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luminari-mc · 3 years ago

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My Human, My Sunshine - Part 2

Pairing: GN!MC x Mammon

Genres: Angst, hurt/comfort.

Word count: 4642

Warnings: N/A

Summary: As a human and a demon get to enjoy the presence of one another again, Mammon knows deep down that behind this ephemeral bliss, hides a looming and powerful storm.

PART 1 - PART 2 -

A/N: it's almost Mammon's birthday! And as promised, here is part 2 of my little series! While part 1 was made to place several plot points here and there, this chapter really starts to set things in motion for future chapters, and especially part 3.

All I have to say here is... Enjoy the fluff while it lasts.

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For the first time in a while... the human world felt much more colorful. Much more silent. It was as if life itself had been born anew, the suffocating darkness engulfing the world having been cast away for the light to reclaim its rightful ownership. The evil dragon of separation had finally been put to rest, and so, the chirping of the birds quickly replaced the self-deprecating thoughts of the people.

The only question left on the people's minds, as their bodies embraced so close to one another throughout the night, rejoicing to finally be back in the other's company, was... for how long, would that blissful respite last?

The night had been deep and short, but much welcoming. The weariness that had taken over the couple's bodies over the past two months had thoroughly vanished, as if all of this had been nothing but a bad dream. How much they wished it had been the case, and that the kisses they had shared the previous night didn't have to be ones filled with the need to feel the other's presence so desperately, for their minds to realize that they were here, and he was here, together in the same room at long last.

A human hand gently caressed a white-haired head, the demon to which it belonged still soundly asleep. Despite it being a few hours after dawn, MC had only recently opened their eyes to the first rays of sunlight, finding themself still in the same position as they had fallen asleep in. Mammon's arms were still firmly wrapped around their frame, their proximity allowing him to breathe in the scent of their skin as his nose brushed against their collarbone each time his chest rose up in his sleep.

Remaining laid down on their side, the human could only keep still and watch the face of their demon in adoration, still unsure whether they really had him in their bed with him, or if the loneliness of the past few weeks had truly made them lose their mind beyond salvation.

But as their fingers gently passed in his hair, their caresses never ending, MC couldn't help but wonder... what had Mammon done since the last time they saw him? How had he spent his time in the Devildom? How were the others? And most importantly, how had he found his way to them? Not that much conversation had been achieved the previous night, to answer all of their questions... The two of them had quickly realized, as MC came to drag Mammon inside the apartment, their clothes damp from the rain that had been dripping from his body, that what they wanted, as their lips met again and again, weren't answers, but to feel each other. And before any of them could notice, they had both fallen into a deep slumber that lasted the entire night.

MC raised their head slightly to look out of the bay window on the other side of the room. Outside, they could partially perceive the colors of the other buildings of the city in the horizon, the sunlight reflecting on their windows brightly and making them squint their eyes in response. They would have preferred to be able to see the green of the trees lined up in the street below, but that was one of the many flaws of this place... the floor that Solomon had chosen for MC to reside in was just way, way too high up.

If it hadn't been for a pair of arms pulling them slightly forward, MC wouldn't have noticed the half-closed pair of blue eyes staring at them in silence. MC immediately lowered their side back against the mattress, their head meeting with the pillow once more. Under the covers, they moved a leg instinctively against Mammon's.

"Good morning." They whispered through a smile, a sound so affectionate to one demon's ears that his hand slid from under the blanket to place itself on the human's cheek.

"Is this a dream?"

Mammon's words surprised them, but only for a short second. The demon's expression was nothing but serious, a slightly furrowed brow adorning his forehead as if he was expecting to receive a positive, yet disappointing answer to his question. Instead, MC's smiled turned only sweeter. They closed their eyes before pulling Mammon closer to them.

"It's not a dream." They felt him place his face in the crook of their neck. "You're with me, and I'm with you. It's for real."

Almost as if he was holding back tears, Mammon inhaled deeply, before closing the empty space between his body and MC's until there was nothing left. Their hand was brought back to the back of his head, drawing slow circles in the hopes of soothing him.

"I still can't believe it." His words seemed to be on the verge of breaking up as they slipped through his gritted teeth. "It feels like you've been gone for a thousand years, even worse... Why the hell did I only find ya now..."

"Mammon..." MC opened their eyes again to urgently place a gentle kiss on top of the demon's head. "What's important is that you found me. It is much better than if a thousand years had really passed, don't you think?"

Mammon's head leaned away from the warmth of their neck, his glassy eyes able to meeting theirs again. His mouth stayed agape for a few seconds, before both of his hands cupped MC's face in place.

"I know I asked last night, but you sure you're okay, right? Nobody has hurt you or experimented on you or anythin'?"

"I'm okay, Mammon." They placed their hands on top of his, a small chuckle escaping through their lips. "I swear, all I did was practice magic with Solomon and live a boring human life."

"But you sure it was normal magic? What if it was some weird spells and he was secretly messing with your body without you knowing?"

His worry made them sigh softly, their thumbs brushing the back of his hands. It was understandable for him to be so concerned for their safety, after receiving no news in such a long time. And the demons had always been wary of Solomon ever since they had known the wizard, to the point where MC themself, had even grown to wonder why Solomon had been acting the way he did, since they had gone back to the human world.

"I promise you." They responded, yet unsure themself of the veracity of their words. "Nothing has been done to me."

Silence fell between the both of them again, a staring contest where Mammon was expecting them to let go of a much harder truth, which never came. He was the first to break eye contact, rather preferring to stare into the space between MC's head and the pillow.

"Solomon... He's hidin' something too. I just know it"

His sudden pouting mouth and words made MC blink. "Too? What do you mean...?"

After marking a wordless pause, Mammon's hands slid off their cheeks, his upper body rising up as he sat himself into the bed. The sheets fell onto his hips, leaving his arm exposed for MC to grab in case he was trying to avoid their question and get up. But instead, all he did was pass a hand through his hair as a deep sigh left his lungs.

"Mammon?" MC called out, their voice starting to show concern due to the demon's sudden secrecy. But as they read his expression a bit more clearly from their laid position in the bed, and as they watched the creases between his eyebrows form, and his jaw clenching, they realized that... Mammon probably knew more about all this than themself.

"A... A lot of shit went down ever since you left, MC." The demon kept his palm in his hair, leaving his forehead exposed. "It's gone bad, and I just... I-I just dunno what to do anymore."

It wouldn't take a genius to see how perturbed Mammon was about this subject- you just had to see the way his fingers had wrapped around his own hair, almost as if he was about to pull a handful, the questions in his mind twirling in a never-ending whirlpool of torment. One thing MC was grateful for, however, was how much more open he had become with them ever since they had known each other.

As MC propped themself on their elbow, they allowed their hand to wander up and down Mammon's arm to remind him of their presence.

"... Do you want some breakfast? I'd rather you explain everything while stuffing yourself with waffles. I make them delicious, I promise."

Although he glanced at them from the corner of his eyes, his pout only seemed to double. MC stopped their hand from rubbing his skin before placing it above his own, their thumb gently brushing the back of it. Like a timid child, his cheeks darkened, letting his voice, now low, respond to their question.

"I... could go with some of your waffles."

After putting some clothes on, apart from Mammon who could only rely on one of MC's loose jogging pants due to his clothes from the previous night still dripping wet on a nearby chair-, MC made their way to the kitchen to prepare something for their demon.

Throughout the whole process, Mammon never left their side. Once his arms had been locked around their frame from behind as they began preparing the waffles, he hadn't let go. His chin remained on their shoulder, his body moving alongside them whenever they had to go to a cabinet to grab a bowl, a whip, or even when they went to pick the different ingredients for the batter. MC had asked in the beginning "are you sure you don't want to sit at the table?", wanting him not to be standing more than his tired legs could bear. But their question was only met with a shaking of his head, before his forehead met with the warmth of their skin. "I'm good there", he had answered. And so MC let him hold on to them, enjoying the feeling of his arms around their waist, and the few kisses he would place here and there alongside their neck and cheek. This calm, this peace, this comfortable silence... they had forgotten what it felt like.

Once all the batter had been changed into hot and steamy waffles, and the rest of the breakfast had been made, the couple sat around the kitchen table.

"So... is it that bad?" MC placed their hands around their hot cup of cocoa, taking a sip of the drink as Mammon filled his mouth with a waffle he had covered in strawberry jam. MC had insisted that he was to eat his batch first, with him having barely eaten anything the previous day. Even if he was a demon, he needed to have a proper morning meal.

"It's almost as if you had never been in the house in the first place." Mammon answered after swallowing his bite. "Satan went back on being super pissy with Lucifer for the smallest things, Levi eats his meals in his room and never comes out. I see Asmo buyin' even more beauty products than usual and he's constantly askin' us if "this and that" suits him, to the point where it's ridiculous. Beel almost stopped eating entirely because he was too worried for ya. If it weren't for Belphie, he would have turned into a literal stick. Now Belphie sleeps more often too. And Lucifer, he..."

He stabbed one of the waffles with his fork, before tearing a piece of it with his teeth. MC's brow instantly furrowed with concern.

"He just has to know why we couldn't reach you. He's been lyin' through his teeth for weeks on end, but he thinks he's being so sly and that we're too dumb to see it." Another teared piece of the waffle disappeared into his mouth. "Like, sure, he's been way more on edge ever since you left the Devildom and even more after we've all started askin' why we couldn't talk to you, but that just shows that he knows somethin' and we don't."

With a slower movement, his fork planted into the remaining bits of the waffle. "But it's just... I don't understand, you get it? Why would he try to hide something about you from us? All of a sudden we can't send you texts or call you like we used to everytime you had to come back to the human world, and out of nowhere he starts actin' all weird about it. It's just..."

MC noticed Mammon's jaw clenching, his hand and fork immobile as it stayed firmly planted into the waffle. The demon swallowed harshly, letting the human know how the situation back at home must have been for him. Without their presence, the brothers had turned back into their previous selves, if not worse.

"What about you?" They asked, making the second-born jerk his head upward at them. "How are you feeling?"

"M-Me? It's... not important." He looked away shamefully, the pressure on the fork increasing and his nail starting to dig into his palm.

"Mammon." Their hand reached forward to wrap itself around the one that was holding the fork. "If my absence has been affecting everyone like this... I want to know how you dealt with it, too."

They patiently waited until Mammon finally dared cross his gaze with their own once again.

"I... dammit, don't laugh, okay?" He muttered. "But, I guess when we learned you didn't have your D.D.D. with ya back in the human world, I was the one with took it the worst... I grew tired of Lucifer tellin' me to be patient and wait for a replacement to get to ya, and I kinda ran to Lord Diavolo and ended up throwing a hissy fit in the middle of the throne room. Barbatos didn't like it, and neither did Lucifer. I still don't know why, but Lucifer didn't strung me from the ceiling on that day. Actually, he's mostly been yelling at us more than punishing. But I guess it doesn't really matter, since the others went all back on ganging up on me for any mistake I make."

Just as Mammon finally brought the rest of the waffle into his mouth in the hopes of not breaking up into a groaning mess, MC could swear they felt their heart sink within them. It sounded exactly like what Mammon had said. The brothers had all gone back to their old ways, with Mammon ending up as the punching bag once again. And all because they weren't around anymore?

"I'm... I'm sorry." Their throat tightened, a sense of guilt starting to wash over them. "If I knew you guys were having it this bad, I'd- I should have been way more insistent with Solomon, I should have kept asking to see you more than I did when-"

"Wha- No no, hey, it's not your fault!" Mammon exclaimed, panic settling in as MC started taking the blame on themself. "I mean, no one coulda thought that you'd be gone for this long... And that we'd be all negative for not being able to call you and stuff..."

Mammon passed a hand over his neck, the other covering MC's fist with its warmth. His eyes drifted to the side.

"We just... ya know. Grew used to havin' ya around. Guess it messed up our heads pretty good, and in the end, hatin' on each other seemed like the only solution to keep us busy.... I think."

MC's stomach churned uncomfortably as they sat there silently, slowly processing Mammon's words. What they wouldn't give to have sensed sooner that the brothers were also out of the loop in this situation, and ask Solomon for answers in the first few weeks after being back in the human world with him. How could they have been so passive about this? How could they have been so blind?

"MC."

Mammon's voice pulled them out of their thoughts, as they raised their eyes back onto him. "Huh?"

"What did Solomon say? About you not being able to see us?"

"Hum..." Their brain replayed the fuzzy memories of what happened two months earlier.

"Well, you remember how we all said our goodbyes to each other before I left the Devildom? It was in the student's council meeting room, like usual. But Diavolo had said that I would need to fill some papers before entering the portal, so I guess since we all were used to saying goodbye like this by now, we didn't really see the harm in having you brothers all leave the room before I entered the portal."

They instinctively bit the corner of their bottom lip. "Which left me, Barbatos and Diavolo in the room. Diavolo said something about needing my D.D.D. to replace it with an upgraded version, which I thought was weird at the time since Karasu had always warned me when it needed repairs or to update an app. But I trusted Diavolo, so I gave it to him, and he said I should receive the new one shortly through Solomon. After that, I got into the portal, but never received the phone, and Solomon started saying all these excuses..."

"What excuses?" Mammon asked, pressing on the matter out of curiosity, but mostly because of the bubbling rage that was beginning to form in the pit of his stomach.

"At first he explained that the new D.D.D. took some time to be shipped to Lord Diavolo, but-- it's Lord Diavolo, the literal demon prince. He knows how much I like to communicate with all of you while I'm up there, so I couldn't understand why he simply couldn't ask for the shipping to go a bit faster?" MC started moving their free hand around as they continued to explain their version of the story. "Then Solomon suddenly switched from the phone taking time to be shipped to... saying that the Devildom was dealing with some dangerous threat that came out of nowhere, and that I needed to stay away until the matter was dealt with. But in the end it just... made me want to know if you guys were okay even more..."

Neither Mammon nor MC had realized, nor heard, that a crack had begun to form under Mammon's firm grip on the edge of the table. The more he learned how many lies had been thrown in their face by the wizard, the more pressure Mammon was putting on his closed teeth. He couldn't believe Solomon had told them that they were in danger, when absolutely nothing eventful had happened during their absence. What was wrong with this guy, Lord Diavolo and Lucifer? The demon searched in his mind again and again, why his older brother would make up such an alliance with Solomon, especially to keep MC at bay- wasn't he supposed to care for them, too?

"I've heard enough." He hissed, the wood cracking even more under his palm. "Once I know what the fuck is going on with those two, I'm bringing you back home."

"Wait-" MC exclaimed, panic in their voice. "I-It has to be for a reason, right? That your story and mine aren't the same? I just- I don't understand why Diavolo and Lucifer would lie to me so that I stay in the human world, especially when they were acting like usual before I left."

"Reason or not, I don't fucking care. Shouldn't they have at least let us know if something was up?" Mammon's hands retrieved from both the table and MC's, the demon grasping the fabric of his pants harshly as he shook his head in disbelief. "Think about it, MC. If they all made up a bunch of lies so that we wouldn't be able to contact you, then it means that you're involved in this. Whatever problem it is they're hiding, they should tell you what it is, and not straight up throw you away in the human world as if neither you or ME would care about it."

The demon let out a frustrated groan as his eyes closed firmly, Mammon not understanding anything of the situation. If he and MC wanted answers, it would require to go back to either Solomon or Lucifer, but either of those options weren't at the top of his priorities right now. All he wanted at the moment, was to make sure that MC would remain safe, if they indeed were at the center of all this. He didn't want to lose them again. Two months of radio silence had already been hard enough. No, now, he would remain with them at all times. No matter if the obstacles ended up being a wizard, the demon prince, or his literal older brother.

MC's arms wrapping around his shoulders pulled him out of his dark thoughts. He opened his eyes, feeling them sitting on his lap as they hid their face into his neck. Their embrace was strong, but at the same time, gentle and comforting. He instantly felt himself melt in his seat. Slowly, his shoulders dropped, and his arms circled the human he loved the most.

"I swear it." He muttered, looking into the empty space behind them. "I'll bring you back to the house. Everyone's missing you, and... I miss you, too."

MC nodded against his neck. "I'd love that. I miss the others. I miss my room there. And you always barging in without notice."

"O-Oh, yeah, about that-" Mammon pulled them slightly away by the shoulders so he could face them. "I kinda forgot to tell ya, but... when you weren't here, I sorta felt really alone, having to sleep in my room without you around, so... uh, what I mean is that- I kinda brought most of my stuff in your-"

The demon's sentence was cut short by the melody of a ringtone at the other end of the table. Mammon looked instantly at MC's phone, arching an eyebrow both for being interrupted, but also wondering who could be calling them on their human phone at this hour.

"Ah- it's probably Solomon. He was supposed to come visit yesterday, but postponed it to today instead." MC said, not without a hint of disappointment in their voice as they got up from Mammon's lap to go grab their phone.

Mammon growled, already preparing himself mentally for possibly having the occasion to yell at the wizard for all the mess he caused, but his plan was immediately stopped by MC, who had put a finger on their lips. While Mammon started pouting, MC pressed the sleep button on the side of the phone, but opened their eyes wide as the name of the caller was written in what seemed like... the Devildom's language.

"It's- not Solomon?"

Their thumb swapped over the Accept button, and just as they placed the phone over their ear and were about to ask who it was, a voice, way too familiar to them, answered first.

"M-MC.. ?" The broken sobs mixed with the voice of none other than Leviathan, almost made MC forget how to breathe. "Aahh, I'm so glad... I-I wasn't sure if- sniffle..."

"Levi?" MC clasped their other hand over the phone, alerted by the state of the demon on the other side of the line. Behind them, Mammon practically jumped out of his seat.

"Levi?! Put him on speaker!"

MC obeyed him, quickly turning the speaker on and putting the phone in-between the two of them. The third-born's voice could now be heard in the entire room, as his desperate cries continued.

"Yo, Levi, why are you crying?! And how did you figure out how to call MC's phone?!" Mammon shouted, before approaching the phone to listen more closely. "Hey, is that Asmo I'm hearin'? Is he with you? What's happening??"

"Mammon... we were so worried- that you wouldn't find them..." Levi continued, as several people could be heard in the background, seemingly arguing with each other. "I tried really hard you know... I'm so, so sorry MC... I really tried... Please, please forgive me, I tried..."

"T-Tried? Wha- What did you try, Levi?" MC asked nervously, a knot starting to form in their throat. But the only answer they received from Leviathan, was a louder sob, soon followed by muffled cries as if the demon had stuffed his face into a pillow.

"Here- Levi, I'll talk to them." Another voice replaced Levi's, this one more composed in its tone. It increased in volume as the owner brought the phone closer to their face. "MC, Mammon? Are you still there?"

"Satan..." MC whispered, a hand placed over their chest. It had been so long since they had heard either of the other demons' voices.

"Hey, Satan, what's wrong with Levi?! I keep hearin' the others talking behind you too! I leave you guys for one day and already one of you is bawling his eyes out?!" Mammon asked urgently, obvious worry in his voice for his brother. As if the whole trip to the human world hadn't already been anxiety inducing, now something had happened within the House of Lamentation, and he wasn't there to check up on them.

On the other side of the phone, Satan clicked his tongue.

"After helping you find MC's location, Levi spent hours learning how to call a human phone with a demon one... literal hours. I'm glad it worked." He paused. "Everything would have turned out alright, if only it hadn't been for him."

While MC blinked in confusion, Mammon's breath was caught in his throat. His face turned pale, and his brow furrowed even more as the realization of what the fourth-born was trying to tell him washed over him.

"Wait... Don't tell me-"

"He's gone way too far this time." Satan hissed. Behind him, the voices of the other brothers turned quieter, the blonde demon moving away from them. "You have to leave wherever you are. While you didn't know where MC was, Mammon, I'm not doubting that he does. I don't know why he's acting the way he is but... I'm worried about MC. Mammon, you have to get them away from him."

"Wait, Satan, are you talking about-"

Two dry knocks came from the entrance door, and MC immediately shut themself up, quickly pressing the speaker off. Flipping their head alongside Mammon's towards the sound, the two's breaths turned slow and their bodies immobile, like deers caught in headlights. Neither of them dared make a sound, nor move a muscle, their eyes glued to the wood of the door as they waited for additional knocks, which never came.

Instead, after a silence that seemed to last forever, with only the now small voice of Satan hurriedly asking them from the phone if they were alright, a hue began emanating on the door. A red circle, shining a light that resembled a laser's glow, drew in the center. Several patterns followed and appeared within it, and before MC could take a step towards it, as they finally understood who was on the other side, Mammon's body immediately blocked them from advancing.

"Mammon-"

The demon raised an arm out, preventing MC from moving further away from the table. The human didn't have to see his face to know that he was preparing himself for anything- his tensed body in front of them spoke for himself.

His inner thoughts from a few minutes ago resurfaced in a flash upon sensing MC's hand on his back. No more separation. He had to protect them- stay with them. No matter the obstacle.

Even if this obstacle, turned out to be his own older brother.

"He's here."

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fandom-imagines-stories · 4 years ago

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Run to You Part One

Derek Morgan x Reader

Words: 2474

Summary: Having been dating for a while, you finally feel comfortable enough to introduce your boyfriend to your daughter, Angelica. Derek takes on the role better than you could have imagined and you start to feel like a family. Then one day, Angelica disappears from a friend’s house and your ex husband starts making demands.

Notes: Hey look it’s another one shot that got turned into a mini series. Whoops. Anyway, Derek Morgan, like Reid, holds a very special place in my heart and I hope you guys enjoy. Let me know what you think!

More Criminal Minds: HERE

You swirled the wine around in your glass, blowing out a long sigh before checking your watch. You’d been sitting there for about twenty minutes, deflecting glances from the waiter and reading the menu over and over again. You were about to call when you felt a pair of hands on your shoulders, the contact nearly making you jump out of your chair. You whirled around, heart pounding and breathing heavy. You sighed with relief when a familiar charming smile greeted you.

“Jesus, Derek, you’re lucky I didn’t pepper-spray you.” You groused, feeling your body gradually calm down. He pressed a quick kiss to your lips.

“Sorry, baby, I got caught up at work.”

“Uhuh.” You coyly turned your head away, pretending to ignore him. He ran his hands up and down your arms, giving you goosebumps.

“I’ll make it up to you…” He coaxed, his breath hot against the skin of your neck. Damn, he was impossible to be mad at.

“You’d better.” You surrendered to another kiss before he sat down across from you.

While you kept up your usual cool and collected appearance, on the inside you were sweating like a pig. Tonight was the night. Usually, on nights like tonight, you would get either dumped or ghosted. Most of the time it was both. But you had a feeling, a desperate hope, that Derek was different.

“Earth to Y/N.” Derek laughed. You hadn’t realized that you had spaced off. He reached across the table and put his hand on yours. “Where’s your head at, sweetheart?”

“I, uh,” You laughed nervously, “I was thinking we could go back to my place after this.” The biggest smirk spread across his face.

“That’s what you’re getting antsy about?” He chuckled, shaking his head. The waiter came back with the check and, though he offered, you took this one.

“You paid for the last date.” You reasoned, though you also didn’t want him to shell out for dinner if he was going to run off later.

“Independent woman, I get it.” He teased. He knew that something was off about tonight. You kept looking at your watch, fingers tapping on the table anxiously, and now your eyes kept darting from the check to his face.

Once the check was taken care of, you both headed back out to the parking lot. Derek took your hand and stopped suddenly, pulling you into his arms. He lifted your chin so that you were looking into his eyes. You looked pretty freaked out about something and it was worrying him.

“Okay, sweetheart, what’s going on?”

“What do you mean? Everything’s fine.” You couldn’t even convince yourself, let alone a behavioral profiler. You took a breath and let the tension built up in your shoulders fall. “Okay, there’s something I haven’t been telling you about me and when we go back to my place, you’re going to understand.” His eyes widened.

“Don’t tell me you're married.”

“No!” You exclaimed. “Well, not anymore. My ex and I split a long time ago.”

“I’m confused. You were married?” You nodded, looking down shamefully. Derek put a hand on your cheek. ��Baby, you could have told me that.” You let out a frustrated sigh.

“That’s not the problem, Derek. That’s not the part that sends every other guy I’ve dated running for the hills.”

“You’re really freaking me out here, Y/N. What is it?” Did you really think he was that kind of guy? You bit your lip nervously.

“My roommate.”

Your apartment should have been dark, but the living room lamp lit up the room, revealing the little bundle of blankets curled up on the sofa and the fast-asleep teen in the chair. You sighed, putting your keys in the little bowl on the table and walked over to the couch. You knelt in front of it, searching for a little nose and a pair of eyes.

