#after all the shiny hunting i’ve been doing

[goldensunset]

was ev training by killing lotads and got absolutely JUMPSCARED by a shiny one randomly appearing right in front of me

[messrmoonyy]

- The Forbidden Fruit

Arthur Morgan x Fem!Reader

Request- I NEED ARTHUR TO STEAL DUTCHS GIRL AND SHOW HER A REAL MANS LOVING. FILTHY PASSIONATE LOVING. WORK YOUR MAGIC

A/N- I got incredibly carried away with this. Is basically prawn with no plot honestly. And far softer smut than I think you intended it to be but. Here we are. Enjoy.

Warnings- 18+ | implied toxic relationship ( reader is in love with Dutch van der Linde what can you expect here ), smut: affair, Arthur being desperate to please!!!, fingering, oral ( reader receiving ) , unprotected p in v and he accidentally finishes inside oops, like the tiniest amount of cockwarming ( WC-8.9k )

AO3 | Masterlist - requests are open :)

Arthur didn’t involve himself in Dutch’s relationships. He stayed polite to whatever young woman he had hanging off his arm at the time, but that was about it. He’d seen too many girls come and go- usually in floods of tears at being dismissed by the man that had seduced and charmed them into loving him. Just working his way through shiny new plaything to plaything, hiding his unending sorrow for Annabelle under the skirt of some new girl. 

Unfortunately you were no different. 

In your defence, he supposed, you had lasted far longer than the rest. The only real exception to that being the famed Annabelle herself. But as was almost inevitable, your time in the honeymoon phase was slowly crumbling down around you. 

Arthur did wonder if it was simply because of the current stress levels in camp. They had all been on the run for longer than he cared to try and count, but after the mess in Blackwater they had reached new heights of being hunted. It had never been this bad. Nothing had ever gone this wrong. Because before everything had gone to complete shit, he’d actually seemed quite taken with you. In truth Arthur actually had begun to consider the idea that Dutch really did love you. Had finally been able to move on from the weight on his heart of his dead lover. 

But no. 

Arthur was observing the same pattern as always, it had just taken far longer with you. And that just seemed to make it all the more cruel. 

He barely even looked at you most days now. Barely uttered a few words in return to any question you asked. 

And the arguing was growing ever more fierce. It was practically everyday. 

Arthur didn’t like it. Didn’t like the way Dutch treated you. Didn’t like the way Dutch was treating anyone lately. But you in particular had never been anything but nice to him, kind. Sweet. Incredibly naive but sweet. To Arthur too. Some of the girls Dutch had strung along had been vile, rude and entitled and stuck up. But you? You were a genuinely nice person it seemed. And maybe that was your greatest flaw, for someone like that did not belong with Dutch Van Der Linde. 

In fact Arthur had come to like you from a distance. The times he had spoken to you you had been interesting, intelligent. Far cleverer than him and he had always liked that in a woman if he was honest. 

But still you clung to Dutch. Though your patience with him of late seemed to finally be wearing thin. 

Dutch had never really been one to be ashamed or afraid of airing his dirty laundry within the gang. Whether that be packing on the PDA in camp in a way that often made Arthur want to vomit up his breakfast, or the even more puke inducing sounds of the two of you making up all night long. So arguing was no exception to that either. 

And today was no different. 

“ you barely even look at me! I’m right here! I always have been, I’ve always been such a good girl haven’t I? I do as you say. And look at how you repay me! “ Arthur sighed as he dropped a stack of bills into the box, successfully recovering yet another of Strauss’ debts for him. You were both screaming at each other again, the tent flaps pulled down as if that would over any form of soundproofing. It was the camp's regular ambience now it seemed. 

He did feel sorry for you, he really did. You’d left everything you had for Dutch. Some beautiful, intelligent, well spoken girl. Heiress to her daddy’s mining fortune up north, used to the finer things but seeking some adventure. And Dutch had offered you both. Drowned you in jewels and gifts- though unlike the ones you had once owned the ones he gave were not his to give- Shown you off like a shiny new toy on his arm. Expressly informed Miss Grimshaw that you were not to be lifting a finger, that you would not have to earn your keep with chores like the others. 

You earned your keep by looking beautiful beside him, by boosting his ego with your constant devotion to him, by letting Dutch use you for his own source of pleasure and by the sounds of things- that Arthur truly had no choice but to overhear- not getting very much back in return. 

“ You know I don’t think I’ve ever met a more selfish woman in my life! “ Arthur sighed and sat down on his cot, debating whether or not to make some attempt to get the sleep he had been planning the entire long journey back to Clemens Point. But his tent was but a stone's throw from Dutch’s. 

“ I have needs too Dutch Van Der Linde!” Everyone else in camp didn’t seem to mind it though, most of them preparing to settle in for the night. Whether that be passing out on their bedrolls or drinking by the fire. But Arthur wasn’t sure he could put up with another moment of the damn yelling. 

“ oh? You have needs? “ Dutch’s voice was condescending. Mocking “ I give you everything! You are acting like a spoiled child”

“ a child? A child!? “ Arthur stood back up again, deciding he’d fare better trying to sleep on the damn ground rather than next to the likes of you and Dutch. So he headed out towards the edge of camp, hiding himself in the woods by the water. He slumped down against a tree with a heavy sigh and wished he’d thought to pick up a bottle of beer on the way. 

But it was no matter. He was far enough away that he couldn’t hear the fighting anymore, but close enough that if he was needed anyone calling his name would be heard. 

He looked out across the water, enjoying his rare moment of peace. It was a clear night and a full moon, the reflection bouncing off the water in the most beautiful way. He pulled out his journal and started to sketch it, wishing he could capture its beauty better. 

‘ Dutch and the girl were arguing again. Got out of earshot for a bit to try catch some sleep. Thought the water and the moon looked mighty pretty ‘ 

He scrawled underneath when he was done, tucking it back into the satchel discarded at his side. Javier's guitar had silenced back in camp now and he figured everyone had gone off to bed. But he was quite content there by the water, so dropped his hat over his face and settled in to try and catch a few hours himself. 

He was just dozing off when he heard the sound of boots marching quickly through the undergrowth, snapping twigs as they went. And then the soft sound of someone mumbling to themselves. He silently hoped whoever it was would keep well away from him. But the boots grew nearer and came to a halt not so far away. The crackle of a match being lit and a heavy sigh. 

“ thinks he can talk to me like that? Bastard. Bastard he is. I’m a lady I deserve better than. Than that “ 

You. 

He cleared his throat lightly to inform you that he was there, but unfortunately still seemed to startle you. 

“ Christ! Gave me a damn heart attack Arthur “ he placed his hat down with his satchel with a sigh and looked up at you. In the light of the moon reflecting off the water he could see your cheeks were tear stained, the glow of the end of your cigarette illuminating your face further and showing your makeup in streaks. 

He couldn’t lie that it made his heart ache for you. He didn’t particularly have any solid feelings for you, but he did feel sorry for you. It was hard not to feel sorry for the woman seduced by Dutch. 

And you truly were a cut above the rest in his opinion. Beautiful as the early morning sun and, when you weren’t screaming at Dutch, as kind and warm as it too. But maybe that was fitting. Because much like the sun you could bask people in warmth, but burn them too. Beautiful and bright but scalding and he found he couldn’t look at you for too long, no matter how many times he wanted too. Simply blinding his eyes with your flaming beauty and having to turn away. 

But maybe he was just getting caught up in his metaphors. 

“ shouldn’t be out this far from camp “ you simply shrugged, taking another drag of your cigarette “ ain’t no one nice lingerin’ in woods at night miss” even if no Lemoyne raiders were sneaking around the trees, there were plenty of species of wildlife that would happily do a number on you. Chew off a leg or bite you with poison fangs. You didn’t know how to take care of yourself. You couldn’t handle a gun, didn’t have a single survival instinct in you. 

Dutch had quite made sure of that, he’d heard you ask once or twice. And had been denied. Charming you with some string of words about how you were far too delicate to be handling a gun. To leave it for the men. 

“ you’re lingering in the woods aren’t you Mr Morgan? “ he chuckled and shrugged. 

“ and I ain’t that nice. Point proven lady “ 

“ not like Dutch would care if someone took me anyway. He’d probably be thankful “ your voice was hoarse from the shouting and he couldn’t tell if you were going to cry again or not. You took a long drag of your cigarette before seeming to suddenly remember something, dipping your hand into the waistband of your skirt and pulling out a pack “ sorry my manners. Want one? “ he took one with a nod of thanks “ can I sit? “

You sat down carefully beside him then with a long sigh, tucking your legs beneath you, and leant forward so he could light the cigarette between his lips with the end of yours. 

“ thanks “ you both sat quietly for a short while. Smoking and watching the ripples in the water. He didn’t mind it actually, as much as he had been slightly annoyed at you disturbing his attempt to sleep. You were decent company. 

You rarely strayed from Dutch’s side, but on the odd occasion you had and Arthur had stumbled upon you having a moment to yourself at the edge of camp it had been quite nice. So he didn’t mind sitting there with you, company. For you both. 

“ I think you’re nice. By the way “ you said to break the silence, refrenching his previous comment of bad men lingering in the woods. 

“ No offense to you Miss, but you’re in love with old Dutch. I don’t think you’re particularly qualified to be sayin’ whether folk is nice or not “ he said it teasingly in some hopes of making you smile. And it did. A little. 

“ maybe not “ he watched you bring your cigarette to your lips again, glancing at your hands. Nails perfectly trimmed and not a single speck of dirt or sign of a scar. Hands that had never had to lift a finger. Ever. It was an interesting contrast to his own. Calloused and scarred and bruised “ but Dutch he… he…Can I ask you something? “ 

“ Sure “ he said and flicked his cigarette away. 

“ Do you think I’m beautiful Arthur? “ you asked meekly. Your face was sad. Lingering innocence yet to be wiped away by life somehow, the kind that only remained because you had lived a life so sheltered. Even with Dutch you were as sheltered as could be “ and don’t lie. Please “

“ I think you’re beautiful, sure “ you turned back to the water again, tossing your own cigarette before promptly lighting another. 

“ Dutch doesn’t. Not anymore. Barely even looks at me “ Arthur ran a hand over his face, not entirely sure what he was supposed to say to you in the situation. At all “ I know I know I don’t expect you to agree. You two you’re…you’re like two peas in a pod aren’t you? “ you said with a small laugh, but it held no humour. You took a long drag of your cigarette. 

“ me and Dutch it’s… we go back a long way. But… I will agree the way he’s been treatin’ you. Ain't nice. Not when you done nothin’ but be loyal to him for so long “ you turned back to him again and gave a small smile. It was like a wave of relief had washed right over you. 

Someone was finally listening. 

“ I think he’s got his eyes on Mary-Beth “ you mumbled, red stained lips wrapping around your cigarette again. Much like how he had found himself admiring your hands he now found himself admiring your lips. Soft and plump and stained red in the way they often were. 

He blamed it on his fatigue. 

“ he’d be a fool to give you up. You’re kind, loyal, hell you might jus’ be the most beautiful woman I know. He’s in a weird place right now. He’ll snap outta it, be back to readin’ you Evelyn Miller in no time. You’ll see “ maybe the last part wasn’t entirely true. But the first part was. And you seemed to bask in his compliments. He wondered when the last time Dutch had said something nice to you had actually been. 

“ Thank you “ you looked as though you might cry again. And he really hoped you wouldn’t. He didn’t like to see you cry. And he really wouldn’t know what to say to you then. Once again you turned your attention back to the water and gave a small sigh “ maybe I chose the wrong outlaw “ you said with a small laugh “ always have thought you were quite handsome “ 

He nearly choked on his own saliva, clearing his throat in hopes to pass it out smoothly. He didn’t know if it had worked. 

“ Really? “ 

“ Hmm “ you mused, tilting your head inquisitively to the side “ but you were oh so hung up on that Mary girl when I found Dutch”

“ Yeah well. Mary she’s- that’s all done with now “ maybe Mary was the reason he seemed to sympathise with you so. Because he too had had a broken heart. Though he was sure his was not as brutal as yours. 

“ Guess we both have bad taste don’t we Mr Morgan “ he chuckled and nodded. 

“ That we do miss. That we do “ he placed a gentle hand to your shoulder and squeezed in some form of comfort “ don’t worry bout Dutch though. Really. He’ll come to his senses and if…if he don’t then. Any man would be lucky to have ya “ you sniffled and he figured you’d started crying again “ I didn’t mean to upset- “

“ No. No I’m fine. It’s just…you mean it all don’t you? All these kind words? “ he shrugged and then nodded. 

“ Sure I do. You’re a beautiful woman. Inside an out “ something seemed to flash across your face, a million and one things whirring away behind your eyes. He’d never been that good at reading people, never one for knowing what people were thinking. And the look on your face was the most confusing he’d ever seen. 

The next part happened far too quickly for him to process it. Maybe because he was tired, maybe because he truly hadn’t even slightly suspected you to do it. You flicked away the butt of your cigarette and leaned forward, one hand to his leg and the other to his neck. And kissed him. 

He was taken aback and you pulled away before he could make any attempt to figure out what you’d just done. 

“ Sorry “ you sighed in slight annoyance, seemingly at yourself, sitting back beside him again. Like it was no big deal. Just something that had happened and had no real consequence “ shit- sorry “ Arthur scratched the back of his neck awkwardly and shrugged with a small laugh. Attempting to play it as cool as you clearly were. 

Maybe he’d finally cracked and entered some weird fatigue induced psychosis, hallucinations and hearing voices. And kissing Dutch’s woman. 

“ S’okay. No harm done “ he was bewildered. Trying to process the last 30 seconds and coming up completely blank. 

“ Just the way you talk about me I- Lord forgive me “ he was certain he must have looked half dense. Still completely confused at what on earth was happening with you. And maybe, just maybe, a tiny bit flustered at having a woman like you kiss him. Even if you were begging the Lord for forgiveness right after it “ no one’s spoken to me like that in a long time and…and I wish they had. I want to be told I’m beautiful again. I want to be kissed. I want I want…I want a lot of things “ 

Maybe Arthur was a stupid, idiotic fool. Maybe too many gunshot wounds and bumps to the head had finally caught up to him. Maybe he too wanted to act on his ever growing annoyance with how Dutch was behaving. But he found himself reaching out, fingers tucking under your chin to turn your face to look at him. Your eyes were so beautiful up close. Practically sparkling in the moonlight.

Oh he was such a fool. 

“ could’a jus’ asked “ a small smile tugged at your lips and you laughed a little. 

“ Yeah. Of course. Because you’d have said yes Arthur? “ he shrugged. He didn’t know if he would’ve actually. But now the thought was in his head “ alright “ you whispered and shuffled a little closer to him “ indulge me “ 

His thumb was absentmindedly brushing over your jaw, looking at you in the light of the moon and wondering how on earth Dutch wasn’t constantly begging for your attention. If he had a woman like you constantly hanging off his every word he wouldn’t know how to act. Would be like a mangy dog trailing around after you for food.  

“ I might’ve “ you gave a roll of your eyes but you were smiling still, a beautiful, tempting smile.

You were a temptress. A siren. Luring him in with your beauty to do something terrible. And you were vulnerable. Sad and seeking appreciation. And he was truly debating it. 

“ Well…“ you started quietly, looking up at him through your long lashes in a way that made his chest go tight “ there is… still time for you to say yes “ 

“ we ain’t gonna tell no one bout this y’hear? This it’s… it’s jus’ between me and you. Okay? “ your eyebrows furrowed for a second looking up at him intently, as if trying to figure out if he was joking or not. If he was serious. He wasn’t entirely sure himself, needed you to agree or disagree to put the thought to rest.  His thumb continued to brush along your jaw tenderly and your eyes fell closed for a moment. 

How long had it been since someone had touched you with such care? That something as simple as that seemed to mean so much to you. 

“ I understand “ you whispered, eyes flickering down to his lips again. He pulled you in close, barely an inch between your lips and then spoke again “ you’ll give me what I want? Don’t treat me like him “ 

“ Anythin’ ya want. You got it. I’ll give ya what you deserve “ you let a shuddering breath escape and gave a small nod before closing the gap between you both again. 

He hadn’t kissed anyone in a while, but he sure found his footing quickly. You kissed him like he was your source of air, climbing your way into his lap and slipping your hands into his hair. You tasted of cigarette smoke and something almost sweet. Whatever it was, it was an intoxicating mix. You were like a siren singing your call in his ear, drawing him in and taking him for your own. The weight of you in his lap was almost familiar, welcoming. Just… nice. 

He had almost forgotten just how fun it was to kiss a woman. How so many men seemed to shun it as boring, pointless- Dutch obviously included. But Arthur had always loved it. Had spent many a night as a youngster sneaking his way into Mary’s room just to kiss her. To spend hours kissing and talking and kissing some more. 

Kissing you was something else. Addictive. Intoxicating. 

Eventually he had to pull away, his lungs screaming at him for air. Your hands slipped out from his hair and down to grasp at the collar of his shirt, resting your forehead on his. 

“ Anything I want you say? “ you asked quietly, breathless. 

“ Anythin’ “ you smiled and lifted your head, a quiet determination settling over you. Your lipstick had smeared and he wondered how much of it was now on his own face. 

“ okay… undress me then “ you softly commanded, shifting slightly in his lap “ please. Dutch never- he makes me do it myself, barely even looks I- Please “ 

He almost laughed to himself about now he immediately thought getting you naked was entirely too risky. As if the entire situation alone wasn’t risky anyway. But he didn’t want to think too hard about that, instead simply channelled his recent annoyance towards Dutch into his actions. Tried to tell himself he was doing a good thing, taking care of you. 

You watched his face carefully as he gently untucked your shirt from where it was tucked into your skirt, some silky soft thing that probably cost more than everything he owned in his clothing trunk put together. He undid every pearl button slowly, eyes darting up to your face as he did. Your chest was heaving in long, heavy breaths. You were nervous. Or excited. He couldn’t tell which. 

You shivered lightly when he pushed it from your shoulders, now only the soft cotton of your chemise between his hands and your chest. Your nipples had hardened, from the slight night chill or lust he couldn’t say. But he found himself unable to resist the sight, leaning forward and capturing one between his lips through the cotton. You gasped softly, a sound so beautiful it made him groan. You sounded delicate. Innocent. You’d never made such sounds when he’d overheard you with Dutch. In fact a majority of the time you almost sounded in pain. 

But this sound wasn’t that. This sound was beautiful. And he wanted to hear more. One hand pushed at your back to bring you closer, the other palmed at your neglected breast in hopes you’d make the sound again. And you did. Gentle, soft gasps as his tongue dampened the material of your chemise, teeth tugging at you gently through the material. Your hand found his hair again, raking your fingers through it and arching your back into his touch. 

He couldn’t imagine why Dutch had never wanted to do such a thing. How could he not want to hear you make those pretty pretty sounds? How could he not want to feel you writhing in his lap and yearning to be touched. Maybe Dutch was more of a fool than he had originally thought. 

“ Need you to touch me- properly I- take this off “ your sentence was choppy, like you weren’t focussed enough to truly articulate the words you wanted to say. But he understood, pulling your chemise over your head and dropping it to land with your shirt. 

He took a moment just to look at you, not even entirely because he knew you’d want him to. Just because he wanted to. He’d be a liar if he said he hadn’t wondered what was hiding under your expensive clothes once or twice. How could he not when he had to try sleep through the sounds of you and Dutch of a night. 

“ God damn “ he said softly, hands soothing over your waist as you basked in his admiring stare, taking in the feeling of finally being looked at. Properly. 

“ like what you see Mr Morgan “ you asked, voice sultry and low in a way that made his cock twitch in his pants. 

“ Dutch is a damn fool “ is all he could say, leaning forward to kiss you again, his hands moving to grab at your chest. You moaned into the kiss as he squeezed and massaged your breasts with his large hands, seizing the opportunity to dip his tongue into the warmth of your mouth. Your fingers in his hair, twisting strands around your fingers and tugging lightly. He felt like he was on cloud nine. Certain he’d somehow taken a stumble through the veil and ended up at heaven's gates. 

He wasn’t a particularly religious man, but the way he was prepared to worship and praise you could truly be considered blasphemous. 

He couldn’t resist the temptation of getting his mouth on you again much longer, dragging his lips from yours and wrapping them around a pebbled nipple instead. You rolled your hips against him, those beautiful soft moans still falling past your lips. This was what you had wanted from him. To be worshipped. To be looked at as the beautiful temptress of a woman you were. And not merely glanced at and then used like some two dollar whore in a saloon. 

He wanted to nip at your skin, bite and soothe it with his tongue. But he knew he couldn’t. Couldn’t risk Dutch seeing it if he felt the need to stop ignoring you for a short while for his own needs. But oh how he wanted to. To mark up your smooth skin with reminders that you were desired. That you could look at as they faded and be reminded that you were wanted. 

