

For a moment, no one spoke. Y/N could feel Daphne's eyes on her, could sense the other woman's curiosity and suspicion. But she refused to meet her gaze.

Finally, Luke broke the silence, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "Come on," Luke said, releasing Y/N and grabbing her bags. "Mom's waiting at home with lunch. She's been cooking up a storm all morning."

Y/N grinned, the thought of Luke's mother's cooking making her mouth water. "Lead the way," she said, falling into step beside him as they made their way to the car.

As they walked, Y/N could feel Jack's eyes on her back, could sense the weight of his gaze boring into her. But she refused to look back, refused to acknowledge the part of her that still longed for his touch, his presence, his love.

Instead, she focused on the warmth of Luke's hand in hers, on the promise of a few days of respite and healing. And as they drove away from the airport, the skyline of Detroit rising up in the distance, Y/N couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope igniting in her chest.

Maybe, just maybe, this trip would be the start of something new, a chance to leave behind the pain and heartache of the past and find a way forward, one step at a time. And with Luke by her side, and the love of her family to guide her, Y/N knew that anything was possible.

…

Lukes’s car pulled up to the familiar two-story house, Y/N felt a wave of nostalgia wash over her. The red brick facade, the white wooden porch, the sprawling oak tree in the front yard - every detail was exactly as she remembered.

She stepped out of the car, the warm breeze caressing her face and tousling her hair. The scent of freshly cut grass filled the air, a sweet perfume that brought back memories of lazy afternoons spent lounging in the sun and late-night conversations under the stars.

Y/N took a deep breath, letting the peace and tranquility of the moment settle over her like a comforting blanket. For the first time in days, she felt the knots of tension in her shoulders begin to loosen, the weight of her worries and fears slowly melting away.

Beside her, Jack and Daphne were unloading their bags from the trunk, their voices a low murmur against the backdrop of chirping birds and rustling leaves. Y/N hesitated for a moment, her eyes lingering on Jack's face, taking in the lines of stress and fatigue that creased his brow.

In that moment, she made a decision. She was tired of being angry, tired of holding onto the hurt and betrayal that had consumed her for so long. Life was too short to waste on grudges and resentment, too precious to let slip away in a haze of bitterness and regret.

With a determined set to her jaw, Y/N strode over to Jack, her steps purposeful and sure. He looked up as she approached, his eyes widening in surprise and a flicker of hope.

"Hey," she said, her voice soft but steady. "I just wanted to say... I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. I know things have been tough lately, but I don't want to keep dwelling on the past. You're my best friend, Jack, and that's never going to change."

Jack's face softened, his eyes shining with a mix of relief and gratitude. "Y/N, I..." he started, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm sorry too. For everything. I never meant to hurt you, and I know I have a lot to make up for. But I'm willing to do whatever it takes to earn your trust again."

Y/N felt a lump form in her throat, the sincerity in Jack's words tugging at her heartstrings. She reached out and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I know," she said, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "let's just focus on enjoying this trip and being there for each other, okay?"

Jack nodded, his own smile breaking through the clouds of tension that had hung over them for so long. "Okay," he said, his voice filled with a tentative hope. "That sounds perfect."

Together, they made their way up the porch steps, their hands still intertwined. Y/N could feel the warmth of Jack's skin against her own.

"Welcome back, sweetheart," Ellen said, her voice warm and rich like honey. "We've missed you so much."

Y/N felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. “I've missed you too," she said, her voice muffled against the older woman's shoulder. "It's so good to be home."

…

Luke led Daphne and Y/N up the stairs, their footsteps echoing on the hardwood, Jack seized the opportunity to pull his mother aside. His heart raced, palms sweaty as he glanced nervously between her and the staircase, his body practically vibrating with anxiety.

Ellen's brows furrowed, her maternal instincts kicking into high gear as she sensed her son's distress. She placed a gentle hand on his arm, her touch a silent invitation to share his troubles.

"Jack, honey, what's wrong?" she asked, her voice soft and filled with concern. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Jack swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. He ran a shaky hand through his hair, his eyes darting around the room as if searching for an escape. But there was none to be found, and he knew that he owed his mother the truth.

With a heavy sigh, he guided her to the couch, his movements stiff and awkward. They sat down, the worn cushions sinking beneath their weight, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.

Finally, Jack broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper. "Mom, I... I messed up. Y/N and I, we had a fight. A big one. And I don't know how to fix it."

Ellen's eyes widened, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face. But she remained silent, allowing her son to continue.

"I didn't tell her about Daphne, and she found out in the worst way possible. And now... now she can barely look at me. I don't know what to do, Mom. I can't lose her."

Jack's voice cracked, the tears he had been holding back for so long finally spilling over. He buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking with the force of his sobs.

Ellen's heart ached for her son, for the pain and regret that radiated off him in waves. She reached out and pulled him into a hug, her arms wrapping around him like a protective cocoon.

"Oh, Jack," she murmured, her voice filled with a mix of sympathy and gentle chastisement. "I know it's hard, but you have to be honest with the people you love. Secrets have a way of coming out, and they always hurt more in the end."

Jack nodded, his face still buried in his mother's shoulder. "I know," he said, his voice muffled by the fabric of her shirt.

"I just... I didn't want to hurt her. But I ended up doing exactly that." Ellen pulled back, her hands coming up to cup Jack's face. She looked him in the eye, her gaze filled with a wisdom born of years of love and experience.

"Do you remember the time that boy was bothering Y/N in school?" she asked, her voice soft and reminiscent. "You came home with a black eye and a split lip, but you were so proud of yourself for defending her."

Jack's lips twitched, a hint of a smile breaking through the tears. "Yeah, I remember. She was so upset, but I just wanted to make her feel safe."

Ellen nodded, her own smile mirroring her son's. "You brought her back here, to this very house. And you let her lay her head on your lap, and you caressed her hair until she fell asleep. Do you remember what I told you then?"

Jack's brow furrowed, his mind stretching back to that distant memory. "You said... you said that love is the most pure thing you can feel."

Ellen nodded, a knowing smile playing at the corners of her lips. "And I see it in you, Jack. When you look at her. You love her, don't you?"

Jack took a deep breath, his shoulders straightening his heart skipping a beat at his mother's words. He had always known, deep down, that his feelings for Y/N went beyond friendship. But to hear it spoken aloud, to have his deepest secret laid bare... it was both terrifying and exhilarating.

"I... I don't know what to say, Mom," he stammered, his cheeks flushing with a mix of embarrassment and longing. "Y/N and I, we're just friends. And besides, Daphne...” He trailed off, his eyes flickering towards the staircase where his ex-girlfriend had disappeared just moments before.

Ellen sighed "Jack, honey, the longer you wait, the harder it's going to be. Sooner or later, you're going to decide whether you want to be with her in that way or let her go and find love in someone else.”

Jack stood up, his heart lighter than it had been in days. He hugged his mother one last time, breathing in the comforting scent of her perfume. "You're right, Mom. I need to be honest with myself, and with Y/N. But... but I can't do it now. Not with Daphne here. It wouldn't be fair to anyone."

"Ellen patted his cheek, her touch a silent benediction. "I understand, sweetheart. But don't wait too long, okay?

…

Tag List <3

@favsrachz @jacktoria4ever @bunbunbl0gs @ivy-34 @rebelatbay @bxtchopolis

[joelalorian]

Fall Into Me - Chapter Ten: I'd give you my life from now 'til forever

dbf!joel x f!reader | WC: 4,103 | E 18+ mdni

Series Summary: Joel is hanging on by a thread as a single father to a tenacious 10-year-old Sarah. Feeling like he's drowning, like the world is about to spit him out, he needs some help before he breaks in half. At your dad's insistence, you show up in his life and change everything.

Chapter Tags/Warnings: Explicit, under 18 take a hike. No outbreak AU. Lots of feelings. Joel is his own warning. Morning oral (f! and m! receiving). Angst/despair - I'm sorry, but this was planned from the beginning. Please excuse my lack of medical knowledge. Age gap of about 9 years (Reader 24/25, Joel 33/34). No use of y/n. Reader has a nickname used only by her dad and Joel uses various terms of endearment (darlin', sweetheart, etc.).

Thank you so much to everyone who reads this self-indulgent story and extra thanks to those who comment and/or reblog - you all make me feel like a rock star!

Moodboard by the lovely @mrsmando. Dividers by the wonderful @saradika-graphics

Chapter Nine | Main Masterlist

The soft rays of the morning sun filtered through a break in the blackout curtains, casting a warm glow across the otherwise dark room. You slowly woke up, momentarily disoriented as you took in the surroundings. The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, mingling with the comforting aroma of Joel’s particular scent – that heady combination of fresh cut wood, hints of his lingering bodywash, and masculine musk. You turned your head and saw Joel sleeping peacefully beside you, his features relaxed in the early light, making him look almost boyish as curls flopped over his forehead.

For a moment, you simply watched him, your heart swelling with a mix of emotions—gratitude, excitement, and a hint of nervousness. The reality of your new life together settled in, bringing with it a sense of both promises and unknown challenges.

The coffee scent floating up the stairs called to you, but you remained in bed, scooting closer to Joel. You needed to do something special to celebrate your first morning as an official resident of the Miller household. Your hand crept beneath the covers, fingertips tracing down Joel’s bare chest and belly in a barely-there touch. They danced along the waistband of his boxer briefs, gliding over the front of the material to tease his morning wood.

Your touches light and soft, Joel didn’t waken, leaving you feeling emboldened. Slipping his hardened length through the hidden opening in his underwear, you savored the velvety soft skin of his hard cock. You glanced at Joel’s face to find his eyes still closed, breathing steady. Subtly shifting down the bed, you ducked under the covers to swipe the bead of pre-cum from the head with your tongue.

Clocking the hitch in his breath, you paused before wrapping your lips around him, sucking his cock into your mouth. You worked him with long, slow movements, taking him as deep as you could without choking, your tongue licking along the prominent vein on the underside of his cock. When your teeth scraped lightly over the bulbous head, Joel groaned.

“Oh, shit.” The blanket lifted with a flick of his wrist, exposing the sight of you sucking his cock to his dark, sleepy gaze. “What are you doing down there, darlin’?”

You audibly popped his cock from your mouth without breaking eye contact, grinning up at him. “Just showing what you what living with me is like,” you teased before ducking your head back down to finish what you started.

“Have I died and gone to heaven?” Joel gasped, hips bucking with the sensations running through him. “You’re gonna have me comin’ in seconds, darlin’. Fuck.”

Hearing how close to the edge he was, you got a little sloppy, taking him impossibly further down your throat, nearly gagging as you slurped at his hardened length. Hollowing your cheeks, you damn near sucked his soul out and Joel came, hard, a flood of cum filling your mouth in near endless spurts. Joel’s hands buried themselves in your hair, holding you down on his cock until he finished.

You sat up, tossing the covers back, and watched Joel’s chest heave as you wiped away an errant drop of cum from your lips with one finger. You smiled lovingly at the satisfied man laying before you, heart overflowing with love and utter want for a life with him. You leaned forward to place your finger at his lips, offering up a little taste of himself. When Joel sucked your finger into his mouth, you quickly replaced it with your lips.

Before you even knew what happened, Joel flipped you onto your back. The broadness of him engulfed you, mouth on yours as one of his hands wandered down to slip beneath the hem of your panties. He had you purring within seconds with confident flicks of a thick finger on your clit. Too soon, Joel slipped down your body to replace his finger with his mouth. You briefly mourned the loss of his mouth against yours, but his tongue worked its magic, teasing you until you were nothing but a puddle of pleasure under his control. An orgasm crashed over you within minutes as he sucked at your clit and lapped up your juices.

Boneless and deliciously satisfied, you watched with hazy eyes as he crawled back up your body and captured your lips in a kiss. Tasting the heady mix of you and him combined, you pulled him closer, slipping your tongue into his mouth to tangle with his. The kiss left you both breathless.

“I love you,” Joel whispered against your lips before peppering your face with tender kisses. “I’m so happy you moved in, darlin’.

“Me, too. I love you, Joel. This just feels so…” you couldn’t find the right word to describe how perfect it all was, being here, with him, starting this next step in your lives together.

“I know, I feel it, too,” Joel confirmed with a warm smile, his baby cow eyes gazing at you in that way that made you melt.

The two of you stayed cuddled in bed for a little longer before deciding it was time to start the day. Joel hopped in the shower as you headed downstairs. You made your way to the kitchen, where the fresh pot of coffee greeted you thanks to the preset timer. A smile crept onto your face as you noticed the note Joel had left on the counter next to the coffeemaker, written in his familiar print.

Good morning, darlin’. Welcome home.

The simplicity of the message touched you deeply, a small gesture that encapsulated the warmth and acceptance you felt in his presence. You poured yourself a cup of coffee, savoring the quiet moments of the morning before Joel and Sarah joined you.

As you sat at the kitchen table, your mind wandered to the events that had led you here. The decision to move in together had been both exhilarating and daunting. Blending your lives was a big step, but it felt right. Joel and Sarah had welcomed you with open arms, and you were determined to make this new chapter as seamless as possible.

The sound of footsteps brought you back to the present. You looked up to see Joel, his hair damp from the shower and a broad grin on his face.

“Morning,” he greeted with a laugh, as if you didn’t wake him up in the best way possible a mere half hour ago.

“Morning,” you snickered, tilting your head back for a kiss.

When he sat next to you with his own cup of coffee in hand, you couldn’t contain the happiness bubbling up within you. “I love you, Joel. So much.”

He squeezed your hand gently, pulling your chair closer so he could kiss you again. “I love you more, darlin’. You bein’ here, movin’ in with us, makes our circle complete.”

Just then, the sound of Sarah’s footsteps echoed down the stairs, breaking the tranquility of the morning in a pleasant way. She appeared in the doorway, rubbing her eyes and looking adorably disheveled.

“Morning,” she mumbled, making her way to the table. She stopped next to her usual chair for a beat before stepping past it to slide into Joel’s lap. You smiled at her, one hand reaching out to smooth over her wild curls.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” you greeted, pouring her a glass of orange juice.

As the three of you sat together, sharing the first of many breakfasts in your new home, you felt a profound sense of belonging. And so, the first morning of your new life together began, with the promise of many more to come.

The rest of the school year passed in a blur. Settling into life with the Millers proved easier than you ever imagined. Waking up next to Joel every morning became your favorite part of the day, followed by climbing into bed next to him each night.

Sarah flourished under your care, thriving with the attention and guidance that came with you as a mother figure. She constantly peppered you with questions, always asking for your opinion on a matter even if she already talked to Joel about it. You wondered how you got so lucky to have such a wonderful child in your life, especially when she gave you a homemade card for Mother’s Day, bringing you to tears. I can’t wait to call you Mom, the message read in Sarah’s little print, her handwriting so much like her father’s, just messier. You cried on Joel’s shoulder for an hour after the little girl bounced out of the room, Joel’s eyes shining with tears of his own.

You finally introduced Joel to your best friend. Emily charmed him just as much as she was charmed by him. Her husband hit it right off with Joel, and Tommy, too, and double dates quickly became a thing you all tried to do monthly.

Things weren’t always perfect, though. This was real life, after all. Things went sideways sometimes – small grievances, mostly, often relating to miscommunications or long, stressful days at work as you all adapted to sharing your lives together. You and Joel had a rule though – always talk it out and never go to bed mad. It worked well for the both of you, and without even realizing it, you were setting an example for Sarah on what healthy, loving relationships should look like.

You never knew it could be like this, not really. There was such beauty in this life you shared with them, even in the imperfections, that it was as close to perfect as it ever could be. That’s why it was so devastating when this wonderful new life you all built together nearly came crashing down the last day of school.