“I know you’re awake, Jellybean.” You tapped her nose lightly and earned a chorus of giggles. Her eyes popped open and her arms latched around your neck.

“I missed you.” She pouted, making you laugh.

“Baby, it’s only been a couple of hours. Besides, you had Amy to keep you company.” You motioned to the teen who was snoring in the seat across from you. Angelica made a face.

“Who’s that?” She pointed over your shoulder to an awestruck looking Derek. You picked her up, blankets and all, and walked her over to him.

“This is Derek. He’s a friend of mommy’s.” You tried to read his expression, but he was just looking at her.

“Hi Derek, I’m Angelica.” She beamed. He smiled.

“Hi sweetheart. That’s a really pretty necklace.” He motioned to the chain around her neck. It had a little locket on the end with a picture of the two of you inside.

“Thanks! It was my mom’s, but she gave it to me for my birthday this year.”

“Alright, munchkin, why don’t you go brush your teeth and get into bed?” You put her down on the floor, ignoring her pouting lips. “Go.” She scampered off to her room and you slowly looked back up at Derek. “So…”

“So.”

“I’m going to send Amy home and then can I get you something to drink?” You asked, but you were really waiting for him to run. He nodded.

“A drink would be great.”

After Amy was gone and you finally got Angelica to stay in bed, Derek was patiently waiting on the couch, glass of wine in hand, awaiting the explanation that sent most guys out the door. You nervously sat down beside him and took a long drink from your own glass.

“Your roommate?” Derek chuckled, quirking a brow. You laughed anxiously.

“Yeah… I was afraid if I came right out and said ‘daughter’ you wouldn’t have even left the parking lot.” You curled your legs up underneath you, trying to get comfortable despite the situation. “That’s also why I didn’t tell you about her sooner. It seems every time I like a guy, he bolts as soon as he finds out I’ve got a kid.” Derek nodded in understanding.

“How old is she?”

“She’ll be eight in two months.” You couldn’t help but laugh to yourself. “They aren’t kidding when they say they grow up fast.”

“Yeah, well if she’s anything like her mother, I’m sure she’s a piece of work.” Derek chuckled, teasingly poking your side. He seemed pretty laid back. He wasn’t gunning for the door or itching to leave as soon as your back was turned. His face turned serious, but he still didn’t seem angry. “You know you could have told me, right?”

“It’s not you, Derek.” You stared at the wine in your glass, watching it swirl around like a crimson whirlpool. “I just have a hard time trusting people, especially when it comes to her. But I’m sure your profiler brain figured that out the day we met.” You cast him a knowing look. He shrugged.

“I knew that you weren’t telling me something, but I always figured you’d tell me when you were ready to tell me.” He moved closer to you, setting his glass on the coffee table. “And now you have.”

“I know that this isn’t exactly what you signed up for, and I’m not asking for you to step in and become her dad or anything like that, but I really want to keep seeing you and-” You took a breath. “Sorry, I’m rambling, aren’t I?”

“Just a little, but it’s okay.” He wrapped an arm around your shoulders and you both sank further into the couch. “She seems like a good kid.”

“Oh, she is.” You beamed. “She’s smart and way more creative than I ever was at her age. And after everything that’s happened…” You stopped. You didn’t want to get into that now. One big reveal is enough for one night. “She’s a great kid.”

Derek didn’t miss your hesitation, but he decided not to push it. You would tell him when you were ready.

Three weeks later

When you stepped into the kitchen, you couldn’t help but laugh. Derek was standing over the stove, eggs cooking in the pan and music playing from your speaker.

“Alright, show me your moves. Dance with me, Angel.” He laughed, Angelica jumping and spinning around him. Derek was beaming, picking her up in his arms and twirling around, spotting you out of the corner of his eye. “Morning.”

“Morning momma!” Angelica exclaimed. You smiled and kissed her cheek.

“Good morning Jellybean.” You kissed Derek, smiling against his lips. “Good morning Derek.”

“We’re making you breakfast.” Angel grinned. “We’ve got eggs and bacon and french toast.”

“Don’t forget the coffee.” Derek added. You laughed.

“No, never forget the coffee.” You poured yourself a cup and watched as Derek continued his playful dancing with your daughter. It was hard to believe that he didn’t know she existed a month ago. In just a few weeks, Derek had become a fixture in her life. He was sweet and funny and, most importantly, he really cared about her. “Oh, Derek, I almost forgot. Could you pick Angel up after school today? I have a bunch of meetings today that are supposed to go late. Obviously if you have to leave for a case, I can figure something else out, but I figured if you were here you might be available?”

“I’ll let you know if we have to take off, but I should be able to otherwise.”

“Yay!” Angel cheered, placing a big kiss on his cheek. Derek chuckled.

“Alright, Angel, you’d better go get ready.” He put her back down. “And if you’re quick, I’ll make you an extra piece of french toast, okay?”

“Okay, Derek!” She grinned and sprinted to her room. You watched him in awe.

“I can’t believe how good you are with her.” You mused. Derek smirked.

“What can I say? Chicks love me.” He teased. You rolled your eyes. Dereke snaked an arm around your waist and kissed your cheek.

“I have two sisters.” He chuckled, shrugging slightly. “Besides, Angel is a sweet girl.”

“She’s crazy about you, that’s for sure.” You laughed lightly, taking another sip of coffee. Everything felt exactly the way it was supposed to. Derek made you feel safer than you had in a long time and, even more, he made you happier than you had been in years.

Derek gave you a quick kiss goodbye before jetting off to the BAU. You watched his car pull away as he blew a kiss to Angelica with a grin on his face.

When he got to work, an eagerly curious face was awaiting him. Penelope had been trying to figure out who Derek’s new girl was for a while. He hadn’t told her your name, partially because it was fun to watch her squirm with not knowing, but also because he knew her too well. She’d find out everything she could about you and he wanted to find it out for himself. He didn’t want you getting profiled by anybody else on the team.

“You can stop grinning like that, babygirl, I’m still not going to tell you.” He smirked. Garcia pouted.

“I can’t believe you torture me like this.” She huffed. “I am your best friend and therefore am privy to any and all relationship details. Hiding them is like breaching our deepest form of trust.”

“I have given you details, Penelope.” He chuckled. “I’ve told you I’m seeing someone, it’s more serious than a usual fling, and that you would approve of her.”

“How do you know I would approve?” Garcia challenged, punching his shoulder. “She’s got to be one hell of a woman to be good enough for my Derek Morgan.”

“She is, babygirl. Believe me, she is.” He put an arm around her as they walked in together. Prentiss gave the pair a smile.

“Did he finally tell you who she is?”

“No and it is killing me!”

“I still think he made her up to torture us.” Reid laughed as he walked by. Derek thwacked the back of his head and everyone laughed as they went to their piles of dreaded paperwork. Derek stopped by J.J.’s office.

“Hey, J.J. what does today look like so far? Any cases?”

“None that aren’t going to take me all day to prepare, why?” She smirked. “Got a hot date with your mystery woman tonight?” Morgan chuckled.

“Something like that.”

“Seriously, we are all dying to meet the woman that finally caged our resident playboy.” J.J. whined.

“You’ll all meet her soon enough, I promise. I just don’t want all of you scaring Y/N off yet.” He wiggled his eyebrows, content with giving her just enough of a clue to appease the beasts for a while.

Walking back to his desk, he had to shake his head, laughing as J.J. rushed to Garcia’s office to tell her the ‘mystery woman’s’ name.

The day passed just as J.J. had said. Without a case, it was all catching up on paperwork and studying different cases. Of course, Garcia would be looking up every Y/N in Virginia and Morgan couldn’t help but revel in her vain efforts.

He was pouring himself another cup of coffee when Prentiss tapped his shoulder.

“Hey, your phone’s been ringing. I was half tempted to answer just to get it to stop. Can’t you hear it?”

“I guess my mind was somewhere else.” He shrugged. He finished pouring his coffee and went back to his desk. “SSA Morgan.”

“Derek…” You tried to calm down enough so you could speak clearly.

“Y/N? Baby, what is it? Are you okay?” The entire office shifted with him. They saw his body tense and his voice change with concern.

“It’s Angelica. S-she disappeared from school. They said she was there before recess and when they came back in, she was gone. Derek, he took her. I know he did. If we don’t find her he’s going to-”

“Woah, slow down, baby. I’m coming to you, okay. Where are you, the school?”

“Yeah, but Derek I-”

“I’ll be right there. Don’t go anywhere until I get there.” He hung up and grabbed his jacket. Prentiss looked at him with a worried expression.

“Morgan, is everything okay?”

“Tell Hotch I had to leave.”

“Why? What happened?” Reid asked. Derek looked around at all of their concerned faces and sighed.

“I don’t have time to explain right now and it might be nothing, but if it isn’t…” He hated to admit it, but this wasn’t about his ego. This was about you and Angel. “I might need your help.”

With that, he was gone, running to the elevator to get to you as fast as he could.

General Tag: @rae-gar-targaryen; @takemepedropascal; @childhood-imagination; @mylovegoesto; @yellowbadgergirl; @itmejado; @suckmyapplejacks

#derek morgan x reader #shemar moore #criminal minds imagines #derek morgan #criminal minds #aaron hotchner #penelope garcia #babygirl

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witcher-and-his-bard-archive · 4 years ago

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Beyond The Sea

I’m not posting the whole fic to tumblr because I feel like there are a lot of warnings to be heeded and it’s long. This is just a preview of the octo!jask fic that nearly did me in <3

(ao3 link at the bottom)

written for the Monster March prompt list promp: sea creature

Geralt is always aware of trouble, whether it concerns him or not. As a Witcher, there are things it's better he gets involved in and things he had best stay far away from. Over the years, he's learned to listen in to anything to be able to better differentiate. Near Kerack, there is talk of some sort of trouble afoot just off the coast, but the people who gossip have few details if any. Geralt listens in where he can, but the only thing of interest he hears is our Thom posted a notice last week and still nothing! He makes his way to the town notice board.

As soon as he reads the notice, Geralt knows exactly what the problem is. He takes a deep breath, lets it out in a sigh, and smiles despite himself. Jaskier.

Jaskier is young in terms of immortal beings, the same way Lambert is young for a Witcher. Which is to say, he's not, but would be considered so by his peers. Geralt's first encounter with him was a few years back, when he'd been mindlessly creating whirlpools that kept trapping boats. Geralt had been hired to kill him. He'd used a different method. Because Jaskier isn't malicious, only lonely.

If at all possible, Geralt prefers not to kill monsters. He's been called a monster himself and he knows there's more to it than just what people call you. So he reasons with them as well as he can - if he can- and takes things from there. On occasion, he can make a deal with the creature in question to keep them from disrupting the human settlements. Jaskier, thus far has been… amenable to making a deal.

The first time, Geralt had spent an entire week on the coast, most of it with Jaskier in his little cove and it had been a bright spot in his year. There are very few things left in Geralt's life that are remarkable, but spending a week getting fucked by a cecaelia is fairly remarkable.

He thought about it for weeks afterward, thought aboutJaskier for weeks. Jaskier is actually quiet and soft and perhaps a touch needy, but Geralt had found himself immediately fond of him. And, when he'd heard even the vaguest rumours of disturbances on the coast he'd returned to placate the cecaelia.

The third time he had returned, Geralt had made a deal with him; if Jaskier promised not to stir things up and cause trouble, Geralt would return as often as he could to keep him company. And up until this year, he's kept his promise, but things have been hectic and now it's been months. He should have realized something would happen, but he's not disappointed to hear about the disturbances.

He returns to his camp and packs his things. There's nothing left for him in town now, so he may as well leave as soon as possible. Roach gives him a look as he packs her saddlebags, but he ignores her.

Kerack is under a day's travel, but it's still dark when Geralt arrives. He spends more time than he should debating whether he wants to rent a room or just head down to the cove and see if Jaskier is around. If he is, part of him hopes that he'll just be able to stay with him. Perhaps apologize and persuade him to keep out of trouble for another couple of months. Geralt doesn't actively make a decision, but before he knows it, he's down by the shoreline, heading toward the cove.

read the rest on ao3

#geraskier #sea creature #octo!jask #cecaelia #monster march #rex writes #the witcher

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deaththesyd · 3 years ago

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A Swim Worth The Bruises

Finally, after months of following others and loving their content, I am ready to make my first contribution to this site with my own fanwork! (This is my excuse for anything weird about the formatting of my post.) This isn't my first time posting fanfiction however! I have an AO3 account under the same username as well, that has a shakily outlined story which this fic is part of.

This is my first post of hopefully many, prompted by Kisame week 2021's day 1 challenge, "Come into the water and I'll show you". @kisameweek-2021

I also want to say this was inspired by a post headcannoning that Kisame could draw sharks to him passively, kinda like the Zodiac members in Fruits Basket.

Summary:

“I just wonder what you do out there for so long.”

The look on her face was simply too cute to deny her curiosity. It was probably a bad idea, but knowing her, she would definitely enjoy the experience. He debated on the idea for a short moment, which piqued her interest further. Her pleading look ended the mental debate. “Come into the water and I’ll show you.”

The summer heat was quickly becoming unbearable. The early morning hadn’t been too bad, as the trio had been mostly shaded by the trees, but as the day progressed and the terrain turned to deadened grass and rock, the sun's beams were becoming a little more than an annoyance. Normally, Kisame would just trudge on, even at the risk of heat exhaustion, he prided himself on his ability to endure. With his companions though, that wasn’t an option. Itachi had been getting worse. He tried to hide it, and to his credit, he had hidden his worsening condition for years, but as their mutual trust strengthened and the sickness became harder to stifle, Kisame had taken notice of the muffled coughs and squinting glances. Their traveling had always been leisurely, but unless they were on a mission that was expected to be finished quickly, Kisame insisted on breaks. The younger man was both determined and stubborn, and this meant that without Kisame’s interference, he would have dropped dead from overexertion several times over. At the moment, said man was keeping pace with the taller man's strides, but his ever weary face was dampened by sweat, and his breath was coming out slightly harshened by exhaustion.

Looking down at his other side, he could see that their third companion was too, sweaty and tired and determined not to show it. Breathing laboured, she clutched the straps of her backpack as she shuffled along. Her steps were loud and crunched as she dragged her feet, no doubt wearing out the soles of her shoes. Healthy as she may be, she wasn’t accustomed to the heat and it wore on her as it did the two shinobi. Both needed a break, yet were firmly set on pushing themselves till they were forced to stop. He knew that he would have to be the one to make an excuse for them to rest, but he was having a hard time spotting a reasonable spot to recover. That was until the wind changed direction and he caught a whiff of a familiar scent.

The reason he hadn’t realized how close they were was because of the sloping, rocky cliffs that hid it from their view. As they drew nearer to the tall rocks Kisame could make out a seagull call and grinned. Itachi must have realized where they were as well, as he perked up slightly and gave the other man an approving look from the side of his eye. Both men changed their direction slightly and headed towards what they hoped would be a suitable rest stop. Turning to check on the woman following at his side, she appeared to not have noticed anything, focussed on her own thoughts. She only clued in when they were close enough to hear the waves lapping at the coast, that was when her eyes lit up with excitement. She looked first at Kisame, who gave her a sharp-toothed grin, then at Itachi, who simply gave a curt nod. Childlike glee had her tired feet bouncing along once again.

Climbing the rocky slopes was challenging, but when all three had clamored to the top, they were rewarded with the uninhibited breeze, and the sight of sparkling water reaching as far as the horizon. The sight was beautiful of course, but the promise of salty, cooling water had them quickly making their way down to the beach. The current position of the sun gave them a nice shaded area at the base of the cliffs to settle their things. Itachi unzipped his long Akatsuki cloak and used it to sit upon, leaning against the cold rock. Kisame’s cloak was laid on the sand next to Itachi’s, as well as his sword, Samehada, and the rest of his supplies. While he kicked off his shoes, his cloak was stolen by the third of their group as she lazily flopped to rest in the shade. Her wriggling attempts to find a comfortable position caused a muffled chuckle from Kisame as he tugged his shirt over his head. Finally finding a suitable arrangement lying on her stomach, arms crossed in front to cushion her head, legs splayed awkwardly, she turned to say something but seemed to lose track of what that thing may have been when she glanced at the expanse of muscle above her.

Her ogling was very clear, Kisame smirked, “You see something you like?” he asked.

Partially hidden by her arms was an impressed grin, and her eyes stayed right where they were as she simply replied, “Duh”. The complete lack of shame made him laugh as he decided to indulge her by giving a few flexing poses, to her absolute delight. Itachi, who was quite used to their casual flirting, ignored them and closed his eyes for a chance at a light nap.

Shuffling out of his pants and stooping to fold them with his shirt and lay them on a rock to keep them from getting sandy, he was watched unabashedly by the woman. He was used to this by now, she had never been the type to hide her attraction to him. Instead of her staring making him uncomfortable, it gave his ego a boost, made him feel as attractive as she told him he was. “Tell me how the water is when you get back,” she said, a little more quietly than her normal volume, trying to be more considerate of Itachi’s attempt at getting some shut-eye.

Raising a brow, Kisame looked at her, “You could come along and find out for yourself” he tempted, following her lead in lowering his voice slightly.

In a less objectifying way, she glanced down at his underwear and gave a light laugh, “I don’t know if I feel comfortable swimming in my underwear” she answered.

This made Kisame chuckle, “It’s not as though it’s something I haven’t seen before,” he argued. He glanced at Itachi and added, “and Itachi’s a gentleman, he wouldn’t dare to make a woman uncomfortable by gawking at her in a state of undress.” Itachi didn’t react other than continuing to ignore their chatter, but this was the clearest sign showing that he had no particular desire to ‘gawk’ as Kisame had mentioned. He glared humorously at her, “Unlike someone else I know.” She giggled but looked as though she was considering his offer, before settling her head down in her arms properly.

“Too tired to swim,” she mumbled into her arms, “Later.” She finished.

That was good enough for Kisame, the lapping of the waves against the shore finally drew him away from the shade and his tired companions. The scorching heat had been forgotten as he undressed in the shade, but the short distance to the water had reminded him why he had so badly wanted to reach the cool ocean before. Splashing water sprayed his ankles as he took a testing step into the clear water. The feeling was already refreshing, but as he waded further in, eventually reaching waist-deep before diving under completely, he felt the familiar calm of the ocean, of what he truly considered home. Opening his eyes he could see the sandy, seaweed-covered ground better than most with his specially developed eyes. Tiny fish swam away from his kicking legs and powerful arms, yet more kept swimming closer, curious as they were. His lung capacity was greater than most, but gills served as nothing more than decoration, and he was forced to come up for air after a few minutes of swimming along the seafloor. Breaking the surface, he let himself float on the gentle waves, basking in the sun for a short while, before taking a breath and submerging himself again. After all the time on land, he had begun to miss the weightlessness of the ocean. Sometimes he wished he was fully adapted for the salty sea waters, he felt as if he was a mistake on land, a fish out of water.

It seemed as though the body of water felt the same, as he spotted a black-tipped dorsal fin jutting out of the waves, heading directly for him. Kisame grinned a toothy grin, it had always been something of an uncontrollable talent for him to compel nearby sharks to gather around him. The reef shark wasn’t shy, it brushed against him, curiously drawn to his presence. Kisame carefully ran a hand along the length of its back as it moved past. It playfully flicked its tail, hitting him with a strength he would always admire. It circled him, enjoying the attention, bumping harshly into him. It appeared to be the bravest of its peers, as a few more gathered around him, their rowdiness didn’t make him nervous, instead, he enjoyed their rough company. The heat of the sun on his face and shoulders pushed him to once again dive into the deep blue. His new companions swam around him, curiously following as he dove deeper, giving him enough space to maneuver freely. Once he could seat himself on the sandy floor, he casually performed the signs for a basic water jutsu, creating a small whirlpool that caught the playful sharks and sent them spiraling quickly to the surface. Once the jutsu was released, they swam back, excitedly nudging him as they swarmed, the equivalent of a group of children surrounding an adult asking them “to do that again!”, and he indulged. When the pain in his chest was too much to ignore, he breached the surface of the waves to gulp greedy breaths of air.

By now his only company was not simply the blacktips, but they had been joined by a bulky and brutish bull shark that preferred to simply swim close, avoiding Kisame’s jetstreams and whirlpools. Lurking nearby in the slightly murky distance were a few hammerheads that were still hesitant to get too close. He wasn’t quite sure how long he had been out in the deep, so he gave the bull a firm palm to the nose as a farewell and began the short distance back to shore. As much as Kisame yearned to belong fully to the sea, he couldn’t swim forever, and his companions waiting ashore wouldn’t be leaving without him.

Closer to the beach he could spot her walking in the shallows, still fully clothed, just cooling her legs. The sun wasn’t as high as before, and he was sure it had cooled down some by now, but standing in direct heat was most likely to still be less preferable than the shade. He wondered if she was waiting for his return. The beaming smile on her face when she noticed his approach made it clear that was exactly what she was doing, and Kisame couldn’t help but grin back in earnest. She waded further in, stepping carefully, avoiding the mushy seaweed and pointed stones till she was deep enough for the water to just miss the bottom of her shorts. He bridged the gap between them, getting close enough to speak without shouting. “Was napping with Itachi too boring for ya? Or did you just miss me?” he teased.

She gave a soft laugh, “Itachi’s not boring” she insisted. “I was just a little worried about you”.

Had he really been gone that long? Covering up the fact that he was flustered by her care for him, he reached a dripping hand to ruffle her hair in a teasing gesture, which she annoyedly huffed at, batting his hand away before running her own hands through to organize the dampened strands. “Worried about lil’ ol me?” he joked, “Did you think I was gobbled up by a giant sea monster? I thought you knew I was big and strong.” His forced grin returned to a normal one when she rolled her eyes at him.

“Of course not!” she replied exasperatedly, and then a bit more curiously, “I just wonder what you do out there for so long.”

“But I’m already in the water” she teased, gesturing at the gentle rolls of the tide around her legs.

He rolled his eyes, unamused. “You don’t trust me?” he baited, and of course she took it.

“Of course I do!” She said frustratedly, followed by a dramatic sigh, “Just give me a moment to save my clothes, jeez I was just kidding.” Her obvious sincerity was just so refreshing to him, he couldn’t help but pick on her sometimes. Even when she was upset with him, she always made sure he knew how much she cared. He followed her, not even trying to hide the gloating grin he wore when she pouted over her shoulder at him.

The sun had shifted enough that the spot they had chosen before was now in direct sunlight instead of the shade, and Itachi had either never fallen asleep, or had awoken to the uncomfortable heat and had retreated further into the shadows to read instead. Despite what Kisame had said to her before about Itachi not looking at her undressing, he couldn’t help but keep watch on his young partner. Sure, he knew Itachi quite well, but for her comfort, and, admittedly, his own, he felt a bit protective. Folding her clothes and placing them next to Kisame’s on the now Sun-bathed rock. Faking confidence, she walked beside him, heading towards the water. Her body language was stiff, but she seemed determined to ignore how she flushed slightly at her inappropriate swim attire.

Reaching the water and wading far enough to conceal her form made her noticeably more relaxed. “So, what was soooo incredible that forced me to strip for you?” she joked, reminding him just why they were there.

Grinning down at her, he fell backward into the water and swam away facing her still, deciding a verbal response was not quite needed just yet. She huffed, but her curiosity made her follow his lead, swimming towards him, not quite managing to bite back the smile playing on her lips. They swam mostly in silence for a short while before he decided they had gone far enough from shore. She was attempting to hide how tired she was, but he knew that even with her determination she wouldn’t be able to keep above water for much longer. Reaching for her he arranged her comfortably in one arm, laughing off her protests. “Don’t worry about it Guppy, I don’t mind swimming for the both of us”, he assured before adding in a more serious tone, “and the water’s about to get a bit rougher than you can manage anyway”. This made her pout fade away into a more curious expression. She didn’t seem scared, but he felt her grip on his arm tighten in preparation for what was coming.

It took a moment, but when a bulky head brushed against his legs he heard her gasp. He felt worried then, that this had been a mistake, that she would freak out, but when he looked at her face, her look of wonder erased his doubts. Another shark bumped into them as it passed, a bit rougher than the last, but this just made her chuckle breathily as she watched it fade away into the deep. These blacktips were still young, only a few feet long, smaller than the ones from before, but as they started to get rougher as they grew more excited, Kisame gave them a few firm pushes on their snouts as a deterrent, but this only worked for a short while, as they once again circled the pair, brushing past them. Kisame felt one of her hands leave him to reach into the water to brush gently against them, careful to keep her hands clear of any teeth. Just as she would with a cat or a dog, she cooed as she ran her hand along the length of their backs, and giggled when one got too excited and snapped at the tail of another. Cute as it was to her, it was a sign to Kisame that he should put some distance between them and her before they got too nippy.