“ I need more “ you whispered “ Arthur please. Give me more “ another roll of your hips followed by a small whimper told him enough. 

“ I know I got ya “ he murmured against your skin, pressing kisses up your sternum and your neck. Nose brushing at the underside of your jaw and working his way back to your lips again “ stand up. Lemme get you out of these damn clothes “ he caught the smile on your face as you stood up, he stayed seated and ran his hands over the fabric covering your hips. Something seemed to blaze in your eyes as you looked down on him. He realised it was most probably you that was usually being leered down on, but not now. 

Not with him. Not with Arthur. Arthur looked up at you like the goddess you were, looked up at you with what he knew was a silent pleading in his eyes. Dutch would never ask he knew it. Dutch took. Stole. Used. Arthur didn’t. Wouldn’t. 

“ I like how you look at me “ you said quietly, hand soothing over his hair “ you make me feel beautiful “

“ Cause y’are “ he murmured, hands reaching to the ties of your skirt. He wanted to see more. Wanted to see all of you. 

You helped him with the slightly tedious task of getting your skirts and undergarments off, but all so slowly. Taking his time. Making sure he appreciated every single layer of clothing you removed for him, right down to unlacing your boots and holding your leg gently to help you out of them. Until you stood there as naked as the day you were born, illuminated by the moonlight on the water. 

“ well ain’t you a sight “

Your skin was so smooth. Soft. Not a single scar that he could see. The skin of a woman who had never had to lift a finger. Had never known the hardships that he had. The only true blemish on your skin was the almost completely faded bruises on your hips. Fingertips. Dutch. 

He soothed his hands up your legs, pressing soft kisses to the pillowy flesh of your thighs as he went, and stopped as he reached them. 

“ He can be a little rough. It’s how he likes it “ you answered before he could even ask. Arthur too had been known to have his rougher moments. But he could never hurt you. Never mark you in anyway other than that of affection and care. 

“ I ain’t like that “ 

“ I know. That’s why I want you “ he pulled you back down into his lap, his large hands splaying over your hips as he took yet another moment just to look. To admire. To thank whatever stupid damn God may exist for placing such a heavenly body in his presence “ I feel a little like the odd one out here though “ you said with a small smile, tracing a finger down from the open top buttons of his shirt to his pants. 

He’d been far too occupied with you to even really notice the fact that he was ridiculously overdressed in comparison. 

“ Can’t have that now can we darlin’ “ your smile grew and you made quick work of the buttons on his shirt, pushing it off his shoulders with a gentle sigh. You ran your fingers through the hair on his chest, nails scratching lightly at his skin and peppering lipstick stained kisses as you went. Littering his collarbones, his sternum.

“ much better “ your hands kept roaming and your lips kept kissing. Hands seemingly wanting to touch him all, scratching lightly up his sides and over his waist, his stomach and his ribs. Slowly moving to slide over his shoulders and loop around his neck. You rolled your hips against him again and whined softly. He was so hard it was growing painful as he stayed restrained by his pants. But he wasn’t selfish. Not like Dutch. And he wasn’t about to seek out any form of pleasure himself until he had you seeing the stars you deserved. 

“ tell me what y’want “ he murmured, peppering soft kisses across your jaw. 

“ touch me “ you sighed blissfully “ please touch me “ 

His hand slipped down in between your bodies, brushing past the soft curls between your legs and couldn’t contain the groan of a sound that left him when he felt how warm and wet you were. 

“ Christ “ he muttered as your head dropped to his shoulder with a shuddering breath “ he ever touch you like this? “ he asked lowly, already knowing the answer. Why would he? He didn’t get anything out of it. 

But Arthur did. Oh Arthur did. 

“ no “ you whispered “ no never…please. More “ he tested the waters, pressing lightly against your clit and revelling in the squeak of a sound that it caused you to make. 

“ or like this? " You shook your head again, breathing shakily as he dragged his finger through the wetness and drew light circles around your entrance. 

“ Arthur “ you moaned his name in the most delicious way as he pushed his finger inside, burying it to the knuckle 

“ yeah and what about this darlin? “ he again knew the answer. Dutch didn’t care about your pleasure. Didn’t care about wasting time on something as simple as making you whimper and whine for more “ he touch you like this? “ 

“ no “ 

“ think ya can take one more for me? “ you nodded again and he withdrew his finger, gathering your slick on his other before pushing them both past the resistance of your entrance “ that’a girl “ he pumped his fingers in and out steadily, curling and probing at your velvety soft walls to test what you liked. 

“ This is so… oh god. This isn’t proper at all “ you laughed slightly, melting into a soft moan. Arthur chuckled, lifting your face up so you’d look at him. 

“ Ain’t proper at all? It’s damn right filthy darlin” your cheeks were aflame and you closed your eyes for a moment, grinding yourself against his hand “ look at ya. Drippin all over ma fingers like that. Ain’t proper. Not one bit “ you smiled, a cheeky, devious smile that made him lean forward and kiss you again. 

You were so wet it was obscene. He couldn’t tell where the sounds of you kissing stopped and the sopping sounds of his fingers began. You continued to grind down against his palm, practically riding his fingers, his whole hand wet and sticky with you. 

And he wanted to taste it. To taste you. To flood his mouth with the slick, liquid gold covering his fingers. It was an almost primal desire, like a desperation as strong as needing air. He needed to. He had to. 

“ Darlin’ “ he murmured, lifting your head from where it had fallen to his neck again “ gotta let me taste you. You gotta “ the look on your face only made him want it more. Your skin flushed and eyes blown out with nothing but pure lust and desire. He’d never needed anything more. Nothing else mattered, not the painful hardness in his pants, not the realisation that you were very much Dutch’s girl. He didn’t care about any of that. He just needed to be between your thighs. 

“ really? No one’s ever- oh god. Yes. Yes. Please Arthur “ he withdrew his fingers making you whimper and quickly grabbed his discarded shirt and lay it down on the ground. Then he kissed you again as he wrapped his arms around your waist, gently turning you to lay back on the shirt. It still couldn’t have been particularly comfortable. But you didn’t seem to mind, tugging at his hair and lifting your hips up against him as he hovered over you. 

He took his time moving down. Leaving a long and slow trail of hot, wet, kisses on your skin. You writhed underneath him, whining softly and twisting your hands in his shirt underneath you. He took extra time with your thighs. Kissing up from the inside of your knee and stopping before he could place his mouth where he really wanted to, then repeating with the other. 

“ Arthur “ you whined, still squirming around and desperate. 

“ I know. I got ya. Gonna make those pretty sounds for me again yeah? "You nodded, pushing yourself up onto your elbows to watch him as his head sank lower, spreading your legs wider to give him full access to the centre of you “ that’s a good girl “ he spread you open with his fingers, in awe of the way you parted for him. Like petals on a flower, dripping with the morning dew. 

But you were far more delectable. A forbidden fruit begging to be tasted. 

And oh was it pretty. Even in the dark, in nothing but the light of the moon on the water, it was pretty. Begging to be tasted, touched. Admired. 

The sound you made as he dragged his tongue from your weeping hole to your clit was like music to his ears. He didn’t know how he managed to not come in his pants just at the sound of it. 

You still kept it quiet, but loud enough for him. 

His own, deep, guttural moan escaped from his chest as he licked again. Your taste flooding his mouth in a way so so much better than he could’ve imagined. 

He ate you like he was starved. Like a savage predator that hadn’t seen meat for days, like a man ready for the gallows enjoying his last meal. His arms wrapped around your thighs, keeping your legs apart for him as you bucked and squirmed against his face. It was visceral. Carnal. You made him feel like his grip on his own composure and control was weaker than ever, that he was holding on to it with nothing but his fingertips. 

“ Arthur “ he dipped his tongue into the welcoming warmth of your cunt, his eyes falling closed for a moment as he felt you clench around him, desperate for more. Desperate for him. And he would give you more, would give you anything you asked of him. But not until he made you come first. 

He let go of one of your legs and brought his fingers back to their previous position, wanting to feel you again. To be inside of you, as close as he could get. To make you see stars. 

The flat of his tongue found your clit again, certain he could feel you pulsing against him. Desperate and full of desire for him. He felt honoured, privileged. That you were so loyal to Dutch, glued to his side. Never even batting an eye at anyone else. And yet you had broken that for him. Had sought him out because you knew he would treat you well. 

Your back arched off the ground as he sunk them back into you, slipping in with a welcome ease. His thick fingers pumped into you at a steady pace, his tongue diverting all its attention to your clit. Lapping and sucking and letting you press his face harder against you as you tugged on his hair. 

“ don’t stop please dont- Arthur “ he had no intentions of stopping, none at all. In fact he simply honed in on his ministrations, working harder to push you closer and closer to the edge of the orgasm he knew you had been craving for weeks. 

“ Not gonna stop darlin. Ain’t stopping until you come for me. Taste so good, so good “ he murmured against you, curling his fingers and hitting a spot that made you gasp and your body shudder “ there we go, right there “ 

He flicked his tongue over your sensitive bundle of nerves, looking at you as best he could to gauge your reaction. You were pulling a little painfully at his hair, squirming and rolling your hips against his face. He let you do it. Let you be the one using a man for your pleasure, rather than being the one used for once. 

Your sounds were sinful. Melodic. He took it all in. Basked in the noises you made for him, the delicious taste of you on his tongue, drunk on you. On your taste. Your smell. 

“ Arthur- Arthur please I- “ you babbled, a slightly smug smile working its way onto his face as he watched your prim and proper facade melt away “ don’t stop “ 

He hummed an assurance that he wouldn’t, your hips bucking against his face as he did. You were so unbelievably wet, dripping out around his fingers and soaking the hair of his beard. He would never have thought it of you. The way you held yourself around camp, so poised and prim. The accent when you spoke that made everyone else around you sound so common. And yet there you were. On your back in the woods, chasing an orgasm being offered to you by an outlaw. Repeating his name like a mantra. 

And not even that of the outlaw you were in love with.

“ Arthur- “

Only seconds later it happened. You held a hand over your mouth as your orgasm hit you, muffling your choked moans, back arching off the ground and walls clamping down on his fingers as he worked you through it. Tongue still working diligently at your clit until you pushed your hand at his head, squirming away a little. 

He almost didn’t want to stop. Could’ve happily stayed there a while longer, but moved back, an obscene wet sound in the late night silence as he withdrew his fingers. 

He took his fingers to his mouth, sucking the remnants of your climax onto his tongue. Unable to control himself. You watched him do it, mouth slightly agape and eyes half open with some desperate undeniable look of utter desire. He could almost see the way it made you feel, could see you unable to contain the overwhelming feeling of realising you were desired. Wanted. 

“ God. You are unbelievable “ you whispered, pushing yourself up onto your elbows and grabbing at his arm. Your fingers looped around his wrist and tugged his hand towards your own mouth. He shook his head with a chuckle, slightly in awe as you took those same two fingers between your red lips. 

Your tongue swirled between his digits, plush lips wrapping around them and sucking. Your eyes locked on his as you did. It made his cock ache. He wanted your lips on him, wanted your tongue swirling around his length and milking him dry. He could imagine it if he thought hard enough. The way you hummed slightly in appreciation as you sucked his fingers clean, sent vibrations straight through his bones. Rattling him to the core. But he would never ask that of you. But the thought was one he would hold onto. It made him shift slightly. 

“ you ain’t so prim and proper lady “ he murmured as he withdrew his fingers, a string of saliva connecting his fingertips and your lips “ This ain’t very proper of you miss “ Arthur said with a small smile, teasing “ rollin’ around in the dirt with the likes of me “ 

“ Oh to hell with being proper if it means I get to feel like this “ you said with a small laugh and he kissed you again for what felt like the millionth time. He wondered if you could taste yourself on his lips, smell the heady delicious smell of you on his beard.

He would’ve been more than happy to leave it at that. No matter how badly he wanted to sheath himself inside you and stay there for eternity. His goal had been your pleasure and he had achieved it. 

But as he kissed you your hands began working at the buckle of his gun belt, opening it with a skilled ease that made him pull back. 

“ Darlin’ you ain’t gotta do that- “

“ shush “ you pushed at him lightly so you could sit up and went to work on the buttons on his pants next “ I want to. I- Arthur take them off “ he made far quicker work of his own clothes than he had of yours and you leant back on your elbows to watch him. 

You looked like a pinup girl. Like something he’d seen drawn come to life. Your eyes seemed hungry as you looked at him, dragging down his body and lingering on his rock hard cock. He was practically throbbing with want, the tip an angry shade of pink and leaking precum slightly embarrassingly “ come here. Please. Back down here “ 

He did as he was asked, crawling back over your body as you eyed him greedily. 

“ We really don’t…I mean, If y’don’t wanna- “ his words stuck in his throat as your fingers wrapped around the length of him with a small sigh. 

“ I want you to I just…can I ask one thing? “ he couldn’t get the word yes to escape his mouth, your fingers squeezing him softly in a way that made him see flashes of white in his vision. So he simply nodded “ don’t fuck me. Dutch fucks me, make love to me “ you seemed a little embarrassed at the request. But he didn’t think it was embarrassing. In fact he had had no plans to use you as brutally as Dutch. He was almost a little offended you thought he might. 

“ Told you, anythin’ you want. You got it “ you smiled softly and pressed another kiss to his lips before laying back down again. He positioned himself over you, caging your head in between his arms. And it truly was incredibly intimate. He wondered when the last time you had had such intimacy was. If you’d ever received such a thing from Dutch. 

He spat on his hand and grabbed a hold of his sensitive cock, stroking himself a couple of times to get himself slick. Not that he really needed to, you were already wetter than he’d ever known a woman to be. But the last thing he wanted was your discomfort. He lined himself up with you, eyes trained on your face as he dragged his weeping tip between your folds. You gasped as he caught your clit, still sensitive and alert from your first orgasm. 

“ Arthur please “ you whimpered rolling your hips up against him, so desperate to have him inside of you. 

“ So God damn wet for me “ he murmured “ such a good girl ain’t ya? “ you whined in answer, fingers wrapping around what you could of his bicep and digging your perfectly trimmed nails into his skin “ gonna make you feel so good I promise darlin’ jus’ like you deserve yeah? “ you whispered out a yes and brought your other hand to the back of his neck. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from you, still running his cock along the length of your slit. Teasing. 

“ Keep looking at me. Please look at me Arthur “ he continued to do as asked. Again. Though his eyes had barely strayed from your face anyway “ I need you so badly “ Eyes locked on yours, he finally pushed into you, he took it slow. Letting you take it inch by inch, watching the look of ecstasy wash over your face. Your eyes fell closed. 

He fought to retain his own composure, overwhelmed by the tight, wet, warmth of your walls enveloping him. He could feel every unique ridge and bump that made your cunt oh so perfect, feel every muscle stretch and contract as you adjusted to him. 

“ god- oh god “ 

“ shh shh easy there. I got ya “ he paused once he was seated inside of you, grabbing at your hip with one hand to angle your hips better. Allowing you to comfortably take all of him in. He waited, let you adjust to his size, not daring to move before he got the go ahead from you “ there you go, look at you, takin’ all of me like that. So good f’me “ you basked in his praise, a dopey kind of smile spreading across your face.

“ so much bigger than him “ you whispered with a small laugh and Arthur couldn’t help the smug smile on his face. Kissing you and touching you and making you come on his tongue had been one thing. But having you like this? Having his cock buried to the hilt inside of you, so unbelievably close together. And to then be told that? To know he was about to do you better than Dutch ever had. Ever could. It felt like the biggest fuck you to the man that had been not only mistreating him of late, but also the goddess of a woman beneath him “ I’m good. You can move. Please move “ 

He didn’t need telling twice. Pulling out almost completely and thrusting back in in one smooth motion. The pace he fell into was just as you’d asked. Loving. Tender. But hard and deep, making sure his hips were flush with yours with every stroke. You wrapped your legs around his waist, pulled his face back down to kiss him again. 

If anyone had spotted you they’d have easily mistaken you both for a lovesick couple having a private moment to yourselves. The entire thing intimate and passionate. No one would assume it was an affair in motion, hidden away in the woods by the shoreline in fear of your lover finding the pair of you there. 

But it was what you wanted. What you had needed. And he felt privileged to provide. 

He pulled back from your lips to watch you again, enthralled by the way your face relaxed and twisted in the pleasure he was providing you. You continued to spill those angelic sounds from your throat, growing breathier and higher pitch as he continued to drag his cock against the sopping, sensitive heat of your cunt. He had to focus hard not to finish in seconds. So much build up paired with being practically celibate for months was truly doing him no favours, but he focussed. He wasn’t letting this end until you came once more. You deserved it. 

“ Keep those pretty eyes on me “ he murmured as they fell closed again “ that’s it darlin’, look at me there ya go “ everytime he spoke the slightest word of praise you practically beamed, so desperate to hear it. To be told you were good. Beautiful. So different to Dutch constantly yelling at you about how annoying you were, how much your mere presence bothered him these days. So he kept it up. 

“ Doin’ so well for me. This pussy it’s perfect, ain’t that right? C’mon tell me “ he urged, still fighting off his ever looming orgasm. The sounds alone was enough to make him want to burst. Sweat slicked skin on skin, the wet sounds of your cunt dripping around the swollen intrusion of him. And those sweet sweet moans of yours. 

“ yes “ you whimpered “ it’s perfect “ 

“ That’s a good girl “ he increased his pace ever so slightly and your hands slipped from his arms to his back, dragging your nails down him to try to pull him impossibly closer to you. 

He moved a hand down between your bodies, rubbing your clit in time with his thrusts, grunting and choking back his own moans as you squeezed him. Like your body never wanted him to leave, gripping his cock with your cunt and making it ever more harder to hold back. He couldn’t help but have a look, glancing down to see the way you stretched around him, mesmerised at the way you took him in so deep. 

“ tell me I- oh. Tell me I’m beautiful “ you whimpered, sounding almost like you might cry. From pleasure, from upset. He didn’t know. But he continued to do as asked. 

“ you’re beautiful “ he murmured picking up his pace a little more, his sweat slick skin slapping against yours. He was desperate to see you come again. Wanted to see your face up close this time, watch your eyes roll back and your kiss swollen lips part in ecstasy “ so beautiful darlin. Doin’ so well f’me, takin’ me so well “ 

“ don’t stop, don't stop “ he dropped his head to your neck whispering every word of praise he could think of into your ear, your body arching up against his and whimpering and whining with every word. 

“ ain’t ever looked prettier than this “ he whispered, his own voice becoming breathless with the effort “ shit- look at ya, takin’ my cock so well. So pretty darlin’ “ 

Your second orgasm seemed to shock you as much as him, clawing at his skin to hold him close as your body trembled beneath him, biting at his shoulder to muffle your moans. 

He didn’t mean to finish inside of you, had fully intended to pull out. But the way your cunt had squeezed him, the sounds you had made as he pushed you over the edge for the second time.

He muffled his own groan of pleasure in your neck, fingers digging into the dry earth beneath you, spilling load after load whilst fully sheathed inside of you. His entire body tensed, a pleasure he hadn’t felt in an incredibly long time. His heart was hammering in his chest, blood rushing loudly in his ears as it seemed to drag on forever. 

And then he came to his senses. 

“ m’sorry. Shit. Sorry “ he panted as he tried to compose himself and pushed himself up onto his hands to pull out. But you yanked him back down, arms wrapping around his back again and legs tightening around his waist. 

“ no. Please. Stay. Stay right there. Just a moment would you “ he had come to realise in the past.. how long had you two even been out there? However long it was, he’d come to realise he was terrible at saying no to you. Could never possibly even dream to deny you of anything you wanted from him. And so he slumped back down onto his forearms, dropping his head against your shoulder for a moment. Your chest heaved beneath him and you caught your breath, fingers tracing gentle strokes along his spine. He felt he could stay there for hours. 

“ You doin’ okay? “ he asked, pressing a light kiss to your jaw when he had composed himself a little more. 

“ marvellous Mr Morgan “ you whispered with a small smile “ truly. Marvellous “ he couldn’t help but kiss you again, the long lingering kind meant for two lovers. 

After a few minutes you both finally moved, re dressing in silence and then sitting back in your original position against the tree. He handed you a cigarette, lighting it and placing it between your lips. 

He wondered what he looked like. Wondered what evidence you had left on him. Had he sweated off the lipstick prints on his chest or were they still there? He knew you had scratched his back up good and proper and would have that reminder there for a few days at least. 

“ Thank you. Mr Morgan '' you said quietly after a few silent moments of smoking, blowing out a long stream of smoke “ I mean it I- i'm not sure what I’m supposed to say “ 

“ Don’t say anythin’ “ he said with a small wave of his hand, appearing as blaise as he possibly could but in reality knowing he wasn’t about to forget that night anytime soon “ its fine. Really. Anytime y’need me, for anythin’, you know where I’ll be “ you smiled and he watched your body relax a little more. 