“Enjoy your summer everyone! Don’t let everything you learned this year leak out your ears!” you called as the final bell of the day rang for the last time until August. Watching the last of the sixth graders pile out of your classroom, you sunk down in your chair.

A whirlwind. That was the only suitable word to describe your first teaching experience. Equal parts exhausted and exhilarated, you longed for the summer break to last forever yet couldn’t wait to return next school year.

Knowing how excited Sarah would be to get the summer started, you submitted the final grades and packed your things. You’d come back next week to finish out any leftover tasks. The young girl bounced into the room just as you slid the chair under the desk.

“Hey nugget!” you greeted. “All set to start summer vacation?”

“Hi!” Sarah waved excitedly. “Yes! Can we get ice cream on the way home?”

This girl and her sweet tooth. She looked at you with those big eyes, dark and soft just like her dad’s, knowing you couldn’t say no.

“Twist my arm, why dontcha,” you teased. Wrapping an arm around Sarah’s shoulders, you led her from the room and down the hallway. Wishing a few of your colleagues a relaxing summer, you and Sarah made your way through the front doors and down the stairs to your car.

“Ok, ice cream time!”

Sarah beamed at you, chattering away excitedly about which flavor she wanted as you drove out of the parking lot. The ice cream place she wanted to go to was conveniently on the way home and you turned left onto the main street through town. The traffic light jut ahead was green and you drove into the intersection without thought, your eyes scanning for a parking spot just ahead on the right.

You never saw the pickup truck swerve around cars as it approached the intersection, blowing the red light at speed. One second, you’re driving along with Sarah chatting away, debating whether she should get chocolate peanut butter or cookie dough ice cream. The next second, the deafening, grinding sound of metal on metal hit your ears the same time your body jolted roughly, airbag deployed in your face crunching your nose. Screams echoed through the car, though you weren’t sure if they were from you or Sarah. Most likely both.

The truck hit the driver’s side of your car with such force that it rolled over sideways, twice, tossing your bodies around. Disoriented and dizzy, you tried to look at Sarah, to calm her screams as the car tumbled, but everything happened so quick. You barely registered the sharp pricks of broken glass in your skin as the windows and windshield gave away. You lost consciousness as the car slid to a stop on its roof.

Joel tore through the hospital doors, straight to the emergency room, his heart pounding so loud in his chest it echoed in his ears and threatened to burst straight through his ribcage. Tommy raced behind him, on the phone with JB to let him know what happened. Joel never thought he’d get a call like this. He couldn’t even drive, his entire body shaking after he answered the call from the hospital. He almost thought it some awful joke, but the hospital official insisted it was real. Tommy had to reach into the front pocket of Joel’s jeans for the keys, ushering his big brother into the truck before hurrying to the hospital.

Already familiar with this particular ER, after one too many construction-related injuries to his crew or himself over the years, Joel rushed through the halls without bothering to check in. Tommy stopped to get their visitor passes, calling out the rooms Sarah and you were supposed to be in before Joel turned a corner out of sight.

His heart was torn between who to check on first – you or Sarah – but he knew you’d want him to check on Sarah first. Joel could practically hear your sweet voice in his head, telling him not to be ridiculous, to obviously go to Sarah. It almost made him smile. Instead, it crushed his soul, reminding him that he didn’t know when the next time he’d hear your voice might be.

Skidding to a stop in front of Room 5, Joel couldn’t hold back the tears that sprang to his eyes at the sight of his baby girl lying battered in the too-large hospital bed, an IV attached to her little arm. He watched from the doorway, unable to move further for long moments as he took in the contusions on her sweet little face and along her arms, her right wrist in a cast. Heart in his throat, Joel only moved when Tommy appeared behind him.

“JB’s on his way. He’s at a job site in the next town over, so he’ll be a while. Have you checked on her yet?” Joel never heard Tommy speak so softly, so seriously. It made things seem so much worse. Tommy rarely took things seriously, so it must be bad. Still, it propelled him forward.

Finally stepping into Sarah’s room, Joel shook his head. He tried to speak, but the words stuck in his throat. His heart thudded painfully in his chest, stealing his breath as he drew closer to Sarah’s side. The little girl appeared to be sleeping, and Joel hoped that was the case and not that she was unconscious, but logically, he knew the truth just by the significant bruising on her sweet, little face.

Tommy’s hand gripped Joel’s shoulder when he dropped to his knees next to his daughter, a broken sob fighting its way through the knot in his chest. “Baby girl,” he murmured, stroking one large hand over her head, red-rimmed eyes scanning for more injuries.

“Imma go check on your girl, ok? Just stay here. Sarah needs you,” Tommy said, his voice sounding like he was talking underwater to Joel’s ears. Seeing his brother fall apart, Tommy hesitated. Was it smart to leave him like this? He’d never seen Joel like that, so broken, but someone needed to be there for you while Joel was here for Sarah, at least until your dad got there. With one last worried glance at his brother, Tommy left.

Arriving at the room he was told you’d be in, just a few doors down from Sarah’s, Tommy found it empty, too much blood puddled and smeared on the floor, and discarded medical gloves scattered around it all. His heart plummeted. “No. No, no, no, no!” He started to panic, thinking it meant the worst possible outcome. How would he tell Joel? Or your dad? Or worse still, little Sarah? It would destroy them. Would they ever recover from such a loss?

Turning his back on the room, Tommy slammed one fist against the corridor wall, the other held to his mouth as his teeth sunk into the flesh of his fingers to prevent himself from shouting. Tears sprung to his eyes that had nothing to do with the self-inflicted pain in his hands. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t tell them that you were…

“Can I help you?” A nurse passing by stopped at the sight of him bent over, gasping for breath, fighting back any further emotional outburst. “Are you ok?”

Nodding, Tommy stood to full height and blinked rapidly to clear his vision. God, he couldn’t even remember the last time he cried and now he suddenly felt like he’d never stop.

“Are you looking for someone?” the nurse pressed.

He pointed wordlessly over his shoulder to the room, hand shaking as he caught sight of the blood again when his head turned. The nurse caught on quick, placing a comforting hand on Tommy’s back.

“Oh! No. No, it’s not what you think,” she reassured, saying your full name. “She’s in rough shape, lost a lot of blood as you can see, so they brought her right into surgery. We’re just waiting on the environmental staff to clean up the room. If you take a seat in the waiting room, we’ll give you an update on her condition as soon as we can.”

“Oh, thank fucking God!” Tommy gasped, relief washing over him in a wave. “I thought she died and started to panic over how I would tell my brother or her dad.”

“She’s not out of the woods yet, but she should be ok. The finest surgical team is working on your friend.” Flashing an empathetic smile, the nurse gently led him toward the waiting room, but he stopped once they reached Sarah’s room.

“My niece is in here. I think I’ll wait in here for now if that’s ok. You’ll make sure to keep us posted, right?” Tommy entered the room once the nurse nodded. Joel remained in the same place, hand smoothing over Sarah’s hair in a gentle, rhythmic motion as the tears streamed down his face, soaking the sheets next to her left arm. Tommy felt his heart shatter watching his brother, the tiny shards piercing his chest with visceral pain.

“She’s in surgery,” Tommy choked on the words. “She lost a lot of blood.”

Joel turned devastated, watery eyes on him, but before either of them could say another word, a police officer walked into the room. “Mr. Miller?” the young officer inquired, Tommy and Joel both nodded and he cleared his throat. “Uh, Joel Miller?”

At that, Joel stood, wiping away the tears with a rough swipe of his hand. “That’s me,” he said, voice rough and scratchy.

“Ok. Could we have a word in private, sir?” The officer glanced between Joel and Tommy, uncertain.

Joel cleared his throat heavily. “This is my brother, Tommy. He can hear whatever you have to say.”

“Alright, sir. I’m Officer Grant, the responding officer to the accident. I just wanted to meet with you to gather some information.”

Joel’s expression darkened, brows pulling together. “What kinda information?”

Officer Grant shuffled closer with hesitant steps, pulling a notepad from a small pocket on the front his vest. “Just the usual. We’re trying to confirm witness statements and make sure we have all the facts about the accident, sir. Let’s start with the basics. Sarah Miller is your daughter?”

“Yes,” Joel grunted with annoyance. He stepped back to Sarah’s side, pulling a chair over to sit close to her.

“Were you aware that your daughter was in the car with a Miss, uh…” Officer Grant glanced down at his notes, stating your name.

“Yes.”

The officer gulped. “Ok, I just had to confirm it wasn’t a kidnapping situation.”

“Uh huh.” Quickly losing his patience, Joel glanced at Tommy for help.

“Could you, uh, tell us how the accident happened? No one’s told us anything other than there was one,” Tommy interjected.

“Oh.” Officer Grant���s eyes shifted between Joel, Tommy, and Sarah’s prone form on the bed. “Shit. I’m sorry, I should have started with that rather than interrogating you.”

“Damn straight,” Joel mumbled under his breath.

“A drunk driver failed to stop at a traffic light and hit the car your daughter and, uh—”

“Girlfriend,” Tommy interjected at the dark look on his brother’s face. “It’s his girlfriend, soon to be fiancé, we hope.”

“If she fucking survives,” Joel sighed, tears springing to his eyes again.

Grimacing, the officer continued. “The driver struck their car as they proceeded through the intersection, causing it to roll twice.”

“Fuck,” Tommy breathed with a glance at his unconscious niece. “I’m guessing the drunk driver hit the driver’s side of their car, just based on Sarah’s injuries?”

“That’s correct.”

Tommy nodded, watching Joel out of the corner of his eye. His head hung low, shoulders shaking as he fought off the sobs.

“Did you get the guy, at least?” Joel asked without looking up, his voice breaking on every other word. He was a wreck, on the verge of a panic attack.

“Yes, sir. We got him. His blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit,” Officer Grant admitted. “He’s in lockup now. He won’t get out of this one.”

After a prolonged period of silence, the only sounds in the room a mix of beeps from the machines monitoring Sarah’s stats and Joel’s sniffles, Officer Grant excused himself. Tommy took a seat in the remaining chair across from the foot of Sarah’s bed. Out of his depth, he had no idea what to do or say to his brother.

A nurse just finished checking Sarah’s vitals, letting them know more details about her injuries, when JB walked in. “Oh, nugget,” he said mournfully at the sight of his favorite little girl, and he moved to Joel’s side to place a comforting hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “How’s she doing?”

Joel’s shoulders lifted with the sheer effort of trying to breathe. “She has a concussion and hasn’t regained consciousness yet. Scrapes and bruises, but no broken bones aside from her wrist, thankfully.”

JB nodded, the hand still on Joel’s shoulder squeezed once, twice. “She’s young and strong, son. Our little nugget will heal quickly, I promise.”

Joel could do little more than nod, his eyes glued to his little girl’s face, praying she’d wake up soon. He wanted so badly to believe your dad, to trust in what he promised, but…

“Any word on Spud? They told me at the nurse’s station that she’s still in surgery, but they couldn’t tell me anything else.” JB’s voice became choked with tears at the end, emotion taking over at the thought of his own baby girl being so severely injured.

Shaking his head, Joel could barely get the words out. “We haven’t heard anything either. We haven’t even seen her yet.” He paused for a minute before lifting his head to look up at JB, bottom lip wobbling. “What if…”

“No, son. Don’t say it. Don’t think it,” JB warned, pulling Joel to his feet despite their size difference. He placed his hands on Joel’s shoulders, jostling them a little to get Joel to meet his gaze. Two sets of teary, bloodshot eyes stared at each other. “My baby girl is strong, just like yours. She’s a fighter. She won’t leave you, us. She would never, not if she could help it.”

“I don’t know if I’d survive if she did, JB,” Joel said, his voice so small and broken. He practically collapsed against JB, forcing the older man to support him as he cried openly against JB’s shoulder.

Even Tommy couldn’t fight the tears threatening to slip down his cheeks as JB pulled Joel into the tightest hug, the two fathers clinging to each other in a mix of despair and hope as they worried about their little girls.

tbc

I'm sorry. if it's any consolation, I brought tears to my own eyes writing this.

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[groceryreceiptss]

hii! could you do peeta melark x reader? just some domestic sunday morning cuddling :) thanks so much!

'cause it's gravity, keeping you with me

peeta mellark x reader | word count : 0.9k | requested

a/n : hii!! to be honest, i wasn't really sure on how to write this so i'm really sorry if this wasn't what you had in mind, but i tried my best, and i hope you'll enjoy reading it either way! :) thank you for the request < 33 (also yes, i know the picture i chose doesn’t quite match the theme of this fic but look at him!! and look at that golden light on his face!!!)

contains : baddd writing. fluff -> soft intimacy!! but a bit of angst too if you squint. you know, longings and a sense of vulnerability. feelings of hopelessness and despair in the past. let me know if there's more!

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

the soft morning sun drifted its way to your face, resting its warm light against your closed eyes. you were just about to give yourself an excuse to sleep in a bit later before you subconsciously remembered that, today is a sunday. no business in waking up early then, you thought, as you pulled the blanket closer.

you shifted a bit and shuffled in closer to peeta’s body next to you. His breathing met at the same pace as yours and his heartbeat the same thrum as the one you had going.

peeta mellark. you knew it was silly to dwell on what could have and would have, but every day, each morning, as you woke up to his comforting presence next to you, you couldn’t help but wonder, what would your life have become, if he hadn’t been there to keep it going?

the war had destroyed everything, leaving trails of loss in its path, wider than the land itself. you didn’t know what you would have done, if you hadn’t seen him again. if he hadn’t come back to your life and reminded you that there were still reasons to live and try to heal for.

and every day you woke up feeling more grateful than the day before.

you didn’t know if an hour had passed, or had it been merely minutes later, when you felt peeta’s arms on your waist, pulling you back onto his chest, engulfing you in more of his warmth, his comfort. his head nested on the crook of your neck, his messy golden blonde hair on your cheek.

in response and out of habit, you brought your hands to his curls, smoothing them softly.

“y/n, sweetheart?” he muttered, and you could feel his lips on your shoulder, sending vibrations onto your skin and bone. it was crazy how he could still make your heart skipped a beat like it was the first time.

“hm?” you responded, still not ready to part with sleep too much to say anything else.

his lips lost touch with your skin and moved on to your ear, whispering, “turn around, look at me please.” 

and so you slowly did. with your eyes still refusing to open, you felt his fingers playing with your hair, pulling them off your forehead. 

“morning, sleepyhead.” he chuckled, and you could tell that he was playfully rolling his eyes. he kissed your temple slowly, and you let your eyes flutter open. 

rubbing your eyes in an effort to erase the sleep out of them, you mumbled, “how are you already awake? it’s sunday.”

“old habits die hard,” he’d answered before you felt his hands on your wrists, stroking them softly with his thumbs. 

you placed your arms around his chest, and as if on cue, he pulled you closer to him, earning him a soft sigh. “do you think it’s physically possible for us to get any closer?” he wondered aloud with a way too cute smile on his face.

still not entirely conscious, you muttered without thinking, “maybe once our bodies have withered into skeletons." oh, you caught yourself. “oh wait, that's dark.” 

he let out a light laugh at your scrunched up eyebrows. “i love you.” 

you looked up at him, into his deep beautiful blue eyes. his eyelashes are so long. “i love you too, peet.” 

and you did, you really did. you told him that everyday, but you never did think it was enough. it was so dramatic to actually utter it, but you truly didn’t think there was enough variety in the english dictionary to fully capture this. this thing that passed between you and him.

as if hearing your quiet thoughts, maybe your eyes had displayed a moment of fragility in them, he responded saying, “i know, love, i know.” 

the grip on your waist held on tighter, like it was scared if it faltered, then it would lose. you mirrored his gesture and snuggled your head further into his chest, the top of your head touching his chin. 