“I’m gonna need my hand back, so you might wanna hang on” he warned before letting go of her to flash a few hand signs that caused a pulse of water to flush the swarming reef sharks away. With the space he gave them, she adjusted her hold, while he readied himself for another jutsu. Like before, he formed a small whirlpool and sent it towards the sharks, sending them whizzing around in a flurry of current. Beside him his companion was in complete awe, watching the sharks regain their bearings as the jutsu faded. Confidently grinning, he completed the signs for another jutsu, this time, it was a geyser that sent the sharks up a couple of feet above the water, giving his companion a good look at the creatures she adored before they dove safely back down. He expected the starstruck look on her face, but he hadn’t expected it to be directed at him. He could feel his face flush as he performed his next jutsu.

They left when a couple of bigger sharks joined them, she looked disappointed, but she didn’t protest, something Kisame was thankful for. The sun was getting lower in the sky, and they still had some traveling to do before they could set up camp. Maybe some other time he could let her meet a white shark. When they reached the sandy shore and walked towards their clothes, he knew he had made the correct decision. It was easy for her to forget how tired she was when she was watching fish fly, but he could tell their swim had tired her out again. Still, she was uncontrollably grinning like a child, and her earlier embarrassment over her state of dress was forgotten as she asked “How do you do that? Do you summon them or something? That was so cool!”

Taking a subtle glance at Itachi, who was still reading in his spot in the shade, he passed her her clothes. “No, I didn’t summon them, although I can summon sharks. I’m not really sure if this is true for all in the Hoshigaki clan, but all of my family members have been able to draw sharks to them passively without summoning” he answered. She seemed fascinated as she stared up at him.

While struggling to put her clothes over top of her wet underwear and damp skin she continued “Does it work with all sharks? Are they always that friendly?” She hesitated before adding, “Has one ever hurt you?” She asked the last part concernedly.

“No, not really,” he assured, “I've had a few nips from some smaller ones, and a few bruises from the bigger ones, but they've never been aggressive towards me”. The look of relief that came across her face made him unconsciously relax as well.

“I’m glad they're friendly, even though they're a little rough when they play. It would probably be a problem whenever you went to the beach otherwise” she laughed. “Though,” she paused to consider a thought, “I guess if you drew them too close to a public beach you could easily terrorize the public by accident.”

The idea of him even going to a public beach was laughable to him, but the idea of him drawing a group of sharks to the shallows of a crowded beach was a dream he was now tempted to make a reality. He chuckled “Never thought of that, but I think that's a pretty quick way to get myself a private beach.”

Giggling and fixing her hair as best as she could, she waited as Kisame finished redressing before they gathered their belongings and joined Itachi. Without sparing them a glance he bookmarked his page and slipped the novel back into his pack. Kisame noted how far along in the story the younger man was and decided to make a bookshop one of their next stops. Adjusting his cloak, Itachi stood and acknowledged their presence, “Did you enjoy your swim with the sharks?” He asked, queuing the excited retelling of her experience. As they made their way over the rocky cliffs back to the road, she gushed about how cute the sharks had been, drawing a rare, faint smile on Itachi’s lips, something that Kisame after years of being around the man still wasn’t used to seeing. All three of them were still tired from their travels, but their short beach stop had reinvigorated their mood, and their comfortable chatter kept them entertained till they set up their camp and turned in for the night.

#kisame #kisame x reader #kisame week 2021 #day 1 #come into the water #Akatsuki Invaders #Kisame x OC

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stevenbasic · 4 years ago

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”So, tell me how it went..!” Melissa asked, tucking her fit, bare legs underneath herself on the white leather couch in her new office, attentively turning to me as she sat up. She’d summoned me to her office to have our Friday coffee, and had made us each a cup. Dressed especially informal for our “casual Fridays” in a v-neck green tee and girlish black short-shorts, her figure was on particularly luscious display today and I’d already caught myself staring...twice. “I want to hear everything!”

She was, of course, talking about my long-overdue meeting with her friend Abby, a sales rep from Evolution, a local pharmaceutical company intent on getting my practice involved in a clinical trial of their new product. Melissa, since her start as our new Office Manager, had been unusually invested in setting up a meeting between the two of us; they’d been friends for years, I gathered, and this was a favor to Abby. Little did I know that this favor would quickly spiral into a whirlpool that would threaten to drag me under and drown not only me but...well, read on.

I took a look into my “World’s Best Boss” mug - a gift from her. Far too much milk, I saw...but I think I was starting to like it that way. “Okay, uh,” I began, taking my first sip, “yesterday afternoon…”

...

…I had just escorted Mr. Kowalczyk to the desk, pushing him along in his wheelchair, helping him start to check out, when Aubrey had given me the message.

“There’s a sales rep waiting for you in your office,” she told me, eyes sparkling. Aubrey - a slim, elegant brunette - had looked especially pretty yesterday, maybe done her hair differently. We were trying her out at her new position as front desk supervisor, and she already seemed to be taking to the job well.

“The one from...uh...Melissa’s friend?” I asked, a bit confused, “Abby?” Mr Kowalczyk, hearing the name, asked about Melissa - as he had three times earlier. “She’s off today, she’s not here,” I reminded him, now for the fourth time today, as his wife appeared alongside us. Melissa had this Thursday off, apparently for some doctors’ appointments of her own.

“Yes, Abby,” Aubrey answered, turning her attention, for the moment, to our patient’s wife, “Co-pay is ten dollars, Mrs Kawalski...”

“That’s Kowal-check,” the elderly woman corrected, narrowing her eyes and apparently none-too-pleased.

“That wasn’t supposed to be until tomorrow,” I commented, immediately annoyed but feeling my pulse start to quicken, “I was going to sit down with her on Friday…”. I signed Mr. Kowalczyk’s prescription.

“It got moved up,” Aubrey told me, taking a credit card from my patient’s wife, “she’s here now…”

Why was I so nervous?

“Thank you, Mrs. Kawasaki…”

...

“...yes, sorry, I should have told you myself,” Melissa apologized, biting her lower lip, after a sip of coffee, “but it was a last minute thing. And I was still at my appointment when I heard…”

“Well, yeah, it’s okay…” I replied, eyes dropping to her still-tan thighs as she brushed at them with well-manicured fingers, tips painted a mint green to match her top, “it was just a surprise, is al-“”

“Isn’t she so pretty..??” Melissa asked, and urged me to continue my story…

...

“Thank you sooooo much for meeting with me,” Abby had greeted, immediately standing up from the chair in front of my desk as I entered the room. She stepped to shake my hand, “I’m Abby, from Evolution Pharmaceuticals.”

“Sure, sure, no problem,” I replied, noticing the confidence in her grip and the dimples in her smile. I recognized her right away from a picture Melissa had sent, early on. Maybe in her early thirties, Abby was an attractive person; lots of sales reps are. My guard was up, as it always was in these sort of sales meetings, but something in the sparkle of her eyes struck me...and her figure was nothing to sneeze at, either. I found my attitude softening already. “Melissa’s friend, right?” She had medium-length, medium-brown hair, and a nice tan complexion. Nice hips.

I guess I could give her a few minutes.

“Yes!” she answered, as we both moved to take our seats. Abby was dressed smartly, in a grey pencil skirt and sharp white blouse. “She and I met at Evolution, at our clinic, earlier this year. She’s great, so fun...”

Wait what?

“I know you’re busy, so I won’t keep you,” Abby continued, tucking her skirt beneath herself as she sat, pulling some slick promotional material from the fashionable leather bag beside her, “but I just want to introduce our product, go over some of the opportunities with you…”

What followed was both the typical sales presentation I’d seen a hundred times from different reps and at the same time one of the weirdest things I’d ever heard. From the emails and propaganda with which the company had flooded me over the past weeks, I’d read - or at least skimmed through - lots of it before. They claimed to have developed a novel general-health supplement for women; the science was still sort of hush-hush and what they could reveal was frankly a bit baffling. Normally I wouldn’t touch this sort of crap with a ten-foot pole, it all sounded so fishy at first. They were touting ambiguous improvements in mentation, endurance, strength, a whole host of other things. But I didn’t want to disappoint Melissa and, well, while I knew that the “Lean In” grants we were scheduled to receive - and frankly were going to be dependent on - were tied to us supporting female-led businesses, it soon became clear to me in talking with Abby that, um...we almost didn’t have a choice. I was starting to get the feeling that if we didn’t start working with Evolution, there’d be no money from Lean In. And so, becoming nervous, I was slowly forced to pay a bit more attention as we sat across my desk from one another, ten minutes or so into it. I was beginning to realize...we actually needed them.

But I still definitely had my doubts, my reservations, a whole load of concerns. How safe was this going to be? “And these patients,” I asked, “for the trial...the subjects. They would come from…?” It was a reasonable question. My practice was geriatric, and this was a product for younger women.

“We’d take care of that, we’d bring them in, we have a whole list of gir-...of women ready,” Abby assured me, her disarming smile doing its job, “We wouldn’t need to involve your current patients at all.” She watched me nodding, knowing she had made more than a bit of an inroad with me. “In fact, you wouldn’t even have to do much,” she continued, proceeding confidently, “we’d supply you with the new staff you’d need, we’d bring in all the supplies and equipment. We’d hook you up with our trial coordinator from corporate, she’ll organize everything. You’d just end up doing some video chats with her once in awhile.” At that Abby smiled strangely. “Her name's Brenda, you’ll like her.”

“It all sounds, uh, umm…”

Sitting there, at my desk, part of me couldn’t believe I was even considering this, still even talking to this woman. That part of me, though, wasn’t seeing what another small part of me was seeing - that the power dynamic in this conversation, between Abby and I, had gradually shifted. It was her, now, who held the upper hand. She represented the money, she was the big player. I was really the small fish here. The only thing that kept me from feeling like a nobody was knowing that my practice was somehow important to them, that they wanted me for some reason.

Why exactly was that?

“We’re a small company, but it’s not just money from Lean In that we come to the table with,” Abby continued, eyes sparkling, “we’d been bought a few years ago by a big, international group, so now we’re just ripe with resources. We can help you through tough times like you’ve been having, business down, income fading-.”

“Well, now,” I interjected, my pride rankled, “I wouldn’t say that…” I mean, I wouldn’t say it, but it was totally true. But how did she know all this?? Had she and Melissa been talking abou-

“Oh, shh, you don’t need to be embarrassed, it’s okay,” she said, “It’s nothing to be ashamed about, we understand. We know your practice is shrinking, but your needs are growing. And that’s why we’re growing too, so we can help nurture you, provide for you.”

This was humiliating as fuck but...why was I getting hard? Yes, Abby was attractive, blouse just a little too tight, chest just a little bigger than necessary. She was pretty, yes. No, actually...now with all the power in the room centered on her, with the strength she represented, she was downright hot. And the scenario she was laying out for me, this relationship I’d have with her big, female corporation? It felt positively...maternal. And, it was beginning to feel like a foregone conclusion, that I would be taken under their skirts. But again - why was I getting hard?

“Evolution will take good care of you,” Abby assured me, her voice growing subtly more tender, as if reading my thoughts, “and as we get bigger, and grow, we’ll carry you along with us. We can tuck you in to our...corporate structure. You’ll be safe, there, close to us.”

If I hadn’t noticed the outline of her bra beneath her blouse before, I was noticing it now.

“Would you like that?” she asked, probingly.

“Uhh…”

“We’d make sure you don’t get left behind, as the world changes,” she continued, “because the world is changing, Dr. J, and we think our product is going to help women succeed in it. Don’t you want to be there with us?”

“Uhhhh…”

Seeing my anxiety starting to get the better of me, Abby smiled disarmingly. “You probably need to talk to Melissa about it, before deciding on the trial,” she began again, “right?”

Oh my god I couldn’t believe it, how demeaning that was, but I knew it was my out - for now. ”yeah I guess I probably should…” I said, weakly…

“Of course you do…” Abby smiled.

…

“So…<nnngh>...” Melissa all but groaned, inching closer to me on the couch, “you wanted my approval, first?”

As I had recounted my story, described the meeting to her, Melissa had slowly, gradually, become visibly more excited, completely engaged. She’d asked me to repeat details, recount conversation, all the while gazing intently into my face and moving intimately closer to me on the soft leather couch in her office. Her curves, her larger body had me slowly retreating, backing up as best I could. An arm rested on the back of the couch behind me.

“w-well I, uh…” I stammered, eyes dropping again for a furtive glance at her thighs, hips, her tiny waist. I was, at this point, already overtaken by the scent of her perfume. “it’s uh-“

“It’s like you’re recognizing you need my help, isn’t it?” she asked, a strange huskiness in her voice, “Isn’t it?? That you have an easier time when I make the decisions for you??”

I couldn’t say anything, looking at her. I was tongue-tied realizing, in that moment, how assertive women now framed the borders of my life, affected my daily choices. And they were, if anything, all pushing me into the clutches of other powerful women. If I took this money, allowed this clinical trial to set root in my office, it would mean becoming dependent on both Evolution and Lean In. Lean In, I was learning, was a well-connected, obviously well-funded female empowerment organization, one that seemed determined to get women into places of influence and strengthen them while they’re there. And Evolution Pharmaceuticals was not just the rinky-dink pill pop-up that I’d assumed it was, but rather a small piece of some larger player...and maybe I’m just being paranoid, but probably also controlled by women. If I took this money, I felt like it would be sucking from the big collective teat of the country’s - and perhaps the world’s - most powerful alpha females.

“I, uh…” I began, forgetting where I was, “yeah…”

“Omigod I am SO happy with you right now..!!” she suddenly, finally gushed, sitting up taller, jumping towards me and abruptly throwing her arms around me. Strong hands behind my head now pulled my face to her chest. “You are such a good boss!”

“mmmrf!”

Embracing me to her bosom, she squealed, and hugged me tighter. Soft breast squashed into my face, my head plastered to Melissa's big left boob.

Oh my god what is she doing?!? I panicked, arms flailing helplessly as I heard her start to laugh. Despite my struggles, she held me firm - if anything, holding me even tighter still.

“M-m-m-Mulithhah!” I tried, voice muffled by the mushy mass mashed into my mouth.

“Shhhhh…!” she giggled, “I can’t help myself, I need to hug you!” Pressing herself into me, she moaned in delight. “Hug hug hug! I need to show you what a good boy you are!!”

The warmth, the softness of her breast was overwhelming, and as she held me firm I - despite myself - started to calm, give myself up to her massive tit. “mmmmf…” I tried again, this time my complaint sounding more like a little sigh.

She looked down at me, quietening down herself. When she spoke again, her voice had softened.

“That okay, sweetie?” she purred, cupping my head from behind with one palm as the other moved into my hair, “Can you breathe down there?”

I groaned something, something in assent and - god help me - rubbed my nose into her.

She giggled.

“There you go…” she cooed, now petting my head, “all good now, all good. Just breathe...”

I sighed again, every breath I took full of her perfume, the scent of her skin. I heard, through her chest, her cooing little praises.

“Good boy...good boy…” she lauded, enveloping me with affection. She was peering down at me, I knew, though my eyes had closed already. I felt her ready herself, and winced in shame even before she asked me the question that I knew was coming:

”So, with the trial…” she asked, “what have we decided?”

=================================================

Thanks so much to the incomparably amazing Dani Doreen for the image. We're so proud to have her onboard as our resident "from the neck down" Melissa and can't wait to work with her some more. She's so awesome and I'd recommend everyone check out her GTS/SM content:

Dani Doreen’s OnlyFans

https://onlyfans.com/danidoreen

#Growing Into the Job

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razorblade180 · 4 years ago

Text

Need

[AKA, just my whirlpool of Sunshower emotions]

Cold, unbelievable cold. That’s what it felt like in Ilia’s house. Cold and vacant. Clothes were littered around, food was half eaten, eyes were tired...she was tired. The young woman layed down quietly on the couch feeling down, miserable. She couldn’t bring herself to move much. Hours must’ve passed by, yet daylight was still beaming through. It was warm, comforting. Just like arms wrapping around her. His arms. Sun’s arms. Ilia bit her lip, annoyed at the thought; and yet found a spark in thinking about him. Slowly, Ilia pulled out her scroll and dialed his number.

Sun:Hello?

Ilia:Hey, Sun. How’s it hanging?

Sun:Oh you know, making Neptune look cool. A typical day in Vacou. What’s going on? You sound tired.

Ilia:Little bit. You know how it goes.

Sun:Blues?

Ilia:....Yeah. Can’t...I can’t shake it. I can’t shake it all.

Sun:Want me to keep you company?

Ilia:If it isn’t a problem.

Sun:Not at all. I’m all ears. What’s on your mind?

Ilia:I don’t know. I’m just....sad, depressed really. Like my world has stop spinning again. Or maybe it never really started again? Hard to say. My life has never been on track. Still, my chest, it’s as if it aches. I feel like I should be crying and yet can’t find the will to even do that.

Sun:Is that so? Hmmm.....

Ilia:Don’t try coming up with a plan to cheer me up.

Sun:Well how can I not when you’re telling me how sad you feel. It’s only natural to wanna help someone be happy. Especially cause...you know?

Ilia:Yeah, I know. *smiles* Just keep speaking to me. Your voice is enough.

They talked for hours and nothing and everything. Their day, friends, relationships, previous and current. Anything they wanted until Sun eventually had to hang up. That was about an hour ago. Ilia didn’t say it allowed, but she missed his voice. The light outside faded, taking the warmth away from her. She missed it. Yearned for it. So bad that it hurt. Ilia simply was having a very bad day where her thoughts refused to leave her be. Like any storm, they’d fade away. Ilia was used to toughing these things out. However....

Knock knock knock

Ilia:It’s open.

Maybe he had gotten predictable. Maybe somewhere in Ilia’s wildest imagination, she had hoped for Sun to remain a tad overbearing. She had definitely known him well by now and yet as that door opened, Ilia’s eyes still lit up in disbelief to see him walk through that door. The boy smiled sheepishly, walking over to the couch to lay down with her. Ilia wanted to scold him, or maybe even push him so he realized just how ridiculously he was being. Yet as she went to do so, her arms could only wrap around him as he pulled her close.

Sun could feel her trembling. Not from weakness, but her clinging so tightly. Warm, fleeting tears hit his body as Ilia couldn’t stop herself from feeling overwhelmed with emotions.

Ilia:You got a lot of nerve. I can’t stand you; why would you come here?

Sun:Why wouldn’t I come to you? I love you.

Ilia:Yeah well I hate you. These feelings, their too much. You’re too much. Around you I feel so strong and so weak it’s aggravating that it’s hard to deal with sometimes. You can’t be this nice to me. This....caring. Everything you do draws me in so much that I feel like I’ll get lost in it. That maybe this thing between us is ends different from the others. Why is it that every time I try to stand alone that all I wanna do is lean on someone? I’m fine on my own. I’ve always been on my own, but I’ve always been foolish too. So please Sun, I’m begging you. Don’t hold me like this and say you love me unless you mean it, because I don’t want another lie to undo me. I don’t wanna realize I’m still alone; a fool that made another mistake.

Ilia wanted him to let go. She wanted so badly for this warmth to fade and expect nothing, just like every thing else in her life. Time and time again life seemed to abandon her. Feelings abandoned her. Hope abandoned her, even after righting so many wrongs. Inside she still felt hollow, except for when that warmth came to remind her of all there is. Sun’s arms loosened around her. The ache seemed to grow deeper as her moment of peace would finally fade. That was until she felt his right hand come up to her face. Ilia couldn’t help but close her eyes and lean into the gentle touch, basking in it. Her eyes opened to meet his. Sun gazed at her with a look she could only describe as a mix of comforting and very empathetic.

That well of emotional turmoil seemed to boil over inside her. Ilia could feel just how much her heart ached and knew how badly she wanted him to keep looking at her. Hesitant at first, Ilia couldn’t stop herself stop herself from leaning in. Sun did the same. He had said nothing throughout her speech. He only listened. A thing that felt relieving in its own right. Finally, Ilia spoke again, yearning for a thing she already have.

Ilia:Never let me go.

Sun:That was plan from the start.

His lips gently pressed against her own. It was brief, yet impactful. They looked at each other for only a second before Ilia pulled his face back towards her for another kiss. And another, and another. Each one saying “I’m here” with each connection. As badly as this feelings scared her, Ilia couldn’t help but it’s warmth whisk her away. There they were. Kissing in a quiet house as night approached, thier feelings jumbled and yet so easily understood. Ilia tried to say she was sorry for saying she hated him, but was quietly shushed and brought back into another kiss. There was nothing more to say. Only things feel.

More time had past been they had both calmed down a bit. Ilia still found herself being held in her arms. Her face was red and the pain in her chest seemed to be replaced with fluttering.

Ilia:I feel so childish, acting the way I am.

Sun:I don’t think so. Besides, I have a few of those fears and needs. I’m here for me just as much for me as I am for you. I want us to be real, to last. You’re so warm. So strong and fragile at once that it makes me realize just how vulnerable I am, but I’d move mountains of it meant you were by me.

Ilia:....Sun?

Sun:Yeah?

Ilia:I love you. Truly love you, and...well...never letting you go means we’re together, till the end. I just...you know what that could, should mean right?

Sun ran his thumb over her left ring finger. Ilia could feel her face heat up. To think he’d respond so casually, so sure himself. Obviously that time wouldn’t come for quite awhile if ever, but knowing how he thought about it made his actions and feelings that much stronger. She felt more sparks the moment their hands actually linked together and he kissed her head.

Sun:I know, one day.

Ilia:*red* Yeah, one day.

#rwby #demi ilia #ilia amitola #sun wukong #rwby sunspots #rwby sunshower #no i will not stop #rwby ships

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bobathirstaccount · 4 years ago

Text

Hard to Find Someone Like You

Boba x fem!reader, slow burn to smut, some romance, fair amount of plot, Post-Mando 2 Boba

You are a merc serving under Fennec at Fett’s Palace. It’s business as usual until a certain helmet starts tilting in your direction...

Translations (Mando’a)

mesh’la - beautiful

cyar’ika - sweetheart/ darling

TW: unprotected sex

***

CHAPTER FOUR

You had taken a fast shower and changed clothes, arriving to the cockpit just in time. Fett was already there. He took off without looking back at you. When you were in jump space, he turned in his chair to look at you.

“I’m going to meet a friend,” he explained.

“Okay,” you said, unsure how to respond. What did that have to do with you? The silence stretched. Eventually you decided to try speaking, “Why am I here?” You licked your lips nervously as he turned in his seat again, “I brought you for company. The trip is overnight.”

You blinked several times as he watched you. “Okay,” you said again, wondering why that was the only thing you could get out. You tried again, “I mean... sounds fun.”

You internally winced, but he seemed to accept that statement. He got out of his seat and walked past you, stopping to run his gloved hand through your hair. He then continued. Your head spun. You got up. Were you supposed to follow him? Did he want company now? You followed him to the mess. He calmly removed his helmet and set it aside. He grabbed a knife and a piece of fruit. Cutting into the fruit, he gestured at the food still on the counter. “Hungry?” The way he spoke it almost sounded like a command. You gulped. “No, I just ate.” He nodded.

You realized you were staring at him. You noted the scarring the Sarlacc had left on his brown skin. He was still handsome in a strange way. He met your gaze.

“My face isn’t a secret,” he said.

“I know.. I.. know, “ you ended, unsure.

“How are you mesh’la? Miss me?” You looked up at him. He had a wicked look on his face as his bit into a piece of the fruit.

“I know what that word means,” you blurted out.

“That is also not a secret.”

You blush, “Why though... call me that.”

He returned your gaze, “Because I find you mesh’la, cyar’ika.”

You glared despite yourself. He laughed gruffly. “Who is your translator? Your Twi’lek friend?”

You nodded.

“Well you will have to wait a while to learn what it means, then,” the edges of his mouth seemed to turn up.

“You could tell me?” You offered.

“Where’s the pleasure in that?” His dark eyes met yours. You gulped. He had finished the fruit. “We’ll be arriving soon. Behave yourself - no removal of body parts.”

You smiled at the comment on your brutality. “I’ll try.”

With that he left you alone.

***

Fett had left you aboard the Slave 1 upon landing. You sat idly in the observation room, wondering what he had in mind for later. Finally a droid met you at Slave 1’s ramp. “Master has sent me to escort you to the Great Fett’s suites. Come with me.”