“ you know, i might just take you up on that “ 

He sincerely hoped you would. 

[lovelyjj]

Choices

jj maybank x kook!reader

request: Heyyyy I really love your works, I kindly request if you can please write a tumblr story of how JJ maybank likes both kook reader (Sarah’s cousin she introduced to the group and treasure hunt) and Kiara at the same time and he has to choose between the two and ends up choosing reader and Kiara moves on soon too

wc: 4.7k

a/n: I kinda changed the plot a little bit where Kiara and Sarah already worked out their differences. sorry this took forever!!

JJ watched her. He was captivated by her beauty. He watched as her long dark curls bounced as she walked. He admired her tan skin. He watched as she waited tables and rung up customers.

JJ was at the wreck while Kiara worked. He didn’t mind as he was mesmerized. Kiara didn’t seem to mind her visitor.

“Hey what are you doing here?” Kiara questioned.

“Just came to visit you,” JJ smiled.

“I’m working JJ.”

“I know I won’t bother you, promise.”

Kiara didn’t believe him when he said this however she still smiled and nodded back at him.

JJ stayed at the wreck for another hour before he decided to go home. When he got home he couldn’t stop thinking about Kiara. He thought about her smile and her laugh and her personality.

He loved hanging out with her even if it was to watch her work. JJ was confused as to how he can like someone so much.

——————

You never been to this so called Midsummers. Sarah has been raving about it to you for so long you grew tired of hearing about it. You and Sarah were currently getting ready for the party.

“Do you want me to do your eyeliner?” Sarah asked.

“Yes please,” you responded.

Sarah sat down in the seat in front of you and got busy.

“So are you excited for Midsummers?” you asked Sarah.

“Yeah I guess so, I’m just a little bummed because I don’t think John B will be there.”

“And John B is the guy your leaving Topper for?”

“Correct. Now hold still and close your eye.” Sarah demanded.

After a little while the both of you were ready for Midsummers. You were wearing a baby blue silk dress that matched Sarah’s white dress perfectly.

You arrived at the country club right on time and you were a bundle of nerves. You never been to Midsummers before and you were nervous because you didn’t know what it would be like.

Of course Sarah told you everything about it but still it didn’t ease your nerves. When you stepped out of the car you were met with a ton of people all dressed very nicely.

After Ward made his entrance and after a while of socializing you and Sarah made it to the dance floor.

Sarah was hiding behind her friend and sneaking some champagne.

You were on the dance floor living it up. When a mysterious blonde boy came up behind Sarah.

“JJ?” she questioned.

“yep” He spoke

“What?”

“I got a, uh, note from Vlad.” “Shh.”

“From Vlad?” Sarah confirmed.

“Yeah” JJ replied.

“Okay.”

“Read the note.” JJ said walking backwards.

Sarah read the note and ran off. You were confused by the whole interaction by brushed it off. You continued dancing.

After a while Sarah came back to find you.

“Hey listen we gotta go to Rixon’s Cove,” Sarah exclaimed.

“What why?” you asked.

“You’ll see,” she smirked.

Sarah grabbed your hand and led you away from the party and towards Rixon’s Cove. When you arrived you were met with a group of people.

They all turned towards you and you gave them all a smile.

“Hi guys, This is my cousin y/n,” Sarah announced.

“Hi, nice to meet you all,” you spoke.

“You can trust her,” Sarah put forth.

“Hi y/n, I’m John B.”

“I’ve herd a lot about you,” you giggled as Sarah’s cheeks warmed.

“Hi I’m Kiara,” she got up and shook your hand. You smiled at her.

“I’m Pope,” Pope said.

You turned your gaze to the only person who hasn’t introduced themselves.

JJ was frozen in place. He couldn’t believe his eyes. There you were in your shiny silky blue dress looking like a goddess. JJ didn’t believe in love at first sight until now.

“JJ,” Pope coughed.

“What oh right sorry, I’m JJ, JJ Maybank, pleasure to meet you.”

You thought JJ was cute and you wondered if he had a girlfriend, probably you thought.

“Now that we are all acquainted. I have some news,” John B announced.

“You ready for this?”

“Yeah,” Kiara responded.

“So, the gold never went down with the Royal Merchant,” John B continued.

“Oh, my god. Here we go again with this.” Pope voiced.

“No. All right, wait. Hear him out, all right?” JJ spoke.

“It’s been here the whole time. It’s on the island.” John B added.

“Are you serious?” Kiara questioned.

“Oh my god.” Kiara exclaimed.

“I’d like to voice my skepticism.” Pope said.

“I’m sure you would, Pope, but can I please present you with my evidence, sir?” John B asked.

“Proceed.” Pope responded.

“All right. So, in my backpack, I have a letter from Denmark Tanny.” John B went on.

“Who the hell’s that?” Kiara asked.

“Denmark Tanny was a slave that survived the Royal Merchant wreck. Check this out,” John B explained.

“What?” Kiara voiced.

John B handed her the letter. “Here you go.”

“Okay, slaves weren’t mentioned as crew members on the ship, but my dad, he found the complete manifest. That was his big discovery. So Tanny used the gold from the Merchant to buy his freedom.” John B discussed.

Kiara whistled and gave Pope the letter.

“After that, he bought his farm.” John B continued.

“Drumroll, please, because that farm is… Tannyhill Plantation.”

“Tannyhill?” Kiara questioned.

“Yeah. So, after that, he used his money to free even more slaves, and then he sold a shit-ton of rice, which pisses off all the white planters, and then they decide to lynch him.”

“So on the day they were coming to get him, he writes a letter to his son as a farewell, and in the last line of that letter, he leaves a coded message about where to find the gold.”

“Where?” Kiara whispered.

“Harvest the wheat in parcel nine, near the water. Except… there’s no wheat. You see, wheat is code for gold. Check this out. The gold is in parcel nine, near the water.” John B shared.

“Holy shit,” Pope exclaimed.

“All we need is an original survey map of the property, and we’ve found the gold.” John B cheered.

“Which I can get,” Sarah added.

“Okay, so this might have a small chance of being actually true.” Pope acknowledged.

“Dude it’s like King Tut,” Kiara suggested.

“I am a genius,” John B announced.

JJ got up and walked over to John B and embraced him.

“Hey, whoa! Hello! Fire! You’re near the fire. You’re gonna burn.” John B stated.

“I’m so proud of you right now.” JJ commented.

“Thank you. That’s really sweet of you,” John B expressed.

“Okay, so, guys. What’s the plan?” Pope asked.

“Good question,” John B stated.

“Well I can bring the map soon it should only take a second,” Sarah spoke.

“How much in gold are we talking?” you asked.

“400 million.” The pogues said together.

“Woah,” you stated shocked.

“Alright we can meet up later and get the map and go from there,” John B suggested.

After the meeting at Rixon’s Cove you all went home and thought about what was said. When you finally got home you couldn’t stop thinking about JJ. It’s like you were drawn to him.

There has been a few meetings about the gold and you were grateful to be apart of it and apart of the group. You felt like you finally found a group of friends.

Today you were going surfing to celebrate finding the gold. There was also gonna be a party at the boneyard but that was tomorrow.

Once you got to the beach you felt like you should mention you don’t know how to surf.

You voiced your concern about not knowing how to surf and JJ jumped up.

“I could teach you,” JJ exclaimed.

“Really? You’d do that for me?”

“Yeah of course.”

While the other pogues went to hit the water you and JJ stayed on the sand. JJ wanted to get to know you and he thought the perfect opportunity to do that was teaching you how to surf.

“Alright before we hit the water we must practice on the sand. First i’m gonna teach you about paddling.” JJ went on.

JJ proceeded to show you how to paddle. Then JJ showed you how to stand on the board and maintain your balance.

“We will get you in the water another day,” JJ started.

“Ok sounds good.”

You and JJ sat in the sand watching the others surf. JJ was so proud of you for learning so fast. Now was his chance to learn about you.

“So what do you like to do if you don’t surf?” JJ asked.

“Well I like to read and ride my bike.”

“Really? Ya know i have a dirt bike. I could take you on it sometime.” JJ hoped his invitation wasn’t too forward.

“Yeah that sound fun,” you exclaimed.

“Do you believe in soulmates?” JJ asked next.

You paused for an moment to think then you smiled and JJ just about died at the sight.

“I mean yeah, I think everyone has a person made for them and someone who completely understands you and loves you unconditionally is important to have.”

“I agree I believe there’s an intense connection where both people feel deeply drawn together as if the affair was somehow destined to be.”

JJ’s eyes were sparkling and you felt mesmerized.

“What’s your love language?” You asked.

“Hmm probably physical touch, which is funny,” JJ replied.

“Yeah mine too. Why is it funny?”

“I just didn’t expect it to be physical touch.”

“What's the best gift you've ever received, and why?” JJ asked.

“Umm probably concert tickets because it was Lana Del Rey and I love her a lot.”

“Really that’s so cool. Personally I love concerts.” JJ exclaimed.

“Yeah there the best,” you stated.

“What kind of music do you like?” JJ questioned.

“Um I listen to pop, indie pop, modern rock, indie folk and Hollywood.” you explained.

“That’s some good stuff right there,” JJ commented.

“Will I see you at the boneyard party tomorrow?” JJ asked.

“Yes you will,” you smiled.

After everyone was done surfing you all went to John Bs house. Everyone decided to just relax and watch movies.

—————

The boneyard parties are always fun. You had no idea because you’ve never been to one. Being a kook you never really branched out. Now you had a group of your friends that would be there.

You arrived with Sarah in a white sundress with yellow flowers on it. You were excited and nervous at the same time. The beach was buzzing with people. You were entranced by the energy of the people.

JJ was situated on a branch talking to Kiara.

“I haven’t seen you talk to any tourons lately,” Kiara stated.

“Yeah I’m growing tired of them. Their all the same,” JJ replied.

“JJ Maybank is passing up on sleeping with tourons, unheard of!” Kiara gasped in surprise.

Little did Kiara know that he liked her and didn’t see a point in filling his life with meaningless sex when all he really wanted was her.

Then JJ spotted you across the way and his whole face lit up. You looked hot. You were in a group of people with Sarah laughing at something someone said.

JJ wasn’t sure if he should approach you but he desperately wanted to hear your laugh.

You were mingling when you felt a tap on your shoulder. You turned around and were surprised to see JJ.

“You’re here!”

“I am,” you responded.

“Have you had something to drink,” JJ noticing your empty hands.

“No I haven’t.”

“Come on, let’s get you something to take the edge off.” JJ insisted.

JJ guided you to where the keg was. He poured you a drink and handed it to you. Then he proceeded to pour one for himself.

“You look nice,” JJ smiled.

You took a sip of your beer trying to hide your blush.

“Thank you,” you answered shyly.

“Do you want to go down to the water?” You asked JJ.

“Yeah sure,” JJ called.

The two of you made your way to the waves and you stuck your feet in the water. JJ was wearing boots so he just stepped near the water.

“Ya know I’ve always loved the water. I used to come down to the beach with Sarah. First we would watch for dolphins. Then we’d play in the waves til sunset. It was always so magical and fun we wouldn’t even care walking back wet.”

“That sounds perfect.” JJ commented.

“It was,” you smiled.

All of a sudden you got an idea. When the next wave came bringing in water that went up to your knees, you scooped up some water and flicked it towards JJ.

JJ scoffed but then he began to laugh and he said, “oh it’s on.”

JJ then proceeded to splash you and you splashed him back. This caused you to erupt in a fit of giggles.

JJ finally got to hear your laugh and it was music to his ears.

Soon the both of you were soaked and you were both smiling. Then horror struck you as you realized you were wearing white.

“Oh my god!” You shrieked and your hands flew up to cover your chest.

JJ tried to get the image out of his head he really tried but your dress stuck to you like glue and he could see the outline of your nipples pass your light blue bra.

He thought about what it be like to suck on them and he instantly felt ashamed.

You were panicking. But it could’ve been worse you could’ve not been wearing shorts underneath your dress. Thank god you did.

JJ quickly took off his shirt and gave it to you. “Here.”

You looked relieved and JJ smiled.

You took it from him and pulled the wet garment over your head. “Thanks.”

“Come on I know somewhere we can dry off,” JJ extended his hand out for you to take.

This gesture didn’t go unnoticed by you but you didn’t question it. You laced your fingers with JJ’s and made your way to the château.

“First I need another drink,” you stated.

“We’ve got beer at John B’s.” JJ whispered.

“Ok.”

Once you arrived at the château, JJ led you through the hall into his room. He took out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt along with a towel to dry off.

“Thank you JJ.”

After you changed in the bathroom JJ was already ready dressed in sweats and no shirt.

“You look good in my clothes,” JJ smirked.

You blushed and hoped it wasn’t noticed by JJ.

“You really think so?” you questioned.

“Yep,” JJ remarked.

You opened your arms signaling you wanted to give JJ a hug. JJ was surprised but he would certainly not pass up a hug from you.

You wrapped your arms around his neck and JJ circled his arms around the small of your back. JJ smelled your coconut shampoo and he declared it his new favorite smell.

You pulled away way to soon for JJ’s liking but he obliged none the less.

“Now you wanted another drink right?” JJ asked.

“Yeah.”

He walked over to the kitchen pulled open the fridge and took out a can of beer. Then he handed it to you. He also took one for himself.

“So do you want to watch a movie?” JJ asked.

“Sure.”

With a movie on the TV and the two of you sharing a blanket you both sipped your beers and watched the film.

After the movie was over you guys stayed up til 3am talking about anything and everything. When Sarah walked into the château she was surprised to see you cuddled up with JJ on the pull out couch.

You were facing JJ and he was facing you. You were tucked under his chin and his arms were around you.

Sarah decided not to disturb the two of you but she will definitely bring it up later.

The next day you were over at Sarah’s house.

“So what the hell is going on with you and JJ?” Sarah asked.

“What do you mean, nothing is happening between us.” you replied confused.

“Well I saw the two of you cuddling at John Bs. It was kinda cute.”

“Oh that.” you flushed. “We just fell asleep really late and it sorta just happened unconsciously.”

“Yeah right,” Sarah laughed.

“I’m being serious nothing is happening,” you frowned.

“But you want something to happen,” Sarah smirked.

“What? No I don’t, What makes you think that?”

“Well I think you like him because you hang out a lot,” Sarah reasoned.

“So.”

“So, jump his bones already.”

“Sarah!”

“What, come on I think you guys would be good together.” Sarah threw up her hands and tossed them back down.

“Well it’s not happening,” you crossed your arms.

——————

You guys lost the gold. Everyone was pissed beyond belief. Loosing the gold to ward impacted everyone. Everyone seemed to be down in the dumps. A few months later the fuss seemed to have died down.

In those few months you and JJ got closer. Your relationship blossomed.

Everyone was out on the boat except you. You were busy and missed out on the boat day.

The pogues were gliding through the water, wind in their hair. Sarah was sitting next to JJ when she noticed JJ staring longingly at Kiara.

When they arrived back at the château, Sarah pulled JJ aside.

“Listen I see the way you look at her.” Sarah spoke.

“Look at who,” JJ questioned.

“Kiara. It’s the same way you look at y/n.” Sarah responded.

“What are you implying.”

“Look all I’m saying is you need to choose between them or I will tell them everything.” Sarah’s words cutting like knives.

JJ was conflicted. He didn’t know what to do. He for sure didn’t want Sarah to tell you and Kiara everything. He liked both of you and he didn’t know how he was going to choose.

——————

The pogues were all outside the château chilling and drinking when you walked up to the action.

JJ immediately turned around and saw you. He was at a loss for words, you looked stunning and he felt something in his chest.

“Hey guys,” you started.

“Hi y/n!” John B responded.

Sarah gave you a wave and Kiara gave you a smile. Pope handed you a drink which you gladly accepted.

You sat down next to JJ and his heart fluttered. JJ seemed to always feel some type of way around you. These past months his feelings really grew stronger. He couldn’t help the floaty feeling he felt just by being in your presence.

“We were just talking about the fight at the bonfire.” John B announced.

“Oh yeah that was wild. I can’t believe that happened,” you stated.

“Really I thought it was pretty predictable.” Kiara reasoned.

Everyone laughed and continued to tell stories. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. You however thought JJ was unusually quiet.

Truth is JJ was at war with himself. He didn’t take what Sarah said lightly. He knew she would tell them everything if he didn’t make up his mind.

JJ laid awake at night wondering what to do. He just hoped he would come up with a solution soon.

—————

JJ didn’t know what he did to piss off his dad so badly. It must of been something really bad because his dad was fuming.

“You are a worthless piece of shit!” Luke shouted.

JJ tried to run away but Luke tackled him to the ground. Luke got on top of him and started to choke him. JJ tried to choke Luke back.

JJ used his knee to knee Luke in the side. JJ got up but Luke used his hand to grab a hold of his foot and tripped him. Luke started kicking JJ in the stomach and then pulled him up by his hair. There he held him against the wall and punched the living daylights out of him.

JJ and Luke burst through the screen door and JJ came out on top. He started beating up his dad and finally he said, “I ain’t scared of you anymore.”

—————

JJ was embarrassed. He didn’t want to be seen by any of his friends. He was all bruised up and he was hurting all over.

He slowly but surely made his way to the château, wincing with every step he took. Then he saw you laying in the hammock and he was scared of what you might think.

“Jayj,” you called.

He walked over to you and when he reached your spot you gasped. He was littered in bruises and it reminded you of Midsummers where his face was all beat up.

“What happened?” you asked very concerned.

JJ was hesitant with opening up to you. Not that he didn’t trust you he was just scared to be vulnerable. He also didn’t want your pity.

“Um it’s my dad,” JJ smiled weakly.

“JJ.” your voice broke.

In a haste you reached out and pulled JJ in a bone crushing hug. JJ winced causing you to pull back and apologize for hurting him.

“That son of a bitch, i’ll kill him.” You expressed angrily.

“No y/n don’t worry about it. This is not your battle.”

“Yes it is JJ. When it comes to you I’m always gonna fight for you.” you reasoned.

“I don’t deserve it or you.” JJ muttered.

“No what you don’t deserve is getting beaten by your own father.” You said sadly.

“I told you not to worry about it.” JJ responded.

“Well news flash JJ, I care about you a lot, and seeing you hurt breaks my heart.” Your voice wavering.

“Don’t be sad baby, I can’t stand to see you so sad.”

You cracked a small smile, and looked into his crystal blue eyes. You took ahold of his hand running your thumb over his knuckles.

Looking in to your eyes JJ realized something. He realized that it’s always been you. He thought back to Midsummers when he saw you for the first time in your dress. How you looked stunning and he fell in love right then and there.

He thought about all the times the two of you were together. All the lingering touches, the long nights filled with deep talks, all the fun you had together. He thought about how you cared about him and his well-being. He didn’t care that you were a kook at all.

JJ thought about all the times you were there for him. The times when you fell asleep cuddling. How you made him feel. You made his heart race and his palms sweat. You made him feel alive.

It was a no brainer he was picking you.

“I hate seeing you all bruised up, makes me wanna cry.” You responded.

“I’m ok, promise.”

“Come here,” JJ continued and outstretched his hand for you to take.

You gladly accepted his hand and he led you into the château. JJ made his way to his designated room and closed the door.

As soon as the door shut JJ slid his arms around your waist and engulfed you in a hug. Your arms wrapped around his neck and you buried your face in his shoulder.

After your hug of just holding each other, JJ placed his hand on your cheek.

“Can I kiss you?” JJ asked.

“Yes.”

JJ didn’t hesitate, he quickly placed his lips on yours. The kiss was tender and JJ felt sparks, like little mini fireworks were going off in his body. Soon the kiss got heated. You were excited to be kissing JJ. Your lips were capturing each other in a fiery kiss.

Your stomach started to get tingly and JJ felt blood rush through his veins. JJ was still cupping your cheek. Your hands were tangling in JJ’s hair.

JJ moved his hands to go under your shirt and you let out a small moan. JJ warm hands sent shockwaves through your skin. You went to take off you shirt, lifting the garment over your head. JJ eyed you in your bra for a moment than went back to kissing you.

You were stunning and your tits were spilling over your bra and JJ was practically drooling.

“I want this off,” you tugged on JJ’s shirt.

JJ lifted his shirt over his head and you gasped. His stomach was littered in bruises and you wished you never saw it.

Tears filled your eyes as you clamped a hand over your mouth.

“Don’t cry angel, please don’t cry,” JJ begged.

“I’m sorry it’s just I can’t stand to see you hurt or in pain. It makes me so sad and then I get this rage because you deserve so much more than what you were given,” you shared.

“I’m ok, I have you,” JJ smiled.

