#WC Special Chicken Burger

[thepanvelite]

Finding Wonders Cafe in Khanda Colony

Wonders Cafe in Khanda Colony offers unique futuristic garden dining experience.

Khanda Colony is bustling with cafes, each vying for attention, but Wonders Cafe stands out. We decided to check it out, and boy, were we in for a treat! The owner, Mr. Shubham Salunkhe, welcomed us warmly and guided us upstairs. The lower level is cozy, perfect for couples, but the upstairs area is where the magic happens—ideal for larger groups. Wonders Cafe interior. The interior is a blend…

[wolvietxt]

𝓕OR THE 𝓕IRST 𝓣IME …

pairing : dean winchester x female!reader warnings : crying, friends to lovers, fluff, really light angst (squint and you’ll miss it), hunts, food mentions, reader has implied insomnia (self indulgent sorry) wc : 6.1k😈

the gravel crunched under the impala’s tires as dean pulled into the parking lot of yet another roadside diner. the neon sign buzzed faintly overhead, casting flickering hues of blue and pink over the impala’s sleek frame.  

“another diner?” you teased, sliding out of the passenger seat. your boots hit the ground with a soft thud. “you know, there are other food groups besides pie.”  

dean smirked, locking the car with a flick of his wrist. “and i’m sure you’ll tell me all about them, kid. but i don’t need food advice from someone who orders salad at a steakhouse.”  

“first of all, that was only one time,” you shot back, walking alongside him toward the door. “and second, that salad was really really good.”  

dean snorted, holding the door open for you. “whatever helps you sleep at night, darlin’.”  

the diner was exactly what you expected: vinyl booths, laminate tables, and the comforting hum of an old jukebox in the corner. dean led the way to a booth by the window, sliding in across from you.  

“so,” you started, picking up a menu. “are you gonna do that thing where you order half of what’s on the menu? or just pie and coffee?”  

“both,” dean said without hesitation, his eyes skimming the options. “you know me. go big or go home.”  

the waitress appeared moments later, all smiles and a notepad in hand. dean ordered two burgers and, of course, pie. you went with something lighter, which earned you a raised brow.  

“you sure that’s enough?” he asked once the waitress left. “you’re gonna get hungry and start eyeing my fries. i can feel it.”  

“i am perfectly capable of ordering my own food, thanks.”  

“we’ll see.”  

the food arrived faster than expected, and you fell into easy conversation, catching up on the day’s events. the current hunt had been straightforward so far - just a basic salt-and-burn. still, you weren’t exactly looking forward to it. you never where when it came to hunts, they were more dean’s speciality. the looming anxiety and sense of impending doom wasn’t ever remotely enjoyable for you.

“so, what’s the plan for tomorrow?” you asked, grabbing a fry from your plate. “wrap this one up and hit the road?”  

“probably,” dean replied between bites. “unless we get more intel on that death omen case. sam thinks there’s a connection between the two.”  

“of course he does,” you said with a laugh. “guy can’t take a win without overthinking it.”  

“hey, that overthinking saves our asses sometimes,” dean pointed out, though his tone was more fond than annoyed.  

“true. but it also gets him hexed.” you grinned. “remember that time with the chickens?”  

dean barked out a laugh, nearly choking on his drink. “oh man, that was gold. i think we have a picture of him running from that rooster somewhere.”  

“we should frame it,” you said, smirking. “hang it in the bunker’s library for motivation.”  

“you’re evil, you know that?” he remarked, his smug grin widening further.

“takes one to know one,” you shot back, plucking the cherry off of his slice of pie and popping it into your mouth.

your conversations were effortless, the kind of back-and-forth that felt like second nature at this point. it wasn’t until dean reached over and grabbed one of your fries that you gave him a look.  

“you’ve got two whole plates,” you said, swatting his hand away.  

“what can i say?” he replied, popping the fry into his mouth with zero shame. “yours taste better.”  

before you could respond, the waitress returned to drop off the check. she hesitated for a second, then smiled warmly.  

“you two are such a cute couple,” she said, her voice casual but sincere.  

you froze, your mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.  

“we are not a couple,” you blurted out, at the exact same time dean said, “yeah, never.”  

the waitress blinked, clearly taken aback by your synchronized response. “oh, uh, sorry! my mistake.”  

she hurried off, and you stared after her, still processing what just happened.  

“well, that wasn’t awkward at all,” dean muttered, reaching for his coffee.  

“why does this keep happening?” you asked, more to yourself than to him.  

“beats me,” dean said with a shrug, though you caught the flicker of something in his expression - amusement, maybe? “guess we just give off the vibe.”  

“the vibe?” you echoed.  

“you know.” he waved a hand between the two of you. “like… a vibe.”  

“that explains nothing.”  

“then i guess it can just be one of life’s great mysteries, sweetheart.”  

you tried to let it go, but the waitress’s comment lingered in the back of your mind. it wasn’t the first time someone had assumed you and dean were a couple, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. still, it felt… different this time.  

you glanced across the table at dean. he was back to his usual self, leaning against the booth with a lazy grin and a smart remark on the tip of his tongue.  

he caught you staring and raised an eyebrow. “what?”  

“nothing,” you said quickly, looking away. “just thinking.”  

“about what?”  

“the hunt,” you lied.  

he didn’t press, but you could feel his gaze lingering for a moment longer before he turned his attention back to the check.  

“you ready to hit the road?” he asked, sliding out of the booth.  

“yeah,” you said, grabbing your jacket. “let’s go.”  

the drive back to the motel was quiet, the hum of the impala’s engine filling the silence. dean had turned on the radio, and metallica’s prince charming filtered through the speakers. you leaned your head against the window, watching the dark countryside blur past.  

“why are you being so damn quiet?” dean said after a while. “i know i’m always complaining about it but it really doesn’t feel right when you’re not yapping my ear off.”

“‘m just tired,” you replied, though that wasn’t entirely true. your mind was still replaying the waitress’s words and the way dean had brushed them off so easily.  

“well, get some rest,” he said, his voice softer now. “we’ve got a long day tomorrow.”  

“okay, dean.” you nodded, letting your eyes drift shut as baby rumbled on.  

the next morning, you were back on the road, this time heading toward a small, rundown cemetery. the salt-and-burn had gone smoothly, but the death omen case was proving to be trickier than expected.  

“so what are we looking for?” you asked as dean parked the car near the edge of the cemetery, trying to rub your eyes subtly so he wouldn’t notice your fatigue.

“old journal entries mentioned a spirit tied to a cursed locket,” he said, grabbing his duffel bag. “we find the locket, we find the spirit.”  

“sounds easy enough,” you said, though you both knew it rarely was.  

the two of you spent the next hour combing through the overgrown graves, your flashlights cutting through the dark.  

“anything?” dean called out from a few rows over.  

“not yet,” you replied, brushing aside some vines. “but this place gives me the creeps.”  

“aww, don’t tell me you’re scared, sweetheart,” dean teased, his grin audible even from a distance.  

“you wish,” you shot back, though you couldn’t deny the way your nerves prickled.  

as you moved to another section of the cemetery, you couldn’t shake the feeling that someone - or something - was watching you.  

“dean,” you called out, your voice quieter now.  

“yeah? you okay, sweetheart?” his voice softer now, a hint of panic sneaking through. 

“i think we’ve got company.”  

he was at your side in an instant, his flashlight sweeping the area. “stay close,” he said, his tone serious now.  

you nodded, your heart pounding as the shadows seemed to close in around you. whatever was out there, you had a feeling this hunt was about to get a whole lot messier.  

the night was heavy with an unnatural stillness, the kind that made your skin crawl. somewhere deep in the shadows of the cemetery, you just knew something was watching you.  

you stayed close to dean as the two of you scanned the overgrown headstones, flashlights cutting through the darkness.  

“you hear that?” you whispered, your voice barely carrying over the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze.  

“hear what?” dean replied, his gaze darting around.  

then it came again - a low, guttural moan, echoing through the cemetery like a warning.  

“that,” you said, gripping the iron crowbar in your hand a little tighter.  

dean’s jaw tensed. “stay behind me,” he muttered, pulling out his gun.  

“you know i’m not great at staying behind,” you quipped, though your attempt at humor fell flat against the weight of the moment.  

“yeah, i noticed,” he said, flashing you a wry grin despite the tension. “but humor me, darlin’. just this once.”  

the two of you moved cautiously toward the source of the sound, your flashlights dancing over moss-covered graves and weathered stone angels. the air grew colder the closer you got, your breath puffing out in visible clouds.  

then you saw it - a faint, ghostly figure hovering near an old, crumbling mausoleum. its features were obscured, but its presence was anything but subtle.  

“that’s gotta be our spirit,” dean said, his voice low.  

“looks like it’s guarding something,” you observed, nodding toward the mausoleum door.  

“the locket,” dean guessed.  

“how do we get past that thing without getting our faces ripped off?”  

“i distract it, you grab the locket,” he said simply, like it was the most obvious plan in the world.  

“oh, sure,” you said, rolling your eyes. “because splitting up always works so well for us.” when you looked up at, him he finally noticed the twinge of fear in your tired gaze.

“trust me, sweetheart,” dean said, flashing you a soft smile he hoped appeared reassuring. “i’ve got this.”  

against your better judgment, you let dean take the lead. he stepped into the spirit’s line of sight, his gun raised.  

“hey, casper!” he called out. “over here!”  

the ghost turned toward him, its hollow eyes locking onto his figure. it let out an unearthly wail that sent chills down your spine, then began moving toward him with an unnatural speed.  

“anytime now!” dean shouted, firing a round of rock salt to slow it down.  

you darted toward the mausoleum, shoving the heavy door open with all your strength. inside, the air was damp and musty, the faint smell of decay clinging to the walls.  

your flashlight landed on an old wooden box sitting atop a stone altar. you didn’t have time to think - you grabbed the box and pried it open, revealing the cursed locket inside.  

“got it!” you called out, stuffing the locket into your pocket and running back toward dean.  

the ghost was still focused on him, though it was clearly losing its patience. dean fired another shot of rock salt, sending it reeling.  

“move it, kid!” he yelled, glancing back at you.  

“i’m coming!” you shouted, skidding to a halt beside him.  

together, you pulled out matches and a small jar of accelerant. you didn’t waste a second, dousing the locket and striking a match.  

the moment the flames touched the cursed object, the ghost let out a piercing scream, its form disintegrating into a shower of sparks before disappearing entirely.  

“well, that was fun,” dean said, lowering his gun.  

“yeah, a real blast,” you replied, still catching your breath.  

he turned to you, his expression softening slightly. “you okay?”  

“yeah,” you said, nodding. “thanks for the save.”  

“always,” he said with a small smile, clapping you on the shoulder. “come on, let’s get out of here before something else decides to show up.”  

the drive back to the motel was quieter than usual. the adrenaline from the hunt had worn off, leaving you both exhausted.  

“you’re really bad at staying behind,” dean said suddenly, breaking the silence.  

“and you’re really bad at not playing the hero,” you shot back.  

he glanced at you, his expression somewhere between exasperation and fondness. “you’re gonna get yourself killed one day, you know that?”  

“not if you’re around to save me,” you said lightly, though there was an edge of truth to your words.  

he didn’t reply, but the way his grip on the steering wheel tightened said enough.  

back at the motel, you both collapsed onto your respective beds, the exhaustion from the hunt settling into your bones. the cheap, scratchy sheets were far from comfortable, but you barely noticed, too tired to care.  

