#WILL NOTE HOWEVER THAT LAST NIGHT THERE WAS A REALLY SUDDEN LOUD THOUGHT??

[sepiasys]

Hi, woke up w/o a headache :3 last night sucked but yk it was eventually decided we need to force ourself into taking comfort that we desperately needed. So we went to lay with S in his bed =w=;;

B was in our bed anyways and it was just. Not having a great time in general. Knew his bed/bunk was open but didn't really want to take it.

Well it was very important healing because even though it did take fucking FOREVER to sleep, we did actually manage to. Definitely don't fake sleep when he woke up /lh

But yeah it was nice. It was so fucking important to do. There definitely weren't multiple times where moving the body was HARD (it was comfy but also bruh don't cut off circulation to your body -,_-,)(literally tried to move from extremities to the rest of our body)(tbf the feeling of stretching actually helped a lot to move so that was a win)

So yeah. I'm. *sigh.* I'm fucking tired. We're still scared as hell, I know that much. But fuck, man, this was and IS important. ☕️ hasn't been out as much ig(?), assuming all those urges were theirs (which honestly, makes sense), so it's just been impossible to find comfort. And we needed it.

So yeah. Uh. Ig progress is being made. Trying to... *undo* some damage, I guess. Trying to take care of us.

👍😐👍

[wonijinjin]

countless

author's note: sorry for not posting this sooner, i have been sick for the last week unfortunately, and just started to recover, hope you can understand:) (btw this is part of the 200 followers event, fell free to check it out!)

synopsis: your boyfriend is very eager to show you how much he loves you.

word count: 0.6k | genre: fluff | pairing: mingyu x gn! reader | warnings: mentions of alcohol and drinking, painkillers

the first thing you heard after waking up was a knock on your door, followed by a loud thud. you were still sleepy so you couldn’t really decipher the meaning of these sounds, since you were not expecting visitors at such random time in the night. well, except for your boyfriend, who was out with his friends, saying that you shouldn’t wait up for him, since he would be out for quite a while. “what is he doing outside? did he forget his keys?” you mumbled to yourself as you jogged to the door, in order to help mingyu unlock the door. however to your surprise the sight which greeted you wasn’t very usual; it was wonwoo, at his side your clearly tipsy boyfriend, wonwoo’s arms holding him up (as well as he could handle a giant like mingyu). “what do we have here, hmm?” you questioned with a raised brow, not the happiest with the situation since you knew you would be the one taking care of him and cleaning the aftermath of his mess. “umm, hi. so…he drank a bit more than he should’ve.” wonwoo greeted you, awkwardly trying to stop mingyu’s limbs from escaping his hold. “hi sweetheart!” mingyu hiccuped, smiling sheepishly like an idiot. “oh gosh, what a sight.” mingyu could see that you weren’t pleased with his state, but the giggle you were trying so hard to hold back assured him it would be fine. “here, let me take him from you.” wonwoo handed you your big koala boyfriend in an instant; now that you gave it some thought he must’ve been extremely tired, afterall mingyu had been working out for years, building extreme amounts of muscle. “thanks. he has been whining about wanting to kiss you, so don’t be surprised if he attacks you. anyways, I will be on my way now I think. take care!” wonwoo waved, leaving you alone in the living room with mingyu. “i have missed you so much baby! give me a kissy kiss!” mingyu screamed (where he got the sudden energy burst from, you had no idea) while hugging you, smushing your face in his hands. he showered you with kisses, never stopping if it wasn’t for you making him pause. “wonwoo was indeed right, although you attacking me is nothing out of the ordinary.” you giggled, his face turning redder than it already was.

“I need more kisses!” he repeated for not the first time after a while, not leaving you alone. “mingyu baby I love so very much and missed you just as much, however I am tired. it is the middle of the night, you know? besides, how many kisses has it been? I cannot even remember how long has it been since we sat down.” you answered. “but I even planned on telling you all about my night! the boys told me so many stories! they are so interesting!” he pouted with big eyes; he looked exactly like a kicked puppy whose spirit has been destroyed. “oh really now?” your crossed arm and the way you were already standing in front of the couch only appeared to mingyu upon closer inspection, leaving him missing your lips even more. “yes! please at least this one story! it was about how minghao got into the situation where he had to wear a peacock costume on tv…” your exhausted mind couldn’t really process this, so you decided to end the conversation there. “tell me about that when you are sober, okay? now let’s get you to bed instead.” you urged as you dragged his almost limp body to the bedroom, tucking him into bed, and kissing him good night one last time, but not before putting a glass of water and painkillers on his nightstand. “sleep well, I will be waiting for that interesting story tomorrow, alright?”

[syd-djarin]

Sugar, Spice & Please Fuck Me Nice (neighbor!joel AU)

chapter two: sex and candy

*18+ minors DNI*

tags: mentions of anxiety, religious shame/guilt, reader being insecure, mentions of (negative) past sexual experiences and partners, brief mention of alcohol consumption, v fingering, oral (f receiving) joel is a cunnilinguist, 2000’s nostalgia, mentions of the patriarchy (booooo)  squirting (sue me),  Joel-Land™️™️™️

reader has hair that she fidgets with, "grows warm" /"cheeks burning" but not necessarily blushing, with embarrassment - minor edits to make this more inclusive for my readers <3

word count: ~4.5k

Author/s notes: Sorry it took longer to get ch. 2 out than I anticipated. I've had a lot going on in my personal life (I got a new job!) But I promise it won't be as long for ch. 3 hehe. this is a lengthy chapter, hope y'all enjoy!!

had to name reader's bestie after my dear friend @katiexpunk <3 thanks for always letting me run ideas by you and being a peach in general.

and thank you to @softiedingo for being a beta reader as well <333

It has been two weeks since you introduced yourself to Joel and Sarah. You hate to admit it, but you haven’t been able to stop thinking about Joel. Your mind will stay preoccupied temporarily, then they circle back to him. 

Throwing clothes in the washer? Joel. 

Boiling water for pasta? Joel. 

Doing the dishes? Joel. 

In the shower? Yep, definitely Joel. 

And this morning is no different. 

You’re staring at yourself in your bathroom mirror, brushing your teeth, mind deep into Joel-Land, then your thoughts take a sharp turn - for the worst. You’re thinking about all of your past sexual encounters. 

How unsatisfying and selfish your past partners were. You hadn’t been romantically involved with any of your past partners, all of them casual-no-strings-attached type of arrangements. 

Even if the sex was casual, did that mean the pleasure had to be one-sided? Of course not. 

However, after each encounter you found yourself feeling disappointed, and truthfully, it made you feel…..icky. Was it religious shame? Even though you don’t participate or believe in any religion anymore, your formative years were spent in a conservative, Christian church; where sex is bad, and sin is bad. And you don’t want to be bad, because you will go to hell. You don’t even believe in hell, yet, there is a small voice in your head that still worries about eternal damnation. Jeez, I should really see a therapist about that.  

 Perhaps it’s the misogyny and sexism, rampant and hard-wired into society and into mind’s since the beginning of time. 

Your internal theological and philosophical debate gives you a throbbing headache. 

+++

It’s Friday. Halloween falls on a Tuesday this year, so most Halloween celebrations would occur this weekend. 

If you were still in college, you’d most likely attend a costume party at a frat party and drink until the sun came up. These days, you don’t recover from hangovers as easily and find the anxiety spiral that follows a night of drinking to be too debilitating so you’re planning on keeping it chill this year. 

You’re pouring out a bag of candy into a bowl, so candy is easily accessible for your sweet tooth cravings when you hear a strong, loud cluster of knocks at your front door. 

Knock. Knock. Knock-knock. 

Shaking off your initial startling from the sudden knocks, you open your front door to find Joel. He’s leaning his shoulder on the doorframe, one half of his body bears all his weight. He swiftly straightens upright again when you greet him. He looks even more handsome from the last time you saw him. He’s wearing dark wash jeans that accentuate his body in the most delectable way and a black t-shirt with a faded MILLER CONSTRUCTION graphic that is just barely legible. 

You have the urge to steal the well-worn shirt so you can sleep in it, relish his scent, and let it become a metaphorical embrace of Joel. 

Fuck, I really am down bad, you internally scold yourself to come back to the present moment. 

“Joel! Ho-how are you?” you manage to creak out through nerves and surprise. 

His beautiful, dark brown eyes are staring right into yours. His eyes could compel you to do anything. 

“I’m doin’ alright, you?” The word ‘alright’ is drawn out making it sound like “awllll-right”

“Can’t complain. Y’all settling in okay?” tilting your head unconsciously, as if to convey genuinity.  

“Oh yeah, ‘s a nice neighborhood. Sarah seems to be enjoyin’ her new school, I was a lil worried she’d have a hard time but she’s a smart kid and gets along with pretty much everyone. Awful silly of me to worry in the first place…” he’s rambling, hands moving at the same pace as his speech. 

You find his rambling to be cute, it’s a bit of a juxtaposition from his strong, demanding presence. 

Joel realizes he’s nervous after he concludes his tangent. When’s the last time he felt nervous around women? Especially a sweet, non-threatening woman like you? 

“Anywho, I came over to uh- ask you somethin’... Sarah liked your cookies so much she wants to learn how to make them herself and was wondering if you’d teach her?”

“I’d love to!” You shoot him a flattered smile,  learning that Sarah wanted you to teach her to bake makes your heart sing.

Joel is amazed at you. You agreed to teach a twelve year old, one who you hardly know, to bake. He shouldn’t be surprised given your sweet demeanor and generous heart, but he’s in awe of you. 

“You sure? I mean, you obviously don’t have to if you don’t want—”

“Joel, I’d be honored to. Send her over in an hour,” you cut him off, hoping to convey your delight in teaching someone else to bake, the same way your grandma did for you. 

Joel can’t stop the shit-eating grin that appears on his face. 

“Sounds good. I’ll send her your way, sweetheart,” he lingers just for a moment to watch your reaction to the nickname, the one he’s used twice. 

You desperately try to keep your composure cool and collected, but you’ve never had a good poker face. You wear your emotions like an accessory. And right now, you are flustered. You divert your attention to the ground as if looking into his eyes would expose your every thought. 

“O-okay!” You can barely stammer out a response before he is pivoting off your porch, back to his own house. 

You can’t see it with his back turned to you, but Joel is smirking to himself and feeling amused at his effect on you. 

+++

“You sure you don’t want me to go with you?”

“Yes, dad. I don’t need a chaperone to bake cookies. I’m a big girl now, remember?”

Yes, he is acutely aware that she is a big girl now. Well, not really, to him she will always be his baby girl, but that doesn’t stop her from growing up. Too fast for his liking. The idea of her becoming a teenager almost gives him a coronary. It won’t be long before she’s driving, then graduating, and college. What if she wants to attend a school in another state? Across the country? 

He feels queasy at that thought, afraid that she will grow out of thinking her dad is the coolest, afraid that she doesn’t want to spend time with her old man anymore. 

He wills himself to think about something else. Anything else. Inevitably his thoughts wander to you. 

Joel hates to admit it, but he was hoping to join Sarah for the baking lesson. He wants an excuse to be in your radiant, sweet, beautiful presence again. 

While you can’t stop thinking about him, he can’t stop thinking about you. 

Driving home from work? You. 

Making dinner? You. 

Making his morning coffee? You. 

Laying in bed? Oh, yeah. Definitely you. 

Exactly one hour passes when Sarah arrives at your house. You’ve already set up in your kitchen in preparation; already pre-measured the ingredients, setting out all the necessary baking equipment and you even found a spare apron for Sarah to wear. Ya know, to give her the full experience. 

“Oooh, this apron makes me feel like a professional!” Sarah exclaims after tying the strings on her designated apron. 

“Well, after this, you will be.”

You can’t remember the last time you felt this much joy. Sharing a passion of yours with someone who is eager to learn from you delights your heart and soul in a way you didn’t know you needed until now. 

“So first, we’ll need to combine the butter and sugar,” Sarah dumps the butter and sugar into the mixing bowl. “Great, now we want to beat the mixture until it looks fluffy.” 

She is completely engrossed in watching for the desired texture, furrowing her brows together in a way that mimics Joel. You find it adorable. 

“Excellent, now we are going to add in the eggs and vanilla extract.” 

She follows your instructions to a T, meticulous and concentrated as if she were mixing hazardous chemicals in a lab. 

“You’re doing great.  Now let’s add our dry ingredients, half of it at a time.” 

Her eyes light up when it’s time to fold in the chocolate chips. You both agree it’s the best part, both of you indulging in a few before adding them to the dough. 

You assist Sarah in rolling the dough into little balls and placing them onto the baking sheet. 

While waiting for the cookies to bake, you learn more about Sarah and Joel. She tells you about their old house, the camping trip they went on this past summer, the catchy pop songs on the radio that Joel will pretend to hate but she catches him humming the tune later, how Joel makes a big breakfast for the two of them every Sunday, a ritual they started when Sarah started school - he makes pancakes just for her. 

Getting a snapshot of Joel and Sarah’s lives and their dynamic makes your mega crush on Joel that much bigger. From what Sarah has shared with you, he seems like a caring, protective yet fun dad. You’re aching to learn everything about him. 

“Do you have any plans for Halloween?” Sarah asks as you’re pulling the baking sheet out of the oven. 

“Oh um, I usually just hand out candy to trick-or-treaters. Nothing super exciting. What about you?”

“We always order pizza and watch a scary movie - nothing super scary though. We dress up too. Well, I dress up but dad thinks he is too cool to do that so he wears the same boring mask every year,” she has a mischievous grin on her face, concocting a plan when she asks, “do you want to come over and join us?” 

On one hand you’d love nothing more than to spend more time with your new friend and Joel, but on the other hand the thought of being in the same room as Joel, in his house, makes you both anxious and aroused. Dizzy, nervous, and horny makes for an unpleasant combination. 

Gaining a sliver of bravery, you swallow your apprehension and say yes. 

“Sure, yeah, what time should I come over?”

“6:30. And you better wear a costume!”

+++

You’ve spent the past hour trying to put a costume together. Not making any progress, you decide to seek external advice - your best friend Katie. 

You both met as freshman and have been close friends ever since, even rooming together in your first off-campus apartment. She moved to the West Coast shortly after graduation, though you still keep in touch via email and phone. You give her the scoop on Joel - him moving into the neighborhood, your gigantic crush on him, how you baked cookies with Sarah yesterday. She’s impatiently waiting for you to bone your hot neighbor. Girl, I’m waiting too. 

“Do you still have that bunny costume you wore junior year?”

You rummage through your tote of seasonal clothing in search of said costume. Pulling it out, you now realize just how skimpy the costume really is. Bunny ears and a tail paired with a skin tight black bodysuit leaves virtually nothing to the imagination and definitely too much skin for this occasion. 

“Dude, I can’t wear this! His daughter will be there! I can’t believe I wore this out in public. This is X-Rated,” you’re growing agitated in having no success in your costume, to the point that you are tempted to tell Sarah you came down with something so you don’t have to go. 

“Okay, okay, the ears and tail are still salvageable. Do you have something besides the bodysuit?”

“Ummm…” you trail off into the phone, frantically searching for something to replace the risque bodysuit. You find a plain white baby tee amongst the sea of clothing, deciding you can pair it with your favorite jeans, the ones that accentuate your body in all the right places. 

“This could work..” muttering to yourself when a devious thought pops into your head. White shirt, no bra. 

“Found it! Gotta go, loveyoubye!” You hang up the call before Katie has a chance to respond, tossing your pink Razr on your bed. Your body hums in anticipation and jitters, feeling emboldened by your no bra plot. 

After throwing on your outfit, you style your hair differently than you normally do. You add several coats of mascara to your lashes, sweep on some blush that complements your skin and add a sparkly lip gloss to your lips, making them appear extra plump and juicy. 

You grab a bag of Halloween candy and you practically skip across the street. Reaching the front door of your new bestie and her gorgeous dad, your confidence is replaced with a furious ball of anxiety. Your heart is palpitating and you feel your stomach churn. 

 Would Joel think you looked stupid? Or worse, childish? Fuck, you should’ve stayed home. 

Joel opening the door snaps you out of your thought spiral but only briefly, because he’s staring at you like you’ve started growing extra limbs. He looks both puzzled and pissed? 

“What uh-what’re you doing here?” 

His voice has a sharpness you haven’t heard before and it stings. 

You have a moment of realization. 

Sarah didn’t run the invitation by her dad.

 You deduct that he isn’t a fan of surprises. 

Before you can formulate a response, Sarah saves you from having to do so. 

“You dressed up! I’m glad you came,” she squeals while wrapping her arms around your middle in an embrace. 

She looks up at Joel from where she’s latched onto you and gives her confused dad an explanation. 

“Dad, it’s okay, I invited her.” 

That seems to alleviate his confusion. You, on the other hand, not so much. You’re internally screaming at yourself. It’s obvious to you that Joel wasn’t expecting you, and in conclusion, doesn’t want you here. 

“I didn’t mean to impose, I—I’m sorry, I’ll uh— just go back home,” fighting back tears of embarrassment, looking everywhere except at Joel.  You think now is a superb time to move across the country, change your name, dye your hair, somewhere far away from this humiliation. 

Joel senses you’re feeling rejected in some way.

“No, no, come on in. Jus’ wasn’t expectin’ you s’all,” he gives you his most reassuring smile. 

You swallow the lump of emotions in your throat. 

He didn’t expect you to come over, nor did he expect you’d show up as his personal version of a Playboy bunny.  He almost busted in his jeans when he could see your nipples through your very thin white t-shirt. He thinks you’re trying to kill him. 

+++

You’re starting to relax once you three settle on the couch, Sarah nestling between you and Joel, Alien on the TV. Turns out, you and Joel share a love for the film. You may or may not have gotten into a heated (playful) debate about the other films in the franchise.

Joel gets an influx of trick-or-treaters, more than you usually get, residents of the neighborhood taking advantage of this opportunity to be nosy. Again. 

In between costume clad visitors, you sneak glances at Joel, who looks absolutely scrumptious tonight. His hair had been damp and combed back when you arrived, his curls now almost dry and in all their glory. He’s wearing an obviously well-loved, faded Pearl Jam concert tee that clings to his arms and grey sweatpants that sit dangerously low on his hips. You wonder if all his shirts fit like that. When he stands, you can see the outline of his dick through his sweatpants.  You have to manually restrain yourself from pouncing on him. You’re soaking through your panties and you’re a little worried that if you stand, the seat beneath you will be soaked too. 

The scent of his body wash invades your nostrils, a heavenly mix of sandalwood and cinnamon. You’re imagining yourself running your hands through his hair and burying your nose into his neck, alternating between kissing and sucking on the skin there. You want to taste every inch of his skin, taking your time to savor him. 

Joel’s stealing glances at you, too. He’s never seen someone look so sweet and seductive, divine even. You smell warm and sweet, amber and vanilla. Not the artificial, manufactured type vanilla scent, it’s like vanilla straight from the bean. When you readjust your position on the couch to get more comfortable, your tits lightly bounce, unrestrained by a bra. He has to stifle a groan, disguising it as a cough. He wonders how much they’d bounce if you were riding his cock. Your lips are absolutely sinful. Pouty and plump, juicy from the lip gloss. The bunny ears are the nail in his coffin. He’s picturing you bent over on his couch, still wearing the bunny ears as he devours your pussy from behind. 

Only a quarter of the way through the movie, a few of Sarah’s friends from her old school pop in to invite her over for an impromptu sleepover to which Joel agrees to, since they no longer go to school together. 

Which means you and Joel are left alone. Together. Your body is aching to close space between you and the man you’re enamored with. You don’t know that Joel is itching to do the same. 

“Sarah couldn’t stop talkin’ bout yesterday. She loved hangin’ out with ya, thanks again for doin’ that.”

“She’s welcome to come over anytime. She’s a sweet kid,” you’re beaming at the fact she enjoyed baking with you. Joel notices the way your eyes gleam, overflowing with delight.

You finally have the courage to meet his eyes. The way his eyes are raking over your entire body makes your clit throb in anticipation. Your heartbeat is erratic, thumping loudly in your ears. 

The energy in the room is magnetic, pulling you and Joel closer together. 

“You can uh-scoot closer t’me if ya want,” he gruffs out, beckoning you to scoot closer to him. Joel wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but you make him feel like a flustered teenage boy about to kiss a girl for the first time. 

You scoot closer to Joel, hoping he doesn’t notice your body trembling from nerves. 

With your body flush next to his, he stretches one of his toned arms behind your head, resting it on the back of the couch. You can feel the warmth radiating from his body and it sends a shiver down your spine, straight to your aching core. 

The tension in the air is palpable, both of your bodies buzzing in arousal. You’re both pretending to watch the movie in front of you, but your minds are elsewhere. He gently removes his arm from the couch and rests it across your shoulders. It’s a seemingly innocuous gesture, but its impact makes you clench around nothing, more arousal dripping into your panties. 

He leans his head down close to yours, his mouth behind your ear.

“No bra? You’re a naughty lil bunny aren’t ya?” His hot breath tickles your ear, your eyes clamp shut involuntarily and you whimper. A high-pitched, whiny whimper, and Joel’s never heard anything sweeter. 

He places his other large palm on your thigh, gently squeezing it. Your skin prickling in goosebumps and your nipples are hard enough to cut glass. The wetness pooled in your panties is beyond the point of comfort. 

Joel presses a chaste kiss behind your ear, eliciting another whimper from you. He peppers kisses from your neck all the way to your collarbones.

“This okay?” 

“Mhmmm…”  You’re already so keyed up you feel hazy. Your whole body feels hot, lit aflame by Joel’s lips on your skin.  

“You gonna be a good girl for me?” he rasps while his hand is caressing your thigh, intentionally not too close to where you want him. Need him. 

“Mhmmm,” you moan, still unable to form words, arousal taking over all of your bodily functions. 

“Need you to use your words, honey.” He squeezes your thigh again.

He pulls his face back from your neck to look you in the eyes, and slows his movements on your thigh so you can tell him to back off or give him the green light to continue. You grab his hand on your thigh and squeeze it, to keep him from removing it. 

“Joel, pleeease. Want it so bad. Need you so fuckin’ bad.” 

You beg in the most sultry voice you can muster, emphasizing every syllable. 

Your lust laden eyes and the way you mewl for him ignites something ravenous, primal, carnal in him. He hasn’t heard you cuss before and it sounds so filthy in your honeyed voice.  His rock hard cock twitches in his pants. 

He presses his plush lips against yours. It’s hesitant at first, but his apprehension dissipates when you wrap your arms around his neck and kiss him back with fervor. Joel deepens the kiss, one hand gripping your hip, the other hand splayed between your shoulder blades, pressing your body further into his. You tangle one of your hands in his luscious curls. He tastes like sweet peppermint and a hint of black coffee. You feel dizzy, tasting him, finally feeling him. 

He breaks the kiss, guiding you to lie down on your back and props your head up on one of the couch armrests. 