“you want to get some breakfast?” he mumbled into your tousled hair. 

you thought about it for a second, but then shook your head. you looked up at him, a wide smile etched onto your face. “no, i’m good here.” 

you didn’t want to leave this yet, this sacred place. one where you could feel his signs of life all around you, one where you could shut the entire world all around you and its bleak reality and made it only consist of you and him. peeta mellark. 

was it possible to fall further in love with the same person every time you heard his name in your head? was it possible to have the same name echoed through your head over and over like a promise?

you saw his lips formed into a bigger smile, his fingers played with the strands of your hair. 

maybe you knew, maybe you didn’t, but all he could think about  at this very moment was how he had gotten so lucky. to have you here beside him, letting him love you and and letting him show it to you. he looked at your face, with that big smile on it, eyes still bleary from sleep. you were so beautiful, my god. 

he nodded, agreed. he didn’t want to leave too. if he could stay here forever, he would. it would be like having lived a lifetime itself, he thought. “yeah, me too." he said softly as he planted a kiss on your forehead. 

[thatanimewriter]

COULDA, WOULDA, SHOULDA, DIDN'T (ALTERNATE ENDING).

➳ synopsis: aventurine has never lost. that's what he tells people when he makes bets and in passing conversation about gambling. but every night when he lays in bed, he will always think about the day he almost lost you. angst version.

➳ character/s: aventurine

➳ warnings: 2.1 spoilers, aventurine backstory spoilers, aventurine real name spoilers, mentions of death, slavery (it's not romanticised, you're safe-), mentions of torture, blood, hurt/comfort, marriage, sleeping together (literally), reader described as beautiful

➳ word count: 0.7k

➳ notes: here's the happy version for those who were asking for it LMAO also i jumped on the bandwagon of fic writers inspired by aventurine official art-

𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 / 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭  / 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 / 𝐰𝐢𝐩 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

aventurine will never forget the day he met you. he himself didn't know much better than you did as you ran for your lives as children, but he knew he never wanted to see you like that ever again. that night, he thinks he fell in love.

even with the heavy metal cuffs crushing your wrists, he thought you were beautiful. in the most horrible circumstances, you found solace in each other's arms. aventurine made it a habit to kiss your brand mark and then your forehead as he let you use his arm as a pillow. any screams of pain either of you made as you were roughly dragged from your cell to undergo 'disciplining' haunt your minds in the rare moments of emptiness.

the day aventurine was bought away by jade, he's never felt fear quite the same as looking back and seeing you be dragged away by your cuffs, calling out for him as he left while you were pulled further down the abyss of pain and agony.

"i'll come back for you, wait for me!" he yelled behind him. he was desperate, he didn't know if he would ever get to come back for you and ultimately, that scared him more. the idea that his last interaction with you was filled with despair only fueled his desire to rise to the top. he would free himself and ensure that when (if) he freed you, you would have everything you needed immediately.

aventurine remembers the day he came back for you. he'd beat up a lot of guards, and possibly killed a couple, only to find you unconscious and bleeding onto the cold concrete floor in your cell. scrambling to his knees, he held you in his arms and bolted out the door, desperately praying to whatever god would listen that you were alive.

he lived a nightmare as you recuperated in hospital, but nothing came close to making him cry since leaving you than holding your hand and kissing you all over again as if it was your first time. each night as he slept in the chair beside your hospital bed, he wondered what would've happened if he never got to you or was too late.

when he proposed to you, it felt like a fever dream. when he woke up the next morning to see you beside him, ring glinting in the morning sun and cheek pressed into a silk pillowcase rather than dusty concrete. he smiled in adoration, pulling you closer by the waist and chuckling at your sleepy whine of protest before burying your head into his chest and falling back asleep. taking your hand in his, he kissed the ring he'd given to you as a token of your engagement, resting his chin atop your head.

his phone rang and he sighed, blindly reaching behind him to check who was calling him. dr. ratio.

groggily, he answered. "you're calling early, don't you know i'm spending my paid leave with my wonderful fiance?"

aventurine could practically hear the eye roll from dr. ratio over the phone. "i am well aware, i just thought you would want to be informed that i have located your old master that was missing from the premises when you were searching for them," he said, probably polishing one of his marble busts to occupy himself.

"...keep an eye on him. i'll figure out what to do with him when i get more sleep." and with that, aventurine hung up the phone. he returned his attention to you and caressed his thumb over your hip as he pondered this newfound information.

he could've lost you if he didn't get there when he did. he's grateful for that, because he can have you by his side forever and a little bit more. he would've come looking for you to discover you'd died if he didn't push himself harder than recommended to rise to the top. he should've lost you, for that is what the sick gods on some alternate plane of reality deemed reasonable for his kind.

he didn't.

[belovanat2]

Our new chance, pt.4

Agatha and Rio are given a new chance. 

It's age regression, if you don't like it, don't read it - NEXT CHAPTER WE’RE GOING TO SEE MORE ABOUT AGERE

Alice is the reader's name, unrelated to the show.

I'm going to write several chapters, so it may take a while for the story to unfold. 

English its not my first language.

Rio and Agatha help Alice to get ready on the bed in the guest room, so that the couple can go back to sleep and Alice can start resting.

"Okay, I think everything's ready for you to go to rest," Rio says leaning against the guest room door next to Agatha, staring at Alice who was sitting on the bed.

"Do you need anything else before you go to sleep?" Agatha asks less indifferently this time.

"No, it's all very well, thank you for the evening Miss Agatha and Rio," Alice replies formally and the two older women laugh lightly.

"When you wake up, you can call Agatha and I, okay?" Rio asks, waiting for the girl to answer, but she only nods.

"We'll let you rest now, good night... Alice..." Agatha replies with a sad smile and leaves before the girl can answer.

"Door open or closed dear?" Rio asks

"Open please" she replies shyly and Rio nods.

"Good night, anything just call me”

"Thank you, good night..." Alice replies and Rio leaves her alone to go to her and Agatha's room to go back to sleep.

As soon as she hears the two of them, she quietly goes to her backpack and takes out a teddy, a teddy she wouldn't sleep without at all. She went back to bed, lying under the softest covers she had ever seen or come close to. The house was very comfortable. She wished she'd had a life like that....

She decided to go to bed soon, because she wanted to wake up before the women so that she could leave without them noticing. 

She just didn't know how to deal with goodbyes, and she was in a bad situation, she didn't want to have to talk about it. And what if Rio and Agatha changed their minds in the end, and called the police on her, and they took her to a shelter or back to her mother. That would be terrible.

She decides to push the bad thoughts away and hugs her teddy and falls into a deep sleep.

----

In the early hours of the morning, all three of the girls in the house were sleeping soundly but restlessly. It was a restless night. 

Near dawn, Alice woke up, realizing that she was lucky to have been the only one to wake up.

She looked around the room and mentally thanked herself for a comfortable night's sleep. But she had to leave. 

Alice politely tidies up the bed and leaves the room as it was. She even manages to find pen and paper to write "thank you". 

She puts her favorite stuffed animal back in her backpack and leaves the room as quietly as possible, this time being very careful not to make any noise.

----

Agatha's dream

Nicky appeared in her dream, they were lying on the grass, the little family present. Rio, Agatha and Nicky. Laughing and telling stories.

Until the boy sat up abruptly, looking frightened. 

"Nicky, baby, what happened?" Agatha asks, sitting down next to her son with her wife accompanying her.

He looks desperately at them both.

"She's leaving, moms! She's leaving!" He despairs, gasping for breath.

"Who? Who's leaving?" Rio asks, confused by her son's reaction. 

"My sister, my sister Alice!" He starts to cry, and the two women look at each other in fright without understanding "Don't let her go, go! Quick, don't let her go! Wake up! Wake up!" Nicky begins to speak repeatedly.

These words echoed in Agatha's mind. She wakes up gasping 

“She's leaving!" She says, nudging Rio awake.

"What?" Rio asks sleepily.

"Alice is leaving," she says, getting up and looking for Rio to do the same. 

Rio then obeys her wife's pleading look and quickly gets out of bed. The two of them head for the stairs. Agatha holds Rio's hand and looks at her deeply.

"It's really her..." she says, starting to tear up "Nicky told me..."

Rio looks at her in shock, with her heart in her hand, but gives Agatha a reassuring smile. 

The two then run back up the stairs and spot Alice about to open the door and leave. The girl doesn't even notice them.

"No!" Agatha shouts and Alice jumps up frightened "Don’t go" the woman holds back the tears that insist on coming out.

Alice turns to face the women. "How did they know?" She thinks.

"Where are you going?" Rio asks in a slightly lower voice, trying not to scare the girl any more.

Alice lowers her head in shame.

"I have to go, I can't stay..." she replies in a whisper 

"Why not?" Agatha asks, moving closer to the girl.

"This isn't my home... I have to find my place" Alice looked at Agatha, who was visibly upset.

Agatha sighs and puts her hand on the younger girl's chin, making her stare at her. Rio approached, even though she knew Agatha wouldn't hurt the girl, she knew her wife was upset by the dream she'd had. 

"But it can be," Agatha finally says, and Alice opens her eyes in surprise, "this can be your home, you don't have to leave."

Rio also looked at the woman in surprise. This was an exciting and confusing moment for everyone.

"What do you mean?" Alice asks in a shaky, unsure voice.

"She's saying that we want you to stay," Rio interferes, hugging her wife and looking at Alice's soft but frightened features.

"But.... But why?" The girl asks confused. No one ever wanted her, never made a point of her presence, this had to be a joke. She began to cry, her thoughts racing.

"Because it's been right... since the beginning," Agatha replies, this time letting a tear fall. She takes Alice's hands and holds them, caressing them "What do you think, darling?" 

They all sit in silence for a minute, thinking, confused and breathless. 

"I think... I think I want to stay too" Alice replies with a shy smile

[auggieblogs]

ugh, math!

Max Verstappen x reader

Summary: Overwhelmed by math exam anxiety, you were on the verge of despair. Max's comforting presence and soothing words were your saving grace.

Author's note: Oh my god, I absolutely love this prompt. Thank you so much, the anon who requested this. I really hope you enjoy this!

P.S.- I am not technically a woman in STEM so I don't know the struggles, but I have 12th grade math, and it is downright depressing for me. Again, I might have projected a little too much. Apologies in advance.

The weight of the upcoming math final pressed heavily on your shoulders, making your chest tight with anxiety. Tears welled up in your eyes, blurring the complex numbers and equations in your textbook. You deeply regretted taking this class, and an overwhelming sense of incompetence washed over you. You were about to give in to despair, convinced that you simply weren't smart enough for this. The more you tried to grasp the concepts, the more they seemed to slip through your fingers like sand.

Just when you thought you couldn't bear it any longer, the door opened, and Max walked into the room. His perceptive eyes immediately caught the distress etched on your face, and worry flashed across his features. Without hesitation, he rushed to your side, his voice filled with genuine concern.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Max asked softly, crouching down in front of you.

You looked up at him, your eyes brimming with tears, and it all became too much to bear. You broke down in front of him, your sobs escaping uncontrollably, your head buried in your trembling hands.

Max hated seeing you like this. He immediately wrapped his strong arms around you, pulling you close to his chest, and kissing your forehead gently as he whispered soothing words. His fingers ran through your hair in slow, calming strokes, offering comfort and reassurance.

You hiccupped between sobs, words tumbling out in a rush. "I can't do this, Max. It's so difficult, and I feel like giving up. I'm not smart enough for this, I just can't."

Max held you even closer, his voice unwavering and reassuring. "Listen, bub, you are incredibly smart, and you're not a quitter. I know you can do this."

His words gave you a glimmer of encouragement. Sniffling and wiping away your tears, you took a deep breath and returned to your study materials. Max remained by your side, not entirely understanding the complex math, but his presence was a source of comfort.

As you worked through the complex equations, Max fetched your favourite chocolate milk and prepared your go-to comfort sandwich. He knew that a touch of familiar comfort would help you feel better. Between study sessions, he quizzed you on formulas and cheered you on with a smile and encouraging words.

Hours upon hours passed in intense studying, but Max's belief in you never wavered. He could see your fatigue setting in as the night wore on. Gently, he suggested, "You've been working so hard, love. Maybe it's time to get some rest."

Reluctantly, you agreed, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling upon you. Max helped you tidy up your study materials and led you to the bedroom. He tucked you into bed, his fingers continuing to run soothingly through your hair.

"Try to relax," he whispered, his voice filled with tenderness. "You've got this"

After a night of restful sleep, you woke up early, refreshed and determined. Max's encouraging words from the previous night echoed in your mind, reminding you of your own capabilities. With newfound confidence, you revisited your formulas and reviewed the key concepts, ensuring you were as prepared as possible.

As you entered the exam room, your heart still raced with anticipation, but there was a newfound sense of self-assuredness within you. The questions on the paper no longer seemed insurmountable; you tackled them with determination and clarity.

Hours passed by in a blur of focused effort, and when you finally submitted your exam, you felt a sense of accomplishment wash over you. The exam went remarkably well, and you couldn't help but smile as you left the room.

Outside, Max was waiting for you, a proud and supportive grin on his face. His mere presence brought an extra layer of warmth to your already joyful heart. He enveloped you in a hug.

𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝⋆｡˚ 𓇼𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝⋆｡˚ 𓇼𓇼 ⋆｡˚𓆝⋆｡˚

The day the results were finally revealed was a day of both excitement and trepidation. Your heart raced as you logged into the exam portal, hoping beyond hope for a passing grade. As the page loaded, your eyes widened in disbelief, and a rush of pure elation surged through you – you hadn't just passed; you had aced the exam!

Unable to contain your excitement, you called Max immediately. His voice was filled with pride and joy as he exclaimed, "I knew you could do it, baby! I'm so incredibly proud of you!"

He couldn't wait to celebrate this incredible achievement with you. He suggested a celebratory dinner or date night. However, you were still feeling the exhaustion from your intense studying and the emotions of the past few days. You wanted nothing more than to stay in and unwind in the comfort of your own space.

Max decided to make the evening just as special at home. He ordered your favourite takeout, ensuring it was exactly what you were craving. He also brought home an assortment of your favourite ice cream flavours, knowing that dessert would be the perfect indulgence for this celebratory occasion.

As evening descended, you both snuggled on the couch, surrounded by pillows and blankets. The collection of your favourite movie, "The Princess Diaries," is played on the screen. Max's arm wrapped securely around you as he pulled you close, planting sweet kisses on your forehead. Laughter filled the air as you indulged in your ice cream, not caring about what was going on in the film but rather the ridiculous jokes Max was currently making.

With each passing minute, the exhaustion from the weeks of preparation began to catch up with you. Max noticed your eyelids growing heavy, and he couldn't help but smile at the sight of you, content and peaceful in slumber. He gently brushed a strand of hair from your face and took a picture, capturing the moment .

maxverstappen1 posted on their story

[haunteddetectivepeach]

Danny 'Jed Olsen' Johnson x pregnant reader

You

You met the ghostface regularly, or rather, it went to your home. You had sex many times, at first you felt guilty about the fact that it is the ghostface and the same hands that satisfied you and touched you are the same ones that kill innocent people.