“you want first shower?” dean asked, already kicking off his boots and wincing at the creak of the bed frame beneath him.  

“you take it,” you mumbled, waving him off and stifling a yawn. “i’ll just... lie here for a sec.”  

he paused, giving you a look. “you good? you’ve been dragging all day.”  

“just tired,” you said quickly, forcing a small smile. “nothing a shower and some sleep won’t fix.”  

dean didn’t seem convinced. “you sure? you’ve been looking... kinda rough.” his voice was softer now, almost hesitant. “when’s the last time you actually got a decent night’s sleep?”  

“i sleep,” you said, avoiding his gaze by focusing on the ceiling.  

“yeah, but do you sleep?” he pressed, gesturing vaguely with one hand. “like, real sleep. out cold. no tossing and turning. none of that zombie stuff.”  

“i’m fine, dean,” you said firmly, though your voice lacked any real bite.  

he lingered for a moment longer, clearly unconvinced but unsure what else to say. eventually, he grabbed a towel and disappeared into the bathroom with a quiet, “if you say so.”  

the sound of the shower running filled the silence, but your mind was louder. it wasn’t that you didn’t want to sleep - it was just that you couldn’t. not really. the hunts, the adrenaline, the nightmares - they all tangled together into a mess you couldn’t quite escape.  

you stared at the water-stained ceiling, your thoughts drifting back to the hunt and, inevitably, to dean. the way he’d thrown himself between you and that ghost without hesitation, his instincts sharper than anyone you’d ever met. it wasn’t just about the hunt; it was about him.  

you sighed, shaking your head at yourself. this wasn’t the time to overthink things.  

when dean emerged from the bathroom, steam trailing after him, his hair damp and sticking up at odd angles, you were still lying in the same spot.  

“your turn,” he said, tossing a towel onto your bed.  

you groaned, forcing yourself to sit up. “if i fall asleep in there, it’s your fault.”  

he smirked, stretching out on his bed and crossing his arms behind his head. “just don’t drown, sweetheart.”  

rolling your eyes, you dragged yourself into the bathroom, the hot water doing wonders for your sore muscles and the lingering chill from the hunt. by the time you came out, the room was dark, and dean was already passed out, one arm draped over his face.  

you stood there for a moment, watching the rise and fall of his chest, his face relaxed in a way you rarely got to see.  

“goodnight, dean,” you murmured softly, pulling a blanket over yourself as you sank onto your bed.  

as you lay there, the quiet hum of the motel settling around you, you tried to let the exhaustion take over. but your thoughts wouldn’t quiet, your body still on edge despite how tired you were.  

at some point, dean shifted, his voice groggy but unmistakable. “you okay?”  

“yeah,” you lied, turning onto your side to face the wall.  

“you sure?” his voice was softer now, thick with sleep.  

“get some rest, dean,” you mumbled, not trusting yourself to say more.  

“right back at you,” he muttered, the faintest hint of concern lingering in his tone before his breathing evened out again.  

you closed your eyes, willing yourself to follow his lead, even as your thoughts refused to let you.

a storm rolled in by the time you and dean reached the next job. thick, gray clouds churned overhead as rain hammered against the impala's windshield, the wipers working overtime. the cabin in question - a decrepit thing that looked more haunted than it probably was - loomed at the end of a dirt road.  

"of course it's in the middle of nowhere," you muttered, peering at it through the rain.  

"yeah, because monsters love suburban neighborhoods," dean said, his tone dripping with sarcasm as he parked the car.  

you snorted, unbuckling your seatbelt. "remind me again why we couldn’t tackle this in daylight?"  

"because the kid who called us swears the thing only shows up at night," he replied, grabbing his shotgun and tossing you a flashlight. "come on, sweetheart. we’ve got work to do."  

the inside of the cabin was worse than the outside. peeling wallpaper, creaky floors, and an unsettling number of broken mirrors made up the interior.  

"i'm guessing the shattered mirrors aren't just bad decorating choices," you said, shining your flashlight across the room.  

"nope," dean said. "sounds like we're dealing with a vengeful spirit. probably tied to one of these." he gestured to the shards of glass littering the floor.  

"great," you muttered. "so, we find the mirror, salt it, and burn it. easy enough."  

"you say that now," dean said, smirking as he headed toward the stairs. "but nothing's ever that easy, is it?"  

you split up to cover more ground - though not without a bit of grumbling on your part. it was horrible hunting without dean, the anxiety looming over you multiplying by a thousand. the cabin had two floors, plus a creepy basement you were hoping to avoid.  

"why do i always get stuck with the creepy basements?" you whined after him as he ascended the stairs.  

"because you're the rookie," dean shot back, his grin audible even from a distance.  

"oh, real mature," you muttered, making your way toward the basement door, sucking in as many deep breaths as you could manage.

the basement was every bit as awful as you’d imagined. damp, dark, and filled with cobwebs. your flashlight flickered as you descended the creaking stairs, and you swore under your breath.  

"if this thing jumps out at me, i’m leaving dean to deal with it solo," you muttered to yourself, sweeping the light across the room.  

you spotted an old, ornate mirror leaning against the far wall. it was cracked but still intact - a likely candidate for the spirit's anchor.  

"dean, i found something," you said into the walkie-talkie dean had insisted you carry.  

"copy that," came his reply. "on my way down. don't touch it."  

"wasn't planning on it, boss," you said, rolling your eyes even though he couldn’t see you.  

dean joined you a minute later, shotgun in hand. he gave the mirror a once-over, his expression hardening.  

"yep, that's the one," he said. "you got the salt?"  

you nodded, pulling the bag from your backpack.  

"good. i'll cover you," he said, positioning himself between you and the dark corners of the basement.  

"you know, for someone who calls me a rookie, you sure don’t trust me to handle things on my own," you teased, pouring the salt over the mirror.  

"nah, i trust you," he said, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "just don’t want you getting yourself killed. i'd miss you too much."  

the comment caught you off guard, and you glanced at him, trying to gauge if he was serious. but before you could say anything, the temperature in the room plummeted.  

a figure materialized behind dean - a translucent woman with hollow eyes and a twisted expression of rage.  

"dean!" you shouted, and he spun around just in time to fire a round of rock salt at her. the spirit screeched, vanishing into thin air.  

"you okay?" he asked, turning back to you.  

"yeah," you said, your heart pounding. "but she’s definitely not gone for good."  

"not until we burn this thing," dean said, nodding toward the mirror.  

you struck a match, lighting the accelerant you’d poured over the salt. the mirror went up in flames, and another anguished wail echoed through the basement before fading into silence.  

back upstairs, you and dean collapsed onto the dusty couch, both of you breathing heavily.  

"you know," you said, leaning your head back, "for a rookie, i think i did pretty well tonight."  

dean chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "yeah, you didn’t screw up too bad."  

"high praise," you said, feeling fatigue spread over you once more.

he glanced at you, his expression softening in that way that always caught you off guard. "i mean it," he said. "you did good, sweetheart."  

you couldn’t tell if it was the exhaustion or the way he said it, but something about the moment felt different. heavier.  

"thanks," you said softly, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious under his gaze.  

before either of you could say anything else, the walkie-talkie crackled to life.  

"hey, uh, guys?" sam’s voice came through, tinged with static. "you alive down there?"  

"barely," dean replied, grabbing the device. "but the spirit's toast. we'll meet you back at the motel."  

"got it," sam said.  

the drive back was quiet again, but this time, it wasn’t just the exhaustion. something unspoken lingered between you, making the silence feel heavier than usual.  

"so," you said finally, breaking the tension. "you think sam's gonna be mad we didn’t wait for him?"  

"nah," dean said, though his smirk suggested otherwise. "he’s used to it by now."  

you laughed, shaking your head. "poor guy."  

"hey, he knew what he was signing up for," dean said. "besides, he’s probably just glad you didn’t burn the whole cabin down."  

"oh, so now i’m a fire hazard?"  

"just saying, i’ve seen you with matches," he teased, and you couldn’t help but laugh again.  

back at the motel, sam was already poring over research for the next hunt.  

"how’d it go?" he asked, barely looking up.  

"spirit's gone," dean said, flopping onto one of the beds. "but the place was a real fixer-upper."  

"great," sam said, clearly not listening.  

"you know, you’re a terrible audience," you said, plopping down beside dean.  

sam hummed distractedly, still scrolling through his laptop.  

"don’t take it personally, sweetheart," dean said, grinning at you. "he’s just jealous he missed all the action."  

you rolled your eyes but couldn’t help smiling. despite the exhaustion, there was a strange warmth settling in your chest, one you weren’t quite ready to examine too closely.  

later that night, after sam had gone to bed, you and dean found yourselves sitting outside the motel, the night air cool and refreshing after the storm.  

“you still can’t sleep, huh? we really gotta get that checked out.” dean uttered, breaking the silence. “c’mon kid, what’s got your mind going so crazy?”

"you ever think about, you know, taking a break?" you asked, staring up at the stars, surprised with how he could always clock you so quickly.

"from hunting?" dean asked, raising an eyebrow.  

"yeah," you said. "just... doing something normal for once."  

he snorted. "normal’s overrated."  

"come on," you said, nudging him with your elbow. "you’ve never thought about it? not even a little?"  

he was quiet for a moment, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "maybe," he admitted finally. "but normal’s not in the cards for people like us."  

"i guess not," you said softly, though you couldn’t help but wish it were different.  

the conversation faded into a comfortable silence, the kind that didn’t need to be filled.  

"you know," dean said after a while, "you’re not half bad at this whole hunting thing."  

"high praise," you said, smiling faintly.  

"i mean it," he said, his tone more serious than you expected. "you’ve got guts. most people wouldn’t last a week in this life, but you - "  

he stopped, shaking his head like he wasn’t sure how to finish the thought.  

"but me?" you prompted, your heart pounding for reasons you didn’t quite understand.  

"but you’re different," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.  

you didn’t know what to say to that, so you didn’t say anything. instead, you let the moment hang between you, heavy and unspoken but somehow perfect in its own way.  

the next hunt came quicker than expected - barely two days after the cabin job. a string of disappearances in a sleepy town near a dense forest had drawn your attention. while sam was still digging through lore, you and dean decided to scout the area.  

"we’ll take the impala and check out the woods," dean had said, tossing you your jacket.  

"because that worked so well last time," you quipped, zipping up your coat.  

"what can i say?" he said with a smirk. "i like to live dangerously."  

the forest was eerily quiet as the two of you trudged along a narrow dirt path. the afternoon sunlight barely filtered through the thick canopy of leaves above, casting the area in a dim, golden haze.  

"you know," you said, stepping over a fallen branch, "i don’t think i’ve ever seen you willingly go for a hike. kind of nice to see you in your natural habitat."  

dean shot you a look. "i’ll have you know i’m very outdoorsy."  

"oh, sure," you said, grinning. "nothing says 'man of the wilderness' like a guy who packs cheeseburgers for every meal."  

"hey, those cheeseburgers keep me alive," he said, pretending to be offended. "besides, you’re one to talk. what’s in your backpack right now? candy bars?"  

"no comment," you said, giggling as he shook his head.  

you reached a clearing after about an hour of walking. the ground was covered in strange markings - symbols carved into the dirt, arranged in an ominous circle.  