He’s looking down at you and he’s never seen anything more beautiful. You’re always pretty, effortlessly so. But seeing you underneath him, sweet and desperate for him? He’d do anything you ask him to.

“You’re the prettiest lil bunny. So fuckin’ pretty.”

You’re bashful under his gaze and his compliment, cheeks burning. 

Joel notices you trying to shy away and he places a thumb under your chin, forcing you to keep looking at him. 

Now you feel embarrassed for trying to shy away in the first place.

“Sorry I’m—”

“Nothing to ‘pologize for, sweetheart,” he’s caressing your chin with his thumb, alleviating all of the embarrassment from you.

“Wanna taste you. You’ve no idea how bad I’ve wanted to taste you. Needed to know if you were as sweet as your cookies.”

“Oh, fuck,” you breathe out, “yes - yes please, taste me, Joel”

He chuckles softly at your enthusiasm and promptly rids you of your jeans, making the leather of the couch feel cool to the back of your thighs. 

Joel lets out a guttural moan when he sees your sky blue satin panties soaked through. He runs a finger over the damp spot, making you quiver. His touch is featherlight and it’s maddening. You’re squirming, hips lifting off the couch, chasing for more. 

He obliges, running a finger over your clit with added pressure. 

“Joel, please–” You’re a whiny mess under him, and he’s just getting started. He’s rubbing gentle circles over your bud, still-panty clad. 

He presses a kiss on your belly, just below your navel. The tenderness makes your body shudder.

He finally removes your panties and you gasp when the cool air hits your throbbing pussy. 

“Pretty girl with a pretty pussy to match.” Joel’s admiring the way your pussy is glistening for him, begging to be touched. 

He runs a finger through your drenched seam, your juices dripping onto his thick digit. He licks his finger, then shoves it into his mouth so he can taste every drop. His eyes clamp shut, groaning at how you taste. You commit the image to memory, not wanting to forget how he looks and sounds when he tastes you for the first time.

“Knew you’d taste sweet. So fuckin’ sweet.” 

Your brain short circuits when you realize that means he’s thought about this before. That he’s imagined how you’d taste. Picturing him fantasizing about you makes you light-headed. 

Joel spreads your legs wider, giving him full access to your pussy. He dives in without warning, licking from entrance up to your clit.

“Fuck, Joel!” You hoarsely shout with one hand gripping the couch cushion and one tugging onto Joel’s messy curls. His beard scratches the sensitive skin of your pussy as you grind your hips into his mouth, desperate for release. 

 You see stars while he expertly alternates between flicking his tongue and sucking on your clit. He’s keeping a steady rhythm, on the slower side, taking his time pleasuring you. He’s enjoying this.

Obscene sounds fill the room; Joel devouring your pussy like it’s the Last Supper and your chorus of moans and expletives. 

“Fuck, don’t stop, don’t you fucking stop!”

“Shitshitshit–”

“Joelllll-” 

He picks up the pace, your fingers cramping from their deathgrip on the couch. You feel your peak approaching - sweat beading on your forehead, chest heaving, head thrown back in ecstasy. 

Joel senses your approaching release and pushes one of his thick, dexterous fingers into your weeping hole. 

He reaches for your hand that’s tangled in his hair and intertwines your fingers with his, resting your connected hands on your inner thigh. It’s overwhelming; the intimacy of your interlocked fingers paired with the filthy onslaught of his mouth. 

He speeds up as he adds another finger, hitting the spot that no one except you has reached before. You never knew it could feel this amazing. You thought you were doomed to a life of bad sex. 

Apparently, you just needed Joel to show you differently. And you are so glad he proved you wrong. 

Joel hooks his fingers inside you bringing you closer and closer to that peak you’ve been dying to reach. You’re squeezing his fingers, both the ones inside you and the ones interlaced with yours. 

“Joel I-I’m close,” you manage to choke out, mind foggy from the intense pleasure. 

He sucks on your clit, hard and you’re coming, entering a euphoric plane of existence. You’re floating, body trembling, coming harder than you’ve ever come before. 

Joel slows his fingers and removes his mouth from your pussy, beard glistening with your release, gently bringing you back to reality. He keeps your fingers locked with his, grounding you in the present.

The orgasmic fog clears from your brain, regaining awareness of your surroundings when you feel how drenched your lower half is. Like, really drenched. You lift your head from the armrest and look down and you’re appalled by the scene. 

You fucking squirted. Everywhere. 

On yourself, on the couch, on Joel. His beard is soaked completely, to the point it’s dripping down his chin. He’s just as stunned as you are. 

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry, fuck I-” you’re scrambling to get off the couch and Joel grabs your arm, stopping you in your tracks. 

“What’re you sorry for? That was so fuckin’ hot, sweetheart.” 

“I-I didn’t know I could do that…”

“Oh yeah? First time ever squirtin’?

“Yeah, the first time anyone else has made me come… like, ever.” 

His gaze goes dark. 

You get the feeling that he’s just getting started with you. 

And just like your cookies, he’d never have enough. 

THE END

[thefallennightmare]

Arranged-four

Pairings: Mob!Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warnings: language, smut, angst, fluff, mentions of death.

Summary: Reader would do anything to make her parents happy and that included agreeing to an arranged marriage. She never expected it to be to one of New York's most feared Mob Boss: Bucky Barnes. He is anything but loving towards Reader however when her parents are mysteriously killed, Bucky makes it his mission to find out who were at fault. And in the process, ends up coming close to losing Reader.

Authors Note: This one seems kind of boring, but the excitement is coming soon! Tags for this will be open, just shoot me a message or comment if you're interested!

Tags: @alexxavicry @mdpplgtz03 @broadwaybabe18 @samsgirl93 @cherryflavoureds-blog @findthebeautyinbreakdowns @clqrosmgc

Arranged Masterlist

My head rested against the headrest while my knee bounced with uncertainty of where we were going; all I knew was that we were headed to some lab but didn’t know what for. Steve was to my left and gave me a small smile to calm my nerves. 

It didn’t.

Bucky was on my right, eyes glued to his phone while typed furiously. I didn’t dare to look to see who or what he was texting. It wasn’t any of my business and to be honest, I was slightly afraid to find out what it would be. 

With the two large men on either side of me, I felt cramped and did my best to maneuver my small body hoping it would calm me. 

Again, it didn’t. 

I began chewing on my nails, something else I did when I was filled with nerves, and it was then that Bucky looked away from his phone and saw my worried state. 

“Are you alright?” 

I nodded. “Yep.” 

“You’re shaking the whole car,” he sighed while placing his metal hand on my knee. 

It calmed me for a moment. 

“Nervous habit, I guess.” 

Bucky hummed. “And the nail biting?” 

I placed my hands in my lap and let out a low breath. 

“Y/N, there’s nothing to be nervous about. I just have to meet with one of my workers then we can head back to the house,” Bucky explained. 

With a small nod, I felt the car come to a stop in front of a large building with a sign in front of it. 

Barnes Laboratory. 

“You own a lab?” I questioned looking at Bucky. 

He nodded. “Maybe one day I can give you a tour. But right now, I need you to stay in the car.” 

I didn't bother to argue, something about this whole meeting still was not sitting well with me because of the way Bucky’s demeanor changed this afternoon and last night.  

“Steve, stay with her,” Bucky demanded. 

We were left in the now quiet car and my eyes watched with slight worry as Bucky, along with two of his other guards, disappeared into the building. My mind raced with a million thoughts, wondering what he was doing there and who he was meeting with. 

“He’s alright,” Steve’s soft voice filled the car. 

“I’m assuming that you’re not going to tell me what’s going on in there,” I sighed while looking at him. 

Steve shook his head. “You know I can't do that.” 

“This marriage isn’t going to work if he keeps things from me.” 

“It’s better if you don’t know some things, trust me,” Steve insisted. 

Before I could retort back, Steve pulled out his phone and with a long sigh, he gave me a stern look. 

“I’m needed inside. Can I trust that you’ll stay in the car?” He wondered. 

Now my mind really began to wonder what the hell was going on inside because Bucky was adamant that Steve stay with me but now, he needed him inside?

“Yeah,” I nodded. 

“Good.” 

I kept a hard glance on Steve’s back until he disappeared through the same door Bucky had gone into a while ago. 

“This is ridiculous,” I muttered while crossing my arms over my chest. 

I couldn’t dwell on the sudden loud silence because my phone rang, my moms picture appeared on the screen. It had been a few days since I last spoke with either of my parents and I knew they were wondering how things were going between Bucky and I. 

“Hi mom,” I signed into the phone. 

“Hey sweetheart, we’re……things……Buck….treating..right?” 

Her voice was coming in broken and when I pulled my phone away, I realized that inside of Bucky’s car, I had absolutely no service. 

“Hang on. I can’t hear you.” 

I shuffled from seat to seat, hoping to get better service, but it only made it worse. My gaze fell to the outside and I began gnawing on my lip, Bucky’s words replaying in my mind. 

Stay in the car. 

“Honey….there?....Can’t hear..”

It’ll be a two minute conversation. I’ll be back in the car before Bucky even knew I didn’t listen. 

“Hey mom, can you hear me better?” I asked, the wind blowing the hair from my face once I stepped on the gravel ground. 

I made sure to stay close to the car, just in case. 

“Oh, that's better! So, how are things?” 

I nodded even though she couldn’t see. “They’re good, I guess.” 

“You guess?” 

“It’s only been a day and a half, mom. I need more time to actually get to know someone,” I defended. 

My mother sighed. “You don’t have more time, Y/N. The wedding is in three days. Not to mention, you haven’t sent over any details!” 

My pulse began to quicken as I thought of the best way to break the news to my mom. 

“Bucky and I decided to do a courthouse wedding; sign the papers, have a nice dinner to celebrate. You know, simple.” 

“What?!” 

I grimaced while pulling the phone away, my mother shrill ringing in my ear. 

“I can’t believe you would do this to us, Y/N! After everything we did to set this up for you!” 

“Are you fucking-,” I began. 

“Watch your mouth!” 

I gnawed on the inside of my cheek and composed myself. “I didn’t get a say in who I’m marrying. The least you and dad can do is allow me to decide if I even want a wedding or not.” 

My mother kept rambling on about wedding nonsense but my attention had fallen elsewhere, lips parted in confusion. Bucky was now outside of the building, Steve close behind him, but what they were currently doing was what held my attention. 

Bucky had his vibranium fingers gripped tight on someone's shirt collar and pinned up against the brick of the building. There was a slight look of fear on this man's face as he nodded profusely to Bucky’s demands; ones that I heard each and every word of. 

“You’ve got one week, Banner. I need those vials in my possession by next Saturday at 10 a.m. If I catch wind of another test experiment, they won’t just be finding your experiment's body in the water. Understood?” 

“Y/N, are you even listening to me?”

My mothers voice brought me back slightly. “Uh, I have to go. I’ll call you later.” 

I pocketed my phone, not even giving her the chance to yell at me more. 

Steve did a quick once over of their surroundings and when it fell onto me, his face hardened and placed a hand on Bucky’s shoulder. 

Not only did I feel a wave of disappointment wash over me when Bucky’s eyes locked with mine, the look of anger that he held filled me with fear. I had yet again disobeyed an order from him, the first two times he was understanding. Who’s to say this time he will be? 

“Deal with him.” 

Bucky roughly handed off the worker to Steve, who disappeared back into the building. 

“I told you to stay in the car,” Bucky spat while closing the distance between us in just a couple strides. 

“Did you just threaten that guy?” I ignored his previous statement. 

Bucky’s eyes hardened, a deep scowl pulling at his lips. “Get in the car.”

His flesh fingers gripped my arm and began dragging me into the car. 

“Get your hands off of me,” I snapped. 

I did my best to break free from his grasp but Bucky was stronger than me and not the typical stronger a man his size would be. His strength almost felt double than normal as he lifted me into the car with ease

The door slammed behind him and I was suddenly pressed up against the other door, Bucky leaning over me slightly. His broad chest rose and fell with every deep breath and I could feel the warmth of it painting my lips. The fear that I felt dissipated, a new feeling crashing over me. 

Lust. 

The heat of his intense gaze, blue eyes boring into me, brought chills all over my skin. 

“Did you threaten that guy?” I repeated my question. 

Bucky’s jaw clenched. “That’s none of your business.” 

I raised a brow. “Isn’t it? You brought me here.” 

“I didn’t have a choice.” 

“I know the feeling,” I grumbled. 

Bucky shook his head with a scoff. “How many times are you going to bring up that you’re not happy with the situation?” 

I didn’t like the hint of annoyance in his voice so I sat up straighter, a little tough in the cramped back seat; Bucky’s size was taking up the majority of it. 

“Until I finally have a say in this relationship.” 

“You do. You’re the one that decided on not having a wedding,” Bucky retorted. 

I snickered. “Who would have thought that big old mob boss Bucky Barnes would want a big wedding?” 

Something flashed over his eyes and his breathing echoed throughout the small space of the car. 

“You’re such a smartass, you know that?” He sneered. 

I lifted my chin towards him, our lips meters apart now. “Get used to it, Barnes. Cause you have to deal with it for the rest of your life.” 

As hard as my heart was pounding from not only the slight fear of what I witnessed and heard prior but to how Bucky would react. 

His tongue rolled over his bottom lip, so slow, and his eyes danced all over my face. My hands lay on my stomach, itching to trace over his soft features, but I clasped them together hoping it would subside. 

There was this tension between us, something unknown, that began pulling us towards each other. I marveled at the way his bottom lip was so pink and plump, almost begging me to kiss them, taste them, devour them. 

Bucky, almost as if he could read my mind, lowered my body deeper into the seat and I felt his lips ghost over the crook of my neck, warm breath heating my core. 

“Boss, we need to go. Now.” 

Bucky didn’t bother to move, merely looked over his shoulder. Steve was peeking his head in the open door, a look of urgency in his eyes. 

“What’s going on,” Bucky asked while adjusting himself by fixing his suit jacket and sitting in his previous spot. 

“Stark. He’s at the house demanding to see you.” 

I noticed the way Bucky’s face fell for a moment before his strong demeanor returned. 

“Everything okay?” 

He ignored me, only keeping his attention towards Steve. “Tell the men to load up.”

Everything happened in a quick haze, Steve and the other two men jumped in the car and peeled out of the parking lot, my hand grasping for the headrest in front of me to steady myself. I didn’t know who this Stark guy was, but I could tell by the way that Bucky’s breath was erratic, and his hands shook with anger that this was going to be a closed-door meeting.

[ouch-thats-harsh]

hii!! how r u?? i saw ur BNHA Class1-a w/ an indian reader and i honestly LOVED IT!! i was hoping to request for an indian reader with class 1-a but where they think she is really quiet and shy. HOWEVER, they witness her OTHER side when they see her vibing like crazy to bollywood songs??????????????? thnx<333 hv a good day/nightt!!! :)))

Pairings: none! Just friends and classmates :)

warnings: none! Gn! Reader. Indian reader, the reader is a bit shy

Author's note: Omg, hello!!! It's been a while since I disappeared for no reason😭 I'm sorry I didn't see your ask till now!! I'm so glad you loved the fic, it came from a need, honestly. Also I'm definitely more than rusty at this rn, so please forgive me if this sucks, I'm not the best at English, so i apologise for any mistakes.

A day doesn't pass without your headphones and music. The ghazals, the carnatic music, the hindustani tunes and Bollywood moods to wake your soul up. It was a need for you because more than anything, it was a piece of your home. Their foreign exchange student from India was a specimen worth knowing. Smart, brilliant, gorgeous but also quiet. You being quiet was something they expected, the language barrier guarenteed it! they dubbed your behaviour as that, but turns out thats just the way you were. It added to your charm.

One early Monday, after seemingly a shitty week, everyone had to get back on schedule. Exhausted students pulling themselves out of beds for another tiring week wasn't something new. UA makes it a death week, sometimes literally. Fatigue rolled in by the evening. After letting your friends know that you were ready to turn in for the night, you went straight to your dorm to rest. That was until you got a Google photos notif, from the last time you went to navratri.

Sero was just walking to his room, he was unbothered and chill. Then came your dorm room.

Before long your friends were outside your door

*Knock knock*

from the outside one could hear the faint sound of music and someone singing. They slowly opened the door, to see you, their adorable lovely quiet friend, eyes closed, with loud music, moving your hips to some Bollywood song? the song suited you, thought midoriya as soon as he saw you.

But then the shock came. You danced???

"DAMN GIRL!!" mina's loud outburst alerted you. You froze in place at the sudden yell, "how long have you guys been standing there???" You cried out, a bit embarrassed, maybe too embarrassed. You quickly turned the music off.

"Long enough to see you dance." Kirishima pointed out with a smirk. You felt your face warm. kaminari laughed at the sight of you flustered. Even though the situation was just the material to tease you with, they saw how much you enjoyed it, how carefree you were at that moment.

"What song was that? And you never told me you could move like *that*" mina asked pointing at you. "It's- uhm, it's called" you looked at your phone to get the title right, "tumhi ho bandu... And i- uh could always do that? Haha" the nervousness was evident, probably a result of you hiding this side of yours for so long.

This was a pleasant surprise to them. You looked more alive than they could remember.

Ochaco remembered the times you told her about baraat and gharba, times where you danced as if it was your last breathe of air. You told her about how your lungs would burn, sweat rolling off your head onto the earth. She saw what you meant today, even if it was fleeting. She wanted to join. She picked up your phone and played the next song. The beginning of nachde ne saare played. A memory for you, dancing with your bestfriend back home, unlocked.

You felt shy as the song began, but Ochaco and mina, ever the dancers, began moving, inviting you to do too. The guys were watching until pulled in by the duo, bakugou just stayed in his place, watching and nodding to the beat after a while. You could see some of them puzzled at the words but they swayed nonetheless. You remember this scene from somewhere. What was it? 2 years ago? Tenth farewell party... You remember something just like this, loud music, laughter, flaying arms and someone's horrible attempt at Bhangra. Flashes of old friends transitioned into your new ones, just as precious, loving and loved.

The hour was spent dancing, singing (gibberish more like), before long exhaustion hit all of you."We- *pants* should do this more often" a tired momo said. Satisfied with the whole thing. Some agreed immediately with her, smiling. You all talked a bit after that, letting yourselves relax. "You know, I'm glad i snooped enough to get to see this" sero said amused. "Yeah, i mean, for all we know you could've just hid those hips from us forever." Mina laughed. You chuckled a bit. "Thats called thumke" you told her, happy at the sight of all of them beside you. You went back to your quiet self.

"I do hope we'll get to see you like this more, it's nice to see you so fired up and not only on the battlefield" tooru said as she got up, the others added to her comment agreeing. After her the rest got up and decided to finally go to bed, they all hugged you or just showed their way of being affectionate, so did you.

Your room was silent now. You felt content, somehow at peace at the whole "incident" as they would come to call it from now on.You closed your eyes, the sounds from earlier echoed in your head, though loud, it put you to sleep.

End note: hey, uhm so this was smtg I cooked up after not writing for a long while, so please do leave suggestions on how to improve and yea, thanks for reading! :))

[izvmimi]

"don't make fun of me but..." you start, which already puts you at a loss as your friend looks up from her book, then stifles a laugh once she catches your exasperated expression. you trail off, deciding not to say more, then rub your temples, and she pouts.

"keep going," she insists. by now she's closed her book and is taking a few notes in a notebook, legs cross-legged on the bench as she sits beside you. you're out in the park, per her request for you to get at least an hour of sun all day, and the sun really is overhead beating, but the shade does provide you some solace. there are a few children playing on a jungle gym across from where the two of you are facing, but you're not really paying too much mind to them - rather, you're thinking about your roommate and the fact that he's been acting strange.

you sigh.

"i'm not exactly sure what the best way to say it is," you start.

"then say it however you can," she says. she takes a sip of her lemonade and you remember that you have a drink too, a peach tea without boba, and reach for yours to buy yourself some time. the condensation of the plastic cup almost makes it slip out of your hand. a lot of things are slipping between your fingers recently, you think.

"does uh..."

"yeah..."

you swallow hard then go ahead.

"is kento seeing someone?"

you pause and she pauses and then she laughs so loud and recklessly that you want to blame satoru for influencing her. she doubles over cackling and you fume, crossing your arms, but you deserve to be made fun of a bit.

"since when do you care what he does?" she asks. "also don't you live together? just ask him."

you purse your lips.

"if i ask, it has the implication that i'm interested."

"and are you not?" she asks.

the question shouldn't take you off guard, it's the natural course of this type of conversation, but you can feel your cheeks warm.

"if i didn't like him back in high school, why would i like him now?"

she gives you a look and shrugs, and in the look, you recount nearly her entire history with gojo. it's a very loud look and you look away.

"anyway, ken hasn't said anything to me, if that helps." she leans in further as you absorb that information and process why it even bothered you enough to ask. "did you hear anything? do you want to be that person? i can help, you know. i would do an excellent job at selling your good points."

you roll your eyes.

"we didn't meet yesterday so it's not like he doesn't know me. actually, the issue is that our walls are thin. i'm hearing... things."

she blinks.

"what do you mean things?"

your face warms again.

"i've overheard him, a few times... i'm just not sure if he's sexting or what... since it's all of a sudden."

she freezes for a moment, and you're reminded of how cute and innocent-looking she is with doe eyes and round cheeks, but the next thing that comes out of her mouth is far too crass.

"a man is allowing himself a well-deserved nut after a hard day of work and you're being insecure about it?"

"shh! not so loud!!" you hiss, your heart feeling like it will stop as you look around the area to make sure no kids overheard. her eyes twinkle as she leans him.

"if you're so concerned, then take care of him yourself!"

"___!"

"you don't have to be a thing, you can stay friends, but clearly you want to, unless you wouldn't be here pressing your knees together in public and asking me about it."

you blink, dumbfounded, but she's right.

perhaps.

you give it a little more thought on your way home, and when you stumble into him on your way back in the hallway, an unintentional dance to the left and to the right before he stops and allows you to step around him, you try to stop thinking about last night's moans and/or how he'd feel inside you.

[internet1girl]

Chapter 2: Behind the Ice.

Pairing: Johnny Cage x Fem!Reader

Summary: A large and empty pyramid in a large and empty desert await both you and Johnny, what will happen now that the two of you are alone?

Word count: 10k Warnings/Notices: named!reader, angst, johnny being annoying, violence, gore depicted, reader is rude and mean, a few curse words here and there, flirty johnny, sexually suggestive

Previous part / Next part

A/N: y’all I’m so sorry this has been sitting in my notes for weeks 😭 i’m such a procrastinator

Morning has descended onto Outworld. Gentle rays of sunlight illuminate the land below, casting out the darkness of the night. Birds from outside can be heard tweeting and chirping, a celebration of the moon handing over control to its solar counterpart.

The carriage is still continuing its journey towards the mission site, the two of you are now almost there.

Inside, you’re still fast asleep. Lost in the world of dreams, light snores can be heard slipping out of your parted lips. Johnny, however, has been awake for sometime. He was propped up in his seat, lazily scrolling through social media and letting out the occasional yawn as his body was ridding itself of the last vestiges of his fatigue.