“JJ…”

“What? It’s fine,” JJ muttered.

“Get on the bed please,” you ordered.

JJ did what he was told and got on the bed. You moved to get on top of him. You were straddling his legs when you decided to kiss each one of his bruises on his stomach and ribs.

JJ let out a shaky breath as you kissed him. When you were done you looked up into his eyes and gave him a smile.

JJ flipped you over so that he was on top of you now.

“Let me make love to you please baby,” JJ requested.

“Ok J.”

So, JJ made you feel amazing and you had the best sex you ever had.

—————

You were on a mission. You were very upset and you needed to find JJ and sort this out. You marched up the steps of the château and found JJ on the couch.

“We need to talk, now.” You demanded.

“Ok let’s go to my room,” JJ replied.

Once you were in the privacy of JJ’s room you let it rip.

“I can’t believe you. How could I be so stupid,” you started.

“What are you talking about?” JJ asked.

“I’m talking about you liking me and Kiara at the same time!” you shouted.

“Oh that,” JJ cringed.

“Yeah that,” you raised your eyebrows at him.

“But I chose you!” JJ exclaimed.

Tears formed in your eyes but you refused to let them fall.

“That doesn’t change the fact you liked her while we were hanging out together.”

“I mean I was falling in love with you and you were thinking about some other girl,” you continued.

“Y/N, I’m so sorry but I want to be with you,” JJ apologized.

“i’ll never forgive you if you break my heart.”

“I won’t.”

“If we’re together and you suddenly decide you want to be with Kiara, I don’t know if I can handle that,” you reasoned.

“I promise I won’t leave you. You’re just gonna have to trust me”

“Jayj.”

“I’m serious y/n, I’m committed to you and I love you,” JJ choked out.

“I love you too,” you smiled weakly.

So, you decided to trust JJ and it was the best decision you ever made. He treated you right he loved you unconditionally and he made you happy.

Your heart did break when you found out from Sarah that JJ liked you and Kiara at the same time but he did choose you in the end. So you forgave him and never looked back.

————

Kiara has been waiting for JJ to make a move for a while now. She thought he would’ve asked her out by now.

When she found out from Sarah that you and JJ were together she was shocked. But she didn’t let that get her down. She dusted herself off and decided she should start dating.

Her and Pope have grown rather close and she wondered if Pope would ever go for her. She wanted to try her luck because nothing with JJ will ever happen.

She knew JJ liked her all this time and she waited for him but he never acted on his feelings. So Kiara decided to move on.

You and JJ loved each other a lot and throughout your relationship you both discovered new sides to yourself. A little while after you and JJ got together, Pope and Kiara got together. Everyone was happy.

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

Yandere Dorm leaders(plus jamil) with a fem hunter of Artemis reader, basically reader had however many years ago prior to ending up in twisted wonderland had sworn herself to Artemis and became a hunter of Artemis, Reader is good at hunting, archery, fighting etc, she's also immortal and can only die in battle and oh yeah Reader had sworn to never make romantic relations with men as Artemis is goddess of virginity and had sworn off men herself and has all her hunters do the same since 'men are just distractions'.

If you're not currently taking requests you can just ignore this

Artemis Hunter Fem Reader | Yandere Twisted Wonderland

In Greek mythology the goddess Artemis stood for the pure maiden, the respectful hunt with archery, and childbirth. Back in your world, you are the closest thing to a child for the goddess. A nymph devotee blessed with her power and foresight. Where you are now is considered the belly of the beast surrounded by men who want nothing more than to have you. So the battle for your chastity and independence vs their determination and power begins:

Idia Shroud

“Ah!”

“This is not a time to be crying Idia, you’re the one who challenged me!”

“To a battle match IN GAME! I can’t compete with you on a physical level!”

“Too bad!”

It’s truly a match of brawns and brains according to Idia

Him with his constantly evolving technology to chase away contenders 

And you with your physical aptitude to avoid and cleverness falter any obstacle he throws in your way

He falls in love through his screen

Witnessing your sweetness through Ortho 

And your heroics through cameras he’s placed around

Is it so bad he wants to drag the hero to the underworld

He can’t decide if he wants to drag you to depravity or to fuel your image of a hero

So he settles to one day trap you

Maybe then he’ll decide

Jamil Viper

“I’ve been warned about snakes such as you!”

“And what was said?”

“That you’re not nearly as much fun to hunt!”

He often finds himself feeling the need to antagonize you

To engage in a ‘hunt’ with you

It’s not a physical one 

More so mental

It’s an unspoken game between you two 

And he’s not willing to back down

But neither are you

He absolutely adores playing basketball with you

Seeing the sweet create a shiny sheen over your body

It makes him excited 

You’ll weirdly feel sympathy for him

Something about being bound against his will 

Cruelly reminds of the poor animals poached 

He comes to realize this 

And he plans to use this to win

Rook Hunt

“You’re skill is far better than mine.”

“Don’t fret I’ve been blessed by Artemis. I may not have magic but I do have my bow.”

“That you do...”

“So…would you like a head start?”

Of course there's only two things can happen when two hunters meet

hunt the same prey

Or Hunt one another

Since Artemis prides herself on hunting within reason and not persecuting the weak

You decide to do the latter 

After all from the beginning he’s decided to hunt for the one thing Artemis absolutely asks that you protect

So it’s only natural that there will be sparks whenever you to decide to release your arrows

While in archery you might outclass him 

it’s easy to forget

He’s familiar with the terrain, with the presence of magic

He’s got just enough to properly consider a threat 

But he’s so determined and so sneaky its a wonder if you’ll realize it in time 

He hopes not 

But at the same time he knows the hunt is about to conclude when the doe knows to run

So on second thought he hopes you do

[niiine]

𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐀 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒

Character(s). Misfit Class + Kalego Sensei, Balam Sensei, Opera, and Sullyvan

Synopsis. How I see the reader being treated in Babyls and in the netherworld in general as you’re Iruma’s younger sibling

Fluff

Younger! sister reader

-Finished s3 of Mairuma last night so I’ve reread the music festival arc. I just wish s4 will come faster becauseee I’ve been LSS-struck by Lilith’s Red Carpet and the music isn’t even out yet 🥺

Iruma is a BABY. Everyone around him wants to protect and cherish and love all of him. But you? Oh, hell you enter the room and they’re all either kneeling or cooing because how can you be such a cutie?

Sullyvan treats you and Iruma like toddlers. You want those dresses? Here buy ten each. Oh, you love that dessert? Opera, please bring more. You wanna go shopping? Take his wallet, his bank details, take his whole life if you must. Sully-sama just wants the best for you and your Nii-chan.

But unlike your brother, you’re not allowed to have a sleepover or stay outside way too late. Either Opera will come hunting you down once it’s past seven pm or your whole class will be the searching party.

Opera is much, much stricter to you than to your brother. They make sure that you are above prim and proper most of time. “You’re a lady in the household, (y/n)-sama”, or so. But they’re still as gentle as they could be and always prioritize what makes you comfortable.

No man. And I mean NO MAN, is allowed to come near you aside Asmodeous Alice (and somehow the other misfits as well). Pray that no one would dare to walk you home because,

“Apologies, (y/n)-sama. I thought you’re being kidnapped” “OPERA-SAN WE’RE LITERALLY GOING HOME” you’re freaking out at how bloody the nose of your friend is.

At class, you’re seated between Alice and Lead because Azzazz thinks that he should be in the middle of you and your brother so he can protect both of you in case somethings happens. And Lead insists that he must be beside you because you’re his “Baby sister.”

Ofc you’re part of the Iruma gang but you spend time with the other circle from time to time as well. One of your favorites is Nee-san and Krocell because you’ve never had a big sis and these two are doing good at the job. Sometimes they dress you up like a doll with Clarin just bringing out the most random (but cute) clothing from her pockets.

Jazzy and Garp spoils you rotten. You’re their princess and they call you as such. Jazzy loves to bring you shiny gems and jewelries that he bought because “You’re special” and then he’ll ruffle your hair. He will also let you play with his familiar.

Garp would cook for you. You’re tired of the foods from the cafeteria? Open up the kitchen of the royal one! You want sweets? He always keeps sweets. Garp also blows wind at you if you feel hot due to the weather.

When you’re tired, or if you just need it—like in the harvest festival, Agares is assigned to make you comfortable. Yes, the misfits have talked about it. They have no doubt about your strength and ability, you’re Iruma’s sister after all, but “What if the bugs and other insects bite her? We can’t have that!” Cue, Agares building a whole castle for you (As well as for him and Garp). When other students took shelter in the said place, he made sure you still have the Luxury of space and as comfortable as you can be. Even though you argue that no, you can fight, and a cramped space is fine for you.

Babe, you should have seen the way the other girls look at you with playful jealousy as Agares dotes on you.

Allocer and Sabnock helps with your study. It’s a great help when you feel a bit pressured at Azzazz’s teachings. Besides, you can’t add to his luggage anymore (a.k.a Iruma and Clarin). Sabnock mostly teaches you about the Demon king, but he’s also pretty good when it comes to other subjects. He’s gentle and caring, being the big brother that he is.

Aloocer, on the other hand, is a much stricter tutor. He gave you assignments and pointers. But his work certainly help you pass every exam, most of the time even sharing it to your brother when you two study at home.

Camui is also one of your favorite classmates. He’s not allowed of course to hog you, as the other twelve will go after his head, and he wouldn’t do that as well to the class’s baby! Because of him you can pet animals and beasts (With the help of Krocell) without getting hurt.

Sometimes you will hang out with Iruma and Lead and it’s so cute because it looks like two babies trying to protect a smaller baby. The two of them will spoil you as well and you’ll be the one to decide what to eat, what to play, or what to do for the day or for that specific time.

Purson Soi also gives you a special treatment. If he vanishes and the class can’t find him, one call from you and puff! He’s there. You don’t want to talk to that schoolmate who keeps asking you out? Big brother Soi will make sure your presence is gone in a moment.

It’s very subtle and he still treats just like the whole class, but Kalego-sensei just seems to “miss” if you’ve done something wrong. Or he would just let it slide “very unnoticeable” if it’s about you.

And Balam-sensei? You remembered how scared he was the first time Iruma told him that he’s a human? That’s he’s reaction to you up until now. The professor wouldn’t even touch without thinking that he’ll break your soft body. Tell him that it’s fine though because the man wouldn’t even breathe the same air as you in fear of intoxicating you.

BONUS

BigBro!Iruma in Evil Cycle is the cream of the crop. All hands off of you. All eyes off of you. “You want something now, Princess?” Say you want the whole netherworld and it’ll be at your feet. He wouldn’t barricade you or anything, but his eyes will be watching you and anyone around you. 

[millersdjarin]

Some Invisible String

Chapter I: High Tide

Pairing: Joel Miller x F!Reader

Rating: E (eventually)

Summary: Ten years after Reader left Joel for reasons he still doesn't know, they find themselves together again in a town called Jackson. Joel has questions he's too afraid to ask; and Reader dreads having to give the answers.

Tags/Warnings: eventual smut, post tlou part I, jackson era joel <3, emotion!!!

Chapter length: 3.3k

notes: my first multi-chapter joel fic! overall title is from taylor swift's "invisible string", chapter I title also from taylor, "this love" ♥︎ eventual smut will be here too! so far it's going to be 5 chapters :) enjoy! ps. i recently switched to writing in second person but when i wrote this fic i was still writing in first person, hope u don't mind! will be posting updates regularly

I don’t know why I thought this was a good idea. Really, I don’t. 

But, then again, nothing has been a good idea in twenty years, and I’m still here. So, there’s that. 

One minute I was out hunting in the snow, tracking a deer that made itself vulnerable in the woods beside a half-frozen creek. If I could get him, I thought, it’d keep me going with food for a week at least. Best thing about winter: food stays fresh in the cold. 

Worst thing: everything else. Literally everything else. 

Because now, what started as a quick hunt with an almost-guaranteed prize at the end, has ended in me literally fighting for my fucking life, rolling around in foot-deep snow as runners try to rip the shit out of me. 

It doesn’t help that the commotion has led a bunch of local hunters—who clearly had the same idea as me—to my location. They’ve got the deer, they’ve shot me in the leg, and I’m either going to bleed out, get bitten, or get eaten by infected. 

So, this is great. 

Blood rushing in my ears, I seize the moment a hunter shoots one of the nearby runners and use it to take shelter behind a rock for a minute, surrounded by the groans and screams of infected who are still searching for me or attacking the hunters. Gunshots ring loud throughout the air, along with the smashing of a few molotovs as the bottles hit the snow, the roaring of flames as they engulf bodies. 

My leg is bleeding into the snow. Actually, it’s damn near gushing, pulsing out with each beat of my heart. 

Footsteps are getting closer to me. I try to put pressure on the wound, but the bullet is still there, and it fucking hurts, and my vision is going blurry. The screams of infected are getting less and less as, presumably, the men take them out. 

I’m not bitten. Not yet. But that’s the least of my worries, if the pool of red snow I’m creating below me is anything to go by. 

It’s starting to leech into the snow surrounding the rock, easily giving away my location. As the last infected screams with a squelch of a blade into one of its body parts, one of the men shouts, “Hey! She’s over there! Flank her!” 

Ha. As if they even need to flank me. 

My head is spinning. Blood, shiny and thick, coats my hands. It’s all over me. It’s fucking everywhere. It won’t stop bleeding. 

I’m going to fucking die. 

These men are going to kill me, or do worse while they wait for me to die. Surviving the apocalypse as a woman is a fucking joke. 

I reach for my gun, but there are spots in my vision now. Dark red and black. It’s a mixture of real blood in my eyes and blood loss making me dizzy. I can feel it fading. All of it. The cold, the feeling in my body, the sound around me, everything…

It’s fading. 

There are heavy, men’s footsteps getting closer. 

I’m just debating whether I have the strength to fight back, or even to just end it all myself before they get chance, when I hear it. 

A new gun. A new set of voices. The hunters’ attention is turned away from me once more as their footsteps crunching in the snow turn away and head for whoever else has decided to grace us with their presence. 

It doesn’t matter. I’m out anyway. After all this time, all this fighting, after everything I’ve lost—I’m going to die here in the snow, in the middle of nowhere in Jackson County, after being shot by a fucking hunter. 

Then, I hear a voice. 

It could be a southern accent. I could swear that it is - that it’s real.

But I always knew that in my last moments I’d hear him, real or not. It’s been ten years, but I still hear him in the night sometimes, as I’m falling asleep or jolting awake. Sometimes when I get injured, I hear him tutting, I feel his fingers on my skin, patching me up. 

Now, sitting here dying in the snow, I could swear that it’s him.

It’s not. It can’t be. 

But as the last of my consciousness fades, as I feel the final thread of me begin to fray, I let myself believe that it is. 

I hold onto the sound. So clear, like he’s right there next to me. 

I never wanted to die alone. I’m going to pretend that I won’t. 

“Joel…” I feel his name slip through my lips for the first time in years. 

His name, and his voice saying my name in return, are the last things I hear before I go. 

-

Well, goddamn. 

If this is hell, there is no fire, so it could be worse; but if it’s heaven, Jesus, I don’t want it.

I can’t even wake up. My eyes feel heavy. It’s like I’m clawing back to consciousness after a bad fever. After a surgery that went wrong. Before I can even think or begin to open my eyes or listen for sounds, I can feel that every inch of me hurts. Like I’ve been cut open, rearranged, and sewn back together again. 

So, it’s not heaven. Cool. Fine. I’m going to suffer for eternity, then? 

Except, when I hear it, I freeze. (Metaphorically speaking. I’m already frozen in whatever spot I’ve been cursed to.) 

“She’s waking up.” That isn’t Joel. But it’s similar, and familiar. It sounds like...

Why the hell is Tommy here?

Then, it’s his voice again. My name, in Joel’s voice. 

If nothing else, the confusion gets me to force my eyes open. 

And the first thing I see is him. 

“Hey,” Joel says, “can you hear me? Wake up…you’re safe…” 

I blink a few times. Then, beneath the pain in my body, I realise that I’m warm. I’m under something soft and cosy; a wool blanket, it feels like, if the scratching against my bare arms is anything to go by. 

Any other sensation doesn’t really matter right now, though, because I can’t take my eyes off of Joel. He’s just there, hovering above me with even more creases on his forehead than I remember, an especially big one sitting between his eyebrows right now that looks like someone’s drawn it there. 

“You’re alright, you’re alright,” he sounds distant but close all at once, and soft and gruff just like he used to. 

“I…” I manage to stammer while I vaguely register that there is daylight around us, though it’s fading into shades of amber and pink. Approaching sunset. Last I remember, it had only just risen.

Not without struggle, I get my body to move, but the second I shift in my place, a blinding pain shoots from my leg to all angles, hitting my head and my toes. 

Well. I’m starting to think I’m not actually dead. 

“Hey, don’t try to move, you’re hurt,” Joel says again. 

Joel. 

...Joel? 

Joel!? 

“J—Joel?” As I start to realise that it seems I am very much alive, somehow that fact just makes for more confusion. I look around, and Tommy is there, too, standing by the room’s window, leaning on the butt of his rifle where it sits at his chest, the barrel facing the floor. He looks older, too. Much older. He’s got almost as many wrinkles and greys as Joel does now. 

Someone else enters the picture after a minute. A woman with a frown of concern pushes Joel away—in my delirium I almost forget that he’s probably real, and that it wouldn’t be appropriate to reach out and pull him back—and then her face is above mine, shining a torch in my eyes. 

I squint against it but she holds my eyes open and inspects them. “How are you feeling?” She asks. Her voice is husky but kind, the faintest trace of a Brooklyn accent making itself known. 

“I—confused,” is all I can say, dumbly. Joel is standing behind her, looking over her shoulder with a frown that reaches new depths. (He frowned a lot back in the day, but geez, he’s got even better at it.) “Where am I? Who—who are you?” 

“I’m Angela,” she answers, removing the blinding torch from my eyes, instead pressing two firm fingers into the pulse point on my wrist. “You’re in a town called Jackson. It seems you already know these two fellas.” 

“I—yeah,” I manage to laugh a little in disbelief. Tommy is still there on the opposite side of the room, smiling just a little, fond and nostalgic. It’s then that Angela’s words hit me. A town? “I…is this…am I…the hunters…you…?” My words aren’t coherent or related enough to count as a sentence, or even a completed question. 

“It’s our town,” Tommy says with a small smile. “You got nothin’ to worry about. No one here’s a hunter, and you’re in good hands.” He nods to Angela. 

I look back to her and frown at the way she’s wrapping a blood pressure cuff around my arm. “Are you…a doctor?” 

“I am,” she answers. “You got shot. Lost a lot of blood. These two found you just outside town with barely enough time—or blood—to spare.” 

I can’t stop glancing between Angela, Joel, and Tommy. It’s like I’m watching a tennis match between three people. 

I’m still not entirely sure this is real. In a fever dream, or even in my last moments, my brain would definitely conjure up something like this. A safe town, where I’m under a warm blanket, on a soft bed, and being looked after by two people who used to be the most important people in my life. 

“I…” I’m interrupted by the door swinging open. It lets in a brief shock of cold wind, but Joel quickly reaches out to close it behind whoever has just come in. 

“Ellie, I told you to wait outside,” Joel says lowly, so quiet I can barely hear him. 

“It’s freezing out there! And I’m worried. Is she awake—?” The girl—Ellie, apparently—pushes past Joel to look over Angela’s shoulder at me. Her concerned frown relaxes when she sees me. She’s just a kid; probably barely fifteen. I’ve never seen her before, but she’s looking at me like she was terrified I was going to die. “Oh, you’re awake!” 

“I…am.…”

Joel puts his hand on Ellie’s shoulder and gently pulls her back a little. “Give her some space. Angela’s still working.” 

“You know, she’s the best. Last month Joel dislocated his shoulder and she reset it before he could even scream—”

“Alright,” Joel interrupts her, “Ellie. Why don’t you get our guest some food, alright?” 

“Something hot,” Angela requests. 

A hot meal and a comfortable bed. This has to be some kind of pre-death dream.

“It’s almost dinner time at the kitchen,” Tommy offers with a knowing smile, “see what you can rustle up.” 

Ellie sighs, but nods. Before turning to leave, she looks at me again and says, “I’m glad you’re okay. I’ll get you the good stuff.” 

The door lets in another whoosh of cold air, but Joel closes it as soon as possible. It’s then that I realise there’s a fireplace on the wall behind the bed; the flames crackle in the light breeze before settling down again. 

“I need to check your wound,” Angela says. “Don’t suppose one of you boys can help me out? I need someone to distract her.” 

“Distract me? From what?” 

“I’m gonna take off your bandage and check the stitches. Then I’m gonna clean it. It’s going to hurt.” 