"well, that’s not creepy at all," you muttered, crouching to get a closer look.  

dean knelt beside you, his brow furrowed. "witchcraft, maybe?"  

"maybe," you said. "but why the forest? wouldn’t a house or barn make more sense?"  

"maybe they like the fresh air," he said, scanning the area with his flashlight. "either way, we need to be careful. whoever’s behind this probably doesn’t want us poking around."  

"yeah, no kidding," you said, standing up and brushing dirt off your hands.  

the rest of the day was spent investigating the clearing, but the markings didn’t offer many clues. frustrated, you and dean decided to head back to the motel.  

"we’ll regroup with sam, see if he’s found anything," dean said as you walked back to the car.  

"do you think this one’s human?" you asked, wide eyed with expectation.

he glanced at you, his jaw tight. "maybe. but something about it feels... off. i don’t like it."  

you nodded, falling silent. his instincts were rarely wrong, and if dean was uneasy, you knew better than to dismiss it.  

back at the motel, sam had made some progress.  

"the symbols in the clearing - they’re part of a summoning ritual," he explained, showing you a dusty old book.  

"great," dean said, flopping onto the bed. "so, what are we dealing with? demons? spirits? something worse?"  

sam hesitated, glancing between the two of you. "it’s a summoning ritual for a wendigo."  

your stomach dropped.  

"a wendigo?" you repeated. "seriously?"  

"yeah," sam said grimly. "and if the markings in that clearing are any indication, they’re close to finishing the ritual."  

"perfect," dean muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. 

the plan was simple: return to the forest, disrupt the ritual, and kill the wendigo if it had already been summoned.  

"simple," you said, your tone dry as you loaded your shotgun.  

"hey, it’s worked before," dean said, smirking as he handed you a flare gun.  

"yeah, and almost got us killed before," you shot back, though you couldn’t help the fearful expression that broke out on your face.

"what can i say?" he said, shrugging. "we’re good at not dying."  

the forest felt different this time - heavier, like the air itself was charged with something dark and unnatural.  

"stay close," dean said, his voice low.  

"i definitely wasn’t planning on wandering off," you replied, gripping your shotgun tightly.  

he shot you a quick glance, his expression softer than you expected. "just... stay close, okay?"  

"okay," you said quietly, feeling your heart skip a beat.  

the clearing was empty when you arrived, but the symbols on the ground glowed faintly, pulsing with an eerie red light.  

"that’s new," dean said, his jaw tightening.  

"you think the ritual’s already started?" you asked.  

"probably," he said, scanning the area. "we need to move fast."  

you started disrupting the symbols, kicking dirt over them while dean poured salt and lighter fluid around the edges.  

"almost done," you said, glancing over at him.  

but before he could respond, a bloodcurdling roar echoed through the forest.  

"guess that answers that," dean muttered, raising his shotgun.  

the wendigo burst into the clearing, its pale, emaciated form moving with unnatural speed.  

"stay back!" dean shouted, firing a shot that barely slowed it down.  

you raised your flare gun, aiming for its chest, but the creature was too fast. before you could fire, it lunged at dean, knocking him to the ground.  

"dean!" you screamed, panic surging through you.  

he rolled out of the way just in time, his shotgun skidding across the ground.  

"shoot it!" he shouted, and you didn’t hesitate.  

the flare hit the wendigo square in the chest, igniting it in a burst of flames. it screeched, thrashing wildly before collapsing into a smoldering heap.  

dean scrambled to his feet, his breathing ragged.  

"you okay?" you asked, rushing to his side.  

"yeah," he said, wincing as he rolled his shoulder. "you?"  

"fine," you said, though your hands were still trembling.  

he gave you a once-over, his eyes lingering on yours. "you did good, sweetheart."  

the drive back was quiet, the adrenaline slowly fading. when you finally reached the motel, sam was waiting anxiously.  

"did you - "  

"it’s dead," dean said, cutting him off.  

sam sighed in relief, but his attention quickly shifted to the way dean’s hand lingered protectively on your waist as you headed inside.  

later that night, as you sat outside the motel again, dean joined you, a beer in hand.  

"that was really scary. are you sure you’re okay?” you admitted, breaking the silence.  

"‘m fine, sweetheart,”  he said, his tone soft.  

"i know," you said, glancing at him. "but still."  

he met your gaze, something unspoken passing between you. "you know, you’ve got guts," he said, echoing his words from before.  

"so you’ve said," you replied, smiling faintly.  

he shook his head, his expression turning serious. "i mean it. you’re different. special."  

your breath caught, and for a moment, you couldn’t speak.  

"dean - "  

"just let me say it," he said, cutting you off.  

you nodded, your heart pounding.  

"i’ve been doing this job a long time," dean said, his voice low, almost like he was thinking out loud. "and i’m not exactly the kind of guy who’s good at this stuff, but… i like you. more than i probably should."  

your heart skipped a beat, your breath catching in your throat, but you stayed quiet, letting him keep going.  

"it’s not just because you’re super fucking cool or because you can keep up with me," he added, a small smirk tugging at his lips before fading. "it’s because you’re the one person who makes all this crap we deal with feel… worth it."  

his gaze locked on yours, steady and serious. "i don’t know what that says about me, but i know i don’t want to screw this up."  

tears pricked at the corners of your eyes, but you bit your lip, refusing to let them fall.  

"i… i don’t know what to say," you whispered, your voice barely audible over the pounding in your chest.  

"you don’t have to say anything," he replied, his lips twitching into a small, nervous smile. 

but you did anyway. "i feel the same way, dean," you said, your voice barely above a whisper.  

his lips quirked into a small smile. "yeah, baby?"  

"yeah," you said, and before you could overthink it, you leaned in, pressing your lips to his.  

the first kiss had barely ended, and you still felt breathless, the taste of him lingering like honey. you pulled back just enough to meet dean’s eyes, your hands still clutching the front of his jacket as if letting go wasn’t an option. he looked at you with a softness that felt rare, his usual bravado replaced by something raw, unguarded.  

"so," you began, trying to find words that didn’t feel ridiculous in a moment like this, "i - "  

but dean leaned in again, cutting you off with another kiss, this one slower but somehow even more consuming.  

"dean," you mumbled against his lips, trying to catch a breath, but his hands cupped your jaw, tilting your face up toward him as if the conversation could wait - like anything else in the world could matter right now.  

"mm-hmm?" he hummed, not pulling back. his mouth moved to the corner of your lips, then your cheek, trailing down to your jaw.  

"i’m trying to - " you started again, only to dissolve into laughter as he pressed a kiss to the spot just below your ear, his stubble grazing your skin in a way that sent a shiver down your spine.  

"nah, sweetheart," he murmured, his voice low and teasing. "you’re not trying to do anything but stay right here."  

you laughed harder, the sound bright and almost giddy, your chest shaking against his. you couldn’t remember the last time you’d felt this light, this happy.  

"dean," you said again, still giggling, "let me talk!"  

"nope," he said, his grin audible even as he kissed the side of your neck. "’m way too busy."  

"dean!" you squealed, trying to push him back, but he was relentless, his arms wrapping around your waist to keep you close.  

"what could possibly be more important than this?" he asked, finally pulling back just enough to look at you. his smile was cocky, but his eyes were warm, filled with a tenderness that made your stomach flip.  

you opened your mouth to respond, but instead, a strange mix of a laugh and a sob came out, and suddenly you were crying - just a little, just enough that he noticed.  

his face changed immediately, his smile dropping as he cupped your face with both hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears that had escaped.  

"hey," he said softly, his brows knitting together. "what’s wrong? fuck… ‘m sorry baby, i - "  

you shook your head quickly, the absurdity of the question making you laugh again, even as more tears fell. "no, no, it’s not that. i’m not upset, i swear."  

"you’re crying, sweetheart," he said, his voice low and concerned. "that usually means something’s wrong."  

"i’m happy, you idiot," you said, laughing through the tears.  

he blinked, his hands still holding your face, as if trying to process the words. "happy?"  

"yes, happy," you said, your voice cracking a little as he wiped at your cheeks. "like... stupidly, ridiculously happy. i just - i didn’t think this would ever happen."  

his expression softened in a way that made your heart ache. "you really thought i wouldn’t want this?"  

"i didn’t know," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. "i mean, it’s not like you’re exactly forthcoming with your feelings, dean."  

he let out a breathy laugh, his forehead pressing gently against yours. "yeah, well, you’re not wrong there."  

his hands slid down to your waist, holding you close as he looked at you, his green eyes searching your face like he was trying to commit every detail to memory.  

"but for the record," he said, his voice serious now, "this? you? it’s all i’ve wanted for a long time."  

your breath caught, and before you could respond, he was kissing you again, his lips soft but insistent, as if he was making up for lost time.  

this time, you didn’t try to pull back or say anything. you just let yourself fall into it, your fingers tangling in his hair as his hands slid up your back, holding you like you might disappear if he let go.  

when he finally broke the kiss, his lips barely left yours, and he stayed close enough that you could feel his breath against your skin.  

"still happy?" he asked, a teasing edge creeping back into his voice.  

you laughed, your forehead resting against his. "stupidly, ridiculously happy."  

"good," he said, his hands slipping under the hem of your shirt to rest against your waist, his touch warm and grounding. "because i’m not letting you go now, sweetheart."  

"bold of you to assume i’d want you to," you teased, smiling up at him.  

"damn right," he said, his grin returning as he leaned in for another kiss, and this time, you didn’t even try to stop him.  

ᰔ dean winchester : @person-005

taglist form linked in pinned post :3

[neesieiumz]

basorexia: chapter 2; a devotion

professor!Shouta Aizawa x teaching assistant!reader x professor!Keigo Takami

series warnings: 18+, smut, power imbalances, dumbification, blackmail, yandere tendencies, you’re probably not gonna like Hawks in this one, miscommunication, angst, stalking, dub-con, black-coded reader, hopeful happy ending, soft-dom!Aizawa, power-dom (I don’t know if this is what you call it, but he relishes the power he has over you.), love corner (because it’s two people liking one person, making it a corner), hopeful happy ending.

series summary: Living on the edge, sleeping, and having a relationship with your boss was never on your bucket list but here you are. Locked within a tangle of arms together, you thought nothing could touch, but soon one will find out how much obsession can open all secrets. For both you and everyone around you.

Chapter summary: you meet up with your cousin for lunch, a glimpse into your study group, a faculty meeting, and a night that ends in bliss... or does it really?

Chapter warnings: smut. 18+ soft/service-dom!aizawa. cunnilingus. praise kink.

wc: 4.2k

The restaurant was a hole-in-the-wall type of place, a small restaurant/pub that’s been passed down from generation to generation. Rumi, who most people know as Miruko, took you here when you first arrived in the city, all the way back during the beginning of your undergrad. Your mothers were sisters and the two of you basically grew up to be sisters, which was why when you got into Yuuei University, it was an easy decision to move in with her. While you pursue a career in neuroscience, she had a tenacity for exercise, making her up as a celebrity personal trainer, helping the top within the entertainment industry. She was constantly traveling, so even though you moved in with her you would barely see your cousin which was what made this lunch even more special to you. 