He glanced up from his phone and took a look at you, still asleep and snoring lightly. A smirk graced his features. He had to admit, you looked rather cute while you were sleeping. Those light, barely audible snores coming from you made him chuckle, there was something so adorably funny about it.

Sunlight was streaming into the carriage. With the angle the vehicle was situated on, a ray of light fell right upon your sleeping body, specifically your face. The light of the ray gave your skin a lovely glow, almost as if it was emanating light itself.

Johnny couldn't help but admire you in this state. The way your skin shined and how the sunlight contrasted with your hair made you even more attractive in his eyes. You looked so pretty, a near-perfect example of a sleeping beauty.

Women like you were his weakness.

After a few moments of this, he sighed, a long and breathy exhale coming from him. Shaking whatever inappropriate thoughts he had out of his head, he leaned over you and lightly shook your arm, making sure to speak in a low voice.

"Wake up, sweet cheeks."

You were pulled from unconsciousness. The sudden transition from asleep to awake left you riddled with confusion. Your voice comes out slurred and slow as you begin to speak to him.

“Wha...Johnny? What are you..."

The sight of you like this drew a chuckle out of Johnny. That groggy and confused look on your face was so adorable to him, he really couldn’t resist the urge to taunt you a bit.

"Good morning, sunshine. Sleep well?"

"...Would've slept better if I wasn't woken up in the middle of the night..." You mutter, yawning loudly as you push your body up. You were awake for the day now, there was no going back to sleep. 

"Have you woken me up because you're bored again?”

Johnny smiled at how groggy and dazed you sounded, not-so-subtly staring as you sit up and stretch out your limbs. The yawn you let out was quite loud, it got a small laugh out of him. Leaning back in his seat and shaking his head slightly, he spoke up and answered you.

"Believe it or not, no. I didn't wake you up 'cause I'm bored. I just thought you should be awake when we arrive at our destination."

"We're here?!" You’re rather alert now, you practically splutter out your words as you shoot up in your seat.

Johnny let out another laugh at your rather hyper response. Your slightly messy hair, the bags under your eyes, your bewildered yet alert expression, it was such a sight for him. You’re like a cute little raccoon, he loved it!

"Not quite. We're pretty close though." He pointed out of the window at the now different scenery. "We should be there in a few minutes or so."

"Oh..." You slump back down in your seat, a sigh coming from you as the adrenaline starts to leave your system. You stretch a little and wipe the sleep in your eyes away with your finger. Surprisingly, you actually don’t look that messy for someone who slept in a literal box.

After another loud yawn, you turn to Johnny, your vision still slightly blurry. "How did you sleep?"

"Eh, fine. A little uncomfortable, but I've slept in worse places than this." He shrugged ever so casually, not at all showing concern about the day ahead of him.

“We have a big day ahead of us. I hope you actually did sleep."

Johnny chuckled heartily at your comment, amused that you appeared to be concerned about his sleeping habits. 

"Oh, I slept just fine, darlin'. You're worrying too much about me."

You scoff at his reply, a little baffled by his assumption. This man was so incredibly self-centred, it was all parts amusing and irritating.

"I am not worried about you. I only ask because I am concerned about how you will perform on this mission. I do not wish to mess this up for Liu Kang."

He smirked at you in response. You tried to claim that you weren’t worried for him, how cute! Though the truth, he didn’t buy your words. His ego was that large that the concept of anyone being anything less than obsessed with him was merely a fantasy.

"Aw, come on now. I'm the greatest damn fighter Earthrealm's got! You really think that the great Johnny Cage is gonna mess up an important mission like this?"

"If you're the greatest fighter Earthrealm has, then why was Raiden selected to represent us in the Mortal Kombat tournament?" You inquire with a slight snark in your voice, raising an eyebrow as you await an answer.

Johnny opened and then closed his mouth, both dumbfounded and speechless for the first time in a while. Your sudden comment about the tournament and how Raiden was Earthrealm's champion, rather than him, caught the man off guard entirely. He tried to come up with some quip to use against you, wanting to keep up his usual cocky demeanour, but he remained speechless.

A sly grin grew across your face, the sight before you was almost too good to be true. You prop your legs up on the seat adjacent and you cross your arms to your chest. To see this man, who normally couldn't stop talking, finally be rendered speechless and put in his place pleased you more than it should've.

"Yes... as I remember, you lost the first fight out of the five of us. Raiden bested you, didn't he?" 

You knew what you were doing. Smugness was practically dripping from your voice as you inspected your nails, still awaiting a response. To him, it was like you were pouring salt on a wound. It was like you were kicking him when he was already down.

He couldn't handle the taste of his own medicine.

Johnny closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, his jaw clenched tightly as your words rang in his mind. After all these months, he was admittedly still a little salty about how Raiden kicked his ass in the first round, it was still a bit of a sore spot for him. The great Johnny Cage loosing to some…farm boy. At times, he still couldn’t believe that it was real.

He could practically feel the smugness that was dripping from your words as you spoke of his defeat. Not to mention that you were now gloating about how he was beaten in the first round, too. How humiliating.

You start quietly snickering to yourself, the grin on your lips was growing wider by the second as you observed how pissy Johnny got when his ego was bruised.

"Lighten up, Cage. I'm only joking around."

Johnny narrowed his eyes at the sight of you and that smug grin of yours. Yeah, you were just messing around, he knew that. That was why he didn’t completely lost his cool on you. But that didn't mean that your words didn't bother him.

He clenched his jaw again before speaking in a rather terse tone.

"Yeah, yeah, joke all you like, princess."

You scoff and roll your eyes, brushing off his grumbly mood. The fact that Johnny could give but not take isn't your problem. No, not when you two have somewhere to investigate.

"We should be arriving soon. Stop sulking and focus on the task at hand."

Johnny grumbled slightly, he knew that you were correct about focusing on this mission. He had to swallow his pride and focus on the task at hand, despite how frustrated he was. He leaned back in his seat again and looked out of the windows, his expression remaining tense.

"Yeah, yeah…whatever.”

There's a silence between the two of you for a few minutes, only the trundle of the carriage being audible. You’re occupying yourself by looking out of the carriage window, staring at the outside world. Johnny had his gaze pointed downwards, fiddling with his hands and grumbling incomprehension under his breath. That fight was totally rigged, Liu Kang is LYING.

Suddenly, without warning, the carriage stopped. You and Johnny were both visibly caught off guard by this. Footsteps can be heard making their way from the front of the vehicle to the its interior's door. As suddenly as the carriage stopped, the door swung open.

You and Johnny hastily shield your eyes from the sudden onslaught of bright light. As both of your visions adjust to the light of the sun, your sight finally focuses on Geras in the doorway, now with the hood of his cloak down. His sepia skin looked smooth, like marble. His eyes were... a glowing blue?

He began to speak to you confused two in that same usual rough and raspy, yet comforting voice.

“Jade. Johnny. Good morning. We have arrived at your destination.”

Johnny perked up upon hearing that he’s finally here, after all this time. He laughed a little, cracking his knuckles and shaking his legs in preparation.

"Alright, sweet! We can stretch our legs now."

He turned to you, his tone is soft and his voice cheerful.

"You ready?"

"...Yes, I am." Your voice carried a hint of uncertainty to it but you nod in response, confirming that you’re good to go.

With that being said, the two of you exited the carriage. Geras graciously stood to the side as Johnny clambered out first, wildly rocking the vehicle in the process. Once he was on his own two feet, he loudly yawned and stretched his limbs out. He spent such a long time in those cramped confinements, he was grateful to be standing again.

Like the gentleman that he is, he turned around and dramatically bowed down, offering a hand out to you like a chauffeur would do to a starlet. And they say romance is dead!

Unfortunately for him, you didn't see it that way. No, instead of leaping into his arms like this was one of his movies, you simply suck your teeth and swat his hand away, giving him the stink eye as you walk down the steps of the carriage.

Johnny's attempt to be charming and act like the kind gentlemen he did back home was completely foiled by your brush-off. His hand hovered by his side for a brief moment. He looked over at you, a mixture of annoyance and slight confusion plastered over his face. He wanted to impress you, to show how nice and chivalrous he is, but instead he was greeted with a dismissive swat and a nasty glare? Ah, you must still be a little tired.

He sighed in defeat and muttered something under his breath, a bit more to himself than to you.

"Jeez...can't even try to be nice..."

You heard what he had to say, staring him down like you were looking at a bug. You didn’t respond, though. He wasn’t worth the waste of energy. Why focus on him when you have a mission at hand? Speaking of, now that you were finally out of the carriage, you look around and start to take in your new surroundings. 

It was hot, very hot. You could see the way sights in the distance had a little wave to them, it was that warm. A vast, barren desert with nothing but dry ground and sand in sight met the both of you. Dry ground, and a massive, ancient pyramid ahead up ahead.

Johnny was buzzing with anticipation. The sight before him was truly impressive, he couldn't help the tingle of excitement threading its way through his being. It was a chance for an actual adventure, like something he'd star in, and he was going to relish every minute of it.

However…the same couldn’t be said of you. The sight of that massive structure in the distance, looming over the horizon and sticking out like a sore thumb, sent a chill down your spine. It looked…terrifying. All dark and eerie. A small part of you did wish that Liu Kang had selected someone else for this. Better they meet a grim fate than you.

As you and Johnny both stood in awe of your new environment, Geras stepped away from the horses and walked into view.

"The source of this disturbance has been traced to this pyramid in the distance. When you are ready to leave, I shall be here. I wish the both of you luck."

Johnny turned to face Geras, nodding his head slightly in acknowledgment. He was so incredibly excited, he was bouncing around on his feet as he struggled to contain the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

"Thanks, Geras. We got this."

You also turn to Geras and nodded your head, calmly expressing your gratitude.

"Thank you, Geras."

You turn back to Johnny, the neutral expression on your face contrasted his jovial one. He looked like a kid in a toy store whilst you looked like you were going to war.

"Well...let's go.”

Johnny's excitement was only further fuelled by your calm but ready demeanour. He returned your stern face with a wide grin and an enthusiastic nod.

"Yeah, let’s go! Let's kick some ass and end whatever's happening!"

He started forward, his pace brisk as he began to jog to the imposing structure up ahead. Sighing, you took off as well, not before waving goodbye to Geras.

You walked quickly to catch up to Johnny, not thinking it wise to let him run off on his own. Just what have you gotten yourself into?

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

You catch up to Johnny, slowing your pace as you take your place beside him. He couldn't deny slightly feeling a small tingle of something at the sight of you next to him. The way the accents on your uniform gleamed in the sunlight made you look even more breathtaking, the need to get a little closer to you started to gnaw at him.

He took the chance to get chatty, wanting to fill the silence with something. And what better way than something flirtatious?

"Hey, Jade. Can I ask you something real quick?"

"Ask." You didn’t even turn to face him as you responded, not considering it worth the effort.

Johnny slowed his pace ever so slightly as to keep you closer to him. Truth be told, he didn’t actually have a question in mind. He just wanted to hear your sweet voice, even if it was chastising him.

He took a second to generate an think of an actual question, his brown eyes flickering with speculation before finally landing on something. His voice was casual and his tone a bit cocky, but there was a small hint of genuine curiosity behind his words.

"So...you ever had a boyfriend?"

You turn to Johnny to give him a disapproving look, a scowl gracing your features.

"That is none of your business, Cage."

Johnny chuckled softly, his confident and casual demeanour failed to falter. Your cold response did nothing to deter him. If anything, he found it endearing how annoyed you got at him.

"Oh, come on, princess. I'm just tryna get to know you better, that's all."

You don’t say anything, instead you suck your teeth in irritation. The desert heat, as well as Johnny Cage in general, was evidently starting to get to you.

To Johnny, this was just too damn easy. You were all the entertainment he needed on this mission. The way your face screwed up whenever he said something stupid was money. You were just so cute!

He glanced to the side, finally taking note of the dry and hot atmosphere surrounding, and how uncomfortable it was getting. He felt a bead of sweat trickle down the nape of his neck, the inside of his uniform was starting to cling and stick to his heated skin.

"Damn...don't know about you, but it's getting hot out here."

"I'm aware..." You wipe the brewing sweat off of your forehead, mentally cursing yourself for not bringing any drinking water with you.

Johnny laughed a little at your slightly grumpy reply, he was amused by how stuffy and uncomfortable you looked in the moment. He could tell the heat of the desert was getting to you, and, as always, he found your growing irritation to be pretty damn cute.

'What, princess? Can't handle the heat?"

You brush a loose strand of hair out of your face, not responding to him.

He merely chuckled again in response to your silence, your lack of response did nothing to deter this little pest. That sly smirk remained on his face as he continued to tease you in the same mocking tone as before.

"Oh, c'mon now. Not gonna give me a witty comeback, darlin'?"

"How is it that you have a man's body but a boy's mind?" You turn to face him, finally replying. Your eyes were narrowed, your voice laced with irritation. 

In contrast, Johnny burst into a round of laughter. He liked the response he got, maybe a little too much. A small part of him did feel a little flustered that you were so observant about him, but he didn’t let this show. He stopped walking to catch his breath, managing to speak through his bouts of laughter.

"Oh, nice one, princess! l love a woman who can give as good as she gets."

You too stop walking, pausing your pace to look down at him with your arms crossed. Disdain darkened your eyes, you look at him like a parent about to scold this misbehaving child.

“Tch, imbecile…”

Johnny took a moment to compose himself before he stood back up and bounced around a little bit, still laughing a little.

"What can I say? I'm gifted, in many different ways." 

"Gods above, you're gross..." You mutter as you pick your stride back up and walk past him, the back of you hiding the nastiest of scowls forming on your face. The way he put emphasis on the word “many” made it painfully obvious what this devil was implying.

Johnny continued to laugh for a few more seconds before recovering from his little fit. He watched you walk past him, shamelessly drinking in the view that was the back of you.

He did eventually managed to calm himself down, though. Jogging a bit to catch up to you, he was walking by your side once more, en route to the massive imposing structure in the distance.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

After walking for about a mile more, the two of you finally reached the pyramid. Now standing outside the main entrance, you both look up at the gigantic building, taking all of the massive sight in.

The pyramid was a tall, imposing, ominous and incredibly ancient building.

Having been long since abandoned, it was now in a state of decay. The paved floor of the main entrance was cracked, debris and rubble scattered all around the courtyard. The once pristine sandstone bricks were now green with mold and overgrown vegetation. A large, wide shadow was cast in the part of the desert it was situated in. not even the local wildlife dared to venture near this building.

Both you and Johnny were equally starstruck by the sheer presence of the pyramid. Neither of you had ever seen anything like this in your lives. You both couldn't help but stare up at the massive structure in awe. It was absolutely enormous and more than a little intimidating to look at. Despite its decay, it was still very impressively built, withstanding the test of time.

You two were stood right at the base, each of your gazes focused on the top of the building. The ominous darkness of the inside, where it was void of sunlight, was strangely captivating.

Johnny’s voice finally spoke, his tone soft and surprised.

"Damn...it's impressive. Creepy...but impressive."

"Indeed..." You mindlessly agree because yeah, he’s pretty much correct.

You stop ogling the massive structure and turn to the side to face Johnny, your facial expression and tone now deadly serious.

"We don't know what we're walking into, we must be ready for anything. If you need to take a minute to prepare yourself, that's fine. Let me know when you're ready to enter."

Johnny tore his eyes away from the structure to look at you, taking note of how serious you looked, a lot more than usual. It was a far cry from the annoyed and frustrated expressions that he had been working so hard to bring out just minutes ago. He found himself having to adjust to the sudden shift in atmosphere.

He nodded his head slowly, his own expression now also much more focused and serious.

"Yeah...yeah, I'm good."

He folded his hands together, cracking his knuckles before speaking again.

"Let's do this."

You nod your head at him, acknowledging his conformation. The tiniest of smiles graced your features.

The two of you make your way to and through the entrance of the pyramid, stepping over debris, overgrown vegetation and the bones of ancient corpses. Such a charming setting.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

The pyramid interior was what would be expected of such a building. Dark, unclean, creepy and with a musty smell in the air. Both the interior and exterior of the building were equal in the amount of eerie and ominous vibes that they emitted. Johnny felt a shiver run down his spine at the sight of his new surroundings, but he ignored it in an attempt to remain as calm as possible.

Thankfully, Liu Kang provided the pair of you with torches to combat the pyramid's darkness. Flicking them on and using the light streams to scan around the massive space, you and Johnny start to examine your surroundings.

You both slowly and carefully walk forward, keeping alert and on guard in case anything jumps out. The semi-flickering light of the torch seemed to throw shadows all over the place, which really didn’t ease the creepy atmosphere.

Johnny spoke up after a moment, his voice still calm despite the dark surroundings.

"Sure is...charming in here."

You didn’t respond, you were busy shaking off the remnants of a cobweb that you accidentally stepped on, quietly wincing as you shake the string off of your boot. You can’t stand insects, and the realisation that this old pyramid was most likely full of them sent a shiver down your spine.

…Not that you want Johnny to know that. Why give him one more thing to tease you about?

Well, unfortunately for you, Johnny did indeed take notice of your shaking off the cobwebs, and you wincing in slight disgust. He laughed quietly to himself, the sight of a big bad assassin being shaken by some tiny bugs was amusing to him. A taunt slipped out, in a rather mocking manner. He really couldn't help himself.

"Pffft…you afraid of some little bugs, princess?"

“…No." A lie. An unconvincing one at that.

Whatever, though. You have bigger fish to fry. After throughly shaking your boot clean, you make your way over to Johnny, standing by his side as you pull out a supposed map of the temple given to you by Liu Kang.

"Let's see...we should be right...here."

Johnny glanced over the map, checking for his current location. A sly smirk on his face, he was tempted to tease you further about your arachnophobia but he very maturely decided to stop. He is on a mission, after all.

Speaking of, when you pointed it out your current location, he nodded his head and looked over at you in acknowledgment.

"Yeah...got it. Looks like we're right on track."

You begin explaining the plan you thought up, solely focusing on the map in your hands as well as the potential layout of the pyramid interior. Johnny, however, lost focus pretty much immediately. Instead, he switched his attention over to your lovely self, starting to blatantly check you out. He was shamelessly looking at your body, his gaze roaming all over. You were so close to him, he even caught a faint scent of your perfume. All of your words were going in one ear and out the other as you were diligently explaining your plan.

That was, until you snapped him back to reality.

"...So do you understand?"

Uh oh.

Johnny was too preoccupied with…assessing you to even have the faintest idea about what you were saying. It wasn't until you had asked if he understood the plan that he snapped out of his trance. He was so distracted by your…features that he had lost count of how long he had been staring at your body instead of the map in your hands.

He snapped his focus back to you, hoping his ogling hadn't been too obvious.

"...Huh?"

You frowned.

"And you weren't listening. Great." You sarcastically muttered, irritation starting to simmer inside of you.

Johnny mentally berated himself for getting too sidetracked by “analysing” your form instead of listening to a word of the plan. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, trying to look apologetic.

"Uh...sorry, I was a bit..."

He stopped himself before he said he was too busy checking you out. That would make things worse.

"…Distracted. Got a little...distracted, looking at you."

Ugh, was he serious?

You were pissed, of course, but you couldn’t say that you weren’t somewhat expecting this. After all, this is Johnny "hi i'm a notorious womaniser" Cage you’re with.

You can’t be bothered to repeat your whole plan again, you only sigh and give him a disapproving look before carrying on.

"Right, you know what? It doesn't matter. Just...follow me."

You turn around and advance further within the building, slightly slamming down the soles of your boots on the hard floor as you make your way down a staircase.

Johnny could tell how annoyed and angry you were at his lack of attention. He really couldn't blame you, this was kinda his fault. He internally scolded himself not only for not listening but also for being shameless enough to be ogling you so blatantly to the point of being distracted.

He followed behind you in silence, the echoes of your boots against the stone floor being the only sound between you two as the both of you ventured down the staircase. He winced at your rather hard steps, knowing that they were a sign that you were rightfully pissed at him.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

So there the two of you were. Venturing down a staircase that led to the rest of the pyramid. You were in front, leading both yourself and Johnny further through the building. He was behind you, his focus solely on the darkness in front of him...

And also on your ass.

Well, he really was trying hard to focus on the task at hand and not get sidetracked once again, honest! But… it was proving difficult to do so. His eyes involuntarily found themselves roaming all over your back view, it was taking every bit of effort to keep them on the darkness ahead instead of your…features. Gods, the way your hips swayed with every step you took…

Thankfully for him, you didn’t notice his staring. Instead, you stopped walking and waved Johnny over, pulling out the pyramid map from your back pocket. You wanted to suggest where in the pyramid to head for. The innermost chamber, the near centre of the building, would be a good start in finding the origin of this disturbance, you thought.

You took a step towards him. The two of you were now close enough to the point where your shoulders were touching. Noticing this, he grinned at you, shooting you a wink to go with it. You don’t reciprocate his advances, you only roll your eyes in response, muttering under your breath about how much of a dog he is.

Johnny chuckled to himself upon seeing your beautiful eyes roll yet again. He really got a kick out of your annoyed reactions, finding them strangely cute in a way.

Focusing back on the map, you point to where the innermost chamber was depicted.

"I think we should head...here. This should be a good start in looking for whatever the source is."

He actually did try to focus on the map this time instead of you once again, but the two of you were so close that Johnny couldn’t help not saying something. His eyes flickered mischievously, and he started to whisper something into your ear.

"You know, Jade...you're really cute."

"You know, Johnny...you're really annoying." You banter back with him, but not in any way that suggests you share the same interest he has in you. Very much the opposite. 

"Ha! Oh, come on. You know you like it.”

Johnny’s tone had that cockiness to it that you couldn’t stand, he didn’t miss a beat and completely unfazed by how irritated you were with him. He nudged you slightly with his shoulder, a cheeky smirk plastered on his face as he did so.

"Ugh..." You roll your eyes again and let out a groan. His relentlessness astounds. 

"Annoying AND self-deluded..."

Johnny continued to smirk at you, the look in his eyes hungry. He was more than used to the your pissed off and frustrated reactions. That’s why he did what he did. You’re just so damn cute!

He leaned in closer with a smug expression, speaking in a low, sultry tone.

"But you know you love it when I get on your nerves, princess."

His everlasting pursuit of you, coupled with that sickly sultry voice, sent a feeling of disgust through your body. Rage was starting to simmer within your being.

You take a couple of steps back from Johnny, not wishing to be this close to this man-child anymore.

"Some may swoon for you, but I will not." Your tone was firm, unwavering. You weren’t going to fall for this womaniser’s tricks.

Johnny's smirk widened into a grin. He stepped forward again to close the newly established distance between the two of you, getting right back in your personal space.

"What, you think you're too good for me? Too good to flirt with little ol' me?”

He flashed you his pearly teeth for a second. His voice was cocky and arrogant, he leaned in towards you as he spoke next.

“C'mon... you know I can make you change your mind."