You followed the droid wordlessly. On your way to your destination, you saw several humanoids with armor similar to Fett’s. Were these his people? You looked around in wonder. What was this place? You walked through the doorway the droid indicated, and the door slid shut.

The suites were a nice size; two rooms and a large bathroom suite. There was a whirlpool tub and a huge walk in shower. You decided to take advantage of the shower. You stripped and slipped inside, turning on the faucets. This was going to be nice.

***

You had fallen asleep in your towel on the king size bed. You woke with your hair partially wet still, not sure of the time. You wiggled out of the damp towel and walked around the room, stretching. You walked out onto the deck, admiring the night sky. You stretched again, enjoying the warm night air and feeling lazy.

“Lovely view.”

Surprised, you spun on your heel, hands still overhead.

Fett gave you an appraising tilt of his helmet, “Very lovely indeed.”

You smiled shyly, lowering your arms to your sides, “Hello, Fett.”

“Hello.” He took several large steps towards you, grabbing your waist possessively.

“How do you want me to keep you company?” You put your hands on his upper arms, staring at your reflection in his visor. He tilted his head slightly to the side, “Do you have any ideas?” You think about the crazy stories Ayy has told you and bite your lip, “Maybe.”

“Show me.” He slid his hands up to cup your bare breasts, making your breathing pick up a tick. You flipped through the catalog of your crazy Ayy stories memories and picked one at random.

Kissing his helmet, you trailed your hands down his body until you came to his belt. You undid his belt and pants. When you had his cock out you spit into your hand, and worked him until he was hard, using both hands on his shaft. You jumped into his arms, wrapping your legs around his hips. You impaled yourself on him, enjoying the pleasant way that he made you burn slightly as he stretched you. You started to fuck him, rolling your hips, getting the hang of the position. He put his hands under your ass to help steady you. You started to fuck him in earnest then, moaning and trying to make a show of your tits. They were bouncy, you guessed. He widened his stance and let you fuck him. You couldn’t tell what he thought about it.

“This is fun, mesh’la... I like it when you fuck me like this,” he grunted. You smiled at the praise. You leaned back a bit to change the angle and he groaned, squeezing your ass and looking down between the two of you to watch. You grabbed onto his cuirass and tried to increase the intensity of your fucking. He adjusted his hips slightly so you could fuck him more deeply. This drew a moan out of you, and you worked on stroking that one spot in yourself with his cock. You pussy started to clutch around his shaft. You chased your high while he held onto your ass and watched you.

“Cum on me, cyar’ika,” he purred. The rumble of his voice put you over the edge and you called out, surprised at the intensity of your orgasm. It rolled over your body in several waves, turning your limbs to jelly and your pussy into a spasming mess. Fett helped you continue as your eyes rolled back in your head and your grip loosened. He took over and pumped into you, making you yelp and him growl. Finally he let go of you and your feet dropped to the ground. He held you against his chest. The cool metal felt nice against your flushed skin. You sighed and wrapped your arms around his waist. He let you recover, then pulled away. “What about me, mesh’la?” You bit your lip and looked up at him, “What else do you want?”

“I want to see what else you know how to do.”

You flipped through your mental catalog again. You pushed him towards some patio furniture. He laid down on it, helmet looking up at you. You straddled him with your ass facing him. Looking over your shoulder, you sank down onto him agonizingly slowly. He balled his fists and moaned softly. You put your feet on the ground and leaned forward slightly, then started to bounce up and down on his cock. He grabbed your ass cheeks and groaned. You looked at his face. He was watching you fuck him, but looked up. You tried to give him a sexy look, then turned around. You started to slide your hands down his thighs towards his knees, lifting your pussy off his cock a little more as you continued. He moaned and held your hips in place, starting to pump up into you erratically. You guessed he was close. Trying to make an impression, you said, “Cum in me, Fett.” He did, almost as if on command, grunting and cock twitching deep in your pussy. You both paused for a moment, panting. Then you got off him, and laid down on one side of him. You curled up against him.

He grunted and sat up, putting himself away. You sat up and leaned against his shoulder, “Now what?” He turned his head to look at you, “You’re very.... affectionate.” You looked up at him, embarrassed. You started to sit up. “I didn’t say to stop,” his voice stopped you dead. You settled back down.

He looked up at the night sky and sighed. “I’m tired. Come sleep with me.” He stood up, pulling you with him.

#boba fett smut #boba x reader #boba fett x reader #boba fett x female reader #star wars smut #the mandalorian #boba x you

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musedblues · 4 years ago

Text

Born To Love You [Part: 6]

summary: When Gwilym ropes you into a lie, the truth becomes painfully obvious. When Joe makes things harder, there’s no telling if he even has a clue.

a/n: Well, this one is a dozy. There's plenty of angst, a dash of sickeningly sweet fluff and vague mentions of sex, but blink and you'll miss it. (Just be mindful!) After this... is just the epilogue! I cross my heart to get that bit out soon. I'm sorry for leaving you lot on a cliffhanger for so long! But I'm so so grateful for all your sweet feedback and kind lovely words. I'll really be looking forward to everyone's thoughts on this second to last chapter! 💖

w/c: 9k

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

You couldn't wait to get home. You couldn't wait to toss your suitcase full of laundry in the wash room and face plant into your familiar bed. But when you got there, and your bags were stored away and your favorite sheets beckoned you to bed, you still felt like shit.

What's worse, was the quiet. James and Andy had gone off to tend to renovations in their new home, during the weekend you settled back into the flat you'd shared with the two for years and years. So you sat alone, adjusting to the new normal. Adjusting to the hollow void where your heart should be and the echoes of it's once fierce beat surging through your ears loud enough to keep you awake.

And when Gwilym rang to hold one-sided conversations with his daughter and ask how you were, you didn't even pretend to smile. He hated to see it. But a small part of Gwilym's soul settled slightly, to see you'd dropped the act of fake grins and scripted answers. And because he sort of figured you'd hang up on him if he brought it up, and you sat on the edge of your seat every time he rang, you never spoke about what happened. Not until James and Andy came home.

///

"My dear, it's been ages!" Andy beamed, tossing his bag to the sofa and taking giant strides to wrap his arms around you. His jubilant smile was a lovely sight to see, it was hardly rimmed with the question you knew must have been on the tip of his tongue. Because Andy in all his brilliant blonde wonder had remained almost entirely out of the loop. James only knew some of the bits of the story you'd stirred up over the past month. But you figured he must have told his better half what he did know. Because it was Andy who asked, after all, in the usual way any of your friends might have for a few years now.

"How was the big trip to see your lover, then?" Andy teased, just like everyone who knew you and Gwilym well enough always had, before. Only this time you had no witty come back. You had no sharp-edged jab to defend yourself. You only let your demeanor crack, at last, letting hot, humiliating tears slip down your cheeks.

His asking was the final straw, because even though you were home, nothing felt the same anymore.

"Oh way to go, Andrew." James scoffed on his hurry in the door, reaching out to grab your shoulders, pulling you in for some kind of protective hug. You heard Andy stutter out a disoriented apology.

"It's okay." You sniffled, halfway peeling yourself from James' embrace. It was your brilliant, fiery, quick witted best pal who made you pour everybody a drink and gather around the kitchen table to spew your guts; after they spent a good hour trading Olive back and forth for several dozen welcome home hugs.

Olive was fast asleep, and it was quite again, like it had been since your return. Only now instead of letting those same old thoughts echo through your head, you spewed them all, swallowing your pride with shots of whiskey. James and Andy listened all the while, taking quick drinks when you did, wincing over your pathetic, deadly details.

"Well... It's really just like that scene in My Best Friends Wedding.'" Andy mewled, trying to equate the pickle you found yourself in, to something that was fixed on a movie screen in the matter of one easy-going scene. You shook your head as James did too,

"This is clearly way more like While You Were Sleeping, except Gwil's been awake the whole time." James pointed out, getting up to reach for the bottle of alcohol on your counter.

"This is Anna Karenina." You whined gravely, letting your head drop to the table with a sorry thud. Andy gasped as James gently tugged your hair to get your attention as he said,

"Fuck that. You're getting that happy ending, love. Just give it time."

Your flatmates promised to see you through your latest greatest disaster; swearing that even after they moved away you'd still be welcome to crash in their guest room, swearing everything would be okay.

///

Halloween ended when Olive scraped her knees. She stumbled over an uprooted tree branch, scuffing up the socks you found to perfectly match her chicken costume.

You left James and Andy in their nondescript punk rock get ups and headed home with your unsettled babe for the night. You woke up early the next morning, around the same time your flat mates were creeping in from whatever party they got sucked into the whirlpool of. They told you goodnight as you totted Olive into the living room for the day. It was filling up with halfway packed moving boxes that served as reminders for you to get a move on. So while an old Julie Andrews film played, you scrolled through some listing as Olive clamored to the sofa at your side.

And right when you'd found the perfect neighborhood; A call you were anxious to answer interrupted your interest in a reasonably priced townhouse close to a quaint school district.

"You promised you'd facetime last night!" Lucy's delicate whine was music to your ears.

"I sent you a picture of Olive in her chicken costume! But we had to cut festivities short." You explained Olives tumble and apologized for missing out the chance to facetime your friend all dressed up, like you once promised through text.

"Not to mention you missed getting a glimpse of our killer halloween party, over here. I'd never seen Gwil so drunk." Lucy snorted. You chuckled too. "I wish you would have been there."

"I would have loved to see you, Luc, but I'm sure I wasn't missed by anyone else."

"I beg to differ. I wasn't the only one who was sad when you didn't call, last night. In fact, Joe said-"

"Lucy." You cautioned. Olive rested her head in your lap, and you ran your fingers through her curls in an automatic attempt to keep that familiar sickness from rising in your throat. Lucy stalled for a moment but spoke up again.

"Joe talked about you all night, actually." She seemed to realize. "To me, anyway. We sat while the others played some dumb game... and he asked about you. He had been drinking, though, and kept saying something about the aquarium?"

"I'm going to hang up if you keep-"

"Y/n..." Lucy bit for your undivided attention.

"Joe... well... you should talk to him. It would do you both some good."

"I don't think that's a good idea in the slightest. I'm not over-"

"Just... talk to him. For me?" Lucy begged, sweetly. You said okay, but not because you planned on phoning the guy, but because you were desperate for your friend to talk about anything besides Joe.

///

Gwilym came home for the holidays. You fetched him from the train station, settling into his familiar company right away. And for a week, you spent most of your time in his spacious home, baking sweets and taking naps on his big comfy sofa. You mixed drinks for the members of his massive family who stopped over, bearing gifts, and telling stories. All while Gwilym kept Olive on his hip, when she wasn't trailing behind his stride.

You spent Christmas morning the same way you had for years in a row. Only now was the last time you'd be joining James and Andy around the table for your traditional pancake breakfast. It was the last time you'd huddle around the moving box cramped living room, trading decorated parcels and reading new storybooks to Olive. You laughed the whole day, in place of crying, because you knew you would if you brought up the elephant in the room.

You couldn't tell them how much you'd miss them. How much you already did.

Your pending ex flatmates took a trip the week leading up to new years eve- filling both their cars with boxes and vowing to finish fixing up repairs to their almost home sweet home. Gwilym noted, over and over again, that you were welcome to stay with him till you found another place to settle.

You slept on the idea, in Gwilym's guest room over on New Year's Eve. The two of you were fast in bed long before the new year kicked off. You started the fresh new morning when Gwilym gently jarred you awake with a tender reminder of the promise you'd both made to Lucy.

///

James and Andy were more than happy to keep Olive for the weekend, as it was the last chance they'd get to spoil the kid for a while. They waved you off at the train station as Gwilym held out his hand for you while you climbed the narrow steps.

"I hope you know how much I really don't want to do this." You huffed, plopping into a seat facing Gwil. He grinned, peering to you past his glasses, past rays of the dull rising sun.

"I'm sorry." Gwilym nodded. You narrowed your eyes in wonder, silently prompting Gwilym to explain why he sighed so gravely.

"I'm sorry for the way I ruined things, for you. I know how much you came to care for everyone, and how you now feel like everything is destroyed. But I think you'll find your reputation isn't completely tarnished." Gwilym smiled, glancing at his feet as you bit your lip, considering his words.

"I'm not sure if that makes me feel better or worse." You let out a breathy laugh, watching the train slowly chug away from the platform. Wouldn't it be better to be excommunicated instead of tiptoeing on eggshells around people who used to consider you their unconditional friend?

"But thanks, Gwil." You quickly added, hoping he could tell you were moved by his attempt to ease your worry. You really couldn't imagine life without your unconventional friendship.

///

You tried to ignore how much more like home Gwilym's airbnb felt than your own beloved loft. You unearthed a change of clothes and left your bags in the back of his rented car. You'd be staying with Lucy this weekend, after her sister's gallery opening. You doted on your flatmate back home. And you put yourself through small hell for Gwilym. But there seemed to be a growing world of things you'd only ever dream of doing for the sake of Lucy's happiness.

You dressed for the night out, stuffing your phone and some money in the clutch Lucy gave you on the first night you met the girl. The small bag that's stitching was decorated fossilized gemstones was designed by Lucy's sister, whose gallery full of creations you were off to admire.

Gwilym filled your time with anxious chatter about what Lucy had told him to expect tonight. You couldn't tell if he was excited, or rambling to ease your clearly nervous state.

///

Lucy and Rami were waiting in the vestibule, donned respectively in black silk and pink chiffon. You didn't have time to second guess yourself before your well-dressed friends stormed your way- wrapping their arms around your shoulders and gently squealing in your ear.

"No way, I'm not even close to done yet." Rami squeezed his arms tight around you when you started to peel yourself from him. You let out a warm laugh, hugging him back all the same.

"If you must disappear for so long ever again, you've really got to do a better job of keeping in touch, you know?" Rami rang over your shoulder as you leaned into his surprisingly welcoming embrace.

Lucy yanked you from Rami's clutch and pulled you in her stride, rambing right off about how her sister had been anxious to meet you. The girls gallery was full of boldly decorated gowns, painted shoes, and upcycled handbags- true works of wearable art. Before you had time to admire any of it, Lucy pulled you straight to the back of the room, where a girl who looked very much like your friend was entertaining a group of guests sipping champagne.

Lucy introduced you to her sister, an equally elegant and bubbly girl who smiled at you with the same warmth your good friend had always shown. You proudly clutched the small purse Lucy had gifted you, flashing it out for all to see. You boasted about how you adored the thing, and how much you admired the girls creations you'd caught glimpses of on you breeze through, so far. Lucy stayed glued to your side, as if she'd never left it, bragging about her sister to the group who still listened on.

"Go one then, everyone. I'll fill more drinks while you enjoy all my hard work." The girl laughed, waving about the gallery full of eye catching instalments. Lucy took you around every corner, telling stories about the outfits you gazed upon. Some stragglers would listen on, while others shouldered past to find more drinks. One of the shoulders that brushed yours belonged to a familiar blonde. Ben turned to give a nod in your direction before scuttling off to the sound of his name being called.

You couldn't make out the look in his eye before his face turned away, and you couldn't be sure if he'd caught the look in yours. You couldn't tell if Lucy pulled you closer to distract you from it all, or if she really was as excited as she seemed to point out the display of umbrellas before you.

When Gwilym reappeared with a flute of champagne for you in clutch, you took it, and stayed near Lucy as she floated from one place to the next. Lingering too long near the father of your child felt more like a dare than ever, in such mixed company.

It was then, Joe showed up; before Lucy had floated too far. When you saw him, you pretended your breath didn't catch in a theatrical gasp. Rami pretended not to notice. And Ben swooped toward Joe, guiding him in the opposite direction with an over blown greeting, as you shooed Lucy to keep on walking.

///

Lucy set you up in her lavish guest room, made up of pastel walls, sheer curtains and cozy sheets. You dumped your bags in the corner and watched the girl primp her hair in the guest room en suite before the others arrived. Lucy was throwing some kind of after party in her sisters honor, where more trusted and true friends were meant to show up ready to mingle the night away.

"Since Sami is in town, too, Rami and I thought it was the perfect time for everyone we adore to dance the night away, together." Lucy mumbled past the bobby pins between her teeth.

Rami's brother seemed lovely, based on the short introductions you shared back at the gallery. Sami was one of the first guests to burst into Lucy's flat, balancing a few store bought desserts and asking for your help setting them across counter tops. Lucy was always looking for an excuse to gather everyone together huh? You smiled over the realization that everyone seemed to be just as eager for whatever overblown gathering the girl planned next.

Soon, the home was full of faces you'd come to recognize throughout the night. You chatted with Lucy's sister, while music kept changing genres with every new soul who was awarded control of the bluetooth.

But as drinks and hugs were passed around, you'd yet to see any of the people you'd come to know during the pantomime of a time you'd spent in London, last. Not until you floated toward the kitchen.

Ben was there, head tossed back as a swallow of whiskey disappeared down his throat. You crept in, assessing the drinks that linked the counter- more eager to extend your greetings to the blonde than you had been for whatever you'd come in here for in the first place.

"Hi Ben. You look well." You spoke, admiring his tousled hair and the fitted clothes he wore. The blonde twisted and looked right at you for the first time all night.

"Oh, thanks. I'm just so glad you're back round." He slurred in cold disdain. His tone was flat and his eyes were empty. As you registered his disposition, you recalled the look in Ben's eye every time he caught you playing house with Gwil. If anyone was fooled by your act it was Ben. He'd admired your picturesque family. You'd burned his rose-colored image to the ground.

"No, yeah I really wish you could have been round for Halloween. You could have gone as Bebe Buell. Gwil could have been Steven Tyler and Joe would have been Todd Rundgren. Hell, you wouldn't have even had to have dressed up for that role." Ben ended his tipsy address by slamming his empty glass on the counter, causing a crack to race up to the rim. You stood there, heart shattering in place, too...

"I swear to God if you break Joe's heart I will-" Ben pointed, darkly.

"Ben, what the fuck?" Lucy cursed, spinning into the room like a hurricane. She ripped the broken glass from Ben's fist and gave him a disappointed glare.

"Apologize to her right now!" Lucy boomed. You stood stone still, watching in shock. You'd been prepared to deal with every blow Ben delt you, because that's what you deserved. You did nothing to merit Lucy's displays of friendship.

"Fuck that." Ben spat, looking right to you. "You're a fucking liar."

Rami appeared as if he was just breezing by, but grabbed Ben along the way, clasping his shoulder and dragging him out of the room. Lucy scurried over to you, while you started to apologize and plan your escape route.

"I knew I shouldn't have come, I'm sorry-"

"Yes, you told a lie. But you've apologized, and explained, and given it time. So has Gwil. It's over now. Dealt with. Ben had no excuse for losing his cool like that." The brilliant blonde petted your arm as you held fast to the anchor of regret that had found a residence in your belly.

"I hurt his feelings Luc. That's excuse enough."

"Well, I don't think so. He should apologize. He doesn't need to like what you did but you're not going anywhere. So, he'd better get used to it."

Lucy spoke decidedly, reaching for a martini glass. You smiled, and shrugged, and mouthed thank you as a few folks you didn't know pranced into the kitchen.

When you rounded the corner into the busy living room, you were halted on your mission to find a bit of quiet.

"Here, you're gonna want some of this before Gwil eats it all."

Joe was stood in front of you with a small purple plate of cake. You glanced from the buttercream and back up to the man with fossils for eyes. He was dressed in clothes you remembered him wearing before, a bit of stubble covered his jaw.

Your hand lifted to take the plate from his grasp as your eyes locked on his, too many words to choose from sticking in your throat. He started to turn back to wherever he came from, but then nodded his head for you to follow along.

"Are you kidding me? You're a shit friend." Gwilym cried from the sofa, as you approached. "After I asked you so nicely to fetch me another slice." Gwil's gaze turned from the dessert in your clutch, shaking his head in Joe’s direction.

"That was the last piece and you already had three." Joe pointed to the plate in your hand as he plopped next to Gwilym on the sofa. You eased across from the two, moving faster than you could think otherwise.

"He's always stealing Olives snacks, too." You laughed a little, hoping like mad that you didn't seem as nervous as you were. "I'll take this as pay back on her behalf." You grinned to Gwil, raising a bite of cake to your lips.

As Gwil started to defend himself, Sami breezed by, settling into the nook you'd found yourself among, it didn't take him long to learn you and Gwil were trading banter about the same little girl.

"Oh, you two are together?" Sami asked, trying to connect the dots, like so many others had before. And in a flash, after shooting you a look, Gwilym answered. He assured you weren't a pair. That you only stuck so close because of the kid you shared. As he rambled about Olive, you wondered why it couldn't have been that easy, every other time.

You picked sorrily at your cake, accepting the new normal. Accepting the same white noise that blasted through your ears while your throat closed around the apologies you felt you'd never say enough of. And while Gwil pulled up a few photos of your darling daughter to show Sami, you glanced up, noticing Joe turning his easy going expression toward you.

"Thanks," You decided no sooner than you started speaking. "Ya know... for not hating me."

Joe's delicate gaze turned. His brow furrowed and his smile twisted as his eyes studied your own for a bit. You turned back to your cake, eating as much as you could before the permanent sickness in your stomach was too all-consuming.

Then you got up to toss your rubbish away. You left the people you knew mixed among the strangers who didn't know enough of you to cast appropriate glares on your creep through the kitchen. As you lingered in the back of the room, Lucy's sister led a group of girls in from the cold. She warned you the fire burning on the patio was close to dying out as she guided her friends indoors. You took it as a strange invitation to float out back to the empty ring of patio furniture. The head pounding music and bouts of laughter echoing from inside nearly became silent as you shut the door and drifted to sit on your own. This was the escape you'd been in search of earlier. But you weren't solo for long.

"You alright?" Joe's voice cut through the cold, after the storm door creaked shut behind him. You glanced up to the guy, who braced his arms at his chest, and waited to move closer until you gave the green light. You were afraid of what might happen when you answered.

"Yeah." You nodded smally, after a sigh. Joe floated toward the bench you'd sunken into, willing the cushions to swallow you whole.

"I don't know why you think I'd hate you." Joe stated, sending your mind to reel as if his daring to single you out wasn't enough of an emotional frenzy.

"You know why." You responded in an easier breath than you knew you had in you. Joe sat at your side on Lucy's posh patio furniture, while you turned your head, watching the fire die out.

"No, I don't. Even though it was all fucked up... I just... I guess I understood." Joe started, taking his time explaining things from his perspective. Explaining how he'd watched you and Gwilym fit together, and clash. How he heard some of the things you and Gwilym hissed at each other from other rooms. How you'd look at eachother with warnings. Joe said that when the truth came out, he was more relieved to know it, than offended. But you weren't totally convinced. You weren't relieved at all.

"I'm never not going to be sorry, Joe." You shrugged, casting your eyes toward him for a daring beat.

"What for?" Joe asked quietly, in a tone that suggested you didn't have a thing to be sorry for. Your eyes turned to your lap, searching for the right way to say what you felt you needed too. After a pause that seemed like eternity, you said,

"I wanted things to be so different..."

And then Joe said,

"Yeah. Me too."

Damn it. If you'd only just done something, anything differently, back then. You'd tried taking it all back. You'd tried letting time pass. Like all the movies said to do. So why did it feel worse than ever? Why couldn't you help but to hang your head, catch your breath, and bite back tears? You prayed the moment would pass. You prayed Joe would get up and leave you to suffer, leave you to adjust to your new normal.

You wouldn't let yourself cry. Not even when you felt the weight of Joe's hand in your shoulder. You held it together still, when he gently spoke your name, a vague invitation for you to let go, but you wouldn't. Joe wrapped his arm behind you. And when he did, all your practices nearly rendered useless. But instead of crying, you sank into Joe's side and closed your eyes. He let you.

///

He walked behind as you decided to head back in. And he said goodbye soon after, leaving with a tipsy Gwilym in tow.

Rami stayed to help clean up. Then he left Lucy with a kiss goodbye, on his way to enjoy the last of his brothers company in London. The house was quiet, but still buzzing with new born memories of laughter and commotion. Lucy was tired, and so were you. It was easy to pretend that you just craved sleep, and not an entirely different set of realities. So you saved expressing your regret for the shower and vowed to enjoy the rest of the weekend with your friend; who'd been looking forward to having you over since she conceived these plans at the beginning of the end of last year.