Most of the time he did not use a condom. But it was okay because you are taking pill, but now, the unexpected happened, your mestruation has been late for 2 weeks, you thought it was just because of the stress of work unitil it started to feel alot of nausea and your breasts were well sore, you refused to take a pregnancy test, for fear, fear off what will happen if you are pregnant, pregnant with a serial killer, not just a serial killer, but the ghostface, or rather, Danny, at the least that was the names he gaves you.

You just woke up from a party that your friend Jessie called you, you are not much of parties, but you were a little away from your friend because of your little case with the largest serial killer in the United States of America, and was scared of what he can do about people close to you, Danny is a little jealous, the last time a guy screwed me, he cut his throat the next day...

I felt guilty for days, but the guy ran a hand on my ass, so on a second thought, i don't feel guilty at all.

RING RING RING

The alarm sound tuck tou of you thoughts. And them the desire of vomit again, i think i will really have to do this...arriving in the bathroom, you took the small box were there was the pregnancy test from the courter where you have you things. After doing the whole process, you let out a sign and them start to despair when you look at the results, positive, "Positive, a fucking positive, of couse, the pill was no use shit any" you talk softly "Jesus Christ, what do i do? Abortion? Tell him? Cry?scream? Oh my god, oh my fucking god, i have to run away? Just go?" You start crying softly, looking at the little staff in your hands, and finally, thrown on the trash.

Danny Johnson/Jed Olsen

I woke up early to play the perfect american citizen Jed, the dear Jed, who all love and no one even suspicious. I passed my gel on my black hair I observed my body toned on the mirror, despite some scars, and them my suit and tie, all perfect.

I arrived at gazette journal, greeted the receptionist and secretariats until i arrived at my office. I was trying to make my new article, John Smith, my last victim, but i couldn't have her out of my head, the woman i find myself, me, Danny, not the Jed. Then my mind dive to her body curves, her breasts, her ass..."Damn" i have to stop thinking about her, i have to do this article, and a can't to it with an erection, it would spoil the perfect Jed, no one can think Jed is a pervert that get hard at work, but damn, i still remember our last night, the last time we saw each other, because unfortunately i was too busy with John shit Smith, at least it was a good death, but nothing, nothing make me forget her, my bunny, she's too perfect, her body, her face, i remember every little bit about her body, you can't forget a woman like that, not even if i wanted to, i still remember...our sweaty bodies in that bed, her breasts swaying as the rhythm increased, her nails digging into my back, her legs whapped around me as if she didn't want me to leave, her sly moans in my ears as you told me to go deeper, harder, more...more, the creaking of the bed, the wet sheets, your room smelled of sex, and the only sounds heard were our skins slapping together, you sweet moans. Only her, only she can do this to me, she holds me and i can't let go, she was the only woman, who entered my thoughts and i can't take it away, i can't.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

A knock on the door brought me of my thoughts. "You can come in" Soon Jeff enter "Olsen, here is some informations that the police gave us, we need this article sent today" Jed gives him a small smiley enough to Jeff "Of course sr, it will be ready before you remember it" Jeff nodded "I knew a cold count on you, Olsen" Then Jeff left the room eating his disgusting greasy donut in his hand, Danny wanted to kill this man, but he know's he can't, he realized that he can't kill anyone at work that would bring suspicion, and he really doesn't want to be seen or have problems with the police.

You

I'm at work talking to my boss about a state transfer, it was my decision, i going to leave, i going to run away and I'm not going to tell anyone, not my friends, anyone. I really have to go, what would he do if he found out I am pregnant, and worse, with his child. I can't, i can't take it, I'm terrified, we don't even have a relationship, i don't even know if a know him well, of course I know that he is the ghostface, the most wanted serial killer in Roseville, Florida. But at all, I never saw his face, at least not all of it, we kissed so much times, we had sex but I was blindfolded most of the times or remaining wearing a mask. My boss said there was a transfer to Utah, and i accepted. And about Danny, he hasn't come for a few days, probably busy with new victims, and we are not dating ou anything else, We just fucked, a lot of times. Whenever we fucked i would wake up alone in the sheets, wich still had his cheap cologne on, he would stay with me until I fell asleep and leave late at night so he wouldn't be seen. He always leaves a post it saying something like: See you, Darling. That's why I know he cares about me, but a child? A child of ours? A mini us? I'm definitely scared if he finds out before I can leave, it's for the best for us, because he is a fucking serial killer, and yet, I slept with him and not just once. Okay, i have to leave today, I'm not taking any furniture, nothing, just some clothes and essential objects for my work so that he doesn't get suspicious before I can leave. I told my boss not to tell anyone about where I went , no matter who. I took the first taxi to the airport and just let myself go. "Goodbye, Danny."

Danny

After work, I got ready with my ghostface costume and went to see her, i parked far from her house, in the darkest part, where no one could see me. I watching trying to find her, but nothing. I decided to go in, i looked in every room, and i waited for her to arrive, hour passed and i tried to call her on my spare number that I use for ghostface calls, but she wasn't answering, I ran to check the drawers and nothing, there was no nothing, i decided to go back the next day.

The next day, i went to the hospital where she works, I ask the receptionist if you was there, and she told me that you don't longer work there, i asked to speak to your boss, he told me that you request transfer. Why? I asked him where, but he said you asked him not to tell anyone, no matter who. Shit. At night, i went to your house, pissed, angry, that's all l fell. Why? You think you could get into in my head, and just...leave, like it's was nothing? I started to break down everything, thrown everything on the floor. "FUCK"

You

It's been 2 years, 2 years since I left, 2 year I've been in Utah and a year since my baby was born, a strong and healthy little boy, he has the same grey eyes as Danny, and the face is similar, it's been exactly 2 weeks since he turned 1 years old, I made his day the most especial. My mother helped me with everything since I arrived in Utah, she helped me with the move furniture and my house a large two-story with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, my son's room is fully of toys, painting notebooks and very colorful for my baby.

I was preparing his food while he has coloring with crayons, when the news on television caught my attention, i was paralyzed. ALERT: 26-YEARS-OLD MAN FOUND DEAD THIS MORNING. On the television was the photo, the ghostface over the censored corpse, my son was entertaining himself with some building blocks, for wich i thank the gods. It took a while to reason, he...he's here, in Utah. He knows? Does he knows I'm here? Did he come after me? Did he come to kill me for leave? No, I just paranoid, there no way he was discovered at all. "Damn, stop worrying, everything will be okay, he will not find me, I hope..."

Two weeks after the first ghostface murder

Danny

I was crouching in a bush watching a house, and that's when I saw her. There she was cooking and dancing to the sound of a song where I couldn't identify. But... she was not alone, squeezed my eyes and managed to see, was a baby, a boy, apparently 12 months or 1 year. Smiling without teeth right. So he made the calculations, 1 years that the baby appears to have and 2 years she left, she was still meeting him, wasn't she? Or she was having sex with another guy while sleeping with him..or is his baby?. That's why, why is she gone? Is the baby really his? A fruit of them two? I was dipped in my thoughts. I need to see right, I need to see the boy well.

You

I was holding my son on my hip while we danced to the sound of (f/v)

And I prepare a food for both of us. Until I observed a movement outside. I put in (y/c/n) in the Feeding chair and headed toward the window, watched and found nothing. Maybe it was my head, or not. When I and (y/c/n) we finished eating, it was a little late and put him in the crib, I sang a song until he fell asleep, when he slept, headed for my room that was near him to be easier to Listening to crying or meeting your needs, put a nightgown and tied my hair awkwardly with a little hair in front and lay down. A few hours or minutes maybe I heard a wooden noise, I took a bat and went towards the noise came from.

It came from my son's room, walked fast towards a totally dark room, I stared at the crib and he wasn't there when I looked at the armchair that is located in the corner of the room and was there. Danny. Holding our son, in his arms, was the small figure sleeping peacefully with his little hands playing lightly in the white mask, Danny who looked at him, suddenly changed his gaze to me, the only lighting in the room was the moonlight brightness, Until then the silence was broken. "Hello Darling"

"What are you doing here?" "What? I can't visit my lover? Or rather, my son's mother"

He said getting up carefully as he snuggled (y/c/n) in the crib. "It's my baby, isn't it? So you left?" He says approaching slowly until he was centimeters from you, the difference in visible height and the small space that could only be heard the breaths of each other, he put his hand gloved in his chin and raised stop his eyes through the mask. "Answer me, honey" He speaks so low that he sounded like a whisper. His lips separated to speak, but nothing left. He raises a little from the mask and gets closer, you finally wave your head."Yes..." he then gets millimeters from you and collides the lips against yours. When you leave it, he looks at you eyes with a predatory gray look at yours and says "our son, and you are mine, sweetheart, just mine, and we are a family. We and our little boy. I love you, bunny"

He said with his head now without the mask touching yours. with your lips almost touching

"I love you too, Danny".

[impval]

Meet me halfway

Cate Dunlap x Fem!Reader soulmate au

If you believed in destiny– a fate, some written-in-stone plan of the universe– it all had something to do with the way their wrists aligned. The words inscribed there, written with a trembling hand and the heart of a girl who was half a broken mess and half a survivor.

The days in her room were long. So long. Nine years of no one touching her. No one holding her. The silence was so goddamn deafening sometimes that she'd almost be praying for someone to burst through the door for no other reason to end the endless hours of quiet.

You were the only reason she was still sane. The idea of you— the thought of meeting you someday— the belief that anyone out there was meant for her. That no matter what…someone would love her.

Cate spent so long waiting for you— imagining you. Her fantasies went so far, it hurt.

But when Indira came, touched her, saved her from that dark, lonely room…

It was enough to keep her going… for a while, at least. Indira's words weren't quite as cruel or cold-hearted as her parents. At the very least, her savior had never looked at her like something she ought to fear. And God, how Cate craved that closeness. That human connection. She had grown up, practically starved for it.

And even if it wasn't you, Indira had a gift with words, and she had a way of convincing Cate that things could change. Things could get better.

And you were still nowhere to be found.

Cate was so, so lonely, even when she was surrounded by the noise and laughter of college life. The parties, the alcohol, the boys— it was all so numbing. Her mind was full, yet all of her thoughts were consumed by you. Wondering where the hell you were. It drove her insane— drove her to keep taking the pills that Indira said would make everything better.

She would still do anything for validation.

She would still change every part of herself, just so long as someone would tell her I love you, once.

Cate spent her nights at parties, drinking until the room was spinning and everything was blurry and fun and light, because she didn't care. She just wanted to feel numb, pretend like she didn't feel hollow and empty inside. And every time she woke up in a stranger's bed she wondered if today would be the day when you walked into her life.

But each morning she rose alone, her lips tingling with regret and memories from the night before.

Every party was an opportunity to find you, to touch as many people as possible. To find the one person who didn't run. Who wasn't afraid. To feel your heartbeat under her fingertips, feel the blood pumping through your veins.

Only it never worked. You were never there, and Cate's hope was fading.

For some people, finding their soulmates is as easy as saying two words. It just happens. One look—one touch—and it's like a missing puzzle piece slotting into place. The world just… clicks.

Cate will never know that. She's accepted that much. But still, every time she saw Luke and Andre, her heart stung just a little. That could've been her.

There were times when Cate felt like you didn't exist. That whatever words were written on her wrist were a cruel, sadistic joke. That in a world of superheroes and powers, she was the one who'd been dealt a shitty hand.

When she'd been isolated for nearly a decade, the odds of finding you were just about zero. But for all of that despair, for all of those hopeless fantasies, she never lost hope. Because after spending so much time by herself she had grown up, and one thing she'd learned early on was the fact that monsters were made, not born.

That itch. That pull, that need that was constantly gnawing at her like an infected wound, festering. And it wasn't like the pills Shetty gave her had completely removed the feeling. They just… took off the edge. They made Cate feel a little more normal, like herself— but the thought, that feeling that there was something missing, still sat on her shoulders.

Compared to Cate, you had a relatively conventional childhood, but of course, you had your own issues to deal with. Of course, you were also fucked up in your own way, you had powers after all.

The idea that there was someone destined to be yours, a companion and partner in this chaotic world, filled you with a sense of security. A warm buzz settled in the pit of your stomach—the knowledge that you weren't ever going to be alone, that there was someone out there who was yours, and yours alone.

Despite not being a frequent partier, you had reluctantly agreed to attend this particular event. Perhaps it was the promise of a good time with your friends, or maybe a secret wish to meet your soulmate.

You had definitely heard the rumors—the whispers and muttered conversations, the gossip that drifted around whenever Cate's name was mentioned. Her reputation preceded her, and it was why you never saw her skin, never without her signature gloves.

You were already on your second beer when you noticed Cate with a guy, Rufus.

"C'mon babe, c'mon…" Rufus murmurs, his hand tightening around her arm. He'd had a few too many himself and he was already growing impatient.

Rufus was not a good person, though he was attractive, and his reputation was infamous enough, that most students overlooked it.

Cate, though? She didn't care who he was or what he did. At heart, she was more drunk on the attention—the feel of his hands on her body—than anything else. A party girl with one too many substances, her smile just a touch too loose.

Rufus was a lot of things. A jerk. A creep. Self-entitled, arrogant, and a walking talking red-flag. His hand, large and heavy, roved beneath her top and settled on her hip. If they were alone, he'd push it further.

But Cate had too much to drink—she knew better than to be hanging around the likes of him, but the liquor was singing in her system and the world was suddenly so much more colorful.

Normally, you were the type to help anyone in need, no questions asked. But there was something more personal to it this time, an anger that flared up within you at the sight of him touching her.

You set down your drink, the glass clinking against the counter. You approached the pair, silently acknowledging that Rufus was taller and physically stronger than you. But you also knew that your powers made such factors irrelevant.

Rufus's hand jerked back quickly at your approach. He wasn't stupid, this guy, but it sure came damn close sometimes. Cate's head lolled onto his shoulder as she stumbled, and she sent you a slightly unfocused, half-lidded look.

"Fuck off, will you?" You order in a firm tone. A subtle glow lights your eyes, the barest hint of force behind the words.

He was a coward at heart, preferring to take advantage of those more defenseless than him, like Cate was at that moment. He scowls but does as he's told. He shoulders past a few people and melts into the crowd.

Cate stumbled and fell into you.It was almost comedic, the way she had to brace one hand against your shoulder to keep herself upright.

"Are you okay?" Stupid question, but still.

When she pulled back, her blue eyes sought yours out. Her head was spinning from the alcohol, and her fingers clutched at your sleeve like she was terrified you'd vanish like a dream.

For a long moment, Cate is speechless. A thousand words seem to lodge themselves in her throat as she pulls back just enough to look you in the eye, the alcohol in her system suddenly gone.

Those words. The words she's heard in her head countless times, her whole life— the first words her soulmates is supposed to say to her— said aloud to her.

God, even that little bit of skin contact is like an overdose. It's not like the brush of her fingers against yours, or a hand on your arm.

Cate's breath hitched, her fingers curling into your clothes. Her heart's thundering in her chest and she nuzzles further into you, practically purring.

"i don't feel so good," she mumbles against your neck, repeating those words. Your words.

Neither of you moved. Neither of you could. It was like the whole noisy world around them suddenly faded away. All you could see, all you could hear, was her.

Taking care of her that night, guiding her to bed and nursing her through her hangover the next morning, solidified a sense of protectiveness over her for you. It was undeniable; Cate was your soulmate, despite her reputation, and your feelings for her surpassed any reservations you might have once had. Those gloves of hers, concealing her skin and creating a barrier between you two, now irritated you.

The following morning, Cate appeared withdrawn, her eyes wide and filled with disbelief. It was as if she feared you were some mere figment of her imagination that would fade away at any moment.