Of course, he was completely oblivious to the fact that he was only pissing you off more. Or maybe he wasn’t, and this was all just a game to him. But, once again, he got a little too close for comfort. You did nothing in order to stop him, though. A strong death glare was aimed right at him as the man smirked in your face.

Johnny snickered softly at your expression, the scrunchy look on your face was oh so strangely attractive to him. He closed in the distance a little further, noses only a few inches apart. He leaned in so that he could whisper something to you.

"You're so damn cute when you're angry, sweetheart."

You started to respond, but then you suddenly stop. Taking your attention off of Johnny, you whip your head to the right, looking at the darkness ahead.

There was a noise coming from ahead of you. It almost sounded like...footsteps? No, this couldn't be. The pyramid was supposed to be completely deserted, void of life. And yet... this mysterious sound still persisted. Cutting through the silence, this was something that sent a chill down the spine of both you and Johnny.

You push Johnny away by a couple of meters, looking at him with worry awash all over your face.

"Stop." You push Johnny away by a couple of meters, looking at him with worry awash all over your face. "Did you hear that?"

Johnny felt a pang of...something when you suddenly pushed him away. But whatever it was it quickly vanished from his mind when he heard an unexplained noise coming from the dark corridor.

"Yeah...l heard it."

He took a moment to compose himself, very subtly readjusting his pants before turning his attention on the darkness ahead.

"It seems to be coming from right... there."

When Johnny shined his flashlight in the perceived direction of the noise, a person came into view.

This person was tall, well built and clad in spiky, metallic, bone-like armour, complete with a skull shaped helmet. An appearance fitting of one of the soldiers who work under the infamous disgraced warlord, General Shao.

You and Johnny stood there in shock. Your eyes only widened when the whole area around you lit up. The sudden influx of light revealed that the two of you were standing in the entrance of a large room. Two more men were across from you guys, having just lit the sconces on the wall and illuminating a guard post/camp of sorts.

It's almost impossible to read Johnny's expression as he stares down at the men in front of him, his mind moving a mile a minute. His body language indicates that he is confused, curious, and also slightly on edge.

Finally, he spoke up in a stern, but playful tone. His eyes remain glued to the first man, the torchlight illuminating his body.

“…And just who might you be?"

“GET THEM!”

The first man was the one to bellow out, ordering his fellow soldiers to attack. His voice raw and deep, loud enough to shake your very bones. The other men grabbed their weapons and began to charge at you two, yelling out battle cries as they did so.

Before you could even react, Johnny immediately rushed forward and started to...fight them? Not only that, it seemed like he was actually winning. By a landslide, too. One unarmed Earthrealmer against three of General Shao's armed soldiers and yet... he was holding his own very well. Not just very well, extremely well.

You were shocked, utterly. Your expression was similar to that of someone witnessing something entirely fanatical. You knew that he was a martial arts star, yes. You also knew that he was one of Earthrealm's champions, of course. But, you had never actually seen him in action before. Well, real action.

Up until now, you were admittedly puzzled as to why Liu Kang was so keen on keeping Johnny around, and now you saw why. As he battled with General Shao's men, laughing to himself and letting out witty one-liners the whole time, you stood and watched, in pure disbelief.

A couple more minutes of this pass. By the time the fight was over, your jaw hung wide open. 

The three men were now dead, their bodies a mess of blood, guts and bone all strewn out on the floor. Johnny was now covered in their blood. 

He had a few bruises and cuts here and there, but overall he was fine.

Whilst he stood up and began to sort himself out, you start to speak.

"Johnny, what the fuck was that?!"

…Is what you would've said. However, because you were in such a state of shock, partially due to seeing three men brutally killed in front of you and partially due to seeing what Johnny was actually capable of, you weren’t even able to form a proper sentence. So, instead, you sounded more like:

"Wha...you just...how..."

Johnny turned to you and let out a laugh. He saw how you were staring at him, that utterly baffled expression all over your face. It was really cute to him that you were seemingly unable to form a coherent sentence. He slowly walked over , planting his hands on his hips as he spoke in an all-too-smug tone.

"Impressed yet, princess?"

"You...you just...how did you..."

You were still at a loss of words. This man who had the maturity of a child, this man who never took anything seriously, this man that she had always disliked from day one, just took down three large soldiers. Not only that, but like it was easy as well.

What was this?

Johnny’s grin persisted as he stopped in-front of you, clearly taking great pleasure in how amazed and dumbfounded you were. That agape mouth of yours made him snicker to himself, it was so funny!

"What? Surprised I know how to fight? You thought I was just some pretty boy who wouldn't last a round in a real fight?"

Minus the "pretty" part, yeah, that's exactly what you thought of him. Ever since the day you two met, you never pictured Johnny Cage as a skilled fighter that’s capable of besting literal soldiers.

To be proved wrong like this was a wild experience.

You, still completely starstruck, let out the breath that you didn't know you were holding on to. Whilst it was…something to see Johnny's true power, you were still on a mission. You need to concentrate.

"...Well done, Cage." You dryly and semi-reluctantly congratulated him, finding interacting with Johnny in any other way that wasn't belittlement to be extremely hard.

"You handled yourself well. Good…” This is so incredibly painful. ”…good job."

Johnny simply chuckled at your somewhat begrudged compliment, obviously taking great pleasure in your adverse reaction. He smirked, a gleam of arrogance filling his brown eyes as he spoke.

"Good? Really? That's all you can say? C’mon, admit it. You were blown away by those moves, weren't you?"

You chuckle dryly and half-heartedly, still in a state of shock. Composing yourself, you walk past him and over to one of the camps the men had set up, in hopes of finding some information. The splatters of blood that were now covering some of the furniture really weren’t helping your mood at all.

Thankfully, Johnny didn't see you mouth a "What the fuck?" When your back was turned to him. He didn't need another ego boost right now.

He was about to say something snide to you, but he noticed the serious air in your walk as you made your way over to one of the tables where the men had been stationed. Curious, he decided to follow you over, following behind and leaning back on the free spot next to you.

"Whatcha looking for, princess? Some sort of...info on why they're here?"

You ignore him. Not because you feel like being mean, but because you were still processing the bloodbath that you had just witnessed. Your mind was going at a mile a minute, you were still processing the fact that all of your assumptions about Johnny were wrong.

You rummage through the formerly alive men's possessions, their notes and their encampment. You were hunting for some sort of information about the pyramid and why Shao's men were here.

Johnny watched as you rummaged through the dead men's belongings, a sly little grin on his face. He was still taking a little too much joy in your baffled and dispirited state of mind after that little skirmish. He waited for you to either find something or get bored and move on, not saying a word the whole time. He didn’t show it, but a part of him also felt a spark of intrigue as to why these men were here.

And then you found it. Plans. Plans on some sort of magical machine and how it worked. You pretty quickly sum up that this machine was most likely the source of the disturbance. But just why were General Shao's men here in the first place? This can't be just a mere coincidence.

"Cage!"

You spin around to face Johnny with the notes still in your hand. Your eyes were wide with anticipation, you were eager to tell him about all that you had found out in just a few minutes.

“I…you...this pyramid…a machine...Shao..."

Maybe a little too eager. You were still so shaken up by Johnny's 3v1 fight that you found it hard to string a sentence together. All of your thoughts were coming out completely jumbled.

Johnny pushed himself off the table and turned his whole body to face you. He truly wanted to laugh again, your persisting bewilderment and shock was still so funny to him. He had no idea that you’d be this easy to impress! But, he pushed down the desire to ridicule you upon seeing the pieces of paper in your hand. 

"Woah, woah. Slow down. Take a deep breath and tell me what you found."

He gently placed his hands around your wrists. Surprisingly, this was effective in calming you down. You took a deep breath in, temporarily clearing and calming the raging storm in your mind to inform Johnny of your findings.

"These are plans. Drawings. Drawings of some sort of machine. These notes indicate that the machine is in the centre of the pyramid, where the innermost chamber is. Why it's there and what it does, I don't know. And why Shao's men were seemingly guarding this place, l also don't know..."

You start to falter a little, your thoughts start to get a little sidetracked. When Johnny saw this, his hands trailed up a little and gave your own a light squeeze, a strangely kind gesture that helped you carry on.

"...But, I believe we'll find answers if we keep searching this pyramid. There has to be at least something in this place."

Johnny listened intently as you spoke, his hands still over yours and his demeanour now serious, admittedly a weird sight to see.

"Then that's what we'll do. We'll scour this place, find answers and figure out why Shao's men here."

He released his grasp on you and walked forward, through the pyramid. Over his shoulder, his hand shot up, gesturing for you to follow.

"Come on."

First he just killed 3 of Shao's formidable soldiers, and now he was actually taking this mission seriously?!

Was this real?

You were still shocked by this sudden development. You stood there for a few seconds, watching Johnny walk away. Only then did you realise that you also must follow him, further into the pyramid. 

However, as you walked to catch up with him, something began to form within you. A feeling, small but still present, started to grow in your brain that would forever change the way you viewed Johnny Cage.

You were beginning to respect him.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

As the two of you silently walk through the pyramid, Johnny couldn’t help but notice your continued shock.

He turned to you and flashed a grin, finding it amusing that you’re still so visibly caught off guard. He nudged your shoulder and spoke up, his tone a lot more playful than before.

"What's got you so shook, Jade?"

His shone his torch on you, taking the chance to subtly check you out and run his eyes over every curve of your uniformed body.

Johnny’s sudden question had you realising that you were still in a state of shock. You quickly compose yourself. The back of your fingers brush a loose strand of hair away from your face, you clear your throat before responding next.

"How did you do that? Back there, with those men?”

"What? Fight those three?"

Johnny let out a small laugh when you questioned him. You were just so funny to him, even if it was unintentional. He grinned at you in an arrogant manner and shrugged his shoulders, torchlight illuminated the drying blood stains on his arms.

"Years of practice."

Your interest was officially piqued. Now, you were actually starting to somewhat take an interest in him. It dawned on you in this moment how little you knew about Johnny as a person. Just where did he learn to fight so well?

"Practice, you say?"

You smile at him slightly, for the first time in like, ever. The corners of your lips curl upward, the disdain you held for him starting to dissipate in the moment.

"Where have you trained?”

Johnny chuckled once more. A part of him was impressed that you were finally actually taking an interest in him.

“Well, princess, I’ve trained in a lot of places. There’s some Hollywood stuntman training. Various martial arts schools in loads of different countries. Oh! And, of course, I can’t forget the monks back at the Wu Shi!”

He was starting to get a little hyperactive, his steps now had a slight bounce to them. How could he not? He was talking about his favourite topic; himself!

You could sense that Johnny was gearing up to launch himself into a long tirade, but you did nothing to intervene. This time, you actually wanted to hear what he had to say.

He turned to face you again, a large smile on his face.

"Where did ya think I learned to fight, sweetheart?"

“I don’t know. Honestly, I never realised that you were that skilled."

Johnny heartily laughed, slowing his pace a little. That smug demeanour of his started to come back in full force.

"Yeah, I know. Everyone's so distracted by this...”

He gestured towards his face, indicating his good looks.

“…They don't even notice that I'm also packing this."

He clenched his fingers into a fist this time, the gesture referring to his fighting skills.

You actually spare a chuckle a little at his humour, looking down as you crack a small smile. This man is so unbelievably ridiculous, despite how talented of a fighter he is.

Your efforts to conceal your reaction were ultimately pointless seeing as Johnny still saw the way that small smile graced your lips. He smiled too, he was actually pleased that you genuinely laughed with him. Usually, you either roll your eyes or scowl at him when he cracks a joke. To see you actually respond positively, even if you tried to conceal it, was…something!

He decided to push his luck a little and say something a bit more...flirtatious. He slowed his pace a bit more, his smile turning a bit more cheeky.

"You know... I'm also packing something else too."

Alright. Johnny had pushed his luck a little too far now. Your subtle smile quickly morphed into a scowl, your face slightly contorted in irritation. He just couldn't resist making some sort of sexual joke for five minutes, could he?

"By the Gods..." You groan, quickening your pace so that you were now ahead of him, leading the way further into the pyramid.

He didn’t take offence, though, Instead, Johnny just chuckled at your annoyed reaction. He always found you to be so cute when you got all irritated by him. Of course he called out as you stomped off, he couldn’t help it.

"What’s wrong? Not interested in finding out what I'm packing?"

The smirk on his face was wiped off by another sudden noise. Interrupting the silence, the sound of people running could be heard from the floor above. By now, Shao's forces that were stationed inside the pyramid were probably aware that they weren't the only people in the building. As such, each station around the site gradually started to mobilise in preparation, for possible confrontation with the intruders.

You were visibly caught off guard by the movement above, stopping dead in your tracks and looking up at the ceiling. After a few seconds, you turn to back Johnny, fear and dread darkening your face.

“Did you hear that? There's people above us."

Johnny walked over to you, slowly and quietly in order to overhear the running above. Gone was his usual cocky demeanour from seconds before, a much more serious one has taken it’s place.

"Yeah, I heard them. Sounds like there's a lot of them, too."

He turned to look at you, breath hitched and eyes darkening slightly.

"Think they've caught on that we're here?"

Your voice lowered to a whisper, the sudden pseudo presence of Shao’s men making you hyper-aware of your movements and surroundings.

"...If we’re quiet enough and stick to the shadows, then we should be able to reach the center of the pyramid without giving ourselves away to anymore of Shao's men. Got that?"

Johnny nodded in agreement, a small and determined smile gracing his features. Working under pressure like this was exciting for him, he felt like a ninja or some sort of action icon he would portray. There was something so childishly fun about this all.

"Yeah, I got it. Lead the way, princess." 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Over the next few hours, the two of you made your way through the pyramid, as silently and stealthily as possible. You, specifically, were extra careful to not alert anymore of Shao's men to your presence, lest you and Johnny be forced to fight and meet an untimely fate.

This pyramid was such a large structure that by the afternoon, despite all their progress, you and Johnny weren't even halfway to the innermost chamber. However, sticking to the shadows did actually give you an opportunity to overhear Shao's forces discussing amongst themselves.

Piecing together what could be overheard so far, you gathered that the source of this particular disturbance was indeed the mysterious machine depicted in the notes you found, located right in the center of the pyramid. It seemed to be powered by some sort of rock or stone… though you unfortunately couldn’t pick up on anything else. Why General Shao's men were guarding this machine and why this machine was even there in the first place was still a mystery to you. Maybe, if you and Johnny keep advancing deeper into the structure, you would find more answers.

By now, the two of you were resting in a small, hidden room that had been found. Using your flashlights as a source of illumination, the both of you laid back against the walls and sought some rest for a little while.

Johnny let out a small sigh, stretching his legs out and resting his arms behind his head. The events of the day so far weighed heavy on his mind. From the long journey just to get here to spending all day sneaking around this dark and dusty pyramid, not to mention having to do all of this with you of all people… it was a lot. No offence, of course.

He glanced over at you, brushing the stray hairs out of your face whilst you rest against the wall adjacent to him. His eyes discreetly roamed over your tired form for a moment before he spoke.

"How much farther do you think we have left to go?"

"We are doing well. We get closer to the innermost chamber by every step. If we keep this up, we should reach our destination undetected."

You sighed, partially letting go of the stress that was weighing on your shoulders. You were committed to this mission, sure. But, it felt really good to let your guard down a little and take a break after hours of being on your feet. This was tiring work.

Johnny nodded in agreement, his eyes roaming over you once more. You didn’t notice how his gaze lingered on you a little longer than what was necessary. He couldn’t help it, the sight of your body was near-addicting to him.

"Yeah, but it's a lot of sneaking around. I'm tired of having to sneak around like a damn mouse. Wouldn't it be faster if we just kicked some ass and fought our way through?"

"That would be unwise. We would risk grievous injury, or worse. Sticking to the shadows is our best option."

Johnny chuckled, his lips stretching into a small smile. This was such a “you” response, always wanting to do the sensible thing and never daring to take risks.

"Yeah, sure sure. I get what you're saying. Sensible and safe. But don't you get tired of it? Don't you just want to let loose a little and be a bit reckless for once?"

"No." You reply bluntly, looking over at him with a disciplinary look. You would never dare admit it, but a part of you found it a little comical how immature Johnny was. You still can’t really believe that this was the same man that bested 3 of Shao's soldiers all by himself.

“Ah, you’re so stubborn, Jade…” A weak smile was on his face as he shook his head a little and turned away, losing himself in his own thoughts for a bit. A deep, breathy sigh escaped him as he turned to look at you once more.

"So, I'm guessing it's a “no” to being a little reckless and fun?"

You wordlessly scoff at his question, slowly shaking your head in disbelief.

A few moments of silence followed next. Seeing as there was not much to do, you allowed yourself to take note of how exhausted Johnny across from you looked. The fact that he still looked decently attractive after spending a whole day sneaking around an ancient structure didn't elude you, the slight softening of your facial features showed this. The dried blood stains littering his uniform actually complemented his appearance, in a weird way.

Did he always have such picturesque features?

A part of you did start to harbour some concern for the man, although you didn't let this show. Nevertheless, something in you was still promoted to ask him if he was alright.

"Are you...alright, Cage?"

Johnny's eyes widened a little in surprise, your mild display of concern for him took him off guard. This was so out of character for you, he really didn’t expect you to ask such a thing. He stared at you for a moment, studying your awaiting expression, He let out a small laugh.

"I'm fine, just a little tired, is all."

He gave you a small, tired grin, which was a little less cocky than the ones he usually gave. Exhaustion was shining through his slick face. You smiled back at him a little in response. Your nerves are eased knowing that there wasn't actually anything wrong with your companion. Only simple fatigue.

"I'm tired too. This is nothing some rest can't solve."

You quietly exhale and slumped your body down a little, the feeling of comfort starting to overtake you. Your eyes close, but you do’t fall asleep. The darkness of the back of your eyelids eased in clearing your mind.

Johnny, too. shifted his body a little to grow more comfortable again. 

He couldn't help but notice how...calm you seemed right now. It was a nice change from your usual serious and stoic demeanour, and admittedly, he found it to be pleasing. That smile of yours made you look even more beautiful in his eyes. ”She looks so… pretty when she's not glaring at me.”

After a few minutes of silence, your eyes open and you prop yourself back up. Your eyes settled back onto Johnny across from you, a thought coming to mind. You did hesitate, but eventually you gave in and took the first step in cracking the ice between the two of you.

"You know, Cage… my brother is actually a fan of yours..."

"Oh yeah?" The mention of your brother perked Johnny up a little. He chuckled, leaning forward slightly and resting one of his forearms against his knees, a silent invitation for you to carry on. He was quite intrigued to hear about your brother being a fan of his. He was actually a little more intrigued to hear that you have a brother at all.

Your smile returns. A tiny, breathy laugh slips past your lips before you speak next.

"Yes...he really likes that little film of yours. Ninja Mine, I believe it's called..?"

Johnny let out an exaggerated, and mock-offended scoff, pretending to be insulted that you were referring to his best work, or just any movie of his, as "little”.

"Ninja Mime. Please tell me you’ve not forgotten the name of one of the greatest movies in history."

You scoff, but not in a way that indicates that you’re annoyed. No, Johnny’s arrogance actually got a genuine laugh out of you this time. Good on him.

"Yes, Ninja Mime." 

Your smile broadened a little before continuing.

“…Years ago, on one Halloween night, he was dressed up as your character. His whole face was covered in white paint, he ran around our home town in a karate uniform and a beret, yelling out “I am the Ninja Mine!”, so eager to get as much candy as possible..."

Your smile grew again, you were practically beaming now. The fond memories of your dear brother warmed your heart. Gone was that usual stoic expression, you were genuinely happy for the first time in a long time.

Your recollection actually drew a genuine, hearty laugh out of Johnny. Picturing your brother running around on Halloween, dressed up like all him, made the man laugh more than he'd care to admit. Hearing that he made other people happy with his work brought joy to him, this was one of the main reasons he entered the entertainment industry.

"Really? Your brother sounds like a pretty cool guy."

Johnny sat up, now fully invested in this conversation. He rested both of his elbows on his knees, leaning forward with a smile. It was actually really nice to hear about your life like this, and have some sort of positive interaction with you at the same time.

"What's his name?"

"His name is Hiroshi..."

The mention of your brother's name shifted your demeanour in a way that was very slight, but very noticeable. The bright twinkle in your eyes turned into a sliver of sadness. Your small smile morphed into a slight frown. Your gaze lowered itself to the floor as your nostalgia turned from sweet joy to bitter sadness.

There was so much underlying emotional baggage when it came to you and your kin, however that is not for Johnny to know yet.

He noticed all of this, raising an eyebrow as his expression changed also. That sudden sad look on your face was weird to him, Johnny couldn’t help but wonder if this was his fault. Did he say something wrong?

"…You alright there, Jade?"

His tone was light and cocky like usual, but this time it carried a hint of genuine concern. He made sure to be more careful with his actions now, looking over at you and reaching his hand out slowly, like he didn’t want to startle you.

You don’t respond, you’re too lost in your silent sulking as you lay back against the wall. Once joyful a few minutes ago, you were now drowning in remorse as the memories of your family were playing in your head. A small tear pooled from your eye and ran down your cheek, you were zoned out and became enthralled in the past.

After a few moments had passed, you realised what you’re doing. Your usual cold, laser-focused demeanour was slipping, you can’t allow that. Especially in-front of Johnny. 

You compose yourself, sitting up and wiping the tear off of your face, taking a sharp inhale in the process. You look up and dismiss Johnny, your tone now cold again.

"...Alright, enough nostalgia for one day. We should get a move on. Come on."

Your announcement was abrupt, just like your exit. You swiftly make your way out of the secret room, leaving Johnny all alone and confused. He was caught completely off guard by your sudden departure, and all the varying events that have happened in the past few minutes. He slowly rose to his feet, taking a moment to stand there in dumbfounded silence.

He looked around the room a little and he shook his head, shoving his queries to the back of his mind before he quickly followed suit and made his way out.

A/N: thank you for reading!! this was a big one, i know. i had no idea this would be ten thousand words omg 😭 again, neither the story nor the actual roleplay is nowhere near done. i’m so excited to share the rest of it to tumblr :)

[donatellowiththebookinhishand]

Donatello Brainworm AU

Hey everyone- I originally posted this to ao3, but I wanted to cross-post here so I could actually tag the inspiration for the fic. My tag on ao3 however is SCREAM_ing, if you want to know where faster updates will be!

Summary:

-Based off the Brainworm Donnie AU comic by @cupcakeslushie on tumbler. I highly recommend checking their comic out, it’s pretty great! Here’s their description:

“Karai lures Donnie into her trap first in the Fourfold Trap, but what if she used the extra time to implant him with a brainworm? The brothers have to try to race against a ticking clock to save a brother who now hates them.

Warnings: brainwashing, neglect/abuse (not real, but perceived as the truth)“

Disclaimer!!! In case you missed it in the super long description- Please read this before.. reading.