Opening the door, you waved over to the bartender on duty, an older man who’s been here since before you arrived in the city. You glanced around the room seeing the familiar long platinum-white hair pulled up into a high ponytail. Rumi was looking down at her phone before she noticed you approaching. She smiled, standing up and walking to meet you halfway, She wrapped her arms around you, with you doing the same, enveloping you in a tight hug. She smelled of blackberries and soft vanilla. The two of you let go of each other, before settling into your respective seats. You took your jacket off, placing it on the empty chair beside it along with your bag. Immediately a server walked over to you, placing straws down and asking about drinks. Rumi ordered a Shirly Temple and you ordered a simple Sprite. 

“So, how long are you back in town till the next celebrity?” You asked her after seeing what you want, placing the laminated folder down. 

Miruko sighed, leaning back into her chair, “I’m taking a month off, I’ve been running ragged going up and down the country these past five months.”

You raised an eyebrow, “wow, last time you took a break, you only took a week off. Is there something else going on?”

She shook her head, pressing a hand towards her temple, “nah, just looking out for myself before i have a mental breakdown.”

You nodded your head, but before you could say anything, the server came back with your drinks. You thanked them before they asked if you were ordered. You ordered one of their spicy chicken sandwiches, your usual when you came here with loaded fries. Miruko ordered a big ass burger, also with loaded fries as well. The server smiled, before walking away to put your orders in. Once they were gone, you looked back towards your cousin, concern etched around in your eyes. 

“Is everything okay, Miruko?”

She nodded her head, “I’ll be cool, just overdue for a well needed break, You know how I can overwork myself.”

She suddenly slammed her hands on the table, the bereaved look on her face disappearing, “enough about me! How about you? Anything new? Anyone new?” She wiggled her eyebrows on the last part, making you roll your eyes. 

“Nothing new going on in my life,” you fibbed, glancing around, “just been going to class, being a teaching assistant, nothing new.”

Miruko didn’t accept that, leaning in closer to you, eyebrows curling up. 

“Come on, you can tell me,” she nudged you, full on smirking at this point. 

You rolled your eyes, but your smile still showed up,  “there’s no one new, but if there is, you’ll be the first to know.”

She didn't believe you, judging by the way she looked at you but she dropped it, instead changing the conversation to your work during school. Your food soon arrived, the plates still steaming hot from the stove and oven. The two of you indulged into the food, conversation easily flowing between the two of you. You spent up to two hours there with your cousin, reminiscing on the old times when you two were growing up together. 

The time went past the two of you, and you both had separate appointments to get to. Your cousin didn't want you to take the bus, so she dropped you off on campus. You had a study group to get to, with other people in your class in the library. You said bye to your cousin before heading off, seeing her luxury car speed away. You headed inside the library, walking past the receptionist at the counter towards the elevator. The study/project group was with some other people in your class, who were in the same master program as you as well.It was only five of you, including yourself. 

Walking down the hall, you turned a couple of corners to get to the study room, the same one you had been using all year as well. You opened the door, smiling at the rest of the groups who seemed to have gotten started without you. You placed your things down before wrapping your arms around the person beside you, who immediately hugged you back. 

“Oof, I’m glad you could actually make it, that teaching assistant job of yours as you are so busy!” One of your peers and someone who you could call a friend, Akira. 

You shook your head, “sorry guys, things have been really hectic, but I’m finding a balance!”

Another one of the group, Takamori, who most just call Mori, shook his head, “don’t sweat it. Despite not showing up for a couple of weeks, you still get more work done than good ole Zenko over here!”

Mori slapped Zenko on his neck, who hissed and yelled a “hey!”, rubbing at the sore spot. You shared glances with Akira, before rolling your eyes at the same time. 

You sat down in your seat, glancing over at the last person in the group, Hikari, who kept mostly to themselves. They looked up from their computer, seeing you and giving you a wave. You waved back, with a smile before looking up at the tv which was hooked to Hikari’s computer, containing your currency 35 slide PowerPoint. You took your jacket off, putting it on your chair before grabbing your laptop and iPad out of your bag. The air soon settled amongst you all, getting into a working mode to hopefully finish the rest of the representation. It wasn't due for another three weeks but you all would rather not have to worry about your hectic schedules. 

Time passed once again as conversation flowed, a rhythm you all found while working together. You only had the room for two and a half hours, which gave you thirty minutes before the faulty meeting you were required to go to. 

You said goodbye to everyone, giving hugs and kisses to Akira and making plans to hang out next weekend should your world allow it. You split ways, with you headed right back to the swanky new science building. You entered the building, going up the long stairs and turning away from the main lobbies to the hallway where the huge conference rooms were. The meeting consists of all the sciences faculty, including teaching assistants. Aizawa was the only teacher teaching Anatomy so he was expected to be here. You were his lone teaching assistant, you couldn't help but smile at that, this meeting was also required for you to be here. 

Arriving at the conference room, you waved to some of the other professors, taking your seat in the furthest corner in the back of the room. Towards the front, you could see that familiar mess of dark hair, sitting alongside a blond man with long hair. The two of them were speaking, whatever it was you couldn't hear. You immediately pulled out your phone, and scrolled through your phone, looking through Twitter as the rest of the science professors filed into the conference room. Once all the professors filed into the room, the head of the science department, a very sweet lady by the name of Kayama, began to speak, flicking through the PowerPoint, focusing on the details of this semester and next semester. 

Jumping, you felt a pinch at your backside, turning around only to be staring into golden-brown eyes. Hawks winked at you and you gave him a small smile and wave before turning around and continuing to pay attention to the meeting. Professor Kayama continued on with her presentation, with other professors chiming in as well. You kept quiet, taking notes on things you needed to do for the rest of the semester and what was to come next semester. 

“We’ll also be introducing a new grading system next term, and we want to prepare you all for it!”

You took bullet points on everything you saw, listening to all the different questions other members were having. The meeting took well into the night, considering that today was Friday and they would like to intrude on people’s quality time with their families or loved ones. 

Soon the meeting ended, and you walked out of the building, heading down the street to the nearest bus stop. As you walked down the street, a cold breath blowing right in front of you, a car slowly came to a stop right beside you. The horn caught your attention, turning toward the car only to find Shouta parked right beside you. Blinking, you took a few steps towards him, leaning into the rolled-down window. 

“Can I help you sir?” you asked him, sticking your head into the window. 

The car was dark, dark leather, the dashboard and everything dark matching the seats. It was decently clean, save for a few things in the back seat but that was probably things from the job. You looked back at him, cocking your head to the side a bit. Aizawa glanced over one time, before jerking his head to the side, motioning for you to get in the car. You stepped back a bit, opened the side door, and slid inside the car. You threw your bag into the back seat, buckling up before Shouta zoomed off into the night, probably towards his house. Relaxing into the chair, rolling your neck, releasing all the tension. 

“How was lunch with your cousin?” He asked you, taking a left. 

“It was really good, I hadn’t seen her in so long despite me living in her house,” you said, a soft smile appearing on your face. 

He huffed, “hope she doesn’t mind me taking you away for the night then.”

You laughed at that, “stealing me away for the night? Should I be scared?”

You looked towards him as he huffed out a laugh, “yes, you most definitely should be scared.”

You rolled your eyes, a playful smile on your face as you reached in the back for your phone, pulling it out of your tote bag. Unlocking it, you pull up your messages with Mirko. 

Spending the night at a friend’s place, be back tomorrow.

M: I knew it. Just a “friend” huh?!

You rolled your eyes once again, placing your phone in your lap and looking straight ahead. The two of you soon arrived at his home, a small three-bedroom home out in the suburbs of the city, away from all the bright lights. He pulled up into the driveway, using the garage remote attached to the sun visor of the car. Shouta pulled up into the garage, immediately closing it after he did. Then you got out, with you grabbing your bag from the back seat. You entered his home through the garage door, following right behind him. The garage door entered an area right beside the kitchen and the stairs to the second floor of the house. You placed your bag on the counter right side of the door, to the left, slipping off your shoes as you did. Shouta put his things on the island of his kitchen. 

This wasn’t the first time you’d been in his house, so you knew most of where everything was. You followed the tall man into the kitchen, seeing him pull out different ingredients from the kitchen. You came up right beside him, seeing all the different ingredients being pulled out. 

“Help me out here,” is all he said before you went into gear. 

The two of you entered into a flow, with you working with the cold ingredients while he focused on actually cooking. It was quiet between the two of you but a very warm silence, as the two of you worked. The idea was a red pasta with pan-fried chicken. Cooking together was probably the second-most intimate act between the two of you, other than sleeping together. You smiled to yourself, seeing his hand place a wet towel down as you grabbed an onion to chop up. 

As he finished cooking, you prepared the dining table which was also in the kitchen. You grabbed the re-corked bottle of white wine and placed it on the table, along with two of his wine glasses. Using the tool, you pulled the cork out. As you sat, pouring the wine into the glasses, Shouta began walking over, holding two plates in his hand. He placed one in front of you while taking the other one in the space right beside you. Thanking him, the two of you soon began eating.

Soon after dinner, you grabbed the plates, taking them over to the sink. Shouta went to the bathroom as you began to clean up, washing up the glasses as well. Focusing on the items in the sink, you didn’t notice the footsteps coming up behind you until you could feel hands suddenly wrap around your waist. Gasping, you were suddenly turned around, facing Shouta who pressed you against the sink. His hands sunk down, grabbing you underneath your thighs and pushing you up, so he could wrap your legs around his own waist. Giggling, you reached behind you, turning off the water tap before placing your arms up around his neck and shoulders. Nails weaving into his hair, pushing his head down towards your own. 

He pressed you against the sink counter, lips roughly pressed your own. Your grip on his hair was harsh. You whispered a ‘fuck’ as he let go of your lips. His hands went from your waist, grabbing the bunched-up fabric of your dress, slowly peeling it up. Shouta tasted of wine and tomato sauce, you probably tasted the same. Lifting your arms up, you allowed him to take the rest of your dress off, leaving you in only your thong. He threw the fabric in some obscure corner, hands coming right up to your breasts. Your hands left his hair, going down to his black shirt. As you began to lift his own shirt up, he started to leave kisses all along your neck. He moved his hands, allowing you to get his shirt off before slowly throwing it somewhere. He attached himself back to you, his mouth moving to your titties. 

Gasping, your nails dug into his back as he sucked away at your nipple, his other hand squeezing and holding the other one. You choked on your own spit, intensity overwhelming at a rapid pace. His touch and actions were familiar yet had you going senseless every time. God, you’ve never met a man like Shouta Aizawa, you doubt you ever find someone that makes you feel intense passion. From the moment you met, till now, your life has been a set trajectory with his every touch leading the way. 

“Shouta,” gasping, hands basically ripping down his back. 

You could feel him smirk against you, taking in every detail of you. He soon let go of your breasts, leaving a wet kiss along your stomach to your abdomen, and soon reached in between your thighs. His hands slid down your things, slowly sliding the pink velvet thin cloth off your body. As it pooled on the floor, he kneeled right over, face right there in between your thighs. His hot shaky breath caused sent trembles up your body through your spine. Moving his hands to your inner thighs, he separated them placing his tongue right on your clit. 

You screamed, hearing yourself echo through the otherwise silent kitchen. Your hand flew to your mouth, covering up the onslaught of moans that were coming about. Almost immediately his hand left your thigh, flying up to your covered hand moving it from your mouth before diving in deeper. 