You made it a habit to walk her to class, accompanying her like a devoted puppy. You initiated small touches, a brush of the hand here, a caress there, gradually allowing her to grow accustomed to your presence. Although she didn't open up much about her past with her powers, it was evident that the ability to control minds wasn't an easy burden to bear even here at Godolkin.

Cate's heart yearned for you for so many years, but now that you finally meet, a mix of excitement and fear welled up inside her. She was afraid of unintentionally harming you, of accidentally using her powers.

Your patience seemed endless as you allowed her time to adapt and grow comfortable. You were already deeply in love with her, knowing full well that your feelings would endure until your very breath. That's what being soulmates meant, right?

Lying together on the bed, your fingers gently tangling in her hair...

As time went on, she initiated contact more often, leaning into your touch. In public, she wouldn't hesitate to place her hand possessively on your waist or rest her head on your lap, claiming you as hers. In private, behind closed doors, when you lay wrapped in each other's arms, sound asleep, she clung to you, seeking even more of your skin against hers. You and Cate were inseparable, the embodiment of a couple who couldn't keep their hands off each other. Dates that extended into sleepover after sleepover became the norm, and Cate even used her powers to convince the clerk to assign you a room together.

She trusted you enough to no longer wear gloves in your presence and in public, you would occasionally take them off yourself, placing gentle kisses on her knuckles. Everywhere you went, it was like Cate was glued to your side, craving your attention. And you give that to her. You traced her face with your fingers, whispering sweet nothings and soft words.

I love you. Those words— coming out of your mouth— they never fail to make her blood sing in her veins. She traces her touch along the shell of your ear, the curve of your jaw, following your neck as it flares into your shoulder. In this life and in next.

[ckret2]

Chapter 32 of human Bill is convinced he's the best prisoner ever and does not deserve this abuse from the Pines:

Bill gets his fingernails painted! 💅🌈✨ Look at his fingernails, I drew this week's picture just to show them off. They're fun.

Bill also gets bound to a magic poppet that can control his every move.

It's hilarious for Dipper and Mabel, but not for Bill.

The early morning still was broken by Stan's wails of despair.

At some point during the night, the egg-and-toilet-papering kids had come back to Stan's car.

And they'd brought rocks.

####

Bill woke up with a sheet tossed over him and a cupcake sitting on the window seat. The cupcake was pink with green frosting and decorated like a happy jack-o'-melon. It was sitting on top of a note:

"Sorry I didn't mention I had plans tonight! Robbie's mom made cupcakes for everyone so I grabbed you one. The music video's gonna be AMAZING! I'll show you when Robbie posts it!" Mabel had signed with a shooting star.

Bill decided he hadn't been mad at Mabel last night at all.

He battled gravity to heave himself vertical, trudged downstairs to the bathroom, stuck his face under the faucet until his mouth tasted less like sour sandpaper, agonizingly dragged himself back upstairs to his makeshift bed, and collapsed under the sheet to wait until his head stopped hammering.

####

Sprawled on the living room floor, Mabel said, "What should I draw?"

"Draw me." Bill was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, watching the news and nursing a glass of Mabel juice. In an effort to counteract the lingering queasiness from overdosing on sugar and chocolate, he'd spiked the juice with two ground-up Elderly 60+ Vitaman™ brand Man Vitamins (khaki flavor) stolen from a bottle that Ford had bought for Stan and that Stan forgot to take.

"Okay!" Mabel turned around and squinted up at Bill. "Strike a pose!"

"Not like this!" Bill shoved a hand in Mabel's face to force her to stop looking. "Draw me how I really look."

"Bill, that's illegal. Remember?" Mabel pointed at the TV. Bodacious T was reporting on a child who'd dressed up for Summerween as "that weird out-of-towner who bothered us last year, you know the one," and who, under the Never Mind All That Act, had been fined fifty pieces of candy. The child's mugshot showed his crying face, but blurred out his yellow costume.

"He'd be the coolest kid in town," Bill said, "if he wasn't such a crybaby in front of the cops. Draw me anyway."

"I don't wanna get arrested!"

"Do you see any cops?" Bill grinned. "Just don't sign your name, nobody will know it was you."

Mabel considered that. "I can sign it someone else's name." She pulled out a few crayons.

"That's what I'm talking about! Do anything you want forever and frame the innocent!"

"What do you want me to draw you doing?"

"The coolest thing you can think of."

Mabel considered that, and got to work.

The news was boring now. They were talking about the weather, and it wasn't even interesting weather. "So hey, you were gonna tell me about filming last night?"

"Oh yeah!" Mabel said. "Did I mention the part where the dead rose from their graves?"

Bill muted the TV. "And I missed it?"

Robbie had decided the cemetery at his place would be more atmospheric than the trick-or-treater-filled streets (and less likely to have their shots ruined by passersby that didn't appreciate the depth of Robbie's lyrics). It went great, until the vibrations of angsty rock-and-roll stirred the slumbering corpses and they clawed their way from their graves. It turned out Gravity Falls had been having off-and-on invasions of the undead for the past year, ever since somebody decided to reanimate every corpse in town for fun, Bill.

"You can't prove it was me, I'm not the only one who knows how to raise the dead!" Bill laughed. "Hey—you're not drawing this body, are you? You said you wouldn't."

"I'm not, I promise!"

"Then why do you keep staring at me?"

"Um."

"Let me see!"

"No! Don't ruin the surprise!" Mabel picked up a glitter pen with feathers glued to the end and waved them in Bill's face. "And no cheating with your eye-bleeding psychic magic!"

Bill smacked the pen away. "Fine! So what did you do with the zombies? Feed one of the teens to them?"

"No! I chewed like four packs of gum me and Dipper got from the weird homeless dentist and made a fake baby brain. We used it as bait to lead them into an open grave," Mabel said. "And then we realized we could use the brain to train them to do tricks! So now we have dancing zombies in the music video. They actually learned the choreography pretty easily."

"Makes sense," Bill said. "I did fill the space where their souls should be with an insatiable hunger to party."

Mabel grinned. "I thought you said they weren't your fault."

"If they're good at dancing, I'm taking credit!"

"They were pretty good—especially considering how many limbs they were missing," Mabel said. "I'll show you when Robbie's finished editing the video."

"And I'll get to see you playing a creepy ghost kid, right?"

"Yeah! We were the greatest ghosts ever! Check it out, we were like—" Mabel fixed Bill with a dead-eyed slack-jawed stare and whisper-sang, "'We're the things that you have lost. Childhood joy, dead as a ghost.'"

"Chills."

"Dipper tried so hard to get in character as a ghost that he completely zoned out for a minute! When we shook him out of it, he said he felt like he had an out-of-body experience!"

####

At his computer, Robbie clicked play on a clip of the twins standing side-by-side in front of the cemetery gate. As they sang the chorus, Dipper's face went still; and then a spectral gray form rose out of his head, still singing in sync with Mabel.

"Whoa," Robbie said. "Sick. I'm keeping that in."

####

"So, it turns out my bro is an expert method actor," Mabel boasted.

Bill thought back to Dipper drifting up and down the stairs in the middle of the night. "Yep. Sounds like he's got quite a talent."

Mabel set down her crayons and held out a paper. "Okay—what do you think?"

Bill accepted the drawing. "Am I riding on the back of a rocket ship?"

"Like a bucking bronco! See the rocket flames doing a loop?"

"Sure do. Why am I holding a fish bowl?"

"It's like a cowboy waving his hat, but, you're in space. So that's your astronaut helmet."

"It's beautiful," Bill said intensely. "It's the best thing I've ever seen."

"Aw, really? Thanks!"

"When I take over the universe, I'm rearranging the constellations to look like this."

"Don't do that, though."

"Fine, but I'm hanging it up in my throne room." Bill set down his empty glass so he could hold the picture with both hands, beaming at it as proudly as though he'd made it himself. Big change from his lukewarm reception of her house drawing yesterday. She should draw Bill more often. Being a good artist meant understanding what your audience wanted.

Unfortunately, now that she'd finished her drawing, she didn't have anything to distract her from staring at Bill. And she'd taken about as much of seeing him as she could stand. "Bill. I say this with non-judgmental love. But you look sooo terrible."

"Yeah, I know. I think I'm shaped about as nicely as a human could ask for," he pantomimed drawing a triangle in front of his torso, "but let's be real, there's only so much you can do when you're working with a human bone structure. And there's way too much neck—"

"No! Bill, your body is beautiful just the way it is, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I meant your hair looks awful."

Bill had taken a shower yesterday morning, emerged with his hair all wet and tangled, and done absolutely nothing to detangle it. And then, with it still half damp and totally disheveled, he'd shoved it under a cheap acrylic wig for the rest of the night. And then he'd fallen asleep on the floor still wearing the wig.

And now, with the wig removed, his hair looked like a bird had plucked out half a scarecrow's straw brains and made a nest out of it.

"It sure does," Bill said, with the slightly forlorn air of someone complaining about a war in a far-off country over which one had no power.

"So brush it!"

"No. Never. You can't make me."

"Why not? I thought you wanted to keep your hair all triangly!"

"Not enough to touch it. Either it'll figure out how to straighten out on its own or it won't, I'm not messing with it. I've got enough going on in my life today." By which he meant he had the last lingering traces of a hangover, which was a valid excuse to get out of all social, moral, and aesthetic obligations.

Mabel groaned in frustration. "I can't take looking at it anymore! If you won't brush it, can I?"

Bill gave her a skeptical look; but then he flung his hands out dismissively. "Sure, why not? If it bothers you so much. Have at it."

"I'll be right back!"

She got her brush from upstairs and a spray bottle from the kitchen, and directed Bill to sit on the floor so she could get on the couch behind him. After making such a fuss about brushing his hair, Bill was surprisingly well-behaved with somebody else brushing it for him. He didn't even complain when Mabel accidentally yanked on some nasty snarls a little harder than she meant to.

"I feel like a corpse getting prettied up for my funeral," Bill said. "Grooming each other is how humans bond, isn't it? This is one of your little social rituals? If all you wanted was to make sure we're still friends after you ditched me last night, you could have just asked."

Mabel shoved her foot between Bill's shoulder blades. Wise guy. She joked, "Yeah! We're bonding now! After this we're gonna paint each other's fingernails and talk about what kind of boys we like."

"I want rainbow spiral fingernails."

Mabel really should be used to this—but she still kept getting surprised that Bill was interested in the stuff she liked. And not even in a patronizing sure-I'll-play-along way. He'd turned to look at her. There was a gleam in his eyes. He really wanted rainbow spiral fingernails.

And now she wanted rainbow spiral fingernails, too. "Fine! But look forward until I finish your hair." One way or another, Mabel vowed, she would reform Bill into a proper good guy—even if she had to drag him there kicking and screaming. Fun dress-up partners were hard to find, and she couldn't afford to lose Bill.

####

Soos wandered to the living room to find somewhere to hang up his and Melody's "Best Couple Cosplay" award, but stopped in the doorway.

Bill, Mabel, and Waddles were sitting on the floor, watching some kind of cartoon psychedelic fairy princess lecture a spider on the importance of colors, with a bowl of popcorn between them. Bill and Mabel both had bright multicolor fingernails and were eating the popcorn with chopsticks to avoid touching their nails. There was more popcorn on the floor than in the bowl. Waddles had taken no such cares to avoid dragging his freshly painted hooves through the carpet. 

"Truth or dare," Bill said.

"Dare!"

"Dare you to assassinate the..." Bill trailed off. "I can't have the mayor assassinated, he runs Rainbow Club. And the sheriff and deputy invited me... There aren't a lot of public officials in this dumb town, are there?"

"I'm not killing anybody, Bill. Truth."

"Fine, coward. What's your favorite toxic fume fragrance?"

"That's easy! Gasoline!"

"Hey, mine too! At least on this planet. It smells like—you know that smell that heralds the coming of rain? Gasoline is the smell that heralds a really fun time."

"Yeah! Like going on a road trip!"

Bill paused. "Right! I was... I was definitely thinking about road trips. That's exactly what I meant."

Mabel added, "And it looks so cool when there's a little bit spilled in a parking spot—"

"The rainbow puddles! Yes! Big fan of the rainbow puddles—"

"I love parking lot rainbow puddles! It's like surprise happiness in the most boring place on the planet!"

Soos mumbled, "Girl talk," decided to hang his award up later, and left.

####

Dipper heard the bedroom door open and Mabel call, "Hey Dipper!"

"Hey." He didn't look up from his journal, where he was documenting last night's zombie adventures. "Oh, hey, bad news—Wendy said she got a text from Robbie, it sounds like all the footage from the cemetery last night is ruined?"

"Aww! What? But we worked so hard to train those zombies!"

"Yeah, it's just static. But everything we shot outside the gates is fine. I wonder if it's something supernatural that interferes with electronics?"

"Something supernatural? In the cemetery? Full of zombies? What are the odds of that!" Mabel laughed. "But heyyy, I've got some good news!"

"What?"

Mabel stuck a hairbrush full of gold hair between Dipper's face and his journal. "I got a replacement for the Bill hair sample we gave Pacifica!" She grinned and whispered, "Wanna make a poppet?"

####

It would have been really cool if the first full moon of summer vacation had come on Summerween. But the calendar gods were unkind that year, and instead, it came the next day, on June 23.

Which worked out, in the end, since it meant they didn't have any scheduling conflicts on the one night they could make a poppet.

They had the ritual space set up in their bedroom—a chalk star drawn on the floor with a black candle at each point—and the doll representing Bill—which Mabel had upgraded with button eyes and a miniature version of his favorite knit hoodie. They collected all the shed blonde strands off Mabel's hairbrush, wrapped them around the doll's neck, and tied them on. They set the doll in the center of the star; Bartholomew talked them through the ritual; the flames on the candles leaped a foot in the air, turned a pale blue, and then went out; and the binding ritual was complete. The doll was now connected to Bill Cipher.

"Weird," Bartholomew said. "Usually the flames turn black. I've never seen them turn blue before."

Dipper said, "That's not a problem, is it?"

"No, no. I've just never used the binding ritual on an alien before! I guess it works a little different!"

Dipper picked up the doll and eyed it skeptically. "Mabel, I know we said we're saving this for emergencies only, but—maybe we should test it out just to make sure it actually works?"

"I guess we should," Mabel said, grimacing. "Just—don't do anything that'd hurt him. Okay?"

Yeah, Dipper should've expected that. Whether he liked it or not, Mabel didn't just see Bill as her weird experiment in criminal rehabilitation—she saw him as her friend. He sighed. "Okay. But is it fine if we do something that would embarrass him?"

Mabel shrugged. "I don't see why not!"

####

As they crept from their room, Mabel whispered, "What if we stick him in a box and shake it up? And then tell him there was an earthquake!"

"I thought you were the one who didn't want to hurt him."

"Oh right."

Bill wasn't on his cushions under the window, so they crept downstairs. Halfway down, Dipper stopped, putting a hand on Mabel's arm. Bill was sitting at the kitchen table, chin in his hand, staring out the window.

"This is perfect," he whispered. "He's completely vulnerable. He's got his back to us, he's looking at the moonlight—even if he turns around, he won't see us because his eyes will have to readjust to the dark."

"I don't know if his eyes need to adjust," Mabel said. "Have you ever noticed he never turns the lights on when he goes into a room?"

Dipper considered that. He hadn't noticed—but now that Mabel mentioned it, Bill did have a tendency to lurk in the dark. "Well—okay, but he's still not looking at us. Let's see how this works..." He studied the doll; then turned it around and gently brushed a finger through its yarn hair.

For a moment, nothing happened; and then Bill swatted at the back of his head and looked around, as if he was trying to find what had touched him.

"I think it's working," Dipper hissed.