This AU is NOT my idea, it comes from a comic creator on tumbler by the name @cupcakeslushie. I implore you to check their comic out before reading, their art is incredible. It’s also the basis of this entire work, and I will try to keep dialogue the same from comic to here.

This is also my first time writing a fanfic, so this pilot chapter is like a draft of a draft. Hopefully it will get better as I write 😅

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

Chapter 1

----

“I know you have tried, Donatello; some things are simply not meant to be. At least I have four wonderful sons.”

If that wasn’t the nail in the coffin. Donnie’s heart sank as the black goop in the beaker—a hopeful attempt at a cure—oozed mockingly at him. His brothers, who’d been crowded around him to witness this latest attempt at a cure, began to solemnly walk out of the lab. Donnie didn't know what to do anymore, and he was running out of ideas.

His failure weighed heavily on his shoulders. He’d come up empty-handed again, his ideas to develop the cure were running thin. It’s been weeks of sleepless nights and many, many, coffee pots later, and his latest idea hadn't even come close to fruition.

It also doesn't help that he can't even focus on his brothers’ and master’s disappointment through the massive headache he’s been nursing for weeks. It’s back at full throttle now as he chokes back tears of frustration.

His family had taken it upon themselves to stop into the lab after each supper to check on his progress toward the cure. Donnie really thinks it's just their way of subtly asking, "Aren’t you done yet?" It’s that, or it’s them checking if he’s still standing after missing yet another mealtime.

The brothers left, all disappointed—except for Leo, who turned to Donnie with hardened eyes and a mouth twisted in frustration. To distract himself, Donatello doesn't meet his brothers' eyes as they leave, instead opting to grab a clipboard and take notes on what he could actually fix around the lair. Leo stalked angrily behind him, unnoticed by the genius.

“Donnie, you know how much this means to Sensei.”

“Leo, I’m trying as hard as I can.” He could barely believe Leo had just said that to him; the words cut through him like a dagger. His face fell, the weariness and hurt momentarily slipping through before he clenched his jaw and tried to steady himself. After all the sleep he’d lost and sacrifices he’d made, he couldn’t take the thought of being asked to give even more.

Couldn't he see that Donnie was giving everything he had to Karai’s brainworm problem? He hadn't had a full night’s sleep in almost a month. Tears of frustration begin to well in his eyes; in a last-ditch effort to quell his rising temper, he grips the sides of the clipboard tighter, digging his fingers into the smooth wood almost painfully.

“Well, try harder.”

White-hot indignation shoots down his shell, sudden anger at his older brother is sharp and undeniable. The clipboard left his hands, skidding across the lab with a loud crash, not bothering to look in the direction it goes. His hurt is quickly masked by anger, and his focus is completely on Leo, fists tightly balled. “Try harder? I always have to find the solution! You’re the leader, Leo! You find the answer! Or what about Raph?”

“I got the answer for you—Karai’s a lost cause!”

“Don’t say that, dude.”

All four brothers began arguing incessantly with each other, weeks of pent-up anger and frustration pouring out of each of them. Donnie fired back quickly, gesticulating wildly as he channeled weeks of exhaustion into his voice—when his T-phone began to ring from across the room. Still furious and hurting, Donnie stomped across the room, almost happy for the excuse to walk away from Leo.

“Donnie, I need to talk with you alone. It’s important. I need you to meet me.”

It was April, and while this wasn't the best time for a heart-to-heart, she said it was an emergency. And who was Donnie to deny her? Besides, it's not like he was doing anything more productive at the lair—he glanced at his brothers, who genuinely seemed like dogs about to pounce on each other, and his mind was made up.

“Shizukani,” Splinter’s voice rang through the lair, effectively silencing their quarrel. He stalked out, hands clasped behind his back. All the turtles froze like they were children caught in the act; they guiltily turned to face their master with wide eyes. “What is the meaning of this?” Splinter said sternly, not bothering to hide his disdain for the quarreling, his eyebrows drawn together tightly.

“Nothing, Sensei, I’m heading out. April needs me,” Donnie said and angrily walked out of the lair, palms still tightly balled up. Leo, who took great offense to this, demanded Donnie come back. “You’re needed here now, Donnie!” He stepped forward, toward his taller brother, but otherwise made no move to actually stop Donatello from leaving the lair.

“Donnie! .. Donnie!”

Donnie mentally scoffed. Yeah, because you guys are always such reliable sources of positivity and gratitude, he thought wryly. His youngest brother’s words resurfaced in his mind.

“Donnie, you tried your best, brah... even if it totally sucked.”

He kept his back to his family, continuing to stride toward the Shellraiser, refusing to acknowledge Leo’s calls. The Shellraiser roared to life, and he sped out of the sewer tunnels.

---

Donnie was a speed demon as he drove recklessly toward the location April sent him. He didn't bother stopping for streetlights or at intersections, forcing himself to have tunnel vision on April’s problem to avoid dealing with his own. The large van skidded to a stop as he reached the GPS pinpoint, a random alleyway with a large weathered garage door at the end of it. Donnie double-checked his T-phone, wondering why April would want to meet him in a place like this. Maybe she’d discovered something that could help Karai?

He didn't put too much thought into it. Donnie placed his head against the cool leather of the custom steering wheel he’d created, still attempting to cool off from his earlier altercation with his stupid brothers. Why couldn't they see he gave them his all, and they still had the audacity to ask him to do more? He was dying out here, for shell’s sake!

While all they had to worry about was training and what monstrosity of a combination they were going to eat that night, courtesy of Michelangelo, Donnie was slaving away in the lab, barely taking breaks to give them even a chance at saving their half-sister. Donatello shook the thoughts from his head; it wasn't important right now how he felt. He wiped away the hot, angry tears that had unknowingly begun to fall from his eyes.

God, he felt even more stupid right now, letting his emotions get to him while April needed him—and that wasn't even a word! He shook his head again and refocused, hopping out of the Shellraiser and walking into the dark alleyway. The smell of oil hung heavy in the air, and he absently hoped it wasn’t from the Shellraiser. He hadn’t spent much time on his 'baby' lately, he mused with a pang of guilt. Karai’s condition was much more important, though, and he feared they didn’t have much time left before the damage to her brain would become permanent. He pushed the thought aside and fixed his attention back on reaching the end of the alley.

The garage opened quickly, as if she’d heard him coming. April’s figure was illuminated by a strange purple light. All thoughts of how weird that was went away when she called out. “Donnie,” April spoke in a gravelly voice, “the Kraang are back.” Donnie’s mood improved so much just from her voice that he almost didn't register what she’d said. He shook himself back in order for the third time that night. “What? We've got to tell the guys.” Donnie's eyes widened, and he pulled out his phone, immediately sliding past Leo’s contact to dial Michelangelo instead. No way was he going to call Fearless first thing after the night he's had—he'd make Mikey do all the explaining.

“There’s no time. They’re about to get away; we’ve got to move,” April rushed and leapt further into the seemingly abandoned warehouse. It was pretty hard to tell with that blinding purple light beaming out at him. Donnie scrambled after her, calling her name so she’d wait up. He supposed he’d just call the guys when they stopped the first round of Kraang—not so hard, right?

It was only after he stepped through the garage doors that he realized his mistake. It was a trap, and he’d fallen for it, hook, line, and sinker. The heavy garage door slammed shut. He had no time to react before he was shot—a red-tipped dart and a bag roughly shoved over his head, forcing his neck back at an unnatural angle. Donnie cried out, but it was in vain; he was at Karai’s mercy now, and her scaly smirk was the last thing he saw.

“Sweet dreams, Donatello.”

After Donatello stormed out, Splinter sighed and strode back into the dojo, likely to resume his meditation. The lingering tension filled the room, and Leo stood rooted in place for a beat, Splinter’s words on unity echoing in his mind. Arms crossed, he clenched his jaw at Donnie’s blatant disregard. Didn't being the leader mean anything anymore? He couldn’t help but feel the sting of Donnie’s dismissal, and his eyes narrowed with a mix of hurt and frustration as he watched his brother disappear down the tunnel.

Raph and Mikey exchanged a look before slinking away, each to their own devices. Raph muttered something about "always being drama in this place" as he slipped off toward the training room, while Michelangelo, not too rattled by the clash, eagerly bounced back to his own mission: a game of cards with Ice Cream Kitty.

"Sorry for the wait, Kitty," he said, petting her between her cold, strangely furry ears. “Leo was being a total jerk, but we’re back at it! Now, where were we?” Ice Cream Kitty purred contentedly, her pinkish ears twitching as she smugly waited for her next move.

They played for a while, Mikey easily distracted by the cold little creature in front of him. Somehow, Ice Cream Kitty managed to take full advantage of Mikey’s earlier distraction and swept through his cards with ease, sealing her victory. He couldn’t believe it.

“No way, Kitty, you totally cheated, cheater, cheater, frozen yogurt eater! Give me that card!” Mikey cried, feigning shock as she meowed back at him triumphantly. But before he could demand a rematch, his T-phone buzzed on the table beside him. Glancing down, he saw Donnie’s name flash across the screen and picked it up eagerly.

“Hey, Mikey! You’re not gonna believe it—Murakami whipped up something new. Get this: pizza gyozas!” Donnie’s excitement came through loud and clear, and that was all Mikey needed to hear.

The thought of gooey, cheesy, bite-sized pizza pockets made his mouth water. It was as though all the tension of the evening melted away. “Aw yeah! That sounds totally awesome D. I'll be there faster than a turtle can say pepperoni!” Mikey’s eyes went wide, practically sparkling with anticipation. He knew this was something he couldn’t miss, his head already exploding at the thought of Murakami’s latest delicacy.

Quickly, he gathered his cards and placed Ice Cream Kitty back in her freezer, laughing as she let out a playful hiss. “Sorry, girl, but duty calls! Donnie’s got something totally sweet lined up!” He shut the freezer with a wink and dashed out of the lair, visions of pizza gyozas dancing in his head as he bounded through the tunnels with pure unrestrained enthusiasm.

Upon reaching Murakami’s noodle shop, Mikey burst through the door, calling out, “Mr. Murakami, what up?” The smell of delicious food enveloped him, heightening his excitement.

“Greetings, Michelangelo,” Murakami said, a twinkle in his eye as he presented a tray. “These are for you. Each has a unique mixture of cheeses and delicate flavors.”

Without hesitation, Mikey snatched one and stuffed it into his mouth, the warm, cheesy filling melting perfectly against his tongue. “Oh yeah! This is awesome—” His voice trailed off as he savored the explosion of flavors, the world around him fading into bliss. He gobbled down another gyoza, hardly able to contain his delight.

But as he reached for a third, a sudden wave of nausea crashed over him. Mikey’s stomach growled ominously, and he felt a sharp pain coursing through him. “Oh...what’s happening?” he gasped, eyes wide with confusion. “Poison?”

“Do not worry, Michelangelo,” a shadowed figure responded, stepping forward. “It is not poison, simply chemicals to give you a nice little nap.”

Mikey’s vision blurred as the deliciousness of the gyozas twisted into a haze of betrayal. “Evil. Delicious, but evil...” he murmured, swaying on his feet before collapsing to the ground. In those final moments of consciousness, he managed to hit the panic button on his T-phone, sending out an SOS before everything went dark.

------

The silence in the lair was heavy, filled only with the distant sounds of the city above. Leo paced back and forth, his mind racing with the tension from earlier. "Where’s Donnie? He should have been back by now," he muttered, glancing at Raph, who was leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.

Raph shrugged, the unease palpable in the air. “You know Donnie. He probably got caught up in his experiments again. He always does.”

Leo stopped, his brow furrowing with concern. “But he was so upset. He stormed out. I just... I don’t like this.” The weight of their earlier argument hung over him, a nagging feeling that he should have done more to support his brother settled in his chest.

Just then, a frantic buzz interrupted their thoughts. Leo’s T-phone lit up on the table. “It’s Mikey!” he said, snatching it up. “Mikey- What’s going on?” But as Leo answered, his heart sank. The only sound on the other end was garbled static—no voice, no explanation, just the unsettling sound of a struggle. Panic surged through him. “Mikey! What’s happening?! Say something, anything!”

“Mikey pressed the SOS button!” Raph leaned closer, his eyes wide with alarm. “This isn’t good. Shell for brains wouldn’t do that unless things were serious.” He ran his fingers along his Sai, the familiar weight grounding him.

Leo’s fingers flew across the screen as he accessed the tracking app. “Where is he?” His heart pounded as the location pin appeared on the map, revealing Mikey’s last known position: an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. “He’s at an old warehouse!”

“Of course he is,” Raph grumbled, frustration creeping into his voice. “Why does he always have to go chasing after trouble?”

“Forget that! We need to focus!” Leo snapped, pushing the rising irritation aside. “Mikey must have seen something. If he hit that button, he could be in serious danger!” He felt his pulse quicken, adrenaline pumping through his veins. “We need to move!”

“Great, but how are we getting there?” Raph asked, raising an eyebrow. “Donnie took the Shellraiser for his ‘important research.’”

“Of course he did.” Leo sighed, running a hand through his bandana. “Looks like we’re taking the Stealth Bike. It’s not as fast, but we’ll have to make it work.”

“Perfect,” Raph replied, rolling his eyes. “Just what I wanted: a scenic tour through the sewers before racing into a potential ambush.”

“Complaining won’t help Mikey,” Leo shot back, already heading toward the exit. “Let’s go!”

---------

Leo and Raph approached the warehouse with a sense of trepidation, their eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. As they crept closer, they couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The entrance was unguarded, the rusty door slightly ajar as if inviting them in.

“Doesn’t this seem a bit too easy fearless?” Raph murmured, glancing at Leo with a furrowed brow. “Yeah, it’s like they wanted us to find this place,” Leo replied, his instincts tingling. “But we don’t have time to second-guess ourselves. We need to find Mikey.”

They exchanged a determined glance before Leo pushed the door open, the hinges creaking ominously as they stepped into the dimly lit space. Leo’s heart raced, the adrenaline surging through him as he scanned the room, muscles tensed and ready for action.

“Where’s Mikey?” Raph hissed, his grip tightening around his sai, his eyes narrowing as he swept the shadows for any signs of movement.

In the center of the empty warehouse, they spotted him—Mikey lying face down on the ground, his shell scratched and dirty. Panic surged through Leo, and without hesitation, he sprinted toward his brother. “Mikey!” he shouted, fear clawing at his throat.

They reached Mikey, Leo kneeling beside him while Raph crouched down, both brothers desperate to check for any signs of life. Relief washed over them as they found him breathing, albeit with a few scrapes on his arms and a deepening bruise on his cheek. “Hey, Mikey! Wake up!” Leo shook him gently, worry etched on his face.

Mikey blinked awake, groggy and disoriented. “Yo, dudes! I just had the craziest dream. I totally tore up some pizza gyozas and got totally faked out by Murakami—so not cool!”, he groaned dramatically. Raph rolled his eyes, his expression a mix of relief and irritation. “Mikey, that’s probably what happened. Look around you, shell for brains.”

Just then, a voice rang out from above, they had company. “Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to show up.” Leo and Raph’s heads snapped up, their eyes narrowing as they spotted Karai on the balcony of the second floor. She leaned casually against the railing, a smug grin plastered across her face, her dark eyes glinting with triumph.

“What are you doing here?” Raph growled, his instincts flaring as he took a defensive stance, ready for whatever trick she had up her sleeve. “Honestly? I thought this would be more difficult,” Karai replied with a laugh, her tone mocking. “But it seems you turtles are even dumber than I thought. I only needed to use one of my holograms to distract you.

At her words, the holograms of Mikey and April flickered and vanished, leaving only the real Mikey on the ground. The tension in the air thickened as Leo’s gaze shifted back to his brother, confusion knotting his stomach. Suddenly, they noticed Donatello, not a hologram they realized, standing beside Karai. A disturbingly wide smile stretched across his face, his posture unnaturally rigid. His pupils were dilated, giving him a wild, manic look that sent shivers down Leo’s spine.

“Well, I was only expecting Leonardo, but…” Donatello said, his tone unnaturally smooth, sending a jolt of alarm through Leo. He clicked a button on a device in his hand, and suddenly the brothers found themselves surrounded by a swarm of Foot Soldiers, their black uniforms blending into the dim shadows of the warehouse.

“Having the rest of you here makes it so much easier,” Donnie finished, the hint of delight in his voice sending chills down Leo’s spine.

“Donnie, snap out of it man!” Mikey called out, pushing himself off the ground, his voice wavering between concern and disbelief. “This isn’t you bro, it’s Shredder totally hijacking your brain!”, he made a face like a strangely dizzy zombie to prove his point.

Leo’s heart raced as he assessed the scene—his brother, usually so awkward and slightly slew-footed, now stood like a puppet, a smile that felt more sinister than genuine plastered across his face.

“What have they done to you?” Leo whispered, fists clenching around his swords. Anguish mixed with anger surged through him, knowing they were once again up against something that could twist their own brother into a weapon against them.

Raph’s face darkened, his jaw tight as he scanned the area, eyes narrowing at the encroaching Foot Soldiers. “Another brain worm?” he growled, the fury building inside him. “Great. Just what we need.”, he tightened his grip on his sai and bared his teeth at the offending ninjas.

Mikey, still shaken, pointed at the advancing Foot Soldiers. “We can’t just stand here! Donnie wouldn’t want this, right? He’d want us to fight back!” “Yeah, well I don’t think he’s in charge right now Mikey,” Raph shot back, his fists clenching tighter. “But if we don’t take these guys out, we’ll never get to him.”

With a collective surge of determination, the brothers charged at the advancing Foot Soldiers. Leo led the way, his swords slicing through the air with precision, while Raph followed suit, his sai stabbing into the nearest ninja. Mikey stayed close, using his agility to dodge blows, but he could feel the tension mounting. It was an all-out brawl, the warehouse echoing with the sound of clashing weapons and grunts of exertion.

“Come on, you overgrown tin cans!” Raph yelled, launching himself into a spin kick that sent one Foot Soldier crashing to the ground. Mikey mimicked his brother’s movements, throwing punches and kicks, but every time they took one down, two more seemed to take its place.

“Hey, Donnie, how about a little help here?” Mikey shouted, hoping against all odds that some part of their brother was still inside. But Donatello remained unmoved, standing rigidly by Karai, an unsettling grin on his face, as if he were enjoying the chaos around him.

The battle raged on, but it quickly became apparent that the brothers were severely outnumbered. Just as Leo and Raph fought off another wave of attackers, they felt the weight of heavy chains being forced around them. The cold metal bit into their skin, and with a sickening sense of dread, they realized they were being captured.

“Mikey!” Leo yelled, straining against the chains, but Raph was already being dragged back by two Foot Soldiers. The ninja’s grip was unyielding as they pulled him away, the sharp clinking of metal echoing in the warehouse. Raph struggled, kicking out wildly, but the sheer force of the Foot Soldiers overwhelmed him.

“No! Let him go!” Mikey shouted, but he too was soon restrained, strong arms pinning him to the ground. He writhed and kicked, his heart pounding with desperation. “Donnie, help us!” he pleaded, eyes wide with fear.

As the last of their resistance faded, Donatello moved down from the balcony with a slow, deliberate gait. His movements were unnaturally fluid, a predator stalking its prey. The manic glint in his eyes was unsettling, pupils blown wide, giving him a wild, deranged look. The smile that had once conveyed warmth now seemed twisted, devoid of the love and camaraderie that had defined him.

“Ah, the glorious moment has finally arrived!” Donnie exclaimed, his voice dripping with unsettling delight. “All of you in one place, now here’s where it starts to get really interesting.” he spat, malice overtaking the previous happiness in his voice.

Leo felt a cold chill settle in his stomach. “Donnie, Shredder has you and Karai under the control of a brain worm!” He called out, desperation coloring his words.

Raph, breathing heavily and straining against the chains, interjected, “You gotta resist it, Don! Use that big brain of yours! If I was able to fight it off, then you can too!”

But Donnie only laughed, an unnatural high-pitched sound that echoed through the warehouse, making the hairs on Leo's neck stand on end. “Oh, but this is so much fun! And truly Leo, I’ve never felt better!”

“Donnie, you don’t wanna hurt Mikey! I’m the one you should be mad at!” Leo pleaded, hoping to reach his brother through the haze of control that clouded his mind.

Donatello's grin widened, a jarring contrast to the familiar warmth that usually filled his expressions, as he stared at his oldest brother.

His eyes, wide and gleaming with an unsettling light, were devoid of recognition. The usual spark of intelligence was gone, replaced by something manic and chaotic. His fingers trembled slightly, as if he could hardly contain the excitement bubbling beneath his surface.

“~Aw, don’t worry, Leo,” he said, voice dripping with mock cheerfulness as he grabbed Leo’s face roughly, forcing him to meet his gaze. “Karai and I came up with fun activities for everyone!”

The chill that had settled in Leo’s stomach transformed into a wave of nausea. He could hardly process the twisted words spilling from Donnie's mouth. Fear surged through him, tightening his chest and twisting his expression into one of anguish.

“Donnie, please…” he whispered, desperation lacing his voice. His brows furrowed deeply, and his eyes widened, reflecting both disbelief and a flicker of hope that somehow, someway, he could reach his brother.

But the face that stared back at him was not the Donatello he knew—the warm, goofy brother with a penchant for invention and a heart full of loyalty. Instead, he saw a hollow shell, his brother was not with them at the moment.

“Donnie!” Raph’s voice cut through the air, furious and filled with disbelief. The sound was raw, almost primal, as if he was attempting to shake their brother awake from a nightmare.

Suddenly, the grip of the Foot Soldiers tightened around each of the brothers, yanking them backward into their respective traps. Raph thrashed violently, trying to break free, but it was no use. The chains clanked loudly on the concrete, but otherwise didnt budge.

Mikey too started to get dragged away, as he struggled against the grip of the Foot Soldiers, his heart raced, a sense of panic creeping into his chest. He watched his older brother, completely not in control for once, and felt a cold sweat break out across his brow. “Leo! Raph!”, he gulped “Dudes, I’m like, freaking out over here!” he shouted, desperation lacing his voice.

“Mikey!” Leo shouted again, fear morphing into determination as he struggled against his own restraints. The reality of their predicament began to set in, a cold weight anchoring him down.

He desperately sought to make eye contact with Donnie, hoping for a flicker of recognition, a glimmer of his true brother buried beneath the layers of madness.

As they were dragged away, Donatello stood there, a twisted smile stretching across his face, looking pleased with the chaos unfolding before him.

“This is just the beginning, my dear brothers,” he called out, his voice echoing with a sinister glee that made Leo's blood run cold.

[bi-bard]

Taylor Swift Songs That Would Describe a Relationship with Nikolai Lantsov - Nikolai Lantsov Imagine [Shadow & Bone]

Title: Taylor Swift Songs That Would Describe a Relationship with Nikolai Lantsov

Pairing: Nikolai Lantsov X Reader

Word Count: 2,242 words

Warning(s): mention of violence

Author's Note: Yeah, I know the lyrics I used for "seven" were a little on the nose. Don't talk about it.