Backing arching, you shook against the counter from his actions. His lips wrapped around your clit, sucking away endlessly. Bracing yourself, you could feel the cold of the metal sink as he pushed back against you. The way he commanded your body, in just a few months you two knew each other. The way he paid attention to every gasp and shiver, the way you moved within his hold. 

“So good, oh my god,” the last word extended as you could feel him sink two fingers into your wet, glistening heat. 

He kept going on and on, your rash movements and thrashes unmoving to him. The two of you locked eyes for a moment, and you can feel him smirk against you. Shouta took pride in the way he manipulated your body, and that moment was one of many that confirmed that. As Shouta continued, you could feel your lower abdomen begin to shake, your legs shaking with it. That titillating, familiar beginning to rise and rise quickly. Shouta kept his pace steady, inserting an extra finger inside of you as well. 

Holding yourself was too strenuous, your head and shoulders falling into one side of the sink. You screamed at him that you were almost there, that you were gonna come soon. Your hands could no longer reach over to him, the limbs falling right by your side. 

With a final moan, back arching once again, you reached your peak, everything crashing all at once. 

Gasping heavily, you lifted your head up as Shouta stepped away from you for a moment. He gave you a single moment to reprieve, before picking up your body with ease. Immediately you latched yourself around him. In between the time he pressed me against the counter to now, he had lost his sweatpants. Legs wrapping around his waist, you pressed your lips against his own, indulging in your taste. As you kissed him, his one hand held you up as the other lost the boxers he was wearing. He pushed you up, angling your body well. Gasping as you felt that familiar pressure, throwing your head back as he pressed himself into you. Letting go of the kiss, you pressed your cheek against his shoulder as he lowered down further and further. 

“So, so soo big, fuck,” panting, tongue out and drolling as he stretched you out, filling you to the brim.

His deep raspy chuckles rattled your body, his mouth right near your ears, “just a little more, angel.”

You could let out shaky moans, nodding your head whilst laying it down on his shoulder. With one last thrust, he was all the way in. With little to no remorse, start lifting your body up and down with an intoxicating speed. You braced yourself within his hold, curling within his touch as he continued to hold you up and move within you. Your eyes were drooping, overwhelmed by his movements, your ears, and your mind buzzing with white noise. 

“Keep your eyes open, baby, look at me.”

Gasping, pulling yourself out of the trance, you moved your head to be able to look at him. 

“Yeah, yeah that’s it, keep your eyes right on me.”

Your body was sticky with sweat, the atmosphere was heated all around you, and you could barely breathe as he rocked you. You tried your best, your hardest to keep your eyes right on him. The grunts resonated in your ears as he picked up his pace, continuing to reach deep within you. He was dangerously close to your cervix, pressing just closer enough for it to hurt just right. 

“Shouta,” you convulsed in his hold, body twitching with euphoria. 

He says nothing as he continued to fuck you, finding his fast pace and sticking to it. Gasping as he leaned in close to you, placing wet kisses all over your neck and shoulder. The sudden closeness caused him to penetrate deeper inside you. 

“‘s too deep, fuck so deep Shouta,” you cursed, head thrown back. 

Your body began to quiver and shake, choked sobs making their way up from your throat. You were close, so painfully close. His movements and thrusts forced your back to arch, curling more and more into the impending climax. 

“Gonna come, fuckfuckfuckfuck gonna come.”

He smirked, continuing his brutal thrusts, with no intention to let you up.

“Go on, cum for me baby.”

 With those words, a final single cry erupted out of your lips, you writhed in his hold, pussy dripping all over him, dripping right onto the floor. Heaving, letting out a heavy gasp, your body went slack, all muscles within your body unresponsive. SHouta'’s grunts became louder and rougher, his thrust becoming erratic. However, you could barely even process anything that happened after you came, his hands being the only thing that's holding your body up. 

With a final thrust, Shouta came deep within you, not even bothering to pull out like other times before. It was silent except for his heavy breathing and your slight pants. You were floating, your mind, it was out of this world, like many times before. You could feel your body moving, him slowly pulling you off of him, the sullen feeling with the sudden emptiness. You could feel all that was happening all around you. Shouta carried you within his arms, moving you around to carry you around like a bride. He left your pile of clothes in the kitchen as he walked up and out the kitchen, up the stairs to his bedroom. Doors opened and creaked as he stepped in, sudden light flooding your closed eyes. 

He took a few steps, before kneeling down slightly and reaching for something, resting you against his thigh. A rush of water, his bathtub, you could slowly deduce within your state. He waited for a moment, for the water to be a bit sallow and warm enough before slowly placing you inside. As the water fills, the heat brings your mind back to earth a bit, boring your eyes to look up at your lover. You gave him a weak smile, pulling your hand out of the water to feel for his face. His scruffy beard and the familiar scratchiness brought a weak smile to your face as you pulled him down, placing a soft kiss on his lips. 

As you let him go, he gave you his own soft smile, before getting up, and going over to the small basket of body care he leaves near the bathtub. He grabbed it, walked back over to you, and placed it right near the tub before getting in himself, lifting you up before sitting down and placing you right on his lap. Together, the two of you cleaned each other up, rinsing off the sin of the previous activities.

As soon as you were clean, you were more grounded, following after him to the two towels he laid out for you. The two of you dried off, you get dressed in one of his thin t-shirts, and him getting into another pair of sweatpants before guiding you out of the bathroom. You climbed into his bed, with him following in right after you. The two of you got under the covers, snuggling right near each, his arm right on top of your whole body. Taking a deep breath, you smiled, easily falling into a deep and peaceful sleep. 

You woke up with a gasp, the sudden feeling of pressure within your bladder, and no, not the good kind either. Grimacing, you pushed away Shouta’s arm, holding your stomach as you pushed yourself off the bed. He was an extremely heavy sleeper, not waking up as you walked around the bed, and towards the bathroom. Glancing to your left, you noticed a familiar bag sitting against the wall near his nightstand. Smiling to yourself, he must have gotten up and gotten it as you were asleep. Then you were reminded of the impending danger that was coming. Quickly, you grabbed your phone out of the tote bag before heading right inside the bathroom. 

Scrolling through Twitter as you did your business, cleaning up and washing your hands. You were about to head back outside when you noticed two email notifications come in at the same time to your phone, one addressed to your personal and your school. You ignored the personal one, you could see that one tomorrow, but you checked the school one, making sure it was that one professor that constantly got back to you at odd hours of the night. 

Your heart stopped. Blood went as cold as a snake. 

Your ears began to fill with white noise, and your heart raced faster and faster as you scrolled through what you were seeing. Tears were welling right in your eyes, 

On your phone screen, were pictures of you and Shouta, not only from today but from days, even a date night he surprised you with a month ago in a whole new city during a school break. 

At the end of the email, was the only words within this world-shattering email, 

I know your secret Angel…  ;-) <3

taglist: @deegausserr @ryutotsukai0824 @lik0 @yaygurist @megnotfound

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[jeyramarie]

More like a kook (part 20)- Kiara Carrera x Sister! Reader

summary: the aftermath from the kidnapping is worse than they thought and an unexpected caller makes things interesting 👀

wc:2,686

warning: blood description, hospitals, angst

a/n: PLEASE READ!!! special thanks to @ilovefandoms102 for helping me finish this, i was stuck 😂 also with this part i conclude this fic until season 2 of obx comes out, i’m gonna be writing imagines/blurbs, i also have a jd fic planned with @ilovefandoms102 which will be coming out soon!!! i hope you guys liked reading more like a kook. i sure had a blast writing it, but anyway, without further ado, happy reading everyone 🦋

“What the fuck is going on?” The two pogues looked at the top of the stairs to see a very confused JJ and Nani, barely standing, with wide eyes.

“Since when have you guys been a thing?” the kook asked, putting a piece of hair behind her ear. JJ grabbed her by the waist and helped her walk down the stairs to go to the kitchen. Kie and Pope looked at each other, not knowing what to say, trying to find the right answer. They couldn't really lie now, they were caught in the middle of the kiss.

“I saw you guys kissing when John B left… but i thought it was like a heat of the moment kind of thing.” the blonde boy said helping Nani sit on the kitchen stool.

“Well… that’s really when it started..” Kie said looking at her shoes feeling embarrassed that her sister and her best friends caught her red handed.

“Okay….. Is there any food? I’m starving.” Nani groaned while getting comfy on the stool and trying to change the subject quickly, noticing how uncomfortable Pope and Kie were.

“There’s some left overs from work..” the curly haired pogue suggested walking around the counter and opening the fridge.

“I’ll take it.” the kook said, shrugging her shoulders and smiling a bit. Kie took the burgers and chicken wings out of the fridge and into the oven to heat it up.

“So, Nani…..how do you feel? do you…. you know.. have any pain?” Pope asked fiddling with the keys to the dirt bike.

“I’m okay…..probably gonna have nightmares but...i’m okay..” she smiled leaning into JJ’s chest who was standing beside her making sure she didn't fall. They all stayed in the living room, eating and watching a funny movie. After a couple hours Nani fell asleep on JJ’s shoulder with soft snores coming from her slightly open lips. He stared at her for a few and leaned in to kiss her hairline.

“Do you love her?” Kie asked, making both boy’s eyes open wide. The blonde boy’s mouth opened but nothing came out, they stayed in silence for a while.

“Sorry, it just...came out.” she whispered standing up grabbing the plates from the coffee table. She left to the kitchen and the living room stayed quiet with only the noises of the movie in the background.

“Is she okay?” JJ whispered looking at Pope who was throwing a chip into his mouth.

“Yeah, she’s just… shaken up about everything… she was really anxious about Nani.” he explained leaning back in her chair looking at the tv again. Kie came back and sat next to Pope again continuing to watch the movie. After a few minutes, JJ felt tired so he decided to carry Nani up to her room. He moved his shoulder slightly letting the crook of her neck fall into the inside of his elbow, then his other arm went under her knees taking her off of the couch.

“Night guys...i’ll lay down with her.” JJ whispered smiling at his friends who started gathering everything up to clean the room a bit.

“Night.” “Good night, man.” the pogues said simultaneously while the blonde boy made his way to the stairs. He stopped and turned to them, feeling the irresistible urge to tell them something.

“Oh and if you’re gonna fuck….please don’t be too loud.” he smirked at them and started making his way upstairs leaving his two best friends in shock and with intensely blushing faces. JJ laid Nani on her bed and got in with her wrapping his arm around her waist, making the little spoon. He fell into a deep slumber and was dreaming about John B, when they went surfing, how happy they all were when they all found the gold but all that quickly disappeared when he was woken up by coughs coming from the bathroom. He opened his eyes and noticed that the kook wasn't next to him, he turned, staring at the clock that read ‘3:30 am’. Groaning he stood up and walked to the bathroom, knocking softly on the door. Nani opened the door and gave JJ a small smile which he returned. He walked into the bathroom while she leaned back against the sink and crossed her arms, waiting for him to talk.

“What are you doing up?” he asked looking around the bathroom.

“Nothing..i just had to pee.”

Out of the corner of his eye he saw something brightrant red in the trash can, he turned and picked up the napkin.

“What is this?”

“A napkin.” Nani muttered making JJ mad.

“I know what it is but why the fuck does it have blood on it?” he said, raising his voice a bit while walking towards her, keeping her hostage between the sink and him.

“I don't know, okay? it’s - it’s not my blood.”