"Are you sure? What if there's actually a fly in the kitchen?"

Could be. "Let me see if it can control him."

"Careful—"

Dipper grabbed one of the doll's arms and tentatively lifted it.

Bill's arm shot up. He stared at it in bafflement. "Wh...?"

Mabel bit her lip. Dipper waved the doll's arm.

Bill's arm waved. After a pause, he tentatively asked, "Hello?" As if he thought maybe his arm was waving at someone and he should play along with it.

Mabel and Dipper clapped their hands over their mouths, fighting to keep their giggles quiet. Mabel elbowed Dipper, "Hey Dipper Dipper Dipper, get him to stand up, let me control his legs, I have the best idea—"

Bill knocked over his chair and had to flail his arms for balance as he abruptly jerked to his feet. He looked around, eyes wide and wild, an edge of panic to his voice as he hollered, "WHAT'S GOING ON!"

Dipper held the doll out to Mabel. "Okay hurry!" Mabel took it by the legs—

—and Bill started doing the cancan. He shrieked. "WHAT?!"

Dipper shoved his shirt over his mouth to muffle his hysterics. Mabel was letting little wheezy squeaks out through her nose. Bill's voice was almost an octave higher as he screamed, "WHEN I FIND OUT WHO'S BEHIND THIS, I'M GONNA SHRED YOU—" and they both got so close to bursting laughing out loud that they had to pause to punch each other's shoulders for self control.

Still holding one of the doll's legs up, Mabel hissed, "Dipper do you remember the bottle dance. Where they crouch down with bottles on their heads. Can we—can we get a tiny bottle for the doll—"

Bill was failing both arms to avoid falling with one foot held in the air. He grabbed the counter for balance. And then, with a grunt of effort, he wrenched his foot down and stomped it to the ground.

The doll's leg yanked out of Mabel's hand.

Dipper and Mabel fell silent, staring at the doll. They looked at each other. Mabel whispered, "It shouldn't be able to do that, right?"

They looked at Bill.

Bill's face was burning red, and he was so far past fury that his expression was perfectly blank. His eyes were huge, and round, and pointed straight at them.

They bolted up the stairs.

Bill charged after them.

They screamed in terror. They weren't loud enough to drown out Bill: "WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU BRATS—"

Mabel grabbed Dipper's arm. "Dipper, do something!"

"Uhh—!" He tossed the doll in the air and caught it.

They heard an alarmed yelp as Bill was launched in the air and then a crash as he landed on the stairs again.

They scrambled into their room and slammed the door. "Safe!" Mabel said.

"Yeah," Dipper said, panting for breath. "Can't get us here."

The doll's head twisted 180 degrees to stare up at them.

They yelped. Dipper tossed the doll to Mabel. Mabel held it out at arm's length, threw it in her nightstand's drawer, and slammed it. It tried to open again and she leaned against it with her full body weight. "Dipper, the duct tape! In my craft supplies!"

"Which craft supplies?!"

The tiny knocking inside the drawer was echoed by the pounding at the door, accompanied by a string of creative death threats: "—and when I'm finished the coroner won't know which corpse was which! I'll make a belt out of your spinal columns—!"

"We didn't do anything," Mabel shouted, "it wasn't our fault!" She took the duct tape from Dipper and frantically wrapped it around the night stand. Dipper added, "It was someone else! And we'll never do it again—"

Sleepy and muffled, Soos's voice drifted through the door, "Dudes? What's all the hubbub?"

Dipper and Mabel gasped, "Soos!" "Save us!"

His voice the perfect tone of righteous indignation, Bill declared, "I'm being assaulted, that's what!"

Stan's voice joined in from downstairs: "BILL! If you don't leave those kids alone I'll cave your nose in!"

"THEY'RE THE AGGRESSORS," Bill screamed, half hysterical. "They are! I'm the victim here! I'm being victimized!"

Stan shouted, "Kids, good work! Bill, you can go to—" He grumbled as he self-censored, "—sleep! Shut up and go to sleep!"

"You can go jump in the bottomless pit, Stanley Pines! I'll tear you all apart with my teeth if I have to! NOBODY in this stupid junk heap of a shack is getting any sleep until I get my—"

From just outside the attic door, Stan roared, "BILL!"

There was a dull thud as Bill leaned against their door; a lot less shouty, he quickly said, "I'm going to bed, I'm going to bed, I'm going to bed."

"That's what I thought," Stan snapped. The kids heard his footsteps retreating downstairs. Soos said, "Um... night," and his door shut. After a moment, there was the creak of footsteps retreating from the attic door.

Dipper and Mabel slowly, softly snuck across the room to the door, and pressed their ears to the crack. No sound.

They stayed there for several minutes, barely breathing, listening to the silence.

Finally, Mabel pulled away and looked at Dipper. They both nodded, and Dipper opened the door a crack to check if the coast was clear.

Bill's eye stared in. "Hey, kids!"

They yelled. Dipper tried to slam the door; but Bill had already shoved his hand through. Fingernails painted with neon colors and black spirals clawed at the doorframe. He shouldered through the gap in the door, and then he was in the room, smiling much too wide and eyes fixed on them like helicopter spotlights on two wanted criminals. There was blood on his teeth. "Wow! Playing with poppets?"

Dipper upturned his suitcase and held it up like a shield. Mabel pointed a can of spray paint at Bill's face. Bill took a step closer and they took a step back.

"Pretty advanced trick for a couple of children your age," Bill said conversationally. "Not bad, not bad at all. Heck, I'm impressed you pulled it off! Although you didn't make a very smart choice of test subject." He stomped a foot twice.

Something in the nightstand thudded twice. The twins jumped. Bill laughed at them.

Mentally cursing himself for having flinched, Dipper straightened his back and glared at Bill. "You're just mad you got jerked around like a puppet! What's the matter, Bill—you can dish it but you can't take it?" Mabel looked at Dipper like he was crazy.

Bill's indulgent smile cracked, dropping into a snarl of rage. He shifted his weight toward them. Mabel dropped into a judo stance and Dipper sucked in a breath to shout for Stan.

Before anyone could launch a full attack, Mabel took a shaky breath in, forced a nervous smile, and said, "Bill, hey..." (His eyes snapped to her face like a predator that just heard a twig snap.) "This was—just a funny prank, and we're all cool? Right?"

"Mabel," Dipper muttered. "Shhh!"

But Mabel kept looking at Bill. "Right? Buddies?" She held up her arm, showing Bill her friendship bracelet.

Bill stopped and rocked back on his heels. He gave Mabel a long, hard look—like he was seriously considering whether to accept the reality she was inventing. "Yeah. Real funny." Smiling through grit teeth, he said, "You know—it's been a while since I've had my energy strung between two vessels. I didn't even know what that experience felt like for a human! Very interesting. Educational. And it was nice to feel weightless again for a second. Even if the landing was a little rough." He licked the blood off his teeth. One of the teeth shifted. "So—thanks so much for spicing up a boring night. It's been a real blast. Hasn't it." He stared at them like he expected an answer—and possibly like he planned to strangle whoever answered first.

Dipper and Mabel exchanged a look. Dipper shook his head slightly. Mabel looked Bill in the eyes again. "Yeah! Big blast. So, you're not... mad. Right? Nobody's mad!"

Bill stared her down for a moment longer; and then said, "Sure, kid! It's all fun and games!" He forced a laugh—and then another, longer one, hahhh, like he was exhaling all his rage. And just like that, he was back to normal. "I'll admit it—for a second there, you almost got me good! Not bad at all." He held out his hand insistently. "And now the game's over, so you're gonna give me that toy so I can neutralize it. Aren't you?"

Dipper bit his lip, looking past Bill toward the stairs. He could yell for Stan; there was no way Bill could kill them before reinforcements got here—

Mabel elbowed Dipper's side and whispered, "We can't keep it."

And she was right. Now that Bill knew about the doll, he'd be spending all his time plotting how to get past them to take it, and they wouldn't have a second's peace. Either he got it now, or he got it later. Bill wouldn't rest until the doll was out of their hands.

Because he was terrified of it. Why wouldn't he be?

"Yeah," Dipper sighed. "Game over."

"I'll get it." Mabel peeled just enough duct tape off the night stand to wiggle it open a crack and try to squeeze her fingers in. Bill stretched his hand toward Mabel, and the doll stretched an arm out of the drawer. Mabel flinched in surprise, but grabbed the arm and yanked the doll free.

"Ow." Bill grabbed his shoulder and rolled it gingerly. "Careful, kid, are you trying to dislocate my arm? I don't mind popping it back in, but eventually that socket's gonna wear out."

"Sorry! It was a tight squeeze." She held the doll over Dipper's suitcase shield. "Here."

Bill snatched it from her hand. "Thanks a million, star girl." He favored them both with his most nearly-charming, far-too-wide smile. "Good night, kiddos. Have sweet dreams."

"You too," Mabel said weakly.

Bill left. Dipper shut the door. He and Mabel both heaved a sigh of relief.

From the loft over the attic, Bartholomew called, "Is he gone?"

"What are you doing up there?" Mabel asked. "Barty-mew-mew the scaredy-cat."

"I'm not fighting that guy, I'm porcelain and he's crazy."

Dipper flopped on his bed and stared at the ceiling. "Welp. I'm gonna have nightmares about Bill chasing me up the stairs."

Mabel sat on her own bed. "He just wanted to terrify us. And to keep us from seeing we'd terrified him." She fingered the star beads on her friendship bracelet. "He wouldn't have hurt us, I'm sure of it."

"Wh—seriously? You don't think Bill—"

"I know! But he's changed a tiny bit! He'd hurt anyone else, but he won't hurt us," Mabel said. "Or—well, me, at least. But I think he'll leave you alone too if I'm with you!"

Dipper pushed himself up on his elbows to look at her. "If he'd caught us on the stairs, do you really think he wouldn't have tried to tear us apart?"

Mabel considered that; and then reluctantly admitted, "He wouldn't hurt me as long as he remembers he doesn't want to hurt me." 

"Yeah, well. I wouldn't count on him remembering when he's mad." Dipper slid under his covers and rolled over. "Barty, can you get the lights?"

"Sure, one second." All the lights and lamps in the room flickered ominously; and then, with a sinister pop, snapped off without being touched.

"Thanks, man."

Mabel didn't climb into bed. She was staring at her fingernails. She'd painted them the same colors as Bill's; but she'd used a black marker to draw spirals on his, and he'd drawn stars and sloppy tiger stripes on hers.  In the dark, the colors were all faded.

This time, just once, maybe she and Dipper were the bad guys. He might disagree—he'd actually been puppeted, maybe he saw this differently from Mabel—but that probably didn't make it okay to do it back to Bill just for fun. They should've saved the poppet for an emergency. And the cancan, she decided, was definitely too much.

She smoothed out her covers; then she pulled up her knees to her chest, hugged them, and stared thoughtfully down at Bill's face in the middle of her zodiac blanket.

####

In the dark and quiet of the downstairs bathroom, Bill sat cross-legged on the toilet lid. He held the doll in his cupped hands. Soon, he'd disassemble it—but not yet. Tonight, it was his tool. He shut his eyes and focused on it.

There was the thinnest thread of energy, channeled through his shed hair, connecting this doll to him. He studied the thread, feeling it in his mind, exploring it, strengthening it—until he could almost feel it tugging on him.

And then he started psychically groping for similar connections.

He set the doll on the floor, on top of the drawing Mabel had given him.

His other eyes—the billions of depictions of his face scattered across this planet—weren't meant to be used in this dimension. They were designed like windows he could peer through from the Nightmare Realm; here on Earth, he was on the wrong side of the windows to see through them. And he wouldn't be surprised if the Axolotl had somehow found a way to blindfold them on top of that—after all, he seemed to have done the same to most of Bill's other abilities.

But Bill was resourceful, he was stubborn, and he didn't have anything better to do.

He focused all his energy on trying to feel the drawing the same way he felt the doll, searching for a connection between this body and that face—and he searched, and searched, and searched.

He wasn't sure how long he tried. At least a couple of hours. Straining, straining—for nothing. His head hurt.

What was the difference? The doll was shaped like him, the drawing was shaped like him. What did the doll have that the drawing didn't?

The hair. A bit of his flesh.

Bill knelt over the picture, studying it in the dark. He opened an eye wide, wiped a fingertip across the surface of his eyeball to collect his tears, and pressed it to the drawing's eye.

He could feel a thread of energy stringing from his eye to the paper.

He climbed back on the toilet lid, shut his eyes, and focused on that thread. With an effort that threatened to split his head in two, he pried open his inner eye. And then he was staring up at his own human form from the drawing on the floor.

His body was shaking. His head was throbbing. He wobbled dizzily on the toilet; and as he saw himself topple off, his trance broke, the vision disappeared, and he blacked out. White spots burst behind his eyes.

When he next opened an eye, the room was spinning. He shut his eye. It was several minutes before he could sit up without being sick. He leaned against the wall and let the sweat on his forehead and cheek soak the old wallpaper.

The white spots he'd seen as he passed out were his distant all-seeing eyes. 

He'd done something tonight. That was good. But there was no way he was seeing through any other pictures like that. He needed something he could focus his power through, like an antenna.

He needed gold.

####

(Last chapter of the year!! If you enjoyed, I'd love to hear y'all's thoughts & comments! Thanks!)

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Galileo Galilei Main Story

Translations may not always capture the exact nuances or tone of the original text. Expect grammatical errors and inaccuracies.

Spoilers ahead. Not proofread.

His eyelids slowly opened, revealing his amethyst eyes.

His gaze wandered for a while, then he tilted his head and looked at me.

Galileo: "You..."

Mitsuki: "You've regained consciousness! Thank goodness, I'm so glad."

Tears flowed endlessly, wetting Galileo's fingers resting on my cheek.

He moved his fingers awkwardly to try to wipe my tears.

Galileo: "You've been by my side all this time?"

I nodded repeatedly, and he lowered his eyes.

Galileo: "I had a dream."

Mitsuki: "A dream?"

Galileo: "A very happy dream. I was with my family and friends."

Galileo: "But for some reason, I felt like I was forgetting something."

Galileo: "Then your voice woke me up."

(My voice?)

He looked at me again and gently narrowed his eyes.

Then,

Galileo: "Thank you, Mitsuki."

His smile was endlessly kind, without a hint of any shadow or doubt.

After regaining his composure, he sat up and looked outside the window, squinting against the light.

Galileo: "The progenitor within me has vanished, hasn't it?"

Mitsuki: "Yes, thanks to you risking your life."

Drake's knife had even obliterated the progenitor's soul.

Galileo himself was severely weakened and had been in a coma until now.

(It's going to be okay now, right?)

Mitsuki: "It'll take some time for your body to recover, but I'm sure you'll be back to your old self soon."

Galileo: "No, my body probably won't last long."

(What?)

His words made my mind go blank.

Galileo: "I know myself better than anyone. This body is no longer the same as it used to be."

Galileo: "The body that was seized by the progenitor and corrupted by miasma likely won't return to its original state. It will probably decay soon."

(That can't be.)

Galileo: "It might be a punishment for the foolish dhampir who desired the destruction of this world."

He looked at his own hand and spoke with extreme calmness.

He seemed to have accepted his fate.

Mitsuki: "You don't know that yet."

Galileo: "........"

Mitsuki: "It's too early to give up! I don't want to give up on your life."

All I could do was speak hopeful words without any basis, and my voice trembled.

He sighed softly.

Galileo: "You were like that back then too."

Mitsuki: "Back then?"

Galileo: "When my body was taken over by the progenitor."