Also, he would so be a swiftie.

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

seven

And I think you should come live with Me and we can be pirates Then you won't have to cry Or hide in the closet And just like a folk song Our love will be passed on

Nikolai came from two different worlds.

I was never connected to royalty in any way.

Truly, there should have been no occasion where the two of us met.

However, Nikolai always wanted to find something new and exciting. It was a trait that could be seen vividly in his childhood. He would run from his home and find something that he found exciting and interesting.

I was the same way.

That was how we found each other when we were younger and it was how we ended up sticking together through most of our lives.

Until we got older.

We still saw each other, but our normal adventures slowed down as we each took on new responsibilities. But even then, I thought that we would always have each other in some way.

And then, he decided to leave.

It was a largely private thing for him. Just like how he used to sneak around and look for adventures when we were younger. He only told me because I was his best friend and he "needed to see that I was there" before he left.

He wanted my support. He would always have it.

I had only gone to say goodbye and wish him well.

Holding my tears back as I watched him get ready to leave broke my heart. I never wanted this day to come. I never truly wanted anything around us to change. I wanted to be the stupid, curious kids that we had always been without the pressure and responsibilities. It was so unbelievably childish, yet I couldn't stop it.

He looked at me from where he stood on the deck of the ship. I forced a grin and waved to him.

I saw something shift in his head. I couldn't place it, but I saw the look on his face change.

I was only more confused when he ran back down to me.

"What are you doing-"

"Come with me," he cut me off as he grabbed my upper arms. A wide smile was stretched across his face.

"What?"

"Come with me," he repeated. "It'll be just like when we were younger, but with more action... and maybe a little scarier."

"Nikolai, I can't just run off."

"Who says?" he replied. "Last time I checked, very few people would question it if you left by my instruction."

"You're pulling the royalty play?"

"Am I?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Please," he muttered. "I think we both deserve this."

I took a deep breath. I thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Yes."

"Really?"

I nodded again. "You owe me an extra set of clothes- Saints!"

"Deal!"

I let out a loud laugh as I was dragged into a tight hug.

I already knew that this was going to be the best choice I had made in my entire life.

I Think He Knows

I think he knows When we get all alone I'll make myself at home And he'll want me to stay

I don't know when my feelings for Nikolai changed. When I went from seeing him as a friend to seeing him as something else entirely.

I would love to say that it was a sudden thing. That one day I woke up and everything just changed. But I don't believe that's what happened. I think it happened very slowly over time and by the time I noticed, it was too strong of a feeling for me to avoid.

The first time I recognized it was soon after Alina and Mal joined our crew for a short time. At that point, I didn't have time to worry about my feelings. We had bigger problems on our hands than my little crush.

I wouldn't have to even think about confronting those feelings until we got to the Spinning Wheel.

It was after everyone had enjoyed dinner. After everyone had dispersed for the night, either to go to bed or to mindlessly toss and turn in some hopeless attempt of getting some sleep.

I was in the second party.

I had given up. Instead, I walked the halls until I found Nikolai's door. I hadn't been hoping to go there. It just happened.

He was still awake, sitting in the corner of his room, staring off into space.

"Not going to bed," I asked as the door shut behind me.

"Hasn't even crossed my mind," he admitted, standing from his spot. "What about you?"

"Dreaming of stopping the villains was much more fun when the villain wasn't real," I chuckled. "It was less scary to watch you fight air."

"Won every battle back then," he grinned at me.

I looked down for a moment, closing my eyes.

"Hey," my attention was drawn back to Nikolai when he spoke up. His hand touched my arm gently. "Everything is going to be fine."

"This isn't you sneaking in and out of your family's castle," I said. "This is going to be the worst fight that we've ever faced. I... I don't want to hear that everything's going to be fine. I want to hear a plan."

"Alina will find the third amplifier and then we can tear down the Fold," he explained. "That's all we can plan until that happens, but I believe that we will get through this."

I just nodded. "I hope you're right."

"Now, that didn't sound like you believed me."

I rolled my eyes.

"(Y/n)..."

His tone was teasing as I looked away from him. How could he change my mood so easily? It simply wasn't fair.

He was just too... perfect. He was too good to me. Even if I had known that I was falling for him, I wouldn't have been able to stop it because that damn smile would have dragged me in. I was hopelessly falling for him more and more each day and it felt like it was going to drive me mad.

And he seemed entirely unaffected.

And something about that made me upset. How dare he sit there and be completely calm while I struggle to not yell how entirely my mind has been consumed by thoughts of him?

Nikolai moved so he could look me in the eye again.

"Don't you trust me," he asked with that stupid old charming smirk that drove me up a wall sometimes. And seemed to be my final straw.

“No, you don’t get to do that,” I snapped before my brain could even comprehend what I was I was saying.

“Do what,” he asked.

“You don’t get to look at me with that little smile and charm in the hopes of comforting me."

"(Y/n)-"

"Also, You don’t get to be clever and funny and charming and kind. That’s just not fair! And honestly, very distracting. You are meant to have flaws- what are you doing?”

He was standing significantly closer to me than he was before. "Listening..."

He took another step closer, and I felt heat rush over my entire body as nervousness took over. I was suddenly far too aware of every word that had spilled out of my mouth. And now that they were there, I couldn't speak another syllable. Every word got caught in my throat like someone was strangling me. He was just so close to me. It was suffocating.

"I've never seen you speechless before," he muttered. He didn't need to speak any louder. He was close enough that I could hear him perfectly fine.

"You've never stood so close to me before," I pointed out.

"I see," he nodded. "So, it's simply my presence that makes you nervous. Why is that?"

"Nikolai," I forced a scoff and looked away from him. "I came here to have a serious conversation about what we're getting ourselves into-"

"You could have run," he stopped me. "You could have run after our first trip together, you could have run when I went out looking for the sun summoner, when we hunted the Sea Whip, or before we crossed the Fold. Yet, you never did. Tell me why."

I looked back at him, ready to lie straight to his face. To tell him that I was his best friend and I cared for him. Nothing more than strictly platonic protectiveness. But then, I saw that smirk again and I knew that any lie I constructed would be nothing short of completely pointless.

"I think you already know," I said quietly, embarrassed at how easy my feelings must have been to spot.

"Yeah, but I'd quite like to hear you say it," he shrugged. "Don't want to make too many assumptions."

I closed my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. "It doesn't matter, does it? You're going to be engaged. That's all that matters."

"Not to me," he replied. "Please, say it."

I paused for a moment before finally speaking up again, "I have feelings for you, Nikolai."

His smirk only seemed to grow, which I was convinced wasn't possible.

"Can I go now," I asked. "Are you done embarrassing me?"

"Am I done embarrassing you? Yes," he nodded. "Can you go? Not yet."

"Nikolai-"

My exasperated complaint was interrupted by Nikolai leaning forward and pressing his lips to mine.

I froze for a moment as he kissed me. Soon enough, my eyes fluttered shut and I found myself kissing him back. My hands reached up to cup the sides of his face. His hands touched my sides, pulling me as close to him as he could.

I pulled away first, grinning at him. He grinned back at me, leaning his forehead on mine.

"How long have you known," I asked quietly.

"I wasn't quite sure until a few moments ago. I've had my suspicions... and I've... hoped for a while."

"Oh," I mumbled.

"'Oh,'" he repeated, chuckling as he leaned in and kissed me again.

I smiled into the kiss.

It was a feeling of peace that I had never been lucky enough to experience before. And I never wanted to lose it.

King of My Heart

Late in the night, the city's asleep Your love is a secret I'm hoping, dreaming, dying to keep Change my priorities The taste of your lips is my idea of luxury

Tearing down the Fold didn't come without its sacrifice.

That sacrifice seemed to make everyone determined to hold on tightly to what they still had.

At least, that was what I assumed led to Nikolai waking me up in the middle of the night to try to quietly get us from my room to his.

I couldn't have escaped him that night. Not that I wanted to. His arms held onto me so tight that I was convinced he was going to crush my ribs by accident. He hid his face in the crook of my neck, refusing to even flinch after he was comfortable.

It was the first time that I had truly felt like I was the center of someone's attention. I was the most important thing in the world in that moment. Even if it was just for him.

Waking up to Nikolai the next morning only helped to solidify that feeling.

He was already grinning at me. I smiled back.

"Good morning," I muttered, rolling on my back as I stretched.

"Good morning..."

I let out a chuckle as Nikolai pulled me closer to his side.

His lips touched my cheek and my nose and my forehead... light kisses until his lips found mine. I hummed against his lips, kissing him back slowly.

Through all the loss and the injuries and the fear, this moment felt like setting a broken bone. Nothing had quite been healed or fixed, but there were intentions. A future that could be seen where that pain wasn't as strong.

"I could get used to this," I muttered as he pulled away.

He chuckled, nudging his nose with mine. "Me too."

There was a moment of silence between us. A moment where we truly enjoyed being together. Relaxing and holding each other properly for the first time. I never wanted to pull away from him.

But I knew that I would have to eventually.

"How do you plan on sneaking me out of here," I asked. "It would be a bit of a scandal if someone were to catch you spending the night with someone other than your future queen."

I meant for it to be a joke, but some kind of edge must've snuck into my voice before I could stop it. Nikolai let out a sigh as a guilty look crawled over his face. His thumb drew a circle into my skin.

"I'm sorry," he muttered to me. "About all of this."

"We could have never happened anyway," I shrugged, acting like the fact hadn't left a permanent scar in my heart. "Not officially anyway. You're doing what's best for Ravka. I understand that."

"'Official' or not, you always have and always will have all of me," he promised.

My heart swelled as I smiled at him. "And that's enough for me."

I had no interest in having a crown or an audience around to prove it.

As long as I had these moments then I would happily exist just as I was.

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

Navigation Guide

What I Write For

Some Original Characters

[c-d-p]

CS OC WEEK DAY SEVEN: LA FEMME ROUGE

(Note: I decided that for the last day, i’d write little pieces on my OC’s personal run-ins with Carmen! Really, this should’ve gone in ‘Missions’ but i hadn’t really had anything planned for that day. Also, my writing skills aren’t the greatest and i really struggled w dialogue so don’t flame me for it lmao)

Olivia/Mirrorball || Watch Your Step

Olivia never thought she’d be in this position. Jumping across rooftops in Edingburgh, chasing the elusive Carmen Sandiego, or La Femme Rouge, whatever she called herself nowadays. She wanted to prove herself to the Faculty, that she was more than capable of handling capers.

However, her train of thoughts crashed when the crimson blur ahead of her suddenly stopped.

Olivia,(codename Mirrorball) ’s footsteps also came to a stop, the sound of metal scraping across brick fading to silence. Now, the only sound was the sharp inhale/exhales of her own heavy breathing. The two are separated by a large glass skylight. In Carmen’s hands, the artifact Olivia was chasing her over - the Queen Mary Harp - sat delicately in her grasp.

“Mirrorball, am i correct? Funny, i’ve never seen you away on your own before.”

Carmen says and arches an eyebrow as she takes cautious steps back, and Olivia begins strutting forward, the clink of her metal heels scratching the cemented roof beneath her. Her eyes narrowed, glaring daggers at Carmen, her green eyes meeting her grey ones.

“Why do you care?”

“I thought your job was to protect the Countess.”

“I still have training though, and that’s still my job.”

Mirrorball has an air of suspicion around her. Why was Carmen striking up a conversation, in the middle of a chase? She looked over her surroundings before turning back to Carmen.

“It seems your ‘job’ now is failing miserably, is it not?” Carmen waves the harp around, as her feet reach the edge of the roof. “I guess you’re still inadequate.”

Olivia blinked while she processed her words, then practically growled in frustration, her footsteps getting more powerful and hurried, fueled by her anger. Her expression sours, and there’s a screech loud enough to make your ears bleed as her sharp shoes drag along the glass skylight. No one would insult her and get away with it. As she picks up the pace in a sudden burst of anger, she was practically charging across the roof.

“Inadequate? are you kidding? Who do you think you are, insulting me like-“

She’s cut off by a gasp fleeting her mouth as she halts, as well as a sharp crack from below.

“…that.”

Her bladed heels had punctured the glass, making large cracks on the pane; she was now stuck, unless she wanted to fall to her death. Slowly, her head turns down as she warily tries to lift a foot - the glass continues to split. She lifts her head up, but it’s too late - the Crimson Ghost has vanished into the night air. Olivia, exasperated, exclaims loudly.

“You little-“

As if on cue, the sharp shards of glass collapsed under her weight, sending her through the roof. Luckily enough for her and her sharp reflexes, her hand managed to wrap around the plastic frame of the skylight, despite twitching with pain when fragments of the shattered roof dig into her palm.. Maybe she wasn’t cut out for the ‘Operative’ roll just yet. Pulling herself up and back onto the safety of the brick material with a sigh, Olivia didn’t think things could go much worse. Until the first few drops of rain began to fall.

Angeliki/Nightshade || Title tbd ☹️

Angel held her breath as she stealthily weaves her way through the bushes and leaves of the botanical garden, her body hidden by the leaves. In her hands - a flower given the name ‘aniantem pulchritudinis’. This flower was the last known of its kind, and VILE wanted their hands on it. Her thumb brushed over the clay of the pot it was in - maybe she could admire its almost metallic-like white petals just for a second. However, she stops herself from getting off track. She was Nightshade, supposed to steal the flower, not gawp at it. Standing straight, she is about to turn and leave; until a twig snaps in the distance.

Her hand subconsciously travels to her belt, hovering just above her weapons. Her eyes scanned the greenery around her. Nothing, just the silent sway of the trees and plants. She took a deep breath - she probably just imagined it. So, Angel starts to walk again, keeping the valuable flower in her arms securely.

“I’d hang onto that tight, if i were you.”

Angel immediately freezes again and her heart starts to hammer. Her gaze drifts to behind her shoulder- and there stood Carmen Sandiego. Had she really been caught this fast? No time to ponder, she had to get out of here. Narrowing her eyes, she suddenly sprints off, darting between branches and thistles as she kept the flower tucked away in her grasp. She heard almost inaudible footfalls from behind her, she was still being pursued. With rapid thinking a few minutes later, after a thrilling couple moments of running in and out of the the garden’s nooks and crannies, she suddenly comes to a stop between two trees.

The red blur that was Carmen’s coat also slowed to a halt, as she stood looking as if she was ready to pounce at any moment. Angel’s idea was simple; throw a grenade containing smoke to block Carmen’s sight, and flee without having to worry about being chased.

Angel turned her gaze directly into the eyes of Carmen.

“You think i’d give up the flower that easily?” She speaks, before reach in her hand down again. However this time, she unhooks the smoke-filled grenade from her belt. In a matter of seconds, she holds it up and is ready to unpin it and send it to the ground.. until something catches her eye.

Two blackbirds happily soaring through the sky, flying and falling in circles around the two and chirping lightly. Angel winced - couldn’t possibly throw that here - she didn’t want to risk danger to wildlife. Or should she do it, and get away? It’s only two birds. She was conflicted.. at least she would’ve been, as she feels a sharp shove in her side and her shoulder making hard contact with the tree next to her, snapping her out of her distraction. Angel yelps, as the shock knocks the flower pot and the grenade from her hands. At least she didn’t take the pin out of it.

Carmen makes her way over to the pot, its fall being cushioned by the vibrant moss surrounding the area. Swiping it into her hands, she gives Angel one last statement.

“I believe this isn’t yours for the taking, Nightshade.”

Still winded, Angel reaches a hand out in a desperate attempt to grab her, to get the flower back. But Carmen hops out of the way, and before Angel knows it, she’s completely disappeared. Disappointed and exhausted, Angels sinks to the floor with her back pressed against the rough bark of the tree. She really shouldn’t let her mind wander like that.

At least she got to watch the blackbirds chirp and sail through the trees, content and healthy. And that wasn’t so bad.

Thanks for reading to the end!! Also i’ve realized i haven’t been tagging the person who made the oc week, so here it is @carmensandiego-ocweek 🫶🏻

I’m also very sorry if i mischaracterized Carmen, i struggle with stuff like that and it’s an honest mistake 🙏

[hexpea]

Ch. 21 - A Parent's Ending

That was it, you were officially married to Toji Fushiguro -- at least on paper. Your relationship, though feelings very clear, still felt a bit up in the air. Toji had been gone for so long you wondered what your time meant to him. The words he had been saying were sweet, but you knew of the inner conflict he faced. In any case, you had officially signed the papers and would be shortly moving into a small apartment closer to Tokyo, though you had to finish your contracted time at the Zenin's. As soon as Toji finished his last job, the two of you could figure out how to live a 'normal' life together.

You had just finished tucking in Megumi for bed, your daughter already tucked in tightly and snoozing away just across the room. Tsumiki had become someone who fell asleep the minute their head hit the pillow whereas Megumi was the opposite. His green eyes would blink at you through the dark each time you shut the bedroom door behind you.  Boxes of the kids' things were stacked all around the room, your moving day fast approaching.

You looked down toward the floor as you pulled the bedroom door shut, careful to make sure the click of the jamb was quiet. 

"Hey there," a deep voice suddenly greeted you out in the hallway. Toji standing there, too close for comfort, without a care of other attendants seeing him. 

Your body jumped at his sudden appearance. "Jesus," you placed a hand over your heart, "Toji..."

"Are you ready to go?" He asked, not addressing the fact that he randomly appeared without warning in front of you.

"I am, but I thought we were leaving in the morning," you noted as you looked up at him. He was close enough that you could almost feel his breath over your face. The look on his face was very serious, his presence intimidating. You could almost feel your knees buckling; it was something you'd never get used to...in the best way, of course. 

"It's better to leave late, we don't need anyone to see us moving," he muttered, looking backward to see if anyone else was in the hallway. He was a bit late to care. 

"But everyone already knows that I plan on moving out with Megumi," you shook your head in confusion. The remainder of the clan were made aware of your arrangements, with not much to be done they simply had to let it happen. "I just put the kids to bed, do you really want them up this late to move into a completely different environment?" You rolled your eyes, your wifely attitude already coming out for him.  He stayed quiet, his silence loud enough for you to hear the answer. "Fine," you grumbled defeatedly.

It took quite a few hours to get everything moved over to the new apartment, the sunrise nearly dawning by the time the two of you got each box into the living area. You had set the kids up in their room so that they could get a proper amount of sleep. Toji, however, was used to the late nights, but for you this was torture.

With the boxes still packed and littered around the room, you laid flat on the living room floor like a starfish. You took in a deep breath, satisfied with your work. 

"I'm going to need to leave soon," Toji muttered, coming over toward you and crouching down, his elbows resting on his knees. 

"I can't believe it," you smiled quietly, opening your once closed eyes to look at him. "It feels like we're finally...free. Free from everything, everyone."

"Not yet," Toji chuckled, his scar on his lips twitching with his small smile. "But we will be."

He got down fully on his knees and leaned down to kiss you, his hands planted next to your ears as he held himself above you. The sleepy kiss had lingered just a second too long, long enough for your arms to find their way around his neck as it deepened. 

A light moan escaped his lips as he maneuvered his body to align with yours, his hips now suddenly pressing down against your pants.  You giggled through the kiss as you threw your ankles around his waist. He smiled back, pursing his lips against yours once more as his hair tickled your cheeks. 

One of his arms snaked around your back, using his strength to pick you up to where you were now sitting atop his lap.  His hands caressed your waist until they found the clasp of your bra, snapping it off as if it were nothing. His wrists continued moving up in order to help you from your shirt, you tossing it and your bra off to the side as he took a dive for your neck. The light touch of his fingertips caused goosebumps to form on your skin. 

His saliva was warm, sending your blood pressure soaring. The grip he had on your waist tightened, his rough fingers digging into your soft flesh.  Your hips began to grind on his waist as your kiss continued, tongue upon tongue with a sense of desperation. Desire began to heat up your center, the longing to be closer than down one another's throats building.  The low growls coming from his throat as your head flew back from his kiss were sending you to another place. Your hands gripped tightly onto his t-shirt. 

When your grip tightened even harder, that signaled to Toji to keep things moving. He took a moment, parting from your lips but maintaining intense eye contact, to pull his shirt over his head. The emerald hues in his eyes were made even brighter from the fading moonlight. The slight shine in his otherwise dark eyes sent chills down your spine. 

His torso was warm against yours as he sat up to press himself closer during your continued kiss, mouths dancing in the dim light of the early morning hours.  Somehow the two of you managed to find a moment to part, eagerly disrobing the rest of what you had quietly enough to keep the kids asleep. 

You found yourself once again wrapped up against Toji, this time on the living room floor of your new apartment. His hips ground up into you as you sat atop him, his hands traveling all over your body, feeling each curve of your body. Meanwhile, you rocked your hips with his, forward and back as he did the opposite, his breathy sighs reaching their highest point as soon as he met your cervix. The two of you were doing work.

Your movements were rhythmic but still somewhat starved from so long without one another. There was a particular connection you felt when atop him, something about it felt so right, so good. Twinges of pleasure took over all of your remaining worries, a hopeful future ahead lighting your way. The only thing taking away from the moment was the need to keep quiet, but this time you were grateful for the need to stay quiet. The kids were safely tucked in down the hall in their own bedroom, the enemy far enough away. 

His thrusts began to gently slow, his breathing become deeper as he felt the humble beginnings of your pulses around him. Your face, though too dark to tell, was red and heated from your moments of passion. His pausing had caused you to look down at him, breathlessly. 

"Are you alright?" You asked through gasps, your hips still lightly moving against him, his hands gently guiding you.

He let a single breath out that turned into a little smile. "I'm perfect," he responded, canines visible in the early dawn light.  He suddenly leaned forward to capture you in an intimate embrace, pressing his lips to yours as he came up. "Y/N," he whispered, mouth moving toward your ear, his lips gently caressing its outer shell, "I love you."

You were stunned. Your movements had ceased as he pulled away to look at you. Your eyes met, glistening, and your hands lightly came to his face as you fell into a warm smile of your own. "I love you, too."

After your brief morning session, the two of you cleaned up together in a bathroom of your very own. You began to make breakfast as the kids would be waking shortly, meanwhile Toji fully dressed and meandered into the kitchen. 

"I have to go," he kissed your cheek as you stood at the stove with your robe on. 

"Already?" You chuckled, tone slightly whiny. "What's this one about anyway?"

He gave a single laugh. "Well, considering your background you know about that freak in the basement of the school, right?"

"Are you talking about Master Tengen?" You snorted at his description, continuing to cook away on the stovetop. 

"Precisely," he sighed, stepping away from you to lean on the island counter behind him. "They've got another vessel, my job is to kill that vessel. Not to mention the Six Eyes kid will likely be with them."

"The...Star Plasma Vessel?" You questioned, turning your head back to look at him. He nodded in response. "You have to be joking, Toji," you sighed disappointedly. "They're usually children."

He took note of your displeasure. He didn't like it any more than you, but cash was cash and he had his priorities. Besides, this was the last one, he promised. 