“How is it not yours, Nani? That makes no sense.” he said angrily shaking the napkin in front of her face, making her nervous. So nervous she started coughing again uncontrollably again, she covered her mouth and when she took it away from her face spots of blood covered her palm. She looked at JJ with watery eyes and started coughing again out of nowhere. This time, she couldn't be able to stop as her blood filled spit decorated JJ’s white tank top. When he saw the blood he looked up at the kook and her chin was covered in bloody saliva while tears ran down her cheeks.

“Kie! Pope! Come here! Hurry! Kie! Pope!” he shouted, grabbing Nani’s shoulders, trying to look at her face. When he saw that the coughs were getting worse and she was swaying a bit, losing her balance and falling onto JJ’s arm still hacking up the red icky substance.

“Kiara! Pope! Please help me!” he looked down at Nani again touching her face and rubbing her cheek with his thumb.

“You’re gonna be okay…. You're gonna be fine.” he said while his voice broke and stray tears ran down his face.

“Kiara! Pop-” JJ was about to yell again when the pogues burst into the room finding their best friend with an almost conscious girl in his arms.

“What happened?” Kie panicked when she saw the blood and went to the floor immediately to check on her sister.

“She started coughing up blood, I don't know why..” he whimpered looking between Pope and Kiara.

“I’m gonna call an ambulance.” Pope said, turning around to look for Nani or JJ’s phone.

“No! We’ll take her, it's way faster.” the curly haired pogue said standing up, giving the blonde boy some room to properly grab her sister and stand up. When they left the bathroom, Pope was already downstairs looking for the car keys. He finally found them and ran outside opening the back seat door and getting into the driver's seat, turning on the car. Kiara got in and JJ put Nani inside, laying her head on her sister’s lap and quickly ran to the front seat. Pope sped down the empty street while the two girls were on the verge of crying.

“Kie, it really hurts.” Nani groaned, clutching her stomach and curving her body into a ball.

“What hurts?”

“My stomach.” the kook whimpered while her sister lifted up her shirt, gasping at what she saw. Her abdomen was covered in bruises of all colors, some bigger than others, some darker, some lighter.

“Nani, di- did Rafe and Barry do this?” Kie cried watching her sister cry out in pain. When JJ heard the names he turned around with furrowed eyebrows.

“Rafe and Barry what?” he asked a bit angry, low key not wanting to know what else they did to Nani. Kie looked down at her sister who was shaking her head, not wanting her boyfriend to find out what really happened in that little shack.

“They hit her...bad.” she said looking at him ignoring her sister’s silent plies to stay quiet but she couldn't, JJ had to know. Kiara even invented that pogue rule ‘no lies among pogues’, she wasn't going to be the one to break it.

“They did what?!” he shouted angrily but before he could say anything else, Pope cut him off.

“We’re here.” he said, stopping in front of the ER entrance. JJ got out fast and took Nani in his arms with Kiara trailing behind him. Immediately, the nurses and doctors came with a gurney so the pogue could lay her there. They started acting fast, asking for her name, age, checking her vitals, her breathing and when they were about to start the stomach palpitations Nani groaned in pain again, curving her body. A nurse turned to Kiara and JJ with a confused expression.

“What happened?”

“She was coughing up blood out of nowhere.” JJ rambled running his fingers through his hair while watching the medical professionals work on his girlfriend. Kie was about to mention the bruises when Nani started coughing blood again making the doctors and nurses run with the gurney inside, making JJ and Kie nervous, not knowing what was gonna happen.

“I need a CT stat and get me OR 3 ready!” the surgeon shouted, making everyone else scatter and get to work, a nurse stayed behind to keep asking the pogues a couple questions about Nani.

“What- what’s happening? where are they taking her?” Kie asked worriedly walking towards the doors where her sister just went through.

“They’re gonna do a few tests to check what’s causing the coughing and the blood, okay? but do you guys know where the bruises come from?” the nurse asked holding her pen with one hand and the clipboard with the other putting it in front of Kie, signaling her that she can’t through the doors.

“Ummm….uuuhh… she-“ the curly haired pogue stuttered looking at JJ, not knowing what to say. The nurse noticed the hesitation and the fear so she lowered the clipboard and gave them soft eyes.

“Look, guys...in order to help Nani, you need to tell me what happened, if she’s allergic to anything…” she said softly.

“She’s not allergic to anything…” Kie whispered, receiving a confused look from the nurse.

“I’m her sister.” she clarified making the woman nod.

“Are you guys gonna tell me what happened or do i need to call the cops?” the two pogues looked at each other and looked back at the nurse hoping Pope would burst in and save them from this moment.

After what felt like hours, Nani was out of surgery and finally waking up, feeling a hand on hers. She squeezed it and heard a faint gasp while she was coming back into reality.

“Nani? Nani, can you hear me?” the voice said as she tried to open her eyes slowly, trying to get used to the strong white light of the room. She saw a blurry silhouette with long hair, it was Kie who was literally crying, feeling grateful that her sister was okay.

“Kie?” she groaned squinting her eyes because of the light, she put a hand over them feeling a little sting.

“Yeah, it’s me. I’m right here.” Kie smiled, grabbing her hand tighter. Nani was about to ask where she was when her parents burst into the room.

“Alani? Kiara? Oh my god.” Anna cried pulling the pogue in for a hug and grabbing the kook’s hand strongly.

“Are you guys okay?” she whimpered, wiping Kie’s tears with her thumb. Mike was next to Nani touching her hair and kissing her forehead while holding her hand softly because of the IV line.

“Hi, dad.” the kook whispered giving her dad a small smile which he returned with teary eyes.

“Hey, sweetie. How do you feel?”

“It hurts a bit but… i’m okay.” she smiled and in that moment Anna came towards the bed on her left side, where Kie was a couple minutes ago.

“I’m so glad you guys are okay. What happened?” their said worriedly looking back and forth at her daughters, who were hesitating. Nani looked at her sister, who was standing at the foot of the bed, with a confused face. She didn't know why her parents were there, they didn’t know she got kidnapped or about the gold or about the money. So of course, Nani assumed it was Kie who called them.

“She got beat up by some kooks...outside of the Wreck.” the pogue said after clearing her throat and looked at Nani, signalling her to continue the lie.

“Yeah….it wasn't pretty.” she whispered and groaned a bit when she tried to move.

“Wh- why would they hit you?” Anna stuttered looking at Mike with wide eyes.

“They were gonna do something to Kie….because she was….hanging out with pogues..” Nani said, moving her eyes to look at her sister and nodded so she could continue.

“Yes… yeah, ummm.. she w- she was protecting me..” Kie gave them a small smile looking at her parents, seeing that they actually bought the lie. Mike left the room to talk to the doctor and a couple minutes later Anna left to get some food. The Carrera sisters finally stayed alone which made them giggle, thinking about the huge explanation they thankfully dodged.

“I can’t believe they bought it.” Kiara giggled sitting next to her sister who was laughing too.

“Yeah...i didn’t know we were such good actresses.. someone give us an oscar.” she smiled but then frowned almost instantly, which Kie noticed so she frowned too.

“Where’s JJ?” the kook whispered looking down at her hands and then up at her sister.

“He’s outside…you want me to call him?”

“Yes, please.”

“Okay.” the pogue muttered before standing up from the bed and walking outside to get JJ. Nani stayed looking out the window, thinking about everything that happened. She could’ve died and it was all thanks to Rafe Cameron. Her raging thoughts were cut short when she heard the door open and when she turned her smile grew bigger than ever. JJ smiled, ran to the bed and immediately grabbed her face and connected his lips with hers. They had an incredible urge to be together, like they’ve been apart for decades. The blonde boy resisted some actions, he thought about all the things he would do if they weren’t in the hospital at that precise moment but he calmed down when he heard her giggle into the kiss. She pulled away smiling and rubbed her thumbs on his cheeks.

“I’m so happy you’re okay.” he whispered sniffling while touching her hair softly.

“I missed you…i’m so glad you’re here.” she smiled, grabbing his hand and kissing his palm.

“How are you? are you okay?” she asked, gripping his hand tighter.

“Babe, you’re the one in a hospital bed.” he laughed, making her smile and bite her lip.

“I don’t care, I still worry about you.” JJ was about to talk but that’s when Pope and Kie walked in with three bags of food.

They all ate and made jokes, wanting to make Nani smile in a time like this. Pope even brought his little speaker so he put some music on and started dancing with Kie while JJ was playing UNO with Nani on the bed. The kook placed a +4 card on the table which made JJ scoff and she turned to her sister, watching her smile as Pope twirled her around. She turned back to JJ and when she was about to put another card, his phone started ringing.

“Hey! Pope, can you lower the volume?” he asked while placing his cards down and taking out his phone. He looked at the screen and didn’t recognize the number, it came from the Bahamas. He was really confused so he answered it, looking at all of his friends with furrowed eyebrows.

“Hello?” he immediately opened his eyes extremely wide as they got watery, grabbing everyone’s attention. Nani gave him a worried face asking him who it was with her eyes.

“John B?”

taglist: @obxmxybxnk @o-b-x @a-wari @teenwaywardasgardian @a-golden-sunflower-vol-6 @x-lulu @jewel25 @the-unloved-person @sunsetsofanemoia @sexualparkour @lust-for-pan @obx-direction-sos @honeysuger

[vaudelin]

The day of Dean's fortieth birthday, told from Lebanon's point of view. (1 of 6)

I. Richard F., 53 - Rick’s Best Meats Co. (1282 wc) [AO3]

Ricky’s wrapping an order of back ribs, nodding along absently to Anderson’s chatter, when the local FBI agent appears from the condiment aisle and shuffles into the back of the line.

He’s in his off-duty wear, decked out in denim and plaid, his position betrayed only by the coiled swagger that comes from having a concealed weapon somewhere on his body. Arrived at the shop on his own, too, no partner in sight. His presence staggers Ricky for a moment, just long enough that he wonders whether this’ll be the time the agent—Douglas, pretty sure it was Doug or Douglas, though his badge flashed seemingly by accident—has come to ask him questions more routine than whether Ricky can find him elk’s liver before the full moon rises.

Truthfully, Agent Doug-or-Douglas has been in here often enough that he shouldn’t rattle Ricky anymore, particularly because the guy tries his best to seem unassuming. Then again, anybody who had to stare up at a guy that tall would probably do a double-take too.

Anderson nods his appreciation and picks up his pack of ribs, hefting his way toward the storefront where Julie’s already busy at the till. Ricky then drops his focus back to Mrs. Pierson, next in line, who has approached the display case and is already rattling off her regular order of feta stuffed chicken. Hands moving, Ricky nods along like her order might deviate from the usual (it won’t), knowing that if he fails to give her sufficient eye contact she’ll lodge a back-channel complaint with his wife at their book club Saturday evening.

Agent Douglas waits offside, browsing hot sauces until the crowd in the store has dissipated, the line having dried up and died. Ricky makes a quick glance at the tills, confirms Julie’s glued back on her phone, and ushers the agent up to the display case.

“Got your lamb’s blood,” Ricky says, bending close, scarcely above a murmur. “That femur bone too. It’s a bit nicked-up—rookie did the cut—but should still be good for …” He waves his hand in a slow, small circle, roping up the idea of whatever it is that Agent Douglas—Doug—needs these things for.