You always figured it would be easier to ignore your feelings. To steer clear from Joe. But with the way all your mutual friends seemed to enjoy each other's company, your plans fell through. So if you had to wind up so near Joe, you figured you'd better enjoy the slightest bits of his company. Because he'd smiled so easily at you. He'd been so kind. You didn't deserve any amount of his attention, but hell, you'd take it.

///

The next day you wandered down a few streets in the surprisingly warm London air. Pepperings of snow had melted away and you could have been fooled into dressing for spring if the wind didn't pick up every now and again. But still, you strolled alongside Lucy until you reached a small bistro, where she insisted on buying your lunch. She also insisted on listening to you talk, even though you were much more anxious to hear the deadly details of her much more exciting life.

She listened to your stories about Olive and Christmas time with Gwilym. She listened to you tell how nervous you were to come back to London, ready for some reality television show level of drama to bog you down. Lucy laughed at the prospect and kept pulling her phone into view when you stopped to take sips of your drink.

You realized why she'd been so taken with texting when your date was crashed. Of course, Lucy didn't tell you she'd invited Joe along. And of course, as he joined your table, Lucy stood to leave.

"Right, I've got to meet Rami to see his brother off. I'll see you later, doll, don't have too much fun without me!" Lucy shrugged into her coat and spun around after leaving you with the gesture of a kiss.

You couldn't help but laugh as she disappeared around the corner. Joe grimaced when he discovered that you'd been left out of the loop, swearing he hadn't dreamed of catching you off guard. You decided it was the way of things, in London. Anyway the wind blows... right?

It only took you the usual dread filled second to get past your blush. To assess Joe's windblown hair and his familiar posture. And just like that, after he ordered some tea and you sent Lucy a message full of hot headed emojis to decode, you and Joe delved into one of those conversations you always had with ease. The kind where he'd tell you an exceptionally long winded story about the madness on set. One of his exaggerated quotes would remind you of something from a long past summer camp, and then you'd get to talking about growing up. One thing always led to another, until there was no topic left to turn. Until the conversation you were never sure might come to life was the only one left to have.

It was Joe, in fact, who'd brought up some stupid thing Gwilym said on one of their days off. How he'd misheard an expression and argued with Joe, and Google, slow to admit his misunderstanding.

"Sounds like Gwil." You laughed, but only a little. Only to suppress the scream in your throat. You glanced down to see if Lucy had responded to the message in your lap, but only to avoid Joe's fossilized gaze. She had. She told you she had no clue when she'd be back home and reminded you where her spare key was hidden in case you became stranded.

And when you looked back up, Joe hadn't shifted his intently watchful eye.

"You know, we really should talk."

He was right. This was always coming, somehow, someway. Even as the universe tried its darnst to prevent it, still. Lunch hour had ended, and the bistro was closing. But all the reasons you'd said no to Joe in the past didn't exist anymore. So you asked if he fancied to walk back to Lucy's, where he could leave you be after giving you an earful.

The whole way there was sprinkled with mindless chatter to fill the gaps. The calm before the storm, you decided. You found Lucy's spare key with your heart in your throat, and tried to remember all the good things you'd come to adore about Joe that might mean he'd let you down gently. But you really deserved a good talking too. A totally battering of the heart and soul.

You floated to the kitchen, rambling through the same speech you'd given Lucy hours ago, about how uncertain you'd been about showing up in London after everything. How you expected to have heard many more curses from everyone, by now. How Ben's scolding you last night was only surprising due to the fact that it was cut short.

Joe listened, shaking his head every now and again, settling into the chair nearest you as the setting sun turned the room a dark, sad blue.

"Ben will come around." Joe nodded, after you cringed at bringing up how he spoke to you in this very kitchen.

"Well I'll understand if he doesn't." You assured. You'd come here expecting to spend time with Lucy, and find some kind of closure with everyone else. Even though you didn't want to.

"He will. He cares about you, y/n. We all do. Things like that aren't so easily changed."

You couldn't help but grin as your eyes rolled. Then, with all the compassion Lucy had shown you, and all the assurance Gwil had always given, Joe spoke up. He rambled for a bit about how September seemed from his perspective. How he was more relieved, than upset, when things boiled up and over. Because then, at least he'd hoped, all the times he'd caught you and Gwilym hissing at each other from the other room, would have ended. Joe hoped, when he found out the truth, that it was as simple as it seemed.

You laughed, because his definition of simple boggled your mind a bit.

"All I'm saying is I'm glad you and Gwil cared enough about each other to pretend to care a little bit more." Joe chuckled. "It all could have been much worse, ya know?"

"You're impossibly optimistic. But I'm glad." You pursed your smile, settling deeper into your seat, feeling less like your heart might explode.

After another bout of expressing your regret, and Joe assuring you had nothing to be sorry for, everything sort of felt like it used too. Your conversation floated from one thing to the next, like it always did. You spent the entire sunset yammering with the guy you'd always been too nervous to stand just near.

"Just exactly how long are you staying?" Joe seemed to suddenly wonder, when you chatter started to dissolve.

"Only until the weekend is up. I promised Lucy..." You noted, wondering if this surprise set up was something she'd had in mind all along. You wouldn't have put it past her. "She's apparently got very big plans for us the next couple of days.""

"Right," Joe shifted, his lovely smirk deflating every so slightly. "Well then it looks like this is our only opportunity to talk like this, huh?"

You figured so, trying not to look so distraught over how badly you really didn't want to leave Joe's company. It always got better each time. It always took you by surprise and put you at ease in one go. And maybe that was because you dreaded the times he wasn't near worse than the times he was. And this was one of the last, without another to look forward too.

"So, then, can I just say something I was hoping to have much longer to think through before speaking?" He grinned, but his tone was serious- deadly. A lethal pause started to set in, Joe shifted his weight and sucked in a breath. You did too, then nodded, doing your best to brace yourself accordingly. Joe seemed to consider his thoughts for a beat longer, each silent nanosecond sending your pulse into overdrive.

"I meant what I said when we met." Joe gave one sure nod before locking his forest colored eyes onto yours. "I still do."

"You do?" You asked, not forgetting the words he chose careful after knocking into you; but not understanding that he might have held onto them all the same.

"And when I told you I wish we'd met differently... this is what I meant. This was the kind of chance I had my fingers crossed for." Joe gestured between the two of you in the dim kitchen as the light started fading below windows.

"What? To remind me of the things you said without the fear of Gwil overhearing?" You laughed a little, still too afraid there was some kind of catch. An inevitable "but" that would show up and spoil the sweetness.

"No." Joe smiled, shaking his head. "No, not just to remind you of those things." His eyes searched your face, and there was no time to save the way your stomach filled with waves that reached your heart.

"Do you realize what you're saying right now?" You asked in a nervous waver.

"Yes. Everything I never got to before... and worried I might never get too."

You kept your gaze locked on Joe as he swallowed and looked to you in a way he never had before.

"All I'm saying is that I can't imagine I'll ever feel this way about anyone else, ever. And I don't want you to leave, at least not like last time. Preferably, nothing like last time. I liked you before I even knew who you were. That minute before I knew about Gwil. And even after then, too. And just thinking about letting you get away a second time kind of makes me want to cry. I'll understand if you think I'm fucking insane from now on, but... I don't want you to go."

"Where would you rather I be?" You dared to ask in a hush. You could make out Joe's piercing hope filled expression in the dim kitchen, but you couldn't believe he was looking to you like he had all those times before, still.

"With me." Joe said.

"You can't be serious." After everything? Even now?

"I've quite literally never wanted anything more."

Then, you thought, If he let all those months go by with time enough to grow resentment toward you, he didn't. He had time to find someone much more worthy of his adoration, but he didn't. He said he wanted you, perhaps more fiercely than he had when you collided for the first time. But there had to be a catch.

"Gwil will always be around." You reasoned. He was your rock. He was every bit of parent you couldn't be on your own. You weren't about to let go of his helping hand.

"He's my best friend." Joe shrugged.

"And Olive-"

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Joe grinned. And for another while, as you pitched cons, Joe batted back pros. He reasoned with all of your outlandish what if's and put all of your thought up worries to rest.

"And what do you suppose we do now, then?" You asked, in one final attempt to find a fault in his desperation. A crack in the daydream that was seeping into real life.

"We can figure it out as we go. I waited this long without you, what's a little while longer with us finally on the same page?"

You went quiet, searching Joe's pretty, stubble covered face. You'd already made up your mind long ago, hadn't you?

"Okay. I have at least seven hundred more questions... but okay."

"Yeah?" Joe asked like he couldn't believe he'd talked you into it.

"Yeah." You sat up a little, feeling more at ease than you maybe ever had.

"Well now I really don't want you to go." Joe grinned, drawing his brows close as he realized just because you'd decided to work through things didn't mean they'd get easier in a flash.

"Then..." You decided, because you'd done more than enough procrastinating and debating, "Why don't you stay?"

Because this might be it for a while... but you were damned and determined to make it better than ever before. "I agree that we shouldn't just jump into things..." You explained, considering your mission to move house and Joe's pending trip back to the US. "But I think you'd better kiss me, now."

Joe must not have wanted to waste another second, either. He leaned in before you'd even finished speaking. But just like before, when he'd almost kissed you, he moved slow. And you felt his breath fan over your face. But instead of lunging away, Joe kept inching closer until your lips collided. And then he kissed you the way you always dreamed he would. You kissed him back with every bit of stored up feeling you could pull out in such a hurry. It was a sweet kiss. A long time coming. It was a moment you could have frozen and stayed in, content. But it grew and grew, like the unstoppable way forests take over old roads once there was nothing stopping their sprouting.

Joe reached out, his fingers disappearing into your hair as you kissed him like your life depended on it. You couldn't stop the way you were drawn to him, not anymore. It was impossible to tell who moved first; if Joe yanked you closer or if you'd flung yourself into his lap. All you knew was that's where you ended up, and where you longed to stay for the rest of time.

You were too entirely lost in the way his mouth opened against yours. All you could focus on was how he'd kept you so close when the pair of you moved from the kitchen to the guest bedroom. It was some kind of miracle your head was clear enough to lock the door after Joe kicked it shut and pushed you against it.

You'd wanted this for so long. You'd always wondered what Joe's lips might taste like every time he stretched a smile across the same room as you. You'd pushed away daydreams every time his eyes locked on yours and lingered long enough for you to get lost in.

Now you didn't have to wonder what he might whisper in your ear, or the way his fingers felt against your skin. You got to know what it was like to look in Joe's fossil eyes, before they rolled back while you settled into his lap. You got to run your fingers through his hair and take a deep breath, thinking back to all those little times you'd dared to wonder about a time like this before. You'd always been so certain and scared it wasn't in the cards. But in the span of an evening long conversation, you were sorted. How could it have been so easy? How could it be real?

"I've wanted to be with you for so long." You whispered, hoping Joe knew exactly what you meant. The way you spoke of so much in one statement. You ran a set of fingers through his copper hair, trying to ground yourself from getting lost in the worry you'd become so accustomed too.

"I'm all yours." He assured, speaking in the way he did, that used to make you wonder if his tone was just in your head. It couldn't have been the case, you realized. Not when he spoke low in your ear in the same way, now. Maybe there was lots more to figure out. But this was more than enough for now. It was enough to accept the way he wanted you. And Joe must have really wanted you by the way he'd grabbed hold of you and moved to prove it. You knew better than to take a nanosecond for granted. You knew to relish the way Joe glistened before you. You swore through your fluttering lashes you spotted a halo. Even if it was a ring of light cast from the bedside table- it fit Joe's crown well.

///

Lucy came home long after you'd fallen asleep. The beaming of her headlights through the curtains and the sound of her car door shutting and locking roused you from slumber, barely. All you registered was her homecoming, and Joe’s arms and legs tangled up with yours. The pace of his gentle breathing at your side sent you back to sleep just as peacefully.

When you woke up again, with this rising sun, Joe was still out cold. You could hear Lucy humming in the kitchen, knocking about pans like she had the morning before. So you decided to take the cue to greet the day. You scurried to the en suite, tamed your hair and waltzed out to find what your friend was cooking up.

You had half the mind to scold Lucy for abandoning you, last afternoon. But she always had a knack for gifting her friends exactly what they needed, even if they hadn't really asked, hadn't she?

"You're up early for someone who was out so late." You playfully jabbed, shuffling past Lucy whose pretty face lit up upon seeing you. She stood near the stove, fussing over pancake batter and a tin of blueberries.

You were already halfway through your mission to pour a cup of coffee from the fresh pot across the room, as Lucy greeted you warmly as ever. She rambled for a bit about taking Rami's brother to dinner when his flight got delayed. You turned from resting your piping hot mug on the table in time to notice Joe had awoken, and was leaning against the frame of the kitchen doorway.

"Pancakes? Nice." He stifled a yawn, dressed in the joggers he'd worn the day before. Lucy spun on her heels with a startled yelp at the sound of his voice over her shoulder. Her tin of blueberries went flying, and you managed to catch it before too many tumbled to the tile floor. Lucy let out a string of curses, and a few steady breaths, as Joe was quick to apologize for scaring her into making a mess, crouching to collect the few stray blueberries as you handed Lucy the tin with the smallest grin. She returned your smirk before shrugging back to the stove.

"Breakfast for three, then." She said, obviously trying to keep an excited squeal at bay.

You poured two more cups of coffee and settled in for the most important meal of the day. While you ate, Lucy sat back, demanding to know what was going on. You and Joe traded between turns explaining, telling how you'd talked through most everything last night. How you had lots left to talk about, and lots to decide. But that you'd agreed to figure it out as a pair along the way.

After you'd finished your story, and thanked her for making breakfast Lucy dramatically wiped a faux tear from her eye. She stood to collect your empty plates, and urged you to get ready. Apparently, she'd gone all out, booking a day out on the town for the two of you.

"Sorry Joseph, but I've called dibs on this cutie. You can hang around here if you'd like. I'm sure we'll be seeing lots of you this weekend either way." Lucy giggled, yanking you through the kitchen door and toward your guest room.

As you rushed to fix yourself up and finished your makeup in the spacious en suite, Joe slipped in to tell you goodbye. He collected his wallet from the bedside table while you asked what he was up to today, only a little gutted to part ways.

"I've actually got plans with Ben." Joe rose a brow, leaning against the sink as you tore your gaze from your reflection and uttered a worried "Oh."

"I'll talk to him, okay?" Joe nodded. He'd been so certain last night, that Ben would come around. You'd been accepting of the fact that might not be true, but now the same fact worried you worse than before.

"Okay." You agreed with caution, turning to evaluate your reflection once more. Then you glanced to Joe's image in the same mirror, already missing him. Already anxious about the next steps you'd decide to take together. Everything between you and Joe happened pretty quickly, after such a torturous build up. But now you were back to taking it slow. You knew that was for the best. You knew Joe was worth it.

"See ya later?" You gave a small shrug, unsure of the proper parting phrase, after the conclusions you'd come too.

"No doubt." Joe smiled, pressed a quick kiss to your hair, and spun out of the room, yelling for Lucy to come and tell him goodbye. You didn't have a reason to suppress the butterflies in your stomach as you perfected your lipstick. You simply enjoyed how light your feet felt as you glided into another bright day.

///

Lucy dragged you from shop windows, to expensive stores. She pulled you along to try free samples of sweets and insisted you try on a pair of shoes that couldn't fit her feet, or your plebeian budget. You ordered tea and stopped in the middle of streets and markets to laugh until it hurt. When you'd wound up in the middle of a manicure with a glass of wine and a couple of nail techs who were eager to gossip with you; you had to stop from pinching yourself and messing up your fresh polish.

Lucy kept bringing up Joe, and all the times she'd caught him staring at you. All the times she thought she'd notice you stare back. She reckoned it was a good thing you'd finally found a way to go about giving each other a chance, no matter how strongly things came to be. She agreed fate was at hand. And so did you, because as you spoke so liberally of the lad, you seemed to summon a text message from him.

Joe: Ben wants you to meet up with us for dinner. He promises not to be mean anymore.

You read the message aloud to Lucy whose eyes grew wide. Your nails were dry by then, as you strolled about the city together. She insisted you skip her movie night plans, nudging you to agree and work things out with everyone's favorite stubborn blonde. You asked if she was really sure. Because you'd already missed one night of fun you could have had together. Lucy figured you could make up for it in the next night and a half you were still around, making loose plans to see each other in the near future all the same.

You admired Lucy's tenacious and tireless efforts at preserving your friendship, and agreed to see her later in the evening.

///

It was the same restaurant you'd come to that first night you met everyone. You couldn't be sure if the boys picked it on purpose, or if it was really the only nice joint open at such an hour. You glided through the doors with a keen chuckle. No matter how or why, everything seemed to come full circle. And with that you'd always be certain.

Ben and Joe were lingering near the back, at a table in the least bust section of the place. You noticed them notice you, and held your breath as your feet traveled closer. One thousand versions of the same sorry came to mind, as you felt Ben's eyes on you. The thing's he'd spat your way echoed in your head. You hated to think you hurt his feelings, broken his heart.

When you were close enough to open your mouth and say all the things Ben deserved to hear, you didn't get too. Because Ben stood up, and spoke first.

"I'm sorry." He croaked, reaching to pull you into a hug without question. You were stunned, for a second, but hugged him back tight. His jumper smelled like expensive cologne and his arms nearly squeezed your shoulders out of place. You tried to hug him back with matched intensity.

"Well, I'm still sorry too." You spoke, voice muffled by his jumper. "I did a stupid thing. One that could have been fixed a bunch of times."

You pulled away to look at the handsome guy you'd always been so humbled to call a friend.

"But you did it for Gwil." Ben nodded, giving your shoulders a final squeeze. He gestured for you to sit, and you followed his lead as Ben said something more.

"I'm not sorry for being angry. But I am sorry for how I acted and the things I said."

You shook your head, feeling the warm sting of tears press against the back of your eyes. "I deserved to hear those things. I needed someone to tell me how stupid I was being."

Ben commiserated and wrapped an arm around your shoulder as you leaned in for another hug. You'd missed his company so dearly, you missed how passionately Ben cared. He promised he'd always be around to knock some sense into your head.

"And anyway... all is well now, from what I hear?" Ben shrugged as you sniffled and cast a glare across the table to Joe, who was waggling his brow and sipping some fruity drink.

"I wish things were always this easy." You let out an airy laugh, reaching for the menu that listed the drinks.

"I'm just glad they finally are. Let's drink." Ben snatched the list from your grasp as you laughed, settling into your new reality. It wasn't much different from the one you'd known and loved, after all. After ordering, you dodged a couple of very embarrassing questions from Ben, and managed to talk Joe out of answering them. The three of you chatted most about the way things had been. Your favorite parts of the month you'd spent with Olive in tow. The boys claimed to miss her, but neither more than you.

Then Ben got a call from Rami. And through a short conversation you only heard one side of, you came to understand the leading man was coming to crash your dinner party. This was of course good news. You weren't sure you'd get the chance to see him again before the weekend was up, let alone spend with the cast you'd come to know and love all at once.

You weren't surprised to see Lucy had tagged along with her man. She cast him across the table next to Joe, so she could sit next to you and complain about the way she'd already chipped a very expensive nail.

"Somebody better call Gwil, he can't be the only one left out. Imagine the Instagram comment's he'd leave out of spite." Lucy piped up, glancing across the table full of your favorite people. Joe was first and fastest to volunteer, putting Gwil on speaker to overwhelm the guy with plea's from across your table for him to come and join.

When he finally showed up, and your waiter took everyone's orders, everything finally felt normal again. You sat in the middle of your five favorite people, arguing over each other, stealing chips, sharing laughs. And all the tension from before vanished. You hadn't realized how all captivating the stress from before had been, until you'd settled into peace. Until you felt Joe's knee knock against yours while he grinned as if to ensure he'd meant to catch your attention. You'd smiled back before taking a swing of your liquor for good luck, hoping a silent toast to the feelings that spread in your chest when you caught Joe staring you, would superstitiously keep those glances coming.

When you'd down a couple of drinks and Lucy had switched seats to take some ridiculous photo with Joe, you'd been instructed to use your phone to capture the moment. When you blindly reached into your bag, you pulled out something that wasn't at all what you'd been looking for.

It was Olive's beloved toy bat. The one she'd throw a fit over if it wasn't in view. The toy had been lost in your purse the whole time you'd been away from the girl. You locked wide eyes with Gwilym across the table and each of you let out an "oh shit" in unison.

He'd already been clutching his phone, giving you a look you knew meant he was checking in with the group chat that himself, James, and Andy made up three fourths of. Having been put ever so slightly at ease, you snapped the photos of Lucy and Joe toasting their drinks to each other- for good luck, you decided.

Before you could toss your phone away, it buzzed to life with a message from your flatmates. You checked in a hurry to make sure their world wasn't turned upside down by the baby they were sitting who was missing her prized possession.

The first message was a photo of your daughter, curled up at Andy's side, the stuffed penguin from the London Aquarium tucked under her other arm.

James: Think she's got a new favorite anyhow!

You smiled to yourself, tucking your phone away. Gwil would see, and be put at ease when he checked his end of the group chat later. For now, he was debating the best kinds of breakfast foods with Rami and Joe, each steadfast in their answers. The lot of you stayed there until Ben was slurring about Frankenstein, and Lucy had waited long enough for her one drink to wear off.

Gwil left you with the promise he'd see you again in a couple of days to give you a lift to the train station. Rami and Ben took turns trading hugs with you and everyone else, before piling in to head home.

Lucy corralled you and Joe to her car, insisting to both of you that Ben and Rami couldn't hear your exaggerated ongoing goodbyes from inside the car they drove off in.

And when the three of you piled into her ride, Lucy made plans to keep on drinking, and watch a few bad movies together, while you still had the time. She invited Joe to join in, not because she was quite keen to spend all night hearing his drunken rambles, but because she knew you were. He worried that he didn't have proper movie night attire, and Lucy insisted she could loan him some of Rami's joggers. You were buzzed enough to lean a little closer to whisper something in Joe's ear about not needing to worry about wearing any clothes, later. The two of you subdued snickers like a couple of virgin teenagers.

But it still took Joe the whole ride to Lucy's to gain the courage to hold your hand. And when his fingers laced through yours, you dared not let go for the rest of the evening. You were determined to hold on for the rest of the weekend. For the rest of forever. You weren't about to let Joe slip away, no matter what happened next. You were in it together, now.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

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#joe mazzello #joe mazello x reader #joe mazzello fanfic #joe mazzello imagine #gwilym lee #gwilym lee x reader #gwilym lee fanfic #gwilym lee imagine

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shy-violet-soul · 5 years ago

Text

Love in a time of COVID-19

Summary: Bucky won’t let anything get in the way of showing you he loves you & making you smile. Characters: Bucky Barnes x you; Steve Rogers; mentions of Clint Barton, Tony Stark, & Natasha Romanoff Ratings/Warnings: Character has Rheumatoid Arthritis, mentions of symptoms & treatments. Social-distanced-fluff of the highest concentration. Clint being weird & Bucky being goofball-y awesome. A/N: I saw the photo that inspired this on IG, and laughed so hard I just about cried. The marvelous OP graciously gave me permission to include it in my fic. You’ll find it at the bottom of the work. I thought we could all use some fluff in our lives these days!

I also have a friend with Rheumatoid Arthritis who is finding this time to be exceptionally difficult. Please support those in your circle who need some extra love right now.

Thank you @pinknerdpanda for beta-ing once again! All the social-distanced-hugs to you!

This work is a piece of fiction inspired by characters created by the MCU. Please do not copy/print elsewhere without my written permission

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

He was convinced. People’d lost their damn minds.

Bucky had survived warzone trenches in Europe. Had lived through the Great Depression. And had never seen the level of human stupidity he’d witnessed the first few days of March 2020. It’s an airborne illness - why the hell were people buying 96 rolls of toilet paper at a whack? What were they gonna do, wrap it around their mouths and breathe through it?

The Avengers Tower was going through its own issues. Stark vowed to spend his self-isolation inside one of his suits; a good idea in theory until he realized he still had to pee. Steve kept expounding on the virtues of using the time to catch up on reports. Natasha spent her time snorting at the treasure trove of new social media memes while Clint thumbed his nose at the whole thing by licking every door knob he passed. Bucky was washing his hands more just because of that. Gross.

Yes, they were pretty well hooked up to do the shelter in place, social distance, whatever the hell they were calling this thing. Bucky couldn’t fault Tony (well, probably mostly Pepper) for the very streamlined system in place that kept the Tower stocked with all manner of essentials. And, the Stark Foundation was busily getting help where it needed to go while Bruce videoconferenced with Dr. Cho and Shuri on treatments and vaccines. They were good to go for the foreseeable future.