------------Flashback-----------

Mitsuki: "No matter how powerless I am, even if I have to face the world alone, I will protect him!"

---------Flashback Ends--------

Galileo: "You didn't give up and kept calling out to me."

(He remembered.)

Galileo: "The me that should have disappeared back then was moved by your voice, and now I'm alive."

I could sense that he was trying to face me sincerely.

Galileo: "You always shake me with your straightforward words and eyes seeking the truth."

Galileo: "I was frustrated with you for that. Moreover, I blamed you for my own past powerlessness."

Galileo: "I was probably afraid that you would see through the truth I was avoiding."

The truth he had been averting his eyes from was surely the powerlessness that tormented him, and perhaps his former self that purely wished for peace.

(He had to discard those unnecessary feelings to rush towards destruction.)

Galileo: "But you were not powerless."

His voice held a faint strength.

Galileo: "Unlike me, who despaired in my powerlessness and clung to strength to end everything, you continued to reach out to people, and you even saved me."

Galileo: "Even when you fell into sadness, you didn't give up and found a star called hope. That's the real you."

His gentle smile made my heart flutter.

(That's how he saw me.)

All the various events that had happened between us flashed through my mind.

There were many painful and sad moments, but it felt like all of them were connected to this moment.

(To understand you and come to this understanding.)

As my emotions welled up, I took his cold hand and placed a paper crane I had found in a drawer on it.

Galileo: "This is..."

Galileo: "You found it."

Mitsuki: "Yes. I became who I am now thanks to you."

(Because you saved my life and taught me the courage to help others.)

Mitsuki: "Galileo, please let me say this again."

Mitsuki: "I love you."

Galileo: "........."

Mitsuki: "I know I've hurt your heart many times, and I'm not asking you to feel the same way, but please allow me to stay by your side."

The wind whispered through the trees outside the window, enhancing our silence.

He eventually spoke up.

Galileo: "I don't know how long my body will last, so I might just waste your time."

Galileo: "Even so, do you still choose to stay by my side?"

His eyes, reflecting his heart, wavered slightly as he asked.

Mitsuki: "Yes. I want to be with you forever."

(Even if the day comes when your body withers away, I will support you so you can at least find happiness.)

I answered with all my heart, and he reached out and touched my cheek.

Galileo: "You always stir my heart."

Galileo: "Even when I lashed out at you, you still faced me head-on."

Galileo: "I couldn't ignore your existence anymore."

His voice, squeezed out, seemed to reveal his innermost feelings.

Galileo: "I didn't understand why I couldn't control myself, but now I've found the answer."

His eyes, always seeking the truth, reflected me.

Galileo: "Mitsuki, I can only call this feeling I have for you love."

(Love.)

Something warm surged from deep within my chest, making me unable to speak.

Still gazing into each other's eyes, Galileo's hand moved from my cheek to the back of my head.

He gently pulled me closer, and I leaned toward the bed.

As the distance between us disappeared, our lips gently met, and the midday moon witnessed our tender kiss.

Then, some time passed.

Mitsuki: "Wow, it's beautiful!"

After Galileo started feeling better, we went stargazing, just as we had done before.

Sidereus: "Woof! Woof!"

Mitsuki: "Hehe, Sidereus is in a good mood too."

Galileo: "Yeah. We can see the North Star very clearly tonight."

Following his gaze, I found a bright star near the Big Dipper and felt a sudden wave of nostalgia.

Mitsuki: "They say that travelers and sailors in the past used the North Star as their guide."

Mitsuki: "I wonder if Drake is looking at it somewhere in the world right now."

Since then, Drake has used the door to the hideout to embark on a journey.

A journey through time and space, beyond countries and eras.

(I don't know if he will ever come back, but...)

Maybe this is Drake's way of ending their journey.

Even though I understand that, I still sometimes feel lonely without him around.

Galileo: "I'm sure Drake is looking up at the stars right now."

Galileo: "Knowing him, he'd find a way to enjoy life no matter where he is."

Mitsuki: "That's true."

His voice was so certain that I could almost picture Drake looking up at the stars from his ship.

(Even if we're apart, we are all connected by this vast starry sky.)

As I smiled at that thought一

Galileo: "By the way..."

Galileo: "You're thinking about another man while stargazing with me."

Mitsuki: "What!? No, that's not it. I was thinking about the two of you!"

(Wait, does that mean...?)

Mitsuki: "Are you jealous?"

Galileo: "..........."

(Have I said too much again? But...)

Even under his sharp gaze, I couldn't stop the joy that was welling up inside me.

Galileo: "..........."

As I gazed at him with anticipation, his face drew closer.

Mitsuki: "Nn…"

Then he gently placed a kiss on my lips.

Galileo: "Your eyes should only reflect me."

Mitsuki: "----!"

In his amethyst-like eyes, I was the only one reflected.

Mitsuki: "You're the only one I had eyes for from the very beginning."

(Since the moment I met you in that garden, and ever since you saved my life.)

At my confession, he blinked slightly in surprise and smiled.

That night一

Mitsuki: "Nn... ah."

Upon returning to his room, he gently pushed me onto the bed and claimed my lips.

Galileo sat up momentarily and discarded his cloak.

Galileo: "If it gets too much, tell me."

Mitsuki: "I'm fine. But you—"

Galileo: "I'm not so weak that I can't hold you."

Galileo: "And if my life could end at any time, I want to feel you as much as possible while I can."

Mitsuki: "----!"

His eyes, filled with a burning desire, deeply moved me.

(Being loved feels so wonderful yet so heartbreaking.)

(I don't know how much time he has left.)

But for now, I just wanted to fulfill his wish, so I wrapped my arms around him.

Mitsuki: "Feel me. I'll give you all of me."

Galileo: "Let me love you."

He whispered in my ear, then leaned over me.

Galileo: "Haah, Mitsuki."

Our bare skin touched the sheets.

Every time his hand glided over my skin, the delicate movements increased the heat between us, making me gasp.

Galileo: "Such a sweet voice. It seems you're very sensitive."

(It feels like he's observing me.)

(Even though it's embarrassing, I don't want to hide.)

We laid everything bare, and eventually, we looked into each other's eyes.

Galileo: "I love you, Mitsuki."

Mitsuki: "I love you too."

Immediately after whispering our love, the heightened passion connected us.

His sweaty look and silver-white hair swaying made him look incredibly hot.

As our bodies melted into each other, he let out a pained sigh.

Galileo: "Haa..."

He leaned close to my neck, trying to keep something in.

(Could it be...?)

Mitsuki: "Is it the bloodlust?"

When I asked, he suddenly lifted his head.

Galileo: "I'm sorry. I once bit you against your will."

Galileo: "I'm sure it's a memory you'd rather erase."

(He was enduring it for my sake.)

Feeling touched by his thoughtfulness, I reached out to touch his cheek.

Mitsuki: "Tell me your true feelings."

After a moment of hesitation, he kissed my hand and whispered.

Galileo: "Mitsuki, I want you so badly."

Galileo: "Can I bite you?"

(.......)

Realizing that love could heighten the bloodlust just made me even happier.

Mitsuki: "Don't hold back; bite me."

Mitsuki: "Let me take in all of you, your love, and your fangs."

As I tilted my neck invitingly, a predatory light flashed in his eyes.

Mitsuki: "Nn... ahh..."

After a bit of pain, it turned into pure pleasure and bliss.

Galileo: "Ah, Mitsuki, I love you."

(I hope this heat and love will never fade away.)

Feeling his fangs, our hearts beating together, and the way we felt connected, I wanted this moment to go on forever.

After our deep exchange of emotions, we made a decision.

(We've said our goodbyes to everyone at the mansion.)

(Is this the end of our time here?)

Today, we were leaving this place.

We packed our belongings, and the last place we visited was一

Mitsuki: "Are you sure about this?"

Galileo: "Yeah. I should've done this sooner."

He looked out at the sunlit garden as if burning the image into his memory.

Then, quietly, he closed his eyes for a moment.

Galileo: "My brethren, for now, just rest in peace."

He released a lantern with a lit candle into the garden.

In an instant, the fire spread to the Blanc flowers, engulfing the pure white and crimson blooms in flames.

(Everything is burning away.)

As the petals ignited and ascended with the sparks of fire, my heart ached at the sight, and his embrace tightened around me.

Galileo: ".........."

The color of the flames flickered in his purple eyes.

(I wonder what he's thinking now.)

Is he regretting not being able to avenge the dhampir's grievances?

(But the dhampirs resting here will surely not blame him.)

I gently squeezed his hand as if to convey that.

(And he chose to do this to sever the sorrow rooted in this garden.)

To start walking again from here.

Galileo: "Let's go, Mitsuki."

Mitsuki: "Yes."

Turning our backs to the raging flames, I spoke to him beside me.

Mitsuki: "Galileo."

Galileo: "What is it?"

Mitsuki: "I’ll continue to search for a world where everyone, regardless of their race, can join hands and a future where you can truly smile."

(Even if the time left is short.)

(I want to continue seeking hope by your side.)

That is what I can do now, after meeting you and witnessing everything.

Galileo: "Mitsuki."

Galileo turned to face me, his eyes softening gently.

Galileo: "Thank you."

Galileo: "I love you. Your love is my truth, and you're my final star, named Hope."

Our intertwined destinies began through a door that transcends time.

Through miraculous encounters and many sorrows, what I have arrived at is the truth of my feelings for you.

Previous Part ╎ Masterlist ╎ Dramatic End

[themightykatz]

"Missing"

Dogday stirred awake, blinking the sleep from his eyes feeling drowsy and tired.

But as he looked around the room, he suddenly realized that Angel/Hope was no longer in his lap or in bed next to him. A pang of disappointment and worry washed over him as he sat up, his gaze darting to the empty spot where she had been.

Dogday: "Angel...?"

He said to himself. Minutes later, Dogday immediately sat up straight as he stood up and ran out of the room. Dogday barged into the living room, slightly out of breath from running down the stairs so quickly. His heart was beating fast as adrenaline coursed through his veins. He must have looked worried and frantic, as Mommy longlegs, Poppy, and Kissy Missy all immediately turned to look at him, their expressions a mix of surprise and concern.

Poppy: "Whoa, Dogday, what's the hurry? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

Dogday tried to catch his breath, feeling a bit embarrassed at his rushed entrance but still too worried to notice or care.

Dogday: "I-uh... I can't find Angel. I woke up this morning and she was gone."

He spoke quickly, his voice betraying his concern for his wife's whereabouts. The words caused a ripple of surprise and worry among the others.

Poppy: "What do you mean she's gone? She's not in her room or the bed? Do you think she might gone out for a walk or something?.."

Dogday shook his head, feeling a pang of frustration mixed with worry. He started pacing back and forth as he spoke

Dogday: "No, she wasn't in her room. I checked everywhere! I don't think she would have gone for a walk this early without telling me. I'm worried something might have happened to her."

His eyes darted around the room, as if expecting Angel to suddenly appear.

Mommy longlegs: "Oh dear. She always goes missing, we have to find her again.."

Mommy longlegs placed a comforting hand on Dogday's shoulder, sensing his mounting anxiety.

Mommy longlegs: "Don't worry, Dogday. We'll help you look for her. She can't have gone far."

Poppy nodded in agreement, her expression determined. Kissy Missy joined in as well, a look of concern on her face.

Poppy: "We'll check in the entire forest if we have to. Just for Hope!"

————————————————————————————————

Hours passed as the search continued. They scoured every inch of the forest, calling Angel's/Hope's name until their voices were hoarse. They checked every hiding spot, nook, and cranny, but there was no sign of Angel/Hope anywhere. The once hopeful and determined expressions on their faces slowly morphed into worry and despair.

Dogday: "This is impossible... where could she be? We've searched everywhere!.."

Mommy longlegs looked pale and anxious, gripping her spider legs nervously. Poppy and Kissy Missy stood nearby, their expressions solemn.

Mommy longlegs: “We've searched everywhere... I just don’t understand. Where could she have gone?”

Poppy: “Is it possible that she’s been kidnapped or something? I just don't understand how she could have vanished into thin air..."

Kissy Missy looks slightly worried as well.

Dogday: “What are we going to do? We can't just give up... we have to find her!”

————————————————————————————————

The group rushed into Angel's/Hope's room (again) and into the bathroom, only to find Angel/Hope sitting in a bathtub full of bubbles, completely undisturbed and relaxed. The door had broken open, but luckily the bubbles and the water obscured her form from view. All of them stood there in shock, their eyes wide and jaws dropped as they all stared at her in complete disbelief.

But Dogday's reaction was different. He stood there, blushing furiously as he tried to avert his gaze from his wife's nude form hidden beneath the bubbles.

. . . . . . . .

Angel/Hope: ........You guys owe me a new door.

The others stood there, still speechless, their minds struggling to process the unexpected scene. Dogday was particularly flustered, his face still red as he tried to avert his gaze from Angel's form in the bathtub.

Dogday(flustered): “U-Uh... yeah... we'll... buy you a new.. uh.. door. Sorry about that..”

. . . . . . . .

Angel/Hope: ........What are you guys so worried about..

Poppy, Kissy Missy, and Mommy longlegs finally snapped out of their stupor at the sound of Angel's voice.

Poppy: “Angel! We've been looking for you EVERYWHERE! We were worried sick about you! Where were you?”

Mommy longlegs: “We thought something bad had happened to you!”

Angel/Hope ....Oh no. Please don't tell me you searched everywhere except my bathroom.

The others exchanged sheepish glances, realizing that in their panic and worry, they had overlooked one important place: Angel's/Hope's bathroom.

Mommy longlegs: "...Well... the thought crossed our minds.. but we assumed you wouldn't be in here for hours...”

Poppy: “Yeah.. we didn't think you'd be taking a bath for so long...”

Angel/Hope: ..Oh please, I always take baths for hours, sometimes for the whole day.

The others looked at each other, realizing the logic in Angel's/Hope's statement. They all felt a mixture of foolishness and relief.

Mommy longlegs: “Oh... well... that makes sense... why didn't we think to check here sooner?”

Poppy: “Yeah, I guess we were just so worried that we didn't think of the obvious place...”

Dogday was still trying to hide his embarrassment, his face still slightly pink from seeing her in the bathtub.

Angel/Hope: ....But, you guys owe me a new door.

The others all nodded guiltily, still feeling a bit sheepish about breaking down the door.

Poppy: “Yeah, yeah, we know. We'll get you a new door. No problem.”

Mommy longlegs chimed in with an apologetic smile.

Mommy longlegs: “Sorry about that, Hope. We were just so worried about you… We got carried away in our worry and accidentally broke down the door. We didn't mean to ruin your privacy, dear.”

Dogday finally managed to compose himself enough to speak up, still feeling a bit flustered.

Dogday: “Yeah... sorry about that. We'll replace the door as soon as we can. And... um... you know, we thought something bad might have happened. That's why we were looking for you.”

Angel/Hope shifted awkwardly. Why are they just standing there watching her..

Angel/Hope: ....Can you guys.. not watch me in a bathtub..

The others seemed to snap out of their stupor and quickly averted their gazes, realizing they had been staring at Angel/Hope in the bathtub for a little too long. They each mumbled apologies and excuses, embarrassed by their own behavior.

Poppy: “Sorry sorry, we didn't mean to stare.. we were just so relieved to see you're alright that we forgot ourselves for a moment...”

Mommy longlegs: “O-Of course, we'll give you some privacy now... sorry again, dear.”

Dogday was the last to look away, his face still flushed with embarrassment and a hint of lingering attraction. He reluctantly tore his gaze away from her and averted his eyes.

Dogday: “Yeah.. right.. sorry, Angel. We'll leave you to your bath now.”