“I don’t need distracting,” I say, meaning it. I’ve dealt with worse. Hell, somehow I survived this. But Joel is still gazing at me, his eyes roaming over me from head to toe, like he’s scanning for even the slightest inkling that something else is wrong they haven’t noticed yet. (Seems unlikely—I’m wearing different clothes than I was before.)

Mentally squirming under his gaze for the first time in a long time, when I never thought I would again, I realise that I might not need distracting, but I do need answers. 

Or something close to it. 

“I’ll stay,” Joel offers, as if reading my mind. He was always so good at that. It’s weird. Someone so emotionally unavailable shouldn’t be good at that. 

Tommy pushes off from the wall, stopping at the foot of my bed. “Don’t be afraid to break his hand,” he offers, grinning lopsidedly, “man needs an excuse to stop for one goddamn minute.” He grins at Joel when he grumbles in response. “I’ll be outside. Need anythin’, give me a holler.” And with that, he’s out the door. 

Angela carefully pulls the blanket up and away from my leg, revealing the side of my thigh where the bullet went in. It hurts for something to even be moving in close proximity to it, like my skin is on red alert. 

I wish I could say I’ve gotten good at hiding my pain, after all these years of surviving it; but I haven’t. It still shows on my face like it did the day the outbreak happened; like it did when I was barely an adult.

Joel knows. He pulls up a wooden chair beside my bed, offers up his scarred, calloused hand. There’s an expression on his face I can’t quite read. The faintest hints of a sheepish smile, maybe, crows feet deepening around his eyes. It looks like he’s saying, Funny seein’ you here, and I can hear that in his voice, gruff and sarcastic, so I just imagine that that’s what he’s trying to say. 

I glance down at his hand, then back up. For a moment I consider not taking it. 

It’s been ten years. 

I left for a reason. 

But then Angela starts pulling at the bandage wrapped tight around my leg, and the pain is fucking horrific. It’s a stabbing, a pulling, and an aching all at once. It starts at the bullet wound and pulses out like cracks of lightning, through my bones, my nerves, up my hips and to my neck. 

A sharp inhale through my teeth, a blinding flash of pain that whites out my vision for a second, and I’m reaching for Joel’s hand before I can even think any more about it.

“Why don’t you tell me what the hell you’re doin’ here?” Joel’s voice comes through the blood rushing through my ears. “Last I saw you, we were in Texas.”

“What—what am I doing here?” I laugh, incredulous, and gasp as another wave of pain comes. “I don’t even—know—where I am.” Angela is working away and it hurts, it fucking hurts. But I think, at least, this is the final piece of proof I needed to confirm that I am not actually dead.

That, and the way Joel’s thumb is smoothing over the top of my hand, even though I’m squeezing his so hard that it must hurt like fuck. He’s doing it like he’s not even thinking about it. Like it’s second nature. 

I left for a reason. 

“You’re in Jackson,” he says. 

“I know that. I just—don’t—” I grunt in between words as Angela takes alcohol to the wound. “I don’t know how far—how far you took me—”

“You were barely outside the town. The hunters that got you were bandits on their way to us."

"Right," I say, still not really understanding.

"So it’s just coincidence we found ourselves together again?” 

Yes! I left for a fucking reason! 

I’m realising I’m not saying it out loud. 

I’m not saying it out loud because I never even told Joel there was a reason, let alone what that reason actually was. 

“I—guess so,” I grit out. “Sometimes the Universe likes to laugh at us. I—oh, Jesus!” A particularly intense stab of pain comes as Angela starts dabbing at the wound. It’s a bruise, a gash, a cut, all at once. 

“It’s alright, hey, just look at me,” Joel’s voice comes, so familiar that it hurts, so soft that it hurts—“Look right at me. That’s it. Do you remember where you were when this happened?” 

“I—in the snow,” I answer, staring into his eyes like they’re a lifeline. Angela has started wrapping a new bandage around it now, tight and secure. It hurts. It just fucking hurts. Everything fucking hurts. “The forest. I was—hunting for food. Then…infected. Infected came and—then—hunters…” 

Joel nods, encouraging me to continue. 

I can’t, though. The pain is too much. Looking at him is too much. 

I screw my eyes shut, and a traitorous, humiliating tear spills from one of them. In frustration, a groan splits past my lips, and I reach up my other hand to wipe away the tear. 

“Nearly done,” Angela promises.

My teeth are biting down on my lip so hard that I can taste blood; but the pain of that is paling in comparison to everything else, so it doesn’t bother me. 

“God fucking dammit,” I grunt as another tear falls. 

Down to my very core, it is humiliating. 

To be here, writhing in pain, and crying in front of Joel, of all people. Crying during the apocalypse. Crying because he’s there. Because his eyes are still the same.

I’ve always been too soft. I was never as hard as Joel. Or as anyone else around me. 

As a kid, books always said that being soft was a strength in its own way. That it was a quality to be proud of. But in this world, all it’s ever brought me is close to death.

“All done,” Angela says. 

Though the pain is still very much alive and well, I breathe out a sigh of relief, waiting eagerly for it to ebb. Realising I’m still holding onto Joel’s hand so tight that my knuckles have gone white, I release him, and take a deep breath. 

“Good job,” he says. Whether he’s saying it to me or Angela, I’m not sure. He observes his hand, lifting it up to look at as he stretches his fingers out. “Jesus, woman. Gonna need a new hand after that.” 

I laugh, breathy. “I had permission.” 

“From Tommy,” Joel counters with a grumble. 

“I knew you wouldn’t mind.” I say it before I can give it permission. And the softness in my voice—well. That’s just downright not fair. 

Joel’s eyes meet mine again. He holds them there for a moment too long. Looks like he might want to say something, but then doesn’t, and stands up. His green flannel shirt stretches so nicely over his shoulders, even broader now than they were back then. His hair is flecked with grey, as is his beard, which is longer now. 

I used to lie awake at night and imagine running my fingers over it. I used to cherish the way my hands fit over his shoulders when he boosted me up onto a ledge. The way the muscles in his arms flexed and showed veins when I hoisted him up behind me. 

We used to be a team, me, him, and Tommy. 

Now, staring at him as he leans against the doorframe, folding his arms over his chest, I think about those times. I can’t help it. There are dark and grey hairs on his chest, peeking up above the top button. I remember how his heart feels under there from the time I had to stitch up a gash there. I remember his pulse, from keeping my finger on it all night when he was feverish from an infected knife wound. 

Tommy and I nursed him back, but I thought we’d lost him. 

I thought a lot of things.

And, well. There was no other choice. 

I left.

♥︎chapter 1/5♥︎

notes: if u wanna be on the taglist, let me know however you'd like: in a reblog, reply, message, or an ask :) all interactions are appreciated, but comments and reblogs especially make my heart go brrr♡ happy tlou show day btw :D

[voxofthevoid]

Shibuya Swap Wednesday #8. The fic is currently 14 chapters and 78k and far from over. Turns out that when I sprinkle in bits of self-indulgent plot in Part 1, I'll have to follow through in Part 3.

Yay.

This is entirely SFW, somehow—canon!Yuuji meeting Chōsō after alt!Yuuji sorted out the whole brother business. Gojou's there to, uh, supervise.

“I’d like to have some time alone with my brother.”

“And I’d like your shared parent’s head on a platter, but only one of those is gonna happen.”

“You intend to hunt down Kamo Noritōshi.”

“Well, he’s going by another name right now. You’re familiar with it.” There’s an edge to Gojou’s voice that makes Yuuji crane his head to look at him. But Gojou’s staring right at Chōsō, his eyes gleaming behind the shades. “But not for long. Yuuji—the one from Shibuya, not my cute little student—said you have an ability to sense family via a blood connection. Can you track that parasite using it?”

Chōsō blinks, looking nonplussed. “It…doesn’t work that way. And I can only sense my siblings, not our parent.”

Yuuji can feel Gojou shrug, their bodies close enough for it.

“Worth a shot, but it doesn’t matter. I’ll find them myself,” he says, and two heavy hands come to rest on Yuuji’s shoulders. “Meanwhile, we need to figure out what to do about you. I wanted to see your reaction to Yuuji—”

“I feel like a lab rat, sensei.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Chōsō here is the lab rat,” Gojou replies without missing a beat. “You’re not violent. Or you’re one hell of an actor. Either way, it’s not enough. You know why, don’t you?”

Chōsō nods very slowly. “I understand.”

Yuuji looks between the two of them, but Chōsō’s somber expression is as unhelpful as Gojou’s bland smile.

“Sensei?” Yuuji prods. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

“I want to tell you many things, Yuuji,” comes the unhelpful answer. “But I’m not sure now’s the right time. What do you think, Yuuji’s new big bro?”

Chōsō looks a little like he’d like to strangle Gojou. But under and over that, there’s an emotion Yuuji’s all too familiar with—guilt.

“I killed people,” he says, “at Shibuya. There’s good reason your teacher doesn’t trust you with me.”

“Honest to a fault, huh,” Gojou mutters.

Yuuji doesn’t say anything. He’s not very surprised. Gojou didn’t tell him details of how Yuuji’s other self rescued him, but he did say they Chōsō was among the people who trapped him. And Yuuji saw the state of the station. He could make an educated guess or two about what was in store for the civilians there.

It doesn’t make it better. It doesn’t make it right.

“You’re angry,” Chōsō says without surprise.

“Yuuji,” Gojou says, squeezing Yuuji’s shoulder, “is a very good boy.”

“Sensei,” Yuuji sighs. “Of course I’m angry. Innocent people didn’t deserve to die because the lot of you wanted Gojou-sensei out of the way.”

“No,” comes Chōsō’s quiet agreement. “They did not.”

“But—” Yuuji pulls his hand out from under Chōsō’s and steps away from Gojou too, putting some distance between himself and both men. “But your brothers didn’t deserve to die either. It was us or them, and I chose us. I don’t regret it, but that doesn’t make it right. I’m angry about what you did, but you should be pissed at me too.”

Chōsō’s expression does something that Yuuji can’t even begin to parse. Gojou looks an odd cross between amused and exasperated.

“Sometimes, Yuuji,” Gojou tells him, “you’re too noble for your own good.”

“I’m really not—”

“Thank you, Yuuji,” Chōsō cuts in, his voice quiet but choked; his eyes are suspiciously shiny. “But I meant what I said. Esō and Kechizu would never have fought you if they’d known the truth. You didn’t know either. They’d forgive you. It’s what brothers do.”

Yuuji shifts in place, with no idea how to respond to that. The sincerity in Chōsō’s voice threatens to choke him too.

Gojou has no such issues: “You know, I’ve never been unhappy I’m an only child, but I feel especially glad right now.”

“Sensei, don’t be mean,” Yuuji chides. “Please ignore him, Chōsō-san.”

“Don’t call me that,” Chōsō says, eyes all wide again. “Just Chōsō is fine. Or you could call me big bro—”

“Nope,” Gojou says.

“I wasn’t talking to you, Gojou Satoru.”

 Gojou’s grin widens dangerously.

Yuuji closes the scant distance he put between himself and the other two, slotting himself between Gojou and the couch, directly in front of Chōsō.

“Chōsō,” Yuuji says firmly. “Sensei. Behave.”

“Scary,” Gojou whispers dramatically, leaning against Yuuji’s back. “Well, you two seem like you’ll get along fine. Very compatible crazy. But for now, you need to go back to sleep, Chōsō.”

“Huh, why?” Yuuji asks, looking up at Gojou and nearly slamming his head into his jaw; Gojou smoothly avoids the collision, resting his chin on Yuuji’s head instead.

Chōsō’s eyes have narrowed, as severe as the set of his mouth. “I’d also like to know why.”

“I don’t trust you,” Gojou says plainly. “I’m willing to tolerate you for Yuuji’s sake, but at present, we can’t let a special-grade curse—or a grade-one sorcerer, if that’s the path you want to choose—run around unchecked. We don’t have the manpower to safely contain you either, not until the mess you and your friends made is all cleaned up. Sleep or die, those are your choices.” There’s a pregnant pause and then— “Sorry about this, Yuuji.”

“I…don’t think I’m the one you should be saying that to, sensei.”

“That so?” Gojou asks, his voice dangerously mild. “So, what do you say, Yuuji’s brand-new brother?”

Chōsō’s expression is blank, in a severe kind of way. The shadows under his eyes seem darker, and the eyes themselves are pools of near-black, fixed unwaveringly on Yuuji.

He says, “I won’t ever hurt you.”

Yuuji blinks. “Thanks? I wasn’t worried though?”

“Unfortunately,” Gojou says, “your brother complex isn’t enough of a guarantee right now. Don’t worry. Once I’m back, you’ll have a very generous chance to be on your best behavior.”

“What happens to Yuuji in the meantime?”

“Nothing.” One of Gojou’s arms slides around Yuuji’s middle, just as his chin is lifted from Yuuji’s head, and then he’s being tucked against Gojou, snug and secure. All of Yuuji grows pleasantly hot. “Only a few others know about Yuuji’s connection to you and the parasite, and all of them are more invested in Yuuji’s safety than the rules. He’ll be fine, and as long as you behave, there won’t even be any complications.”

“I don’t think you need to keep threatening him, sensei,” Yuuji ventures. “I mean, you made your point.”

There’s a deep sigh, Gojou’s chest moving against Yuuji’s back. It feels so big like this. Gojou feels so big, like he could swallow up the world.

Yuuji tries not to think of this morning, of being tangled up in warmth and safety, of being touched—

“You have no flair for the dramatics Yuuji,” Gojou says mournfully. “The least you can do is appreciate mine.”

Yuuji pats the arm wrapped around him. “I do appreciate you.”

“You trust him.” Chōsō’s voice is very quiet, but it cuts through the air.

And it’s not a question, but Yuuji still says, “With my life.”

Gojou’s arm tightens.

“I see,” Chōsō says with a gravity that makes Yuuji’s spine snap straight; Gojou moves with him, accommodating the motion. “Then I choose to sleep, for now, Gojou Satoru.”

“Wise,” Gojou says softly. “Lie down then. This won’t hurt.”

Chōsō’s expression darkens like he doesn’t really believe that.

“It doesn’t,” Yuuji chimes in. “Promise. It really just feels like going to sleep.”

Chōsō’s eyes flit to him and stay, and Yuuji can see Chōsō soften all over. It’s a bit disconcerting. There’s so much there that Yuuji doesn’t even understand. He’s an only child.

He still feels like one. He can’t much imagine that changing despite Chōsō’s existence.

“I’m not worried about pain,” Chōsō says very gently. “But thank you, Yuuji. Please be safe.”

“Sure. I’ll, uh, do that.” He flashes Chōsō a thumbs up. “Good night?”

Gojou snorts and steps away from Yuuji, circling around the couch to kind of…loom at Chōsō.

To his credit, Chōsō doesn’t give anything away, though Yuuji can’t imagine he’s not unsettled. He can’t imagine ever being scared of Gojou, but he’s seen the way his teacher gets sometimes, the way his smile twists under radioactive eyes. He’s seen curses flinch from it.

Chōsō doesn’t flinch. He calmly lies down on the couch, crossing his arms over his stomach. Throughout it all, his gaze stays on Yuuji, flickering away only when two of Gojou’s fingers are inches away from his face.

“Night night,” Gojou chirps, tapping Chōsō’s forehead.

Dark lashes flutter, eyes rolling back. A second later, Chōsō’s face is slack.

“That was fast,” Yuuji whispers.

“It’s more delicate than it looks,” Gojou says in a normal voice. “I was impressed the other Yuuji knew how to do it. I’ll teach you some day. You won’t misuse it, will you?”

Yuuji blinks over at Gojou. “Misuse it how?”

“How innocent,” Gojou practically purrs. “Don’t you know what boys like you would do to a pretty sleeping thing? Or do you want to be the pretty sleeping thing?”

[you-are-my-king-now-cariad]

Discord Thoughts

So basically this is room for me to talk about things in the Discord that inspired/reminded me of certain things, that I wanted to say but the conversation moved on, etc. In other words, I’m just rambling here. But y’all seem to like that, so here. No particular ordering of anything besides the order they came up-and some of them might be from my irl friends, I’m not actually sure.

Alice as Regent/Squire

Staying Close

Root Will Save Him

Willark VS Brelwyn

This might be my Brel Glasses, but it seems like William and Lark are intentionally the opposite of Bree and Sel. We don’t see them much, but we do know a few things: William is unquestionably good and pure, neither of them seem like they’re going to make a move, and Lark is remarkably perceptive about Brel.

1. William and Sel are surprisingly accurate foils. (Is it still a foil when they’re kind of opposites?) One is lawful good (and is proud of that) and the other is chaotic good. One is human, one is demon. One is never going to hurt anyone unless he absolutely has to, the other is… uh, Sel. Obviously both are generally ‘good,’ but Sel is fighting off an internal chaotic evil demon-not exactly going to blame him for being less than angelic. Also considering William has always been a safe space for Bree, particularly when Sel’s actively hunting her, and that they’re friends? It starts to feel intentional. Am I making any sense at all?

2. Both Lark and William are the definition of incredibly adorable gay panic.

Instalove VS Devotion

Okay, this is the first one I’m actually typing out bc I have the most to say about it and it’s probably the least coherent. Thanks @paigeagainstdamachine for making a vague comment that started this whole train-

I’m not saying instalove is ‘bad,’ or that her relationship with Nick is somehow fake because it was fast. Let’s get that out of the way. You can absolutely have a fast romance that is still incredibly real and long-lasting-see my parents, who were dating for 6 months before getting engaged and are still married after ~25 years.

But I will say that as someone currently in high school… I’ve seen this movie a lot. It’s true love with the boy who just moved in next door, until he’s not new and shiny anymore and you start seeing all the shitty parts of his personality. He’s not a bad person, either-just one too many red flags or negatives, but it’s not like he’s abusive or cheating or anything.

This doesn’t have to echo in Legendborn. I do believe that Nick genuinely loves Bree, and that it’s mutual. (At the very least, whatever they have is more than just friendship.) I’m just… if they’re endgame, they shouldn’t feel so immature. Yes, they’re adorable (especially in LB), but it feels like a high school romance-and it is. It feels like my brother’s senior relationship-they were going to different colleges and both agreed that they probably wouldn’t be able to manage long-distance, so there was a time limit from the beginning. I can’t actually explain why Brick feels so… young? It just does.

Brel, on the other hand? Yeah, ofc it’s also a high school romance, but like… there is so much trust and devotion and it feels natural. They have the kind of relationship where you actually can stay friends when you break up because you just fit together. Then again, I’m just a sucker for well-written edgy demon boys, so I could be a little biased. They fight, but a healthy relationship isn’t defined by ‘we don’t ever fight.’ It’s defined by ‘we can forgive and forget.’ It’s defined by ‘no matter how angry I might be towards you, whatever mistakes you’ve made, I don’t want you to suffer.’ And that’s exactly what Sel and Bree have found.

“We fought…”

“We’ll always fight, I think.”

They fight, and they move on. They forgive. They love the other no matter what. And not to be a Sel apologist, but uhh this is exactly the kind of relationship he’s needed for so long and as much as the “I can fix him” mindset is awful she literally is giving him a reason to be a good person. Both make really big mistakes, and they get mad, say and do things they shouldn’t… but they always, always come back together.

[magicofsimplestories]

5. The Realm of Glimmerbrook

Cassandra was having her morning jog when she noticed a tall tanned dark-haired woman walk towards her. The woman smiled at Cassandra from afar and upon approaching stretched her hand in an introductory gesture. 

“Tara Volkov,” the woman said. “And you must be Cassandra.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Tara,” responded Cassie shaking Tara’s hand. 

“Pleasure is mine,” smiled the woman widely. “I am happy that our community keeps growing. However, I do wonder what exactly brought such a young and active soul like yours to our “middle of nowhere”, as many consider it?”

“I believe the knowledge that Moonwood possess could help me figure out the circumstances of my mother’s disappearance,” said Cassandra simply. 

“Indeed?” Tara’s eyebrows went slightly up and her lips curved in a mysterious smile. “What exactly are you expecting to find here?”

“I hope there’s a way to track her, either she’s still alive or not.”

“I see,” Tara nodded. 

“There’s another thing, actually,” went on Cassandra noticing Tara’s smile become wider. “Lately I’ve been feeling like I do not belong to the human world anymore.”

“Are you interested in becoming a wolf?”

“No,” shook her head Cassandra. “I consider myself more of a witchy type.”

Tara didn’t respond right away and studied Cassie’s features for a couple of moments. 

“Well, Cassandra,” she said finally. “I can arrange that, although I must warn you that the initiation is a very dangerous process. Not many humans come out of it safe and sound.”

“I would like to dare and try it anyways,” said Cassandra firmly. 

Tara went silent again as if taking her time for making the final decision. 

“All right,” she said then. “I will arrange your trip to the Realm. Meet me at the “Moonwood Collective” Tree tomorrow midday.”