His only real worry was you.

Your rheumatoid arthritis made this whole thing much more dicey, and - if he was being honest - a frick ton scarier. The illness suppressed your immune system, which meant you had to be more proactive on a normal day with handwashing, etc. Throw in a virus with no vaccine and no treatment? ‘Proactive’ took on a whole new definition. Sanitizing surfaces and extra cleanliness efforts were easy to step up. But he knew how much you hated being cooped inside. It didn’t help that the humidity had climbed up into the 70-ish percent region. The heavy air, coupled with the bite of winter chill still hanging on to the calendar, had your already tender joints pitching all kinds of a fit.

Right now, you were curled up in your favorite spot - a well padded window seat overlooking Central Park. Bucky had switched on the fancy fake fireplace for you, had wrapped you in blankets and propped you with pillows. The light pouring in haloed a bright shine to your hair, which normally would have a smile on his face. But your wan face pulled a grimace from him instead. Your shoulders rose and fell with a sigh, and Bucky would have cheerly scrubbed every surface of the whole damn Tower to get you out and about and smiling again.

A knock on the door spun him on his heel, and Bucky stalked to the door. Everyone knew the protocol - no visitors allowed!

“What.” Not a question, but a cold, terse demand. Steve drew a deep breath as he measured the look being leveled at him. He’d faced firing tanks with less caution. His friend’s frown was fierce versus his blank murder stare. Bucky was mad but not in an assassinating mood.

“Buck, I’m not gonna stay. I just wanted to stop in and say hi.”

“I’ll tell her you said so.” The door swung closed in his face. Steve rolled his eyes, throwing his arms up in disgust.

“C’mon, man.”

“No.” Exasperated, Steve couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his mouth. You and Bucky were a match made in heaven. Eidetic brain with the memory of an elephant, you were hands down one of the best analysts he’d had the privilege of working with. You chased after clues relentlessly, bulldogged in your tenacity. Straight up bullheaded in your obstinacy, though.

If anyone could out-stubborn you, it was Bucky. Lord knows, he had enough experience chasing after a certain runt who couldn’t stay out of back alley brawls. Steve knew that, in odd moments, it still struck his friend that he didn’t need his help in the same ways. When Bucky’s muscle memory had him moving before his brain caught up if Steve coughed or sneezed. He could practically see the wheels turning as Bucky struggled to stitch together broken memories with current moments. A natural protector, Bucky needed someone to nurture. To cajole and wheedle and, if necessary, out-stubborn. You fit the bill to a tee.

“I don’t have coronavirus, Bucky!”

The door snatched back open. “Oh, yeah? And how do you know that?”

“I can’t get sick. Serum, remember?”

Bucky glared at him through squinted eyes before stepping back into the apartment.

“Carrier,” he hissed, slamming the door again.

“Was that Steve?” Fatigue even hung heavy in your voice, the faintest gravel in the back of your throat threading a husk into your words. Bucky winced with you when you shifted in your seat, struggling painfully to stand.

“Yeah. Now I’m gonna have to wipe off the door knob again,” he groused as he briskly rubbed sanitizer over his hands. “Clint’s such a dumb ass.”

You snorted softly as you padded towards him. “I know. Who licks door knobs to prove a point?”

Taking in your stiff posture, Bucky leaned in close and pressed a kiss to your forehead.

“Why’d you get up? What do you need? I’ll get it,” he murmured into your hair. Your sigh huffed softly against his chest as you gratefully leaned against him, glancing at the clock in the kitchen.

“I should probably take another dose of ibuprofen,” the words mumbled up, uncertain. The illness had dragged up new challenges - too many doses of the NSAID was ripping up your stomach. Steroids helped, too, but you couldn’t take too many rounds too close together, and you’d already taken one prescription a month ago when the wet winter had your shoulders and wrists feeling like they were grinding straight through to your bone marrow. Pepper and your doctor were trying to get a DMARD approved through insurance, but with all this new virus ‘fit hitting the shan’, the insurance company backlog was sky high. That left you with balancing growing joint discomfort against growing stomach unhappiness. Thank God for ice packs and Tony’s ridiculously over-the-top whirlpool baths.

Bucky held in his own sigh as he pondered your situation. “Let me make you some of that chamomile tea and some toast to go with it.”

He didn’t think it possible, but your shoulders sagged even more. “I’m really not hungry, Buck.”

Threading his fingers through your hair, he gently rubbed the back of your head the way you liked.

“I’ll make it with that raspberry rutabaga jam on it. You want that?”

The catch in your throat grew to a fist-sized lump fit to choke you. The throbbing in your shoulders and arms radiated in time with your heartbeat up into your brain. Your knees felt weird - rubbery, tender, like you weren’t sure they’d support you. You missed your job, you missed your friends, you missed outside. As much as you adored Bucky, you were lonely for the other pieces of your life. The misery in your heart swelled to mammoth proportions, and you couldn’t choke back the sob that broke from you.

“I want -”

Bucky’s gut pinched so hard it hurt when you started crying. “What, love? What do you want? Anything, I’ll get it for you.”

Crying just made everything hurt more, and you swallowed hard to shove down the tears, anxiety, and stress. You glanced up, seeing the stress that pulled tight lines into Bucky’s face. You tried to offer him a smile and knew you failed pathetically.

“Rhubarb, hun. It’s raspberry rhubarb jam.”

Bucky saw you trying, knew you were trying to make him feel better, and wanted to cry himself. He’d do anything to bring back your smile.

“Rutabaga, rhubarb, whatever. You go sit, I’ll bring it out to you with the ibuprofen.”

You shook your head as you stepped away from his urging embrace. “No, I need to move around a little.” Neither of you spoke as you moved to the kitchen, content in the quiet puttering as Bucky filled the kettle and popped bread in the toaster. Out of habit, he went to wash his hands when an idea hit him.

Staring blankly out the window, your thoughts drifted to your ‘to be read’ pile as you tried to decide between starting a new book from your oft-ignored stack or comfort yourself with a lovely reread. You were so lost in your musings, you didn’t track on the activity behind you.

“Babe, can you grab the butter and jam? I’m washing my hands.”

You turned around to step to the fridge, stopped in your tracks at the sight before you, and burst out laughing.

Bucky had taken off his metal arm and put it in the dishwasher.

Hilarity pealed from you in waves, folding you over as you leaned against the counter. You tried to catch your breath and glanced up at Bucky. The proud-as-punch smile on his face set you off again, laughing so hard your shoulders twinged at you.

When a snort broke into your snickers, Bucky couldn’t help but laugh with you. Giddiness swirled with relief at your delight, and he felt prouder in that moment that he did receiving his U.S. Army Expert Marksmanship medal in ‘42. He knew he couldn’t carry your burden for you, but in this moment, he’d lightened it a bit. Moving in close, he gathered you to his chest with his other arm, relishing the feel of your giggles against him. You gasped for breath as you wiped the tears from eyes, then reached up to cup his face in your hands, smiling fondly into his twinkling gaze.

“I love you, you giant goofball. Thank you for taking such good care of me.”

Bucky leaned down and kissed the tip of your nose.

“Gotta take care of my best girl.” Giving you the gentlest of squeezes, he then urged you back to your cozy nest. “Go sit. I’ll bring it all out in a few.”

Still grinning, you headed for your phone. “First, I gotta get my phone. This is going on Twitter!”

#shy vy writes #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x reader #rheumatoid arthritis #RA #steve rogers #love in a time of COVID-19 #covid19 #coronavirus

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yourdeepestfathoms · 4 years ago

Text

No Hero

[Evil!Joan AU]

Word count: 3479

TW: Blood, minor gore

———————

Ever since reincarnation, Kitty has been afraid. Afraid of the change, afraid of touch, afraid of men. But it has gotten easier when she had Jane at her side. Jane, who had supported her and soothed her and comforted her for so long. Jane made things okay.

But now she’s gone. Kidnapped. Locked away in the ruins of the theater.

Jane had been Kitty’s hero. And now she was going to be hers.

However, as she touched her belly and felt sticky warmth blooming across it, those plans were looking bleak.

“You—” Kitty sputtered, blood splattering from her lips. She held desperately to the entrails pushing against the wound’s opening. “You took my guts out.”

The creature perched on one of the several stalagmites growing through the auditorium hummed. The half light made the blood on the wicked claws glisten.

“I’ve always wondered what you were like on the inside,” It said.

Kitty coughed and crumbled to her knees, hugging tightly at her stomach. She could feel her intestines trying to push their way out of her. They squelched against her arms.

“How sad.” Joan mused. She produced a copper wristband with three tiger’s eye orbs pressed into the metal and threw it down to Kitty. “Put that on if you want to live.”

Kitty glared at her. “Like I would trust you.”

Joan shrugged. “Then bleed out and die. Like I care.”

Kitty gritted her teeth, then snatched the bracelet up. When it’s clasped around her wrist, she gasped at the strange, ticklish sensation of her organs slithering back into place like resurrected eels. The wounds close and knit themselves back together, only leaving behind three pale white scars that stretch across the expanse of her stomach. She looked at it in shock.

“Now,” Joan said, climbing onto the stage. “Do you want tea?”

—

There was a knife wedged in between a loaf of bread on the bar table. Standing in what used to be the break room, Kitty eyed it as Joan rummaged through a cabinet. She kept looking from the blade, to the monster, and then back to the blade until she finally gathered the courage to grab it and aim the tip at Joan’s neck.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Joan hummed as she heard the knife clatter to the floor. Her tail flicked back and forth, hearing Kitty gag helplessly. “I’m just trying to get you some tea! How rude.” She emerged from the cabinet and smiled at the girl foaming at the mouth, viper fangs sunk deep into her throat. “You should know that I wouldn’t let my guard down that easily.”

Henry released Kitty and she keeled over, seizing violently. He gave her a look of disgust then slithered over to Joan, up her tail and waist, and settled around her shoulders.

“Silly girl.” Henry said.

“Indeed.” Joan agreed.

Joan began to prepare the tea as Kitty continued to spasm and froth until her enchanted bracelet eventually saved her from death for a second time. She hobbled to her feet, using the bar table for support, and scowled at the two monstrosities watching her patiently.

“Don’t give me that look,” Joan rolled her eyes. “You were the one who decided to try and attack me.”

She turned back from the counter with three ebony cups of tea in her hands. She sat them down at the table and took a seat at one of the stools. Kitty joined her after a moment and she gave her a believable friendly smile.

“Drink,” She gestured for the cup. “It’s not poisoned, I promise.” She brought her own cup to her lips.

“Who's that one for?” Kitty nodded towards the third cup.

“Who do you think?” Henry said. He slithered down from Joan’s neck and flicked his tongue at the tea inside his glass, not at all phased by how hot it was.

“You thought it was for Jane?” Joan guessed.

“Where is she?” Kitty demanded.

“None of your concern.” Joan answered smoothly. “Just know she’s safe and happy.”

“How could anyone be happy with you?” Kitty growled.

For a moment, Joan's eyes became very cold. She narrowed them at Kitty, flashing her sharp teeth for a moment, then took a deep breath and calmed down. Her talons remained clenched around her cup, however.

“Believe it or not, I’m great company.” She said. “Not everyone is miserable when they’re not with you.”

Kitty glared at her. Joan merely flicked her tail and took another sip of her tea.

“I’ve noticed something,” Joan said conversationally. “You and I, we aren’t that different. Young, smart, had things stolen away against our will, always seeking approval touch starved- to name a few. You want to change things. You want to make things better, back then and right now, but not just for you. For people who went through the same thing you did. You want to save them. And you could do it, you know, if you had the chance.”

“I’m nothing like you.” Kitty hissed. “I’m not a monster.”

“Not a monster,” Henry suddenly cut in. “A god.”

A shiver ran down Kitty’s spine. She leaned back in her stool, suddenly feeling even more unsafe—if that was even possible.

“Yes,” Joan smiled at her scaly companion and he smiled back—a genuine smile, Kitty realized. It was truly friendly and not malicious at all when pointed at the ex-music director. “A god.” She turned back to Kitty, resting her talons flat on the table. “And you could be one too, you know.”

Kitty opened her mouth and then shut it firmly, actually considering such a thing. Her. A god. It made her dizzy from all the possibilities shoving their way into her head. Joan noticed this and chuckled.

“It would be amazing, wouldn’t it?”

“It...it would.” Kitty admitted. She quickly shook her head, however. “This is a trick. You’re trying to get me to turn against my family or use me as your slave or kill me horribly!”

“Howard, I am ten times stronger than you’ll ever be.” Joan said. “I could do any of that anytime I wanted to without a problem. But have I?”

That was very true, Kitty really uncomfortably.

“You—you cut open my stomach!” She tried to protest.

“You came barging into my palace with a sword aimed at my head!” Joan reprimanded, her tail lashing and shoulder quills rising. “I was startled!” She settled, although it was obvious she was thoroughly amused. “Where did you get that sword anyway? I thought they would have been banned from your household. What with the way Boleyn died and all.”

Kitty sulked in her stool for a moment, trying to figure out a way to get out of this. Joan waits patiently for her, entertaining herself by conjuring up a cloud of gemstones that swirl above her palms like a shimmering whirlpool made of minerals. She smiled softly at them, watching the emeralds and rubies and sapphires and amethyst whorl around together.

“Why are you even offering me anything?” Kitty finally asked. “Why share your power with me when you could just simply kill me right now?”

“Because I don’t just want power,” Joan said exasperatedly. “I also want to have real friends that actually care about me. I want my happily ever after.”

“Then why me?”

Joan looked up from her gemstone tornado to raise an eyebrow at Kitty. A tiny grin quirked on her lips.

“I find you quite infuriating, yes. I am very jealous of you.” She admitted. “But it wasn’t always that way. Back in our first life, I thought you were a wonderful queen, despite the circumstances. And in the beginning, I believed we could be friends. But then you got in my way of Jane...” She plucked a pink diamond out of the galaxy and sent it spinning on its own axis in the air. “Well. I became a little envious.”

Kitty was surprised to feel guilt welling up inside of her. Had she been the reason Joan became what she was now? Was it all her fault?

“But that won’t matter if you accept my offer,” Joan went on. “We can be friends! We can share Jane and she’ll love us equally! More than she ever has before!”

Jane.

The entire reason why Kitty was there flashed back in her mind. She shook her head as if she were trying to jar loose the parts of her that were actually considering taking the offer.

“No. It’s not real.” She grit.

“Of course it’s real.” Joan said. “Here. Let me show you.”

She waved a talon and, suddenly, Kitty’s copper bracelet began to tremble. Hot pink spikes erupt from the skin on her arm, traveling up and growing across her shoulders and head and spine and legs until half of her skin is eaten away by scales and feathers and fur. A furry tail slithered out from her waist, flicking lazily off of the side of the stool. She even felt wings sprout from her back and flap wildly in the air. She was absolutely dazzled by her new appearance and scrambled out of her seat to marvel at herself in a mirror Joan conjured up.

“Oh my god,” She whispered in amazement. “You really did it!”

“Well, of course!” Joan grinned at her. Even Henry was giving her one of his rare real smiles, although it didn’t sit well with her.

“This is incredible,” Kitty said, turning her pink talons over to examine each claw.

“Although, pink is a little bright for a god.” Joan teased. “You’ll get magic, too. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? You could bring back the men who wronged you and exact revenge on them!”

She would like that. She really, really would. She just wondered what her claws could do to THEIR throats...

And yet...

“So?” Joan said. “What do you say?”

Kitty looked up at herself in the mirror again, gazing at the body that held all the power and greatness she’s ever wanted, then turned to Joan and said, “No.”

Joan’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Oh, that’s not the right answer.”

She flicked her tail and Kitty’s body modifications were stripped from her abruptly. It felt as though her skin was being grated off and someone was pulling out each individual spike and horn and wing and tail with burning hot pliers. She staggered, struggling to catch her breath through the sudden barrage of pain.

“That leads to bad, bad things, Howard.” Joan said. She flexed her talons on the table, as though she was already preparing to have them cut Kitty up into dozens of tiny pieces. Henry set his tail over one of them comfortingly, and then leered at Kitty.

“I don’t want to hurt people.” Kitty said.

“Did I ever say you would?” Joan growled. Her floating milky way of gemstones suddenly spun together out of control, whirling into a kaleidoscope of flashing colors. It was speeding with Joan’s growing rage. “I am not a monster. And I wasn’t planning on making you one, either. I just want FRIENDS, Howard! I have everything but that, and I just want to share a fraction of what I have now with them!” Her shoulder spikes bristle upwards like an agitated porcupine. “Even with you. Annoyingly.”

Kitty narrowed her eyes at Joan. She absentmindedly felt the copper bracelet still clasped around her wrist and considered taking it off, but decided against it when she realized that Joan could attack her at any moment and kill her without it on.

Joan got up and began pacing around the room, lashing her tail and she went back and forth, back and forth. She stops for just a moment, extending a talon for Henry to climb back around her neck, and then continues her anxious walking.

“I don’t know why I expect you to understand.” She finally seethed, casting a dark look at Kitty. “You have everything. A family, a mother, fame, fortune, people who actually give a shit about you.”

“You’re evil, Joan.” Kitty said. “That’s why you don’t get any of that stuff.”

That was the wrong thing to say to a livid monstrous god, but at least Kitty had been right about the bracelet decision, because Joan suddenly lunged at her, knocked her against the wall with her powerful tail, and ripped out her heart.

Kitty’s vision becomes black and grey, aside from her shuddering heart and the crimson blood that drips from it. Everything around her blurs together, but she can still see Joan’s horrified expression and Henry’s sinister smirk.

And then her heart is shoved back into the gouge in her chest. She can feel the arteries and veins slither back into place, binding the organ to its position. The skin mends magically, as it had done the first two times, but a messy starburst-shaped scar is still left behind.

Joan stumbles backwards, staring at her bloody talons. There is genuine fear and guilt in her eyes- it was clear she never had any plans of actually killing people during her reign. And lashing out like that scared her.

She cleans her stained claws frantically while Henry licks her ear gently and soothes her. Kitty struggled to get up as this went on, but suddenly froze when she heard a noise outside in the dim hallway. In came a beautiful woman swathed in jewelry and studded with monstrous body parts.

She was wearing a luscious silver silk dress that seemed to glow iridescent thanks to the number of jewels she was loaded with. Moon-like earrings dangle from her feathery, pointy ears and a silver wire bracelet with three ebony orbs is clasped around her right wrist. Pearl and topaz and opal necklaces dangle from around her neck, but there was one in particular with a beautiful sapphire pendant on a sterling lace. Elegant white horns were wound with strings of emerald; veils of ice blue diamond wreathed angel-like wings. She even had a tail band on her long, majestic tail, which was silver and designed to look like talons clutching every inch of her tail with sapphire-tipped claws.

It was Jane, Kitty realized. Even under all those jewels, it was still her mother. She was about to run to her, but Joan beat her to it.

“Mama!”

Jane’s wings and arms open and close around Joan, holding her in a way that sent zigzags of envy throughout Kitty. She wondered if this was what Joan always felt, and how she dealt with it for so long because it honestly was terrible.

“There’s my beloved little disaster,” Jane cooed lovingly, placing a kiss on Joan’s forehead. Another lightning bolt of jealousy ripped through Kitty’s insides.

“Jane,” She called out. “What’s wrong with you?”

Jane looked over at her with a hard gaze she’s only seen been used on Joan. It startled her and stumbled back, as if she had been punched in the stomach by her stare.

“Nothing is wrong with me, Howard.” Jane said, flicking her tail. She wrapped one wing around Joan protectively, who leaned giddily into her side. “I think you’re the messed up one here.”

Kitty is stunned at the cruelty she’s being hit with. She took another step back. Her eyes were starting to fill with tears.

“What did you do to her?!” She growled, glaring at Joan. “Turn her back!”

“I didn’t do anything.” Joan hissed. “Mum has opened up a lot more ever since she left. She realized that there’s other people in this world than you. I just helped her realize that, and she doesn’t need you anymore.”

“That’s right.” Jane nodded, sending the jewels decorating her horns into a symphony of jingles and jangles.

“Mum— She’s not your mum! She’s mine!” Kitty cried, almost whined.

“God, you are so selfish.” Joan spat. She nuzzled closer to Jane, who held her protectively like she used to with Kitty. “Jane loves ME. I am HER DAUGHTER.” She sent Kitty a dark glower. “Not you.”

Kitty can only open and close her mouth rapidly like a shocked fish that had just been reeled out of the water. Joan wrinkled her nose at her and then turned her full attention back to Jane, who has begun to stroke her short, tangled hair lovingly.

“I need to brush this mane of yours,” Jane mused. “It is a mess! I can’t have my precious baby looking like a mess, can I?”

“No, mama,” Joan said.

“That’s right.” Jane nodded with a dreamy smile. “You are the most perfect princess, my sweet girl.”

“STOP!” Kitty cried. Her hands are clamped over her head. A single unbidden tear has escaped from her eyes. “Stop it, please! Stop!”

Jane scowled at her. It makes all the tears come free.

“Stop yapping,” Jane barked. “And stop crying! I will never be your mother and you will never be my daughter. Get that through your head.” She huffed. “I’d rather die than have someone like you as a child.”

Wait-

Kitty has heard that before.

She drew in a shocked breath when she realized that Joan had Jane enchanted to see Kitty like she had seen her, because she knew those words were the ones Jane had said the day before Joan lost herself to the darkness.

At the time, she wasn’t phased by it at all, pleasantly oblivious to how cruel and degrading it was, but now that it was directed towards her...

It hurt. It hurt so badly. Like someone was reaching in and ripping apart all the love she held for the silver queen, but those claws belonged to the woman herself. It was Jane maiming her without a care in the world.

Joan noticed Kitty’s revelation and her lips pressed together in a grim line.

“So. Now you know.” She said.

“You got tired of being pushed aside...” Kitty whispered. “You got tired of not being loved...” She clenched her fists against the floor she had crumbled onto. “I can’t...I can’t even imagine what that must be like. I’m so sorry.”

Joan wrinkled her nose. “Don’t apologize. It’s meaningless now.” There are tears in her eyes and they run down her cheeks despite her efforts to ward them off. Jane gently wiped them away and she leaned into the woman’s caring touch.

Kitty wonders how long it’s been since Joan was touched with such concern.

“You don’t get to apologize.” Joan seethed. “You had your chance to be nice. To be a friend.” She slid away from Jane and approached Jane slowly.

“So now you’re going to kill me?” Kitty asked, pressing herself against the wall.

Joan frowned and she suddenly looked very tired and miserable.

“I told you, Howard. I’m not a monster.”

Then, she waved her talon and the bracelet around Kitty’s wrist began to vibrate and grow alarmingly hot.

“I hate your guts.” She said in a drained, tight voice. “You took everything from me. You got everything that I should have had. And I SHOULD kill you for it. I should rip your head off or eviscerate you or impale you with my rocks or burn you alive and dance upon your ashes.”

Her shoulders hunched and she rubbed her eyes.

“But I don’t WANT to do any of that. I want you to be punished, but not like that... I don’t want to be like...” She folded her arms to hug herself tightly.

“You don’t have to,” Kitty said, and she realized her voice was higher, more shrill. She was shrinking, too. She watched in horror as her hands became awkward, fused shapes.

“What are you doing to me?!” She cried.

Joan tipped her head at her with a sad smile.

“Punishing you.”

She watched silently for the rest of the transformation until Kitty was covered by the puddle of fabric her clothes had created when she shrunk out of them. She lifted the shirt and smiled weakly at the scarlet kitten lying on the floor in front of her. She picked it up by the scruff and looked into its dark hazel eyes, then at the copper and tiger's eye collar now locked around its neck.

“Now your name fits a lot more.” She said wryly in an attempt to joke, but even with a cat brain, Kitty knew she lost all the energy she had earlier. Now she just looked...sad. Really sad.

Joan walked to the back door of the theater and dumped the cat into the alleyway. She nudged it with her foot.

“Go home.” She said. “And don’t come back.” An anguished look settles in her eyes. “I can’t promise I’ll be as merciful next time.”

Then, she slammed the door shut, locked it, and left Kitty to fend for herself on the streets of London.

With her heightened feline hearing, she can hear Joan sobbing inside the theater.

#evil!joan au #six the musical #six the musical au #six the musical fanfic #six the musical fanfiction #six fanfic #katherine howard #jane seymour #joan on the keys #tw: blood #tw: gore #no hero

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turtlepated · 5 years ago

Text

The Ghost and the She-wolf

Part 6

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This one is looooong. It might be the longest yet. I’m also dumping in some lore, some backstory, and a whole bunch of angst so brace yourselves!