"Alright, gotta' go," he kissed your cheek again and quickly scooted out the door so he could avoid any more of your protests. You rolled your eyes at this behavior, your heart still hurting about the idea -- but you had to trust him. 

Just as you were about done cooking and about to wake the kids up to begin their morning routine, you heard a sudden knock on the door. You vocalized your displeasure to yourself and adjusted your robe before answering the door. 

When you opened the door, you saw a familiar face...a Zenin face. "Jinichi," you swallowed hard, your voice at a near whisper. "What are you doing here?"

[ally-holmes]

Screw bad days | Will Johnson x Reader

My Fanfic Masterlist | Multifandom

Fandom: Wanted (2016)

Pairing: Will Johnson x Fem!Reader

Rating: Explicit

Content Warnings: blood, graphic descriptions of violence, trauma, angst, miscommunication, group therapy, spoilers of Wanted season 2. Happy ending.

Summary: You've been through something awful and part of your therapy implies group sessions in which you met Will Johnson. When you gather the courage to ask him out on a date, he rejects you, doesn't he? Maybe there's some miscommunication going on, and maybe your bad days have mushed the true meaning of a lot of things.

Note: I wanted to do something lighthearted with Will Johnson, but then I saw 'Wanted' and all of a sudden this cheesy 'do you want coffee' miscommunication plot turned into something dramatic. I'm sorry. There's a happy ending, though.

Word Count: 5153

Also avialable on AO3

This work was created to be part of the Deanobingo2023 event by @deanobingo​ It fills the Character Card with Will Johnson and the General Prompt Card with Miscommunication.

Screw bad days | Oneshot

Sometimes reality and expectations clash. Expecting something in your life to be like it was portrayed in the movies was inconvenient at best, although not completely incapacitating.

When you were walking down the street towards your friend's house you weren't scared of the darkness surrounding you, or the fact that the sound of your boots against the pavement echoed in the silence of the night. On the contrary, you walked slower than usual to rejoice in the moment. You took a deep breath feeling the humidity of the last rain creep inside of you and you felt extremely pleased with your life at that very moment. There were no odd shadows following you, no hairs in your nape standing in a warning.

Your quietness was broken when you reached your friend's place. She had moved places that very week and invited her acquittances to a small home warming with a barbeque in her backyard. She's been ecstatic about moving out of her small apartment to that family house that she was going to share with her partner. Things were going well for her and you were a supportive friend. However, when you saw the front door ajar you shook your head. She always did that in her apartment when she was waiting for someone to come over, a very dangerous habit you've tried over and over to correct. Pop music for parties poured out of the opening, not loud enough to bother the neighbors.

In a movie, you might've sensed that something was off, but you didn't. You pushed the door with a big smile on your face saying something, maybe calling for your friend, you really cannot remember. What you do remember is the blood stain, fresh and dramatically red, across the floor. Before you could understand that for that amount of blood to be shed someone must've been badly injured, your brain caught that whatever was bleeding had been moved, dragged from the small hall of the house to the open area of the living room.

You always thought that if you found yourself in a situation like that you'd scream loudly, like a banshee maybe. You did not. Swallowing a big lump stuck in your throat you moved your eyes scanning the room. Your friend laid on the floor, in a pool of her own blood, as a man hovered over her with a knife deep in her body. Her eyes were open, unfocused, and lifeless looking in your direction.

The man had been shocked by your appearance and apparently was having the same trouble coming to a solution as you. The adrenaline kicked in, your system turning on like a fine machine. You ran towards him wielding your big rainbow umbrella like a heavy bat, and you hit him in the head with the heavy handle. The man flew away from your friend with a grunt, the knife lost under the couch. As you aimed to land another blow, he kicked your knees which ended with your fall into the slick blood.

The survival instinct kicked again, or so you've rationalized with time, but the next thing you remember is crawling towards your bent umbrella figuring that the moment you had it between your hands again you'd be in charge of the situation. Oh, you fool.

He grabbed your ankle, manhandling your body at will. His breathing was fast and arduous, he was grunting and cursing under his breath. You kicked at him and landed hits on any part of his body you'd miraculously reach. He pulled your hair with one hand and landed a good punch with the other. It had muffled your surroundings; your brain had turned into a cotton ball. He punched you several times, that much you remember, although your conscious self only registered the first one and the last one with which he left your wounded body resting on the floor.

Once he was standing he kicked your torso, most like stomping on you with his heavy boots. You whined, unable to scream.

Time got lost for a moment. With each pant that left your lips, you felt a pinch of pain in your body. Feeling too much moisture in your mouth you tried to swallow which left you nauseous as it wasn't only saliva, but it had blended with your blood; you moved to your side and spat it disgusted by the gooey texture and the metallic taste. The man was nowhere to be found, although your senses weren't reliable at the moment. You pulled yourself together with work minding each little sound that wanted to sleep out of your body; on your knees, with a hand holding your ribs, the arm across your body, you used the other hand to crawl, almost slithering, to the sofa where you knew the knife was. The need to protect yourself made you move, and when you thought you'd achieved your goal, you took the smartphone out of your pocket calling emergency.

Of course, in the movies, when the main character is calling for help and whispers to the phone two things usually happen: first, the operator understands each word, no matter how mumbled and slurred it is; secondly, the bad guy can't hear shit. Well, you weren't in a move, were you? The operator didn't understand you so you talked fast, loud, and clear, begging for help and giving the address immediately knowing that the man was going to listen to you. Just as the operator asked you not to hang up, your head was hit from behind and you collapsed under your weight.

He turned your body to look at you. You could see it in his eyes, he was enjoying your fighting and he pretended to milk the moment of your death to the last drop. His hands grasped around your neck and he pressed, not as tight as to kill you on the spot, he wanted you to suffer.

He had seated heavily on your damaged torso, a savage smile printed on his face. On instinct you grabbed his hands wanting to pull them away from you, your fingernails scratched his skin and he only laughed. Taking advantage of how close he was to your face because he wanted to savor each of your whining gasps, you pushed your fingers into his eyes, as strongly as you were able. It didn't do much, but it bought you time. Only a few seconds for you to reach for the knife and then–

Then the knife was in his neck and he was recoiling from you, slipping on your friend's blood.

You heard him choke on his own blood until the only sound left in the room was your pitiful gasps and the pop music vibrating from the speakers. You laid there, eyes lost in the ceiling until the police came.

Being a trauma survivor wasn't like the movies either. You expected dark nightmares that would awaken you damp in a cold sweat while screaming so loudly that you tore your throat. The nightmares happened, of course, but they pushed you away from sleep with the terrible feeling of falling abruptly, then you usually got up from bed in fly or fight mode, hypervigilant, with a boost of adrenaline in your system.

Your therapist reminds you weekly that you don't have to compare your experience to anybody else's, that you are you, and that there's no wrong way of facing your fears as long as you keep facing them. The fact that he has to remind you once a week is self-explanatory. However, the point stands, you don't have to justify to anyone why you have three new locks on your apartment door, two on the one in your bathroom, and five in your bedroom. You don't have to, yet you keep feeling weird about the fact that you're different now. And that–

A patient voice calls your name for the fourth time and you become aware that you've arrived at group therapy. Funny how sometimes your mind just wanders tuning out the background noise making your feet take you where you have to be, and other times you're in a state of hypervigilance, aware of every single detail surrounding you.

Jed is a patient man. He has a soft smile and a compassionate look in his eyes when he addresses any of you. Your smile is tight when you greet him; which is not uncommon, all of you now understand smiling as a social conduct that must be required, not a gesture to express content.

Group therapy was one of those things you expected to be something intense with a lot of praying, but in reality, it was more mundane than that. The key factor was to listen to your fellow traumatized buddies and understand that you weren't alone in your eerieness. Because that's what you think you've become, eerie.

Sometimes group therapy is held in a small room with chairs facing a podium where people talk in front of everybody assuming the main role of the session. In others, like today, the room is even smaller and there're just a few chairs forming a circle.

You take your place two seats away from Jed who's in charge of conducting these sessions, and, as usually happens, you find Will seated in front of you. He acknowledges you with a soft movement of his head that you correspond.

Will Johnson entered the group four months ago. In his first session, he introduced himself as the killer of Bambi's mother, which made your lips twitch in something remotely similar to a smile for the first time in three years since what had happened to you. You two have been talking at the end of the sessions about anything but the trauma, that's how you found out that he had not less than fifty different flannels mostly because he didn't want to throw any of them away. From his interactions, you learned that he was a flirt too confident in his looks with a cheeky light in his eyes when suited.

Falling for someone as broken as yourself didn't seem like a sound idea; Jed kept saying that none of you were broken, nonetheless, so…

You've drifted again because the session's been going on for twenty minutes and you missed it.

"Thank you, Amanda. That was a very insightful thought. Anyone else wants to share?" Jed offered with his sweet voice that had never been raised. You truly believe that he was born solely to take care of traumatized people.

Will, across from you, straights in his chair raising his hand with a tiny wave; his legs are wide open, wanting to occupy as much room as possible. He winks at you because you've previously pointed out this fixation wondering if it was because he was short and cute; he huffed a laugh at you then while you cursed your damn mouth, but he still shrugged and said "maybe".

"Go ahead, Will."

"Um… Yeah. So, here's the thing, I've been told I have this Stockholm Syndrome or whatever," he dismisses the idea with a gesture of his hand before crossing his arms on his chest and extending his legs in front of him to cross them as well. He was in defensive mode. "The point is that I don't think I do. I don't know."

"Could you elaborate?" Jed gently pushes after a minute of silence.

Will looks at you and then at Jed before nodding.

"Bare with me then. You already know that I got kidnaped and shot. Um… My parents cleaned a crime scene for a bad man, right? Right. So, my old man kept the gun I don't really know why, and my mom buried the bodies so she was the only one knowing where they were.

"When my dad got sick he told me about the gun and I immediately thought that I could get some compensation, you know? That's the point. I wasn't thinking of bringing justice to the victims when I took it. Giving it to the police? Never crossed my mind. I just wanted cash. Um…

"There were these two ladies. They had the gun and I took advantage of the younger one and– and grabbed the gun. They found me and kidnaped me, right? So here I am, in my cabin after a car crash with two ladies looking for the gun that would give me money. Or so I thought, because apparently when you're a greedy bastard you're unable to think properly about the consequences of your acts."

"Will, sorry to interrupt," Jed held his hands in apology. "Try not to be self-hurtful. There's always room for redemption, we mustn't feed on our past. Please, continue."

"Yeah… Sure. Anyway, so I thought they will never find the gun and that they won't kill me. Wrong. The younger one– The one I've tricked, found it, right? And so they have what they wanted but can't actually leave just yet. And then this guy shows up and I got free of my restraints and got out even if the older lady told me that the guy was bad news. The dude was going to shoot me in the head, you know? I was there, on the ground and he was going to–

"She shot him first. Not deadly, though. Um… She saved me and then dragged me with them. Still kidnapped. Um… At some point I helped them of my own will, you know? And that's when my therapist says that I might've felt grateful that the older lady had saved me or something.

"Here's the thing. I– I wanted the gun for the money. They wanted it to put the bad guy behind bars. Were they doing questionable shit? Yeah. I think we were all full of shit, but my shit was the stinkiest, you know? I just– I don't feel really like a victim. I helped them because I felt like shit about the whole situation. If I hadn't taken the damn thing from them… Who knows?

"My mom was afraid. When we lost the gun because the bad guy got it, I learned that my mom had buried the bodies, right? She told the ladies where they were buried, but, as it turned out, it was a trap. Shitty, hey?" He started fidgeting. "Then I went to help them, right? Because it was my fault. That's– That's how it felt. And I got shot. Right here, on my side.

"They tried to help me then, but the police showed up and everything got mushy. I don't know… I– I don't think they were bad people, and I'm certain that neither do you so I'm not so sure about that Stockholm Syndrome, or whatever."

He takes a moment, and runs a hand through his face, "It's been five years. Five years and I'm not even mad at them. I'm mad at myself. I shouldn't have myself involved in that. I should've known better. Then, of course, my mom. I love her. I love my mother because she's my mother, but fuck! She sold them. She– Was she trying to keep me and her safe? Perhaps. Probably. The point is that if she hadn't betrayed us then the bad guy would've been put down and we'll still be safe. I– Sometimes I keep thinking about the possibilities and the what ifs and my therapist says that's not healthy, yet I have no clue how to stop. In these five years, though, I haven't felt about my mom the same as I use to. I want to love my mom, but I can't. It's– I don't know."

"That's been an emotional journey, Will. Thank you for sharing it with us. I'm sure we can work with it. Does anybody want to say something? No? Well, let's explore Stockholm Syndrome first. What do you believe it means?"

You can see how Will's still close, tense, and uncomfortable. He runs his hands through his hair, face, and beard in a pattern; crosses and uncrosses his arms and legs, moves his foot, and taps his fingers against his arm in an unknown rhythm. Will's eyes won't focus on anyone until the session is done, you know as much.

Once the session is over, the patients help themselves to some beverages and sweet food that Jed carefully arranges beforehand. You approach Will, it's been quite some time since you two met and you've finally gathered the courage to ask him out.

"So, I was wondering if you're up for some coffee. There's a new café down the street and–"

You're nervous and slightly uncomfortable asking someone out as you haven't done it since the incident. You've talked to your therapist about Will and how you seemed to click, and he's encouraged you to hit that milestone.

Will blinks rapidly and focuses his beautiful blue eyes on you cutting your rambling, "What?" He asks with a smile.

It makes you shake a bit. You ponder on whether or not he really hasn't listened to you or if he's kind of giving you an out from your awkwardness pit and backpedal. You fist your hands feeling the blunt nails digging into the skin. No take-backs.

"Coffee. They've opened a new café and I was wondering if you wanted to go."

"Oh, right. I think Jade's coffee's pretty good. I'll go grab some. You coming?"

He starts to walk away before you can answer because he rightfully assumes you're going to follow. Your eyes get moist and cloudy, your nose gets filled, and your throat closes. You've been rejected. It's not the first time that it has happened to you and yet, somehow, it hurts badly. At least he hasn't been smug about it, he hasn't feasted on your cringe; no, Will has pretended not to understand what you were implying and then turned around to give you time and space to put yourself together again. That's exactly what you do. You pull a paper handkerchief and blow your nose aware that the people around you would assume you've run cold with the crazy weather that's been hitting the country lately.

*

After Will's rejection, you've felt your presence unwanted next to him in the group therapy sessions; mostly your brain telling you that it would make it awkward for him, but he hasn't mentioned anything.

Just a week after the coffee debacle, Brianna approached Will after a session and asked him "They've opened a new café and I was wondering if you wanted to go." Like, literally what you've said. Only this time he agreed to go.

You weren't jealous or envious of Brianna, you could clearly see how Will would find her more attractive than you. She was a goddess. She was very tall and gorgeous, perfectly aware of how the amazingly clear color in her clothes would emphasize the shiny darkness of her skin; her hair was a perfect mane of defined curls. Brianna was also goofy and fun, brilliant and witty. You admired her and you weren't mad that she got the man you liked, but it stung a bit, especially since it has been the same sentence.

So, yeah, four weeks later, and there you are again, in a group therapy session without tearing your eyes from your hands. You're in a hypervigilant state today which makes you aware of Will's eyes on you since you've crossed the threshold, and your brain is catching, listening, and understanding everything your fellow patients are talking about.

Jed's eyes are on you while Chad's speaking. You know. You're feeling it and it's making your skin crawl. He uses his soothing voice to call out your name wondering if you're willing to expose what's keeping you so quiet and closed today.

A part of you wants to say that it's because Will rejected you, but you know that's not true. It hurt, yes, but you're not having a bad day because of that, you're not fucking thirteen.

"I killed a man," you answer, your voice soft and impersonal. Something in your brain ponders if they can listen to you as your tone could easily pass as a whisper; you're unable to make yourself care, however. "I killed a man and I feel nothing about it.

"People– People usually say that they understand why I had to do it. Survival instinct kicking in or something like that. They ask me if I was scared. I wasn't. I was– furious, maybe.

"He was…" you gasp a hysteric laugh, "He was on top of my friend, pulling her apart. Twisting his knife inside of her. There was so much blood… Her… Her insides were out. Her organs. I– I'm unable to eat meat now," you snap your head up fixing your eyes on Jed's. "Some meats aren't much of a problem, but when I see sausages I think of her intestines. A big stake, why does it look like a piece of her body? I don't know."

Signing, you look at your hands again. They're clean, pristinely clean. You've washed them sixty-seven times today. Still, you can feel the dry blood under your fingernails.

"He hit me. Punched me and crushed my ribs. He– He choked me. I stabbed him in the neck. I stabbed him in the neck," you repeat. "Shouldn't I feel something about it?

"Her parents thanked me after the funeral. I couldn't go because I've been admitted to the hospital after the events, of course. They thanked me, though, saying they could sleep better knowing that their daughter was avenged.

"I didn't do it because of that. I don't feel justice or vengeance or relief knowing that I killed him. I– I don't feel joy nor do I feel sorrow. Shouldn't I be having some sort of emotions related to the fact that I took a life, no matter how bad that life had been?

"I just don't care and I think that I should care. Does it make me a psycho? The fact that I don't care. I would totally do it again if I have to. I didn't hesitate then and I don't think I would do it now."

"You don't feel anything at all?" Will voice breaks your staring contest with your hands.

Your eyes search for his and once they're locked, you feel numbness fill your body. "I feel dread. All the time. I'm scared out of my skin wondering when it's going to happen again. Not if, when."

Will holds your look in silence, something in you refuses to relent at first and so you stare into his eyes until he finally glances to his feet, crossing his arms. You rub your thumbs against your other fingers itching to wash the blood again.

The moment Jed finishes the session, he intercepts you with his kindness. "Are you having a bad day today?"

"Yes," you answer clipped.

He sighs in understanding, "Here," he hands you a travel-sized tube of hand cream.

Usually, you don't forget that Jed had been through some heavy trauma as well, that he knows about what you've been through. He was stabbed while doing his internship on the psych floor of a hospital, and he had to turn the tables which ended up with the attacker dead and Jed's hands stained with blood. You forgot today. Jed noticed your foul mood, your scared eyes, and your jumpy behavior; but the loudest cry for help was how dry and exposed your hands were.

If you pouted he didn't mention it.

Unable to stay for more time, you left the building without looking back.

*

Your hands are still quite dry two days after Jed's intervention although you've used the cream almost entirely. Your therapist saved two hours for you today when you explained how bad your days had been, and once you're out of his practice you feel drained.

Walking aimlessly with your hands in your jacket pockets and the world tuned down again, you think about your session and the new points your therapist has made. You've been measuring your PTSD and your status as a victim with comparisons between reality and fiction, plus the eventual forum on the internet. That was wrong. Yes, some things have been studied by professionals that have listed a compound of shared symptoms and how to recover, but your therapist is right: you are your own person. Seeking validation and feeling awful when we're questioned is part of our nature as social mammals, you logically know that, yet you stumble upon yourself when you feel numb facing the idea that you've killed a man. Moreover, you aren't sad that your friend died. It was awful, yes, and you miss her, but there's just a hole inside of you where she used to be. Just that. Nothingness.

Startled, you look around and find yourself in front of the cashier in that new café you wanted to go on a date with Will. Your mind has wandered again. The cashier repeats the question that has shaken you out of your stupor and you order a hot chocolate with whipped cream. You're in the mood for something sweet. As the cashier is about to take your money, someone else hands the cash that doesn't belong to you.

"Ring us both. I'll take a cappuccino."

Will Johnson is right next to you, so close that you can smell the fabric softener of his clothes. You don't know what to say, and he doesn't seem to mind as he just gifts you a cheeky smile and a wink.

You're secretly glad that there's no awkwardness between you after his rejection and you pushing yourself away from him. Still, it's unsettling.

With your mind slightly foggy and your soul craving company, you allow yourself to follow Will to a small table with comfortable chairs at the end of the café but next to a huge window. Tinny raindrops stain the cristal uncoordinated.

"So, um…" he coughs calling your attention awkwardly. His hands wrap around his coffee, and his shoulders are hunched. He's anxious, you can tell. "You've been absent lately."

You titled your head. Absent? You've been attending group therapy sessions on the clock, though. He seems to understand your body language as he crocs a smile.

"I mean," he gestures to his head, "not really in the moment. Your head was somewhere else." He caresses the rim of his mug, not quite keen on drinking just yet. "The other day was rough for you. I could tell. I wanted to talk to you after, but you were gone. I… Um…

"You know, something crazy happened the other day," he changes his tone, forcing cheerfulness instead of genuine weariness. "Breanna asked me to come here, right? And I met here with her and her wife."

You don't miss the special stress he does in the word 'wife', nor the long pause and brows lift after that. Shit, he knew you thought he accepted her date.

"Anyway, Brianna and Anne, her wife," repeats in the same tone, "sort of ambush me, you know? Apparently, you asked me out, on a date, to this very café and I rejected you. That's crazy, isn't it?"

Now you don't really know what to say or what to do. You feel cornered and anxious, you cross your arms in front of you and frown, pressing your lips together. You wait.

"See, it's insane because I've been flirting with you for about a month and sometimes you flirted back, but other times you just shut down. I told Breanna as much and she insult me. Listen, she has some creative insults under her sleeve, let me tell you." He worries his bottom lip between his teeth and runs a hand through his hair. "She enthusiastically pointed out that I've been missing the signals.

"What signals, I asked. Bad days signals, apparently. She convinced me that when you weren't as responsive as I expected to be from our previous exchange, it was because you were in a bad place and– Well, kind of misunderstood me.

"I must confess that I hardly believed her until she told me that you asked me out and I rejected you, again, so I said that you never did that; I would've jumped in joy if you had. You actually did, though, when I was in a bad place and I totally misunderstood. It's like we were both talking when the phone was off. Miscommunication was on point, am I right?

"So… It took me some time to come to terms with what she had said, but in the next session you were keeping your distance and then I paid better attention and I could easily pin down when you were having a regular day or a bad day. It shook me to understand that I knew how a good day looked, but you weren't having those anymore.

"I can see that you're better today, and that's a relief. I– Shit, this is going to sound so bad. I saw you a block back and I called your name but you ignored me, then I kind of–" he does a gesture with his hand towards you, "I saw that you were on your foggy walks, so I followed you waiting for the moment for you to snap it out. I was also worried, it's dangerous to walk not paying attention to your surroundings, you know?"

You look at him completely dumbfounded. He, Will Johnson, had been flirting with you and wanted to date you. Scrunching your nose, you open your mouth to reply but close it. The operation repeats a couple of times and you notice his tension disappear, his anxiousness evaporates and, in its place, there's a sweet smile, a small blush, and a cheeky glint in his eyes. He knows that you want him, and knows that you're going to say yes, but he asks you anyways.

"This is good for a pre-date, all things considered, but I'm kind of hungry. Do you want to grab a bite with me? As in a date. A romantic date. A date that's supposed to be the first of many and lead us to a relationship. Just to be clear."

Then you laugh.