Cassandra didn’t have a chance to talk to Lou about the encounter with Tara, as he was on a two-days hunting trip with his pack. She didn’t regret it though, as she has been thinking of getting into the spellcasters’ ranks for quite a while. She knew that alongside with the ability to read the Language of the Moon, magic would bring her many benefits starting from the access to the ancient library of Glimmerbrook. Yes, during her research at the Moonwood library she has learnt a lot about the Realm of Magic, and she knew exactly what she wanted to invest her time and effort into after becoming a witch. And the chances of an unsuccessful initiation were not scaring her at all. The recklessness of her character has only grown stronger after moving to Moonwood. 

The next day Tara arrived at the Tree exactly at midday.

“There are many ways of getting to Glimmerbrook,” she explained. “But our Tree is the fastest and safest for you.”

She nodded to the tree hollow. 

“Follow me.”

Stepping into the hollow after Tara Cassandra found herself in a dark narrow tunnel, and five minutes later she was already standing on a cozy lawn of an unfamiliar forest. She followed Tara on the path along the shiny river and after yet another turn she noticed tall glimmering portal standing proudly on a tiny island. 

“It’s safe,” commented Tara when they approached the portal. “Although you might feel a bit dizzy after getting out on the other side.”

Cassandra didn’t. Stepping through the portal she felt only the warmth of magic, and the things that she saw on the other side of it made her gasp in awe. 

They were on a rock that was floating in the purple darkness. A gigantic ancient castle stared at them from the closest hill. Spellcasters were all around: getting in and out of the castle, flying up and down the sky. Cassandra looked closer and noticed three more rocky islands floating afar. 

“Welcome to the heart of Glimmerbrook, the Realm of Magic,” said Tara with a smile.

“Looks very impressive,” Cassandra smiled back. “What are these shiny spheres here and there?”

Tara’s smile became wider. 

“These are the magic orbs,” she explained. “If you see them, you must have a dormant spellcasting gene. It increases your chances for a successful initiation.”

“Good to know,” smirked Cassie. “However, I’ve never heard of anyone in my family being a witch or a warlock.”

“He or she might have lived centuries ago,” said Tara inviting Cassie to the castle. “Moreover, it’s not that we tend to remind our human descendants of their occult ancestors. Safety reasons, you know.”

In the castle, that appeared to be the most ancient Academy for Spellcasting, they met with the three Sages of Glimmerbrook: Morgyn, the Sage of Untamed, Elle, the Sage of Mischief, and Simon, the Sage of Practical. 

“Cassandra Goth,” introduced herself Cassie. 

“Goth?” Asked Morgyn shaking her hand. “Your surname sounds familiar.”

“Well, Goths are the most influential family of Willow Creek,” shrugged her shoulders Cassandra. 

“Nah,” shook his head Morgyn. “I don’t follow human celebrity life. I must have come across a Goth here, in Glimmerbrook. Sadly I don’t remember the encounter.” 

“Must be another evidence of me having a dormant spellcasting gene,” laughed Cassie and Tara nodded. 

“Magic attracted you for a reason,” she commented. 

For the initiation to happen Cassandra needed to collect seven magic orbs. 

“Fantastic,” responded Cassie. “How do I do that?”

“You will know when you approach one,” said Morgyn with a cunning smile. “When you have seven of them, come back to me.”

“All right,” grumbled Cassandra and exited the castle. 

The orbs were glowing all around the castle grounds, Cassie approached the closest one and after a moment of hesitation stretched her hand towards it. The orb floated up to her fingers, and Cassie felt the familiar warmth of magic that she has just felt going through the portal. A moment later the orb rushed to the middle of her chest making Cassandra gasp from the wave of warmth spreading from her chest to the rest of her body. 

“Wow,” she breathed out. “Better than I expected.”

She was done in less than fifteen minutes, and returned to the castle to find Morgyn. 

“How do you feel?” He asked with the same cunning smile on his face.

“Powerful,” replied Cassandra. “And quite warm.”

“The orbs are the concentration of magic matter,” explained the Sage of Untamed. “They are extremely hard to manage for an unprepared soul, but you, Cassandra, you’re doing great. I see great potential in you. So,” he added after a short moment of silence. “Shall we start?”

Cassandra nodded feeling her heart start a race. She felt no fear though, it was the excitement of facing something unknown, powerful and… dangerous. 

Morgyn took out his wand, waved his hands in a sophisticated move and pronounced the spell in a language Cassandra didn’t know. A bright ray rushed out of Morgyn’s wand and crashed into her chest making her feel as if hit by an electric discharge. Her body floated up above the floor and for a moment a flash of white blinded her. 

Find me at the worlds’ crossing, she heard the unfamiliar female voice.

“Wai… What?!” She screamed out finding herself back on the castle floor in front of smiling Morgyn.

“Did you hear something?” He asked, and by the meaningful expression of his face Cassandra understood that he knew the answer. 

“I think so,” she responded hesitantly. 

Morgyn smirked folding his arms on his chest. 

“Yet another evidence of you having a spell caster in your bloodline,” he said. 

Yet another riddle on my list to solve. 

Cassandra nodded.  

“So what do I do next?” She asked out loud. “I’m ready to learn my first spell. Would you agree to be my teacher?”

Morgyn laughed. 

“I really enjoy your boldness, Cassandra,” he said chuckling. “Very few dare to ask a Sage to be their tutor.”

“Why? Is it inappropriate?”

“A bit.”

“Perfect,” smirked Cassandra. “Kinda my style. So what’s your response?”

Morgyn laughed again. 

“It’s an absolute yes.”

[Part I] [Beginning] [Back] [Next]

[satansapostle6]

The Man Who Sold The World | Luke Castellan

Spotify Playlist Link

Katherine. She was the one who started it all for Luke Castellan, the reason he did what he did.

Warnings: Mature themes/language. Violence. Sexual content.

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven: Abandon All Hope

“Luke?”

“…Luke.”

“Luke!”

“Huh?!”

Luke Castellan woke with a start, gasping for air as he sat up in bed. Terrified and confused, he looked around him to get a sense of where he was, seeing Katherine beside him, looking concerned as she sat up in only her shirt and underwear that she’d gone to bed in.

“You were having a nightmare,” she told him gently, explaining the sweat he woke up in.

“Oh,” he breathed, slowly starting to remember the dream he’d been having.

“Was it Kronos again?” Katherine asked.

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“I think I had the same dream, a few nights ago,” she told him. “About the Underworld? Tartarus? …You talk in your sleep,” she explained.

“Oh. Yeah… That’s the dream I had,” he confirmed.

He realized he’d woken up wrapped in Katherine’s arms, shivering with terror in her chest. She looked like she’d really been concerned, sitting there with her hair swept over her other shoulder to accommodate him. She reached over to the bedside table in the motel room, handing him an open bottle of water.

“Here,” she said quietly.

Luke silently nodded in appreciation to thank her, quickly gulping down the water.

“He wants us to go,” he told her, sitting up all the way, “To the Underworld. Now.”

“I know. I’m having the dreams, too… He’s angry,” she nodded.

“We should leave,” he insisted.

“Can I at least put on some pants first?” Katherine sighed, getting up.

The two of them dressed and left as quickly as possible, checking out in a hurry. They climbed into the Pontiac with their minimal possessions, speeding off toward New York.

Katherine was dressed very practically for their eventual descent into the bottomless pit of the Underworld as she drove, in a black long-sleeved thermal and matching tank top underneath. Luke observed that her hair was especially sleek and shiny in the sunlight.

“What do you think it’s like?” he asked suddenly. “Tartarus,” he clarified.

“Hellish,” she said finally, after a moment of thought. “Empty. Maddening.”

“But those are just words… I wonder what it’s gonna feel like,” Luke admitted fearfully.

“We won’t know ‘til we know,” she sighed. “Do you have the compass?”

He nodded, pulling the silver disk out of his jacket pocket to show her.

“Ares said all we have to do is concentrate on what we’re looking for, Kronos, and the arrow will point us to where his remains are,” she relayed. “So as long as we stay focused, we’ll be fine. Eventually.”

Luke nodded along, not particularly thrilled about the journey.

“Do you… also have this pit in your stomach, that feels like only the beginning?” he asked her.

Katherine nodded. “Yeah.”

A silence lingered between them as all that could be heard was the radio. Both of them were internally panicking about the task ahead.

“Hey, so I’ve been thinking,” Luke said, trying to find something to fill the time.

“Yeah?” she asked, seeming focused on driving.

“Yeah. You know, at the camp, a lot of the kids are only there for the summer, when school’s out,” he pointed out, trying to figure out how she felt. “I was thinking, since I have a good excuse… Maybe I could take a couple months, off, here and there. And we could hit the road, together?” he asked hopefully, an awkward expression on his face.

She finally looked at him, no longer locking her eyes onto a point a mile ahead on the road.

“Yeah. You should do that,” she nodded.

“You think?” he asked, glad she didn’t think he was pathetically latching onto her.

“Yeah. I think we could do this together,” she agreed. “I’ve never actually hunted with anyone full time before.”

“Yeah. It’d be like one long quest, but with two,” Luke smiled softly.

“Yeah. We’d be twice as efficient,” she remarked. “We could kill a lot of monsters.”

“Yeah. We could,” he said appreciatively.

“Let’s just hope you can keep up,” Katherine smirked, turning back to driving.

Luke chuckled, watching her as she maneuvered the car better than most of the other people on the road. He was somewhat terrified about diving into the depths of Tartarus, but somehow he was even more afraid that this girl, the cool but fiery daughter of Nemesis, wouldn’t like him.

He knew that was just what it was like to be a sixteen year-old boy, but he also knew that he saw Katherine Montalvo as much more than a simple crush. His feelings for her definitely weren’t juvenile, and he secretly hoped she could be something more than just a teenage girlfriend. Even now, he felt that knowing Katherine was permanently altering his brain chemistry.

“Can I ask you something?” Luke spoke up.

“Shoot,” Katherine nodded. “Speaking of which. Can you lock the gun in the glove box?”

He quickly did as she ask, pulling it out from under the seat where she’d stashed it earlier, figuring this wasn’t the sort of thing you could forget to do.

“Do you know anything about how your parents… you know. Got together?” he wondered. “Like, how that relationship worked?”

She paused for a moment, considering the answer to his question.

“Well… Nemesis appears to you as someone you want to take revenge on, or so my father told me,” she explained. “When he first saw her, outside of a bar, he thought she was his ex-girlfriend, Pamela.”

“He told you that part?” Luke questioned.

“Are we really still dwelling on my father’s parenting choices?” Katherine asked pointedly.

“You know what, fair enough,” he decided.

“Yeah. Anyway. Their love was… the kind of love that consumes you, you know?” she said thoughtfully. “The kind of love that makes you want to completely consume the other person. I’m not sure why, but he told me there was a lot of hate-fucking going on.”

“Oh. Yeah, I mean, I can see that,” Luke remarked, still astounded at the sort of things her father had said, and did, to her as a child. “I mean, my parents weren’t like that, but their relationship definitely wasn’t healthy either.”

“No relationship between a god and a mortal is,” Katherine reasoned, which he agreed with.

“Do you believe in that?” Luke asked.

“Believe in what?”

“The kind of love that consumes you,” he said.

“I think that’s the only love I know,” Katherine contemplated. “I don’t know how to love people… I don’t know how to do it without being ready to kill for them. That’s why I don’t anymore. Not because I don’t feel anything. But because I feel too much.”

Luke nodded without a word, knowing all too well what she meant. She was hardened and rough, but in his eyes, Katherine was the purest soul he’d ever met. She was the only one he’d ever met who seemed to care like he did. She was beautiful, not like a colorful flower or a luxurious car, but like a rage so pure it made the heart beat faster and faster.

“Honestly,” he said aloud, trying to find the right words for her, “You’re the most I’ve ever wanted to feel for a person.”

He couldn’t decipher the subsequent look on her face. There was no discernible smile, but it wasn’t a scowl, or any sort of disapproval. It obviously wasn’t a look of sadness, and it wasn’t quite excitement. Her expression was cold, but her eyes were dark and burning.

The closest word to it that he could find was just passion. Not like hate, or even like love, but just passion.

“I would die for you,” she concluded, meaning what she said. “I’ve never really had a real reason to risk my life before. I’ve done it, every day, but I’ve never actually had a reason to before.”

Luke nodded, understanding what she meant. As demigods, they were both born to be heroes. But never before had Luke understood why he saved people. “I’d die for you, too,” he promised her.

“I know,” she nodded.

“I think we’re cooler than Han and Leia,” Luke spoke up, “And better than Anakin and Padme.”

“I would agree with that,” Katherine nodded humorously.

“Do you think Kronos is going to change the world?” Luke asked. “Destroy all the monuments, and bring down all the gods?”

“I hope so,” she nodded. “But I’m hoping he destroys the world.”

Luke considered the idea for a moment, realizing that if in the near future, they resurrected Kronos and ended the world, Katherine’s face would be the last thing he saw, and her voice would be the last thing he heard.

“You know, I’m glad you’ll be with me when the world ends,” she added. “I’ve been thinking I was alone in the nightmares and the voices for too long.”

“Before the world ends…” Luke thought, considering all his options as he entertained the idea humorously. “I wanna get ice cream,” he said finally.

“Ice cream?” Katherine asked, not knowing the significance.

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I’ve lived at the camp for years. I eat what they make and serve that day. We all do. Sometimes, they decide we’re having ice cream, and I have to try and really savor it because I never know when I’ll have it again. But I wanna go and get ice cream, of my own free will. Just because I want it.”

“We’re on the road,” she reminded him, smiling opportunistically. “We can have ice cream whenever we want. We can do anything whenever we want.”

“I know. I like it,” he told her.

They reached New York by the end of the next day. Katherine and Luke headed into Central Park with almost nothing, deeming it prudent to only enter Tartarus with the compass, their individual weapons, and the clothes on their back. They knew that keeping everything intact in a dark, bottomless pit was a fool’s errand.

“You ready?” Luke asked, looking to Katherine as they stood at the Door of Orpheus in south Central Park.

Katherine knew exactly where the entrance to the Underworld was, thanks to an old friend she’d made on the road somewhere. She nodded, steadying herself as she slowly opened her mouth to sing.

“I spoke into his eyes I thought you died alone A long long time ago”

Luke stood beside her, bewitched as she sang the beautiful melody, sounding divine even with just her crude vocals. They both scanned the hidden door carefully, waiting for something, anything, to happen. Luke looked back at Katherine, eager for her to continue.

“Oh no, not me I never lost control You're face to face With the man who sold the world”

Her soothing voice was a relief to him, and the low crackling and crumbling he heard as the door opened in the large tree. The two exchanged looks, glad that it had worked.

“Shall we?” Luke asked.

“We shall,” Katherine nodded, carefully stepping through as he walked through behind her.

“Those are the main gates,” Luke recognized, looking behind them as both of their eyes adjusted to the darkness.

“Hades’ palace is that way,” Katherine looked ahead of them, “So we should be headed that way. Towards the River Cocytus.”

“Alright. Let’s go,” Luke said automatically.

“Wait,” Katherine stopped him, pulling on his arm.

“What?” he questioned nervously.

“The Underworld is dangerous. In a way that fucks with your head. We need to make sure we stay focused,” she reminded him. “I know you feel Kronos, because I do too, but I’m not sure that’s gonna be enough,” she said.

“Yeah,” Luke nodded, pulling out the compass. “Do you wanna hold onto this?”

“No,” she shook her head firmly, pushing his hand back toward him. “You should hold onto it. The Cocytus is the river of wailing. It might affect me a lot more than you,” she warned him, even if he didn’t find that believable.

Luke would’ve guessed that Katherine’s resolve would be a hundred times stronger than his.

“I’ve heard the Underworld can seriously fuck you up. So we need to stay as close together as possible; like taking a toddler to the mall,” she stated.

“So how should we do that?” Luke asked.

“Hold my hand,” she said, dead serious.

He obliged, taking her hand in his. It was an oddly familiar feeling despite the fact that they’d never held hands before. It felt like his own hand.

“I’m serious. Don’t let go,” she urged him, squeezing his hand. “We need to anchor one another. So we don’t get lost, or hurt ourselves.”

“Okay,” Luke nodded, tightening his grip on her hand. “I got you.”

“Alright. Let’s go,” she examined the compass as he held it. “Abandon hope, all ye who enter here,” she sighed.

Katherine kept her sword close to her in her pocket, touching a hand to it every time she felt extra uneasy, which was almost all of the time. The trek to the entrance to Tartarus wasn’t a necessarily long one, especially when taking into consideration the size of the Underworld in its entirety. But the longer they spent there, the more miserable and hopeless they felt.

The only comfort either of them had was the feeling of the other’s hand in their own. Luke was glad Katherine had suggested holding hands to keep one another safe. He appreciated the feeling of her hand safely on the inside of his, glad he could at least make her feel safer.

As they walked a long path near the Fields of Asphodel, full of aimless, confused souls that had lived ‘ordinary’ lives of neither good nor evil, Luke did everything he could to keep their minds off of impending doom. He could hardly see Katherine at all, so hearing her was his best chance at sanity.

For once, the two of them had to do their best to refrain from discussing traumatic or otherwise upsetting topics, to avoid losing their minds in the depths of the Underworld.

“What’s your favorite color?” Luke asked her.

“Red,” she answered.

“Red like what?”

“Red like cherries,” she thought. “What’s yours?”

“Black,” he thought. “Like the sky, when it’s almost purple.”

When he said his favorite color out loud, the first thing he really thought of when trying to remember the world above was Katherine’s dark hair, the way it looked more brown in sunlight.

“What’s your favorite food?” Katherine asked, as they began a game of unlimited questions.

“Sour cream and onion chips,” he said, earning a dry laugh. “Yours?”

“Chicken fried steak,” she remembered.

“What’s your favorite movie?” he said as they walked hand in hand.

“Pretty Woman. What about you?”

“Home Alone,” Luke remembered fondly. “I always wished I had a big family. I mean. I have hundreds of half-siblings, but something more personal than that. You know?”

“Yeah,” she murmured, looking out at the deep blue river in the distance. “Growing up… I was all alone. The only company I ever really had was my father. And you know how that went. I used to wish I had a sibling, just so I could have someone to suffer with.”

“So did I,” Luke said, surprised he’d had the exact same thought in his childhood. “My mom… she was sick. In the head. When I was seven, I thought I might be going crazy too.”

Katherine looked up at him, listening earnestly as he spoke.

“I remember, eventually, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I loved her, but I couldn’t lose my mind anymore. So I left, and I never really looked back,” he admitted. “I don’t think she really even noticed. I mean. She noticed. But I think she’s still waiting for me to walk back through the door.”

“When I was twelve, I tried to tell a teacher what my father started doing to me… But I didn’t have the right words for it then, so she didn’t understand,” Katherine recalled suddenly. “She brought it up, and my stepmom, Heather, knew what I was trying to say. She told me I was too fat for my dad to want me… And for some sick reason, that made me stop eating. I don’t think about that a lot.”

There was a long pause, as each of them felt too stuck in their own memories to do anything about it.

“Leaving my mom was the hardest thing I ever did,” Luke said in a low, regretful tone. “I was really attached to her as a kid. She was my favorite person. But I think my dad was hers. I hated him for it.”

“I was really attached to my father, too. I was like his doll; he liked to choose what I liked, and what I thought, and what I wore… When I was twelve, he bought me this Chanel perfume. He said it made me smell grown-up,” Katherine said wistfully.

“I was the reason for a lot of his arguments with Heather, especially before they got married. So the summer after sixth grade, they sent me away, to my Aunt Daisy’s. I didn’t wanna go. I cried, and cried. Eventually he screamed at me. Threw things for me to pack. The perfume ended up breaking on the floor, and my room smelled like it for days… Do you smell that?”

“What?” Luke asked.

“The perfume… I smell it,” Katherine whispered. “Coco Mademoiselle.”

“I don’t smell perfume. I smell…” Luke thought for a moment, searching his mind. “Grilled cheese. Like my mom used to make. Grilled cheese, and canned tomato soup. Every Sunday. Before… a certain point.”

“The River. Cocytus,” she murmured. “It’s affecting us.”

“Just think… happy thoughts,” he suggested, not believing it as he said it. “I always wanted a puppy…”

“We had a puppy,” Katherine thought.

“What happened to it?” he wondered.

She only looked up at him, tears shining even in the darkness. Something about the way her eyes burned into his told him it didn’t die of natural causes.

“Hey, I think we need to stop,” Luke urged her, taking both of her hands in his. “Just for a second. To get it together.”

“Okay,” she whimpered, struggling hold back tears as he wrapped her in his arms, perhaps a little too tight.

“Shhh,” he whispered, not knowing what else to do to comfort the both of them, “It’s okay. I’m right here. I got you.”