Zhuk, pirate or otherwise, and the Mafia!Beejs brought to you by @monsterlovinghours

[TW: Mentions of torture, nothing descriptive but proceed with caution.]

Tag list: @beetlejuicebeadoll , @do-ya-hear-that-sound , @dilfyjuice , @nikkivfx , @insomni-snacc , @young-erstill

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In a daze, you allowed Zhuk to steer you aft. Being submerged had put out the few remaining fires licking at the ship, and the crewmen had already unlashed themselves and begun to get to work clearing the deck of the blackened and burnt mainsail. Your head was full to bursting with questions, so much so that you couldn’t even decide which to ask first. So you held your silence as the two of you passed through the doorway into the narrow corridor. He paused and you kept going, stilling when you felt his hand part company with your lower back and turning to see where he’d gone. He had managed to squeeze his large frame into one of the small cabins that lined the hall, emerging moments later with folded clothing held in his hand. “Here,” he said softly, offering it to you. “Feel free to use my cabin to change.” You swallowed down a fluttering feeling in your chest, turning and walking ahead of him as he gestured you onward with a sweep of his arm. Zhuk shut the door behind him as you crossed awkwardly to the center of the room, looking around uncertainly as if waiting for his permission. “Ladies first,” he said with a smile, motioning to the privacy screen in the corner. You gulped again, perturbed by the jittery sensations bubbling from deep inside as you padded meekly behind the screen. You tugged the end a little closer to the wall for good measure.

It was more difficult getting the dress off than it had been to put it on, but that was probably more due to your trembling fingers and the uncooperative nature of heavy wet fabric adhering to your damp and chilled skin. After struggling for a few moments you managed to shimmy your way out of the ruined and sodden layers of skirts, pooling on the floor around your feet. The sound of movement from outside your private little nook drew your attention and you stood on tiptoe to peek over the screen. Zhuk stood by his bunk facing away from you, shucking his own drenched jacket and tossing it across the arms of the chair behind his desk. His equally drenched tunic clung to his broad back, showing off the fine musculature between his shoulder blades. Your eyes watched them work as he reached back with both hands and began to peel the soggy shirt off over his head. You were shocked at yourself when you realized your cheeks were warming, torn between looking away to give him the privacy he had considerately given to you and indulging in the chance to see him in a state of semi-undress.

The thing that made you make up your mind, however, wasn’t his admittedly impressive physique that was revealed when his tunic was removed. Your eyes widened as you took in the vast collection of scars that marred the Russian captain’s skin. Two in particular, thick, ropey, and pearly white, ran parallel down either side of his spine and you wondered what could have possibly caused them. You could only imagine the pain he must have endured to receive such ghastly marks. “I suppose you have questions, volchitsa,” he called to you over his bare shoulder and you choked on your own breath, ducking back down before he could see you peeping at him. You cleared your throat, buying time to make sure your voice was at its normal register when you spoke. “Several, yes,” you admitted, busying yourself with getting dressed quickly and angrily steering your wandering thoughts away from visualizing him changing out of his tight, wet breeches. You huffed in mortification as warmth flooded through you from the top of your head to your toes, forcing yourself to focus on your own clothing. It was a simple tunic and breeches, clearly a man’s cut, so not terribly well fitting on your own body. But it was nice to be in pants again and out of the troublesome skirts. “I suppose the first and most pressing is where are we headed? I’ve never heard of Nav.” You jumped slightly as he knocked on the wooden frame of the screen, smiling inscrutably as you tucked the hem of your overlarge shirt into the loose waistband of your breeches. You willed yourself not to squirm as his gaze swept down your body, nodding approvingly. “You look much more like yourself,” he said with a chuckle. “Nav is an island in the North Atlantic.”

You frowned, squeezing between him and the screen when he seemed uninterested in standing aside to let you pass. Heat spiked in your face again, but you studiously ignored it and the low rumble of him chuckling to himself. You went to his desk, where charts and maps and documents were arranged in orderly stacks, flipping carefully through them until in search of one particular sheaf. Finding it, you withdrew a large navigational chart of the North Atlantic and spread it out on top of the desk as Zhuk moved to stand beside you. You could feel his eyes on you, but you concentrated on scanning the map. “Where precisely is this island?” you asked, frowning when you were unable to spot it anywhere. “You will not find the island of Nav on that map or any other, moye sokrovishche. It has never been plotted and it never will be because only the dead can reach it.” At that you jerked upright, nearly headbutting him in the chest because he stood so close. “The dead?” you repeated incredulously. Zhuk nodded sagely in affirmative. “Nav is not it’s true name, it is simply what I call it. The island itself has no name, but given that its purpose is as a gathering place for the souls of the departed, I chose to call it Nav: the name the ancient Slavs used for the land of the dead.”

Zhuk spoke with such surety and confidence, as though he were not spouting nonsense born from myths and fairy tales. But when you considered all that you’d seen since coming aboard his ship: the sea monsters, the waves seemingly obeying his commands, his own startling transformation, you had to question whether or not he really was telling the truth. “If this Nav is an island of the dead that only they can find, how is it that you know how to get there?” Zhuk’s easy smile slipped from his face and a somber, sorrowful expression took its place. “That,” he began with a heavy sigh, propping himself upright with one arm braced against the desk. “Is a story I will tell you another time. For now, tell me what you and Renard talked about when you paid him a visit.” You surprised yourself with how forthcoming you were in answering his inquiry. When exactly had you come to trust him so easily? He hummed pensively as you explained Renard’s plan, revealing that he had been vaguely acquainted with the man during his pirating days. “He was always a cunning and vicious bastard,” Zhuk said with a mirthless scoff. “It’s no surprise to find out that the Navy endorses his methods.” You scowled distastefully. “Not all the Navy,” you insisted. “He’s a monster, and I’ve long thought that by the time the Lord High Admiral realizes that he’s loosed a mad dog on the seas it will be too late to stop him.”

The Perperuna was made ready to sail before sundown and Zhuk, with his mysterious power to compel the tides and winds to do his bidding, was able to set her on her course at top speed. You accompanied him at the helm, a little awestruck by how he seemed to know instinctively which direction to go without need to consult the charts, any sort of tools or even a simple compass. As the ship sailed further north, the temperature dropped considerably. Zhuk had taken one look at you with your arms pressed hard against your middle, breathing into your cupped hands to warm your fingers before he swept off his own greatcoat and draped it around you. It swallowed you, but you were grateful for the gesture and for the warmth. When you asked what he would do when he got cold himself, he only chuckled in that damnable enigmatic way he had. On the second night of sailing north you came up on deck to find a dense fog swirling out over the sea, so thick it was as if the clouds had settled just above the gentle lapping of the waves. The sea was smooth as glass, the ever-present wind dwindled down to almost nothing, yet the Perperuna cruised steadily forward into the fog bank. You padded to the forecastle rail and leaned against it, staring hard into the fog until it felt as if you’d gone blind but you could see nothing. This far north, without breakwater at the bases to give them away, there was always the risk of icebergs. Coupled with this blasted fog and the threat only compounded. What was Zhuk thinking, steering through this mess? The ship had only just managed to stay afloat after Renard’s assault and then being swallowed by a whirlpool.

You didn’t even realize you had company until he settled himself at the rail beside you, copying your posture and gazing out past the bow. You jumped and gasped, startled. How could such a big man move so silently? Predictably, Zhuk chuckled at your little start. “Keeping watch?” he asked, the easy smile you’d grown so accustomed to on his lips. Despite yourself, you flashed a smirk back, not willing to let him think he’d got the better of you. “Someone should,” you retorted with no real venom. “Especially in this.” Zhuk shifted, turning to face you and propping himself against the rail on his elbow. “After all you’ve seen, you still think this ship can be foundered by the elements?” he teased, his eyes glittering despite the low light. You frowned, privately seeing his point but again refusing to concede. Now that you had a moment with the captain, there was a question you had been wanting to ask but had not been sure how to broach. “If you would rather not say, I understand,” you began gently, thinking that it might be too unpleasant a memory to revisit. “But I saw the… the marks on your back…” You trailed off, certain that the shrewd man beside you would know exactly what you were asking.

Zhuk hummed, the sound rumbling from deep in his chest. “Yes, I know you did. And I did promise to explain,” he admitted while you ducked your head away, hoping he wouldn’t see the blush rise to your face at the realization that you had been caught spying on him. With a sigh, Zhuk told his tale.

“I was not always a pirate, volchitsa. I had a family once, a village. A home. It was a hard life, but it was a good one. Fighting was never something that I enjoyed, it was a necessary evil to protect those I cared for. Though I did have a talent for it, I must admit. I took that talent and, with many others, joined the ranks of men to fight against the Crimeans to preserve our homeland. I thought I had seen violence and bloodshed before, but this was no battle… This was a massacre. I was the only one to survive, but I was captured before I could even think to escape.” He paused and breathed deeply, letting it out in a long exhale and turning to you. “I do not wish to upset you, volchista,” he murmured. “It is not a pretty story.” You stepped closer to him, pressing your arm flush against his, wishing to impart some sort of comfort. “Tell me anyway? Please?” you entreated. Zhuk nodded and continued. “My captors used the opportunity I presented to test an execution method used by the Nords, to make an example of me. I was stripped of my shirt, my wrists bound together and suspended over my head. They cut me, as you saw, opened my back and pulled my lungs through the wounds.” You made a shuddering sound of revulsion at his description of their cruelty, unconsciously leaning further into him, pressing your head against his shoulder. “Barbarians,” you seethed, furious at the men you would never meet for what they had done to him. “How did you survive such brutality?” Zhuk sighed through his nose, pressing his face against the top of your head and whispering into your hair: “I did not.”

You gasped, stunned, but did not move away. Some part of you had known, deep down, that this was no ordinary man you had devoted yourself to pursuing. Now you knew the truth, once and for all. You could sense him beside you, so still, waiting to see how you would respond to his admission; if you would fear him, recoil from him, the dead man who had saved your life. “What happened?” you asked, feeling the tension leaving him as he sighed again, his breath gusting through your hair. “I was dead, but then I was not. I was brought back and given a task: to gather wayward souls and shepherd them to the other side.” Your brow furrowed, not understanding. “Brought back? How? By who?” “A woman I pray you will never meet, moye sokrovishche. But that is enough for now. We are here.”

As suddenly as it had appeared, the Perperuna exited the impenetrable mire of fog and you could see an island in the distance. Monolithic sea stacks rose up on either side of the ship like the fingers of a giant, standing guard to the mouth of a bay. You could already see that the dark shape of the island was dotted in flickering lights, so it must be inhabited. But Zhuk had said only the dead could find it… Perperuna docked at a wharf in the bay, the crew bustling around making final preparations to disembark while you stood at the gunwale and surveyed what lay around you. It looked like a settlement of some kind, there were buildings that could have been shops or houses, roads clearly laid out, but not a soul to be seen. All the lights you had glimpsed from further out in the bay had vanished, as though thousands of candles were all snuffed out at once. Zhuk called for you as the gangway was lowered to the dock, waiting for you and directing you ahead of himself. It was the first time your feet had been on solid ground in months, and it felt odd to be standing without the constant motion of a boat beneath you.

All around you the crew began to disperse, save for the loyal bosun who was once again conversing with the captain in quiet Russian. As they conducted their business you ventured off to have a look around this island of the dead. So far it was rather demure, apparently abandoned. You meandered from the docks toward the vacant town square, where there was a stone fountain with no water. While studying the statue of some sort of strange serpentine creature that dominated the center, a soft voice behind you made you turn. “Captain?” There was a man standing just at your back. You had not heard him approach and you were certain he had not been there when you went to the fountain. You also knew the man, a midshipman still clad in his blackened and tattered Naval uniform, to be dead. “Captain, it is you!” he said, his voice drifting as if from a great distance. “We wondered where you were, what had taken you so long.” A hard mass was forming in your throat as other forms began to materialize around him, starting out as vaguely blurry shapes like heat mirages that coalesced into the visages of your own crew. They greeted you heartily, relieved to see that you’d finally made your way to the island. When they all fell silent at the same time, all glowering hard at something behind you, you looked back to see Zhuk standing a short ways away, watching somberly.

“Captain… did he bring you here?” asked the midshipman who first recognized you. “You’re with him? After everything we went through?” The man stepped closer, studying you, and you couldn’t help flinching guiltily as understanding dawned in his eyes. “You’re alive,” he said, creating a ripple of murmuring in the ghosts gathered behind him. “You led us all to our deaths, and here you are now with the pirate responsible.” “That’s enough, Brown,” came another voice, and all eyes turned to an officer as he made his way through the assembly. Your own lieutenant, Jonathan Mathers; steadfast and loyal as any person ever could be, smiled warmly when he saw you. “Glad to see you’ve finally arrived, Captain,” said Mathers. The warm rush of fondness and gratitude gave way to guilt, clawing at your insides. “Mathers, I…” you tried to say around the lump in your throat. “I’m so sorry, I never meant any of this to happen.” Mathers’ smile turned sad and vacant, and you realized that he and the midshipman and the other crew were losing their definition, dissolving at the edges as though evaporating like water vapor. “I know, Captain. And I know how you must be feeling. Don’t fret, we are dead, our troubles are now over.”

His gaze cut over your shoulder, at Zhuk, and he stepped in closer, leaning toward you so that you could feel the chill of death curling off him. “But you are alive, and I fear your troubles are only just beginning.” With that they were gone, dissipated like fog and leaving only a faint snap of cold and an ache deep in your chest that stretched up your throat, throbbing in the roots of your teeth and burning your eyes. You felt a heavy hand curl gently, protectively around your shoulder as Zhuk stepped up behind you. “I am sorry, volchitsa,” he said sadly. “I should have warned you.” You wiped at the moisture threatening to spill from your eyes, taking a deep breath. “I got them killed,” you said, your voice hollow and raw but certain. “Oh, now, don’t take it so hard.” Your eyes snapped up, glancing around for the source of the sultry, amused voice that had come echoing from somewhere in the shadows. Gradually you heard footsteps, as well as the soft metallic clacking as of a walking stick meeting the pavement. “The dead do so love to deliver their cryptic warnings,” the newcomer went on, now a discernible shape in the gloom as they came closer. “It makes them feel so mysterious, you see. A bit of free advice, ma cherie?” You could see him now. He was shorter than Zhuk and nowhere near as broad, but there were certain traits that piqued your interest. The pale skin, the greenish tint to his hair. And his striking eyes, one green, the other startlingly purple.

His grin as he watched you taking in his appearance was vaguely predatory, but you felt no fear as he chuckled and delivered on his promised words of wisdom. “Don’t dwell on dead words. Worse than riddles, more often than not, and far less entertaining.” His mismatched eyes drifted past you to the Russian captain. “Zhuk, you old pirate, it’s been a long time.” Zhuk was chuckling as he stepped up next to you, reaching offering a hand. “That is has, Scarabee. I did not expect anyone to be here already.” Scarabee grinned again, a faint sort of glow to his eyes as he shook Zhuk’s hand with glittering jeweled rings clinking on his fingers. “You know I have my ways, mon amie. But why don’t you introduce me properly to your lovely friend?” Zhuk dutifully reported your name and rank to his associate, whose cat-like smile widened as he held out a hand to you in invitation. Swallowing, you laid your hand in his and he bent forward, pressing a kiss to your knuckles. “Well, ma jolie, welcome to Carrefour.”

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[Translation: moye sokrovishche – “my treasure” ]

Introducing: Captain Scarabee! It’s my first time writing him and I’m kinda nervous about getting him right.

Thanks for reading! If you’d like to be tagged in the next bit, say the word!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

#beetlejuice #mafia!beej #zhuk #pirate!zhuk #zhuk x reader #my writing #Pate writes

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justjessame · 4 years ago

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Double Shot Chapter 11

After Clay made sure that I was very happy to be awake, I headed toward my shower and had to bite my lip when he followed me.

“I was planning on a quick-” but his lips met mine, his body was flush against mine and I forgot what my point was. Pressing me against the tiles of my shower stall, one hand adjusting the water, his lips and other hand not leaving me. His mouth took a stroll down my neck and I arched into him, feeling his chuckle tingle against my skin.

“Quickie?” He muttered, nipping my collarbone. And then he was inside of me, turning me so I was under the spray, and he was holding me up without aid of the wall. “Let’s see if we can-” I arched as he thrust and his moan felt even better than his laugh had, damn. “Fuck, Char,” and then his lips were back on mine and we were at it again.

Somehow, and it would take a repeat performance where I was actually paying attention to something other than how Clay fit inside me perfectly, how his hands could be hard and tight or soft and teasing, how he could coax out a scream, a moan, or a gasp during the same encounter for me to take actual notice, but he managed to soap me up and was my hair while the rest of our bodies were otherwise occupied. He had me pressed against the tiles again, holding tight to me as we came back down to reality.

“Wow,” I breathed, finally capable of speech. “That was-”

“Wow?” His eyes met mine and I felt my breath leave me. “We’re just gettin’ started, Char.” My heart clenched while a twist of lust hit me at the same time.

I managed to get dressed and ready for work, but don’t ask me how. I have no fucking clue how I kept my mind on pants, shirts, and my fucking hair while I watching Clay redress himself and thinking what a fucking shame it was that we were in a fully nudist town so other women could envy me. Then I remembered that no one knew, not really, that this had happened. And I had the sobering thought that I didn’t fucking KNOW Clay. Hell, I wasn’t even sure that was his fucking real name. Shit.

He followed me down the back stairs, letting me unlock the door connecting my apartment to the shop, and I smiled as he asked if he could stay while I opened. “Sure, you can watch me bake,” his eyes widened, clearly expecting the same thing that my employees thought, that he’d see the mysterious baker that didn’t exist. “Come on, Romeo, let me get the ovens preheated.”

Clay sat on one of the stools I kept in the kitchen for anyone who didn’t want to take their break with the customers, watching as I arranged the ingredients that I’d be using along the island counter. Gathering up the bowls, plugging in the stand mixer, and getting out the measuring cups and other things that I’d need, I asked him if he wanted a cup of coffee.

“I’m good, want me to grab you something?” I smiled and told him my favorite juice, watching his back as he pushed through the swinging doors into the main shop area. He came back with two bottles, opening mine since my hands were busy and sitting it near me, he retook his seat. “You’re the baker?” My grin grew as I started the first batch of batter going in the mixer. “Does anyone else know?”

“My uncles do,” taking a sip of my juice, I started putting together the next round. “They knew I loved to bake, and I loved this coffee shop more than even the two of them did, so-” I shrugged. It had made sense, Davey and George had raised me after Mom- I blinked the thought away. My uncles had been my rocks, and they’d always wanted to be sure I had SOMETHING to occupy myself with, it had always been their goal, to anchor me.

“Uncles?” He was staring at me and I wondered if JJ/Jen had told him about my uncle Davey. “Your mom’s side or dad’s?” I shook my head and took another drink of juice.

“Uncle Davey is Mom’s brother, Uncle George is his husband,” to give Clay credit, he didn’t show any signs of surprise or even flinch. Some men did, not locals since Davey and George were well known in our small spec of a town, but guys I’d dated in the past tended not to last if I saw signs of discomfort.

“And they raised you?” I was scooping out the first batter onto prepared pans, nodding as the second batter took its turn in the mixer. “Your mom?”

“Died.” Simple and true, but not the whole story. “I was eleven.” I had a flash of the call she made, as I sat with George here in the kitchen and watched him bake. She was making sure I was here, that I was with my uncles before she- I swallowed the memory, as I always did.

“And your dad-” the very thought of my dad made me snort and shot down the pain of my mom.

“Daddy dearest?” I looked up as I started another batch of batter. “He was very busy with Amber, or is her name Ashley? The younger, trashier model, that works,” I rolled my eyes. “He didn’t seem interested in me, or kids in general really.” As far as I knew, and with the town being so small, I knew everything whether I wanted to or not, he hadn’t spawned any more kids. I shrugged again. “He didn’t put up a fight.”

Clay was drinking his own juice, staring at me while seemingly lost in thought. I kept going with the baking, the scent of vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon filling the air. “You said your dad was wealthy and connected-” I nodded, waiting. “And he’s a councilman?”

“Yeah, he wasn’t always rich and elite,” in fact, were it not for falling in with my mom and HER family, he’d still be on the wrong side of the tracks, no newer model for him. “My mom’s family was the one with the better name.” And money, lots and lots of money, I thought. Shaking my head at how my uncles had made sure that every single penny of my trust fund stayed firmly away from my father’s grasping fingers. “Marrying her got him what he really wanted.”

��Power.” Clay offered, finishing his juice as I put the last pan of pastries in the oven. As I closed the oven door, I felt the heat of him pressed against my back. “How long are they going to bake?” His hands were sliding under my apron, pulling my button down shirt from my pants, and I found myself pressing back against his chest.

“Twenty minutes,” I whispered, as his lips met the crook of my neck and my eyes fluttered closed.

“That gives me enough time to have breakfast.” And then he turned me and our lips met again.

Clay left after I had the bakery cases filled and the dishes washed from my baking. He kept me company until about thirty minutes before the shop would open, and about twenty minutes before Keli would come in. He kissed me in front of the door, giving me a look that I felt more than I could describe. Clearly wanting to stay, but needing to go, I finally shook my head and pushed him out the door.

“Go,” smirking, but also fighting myself from yanking him back inside and calling today a loss. “Before neither of us get anything done today.” His smile was breathtaking, and he turned away, but not before promising me that he’d see me later.

Keli looked at me as though I hadn’t buttoned my shirt right after the breakfast that Clay and I had that morning, and I had to struggle against checking myself. “What?” I asked, flipping the sign over early.

“You look-” she was squinting at my face, and I felt a blush hit me. “Laid.” My eyebrows rose, and she grinned, a new expression on her face. “Char got laid,” she nodded, her grin holding as she tucked her messenger bag in the kitchen. While her back was turned, I double checked my buttons, zipper, and my hair. How the fuck did she- “You have a tiny-” she touched a bare spot lower than my neck and grinned wider. “He bit you.” Shit. Fuck. My eyes closed tight. “So was it Mr. Coffee Black Double Shot or Cappuccino Extra Cinnamon Are You Sure You Don’t Do The Art On Top?” I opened my eyes to see her leaning against the counter behind the register waiting.

I groaned and she laughed. Damn it, who knew that Keli’s mood could improve by me suddenly having a sex life? “Double Shot,” I answered, shocking myself. “Don’t fucking-”

“Tell anyone?” She shook her head with an eye roll thrown in for good measure. “Like I would. Aren’t you worried about Latte Soy Milk No Foam?” I shook my head and gave her an eye roll in return.

“Asha. Keli, they have actual names.” I groaned, realizing that I wasn’t sure they were their REAL names, and that I’d used her ‘nickname’ for Clay to confirm her suspicions. Fuck.

She shrugged and moved to pour herself a cup of coffee. “Who cares? This town is a fucking whirlpool of people who no one should give two flying fucks about, why bother learning THEIR names when no one learns ours?” I was listening to her as she spoke and I realized she was right. Aside from the ‘elite’, no one cared about the townies that didn’t ‘matter’. “Me and Stacy can’t fucking wait to move away.”

“You’re planning on leaving?” This was news to me, and a flash of dawning horror made me notice that I was guilty of it too. That I was exactly the type of person who didn’t engage, not really. Fuck.

Keli shrugged again, taking a careful sip of her coffee. “Eventually. We want Jason to be raised somewhere a little more welcoming.” I smiled, thinking that her little family was thinking ahead, something few people seemed to do anymore. “We’re saving up, it won’t be for awhile yet, so don’t worry about hiring a new opening person.” Fuck, she thought I only cared because of the inconvenience to me.

I waved that idea off. “Where are you guys looking at?” And for the next few minutes, and during quiet parts of the rest of the day, I learned more about Keli than I’d known in the two years she’d worked at The Little Drip. And I knew that her contempt wasn’t just because she was working customer service, but because she saw a side of the town I’d grew up in from a different point of view.

#Franklin Clay x OFC #the losers (2010)#Smut #alternative universe

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chaniters · 5 years ago

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Reaper and the Fiend- Epilogue.

Epilogue for @kruk-art‘s Awan Cormac’s second series.

As usual, looking back id the realization that the more characters and elements you add up, the harder it gets for the plot to keep cohesion. Many times I almost call it quits, but somehow I pulled trough to the end.

Hope you enjoy it!

Awan and “The Question”, the precognitive surviving member of the Phoenix Rangers, reflect on the aftermath of it all before Ortega joins them.