It startles you at first. It's been so long since you truly laughed that it seems unnatural. You cannot control it, though, once it starts, your lips stretch in a big smile, and your body vibrates with your giggles, a full belly laugh. Will smiles at you adoringly and lets out a soft laugh of his own.

"Yeah," you manage to say, "I would love to have a date with you."

Perhaps your trauma and recovery aren't like the movies, at all, but you're starting to feel that your love life probably is going to be just like an indie rom-com with lots of drama as its season.

The end

[wwooyology]

Happy Facades | J.YH

「prompt」 : only around you 「pairing」 : bf!yunho x fem!reader 「word count」 : 1.7k

「synopsis」 : there was you with yunho. then there was you not with yunho. neither of them were the same, and that was the cause of your downfall or so you thought.

「genre」 : angst, a teensy bit of fluff at the end

「warnings」 : drinking, mentions of drugs, partying, argument, mentions of lying, some skinship, lmk if I missed anything!

「notes」 : I think this is the first of the series that actually has some good fluff and isn't fully angsty haha...

masterlist ─ navi. ─ angstober list

When you first started talking to Yunho online, you hadn’t expected it to bloom into anything more than just a casual conversation between two lonely people. However, it wasn’t too long before the texting turned into late-night calls and then into Facetime calls with one another. Then, before either of you knew it, you had started to develop feelings, and it wasn’t long after that Yunho asked you to be his girlfriend despite the distance between you two.

You two had talked about almost everything there was to ever talk about.

Keyword: almost

The last thing you wanted to do to Yunho was to make him feel burdened by your troubles. You couldn’t stand to see that happy smile being wiped away, and you definitely didn’t feel as if you deserved any of the pity that would come with telling him. So you just didn’t say a word, and when your conversation got to that point, you would just beat around the bush, never giving him a straight answer.

You had never really planned on telling him about the skeletons in your closet because, in your mind, you weren’t sure if this was going to be anything more than a long-distance relationship that eventually got pushed to the back burner until it was completely forgotten about and you both went about your lives.

But you couldn’t be more wrong.

Yunho had taken this relationship very seriously and wanted nothing more than to make this long-distance relationship a not-so-long-distance relationship. So he packed everything he could and transferred universities so he could be with you.

He secretly talked to your close friends and even a few close relatives to see if they would help him with the surprise and they all agreed happily that you had finally found someone worthwhile.

And so the plan commenced.

Except that meeting Yunho in the flesh was never on your agenda, so of course, when your friends invited you to a party that very weekend, you didn’t think twice about accepting, wanting nothing more than to drown your sorrows in a bottle of liquor and some good weed.

–

That night, you found yourself on your fourth red Solo cup of liquor despite the multiple warnings that your friends had given you. You had a terrible week, and this was the only way you could think of to take your mind off of things. Plus, it’s not like you could call and talk to Yunho. He was on some trip and didn’t have any connection, much to your disdain.

“Y/n. Girl, please slow down on the booze.” Your friend, Rachel, tried to snatch the cup from your hand, but even in your heavily tipsy state, you were quick enough to move out of her reach.

“Why are you being such a party pooper? You never take my drinks away.” You pouted, your body still softly swaying to the overbearing music.

“I know, but tonight is different. Just please, give me the—" She reached for your cup once more, but you pulled back again only to have someone knock it completely from your hand. “Cup.” Rachel sighed as she tried to wipe some of the spilled booze from your skin.

However, you couldn’t bring yourself to say anything else to her as your eyes landed on the tall figure standing on the other side of the room. You felt sober all of a sudden as you met his eyes, your face burning brightly and ears ringing so loud that it was drowning out the booming party music. 

Noticing your sudden change in demeanor she pulled away only to follow your gaze, finding Yunho standing there in the doorway.

“Shit.” She cursed lowly before standing straight and grabbing your arm, “y/n—”

“Why is he here?” Your voice shook as the realization of what was going on hit you like a bullet. Looking over, you found Rachel avoiding your gaze altogether. “Rachel, what is Yunho doing here?”

“He moved into town and wanted to surprise you…” She trailed on as she glanced up at you with a sheepish gaze.

“What?” You exclaimed, panic starting to overtake your mind.

Yunho stood on the sidelines watching you, and he felt as if he had been lied to. The happy and carefree girl he had always seen when he Facetimed you was nothing more than a front. Seeing you now, he felt hurt, but something overpowered that hurt tenfold…

Worry.

Without so much as another thought, he pushed his way towards you, ignoring the comments he was receiving from those around him. Once he got to you and Rachel, he grabbed your wrist, causing your whole body to jolt. Your eyes flew up to meet his.

“Thank you, Rachel, but we’re leaving,” Yunho said curtly, not sparing either you or Rachel another glace as he pulled you back through the crowd.

You tried to pry his hand off of your wrist, but his grip was far too tight, and the alcohol in your system made you feel even weaker. So you stopped fighting until you both got to his car, and he opened the door. That was when he finally released you, but when he fixed you with a stern gaze, you couldn’t even think about running off.

“Get in the car.” His voice was surprisingly calm, leaving a chill to run down your spine.

With a red face, you crossed your arms over your chest, a small pout forming on your lip, “no.”

“Y/n. In the car. Now.” His voice was still calm, but there were underlying tones that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand tall, and when you met his gaze once more, you felt small. His dark chocolate orbs stared back at you with a swirl of emotions, but you could clearly see the annoyance and hurt, so you didn’t say another word before climbing into the passenger seat.

Yunho then closed the door, the loud sound causing you to jump, your nerves on an all-time high. Whether it was due to the alcohol or the fact that you had been caught red-handed, you weren’t sure, but you also couldn’t bring yourself to say a word the entire drive.

–

The silence even followed the two of you into your apartment, leaving you feeling extremely uneasy. You didn’t know what Yunho was thinking or what he was going to say the moment the door was closed. However, as soon as the door closed, the silence continued to linger.

After slipping out of your shoes, you took a step into the living room before turning to look at Yunho, arms loosely crossed over your chest, worried as to what he was thinking. Seeing him in front of you now made you realize what you could be losing if this all went down the drain. You realized just how much you cared for the man standing in front of you, and your actions started to weigh heavy on your shoulders.

“Yunho–”

“You lied to me.” His tone was nothing short of hurt, and you visibly flinched, “Was everything you told me a lie?”

Your whole body stiffened as you looked at him, a pain starting to bloom in your chest as you watched the hurt morph onto his features. The last thing you wanted was for him to find out about your lifestyle, especially after telling him that you would never do anything like that.

“I…” The words caught in your throat as tears started to pool along your waterline, “I didn’t lie, Yunho. I just didn’t–”

“Didn’t tell the whole truth? Obviously.” He scoffed, fingers running through his hair, and you felt your heart stop. 

Swallowing thickly, you looked at him for a few moments, and then a sudden surge of annoyance coursed through your veins because who was he to judge?

“What did you want me to tell you, Yunho?” Your voice shook as your tone rose, “Tell you that I’m a mentally unstable mess that drowns her sorrows in booze and recreational drugs? I’m sorry I’m not that happy, goodie two shoes you see when we facetime. I like you, Yunho, like really like you, and I was so worried that you would just run off the moment I even remotely mentioned how fucked up I am.” The tears that had brimmed in your eyes started to flow down your cheeks, coating your skin in the salty liquid.

Yunho stood there watching you as you started to break down before him. All of the anger and annoyance that he once felt started to melt away. Inhaling deeply, he took a step towards you just as you turned your back towards him.

“And I get it if you don’t want this to continue, you deserve someone who isn’t… fucked up.” You choked back a sob as you spoke the last few words, tears flowing endlessly down your face and dripping from your chin down to the hardwood floor below you.

When you didn’t hear anything from behind you, you started to think that he really took his chance and ran as you were ranting. However, your heart seized when his arms wrapped around your waist, enveloping your body in his warmth. Yunho tightened his grip on your body before dipping his head down to the crook of your neck, his breath fanning against your skin.

“You’re not fucked up, y/n, and I don’t care if you aren’t always that happy-go-lucky girl I saw through the screen because I love you. That means every part of you, good and bad.” He pressed a soft kiss to the side of your neck, and that was enough to tip you over the edge, sobs racking your body. 

Turning around, you wrapped your arms around his torso, burying your face in his chest as he stroked your hair gently.“No matter what you’re going through, I promise that we can and will work through it together.” He added before kissing the top of your head and hugging you tightly to his chest. “Because that's what we do for the people we love.”

@wwooyology | Do not steal, plagiarise, translate, or repost any of my work

𝖉𝖎𝖘𝖈𝖑𝖆𝖎𝖒𝖊𝖗 : ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ɴᴏ ᴡᴀʏ ᴀ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ʀᴇᴘʀᴇꜱᴇɴᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴʏ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀꜱ. ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴘᴜʀᴇʟʏ ꜰɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴛᴀᴋᴇɴ ꜱᴇʀɪᴏᴜꜱʟʏ.

[pokerobbo]

Week Six - Melbourne Cabbies can eat all the dix

So this week I'm coming to ya'll from Victoria. This means I'm in the future to ya'll from SA. Let me tell you, the Gold Coast Suns have a heck of a season and Tom Antonio still sells dodgy product.

Health

I'm on vacation anyone who follows this blog for the health updates can get fucked this week. However I haven't really eaten poorly I have just been to the gym less that Gina Rhineheart this week. Although I have had some positive comments which is always a good feeling.

Finances

Dont go there sister. No improvement. No change. I'm on vacation. There'd be something wrong if I had shown improvement.

Betting

Although I'm trying to quit betting I have been given the hot tip by the one and only Rick Hernandez about an up and coming horse. It goes by the name of 'Cheats on his missus" and you can get roughly $1.02 every Saturday night race day jockeyed by up and coming prodigy Matty Nichols. Disclaimer: wont drink with the boys on a Sunday.

Mental Health

Being away from work and Port Augusta has done me wonders. Mental Health has now upgraded to Brittany Spears post KFed divorce.

Right now a bit of insight into my thoughts on Melbourne; The Spencer Hotel, Sunday School with George Pell and Liam Jacobson's 18th birthday party... these are all places that I would rather attend than Arrow on Swanson in Melbourne. If you want a place that has random cardboard on the walls, a couch harder than Rolf Harris at a wiggles concert and twice as loud then this place is the joint for you! All of a sudden living in Port Augusta didn't seem so bad.

Jesus Christ - Our Lord and Saviour, Andrew McCleod, Rick Hernandez and Chris Cornel all have one thing in common. They are absolute good cunts. Over the last 3 days the acts of selflessness I have seen exhibited by Rick Hernandez whether it be putting his drink down to parent or pausing the UFC weigh ins because its time for the kids to go to bed one things for sure the man is a saint. Its just a shame that he supports the Adelaide Crows. Liam Jacobson you missed out on a really good friend there and to the feminist that he matched with on tinder who went on to message his mum because he tried to complement you? Get fucked. Where are you these days. Thats what I thought. God Bless.

One final note if ever you are in Melbourne and you catch an Uber be sure to not say to the driver "How's ya fuckin night goin" You will nearly get kicked out for profanity. Grow up driver. Do what I want.

Anyway. Time for me to settle down and sober up (lol jks.)

Peace!

[peachycoreroo]

what about some haikyuu boys trying to explain how morning erection works to their s/o? if you could include Kuroo, Sugawara, Oikawa and Satori I'd be more than grateful 🥺

characters: kuroo tetsurou, sugawara koushi, oikawa tooru, tendou satori

genre: smut, a miiiini plot bc i can't control myself

word count: 1.2k

warnings: fem!reader but can be read as gn!reader, also kinda oblivious!reader?, established relationships, the slightest somnophilia (reader is just grinding while oikawa is asleep, he wakes up immediatly tho), handjob, morning wood (obvs), implied sex

authors note: omg this was my first ever request, thank you sm anonnie! i'm so sorry bc i'm pretty sure i got carried away and only kuroo and tendou really fit your request, but i still hope you'll like it<3 this was actually really hard bc i was so anxious about fucking up my first request, i also didn't really know much about morning woods (well now i do heh) and i find tendou kinda hard to write for but i really wanted to make anon happy. i stayed up till 4am for this🧍‍♂️here's a link to my masterlist<3

pt.2: kageyama tobio, haiba lev, hinata shoyo

kuroo tetsurou:

„your dick does what, why now?”

kuroo rolled his eyes. this is the third time he has to repeat himself and you still look at him as if you’ve never heard anything more complicated in your life.

sighing, the tall male leaned back against the headboard of your shared bed, trying to make himself as comfortable as he could, with you finally quenching your curiosity about his morning wood, and said morning wood pressing against his boxers and your sheets.

“one more time, y/n, there’s a number of reasons. first of all, the male body has its peak of testosterone in the morning. basically, the sudden increase of the hormone in the changing stages from being asleep to waking up, can get your guy up.” as he saw you open your mouth to ask a question, he immediately followed with: “yes, even without actually being aroused”, effectively making you shut your mouth again. the fact that he knew exactly what you wanted to ask, made him chuckle. kuroo knew you like the back of his hand.

“another one is that my body is aware of what’s going on, even when i’m asleep. if your ass grazes my dick, it’s gonna react.” grinning proudly, you sat yourself in his lap, wrapping your arms around his broad shoulders.

“mhh, i’m glad you can’t resist me, even in your sleep. so… you want some help with that?”

the dark-haired male decided to play along, putting his large hands on your waist, pulling you closer and leaning in, just to stop a few inches from your lips and murmur: “you know, i could also just need to pee really bad”, making you lean back and stare at him dumbfounded.

as much as he wanted to actually teach you about this topic, kuroo would never pass up an opportunity to tease you.

sugawara koushi:

as suga jerked awake, he immediately became aware of his severe case of a morning wood. not only that, but he could also feel your ass pressed up snugly against it.

once the sleep slowly drained from the man’s eyes, he noticed that it was still dark outside and quickly checked the time to see his alarm clock reflecting the numbers 5:50 a.m. back at him. he knew he had to get up at 6 if he wanted to be an exemplary teacher and get to school earlier to prepare for class, but with the way your ass was pushing against his hard dick, his mind was too clouded by lust to care. he needed you, and he needed you now.

“baby, wake up”, in suga’s husky morning voice was the first thing you heard as you were gently stirred awake. when you cracked your eyes open, the silver-haired man was already kneeling between your legs, cock heavy and leaking against your panties.

yawning, you asked concerned: “kou’? what’s wrong? is everything okay?”

not being able to wait any longer, sugawara slowly started grinding against you through your shorts, making your breath hitch and legs spread wider.

“y-yeah, just a morning wood emergency. i can’t go and teach like that. let me use you quickly, princess”, suga almost whined, pained.

trying to hold in your whimpers to understand what led to this, your eyes jumping from the male’s handsome face to his pretty, hard dick, you wondered: “what’s gotten into you?”

at that, suga scoffed, amused at you wanting to know what led to his erection instead of getting to business right away.

“woke up to your pretty lil’ butt all snuggled up against my dick. you make me hard, even in my sleep y/n”, he rasped impatiently, but still wanting to quench your interest.

despite the fact that this was definitely not the most romantic thing you have heard from sugawara koushi, you couldn’t stop the butterflies erupting at the thought of him craving you this badly, even while asleep.

“c’mere kou’”, you softly murmured, pulling him down for a kiss, ready to help your boyfriend’s morning problem.

oikawa tooru:

tonight, wasn’t your night. you barely got a wink of sleep, while your boyfriend slept like a stone beside you. you knew it wasn’t his fault you couldn’t sleep, but that didn’t stop you from sulking like a spoiled child.

you were tired but also incredibly horny, and as if some gods heard the prayers you didn’t even direct at them, you noticed oikawa’s morning erection standing loud and proud under your shared sheets like every morning.

not wasting a moment, you ripped the sheets off him, straddling his lap and grinding your soaked panties against his erect boxer-clad cock. it’s not the worst feeling oikawa has ever woken up to, in fact it was definitely one of the best. everything’s better than being slapped awake by iwa-chan’s shoe hitting him in the face back in high school.

as the tanned man started to fidget and his calloused hands landed on your hips to guide you along his cock, your curiosity about his daily morning wood got the best of you.

“why are you hard every morning, tooru?”, you asked innocently, while not-so-innocently continuing to tease him with your hips.

“u-uh, something about hormones a-and, oh shit, faster babe”, oikawa needily pleaded, not in the mood to be explaining the scientific reason behind his reoccurring morning problem.

unsatisfied with the answer, you stopped the grinding to frown at him and complained: “but i wanna know more, tooru.”

the brunet looked up at you, groaning but knowing you wouldn’t just let it go. “fuck, okay. how about this: you make me cum, and i answer all your questions about… morning woods, after. deal?”

“…deal.”

tendou satori:

you woke up before tendou, feeling his hard-on press against your naked thigh, making you want to continue the fun you had last night.

luckily, your boyfriend also woke up, though not as happy about his morning wood problem as you.

“’tori… i need you”, you seductively purred, letting your petite hand slide down to his erection, wrapping around it and giving it a few slow, lazy pumps. to your surprise, your usually vocal-in-bed boyfriend didn’t moan, but only tensed at your ministrations.

not thinking much of it, you attached your lips to the base of his throat, sucking and licking while giving his cock a hard tuck, hoping to get a pretty moan out of him.

what you didn’t expect however, was for tendou to jump up and run to your bathroom while squealing like a little schoolgirl. dumbfounded, you froze in the position you were in, leaning towards where your boyfriend was laying just a few seconds ago, with your hand in a half-fist.

after a few minutes, the red-haired man sheepishly re-entered the room, scratching the back of his blushing neck with a matching blush on his face.

“i-i uh…”, at his voice cracking, tendou cleared his throat before continuing: “i’m so sorry sweetheart, i didn’t mean to run off like that.”

finally breaking out of your stiffness, you looked at him, puzzled, before asking: “why did you run off? if you didn’t want to make-out, I would’ve understood a simple no.”

“it’s not that! it’s just… morning wood doesn’t always mean i’m horny, sweetie. sometimes it happens when you desperately need to pee.”

“oh”, you awkwardly remarked, “i didn’t know that ‘tori, i’m so sorry. i just thought…”

chuckling, tendou leaned down, kissing your forehead and reassuring you: “don’t worry angel, you never stop learning.”

[sukirichi]

the morning after – itadori yuuji ver!

warnings: slightly suggestive content but nothing too explicit, just yuuji being adorable yet sexy yuuji <3

masterlist !

ITADORI YUUJI – You’d wake up first before him. I headcanon this boy as a heavy sleeper, and he’ll snore all the way until morning. He won’t even budge as you struggle out of his grip, because Yuuji loves to cuddle you. He’s really into aftercare and probably won’t let you go and still keep your limbs tangled under the covers. Something about being close to his SO even in his sleep really makes his heart flutter. You don’t mind most of the time, you love it too because Yuuji’s strong arms wrapped around you, especially after a passionate night, is such a cute and affectionate gesture that has you feeling lightheaded because this man does not – and I repeat – he is not the least bit shy when it comes to touch.

However, this one of those times you wish Yuuji didn’t have a headlock on you, because it’s seven in the morning and you’ve got somewhere to be. Of course, you want to stay and sleep with him a little longer, but you’ve got responsibilities to attend to.

Kissing his jaw as a silent good morning, you untangle his arms around your frame and shower. There’s no time for breakfast since you’re about to be late, and you hurriedly jump through your jeans then wiggle it over your legs and ass before leaving his apartment. You left a sticky note that says you’re going out now with a smiley face, just to reassure Yuuji you’re not running away from him.

You really want to cook breakfast with him and maybe even make pancakes, finally allowing him to drizzle it in maple syrup despite multiple warnings that no, Yuuji, it’s not good for your health.

Even though you don’t live together, you spend time over his often enough that the pouty boy eventually keeps his maple syrup at the back of his refrigerator to ease his temptation. But because he was extremely amazing last night – and the thought of how you submissively whined underneath him, begging for him to go faster and harder, has you ducking your head to hide the warmth spreading to your face – you’re nice enough to reward him by making fat stacks of those pancakes he really loves.

Or at least you would if you have time.

You’re hopping two stairs down at a time, slightly panicking that you still have to take a bus and silently praying that you wouldn’t be late to work or school, and you fail to hear the rushed footsteps behind you.

Just as you’ve made it to the entrance doors, you feel someone tug you by the wrist. A yelp leaves your lips as your eyes meet Yuuji’s, a smile instantly gracing your face. You don’t have enough time to be embarrassed over the fact he’s shirtless and wearing nothing but sweatpants that hung dangerously low on his muscular hips, because his hair is cutely sticking out in all directions and he’s breathing hard.

“You—” he rasps, shoving a bento box tied around a silk red cloth in your arms. “—You forgot this.”

“What’s this?”

Yuuji blushes and scratches the back of his neck, and you blink back in awe because he wasn’t like this last night. In fact, it was such a huge contrast to the way he brutally snapped his hips towards yours while his strong hands dug into your curves with such primal need, as if he couldn’t get enough you. Yuuji looks way too flustered for a man who’d left hickeys all over your breasts and inner thighs, and you don’t know whether to find it cute or a turn on.

“I had a feeling I couldn’t make breakfast for you the morning after,” he pouts, trailing his eyes from your patient smile and down to the floor. “But I didn’t want you to leave just like that, so I made you breakfast and kept it before you came. Oh, and you should heat that up though. I was about to tell you last night not to forget the bento box before you leave but I got carried away and—”

You silence Yuuji’s rambling by pressing your lips to his. He freezes at the sudden contact, which has you smiling through the kiss. When you pull away, Yuuji covers his face with the palm of his hands, the tips of his ears flushing red.

“Thank you, Yuuji,” you show him the bento box and flash him a huge smile, “I appreciate it. I’ll definitely be more recharged now.”

Yuuji hums thoughtlessly, pulling you closer by the hem of your coat as if he’s not totally aware of his movements. His thumbs rub circles over your clothed hips, eyes still droopy from sleep. “I’m surprised you can still run after last night. I was worried I couldn’t catch up to you.”

Your heart begins to beat a mile a minute, because even after months of dating and extremely good fucking, you’re still not used to how Yuuji switches between cute and innocent to dominant and needy – but this combination of innocently unaware of his sexual prowess? You groan and hide your embarrassment by kissing his cheeks, summoning every cell in your body to act cheeky and unbothered.

“I’ve got a boyfriend who would keep going five rounds if I wasn’t so weak,” you joke, “It would be a shame to not have that happen, so I’ve made sure to keep up with his needs,” is all you say before winking.

Yuuji blushes at your statement, but soon grows enough confidence to playfully hover his lips over your ear, “Say, come over again when you’re free? Maybe we can test out this newfound stamina of yours.”

Despite his suggestive words, you don’t miss the way his breathing stutters or how both of your heartbeats are so loud that you could hear it. It was safe to say both of you are idiots – but idiots that are perfectly made for each other. Yuuji knows this too by the way your pupils blow widely, and he doesn’t even need to hear your response to know what your answer is.