“This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever felt,” Katherine mumbled.

Even the strength of Luke’s arms around her was beginning to feel distant.

“Me too. I don’t like it,” he said darkly.

As they held each other close in the darkness, he felt himself beginning to tear up, like all those nights he’d cried himself to sleep as a child. To Luke, tears and darkness were synonymous. He never dared to cry anywhere but in the dark where no one could see him, even now.

“How long until we at least get to the entrance to the pit?” he asked her.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Time and distance feel different… Like they feel shorter, but they also feel like they might be longer than they feel…”

“None of this makes any sense to me,” Luke breathed, finding himself unable to.

“Ditto.”

That was the last even remotely funny thing either of them could think of.

-

Chapter Eight

[eleneressea]

I have a crunchy concept I’ve been rotating in my mind and since you have some of the best ideas out there: what if post-nirn, and post-Thingol death (and hence Melian leaving), the Feanorions decided to take a leaf from Beren and Luthien’s book and steal the Doriath silmaril now that the girdle is gone? What if they succeeded?

oooh that is crunchy. I actually don't think that they could have succeeded—you'll see why—but in that case what happens is "the Second Kinslaying happens a few years earlier," so it's kind of moot.

so positing two things here:

This heist takes place during the year in which Beren and Lúthien are in charge in Doriath, and

the heist succeeds and Maedhros et al have the Nauglamír.

Now, I don't think Beren and Lúthien really care all that much about the Silmaril; they seem a lot like Thingol and Melian in terms of "we care about maybe three things and if this isn't one of those three things Who Give A Shit" and while the Silmaril was one of those things for Thingol, I don't get the sense that it was one of those things for Beren or Lúthien.

(Honestly I suspect that if Maedhros had written to Lúthien with "listen, my dad made us swear an oath to get the Silmarils back, I'm really sorry about my brothers, let's make a deal" they probably could have come to terms. But Thingol dies only the year before Beren and Lúthien do, and I doubt that keeping the Fëanorians in the loop was a priority for anyone in Doriath.)

So they wake up one morning and the Nauglamír is gone…assuming no one was killed in the process, meh! It was pretty, but we're also explicitly told that wearing it shortened Lúthien's lifespan, so there might be some element of relief to it being stolen as well. The nobles of Doriath probably do care, but also they've got a few hundred years of inertia towards "anything outside of this forest is not our concern" so idk how much pressure they'd actually put on Lúthien to do something about it.

Meanwhile…okay. I don't think that the Silmarils would burn the Fëanorians because of Alqualondë—Thingol hunted the petty-dwarves and didn't get burned, so either the hallowing doesn't care about dwarves, and you can make the argument that it doesn't, or the line to "evil" is somewhere beyond those incidents.

I do, however, think that the Silmarils would burn the Fëanorians because of the Doom. I think that is very crunchy and I love it. All the elves under the Doom—which seems to also include those born in Beleriand, too, so long as they are following a leader who is under the Doom—are probably barred from the Silmarils, actually. This would explain why Finrod and Beren's mission failed (Finrod is Doomed) but Lúthien's succeeded (Lúthien is not Doomed), and of course all the military efforts don't succeed because Fingon is Doomed and Fingolfin is Doomed and Maedhros is super-extra-Doomed. And the Doom is very clear that everything the Doomed try to do will fail and will turn to evil.

We're told that Dior uses the Silmaril to restore the glory of Doriath (…somehow) so Maedhros could probably also use the Silmaril in some similar way, maybe reclaiming and strengthening Himring, though the burning (and the Doom) would probably prohibit that.

Oh, and Morgoth probably would be sending orcs and dragons and balrogs after them to get the shiny thing back. So that would probably end…badly.

[wisecrackingeric-2]

hi eric its me ian

do you like pokémon because i’ve heard you like pokémon and i. i really. really like it too. please. i’ve been a fan since i was little and have played at least one game out of each generation please can we talk. i. ough. i need to know your faves regions pokémon characters the like

@eggo-tistical HELLO HELLO HELLO IM SOSOSOSOSOSO SORRY ITS TAKEN ME S O LONG TO ANSWER THIS IVE BEEN BISY ALL DAY BUT I AM CURRENTLY RUNNING AROUND IN CIRCLES VIBRATING OVER THIS ASK OH MY G O D POKÉMON IS MY SPECIAL INTEREST I LOVE IT SM (I’ll keep all of this under the cut just so I don’t clog up peoples dashboards BDBSBSBSBSH)

OKOKOKOKOK so first things first the region/generation IIIIIIIII was introduced into was Gen 6 aka Kalos (yes I am young HAHSWBWHEH) and oh my G O D I have. SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH NOSTALGIA FOR THAT GEN. I replay X&Y AAAAALLL THE TIME just cuz I love those games S O DAMN MUCH?????? Like the design of the region is so pretty and the Pokémon designed are so unique and the music is so,,,,,, mwuah perfect. Nuzlocke comics also got really big around that time so that’s how I was introduced into Nuzlocking and HOOOOOOOOOO BOYO BOY

I AM A M A S S I V E NUZLOCKER. I LOVE NUZLOCKES SM. THEYRE MY FAVOURITE THINGS EVER if I’m not writing an essay over Luis you can GUARENTEE I’ll be doing a Nuzlocke. I got into them cuz I ADORED the storytelling aspect and all the creative comics but I’ve stuck around cuz I just LOVE the problem solving/mathematics part of them?????? I love all the insane strategies and statistics runners come up with and I can easily just watch multi-hour Nuzlocke runs for days on end

But going back on track kinda but also on the subject of Nuzlockes my absolute FAAAAAAVORITE region/generation is EASILY Gen 4 and Platinum. In 2020 I started my first ever Nuzlocke of Platinum and tk say that singular playthrough impacted my life in a way I can’t even describe would be a MASSIVE understatement. I played it through some REEEEEEEALLY TOUGH TIMES and it was such a consistent constant for me I still go back to that save file and just. Walk around with my Pokémon. And reminisce. It was also just my first ever Pokémon game EVER (if you don’t count Pokémon GO BDBSBSHSH) so I hold it very near and dear to my heart <<<33

My starter was Turtwig and I called him Boba Fett and now Boba Fett the Torterra has stuck with me through every single game I’ve played- I’ve transferred him all the way up to Scarlet & Violet and I love him SO much he unironically means the world to me. Torterras my favourite Pokémon ever I have SO many plushies of it n stuff <<<<<333 if I can find a photo of Boba Fett the Torterra I’ll post it

I also R E A L L Y love gen 5. Like all the designs of the Pokémon are SO COOL and Unova is such a fun region to go through and the STORY?? THE S T O R Y ???????????? I really love how they were kinda aiming for an,,,, older audience with it????? Unova just goes so hard

But I think if I had to nail down my number one favourite Pokémon game EVER right alongside Platinum it would be Legends Arceus. LIKE?????? THE STORY???????????? THE ENVIORMENT????????????? THE MECHANICS??? THE ART STYLE??????? ALL THE LITTLE BACKGROUND NOISES????????? OFS SUCH A GOOD GAME I think right alongside like. Resident evil 4 it’s probably my favourite game of all time it’s so stunning I replay it ALL THE TIME

I’m also semi into shiny hunting!!!!!! I’ve only ever really done it on scarlet and Violet but my favourite shiny hunt I’ve ever done was for shiny Mabostiff aka my other favourite Pokémon alongside Torterra <33 ut was right after my dog had passed away and he looked EXACTLY like Mabostiff except he was golden so I went out of my way to shiny hunt one in his memory <<<<<<33

I also really love competitive Pokémon!!!!!!!!!!! Have I ever actually PLAYED competitively??? No but I can tell you everything there is to know about it!!!!!!!

Uhhhhhhhhhhh what else uhhh,,,,,,, Torterra and Mabostiff are obviously my favourite Pokémon but I have plenty of other faves too. Like Flabebe, Sylveon, Hisuian Decidueye cuz it looks like my irl pet chickens, Meganium, Wingull, Jirachi, Delphox uhhhhhhhhh there’s probably more but my brain is soupy soup BXBSBBSBSJS

But uhhhhhhhh I think that’s it!!!!!!!! Someday I would LOVE to make a long-running Nuzlocke comic based off of my first ever Nuzlocke with Boba Fett the Torterra, and as long as the 3ds doesn’t completely shut down next year I’m planning on doing a Nuzlocke of the OG Red & Blue Games And HOOOOOOOPEFULLY Making lil mini Comics to go along with it if all goes to plan!!!!!!!!!! :DDD

[phlurrii]

Speaking of shiny mews…

BABY ACQUIRED.

So after squealing and screaming like a made woman, so much my poor cat rolled off my lap, I shoved this baby in a dive ball and OFFICIALLY CAUGHT THE ONLY CATCHABLE LEGITIMATE SHINY MEW. Still available… I remember seeing this event when I younger and watching how you could chase mew, almost playing with it before encountering it. Being both memorized and devastated I missed it and would never get to experience the epitome of mew events.

Playing through all the Pokémon games, I would always fall for every fake video, online rumour, or trade to get mew. I offered any Pokémon of value I had to trade for one and finally got a Japanese mew around age 10. I loved that lil cat to death, though I’ve since lost it to the void of time and foggy childhood memory; my next mew that was all mine were two lil babies I got in an XY mystery gift event. That was birth of Meau and Mew for me, the first I always called my “original” mew or “ancient” mew like the card, while the second I considered my cannon mew. I still have both babies to this day and have since brought them to home.

Despite such, I never forgot about the catchable mew in emerald, though conceded to move on to more modern day mews! From shelling out 50$ to get mew in that bloody pokeball in lets go, to my father letting me catch the mew in Pokémon Go (I didn’t care much for the game, but my chad of a father got into it solely to bond with me, Rest In Peace you lovable bastard) and finally my level 1 mew from BDSP. Which, due to my interest in breaking/glitching Nintendo games, has now given me infinite access to level 1 mew and up via the god egg in SWSH. I can now perpetually have a starter mew in any future games that mew is in, eheheheheh childhood dream accomplished >;3c

That, so far has been my journey.. though it didn’t quite end there. With my attention being brought to the pomeg glitch in emerald, reactivating the old sea map event, and hunting/catching myself a shiny lad… there is only ONE mew to left for me to get. The original Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green glitched mew. Now the issue with them is they are not transferable out of those games, unless you do another intensely complicated glitch up, right, down, left, left, clap your hands, and do a lil jiggy lol. So with shiny mew caught, I’m on my way to dragging the TRUE ancient mew out of the first games, naming the bugger Meau, and bringing them all the damn way up to Scarlet!! My army of mews will only then, be complete.

Finally, for those fellow weirdos that read this far, due to my now infinite amount of mews, both shiny and otherwise; if anyone would like a legit, albeit cloned, mew with a specific name, feel free to reply to this post and I’ll do my best to sort it out! Shiny one’s will have to wait tho cuz transferring those bad boys through 5 generations is a biTch.

[decks-writing-blog]

Whatever the Fuck Benrey Is: Chapter Eighteen: Terrible Person

Chapter One

Previous Chapter

~

Gordon was a terrible person. His plan to gently convince everyone to not do this trip because he didn’t want to go back died upon Benrey suggesting he might walk. If he did that Gordon’s chances of seeing any part of his records were much lower. He wanted to see them so bad, he was willing to make a trip back to the the place he’d had the worst experience of his life in just for the chance to. But then Benrey, normally the least anxious person Gordon had ever known, had been openly anxious and admitted to being so over his safety. How and when had he grown to care about Gordon that much?

Normally that revelation would’ve been heart-warming but not when Gordon had been actively planning on being nosy. He could tell himself all he wanted that he was only going to peek or to skim but… he’d wanted to read and watch all of whatever there was on file for Benrey. And even now, after that delusion had been knocked from him by realizing the enormity of the betrayal, he still kind of wanted to do it. If given the chance, he might not be able to resist the temptation.

And now he had to sit in the middle backseat and try to pretend like he’d agreed to this trip solely to help out his pal Benrey. That was part of it of course; walking would’ve taken a long time and not been fun, Gordon didn’t want him to go through that if he didn’t have to. But he could’ve declined going and let the others take Benrey. Of course then he’d have also been left home alone for way longer than he was comfortable committing to yet. But he was only realizing that now. He was going because he wanted a chance to peek at Benrey’s records.

Just like he had when coming across Dr. Coomer’s clone’s records or would if he ever happened upon Bubby’s. With Benrey he felt worse about it though. Not that he didn’t feel bad about the others, they were his friends but Benrey was… also his friend of course. ‘Special’ was maybe the best way to put it. He was particularly special to Gordon due to how much he depended on him for comfort and company. Gordon’s newfound pathetic neediness made him cling to Benrey. And yet, despite that, he’d been planning on betraying his trust and privacy and if given a chance, would still be tempted to because he just wanted to know more so bad. That drive was the same one that had brought him to Black Mesa in the first place, before he’d become somewhat disillusioned by the mundanitiesof living in a research facility and always working under other people, never doing his own things. It had come back stronger though, perhaps as a desperate distraction from worse thoughts.

As fucked up as the situation was, he hadn’t even had much trouble falling asleep last night. Benrey was just that soothing and comforting. Which only made Gordon wanting to snoop on his private stuff worse. … Hopefully he wouldn’t get a chance to.

Taking a deep breath to try to banish such thoughts, he shifted, leaning his shoulder a bit more into Benrey’s so he could better see the Game Boy in his hands. The angle wasn’t great, making it hard to see, but Benrey moved it a little, tilting it towards him. He was playing Pokemon Sapphire, just booting it up for some reason.

“I’m shiny hunting so, uh… probably not fun to watch,” he said but kept holding it where Gordon could see anyway.

“Why? Aren’t shinies like super rare?” Gordon liked Pokemon well enough but going to so much trouble just seemed a waste of time.

“I want a shiny Kyogre to go with my shiny Groudon.”

“Wow, okay. You shiny hunt for that one too or just get super lucky?”

“Uh… I got sorta lucky. That one only took a few days. I’ve been trying for this one for like a week now. You sleep a lot though so I got a lot of time to play. I’m gonna get all the legendaries as shinies.”

Gosh, Gordon needing him to sleep and recover from bad dreams really took a lot of his time, huh? What had he ever done to deserve that? Yeah, Benrey enjoyed the cuddling too but… even on the nights when he got tired of it and extracted himself, he stuck around the room all night anyway just in case Gordon needed him again. Why didn’t he leave and let Gordon deal with his own problems occasionally? If they weren’t in the backseat of a car with the rest of the Science Team, Gordon would’ve been tempted to ask because he didn’t deserve that.

As it was though, he settled in to watch Benrey shiny hunt. Which was quickly growing boring, indeed. Naturally he’d saved right in front Kyogre, allowing him to start the encounter and then immediately turn the Game Boy off and back on as soon as it showed up as not shiny. Over and over and over again. They’d already been in the car for more than a hour now too and if he’d changed games in that time, Gordon hadn’t noticed.

“Do you… enjoy this?” If this was what he did when Gordon slept, it was time to get him some more Game Boy Advanced games or tell him to just let Gordon suffer while he fucked off elsewhere.

“Eh, it’s kinda boring, not too bad though. I get cool stuff out of it so it’s worth it. Gonna have an all shiny team of legendaries eventually, it’ll be cool. Maybe I’ll take it to a tournament. I’ve heard that those are like a thing. I could uh… go to one now, right?” He turned his head to look at Gordon for a second before turning it back to the game

“Sure, if there are ever any nearby, I’ll drive you.” If he wanted to go to a competitive Pokemon thing, he’d more than earned a ride to one for all the shit he put up with for Gordon’s sake.

“Awesome. But uh… want me to switch to something more fun to watch?”

Yes but… “Only if you want to.”

“Hmm… I’ve been learning the speedrun for Minish Cap so I’ll show you that. It’s pretty cool.”

“All right, sure.” And so instead of confronting the part of him that was a terrible person for wanting to betray Benrey’s trust and privacy, Gordon would continue to distract himself by watching him play video games instead. Damn, he really needed to sort his shit out. … Later though, he’d do it later.

~

The Black Mesa living area was much the same as it had been before but now it was shrouded in darkness. The generators had reportedly breathed their last a week and a half ago. All of Black Mesa’s fancy high-tech solar panels – special made to be particularly efficient – had of course all been atop the outside parts of the facility and thus subject to the army’s bombings. The elevator only still functioned because of the mini-generator one of the prior salvage teams had brought out to hook up to it.

“I hate this,” Gordon said as he shined his flashlight around the space. The opening room had never felt like much before but the darkness changed that. Five flashlights helped but where their beams didn’t reach, almost anything could be hiding.

“It’s dark.” Benrey was also shining his flashlight around, seemingly randomly, not looking towards where he was pointing it. Weird but it was Benrey so actually pretty normal.

“Be careful Gordon,” Dr. Coomer said as he stepped into Gordon’s line of sight, “sometimes things hide in the darkness. Try not to let your flashlight run out of power.” He then turned and started walking further in. “No time to waste being afraid though. It’s time to start a new adventure.”

“Wait, what? What kind of things? Dangerous things?”

“Things, Gordon, things,” Bubby answered as if that answered the question as he followed.

“I don’t think we wanna know,” Tommy added, also following.

Before Gordon could insist on an answer, Benrey stepped up to him, lightly bumping him with his shoulder. “Middle of the group.” He spoke low so only Gordon could hear.

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Gordon got moving, pulling the salvage cart behind him. Its handle was just big enough for his gun hand to fit through, meaning him taking charge of it meant no one else had to sacrifice a free hand for it. “You know what kind of things Dr. Coomer was talking about though? Like… an experiment gone wrong, resulting in things that hide in the dark or something.” That was stupid, right? It was just Dr. Coomer being weird again, giving tips that sounded oddly like video game tutorials. There were no things in the dark and the batteries – more Black Mesa tech – were supposed to be able to stay on for a full week before burning out and they had a box of spares just in case.

“No clue.”

“Great, awesome. It’s fine though, we’re fine, everything’s fine.”

“You don’t sound too sure of that,” Bubby said, glancing back with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m trying to convince myself, okay? Because Dr. Coomer just had to say something straight out of a damn horror game when we’re in a dark underground facility that’s almost certainly still got dead stuff in it.” They were to burn anything dead they came across, especially if it was alien. Not that it’d be easy to tell at this point. Hopefully they wouldn’t come across anything.

“If there are things, I’ll uh… kill them.” A glance back revealed that Benrey had taken up the rear, just behind the salvage wagon. He walked backwards, shining his light around behind them. Odd but at least nothing would sneak up on them. “Or try to ‘cause… don’t got a gun so it’d be kinda hard to kill anything that shows up.”

“You don’t need a gun to be dangerous… do you?” Now that Gordon thought about it though, all the violence he’d committed before Xen had been with a gun. Heck, even on Xen he’d mostly been attacking with a gun, hadn’t he? The one that shot balls of energy that were seemingly hard to aim based off how often he’d missed. His skeletons hadn’t been armed but their cocooning hadn’t done damage or even hurt, just held people in place for a brief time.

“Uh… I could make claws, I guess. Hard to hold things with claws though. I do got sharp teeth so I can bite things real good.” Damn, unarmed, he was only slightly more dangerous than the average person. Maybe a bit more than slightly given that something that couldn’t be hurt or blocked by solid objects could easily win a fight solely through attrition, but still not exactly an offensive powerhouse.

So offense wasn’t his strong suit, defense though, he could probably do well if he tried. So between him and Dr. Coomer who was dangerous without a gun, Gordon would probably be fine even if things did show up out of the darkness. Didn’t mean this would be a fun trip but he’d known that going in. … Even if his reason for going in wasn’t good. But now that he was here and already not happy about it, making it worth it would be nice.

Benrey hadn’t explicitly said he didn’t want Gordon or anyone else looking at his records. So probably peeking, if he got a chance, wouldn’t hurt too much. How he was going to do that, was still up in the air as there was no way he could get away with doing it openly. One thing at a time though, once they got there, he’d start looking for opportunities.

~

If the others were at all unnerved by the darkness, they made no indication of it. Like their first trip through the facility together, their group was various degrees of spread out as Dr. Coomer and Bubby seemed to want go faster than the rest of them were. Resulting in ‘the middle of the group’ being a somewhat nebulous position. Benrey stayed at the back though, seemingly keeping watch for anything that might try to sneak up on them.

They all chatted idly as they went along, the conversation much looser now that they all knew each other better and weren’t in a tense situation. Gordon participated in that chatter at first but… the longer they walked, the more the weight of the facility seemed to press down on him. They all had backpacks with supplies and sleeping bags and it was dark so almost everything about this hike was different from their first journey so it shouldn’t be much of an issue but well… it was still the same facility. The look of the halls they traveled was much the same and the way their voices echoed, though not interspersed with the same kinds sounds as before was otherwise the same.