Spoilers inside too, for Rebirth.

_______________________________________________________

The first rays of sunlight touch your Sidestep mask, as the cloud begins to recede. Ashfall and Sentinel have been working together to try and ground the toxins into a nearby landfill for hours now.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” The Question comments.

“I think it’s working,”

“Me too” He says while checking the air analyzer’s readings. “This is the real miracle”

“You still believe in miracles?”

“Magical miracles? No. But miracles made true by people with flesh, blood, and bone? Of course.”

“Interesting way to put it”

“When you’re like me, it’s the only way to put it”

“Right, I forget you’re supposed to know the future or something?” You didn’t forget. His mind is a maze that rivals yours, but he’s got a truly calm attitude about it that’s making you envious.

“It depends. Do you believe in fate?”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you believe our lives have been predetermined from before we were made? That, someone, decided who you’re supposed to be for the rest of your existence and that’s that?”

That’s a very specific question to ask to you…

“No. I don’t believe in fate”

“Good. Me neither.”

“But you see it. The future, I mean.”

“I like to believe we are masters of our own destiny”

“That doesn’t really answer anything.”

“Well there’s a reason I didn’t call myself ‘The Answer’, you know?”

“Shut the fuck up” you laugh, unwrapping a candy bar. “I just came here to lie down, not to have a philosophical debate”.

“You really aren’t going to ask me about your future? Everyone does.” Is he baiting you? You get the impression he knows a lot more about you just by looking. He knows too much about... everyone. You are just another speck of dust in a sea of information.

“No. I won’t ask” you say pulling your mask above your mouth and taking a bite of candy.

“Huh. That’s probably wise”

“Is it?”

“Yeah. Once I tell someone how their future will look like, then it’s set in stone for them and not even I can change it. I really don’t like doing it”

“But you would have.”

“Oh, I would. I do it, more than I probably should, you know for people who need it”

“Do I look like I need it?”

He gives you a long look.

“No. I think you’ll be just fine without it. I mean, you won’t of course, but you will.”

“That’s both ambiguous and terrifying. How do you know the future’s not set in stone even before you look?”

“I really try not to think too hard about that. I think you didn’t want a debate?”

“Fine. I just want to relax” you say retreating and straightening an overturned sunbathing chair. “It’s been a shitty day”

The door to the staircase leading to the top opens, and Ortega comes in, in full suit.

“Sidestep. I see you’ve made yourself comfortable up here. You know, Steel could have really used your help with all the angry civs though.”

“Funny way of showing it. He said I wasn’t part of the team when you asked me to stay.”

“Yes but… well, you know he didn’t think you would actually walk away… he thought you wouldn’t listen and help anyways like you always do.”

“Well I guess we all learned something new from that experience, didn’t we?”

“You just wanted to piss him off that badly?”

“Ugh… no… well, maybe I did, but you know I don’t do well with crowds with strong emotions, and I had more than my fair share today. I need some peace”

“Fine. I understand… But just so you know, you did a darn good job in there”

“... a lot of the people who got killed might disagree” you point out.

“And a lot of people who lived will be thanking you. We saved them. You saved them. No one could have predicted how this would go”

“I could. I did” the Question states while looking at the analyzer he’s been fiddling with.

“What? You did? The only thing you did was call us! Why didn’t you say shit? A lot of executives died” Ortega points out.

“If I had told you, you would have saved them, and those are the ones who would have voted not to open the Archology to the civs, and we would be having a civil war right now. Thank me later”

“You let them die!”

“I didn’t do anything. You’re the ones with fighting powers, It was you who couldn’t rescue them, remember?”

“Wow. you really are full of shit” You interject.

“Look I lost my team to that monster ok? Could’ve lost the entire city too. I don’t like it but it’s how my stupid powers work, I’m not a fighter like you two, so give me a fucking break.”

“... fine” you say, too tired to argue with this jerk.

“Good. Ashfall’s plan is working, pollution levels are coming down… I’ll go coordinate some stuff, If you’re staying here seek me out once it goes below 33% alright?”

“We don’t work for you!” you complain.

“We’ll do it” Ortega interrupts you.

“Ugh. Whatever”

The Question nods and leaves, letting you two alone up here at the zenith of the Arcology. The monotonous beeps of the analyzer repeat intermittently over the strong winds.

“Funny guy” you comment

“Don’t get me started on that asshole.”

“I was just finished with him anyways.”

“So it’s working?” he says changing the subject and looking down at Sentinel and Ashfall working in the distance.

“Seems like it” you answer.

“Nice to have some good news, finally,” he says approaching the edge.

“Join me. Nothing compares to sunbathing under a toxic cloud with your suit on.” you offer.

“Receding, toxic cloud you mean” he clarifies taking the chair next to you and laying over it.

“Right. Receding” you snort.

“Not going to lie. This is the biggest fucking mess I’ve ever been into since I got into the capes business”

“Same here” you agree. Nothing you did for the farm compares to this clusterfuck.

The aftermath wasn’t pretty. Not by a longshot.

Letting Catastrofiend into the core worked, as the beast consumed enough of the gas to allow the scientists to stabilize it somewhat, and turn the lights back on essential systems through the facility. The computers were toast, however, as Charon wiped all data and OS before erasing himself, commiting digital suicide upon it’s master’s death. Everything’s working on manual overrides right now.

There was a big scare when the Fiend came out of the core’s container, glowing like it had the power of an evil purple sun ready to burn you all, but to everyone’s surprise, it didn’t survive long after saving performing its single heroic feat. The glow became blinding, and then it disappeared, only the echoes of its roars remaining as a reminder of its presence along with a pair of purple footprints.

You caught a glimpse of your least favorite asshole, The Void, holding some sort of gun and hiding back into it’s cloaking device, walking away. Whatever it is he wanted, you’re sure he got it, and if your scans were to be trusted, he left the arcology immediately after that.

Your work to convince the remaining executives to let the people in was much easier now that all the surviving scientists were focused on having the building not explode. They couldn’t afford combat on the outside when their tech was unreliable, and Reaper managed to remind them of their own mortality by dusting a couple of them. All it took was a small nudge on the mind of the deciding vote and the gates were reopened.

“We lost Psychopathor” Ortega says laying down on a chair next to yours. “A lot of the crowd still backs him and he just got lost among them.”

“We’ll get him next time” you reassure him. “We couldn’t fight him in the middle of this civilian mess anyways or it’ would be Halloween with Catastrofiend all over again”

“... Too soon man. Too soon” he says bending his arms and putting his hands behind his head, relaxing.

“Sorry.”

“You’re right. Not a damn thing we could do about old shitface, so It’s time to lie down and wait”

He stretches, crossing his legs as he looks up, just as you were doing earlier.

“They’re doing a fantastic job” you comment.

“Sentinel I had no doubts about, but Ashfall? He really came through working with those creepy scientists about the sand-whirlpool shenanigan”

“It was a good idea” you say peeking down. As the polluted air comes down into the landfill, it goes trough a series of sand walls of that Ashfall keeps raising, coming clean on the other side. Several trucks come in with sand refills while others take the polluted compounds away.

“Good for him. His publicity wasn’t very good before this”

“What about your publicity?” his mask looking your way

“My last publicity stunt with you guys was with Reaper and he turned to be a homicidal maniac so I’m thinking I’ll give that a pass from now on. Please don’t get me into that shit again?”

“That’s fair” he concedes.

“... anyways… they stole a bunch of tec shit from the lower levels and left. Some sort of targeting device and many plasma weapon prototypes”

“We’ll get him” you repeat.

A news helicopter flies by, taking pictures. It turns to take one of you two. Fuck. That’s tomorrow’s cover right there...

“I know what you’re thinking… but we’re not going to be the top news tomorrow.”

“No? Who is?”

“I talked to my agents… Reaper, and The Fiend it is. Geni-Tech’s minimizing company’s responsibility for the toxins and making them the focus.”

“They kind of had a lot to do with it anyways”

“True…”

“That’s not what’s bothering you tough?”

“How do you know?” he asks turning towards you.

“It’s pretty obvious. What happened with Elyise?”

“... mierda. You’re good. You sure you can’t read my mind?”

“I can read Idiot easy enough. It’s my favorite language”

“... she left. I can’t find her. Didn’t want to talk to me”

“Understandable. Her mother just died for real this time”

“I just… I didn’t see another way... “

“That’s because there wasn’t.”

“And now she’s going to hate me forever for it”

“Yup, pretty much” you add looking into the distance.

“Would you had done the same?”

“You’re asking me of all people?”

“Yeah. I want to know”

“Would I sacrifice a lab monster to save countless human lives…” Shit. That should be the farm’s motto. Would you sacrifice yourself to save lives? That’d be a better question. “Yeah. I guess I would… Look, just because you do the right thing doesn’t mean people can’t hate you for it”

“Ha. The right thing…. What even is that”

“Good question,” you say closing your eyes. “So fucking tired”

“Me too. You should get those cuts checked...”

“Later. It’s just a scratch really. And you know I don’t like”

“Hospitals, yeah I know”

“Good”

He doesn’t reply, and you both stay silent for the longest while, just listening to the wind as Sentinel keeps the small inverted tornado pulling the cloud into the landfill with Ashfall grounding the chemicals in it.

When you finally open your eyes again, the sky has shifted and there are large patches of open sky in the cloud. Checking your watch, you realize it’s been almost an hour since you sat down here.

Ortega’s still next to you, so it was both of you who fell asleep.

Since when are you so careless? Lowering your guard so much next to the Marshall’s a recipe for disaster. Standing up, you take a final look at the Sentinel’s work, and the deserted streets of the city below.

“We should get back down” you add tapping Ortega’s shoulder.

“Eh… what’s the rush?” he asks looking up.

“Air toxicity’s down 30%,” you say pointing at the analyzer the scientists gave you, your main reason for staying up here. “I’d bet GeniTech’s going to kick everyone out in minutes”

“Yeah… at gunpoint probably.”

You open the door, letting him in first and follow up to the elevator. He makes a call with his intercom to let The Question know.

The floors of the Arcology are packed with people from Phoenix taking refuge from the cloud. Just as you see them, they can see you too inside the glass elevator. Without warning, they explode in a thunderous roar of...cheers?

There are some boos in it as well, possibly Psychopathor’s fans, but overall it’s just deafening hero worship.

The kind Reaper talked about. The kind that makes more people take hero drugs. Focused on you and Ortega. You’re not sure how to feel about it anymore.

The next few hours go really quickly, and you barely manage to say goodbye to the Rangers before leaving back for Los Diablos on the first bus you can get. You need to get back to your place and rest for a couple of days while you heal up. You definitely lied to Ortega, Catastrofiend left a bit more than just a scratch and the wound is itching all over even after you disinfected it.

Being a hero is exhausting and you’re taking a brief small vacation while you consider what to do with the mess that your life’s become since you decided to mingle with the Rangers.

__________ Somewhere, in a parking lot in Phoenix____________

“I’m sorry Dr. I couldn’t recover your disintegration gun” The Void states while studying the small weapon in his hand. “It wasn’t in their labs by the time I got there, and with all the city going upside down it was just impossible”

“Disappointing, but not unexpected. I thank you four your services anyways and…”

“Dr. I’ll return my initial fee to you.”

“That’s not really necessary”

“I care about my reputation. I won’t take payment on something I failed to deliver.”

“That is surprisingly refreshing to hear in this line of business. Very well Void.”

“Of course. Once again, I’m sorry”

He hung up, setting the gun back inside the briefcase, before calling another number, with the San Francisco area code upfront.

“Who are you? Who gave you this number?” a female voice asked.

“They call me, The Void. And I know all the numbers”

“That’s very unlikely. So you say your name is Void?”

“No, I’m not just ‘Void’. There’s a THE before it. The. It’s ‘The’ Void, you hear me?!”

“Alright, alright, calm down you freak, I got it the first time.”

“And don’t you forget it”

“Whatever. What do you want THE VOID?” she made a point to pronounce it in a very passive-aggressive way.

“I need to arrange a meeting with Big Fire about a business proposal. I think I have something he could definitely find a use for” Void added looking at the shining red dot on the disintegration gun.

“Big fire has a use for lots of things, but no time for everything. What am I supposed to say you’re offering that’ll make him call you back?”

“Oh he’ll call me back, you can bet on it.”

“I don’t like betting honey. Now speak or fuck off”

“Well, you’re no fun. Ok, tell him I have… a fiend in a bottle,”

“A fiend in a … wait what does that mea-… “

Void hung up without answering, a smile on his lips as he closed the briefcase.

____________________________________________________

My Fanfics: https://chaniters.tumblr.com/post/181692759294/my-fanfiction-for-fallen-hero

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fan fiction using characters and the setting of the Fallen Hero: Rebirth and upcoming Fallen Hero: Retribution games written by Malin Riden. I do not claim ownership of any characters from the Fallen Hero wold. These stories are a work of my imagination, and I do not ascribe them to the official story canon. These works are intended for entertainment outside the official storyline owned by the author. I am not profiting financially from the creation of these stories, and thank the author for her wonderful game/s, without which these works would not exist.

#fallen hero: rebirth #fallen hero spoilers #Awan Cormac #Fanfiction #epilogue

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elopez7228 · 4 years ago

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Scenic Route 21/47

Read on AO3 : https://archiveofourown.org/works/18268208/chapters/43229774

Start over : https://elopez7228.tumblr.com/post/620919089893933056/scenic-route-0147

***

Hmmm, there he went flirting again. She would have liked an exchange without romantic undertones.

Rey to Ben :

You can’t just say things like that.

She thought her own answer was a little caustic. Oh well, at least she could see his reaction.

Ben to Rey :

Are you mad at me? Can I make it up to you somehow?

Rey to Ben :

I’m mad at myself. My life is a disaster right now, I don’t have time for a fling. Sorry if my actions made you think otherwise.

Truthfully, her actions were much more receptive than she would care to admit. But if he was wise he wouldn’t dwell on the semantic abuse.

Ben's answer didn’t take long:

Ben to Rey :

I'm going to silence my phone for the concert. I understand where you’re coming from, you know, even if it doesn’t always look that way. You can trust me.

Rey rolled her eyes. Subtlety was obviously not his forte...

Rey to Ben :

I don’t trust strangers. We'll have to get to know each other before anything else happens. Happy concert!

Ben to Rey :

Okay. Good night to you too. TTYS

Kylo Ren

He signed it Kylo again. Rey made a face; she didn’t like his stage name. Or the appearances he put up when he was in character. If she was to consider giving Ben Solo a chance, she would rather not deal with Kylo Ren.

She had her coffee (blegh), her chips, and her Snickers, before wiping her fingers on her jeans. What a peculiar honeymoon: alone with a dog, in the back of a car older than herself, eating snacks for dinner like a broke college student.

Desperate to find an electrical outlet to charge her laptop, she resolved to unplug the vending machine for about fifteen minutes. It was probably the most illegal thing she ever did in her life, and even then—she thought with some irony—she was far from being a hooligan.

She slept for a long time the next day. The previous nights had been long and exhausting. It was BB8’s impatient barking that finally woke her up. The poor dog needed to get out, she was pacing restlessly in the back seat. Rey pushed herself upright and scratched her head. The car stank of dog and sweat. She herself had slept in her clothes from last night and was now sticky with perspiration and grime.

"My kingdom for a bubble bath," Rey grumbled, realizing with disgust that she had not brushed her teeth the night before either.

She was utterly unrecognizable. If she had been told a month ago that she would be traveling alone, sleeping in her clothes, and forgetting all notions of basic hygiene, she would have been shocked by such absurdity. How very wrong she would be!

She opened the door and let BB8 roam, then dragged herself out of the car with some difficulty. She had slept badly and her neck hurt.

BB8 made a few laps by herself, wagging her tail excitedly before finally relieving herself between two other cars. Meanwhile, Rey refilled her dog bowls with water and food.

She was putting the bag of dog food back in the trunk when Maz reappeared.

“Hello,” the little woman greeted her. “Did you sleep well?”

"No," Rey admitted. “I'm cold, dirty, hungry, and hurting everywhere. I would give anything for a hot bath...what about you? "

"I have strong bones, and I workout. I’ve had more difficult nights.”

Rey pulled her toothbrush out of her bag, followed a bottle of water. Indifferent to Maz's presence, she began brushing her teeth with an expression of undisguised joy.

“Ere did you ‘leep?” She mumbled, her mouth filled with foam.

“Under the stars. I found myself a cozy nook between two motorhomes. And apart from a family of opposums, I was undisturbed by wild animals during the night.”

Rey rinsed her mouth. “You should have accepted my offer, it was still less risky... "

Maz shrugged. “I like to sleep with the sky above my head, don’t worry. Don’t you think it’s time for breakfast?”

“Not a moment too soon!” agreed Rey, whose belly was rumbling loudly. “But where are we going to find food in this area? At a hotel restaurant?”

“Let me, I know a place. How about a breakfast and a hot bath? How does that sound?” Maz offered, adjusting her enormous glasses.

Rey gaped at her incredulously. “A hot bath? You're kidding...”

“You’ll see. So, shall we?”

Rey took the wheel, following Maz's directions as she guided the Falcon across Yellowstone from south to north until they reached Mammoth Hot Springs, one of the most popular points of interest in the entire park. Maz pointed to a parking place in front of the village hotel. After haphazardly smoothing their dirty and disheveled clothes, they entered the restaurant together.

The menu had Rey drooling. She ordered a mountain of pancakes with maple syrup, a large coffee with cream, and fresh fruit on the side. Maz, despite her meager frame, ate no less than her companion but in fact more. Scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, sausages, a black tea, and yogurt with fresh fruit. The two women sighed contently after wolfing down their meal, and Rey even let herself lick the plate clean, ignoring the disapproving glances from other customers.

But alas, she was filthy, she smelled, her hair stood in odd clumps on her head, and she obviously didn’t mind her table manners. It was too much for the restaurant staff, who politely but firmly asked them to leave the premises. Maz demanded a doggy bag before paying, then left the room with her head held higher than the Queen of England.

Once outside, Rey let out an irrepressible giggle and allowed herself cherish the pure joy of having a full stomach, a life in front of her, and a friend to share this moment with.

The surplus of sausages was presented to BB8, who also deserved her share of the feast. When they finally caught their breath (after laughing for a good ten minutes at the offended pearl-clutching of several hotel guests), Rey stretched out on the lawn in the center of the village square.

She turned to Maz, who sat cross-legged next to her. “Thank you,” she said. “I haven’t eaten or laughed like that for a long time.”

"I’m glad," replied the tiny woman. “Two days of traveling in such good company—a good meal was well-deserved, and the least I could do.”

Rey closed her eyes, savoring the feel of the sun on her face.

“Do you still want that bath?” Maz asked, reaching out to her gently.

“More than ever,” Rey replied as she sat up suddenly. “But how are we going to manage it? Unless you’re telling me you snatched someone’s room keys while we were in there?”

“You don’t know me at all, do you? I live for the great out doors, child! I always find a way. To the Falcon!”

It took roughly ten minutes to reach the state border, located at the extreme northern point of the park. Rey stopped the car to spontaneously take a selfie in front of the "Montana" sign. Maz posed with her eventually, after no small amount of pleading.

The border of the national park was only a few kilometers north of them. Maz directed Rey to turn right and park on a rugged patch of raised earth overlooking the Gardner River.

“Take some clean clothes and a towel and come with me,” Maz gestured, getting out of the car with her bag in tow.

“What?” Rey gaped incredulously, “Here? I asked for a bath, not a plunge in some wild river that probably plummets right down into the glaciers...”

Maz was practically glaring at her now. Rey raised an eyebrow. What was the old woman plotting?

They walked for several hundred meters on a trail that stretched alongside the river itself before reaching a rest area equipped with benches and informational signs. The latter described the hot water source that bubbled just beneath the riverbed.

“Welcome to Boiling River,” Maz grinned broadly, “one of Yellowstone’s best-kept secrets to date.”

But Rey wasn’t listening anymore. She was instead busy struggling, on one foot, with her jeans that did not want to come off. Soon the denim was lying on the ground, followed by her sweater, and her t-shirt. Hesitating, Rey found herself in her underwear, rummaging in her bag for the bikini she knew she had stashed somewhere.

She put it on without worrying about being seen naked, and rushed into the water in pursuit of BB8, who had just jumped into the river with an enthusiastic splash.

"Bloody hell!” She shouted at the height of ecstasy, letting herself slide into the steaming whirlpools of the river with delight.

Depending on one’s proximity to the spring, which boiled underground and mingled its scalding waters with the cooler Gardner River, one could enjoy a bath at 45 degrees (Celsius, of course) or colder.

“No soap allowed!” Maz yelled, taking off her boots. Any soap or shampoo would pollute the water. They had to respect park rules, after all.

Rey didn’t care. To hell with shampoo! The very caress of the hot water on her skin was divine. She could feel the dirt being swept away by the current, the sweat disappearing into the whirlpools, and her fatigue dissolving into the waves.

The two women took advantage of the spring for over an hour. Thoroughly reinvigorated, they went out to dry in the sun.

Rey put on clean clothes and carefully brushed her hair. They would need a real shampooing eventually, but it was less urgent now. She could easily wait until she reached another campsite.

Consulting her phone, she found that it was almost noon. Her expression darkened, it was time to call Poe.

She apologized to Maz, who was busy putting on her clothes, and walked away to have a little privacy.

No signal.

Damn. She would have to either return to Mammoth Hot Springs, or failing that, would have to bargain for the hotel's wifi password.

Gathering their shoes, the two women returned to the car. There was a massive grey SUV parked on the side of the road, just a little further away.

Rey had the feeling that she had seen it before somewhere...but it was a popular model, she might have just become accustomed to seeing dozens like it at a time. But was the owner? She had had the impression that she and Maz were quite alone in this part of the park.

She shrugged, eventually driving south to return to the nearest town.

Rey left the car door open to let in some fresh air, and gave BB8 to Maz as soon as she recovered enough bars to call England.

“Hello Rey,” Poe’s voice greeted her, “doing well, I hope?”

"I'm fine, yes," Rey confirmed, and strangely enough, it was true. She felt good. Poe's voice had not upset her, and no malice was trying to seep through her own words. She felt calm and rage-free.

“What about you and Finn?”

“I can’t complain. Not the best of times, but it’ll pass. No improvement in Finn, he’s still in a coma. "

"Can he hear when we talk to him?

"I dunno," Poe mused. “The doctors say so...”

“And what are you telling him?” Rey's voice was barely above a whisper.

“I tell him about my day, and I tell him about you doing your trip and going on the adventure of a lifetime.”

In the silence, she smiled. Her eyes were red and burning with tears again.

“Tell him that I forgive him, please. Tell him tp stop being a vegetable and that this should have happened differently, but that I understand. I understand. Okay?"

"Okay, I'll tell him. Thanks, Rey.”

“Poe? Don’t hang up. Tell him he should have a vested interest in surviving, otherwise I’ll curse his grave every day by growing endives next to it and singing all the songs that annoy him.”

She heard Poe laugh. “He does hate endives with a passion.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“Okay. I'm going to tell him that we'll grow a garden of endive and spinach on his grave if he forces us to. If he’s not awake tomorrow, it will be nothing but his own fault.”

“Exactly!”

Finishing up the call, Rey wiped a tear for her cheek. She smiled in spite of her grief.

At the wheel of her SUV, Syed breathed an exasperated sigh. She had slept in this fucking car instead of a nice bed, she had watched Rey and her new best friend Granny Whatshername eat like pigs and get kicked out of a restaurant, she had waited patiently for these two numbskulls to stop splashing in the water like children, and now she was witnessing a telephone conversation she couldn’t hear, but which was apparently so touchy-feely that Rey was literally blowing her nose at the end. She fired off a text:

Syed to Ben :

RAS with R. No suspicious activity. Tourism + bathing. Waste of time! Authorization to return?

The answer didn’t take long:

Ben to Syed :

Look harder. She’s hiding something. U can do better than that.

“Bastard!” Snarled Syed, punching the steering wheel and sounding the horn. “You're doing this to punish me! Son of a bitch!”

She was dead sure, after two days of nonstop surveillance, that this Brit was here by accident and that FORCE was watching her for no reason whatsoever.

She was, unfortunately, equally certain that Kylo Ren had reached the same conclusion but that he claimed otherwise because he refused to quit.

Let this bitch go. He had decided to seduce her, him and his bloated ego. As long as no one stood up to him he wouldn’t budge, and it was Syed who paid the price.

It was time to mobilize Hux and Snoke to put an end to this ridiculous charade.

#reylo #fanfiction #scenic route #Modern AU

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