Ricky’s about to go for the box in the back cooler, but Doug’s eyes have widened, caught off-guard. Briefly, Ricky wonders whether the past six years of odd requests have all been an elaborate set-up for the smallest meat shop sting in FBI history.

“Uh, no actually—” Doug begins, though he backtracks as soon as he sees the color draining from Ricky’s face. “I mean, yes, I’ll take it, of course, thank you, but—well. I have to ask for something unusual this time.”

Oh lord, Ricky thinks, he’s going to ask for something human. He—

“—does so much, and we were thinking of doing something special, y’know? But since he’s usually the one doing the cooking, I’m not sure what we could get, or what’s good enough to—”

“Wait,” Ricky blurts, brain lagging behind. “You’re looking for cut recommendations?”

Doug sags forward, breathing relief. “Yes. Exactly.”

Ricky’s shoulders slump. He takes his balance from the curved top of the display case, waiting for his brain to reboot. He’s in his element for once, except that he’s not, not by any stretch of the imagination. What do you offer the guy that regularly asks for entrails?

“So it’s a party for your partner,” Ricky says slowly.

“Uh,” Doug says. “Sure.”

“The other agent,” Ricky amends, ticking his thumb. “Got any idea yet what you’re making?”

“Something red meat,” Doug says. “Beyond that, the menu’s open.”

“A’ight.” Ricky feels the treads in his head catching traction, the engine of his mind revving back into a purr. “He a stew guy? Steak? Burger?”

“Burger,” Doug nods affirmatively.

“Bison? Pork? Angus?”

Doug grimaces. “Beef, I guess? He usually makes from scratch.”

“And lemme guess—that’s outside your comfort level, huh.” Ricky nods along when Doug does. He waves the agent down along the display. “You might be better off with a package of pre-mades rather than trying to imitate what he does.”

“Nothing frozen,” Doug quickly amends, nose wrinkling. “Sorry, just—years on the road. He knows the difference.”

“No foul,” Ricky says, shrugging. So they’re back to fresh. Beginner levels. He walks him through the chuck mixes they have on hand, the jalapeno cheddar pork patties, the pork and beef salsa, even the veggie patties they bring in custom for Peg Mussey. When none of them jump out to Doug as appealing, Ricky dials it back and thinks on it a moment, tapping a finger on the glass above the display. “Y’know, it’s a basic ground, sure, but if you’re up for it, this chuck would take to burgers beautifully.”

Doug leans in toward the glass, staring down the chuck like it might offer its own take.

Ricky scratches the back of his neck, torn between the upsale and doing right by the guy. Maybe he’s overstepping, but—“I have this homemade spice mix that’s dynamite for burgers. The whole family clamors for it as soon as barbecue season picks up. I could get a copy to you, maybe ...?”

Ricky waits the half-beat for insult to rise, if the partner is truly a connoisseur kind of guy, but thankfully Doug seems grateful for the offer rather than offended.

“You would do that?” Doug asks, clearly relieved.

Ricky beams back his own relief. “Sure, it’s no family secret. Though I’d say pick up all the recommended toppings too, if you’re looking for the full experience. He like anything extra on his bun?”

Doug huffs, laughing. “Bacon, bacon, bacon.”

Ricky claps. “Good man. We’re back in business, m’friend.”

He gets Doug to give him a rough idea of the party headcount, then starts portioning out enough ground chuck for each guest to come back for thirds. He takes a couple extra minutes to show Doug the rough size to make a patty, how to mix and shape it without overworking it. He rounds out the order with the cuts of bacon that best serve Doug’s burger schemes, finishing off the whole kit with a perfectly portioned ingredient list that Ricky scratches out on the brown wrapping paper atop the bacon slab.

“Can’t tell you how grateful I am for all the help, Rick,” Doug says, a newfound confidence entering his voice. “I gotta admit, attempting to cook my brother’s own recipe for him was … daunting, to say the least.”

“It’ll be fine,” Ricky tells him, waving idly. “Just stick to that spice ratio, and don’t overcook ‘em.”

“Thank you, seriously.” Doug looks young with this puppy-dog look, his eyes shining out from his mop of hair.

Ricky shrugs again. “It’s nothing. ‘M just glad to see you in here for something other than kidneys and hearts for once.”

Ricky smiles through the joke, but Doug frowns briefly. “No, you’re right. I should grab one too, maybe, if Garth’s gonna …” He thinks it over a moment longer, then adds with finality, “Yeah, a cow heart too, if you have one.”

Ricky nods, his grin fading. “Yeah, I got one,” he says, thumb jabbing vaguely toward the cooler. He wraps the requested offal and watches Agent Douglas embark for Julie at the till, wondering just what kind of a celebration includes burgers and a cow heart on the same menu.

“Have a good one, Doug,” Ricky shouts as he’s leaving, earning a puzzled look from the agent, followed by a tight wave from his free hand.

It’s only after Doug is gone, the bell above the door tinkling shut, that Ricky remembers the lamb’s blood and femur in the back.

[loftyexecutor]

quam

Pairing: addain [Esper/Sia], elsain [Infi/Sia] Rating: T WC: 1697 AU: gang au

part of q-rious previously on q-rious; quod

Esper doesn't even realize he's shaking, though his whole body moves like a leaf in a storm, hands frozen by his hips, twitching minutely.

The feeling of Apos' tongue across his lips and in his mouth is familiar and his body welcomes it right away. His mind, however, doesn't share the same sentiment. On unsteady feet, he backs away, lips tingling with the still-present ghost touch.

His hand raises on its own, swinging in a wide arch.

Smack.

It doesn't even feel like it's him doing it, more like he's just an observer peering at the world through the eyes of whoever it is that just created a crimson, palm-shaped mark on Apos' pale cheek.

Apos moves his jaw, making sure it's all right - Esper hasn't been a bodyguard for nothing, even with a body that hides his strength. He looks guilty and doesn't move from the spot even as Esper takes progressively longer and longer to sort through the turmoil of his thoughts.

"Your sense of humor has changed, I see," he mutters darkly, feeling the way his brows knit almost painfully. "Let me clarify, it wasn't funny."

He suddenly feels like retching again, purging the last remains of the alcohol from his body along with Apos' taste that lingers on the edge of his tongue, taunting him. Something smoky with a touch of mint.

Infi hadn't moved during this whole exchange, but now he does, stepping closer to Esper with his arms folded. "It wasn't a joke, that's why," he says, shifting. His arms are as much a barrier as any. "Listen, I know my return fucked up your little thing, but that's why we talked with Apos about it. Y'know, the thing you refused to do and instead got high and drunk?"

"What I do with my body is none of your concern," Esper bites back, all he can force out.

Infi pierces him with a look simultaneously burning and chilling to the bone. Esper refuses to budge, though he does cross his arms in return, doubling the makeshift barrier. "It's my concern when it makes stuff worse."

"It makes nothing worse."

The redhead sighs, shoulders lowering a little. "Apos cried, y'know."

This seems to startle Esper, his eyes shooting to the mentioned man's face for a split second only to find it perfectly dry, if a little contorted. "I don't follow," he breathes.

"When you left. He wouldn't stop, no matter what I did. Just kept crying 'Esper, Esper!' until he passed out from exhaustion." Infi starts twirling a long lock of hair around his index finger as if to find something for his twitchy fingers to do. When he notices Esper's still-very-much-confused look, his lips press into a hard line. "Let me make this clearer."

Finally, Esper thinks.

"Sia likes you. Whether or not you believe it, he does. He also still likes me." Apos is trying his hardest to look like he's not even there. "And you like him, don't you. Otherwise you wouldn't be so jealous-"

"Watch your mouth!"

"-of me." Infi offers a lazy grin, swaying on the balls of his heels. "Now, now. We've come to an agreeable... Let's say a deal, while you were busy drinking yourself up."

"That's it, I don't have to listen to this… kid… spewing shit about me," Esper declares, obviously fed up with Infi's thinly veiled jabs at him.

"Esper," Apos speaks up, first time in the while, and now Infi falls silent. Well, he does when Apos' eyes bore into him, berating him without a single word. "Hear us out. Me out."

Esper takes a deep breath, gazing wistfully at the road before sighing and holding his arms tighter. "Alright, I'm all ears. What is this deal bullshit the pipsqueak blabbered about?"

"Pipsqueak?!" Infi cries out, offended. Well, not even the heels of his shoes give him nearly enough to match either Esper or Apos' height.

"I don't want to lose you, Esper," Apos says, ignoring Infi's remark for the moment. "I... I care about you. Not like a subordinate, but as a friend... Partner. I care the same about Infi, but he'd been gone and now he's back and it's pretty confusing but I know I want you around if that's what you also want!"

Esper is quiet for a moment and then he's still quiet, barely audible, as he says, "It's never been fun being Elsword Perfect Sieghart's shadow, you know? Whenever you talked about him I just wanted to kill him as well, because you'd never stop, you never let me forget there was someone better than me."

"I should have noticed," Apos admits, hanging his head in a mixture of shame and apology.

"I wanted to be special to you," Esper admits, the most painful thing he'd said all day.

"You are special to me."

Esper shakes his head at that, making Apos take back the cautionary step he'd taken towards him. "Not like Infi."

"So that's what you think," Apos utters and his lips quirk up at the corners. "You're right. You're special to me not like Infi, but like you. And I want you to stay, I… need you to stay, it hurts to imagine life without you."

He'd obviously struck a chord with Esper, because he shifts nervously, running fingers through his messy hair. "You survived without Infi. You… became greater. You'll have him back, so you don't really need a failed experiment anym-"

"You're not like Infi, don't you understand?" Apos cuts him off. He would not hear another self-deprecating word from Esper's lips. "You're Esper Grenore, and there's nothing failed about you."

Esper chuckles; it's not wholehearted, but it's a step in the right direction. "The test results would beg to differ."

"What do I care about some decade old tests?"

Esper's lips curl up further. Apos can see the exhaustion clear in his eyes and the bags under them. The man looks like he needs a good night's sleep. And some breakfast, preferably.

"Can I make an offer?" Apos asks, taking a small step towards Esper. Esper doesn't back away, this time, just peers curiously at him. "You don't have to be a bodyguard to Infi. We talked, and Infi agreed to… Well, share the head spot. He'd been gone so long he doesn't know current operations and whatnot. So I wouldn't be his bodyguard, and you could stay mine."

There's a glimmer in Esper's eyes as he glances sideways at Infi, though whether it's an excited grimmer or an enraged one for Infi to try and steal Apos' hard earned spot is beyond either of them. "What about him, though?"

Infi laughs and speaks up again, finally. Honestly, it felt like they'd been passing a baton. "I don't need a guard for the time being. No one even knows I'm back yet, and when the rumors spread, it'll be much more effective to show I can protect myself, don't you think?"

Esper doesn't offer an answer, instead turning back to Apos. "So he'll always be around," he states more than asks.

Apos' eyes soften and he smiles rather lopsidedly. "Give him a chance. I'm sorry I did… all that I did in the past, but no matter how much I hyped him up, he's still a human like us."

"And I don't have to protect him?"

"No." Though Apos doesn't have a single doubt Esper would jump in were something to actually happen.

"Only you? Like before?"

"Only me. Just like before."

"And…" Esper falters. He's almost there, they almost have him! Apos' heart is pounding so hard it's a real feat to keep himself composed. "What was that about the... kiss?"