Not thinking about said first journey was always a good idea, but here it was a bit harder to. Even desperately trying to cling to the others’ conversation didn’t help as much as it normally would’ve. They’d all chatted as they walked during that journey, including when they’d lead him to the ambush when he’d lost his hand. … When they’d all left him to die.

Or maybe not left him but they certainly hadn’t fought for him or cared he’d lost a hand. Why would they have though? He was weak, fragile, and easy to kill while they were all various kinds of not that. Even Tommy, seemingly the most normal one among them, his father was that time stopping guy, meaning he probably also had powers too and likely wasn’t human. It’d be cool to know more but also… it was a reason for him to have not particularly cared when Gordon got hurt. And reason to potentially not be too terribly bothered by his safety now.

Had that changed with any of them? For Benrey it had, he’d confessed to it. The rest of them though… who could say?

What if they were leading him into another ambush for his other hand to be cut off? … For what purpose? … What purpose had the first one been for?

Outside their chatter, it was awfully quiet. No power meant no air conditioning, humming lights, or distant sounds of machines. Gordon strained his ears, trying to detect anything. Military boots, the crackle of a Xen portal opening to drop an alien on them, the shuffling and moaning of a headcrab zombie, anything that said they weren’t alone done here. Something had to be just around the corner or just out of their flashlight’s radius. Because there was always something around the corner, the darkness would only make it harder to see before it jumped them.

Surely an ambush was inevitable. Maybe not for just Gordon this time but all of them. If so, they wouldn’t bother to help him. Why would they? Someone as weak and pathetic as him wasn’t worth the effort. … He should’ve found a way to power the HEV suit and bring it after all. They had lots of stuff at the temporary lab, some of it undoubtedly HEV suit related.

So even after getting out of this hellhole he’d returned and thus still might die down here. Entirely his own fault this time too, he’d chosen this for stupid evil reasons and hadn’t brought the one thing that might’ve kept him alive. No wonder Benrey was anxious for him, he was an idiot who was basically doomed to die because of his own dumb decisions.

They were going to cut his other hand off and dump him somewhere to bleed out because he didn’t have the HEV suit’s medical systems to help him survive it. But hey, without the HEV suit, there wouldn’t be the awkward fumbling to get the gauntlet off while he was held down and sat on, making it hard to breath while he screamed and struggled while the people he thought were his friends watched. The saw would still hurt though; searing pain before it bit into bone, catching and scraping and grinding.

His arm hurt. The rest of him was numb. He wanted to scream. He couldn’t… not out loud. Only in his head. They were going to cut off his hand. He was going to die down here. It hurt. He still couldn’t scream.

***

Gordon had stopped participating in any of the conversation. When he’d stopped was hard to say for sure. Too focused on petting down his own anxieties, Benrey hadn’t been paying much attention. But now that it was becoming more and more clear that there weren’t any aliens left ready to jump out and kill the only member of their party who could die so easily, Gordon’s silence was glaring. He should’ve been just as chatty as the others.

Benrey sidestepped around the cart and sped up – turning around too as being right behind the cart was what had allowed him to know he wasn’t going run into anything while walking backwards – until was right next to Gordon. “Yo.”

No response. Gordon kept staring ahead, his gaze blank, flashlight pointed at the ground in front of him, seemingly following the others purely mechanically.

“You okay?”

If Gordon heard him, he gave no indication of it. So Benrey poked him in the shoulder. That finally got his attention as he gasped, turning to look at Benrey. “Huh?”

“You okay?” Benrey repeated, still speaking low but a bit louder this time.

“Uh… um… again? I’m… my ears are ringing.”

“You okay?” Though really the question was moot now, the answer was obvious. “You’re acting weird. What’s up?”

Gordon was a silent for several long seconds, his eyes darting around, never seeming to rest on anything. “Just uh… freaking out a little.” He was awfully quiet for someone ‘freaking out’. Nightmares not counting, last time he’d properly freaked out had been the bucket when he’d yelped before shooting it full of holes. Did him doing so whilst calmly walking through a hall mean it was somehow particularly bad or not a big deal? “I wanna scream.” Despite that, his voice was quiet, barely above a whisper.

“Then scream.” Like he was supposed to and would be normal.

“Can’t. … If I die or uh… something comes out and saws off my other hand, you can do an ‘I told you so’. Just… try not rub it in too much, please.”

So then was this Benrey’s fault? He’d put bad thoughts in Gordon’s head, causing this? Though, this was the place that all the bad things that had happened to Gordon that caused his nightmares had occurred so… maybe not entirely Benrey’s fault. Either way didn’t matter. He took a deep breath and sang out a string of blue sweet voice; the most useful colour apparently.

Gordon stumbled to a halt as it hit him, breathing it in. Benrey stopped too, stepping in front of him to continue his tone.

Tommy, Coomer, and Bubby naturally heard and came back to investigate. Benrey’s tone was pitched to be just loud enough to make conversation next to impossible. Louder than he’d intended but he didn’t care.

Gordon coming on this trip had been a mistake. Such should’ve been obvious but he’d been seemingly not hesitant to go. He was dumb. They all way. Benrey should’ve insisted on going alone. … Or just with the others who weren’t as traumatized by everything because they’d never been in any real danger. They should’ve left Gordon behind with Sunkist and Darnold or maybe one of the others.

Finally Benrey let his tone end. Silence settled on them, heavier than before.

Gordon took a step back, giving his head a little shake. “Uh… thanks. I feel… better, not good but better. Also a bit loud but… I’m sure it’s fine.”

“You shouldn’t have come. Why did you?”

He flinched almost as if the question had hurt. “Just… because. It’s something to do and… wanted to help you out and everyone else is going. I thought maybe it’d be fine.”

Benrey hadn’t even considered this aspect of it not being fine. In his defense, human psychology was a mystery to him. He did know that it had been traumatic for Gordon and sort of what that meant though so he should’ve at least considered it might not be just a casual walk for him.

He stepped back to address the group as a whole. “You guys should go back. I’ll continue by myself to get my stuff and other stuff for the wagon so it looks like you did your job stuff and then uh… meet back up with you outside.” The main benefit of them coming with him after all was the journey down here since he didn’t know how to drive and no one had been willing to lend him a car to figure it out on the way. He could do the trip through the facility by himself without too much trouble.

“We’ve already been walking for hours though,” Bubby complained. “I ain’t turning back.”

“Perhaps just me and Gordon could turn back then,” Coomer said. “Tommy if he wants to as well. Would you like that Gordon? I could use my big strong arms to carry you out of this horrible place. Just this once I won’t even charge you a Play Cointm. When we’re back on the surface I’m sure we could find a way to keep ourselves entertained until our friends rejoin us.”

“Um… thanks for the offer but… I’m okay now. I think uh… think this might be good for me, actually. Kinda like exposure therapy, right?”

Tommy stepped forward. “But Mr. Freeman, isn’t exposure therapy normally done with professionals? People who have uh… trained to know how to do it and how far to push it and… and how to do it in a way that’s safest. Doing it by yourself without guidance might not be particularly helpful. I’m not an expert or anything of course but I did read about it on Wikipedia.”

“Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit,” Coomer added.

“Yes, we know, thanks, Dr. Coomer,” Gordon said. “But uh… I’m fine now, really. I can keep going.” He looked away as he said it though. A sign that it was a lie or unrelated? “I want to keep going. Just uh… do you guys think we could walk a bit closer together?” He gave Benrey an intense look, perhaps indicating he wanted him in particular to stay close. It was hard to tell for sure though just like it was hard to tell if him continuing was really wise or not no matter what he said about being fine now. “I know I’m the weakest guy here but I can take this. I was just out of it a bit and then Benrey snapped me out of… or I guess back into it so it’s all good now. I just gotta stay focused.”

“Are you sure, Gordon?” Coomer took a step towards him. “Don’t push yourself to try to keep up with us because that’s never going to happen no matter how hard you try. You’ll just push yourself to death.”

Gordon grimaced and took a step back, flinching as the back of his legs bumped the cart, his gun hand still firmly wedge in its handle. “I’m sure I’ll be fine. There’s nothing here anymore.”

Coomer stared at him for a couple seconds longer before turning and continuing down the hall. “Very well then! Onwards and upwards!”

Bubby went along with him without hesitation, leaving the rest of them to catch up. Benrey still wasn’t sure but… he fell in step with Gordon. Maybe he had overreacted to Gordon’s quiet freak out. He was new to this whole worrying thing in general, especially over someone else. It sucked. His fault for adopting such a fragile pet. But… would he stop caring so much if he could chose to do so? … No. Most of the time Gordon made him happy; even just Gordon being happy made him happy. It was fun and nice even if it did suck sometimes.

Maybe Benrey should hold his hand as they walked. Touching always seemed to comfort him and whenever he tried to comfort Benrey, it was often with touch, so… but no, he had only hand and it was holding the flashlight. His gun hand was occupied with the wagon. Damn. Bubby probably would’ve made a comment about it anyway though. Benrey would just have to stick close then even if that meant abandoning his backwards vigil. He could perhaps make an eye on the back of his neck but… he’d done that before and it was dizzying. So he’d just turn and check occasionally instead. Probably nothing was back there anyway though so it’d be fine… hopefully.

~

It was Tommy who called camp time with, “I know normally Mr. Freeman is the one who calls when its time for bed on these adventures but uh… I don’t think he’s going to do that and it’s pretty late. So maybe we should start looking for a place to stop for the night soon.”

“Nah, we can keep going,” Gordon said even though for the past couple hours his walking pace had been slowing more and more, reducing everyone’s else speed as well. As the weakest member of their group they were bound by his limitations. Especially since they were, as he’d requested, all sticking closer to him.

Before Benrey could point that out, Coomer sat down on the floor, forcing the rest of them to halt too even though they were in the middle of a hallway. “I feel like taking a break is a good idea.”

Bubby sat next to him. “This has been a lot less fun than I thought it was gonna be so yeah, a nap break sounds good.”

Gordon groaned. “Can we at least stop in a room with like… only one exit or something. So we can like… guard it easier, you know? Nothing’s gonna come for us or anything, I know that, everything’s gone… hopefully but… you know.”

“Uh… I don’t think we do know, Mr. Freeman. But finding a room shouldn’t be hard, there are lots of rooms around here. I used to work near here actually back when I first started before I changed departments. We could uh… go find my old office maybe. It’s a bit of a detour but… that’s okay because it’s not a long one.”

“Yeah, okay. Everyone, let’s go to Tommy’s old office. Lead the way.” Gordon gestured him forward. Bubby groaned and mumbled something under his breath but stood with Coomer to continue anyway.

‘Not a long detour’ turned out to be about a ten minute walk. Tommy’s old office was small and a bit cluttered with overturned desks. Coomer took care of those with ease, shoving them out into the hallway, leaving them with a little room that, as Gordon had requested, had only one exit.

Benrey put his flashlight in with the others at the center of the camp, all on and pointed up, to take the place of a campfire presumably, before sitting himself against the closed door. If anything wanted to come in, it’d have to go through him. This precaution was enough to ease his own lingering anxieties over Gordon’s safety. Probably nothing dangerous was out there but they were somewhat deep into the facility now so if there was anything around that might want to eat them, it wasn’t easily getting in here.

Just sitting against the door being enough, he pulled the Game Boy. He looked up from it again a short time later though as the four of them turned off all but one of the flashlights and exchanged ‘good night’s. They hadn’t discussed what they were going to do about Gordon’s usual sleeping arrangements but he’d got into his sleeping bag on his own so… maybe he was okay?

Since his quiet freak out earlier, he seemed to be back to normal if a bit on edge. Everyone sticking close to him seemed have helped a lot. He’d had to be purposefully nudged and brought back into the conversation a few times, especially as time went on. But that might’ve just been because he was tired. So maybe he really would be okay to sleep on his own. … Probably not though.

Benrey would go over there and pet his head once everyone else was close enough to sleep to not open their eyes and potentially see. Though if they did see, what harm would it do? Yeah, depending on who saw, they might ask about it and/or make an annoying comment but so what? Benrey couldn’t leave Gordon to have a nightmare instead.

Despite having not done much in his game, he turned the Game Boy off and put it back in his pack he’d place next to himself. Before he could get up and head over though, Gordon moved and began carefully extracting himself from his sleeping bag. He could’ve unzipped it but seemed to be trying to avoid doing so. Probably because it made a sound that he was trying to prevent because he thought he was being sneaky. And maybe he was; if the others heard him, they weren’t turning to look. With a sigh, Benrey settled back down to wait for him. Maybe he just wanted to go somewhere else to do their usual night thing without risking the others seeing. Probably not but Benrey would suggest it.

Once free, Gordon slipped his glasses back on before tip-toeing over to Benrey to sit next to him, back against the door. Right next to him, shoulder to shoulder, so even when whispering softly, he could be heard. “Look, before you say it, you’re right, I need sleep. Sleep is good, I could die without it and all that. But also consider, I don’t want to fucking sleep. So do you think, you could instead help me stay awake? Just for tonight. I promise I’ll sleep in the car ride home and probably when we get home but… I just can’t tonight, please.”

Benrey should insist but… Gordon was here because of him. Even if he was doing better now, he was still clearly not okay and so maybe it’d be better to let him skip sleep. He’d done it before when Benrey had believed his lie about it not being a big deal and had survived just fine. So maybe indeed one night wasn’t good but not a huge deal. “Okay, I’ll help you stay awake.”

“Thank you, thank you. You’re an amazing friend.”

Benrey had gone from a good friend to an amazing friend, he was moving up in the world. Awesome. … How to help keep Gordon awake though? Well he did have one idea he’d been toying with for a while inspired by all their one handed gaming sessions.

He reached over and pulled out the Game Boy again. “You hold one half, I’ll hold the other, we’ll play together. The challenge should help keep you up, right?”

“Oh that’s uh… genius actually. I’ll go get a flashlight so I can see the screen better while you pick the game.”

While Gordon got up to do that, Benrey brought out his small assortment of games he’d brought with him. Not a very varied selection but since Gordon would by default be on the movement side so it made sense to pick a movement focused game to help keep him focused, so… Mario World 3 it was. If this turned out to be fun though, they’d have to try it later under better circumstances.

~

After a rocky start, filled with whispered bickering about whose fault each death was, they eventually got the hang of it. And thus after several hours, they were halfway through the game and… losing the hang of it. Gordon was struggling to stay awake. Benrey had already nudged him several times now with less and less success in getting him fully back to alert.

Benrey could tell him to get up and walk a bit, maybe do a little exercise. How that supposedly woke humans up, Benrey wasn’t sure because shouldn’t that be more tiring? But he’d heard it enough times that it had be true. Or he could let Gordon fall asleep.

Maybe if he was exhausted enough, it’d be fine. They’d spent most the day walking and Gordon’s quiet freak out had probably still been taxing, right? So surely by now he had to be tired enough to potentially skip dreaming.

And so Benrey stopped nudging him and ceased bringing it up when his sleepiness caused Mario to die. Despite that, he held on for another long while before inevitably losing the fight and slumping the rest of the way into Benrey as his body went lax with sleep.

Carefully, oh so carefully, Benrey shifted him so that Gordon’s head rested in his lap. Humans almost always slept lying down so that had to be the best position to sleep in for them. It would’ve been nice to get his sleeping bag under the rest of him too but that was more moving than Benrey was willing to risk.

Next, he turned off the flashlight and saved their spot in the game, before switching to resume shiny hunting. In an hour or two, the others would probably start to wake. He’d let Gordon sleep for as long as possible but still soon after that, they’d likely be on their way again. But even that much sleep had to be better than none.

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[fierykitten2]

Confession or something: recently my Pokémon Scarlet game has been struggling to start first time I try (including before I got the DLC) and yesterday it crashed two times. It’s not the normal thing you think about when you hear “Pokémon Scarlet crash” (I don’t know what the crash message would be in that situation), the first time I was collecting items after taking a photo with Kieran at the second signpost and at one point it froze and then crashed with the message “the game was closed because the game card could not be read” (or whatever it was). This is a very similar message to the one I get when it struggles to start. Later on, I was in the middle of a cutscene and I decided I was going to send some screenshots of the cutscene to my phone to post them on tumblr (the one where Ogerpon drops her mask and we collect it) but when I returned to the game it said it had been closed “because the game card was removed” (it hadn’t been removed, I don’t know what my Switch was talking about). I know for a fact these problems are with the game card, not the Switch because I’ve never had these problems with Pokémon Violet. As an unfortunate result of these crashes and my wish to play through the DLC in both games together and just alternate between which takes the lead and which follows behind (yesterday was the first time ever I was more ahead in Scarlet than in Violet because I got Violet a year before I got Scarlet and also decided to start the DLC first in Violet) I may end up slowing down my progress in both games. Yesterday I wanted to either continue playing through Scarlet so when I get back to Violet I have to make even more progress before swapping back to Scarlet or swap over to Violet and continue there but I was demotivated because of the issues I’ve been having with Scarlet (which wouldn’t have impacted Violet directly anyway, I just don’t know what to do about progressing if I’m demotivated to play Scarlet but wanted to take both games at the same pace)

Unfortunately slowing down means it’ll be even longer before I get Apple the Gouging Fire, Orange the Iron Boulder, Lemon the Raging Bolt and Grape/Passionfruit/Pomegranate (I came up with some backups but hopefully Grape doesn’t cause a problem) the Iron Crown (yes I’ve already come up with names for them). Or Scarlet the Suicune, Violet the Virizion and all the other Snacksworth Legendaries you can get without NSO (I’m fine reusing the names of my non-native Fire Knights on Blueberry and Cherry’s modern-day counterparts. They won’t be in the same games as their name buddies anyway so it’s fine). And shiny-hunting the Kalos and Galar starters. I think it’s fair to say I’m really excited for the Indigo Disk

[thepaintedsable]

Two spreads this time! Plus a reference sheet for a character and some other artfight prep in the form of my thumbnail marker! I guess I could use a digital one, but I think it’s more fun if I use a silly little physical note to keep them consistent. :)

Close-ups, character design/ref, and general AF prep under the cut!

FOWLE R!!! This guy is like… a derivative of a character I’ve had in my head forever. He got created in my scribbles room draw the other guy (who is a lot more human. A LOT. I can’t draw him lmfaoo.), and even though it wasn’t good enough for the other character I really, really liked this design. I’ve posted about him here, and I might post his original sketch page after I complete Sketchbook 29. I’m still deciding if I should go back and post all the other spreads, or just continue with my new sketchbooks only.

His story is still a work in progress, but I’m leaning towards guy who got trapped in a spell because he worked in the castle of a king who pissed some very magic monster off (think the Beauty and the Beast curse? Kinda.), probably because the king was low key pulling a Gaston and decorating his castle with monster mounts or something (general asshat too. Treats his people like dogs.), and while everyone is dealing with this poorly, Fowler takes it as a chance to fly off and actually take the chance to have a better life for himself. He was being treated very poorly as a person, and he ends up adapting very well to the change. :) Also the curse can’t be broken unless everyone works together, and he is so ready to tell the king to kick rocks. Irony probably comes into the fact he was named for his family’s profession of hunting bird monsters. If he was born this way, I think he’d been named Blackberry or something.

Art fight thumbnail thing!!! I’m team Stardust!!! I made one of these last year, but it was just a little sticky note that said the year and my handle. I’m not into the whole “OLD ART” thumbnails (although I don’t mind when others do it!), so I’d rather just put one of these on top of the art for the thumbnail right off the bat.

Art fight thing again, Dubwool, sheared Dubwool, some reference prep for Fowler, bird?????, and journaling stuff.

Dubwool is my buddy in Pokémon Go, because I think it is very funny that he is absolutely huge. He is just one big sheep, y’s-sir. I only play because a couple of my friends use it to keep in touch, in a way. Dubwool replaced my shiny shadow scyther because I really, really want to evolve that mf into scizor to make his shiny more obvious (scyther shiny really is just olive green vs piss green) and I have enough candies but I need an object thing and it’s very tragic. Needed to replace it with something that brings more joy, even though I barely open that game on my own accord.

Plush drawing! That mushroom cap was sewn in :) Also “The Moss” slaps. More Fowler stuff. And I finally broke down an drew a spider-sona-thing; don’t ask, but I had a Spider-Man nightmare and it put the thought in my brain. He does not have a name, but he is based on a spiny orb weaver and is not beating the villain accusations. Worm, who was surprisingly not birthed from a nightmare, is just a little guy. Then more journaling, but emotional edition™. Stress + boredom yum yum wonderful combo that should not exist. These feelings shouldn’t even overlap, but they sure do yes-sir-e. I have not touched a video game and enjoyed it in months and I think a good horror game I haven’t spoiled myself to might fix whatever is going on with me rn. I am drawing too much.