As the others started to leave the bathroom, Dogday couldn't help but take one last, quick peek at Angel/Hope before he was suddenly pulled away by Mommy longlegs's spider arms.

Dogday(sheepishly): “Hey, let me go-“

He tried to wiggle out of Mommy longlegs's grip, but her spider arms were firmly holding him in place and physically preventing him from looking back.

Mommy longlegs: “No, bad Dogday, no looking at Angel or Hope while she's having her bath.”

Dogday pouted, feeling like a reprimanded child. He stopped resisting and let Mommy longlegs guide him away from the bathroom, feeling a bit frustrated that he couldn't get another glimpse of his beautiful wife.

Dogday: "Fine..."

—————————————————————————————————————————————————

Welp, that's it. Hope this doesn't flop, I've spend hours writing this hehe😅 Angel/Hope is my oc btw.

[sena-seastar]

The Dragon's Gold

Chapter Ten

Pairing: Aegon II Targaryen x Aerys Reyne (male oc)

Summary: Aerys Reyne, son of Naerys Targaryen, the second-born daughter of King Viserys and Queen Aemma, has been best friends with Aegon since childhood. As boys, they had been inseparable. Many said that it reminded them of the early days of King Jaehaerys reign. When the princes Aemon and Baelon were still children. Wherever one boy was, it wasn't long before the other came running behind him. That was until forbidden desires of the heart forced a wedge between them. After the death of his grandsire, King Viserys, Aerys finds himself torn between two sides: stand by his oldest friend or stand by the only mother he has ever known.

Warning: angst, mentions of Jaehaerys, child loss, grief

a/n: Aerys kinda makes a new friend. Aegon isn't used to people being nice to him. No beta, so I apologize for grammar and spelling mistakes. Also, if anyone wishes to be tagged in future updates, just let me know!

Aerys

The sound of glass shattering on the stone floor woke Aerys, forcing him to sit upright. A thin layer of sweat covered his skin, and his heart hammered away in his chest. His eyes scanned the room for potential dangers. During his search, they fell upon a woman standing beside the bathtub in his chamber. It was the maid—the one in charge of delivering his food.

“I apologize, m’lord,” she bowed her head.

Aerys nodded, watching quietly as she bent down to pick up the shards of what he assumed had once been a flagon. She was a short, large woman with dark eyes, limp brown hair, and an ample bosom. 

“I’ve prepared you a bath,” she said, dropping the shards into a brown bucket, “Though you’ll have to wait for it to cool down a bit.”

Aerys said nothing. He looked down at his hands resting on the soft wool blanket covering his lap. So, he was not going mad. Someone had covered him up. He turned his head upward, looking to the window. It appeared to be late in the afternoon. The events of last night suddenly came back to him. Unconsciously, he reached a hand up to touch his throat. He flinched; the skin of his throat was tender and sore. 

Aerys stood up, letting the blanket fall to the floor. He moved over to the new mirror in the corner of his room. It had to be replaced, as he had shattered the first one after being told of Luke’s death. He lifted his hair out of the way, observing the red marks that covered his throat. The bruising was only in the beginning stages. But if he looked hard enough, he believed he could make out the shape of Aegon’s hands. 

“Should I fetch the maester?” The maid asked timidly.

“No,” he replied, his voice hoarse.

Aerys dropped his hair, letting it cover the red marks as best as it could. He turned around, eyes focusing on the steam rising from the bath. Aerys walked forward, shedding his clothes along the way. The maid released a short gasp and quickly averted her gaze. Aerys paid her no mind, tossing his clothes to the ground. He could smell the fragrant oils that had been placed in the water.

“It’s too hot, m’lord!” The woman warned.

Aerys ignored her words, lowering himself into the scalding hot water. He did not cry out or flinch. He enjoyed the heat against his skin. It made him feel clean, pure. Though he knew he was far from it. Aerys pulled his knees to his chest, watching the steam rise around him. Something had happened, something terrible. However, he did not know what. The look in Aegon’s eyes as he had his hands wrapped around Aerys’ throat haunted him. There was anger and fury, yes, but there was something else, something more. A deep, painful look of despair, of loss. Something that Aerys was not unfamiliar with.

“What has happened?” He asked the maid.

The woman approached slowly, sitting on a stool beside the tub.

“The prince Jaehaerys has been slain,” she answered woefully.

His eyes widened, and water splashed onto the floor as he quickly turned to look at her. He stared into her eyes, desperately searching for some indication of a lie, but there was none. The woman spoke the truth.

“And Jaehaera? Helaena?” Aerys asked hurriedly. Panic filled his chest, and he found it getting increasingly difficult for him to breathe.

“They live.”

A small wave of relief washed over him. Aerys nodded, turning back around. He dropped his head to stare at the water around him. 

“How did it happen?”

“Assassins snuck into the castle. The boy was...,” she paused, her voice cracking, “beheaded in his bed.”

Aerys closed his eyes, swallowing back the bile rising in his throat. Jaehaerys is dead. Aegon’s words rang loudly in his ears. Did you have something to do with this?! Did you know?! They were words spoken in anger- in grief, but they still felt like a knife stabbing at his heart. Surely, Aegon did not believe Aerys would take part in such an egregious act. To strike down an innocent child in their bed was cowardice. It was an act that only the basest of villains would commit. 

“They say it was the Princess Rhaenyra who sent them. In retribution for her son.”

Aerys shook his head. No, he could not—would not believe that Nyra was behind this or that she had even known of it. She was a mother herself, one who had just lost a son. He could not imagine the woman would want to inflict that same pain on anyone, especially Helaena. Nyra had never been close to her siblings, but she held no ill will against them, least of all Helaena. If this was indeed an act of retribution for Luke, why go after Jaehaerys? The boy played no part in what his uncle had done. Aerys doubted the boy even knew of Luke’s existence. It is a lie. It has to be. No, someone else was responsible for this treachery. To butcher a child in their bed like some kind of animal... that was a different kind of brutality. One that Aerys could not even begin to fathom.

Tears fell from his eyes, dripping into the water. The boy's death saddened him, yes, but he worried more for the boy's parents. He worried for the boy’s mother, who would never be able to see or hold her firstborn child again. He worried for the boy’s father, who would seek revenge for the son stolen from him. He worried for the boy’s twin sister, Jaehaera, who would be forced to grow up without her other half at her side. If she even made it to adulthood, that is. War was imminent. Luke and Jaehaerys were the first to die but would not be the last. Many innocents will meet their ends, both low and high-born. 

Aerys flinched as water poured down his back, droplets trickling from his long tendrils into the bath.

“I’m sorry m’lord. I thought you would want help washing your hair.” The woman apologized, her voice quivering slightly.

“It’s fine. Continue,” Aerys sniffled, wiping his eyes.

“Yes, m’lord.” The woman whispered, continuing her work.

Aerys leaned his head back, allowing her to pour water over the top of his head. She hummed absentmindedly as she threaded her fingers through his hair. Aerys sat quietly. He closed his eyes, trying to relax. His body ached all over. No doubt the results of sleeping on the bare stone floor. His stomach clenched almost painfully and released a rather loud growl. Aerys felt the heat rising on his face.

“Will you fetch me something to eat?” He asked timorously.

The woman stopped, a small smile spread across her round face.

“Of course, m’lord.”

Aerys nodded, listening as she left the room. He waited until the door locked behind her before laying back in the tub. He took a quick breath before sinking into the water, allowing it to submerge his head completely.

–

Aerys nibbled on the bread in his hands while the maid, whose name he discovered was Wylla, brushed his hair. He also found that the woman had a fondness for talking. Aerys had only asked which region of the realm she had come from, and now he knew that she had a brother who herds goats in the Riverlands, a sister whose husband owns an inn in the Reach, and apparently, they are descendants of some long-vanished king of the First Men.

He had stayed silent as she droned on and on, only letting out the occasional hum to let her know he was still listening. It was better than being trapped alone within the confines of his mind. The skin of his neck was sore; even the slightest touch made him cringe. Wylla had said the bruise was darkening already, with slight purple hues appearing with the red.

His mind drifted to Agana. The man missed her deeply. He missed the warmth of her scales on his skin, the wind blowing through his hair as they flew through the skies, and most of all, he missed the strength she gave him, the courage she made him feel. He needed that courage now more than ever.

“Your grace,” Wylla gasped.

Aerys turned his head, watching as Wylla bowed before the dowager queen. Alicent nodded, dismissing the maid. Wylla took the hint, quickly leaving the room. A white cloak that Aerys did not recognize closed the door behind her. Leaving him alone with the dowager queen. Alicent stood a few feet away, looking as regal as ever. She stared at him, toying with the skin around her fingernails. Aerys sighed before standing, turning around so they were face to face.

“I am sorry for your loss, Lady Alicent.”

“Thank you, Aerys,” she spoke quietly, a slight quiver in her voice.

He was being sincere. The woman had just lost a grandchild. He could not imagine that was an easy pain to bear. She cleared her throat, pushing her shoulders back to appear taller.

“But my grief is not the reason I am here.”

Aerys scrunched his brows, tilting his head slightly to the side. It took only a moment before the meaning of her words dawned on him.

“How is he?”

“Angry,” she sighed, “eager for vengeance.”

“And Helaena?” He asked.

The woman froze, her eyes staring at him. He watched as they welled with tears. Her bottom lip trembled as she let out a shaky breath. The woman cleared her throat, quickly hardening her face. It saddened him to see how quickly she internalized her pain. How quickly she buried it in her heart to put on the brave face that was expected of her. 

“She’s alive.” She answered. 

The mixture of relief and sorrow in her voice was not lost on him. Helaena was alive but would now have to live with the turmoil of losing a child, her first child. She would bear that pain- that loss for the rest of her life. Would that truly be a life worth living?

“What is it that you need from me?” Aerys asked.

The woman took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling. She clasped her hands together and placed them in front of her—an array of conflicting emotions crossed over her glossy eyes. She averted her gaze, lowering her head slightly.

“He needs you,” she answered, with a slightly reluctant tone. “To offer him the solace I cannot.”

Aerys turned away from her. He leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling. His lips quivered, and his face contorted as he tried to fight back his tears. The skin of his neck grew hot as he remembered Aegon’s hands around his throat. He did not think Aegon truly meant to hurt him. It was an act done in haste while processing the death of his son. He could not blame him for it. Aerys took a deep breath, spinning back around to face the woman. She stared at him, her eyes trying to gauge his answer. He gave a simple nod.

“Ser Thorne shall escort you to the king,” she said before leaving the room.

The white cloak he did not recognize, Ser Thorne stood at the door. Aerys quickly put on his boots before walking to meet the man. He slowly stepped into the hall. His eyes searched the hall as if this were some sort of trap. Ser Thorne slammed the door shut and began walking. Aerys quickly followed. The castle was dark and quiet. Aerys noted that there were more guards than usual. Looking around in confusion, he realized Ser Thorne was leading him to his grandsire’s bedchamber. However, he quickly realized the reason for this. They crowned Aegon king. Where else would he be besides the king's apartments? Ser Thorne held up a hand, signaling Aerys to stop. 

Dread and worry crept into his mind as he realized only a wooden door kept him and Aegon separate. Ser Throne pushed open the door, standing to the side so that Aerys could pass him. Aerys nodded his head as he did so. He watched as the knight closed the door behind him. 

Heartwrenching cries pull Aerys away from his thoughts. Painful sobs and even more painful-sounding hiccups echo in the air. The sound broke his heart. He turns around, searching for Aegon. He finds the man hunched over in a chair, fiddling with his ring before the hearth. A tightness filled his chest like there was a hand squeezing his heart. Aerys was familiar with grief, but the grief of losing a child was another matter entirely. Something he had no experience with. It was something he never wanted to experience. He did not think he would be able to survive such a loss.

Lost in his grief, Aegon seemed utterly unaware of his presence. Aerys walked over to the man’s side. He raised his hand, hovering it over Aegon’s shoulder. Perhaps this was a mistake. Their last encounter was not a positive one. Would Aegon even want to see him? Would he want his comfort? Or would his presence merely anger him?

Aegon’s body jerked with each painful gasp that escaped his throat. His head hung low, concealing his face. Aerys took a deep breath, placing a firm hand on Aegon’s shoulder. He was willing to risk facing the man’s wrath. If Aegon wanted to scream at or hurt him, Aerys would let him. Whatever Aegon wanted from him, Aerys would provide it.

Alarmed, Aegon turns his head upwards to find the intruder. His eyes are red and puffy, but he still tries his best to look fierce. Perhaps he was afraid someone had come for his head next. When he realized it was none other than Aerys, his eyes softened. His face crumpled, and he burst into inconsolable tears. Aegon’s hands grabbed Aerys by the hips, pulling him closer. Aerys did not fight or cry out when Aegon’s fingers dug painfully into his skin. Aegon buried his face into Aerys’ clothed stomach, howling like a wounded animal. Aerys used one hand to thread his fingers through Aegon’s hair. The other, he used to rub the man’s back.

“My boy,” Aegon cried, “they killed my boy!”

Aerys dropped his head, closing his eyes. He bit his bottom lip to stop himself from crying. He needed to be strong for Aegon. The man needed someone to lean on now, more than ever. 

“I saw,” Aegon gasped. “I-I saw him. I h-held his little-little body,” he stammered between sobs. 

Aerys rubbed Aegon’s back, trying to soothe him. The man only cried harder. Aerys could feel his tunic clinging to his skin. The result of Aegon’s tears, though Aerys did not mind it. 

“I’m so sorry, Aegon...” Aerys whispered through tears.

Aegon shook his head. Aerys stumbled as the man suddenly pushed him away. He watched Aegon pace the room back and forth, shaking his head and muttering. 

“Aegon,” Aerys called, trying to catch his attention.

“They took his head,” Aegon whimpered. “They took his fucking head!” He shouted, grabbing a nearby goblet and throwing the glass with all his might.

Aerys flinched as the glass shattered against the wall. He watched helplessly as Aegon slumped to his knees, crying in his hands. Aerys kneeled beside him, pulling the man into his arms. Aegon buried his face in Aerys’ shoulder, wrapping his arms tightly around his waist. Aerys pressed a soft kiss to Aegon’s hair. One hand held the back of Aegon’s neck while the other rested on his back. No words were spoken as they cried and clung to each other for dear life.

Aerys felt Aegon press wet kisses to the side of his neck. He winced; the bruises on his neck pained him. Aegon pulled away, his eyes observing the bruising on Aerys’ neck.

“I hurt you,” he whimpered, his face contorting in anguish.

“Shh,” Aerys shook his head, “I’ll be fine.”

Aerys pulled him closer, resting their heads together. Aegon leaned forward, pressing their lips together. Aerys did not stop him. The kisses are rough and desperate. Aerys feels a hand run down his body, cupping his clothed cock. He pulls back, grabs the hand, and pushes it away. Aegon whimpers, trying to capture Aerys’ lip again, but Aerys shakes his head.

“Just let me hold you,” he says softly.

Aegon stills; his violet eyes are unsure, and he looks almost afraid. Aerys sits on the floor, stretching out his legs. Hesitantly, Aegon lays down, resting his head on Aerys’ lap. He flinches when Aerys lifts his hand but relaxes when he feels Aerys run his fingers through his hair, gently massaging his scalp. Aerys continues this even after Aegon falls asleep. His eyes trailed over every inch of Aegon’s face, listening to his friend's soft snores. His back ached from sitting like this, but he did not care. Whatever Aegon needed from him at that moment, he would provide it.

Tags: @saicherry, @willow-red, @sadpuffpuff, @teamavatar13,