"Ah." Apos flushes, looking away. "Well… Uh… I love you?"

Esper quirks a brow, hiding his inner turmoil with a scoff. "Love me enough to botch my name during sex, huh?"

Apos cringes. "I'm… sorry for that. Truth is, I also love Infi. But that's… no reason to hurt you in such a way. If you'd give me permission, I would use the right name next time."

"Would you now?" Esper muses, mulling it over. "Are you saying you want to fuck me while you're, what, fucking Infi as well?"

"Date," Apos corrects. "I want to date you."

"Us both? Do I have to date Infi?"

Infi can feel the weight of Esper's stare burning through him. "Nah," he says, instantly feeling it burning a little less. "Just Apos."

"I can… live with that," Esper nods, more to himself than anything. Apos knows he'll warm up to Infi, sooner or later. Well, knowing Esper, it'll be later more than sooner. "I… don't know how this works."

"We can figure it out. For now, how does lunch sound like?"

Esper has to admit, at least to himself, that he is starving. Having heaved up what little he'd ingested the night prior left him woozy and with a grumbling stomach, so he didn't have many protests.

"McDonald's?" he asks hopefully, just the thought of a chocolate McSundae making his mouth water.

"Anything you want," Apos nods.

Esper casts a glance at Infi, who had stuck his hands into the pockets of his jacket, looking odd with the bruise on his face and dust on his dress shirt. His tie is askew. But the boy - how old even is he? How is he the head of a mafia? - looks completely relaxed now, when grinning lazily.

"One order of chicken nuggets and chocolate ice cream?" Infi asks, already looking like he knows the answer. Esper glances at Apos, and even if Apos' expression doesn't betray anything, he knows he's the one who told Infi what he likes. Something tugs at his heart.

"Double order of chicken burger and vanilla ice cream?" Esper replies, hesitantly.

They turn to look at Apos and this time their voices are almost synced. "One order of cheeseburger with bacon, no ice cream and apple cake."

"Ice cream isn't even a part of a menu why do you say no ice cream?" Apos sighs, rolling his eyes goodheartedly.

"It so is," Infi huffs, "What's an order without ice cream?"

"A meal."

"You're missing out, Apos."

"Nah. Not anymore."

[tripstations]

Short stay: Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel, Belgravia, London, UK

By Paul Johnson on Jun 22, 2019 in Accommodation, Attractions, Europe, Featured, Food and Drink, Going Out, Hotels, Regions, Restaurants, Travel Miscellany, United Kingdom, Western Europe

Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts is widely regarded as one of the most luxurious and innovative hotel brands in the world. With more than 20 hotels in key locations across the globe, the brand’s five star Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel is perhaps atypical of many in the group. Hidden away in a discrete but central location and housed in a Belgravia mews house, it is worlds apart from the likes of the Jumierah’s famous Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai and has little in common with many other hotels within the brand, but for the group’s consistently keen eye for quality and careful attention to detail.

The welcome

From the moment I arrived and the doorman greeted me and offered to take my case, I was welcomed with smiles and instantly felt at home. This positive first impression continued as I was offered a hot towel and made to feel a valued guest by Neil on reception who dealt with the check-in process in a swift and efficient manner.

The room

My superior room was relaxing and uncluttered. The bed was very comfortable and the room had everything you would need for a true home-from-home experience.

The room looked out over a small square to the rear of the hotel, close to a number of eateries.

A turn-down service was offered each evening, with a sleep spray left on the bed and slippers laid out nearby. In-room reading material included a Jumeirah-curated magazine titled ‘The Beauty Issue’, Business Traveller, Belgravia and The English Home magazines. Complimentary newspapers were available at breakfast and a digital newspaper could be read on the in-room tablet (which also has info on concierge services, in-room dining and an A-Z of guest services).

On my first night, I did arrive quite late – and had work to do – so opted for the comfort and convenience of dining in my room. Executive Chef Martin Gabler has especially designed an in-room dining menu that offers an enticing selection of dishes. The menu highlights healthy and hearty options, as well as a number of signature dishes. The curries and beef burgers are firm favourites, but freshly made stone-baked crispy pizzas are also a speciality.

I had the prawn and avocado salad – sautéed king prawns with sliced avocado, mixed leaves and cherry tomatoes, finished with a sesame soy dressing that was full of flavour.

For my main I chose from the ‘Flavours from the East’ section of the menu and opted for the signature dish of chicken tikka masala with basmati rice, cucumber raita and warn naan bread.

The bathroom

The bathroom offered ample space with a bath with a shower over it, a single basin and WC. Thick, white bathrobes were supplied as well Temple Spa toiletries.

The facilities

Breakfast is served each morning in the Lowndes Bar & Kitchen between the hours of 7am and 11am, with a choice of Continental and cooked options that included the full English or lighter alternatives such as poached eggs and avocado on toast.

Dinner is also served in this brasserie-style restaurant, with the focus of the menu being on modern British cuisine.

When dining there I had the crispy duck and watermelon salad with cucumber, minted leaves, mint, coriander, toasted cashew nuts, sesame seeds and Hoisin sauce. New to the menu, this is a very refreshing salad, light but full of flavour, and with the duck still warm.

For my main, I had the grilled sea bass fillet, which had a wonderfully crisp skin, and was served with green asparagus and an orange hollandaise. Additional sides such as tender stem broccoli, buttered green beans and rocket Parmesan salad are available as optional extras. As well as the mains on the menu, there is a changing menu of weekly specials available from Monday to Friday.

I didn’t have space for dessert but diners could choose from temptations such as strawberry and pistachio nut pavlova with whipped cream and a raspberry coulis, warm chocolate fondant with Madagascan vanilla bean ice cream and apricot and almond Frangipane tart with a passion fruit coulis and crème Chantilly.

Guests staying at the Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel also have unlimited access to The Peak Health Club and Spa at the nearby sister property, Jumeirah Carlton Tower, which is just a two-minute walk away. It’s open 7 days a week (24 hours a day to guests) and is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including a 20-metre indoor swimming pool which is something of a rarity for hotels in London. There’s also a spa offering a range of luxurious and exclusive treatments ton ensure you are feeling renewed and rejuvenated, as well as osteopathy and physiotherapy services available. However, please note that this facility will be closed for renovations from 1st September until the Summer of 2020.

Location

The hotel is just a 5-minute walk from Knightsbridge Underground station on the Piccadilly line. This is a busy and fashionable shopping area, close to the likes of Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

I was in area for a work event being held at Chelsea Football Club which was easy to reach by taking the Piccadilly line to Earl’s Court, and then the District line to Fulham Broadway.

Tourists exploring London will find themselves centrally located for exploring the city’s many attractions and museums, with Hyde Park and the West End within easy walking distance, and Buckingham Palace and the Victoria and Albert Museum both less than a mile away.

Other nice touches

In my room was a personalised welcome letter from General Manager Ian Richardson, along with some practical ‘need to know’ information. Complimentary water, chocolate-coated dates – perhaps a small nod to Jumeirah’s Middle Eastern routes – and a plate of fruit were all provided.

Finally, another nice touch is that they even have bespoke red, white and blue Belgravia bicycles that you can borrow during your stay.

Cost

Superior rooms start from £186 and suites from £314 when purchased in advance.

Guests staying at any Jumeirah property can join Jumeirah’s SIRIUS loyalty programme where you can collect points and redeem them against a variety of products and services.

The best bit

For me the location was both central and beautifully quiet; rarely do you find both at the same time and this suited me perfectly, particularly for a business trip.

The final verdict

With 88 luxurious rooms including 12 suites, this chic, contemporary hotel still feels intimate and personal, and retains the individual touch that is often lost by much larger hotels. High standards are carefully and consistently maintained throughout the hotel

Disclosure: Our stay was courtesy of the Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel.

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[beffs]

WC 3/7

Monday Today I worked 8-6 was meant to be finishing at half five but I was asked to stay on later because of other staff members phoning in sick! I met jack back at mine we had yummy mash quorn sausage and beans followed by bath then bed

Tuesday Today I worked 6:45-4:30, I had a review today which went really well! We also took the children on a walk to the park this morning which was fun. I then went to an eyelash appointment at 5:00 and had a full set of individual lashes put on for my holiday, wasn’t too sure at first but I love them now!

Wednesday I worked 8:30-5:30 had a really nice day! Then went back to mine where jack was waiting and we had the weirdest dinner of cheese and crackers 😂 mega upset because one of my lashes fell out in the bath and it’s really noticeable I think !!!

Thursday

Today was my half day I only worked 6:45-12 😍 then I took my car to get it cleaned which was long over due!! I did some last minute packing then went to jack’s house

Friday

I had today off work, I met up with my friend claudia for lunch, we went to pizza express and she delish pizzas! I tried a leggero I think it’s called which was a donut shaped pizza with a lil salad in the middle! Claudia is vegan so she obvs had a special vegan pizza! Then I went home and had a nap then met up with my bestie naomi for dinner and cocktails!! For starters I had mozzarella dippers and naomi had chicken wings, then for my main I had veggie pasta and Naomi had ribs I think! We tried many cocktails then jack came and picked us up

Saturday

HOLIDAY DAY! We stayed at mine Friday night, woke up, got ready then went to jack’s as his mum and dad were taking us to the airport, we had brunch and cocktails at coast to coast in stansted and I found a hat I liked for £20, took it for the till to find it was on sale for £5.80!!!! Then by that point our gate had opened so we went and got ready to board, our flight was delayed cos of air traffic, it took around four hours to get here and I could feel a major panic attack coming on as we took off, luckily I’ve learnt to somewhat control them with breathing! Then I just went to sleep as the panickyness had made me exhausted! I woke up and read some of a new book I’d bought on my kindle called ‘the twins’ we landed in fueteventura sometime around 6 and didn’t arrive at our hotel until well gone 8pm! There was a lot of drop offs from the airport and obviously we were the second from last people to get off of the plane! Our accommodation is just a huge complex in the middle of no where, it’s lovely but not really my cup of tea. We were too tired and felt all sweaty and gross from all the travelling so we went to our apartment then walked round to the supermarket just to get some snacks for dinner! I read more of my book and then we went to sleep

Sunday

Our first full day! We awoke to a cloudy, windy, Spain from our windows :( we laid in bed all morning and jack made us tea and toast! We both showered and I finished my book, then we decided to explore the complex! We’re glad we did as we discovered that although the weather looked awful it was in fact really warm! We tried to find a beach but literally the whole island just seems to be made of gravel and volcanic ash 😂 we then decided to sit by the adults only pool with a couple of desperadoes, jack walked back to our apartment to change into swim shorts, get a bikini for me and a couple beach towels. We laid out all afternoon and there was only a few minutes of sun but somehow we both managed to get burnt even though we’d applied sun cream?! Jack is red raw especially! We went back to the apartment and chilled for a bit before we went out for dinner, as it’s a complex there’s not many restaurants, there’s a buffet which is mainly for the all inclusive people (we didn’t pay for this) we had a quick look for anything veggie and was majorly disappointed, it was absolutely rammed full of people and chicken nuggets 😂 we found another smaller restaurant that was empty as it wasn’t all inclusive! Jack had a burger and chips and I had a tomato lasagne I tried some cocktails but they were yuck! We walked around to look for something to do but all the entertainment was really kid based so we went back to the apartment and we watched the film about Amy winehouse and now we are off to sleep!!